The future of a proposed skate park in the city of Cumberland will become clearer in just a few weeks as city officials will receive a recommendation from staff as to a location. A committee seeking the construction of a skate park in the downtown area favor Jaycee Field, formerly known as Pogey Field, on Furnace Street in the city’s north end as their preferred location for the facility.  Other potential sites include Constitution Park and the Mason Sports Complex- although the skate park committee is opposed to those locations, deeming them too difficult to reach by foot.  A recent…

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot on Thursday hosted a virtual news conference to rally support for his proposal to provide $500 million in direct financial relief to Maryland small businesses in hard-hit industries. Small business advocates, restaurateurs and retailers representing a cross-section of industries throughout Maryland joined Franchot in urging Governor Larry Hogan and the General Assembly to tap into the state's historic $6 billion surplus and dedicate a fresh round of economic relief, particularly to support minority-owned and women-owned small businesses, which bore the disproportionate brunt of COVID-19's economic impact…

The project carried an original estimated price tag of $3.5 to $5 million- but city officials are now acknowledging that $12.5 million is in the budget for the renovation of the downtown pedestrian mall . The price isn’t the only moving target with the planned groundbreaking also having been shifted on numerous occasions. During the most recent discussions a late 2022 or spring 2023 construction startup date was identified as the goal. Although the last cost estimate for the project was in the $9.7 million range, Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said the strategy is to allow the city the ability…

The Allegany County Commissioners have requested an emergency meeting of the Board of Health for next Wednesday  to establish new quarantine guidelines for those exposed or potentially exposed to COVID-19. The letter was sent to County Health Officer Jenelle Mayer Thursday afternoon scheduling an emergency meeting of the board of health. Commissioners President Jake Shade said in anticipation of the state board of education lifting the mask mandate, it is important for  the quarantine protocols  to be relaxed as well to help keep kids in the classrooms…

The Allegany County Commissioners have requested an emergency meeting of the Board of Health for next Wednesday  to establish new quarantine guidelines for those exposed or potentially exposed to COVID-19. The letter was sent to County Health Officer Jenelle Mayer Thursday afternoon scheduling an emergency meeting of the board of health. Commissioners President Jake Shade said in anticipation of the state board of education lifting the mask mandate, it is important for  the quarantine protocols  to be relaxed as well to help keep kids in the classrooms

A two vehicle accident involving a tractor trailer Thursday afternoon on Interstate 68 West near the Beall Street exit. Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene. There were no injuires. Cumberland City Police investigated. 

Rocky Gap Casino Resort, located at 16701 Lakeview Road NE, has announced it will host COVID-19 vaccination clinics in partnership with the Maryland Department of Health in its conference center from noon – 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26 and Sunday, Feb. 27 with additional dates to be announced.   “We’re honored to partner with the Maryland Department of Health to make access to COVID-19 vaccinations easy and accessible,” said Brian Kurtz, senior vice president and general manager of Rocky Gap Casino Resort. “The health and safety of our team members and community continues to be of the utmost importance,…

West Virginia University is lifting some of its masking requirements put in place to combat COVID-19 as the number of virus cases in the state is decreasing. University officials announced Wednesday that masks will no longer be required in most indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. The university will still require masks in classrooms, labs and on-campus buses. Students and staff in health science fields and those who work with patients will still be required to wear masks indoors.

The Cumberland Times News reports multiple pretrial hearings are scheduled in four counties and two states in a massive deer poaching case. This past month, 223 charges involving at least 27 antlered bucks taken illegally in Mineral, Grant and Hampshire counties in West Virginia from mid September to late December were filed against eight area residents. Former Mineral County deputy sheriffs Tyler Biggs and Dalton Dolly are among the people charged and have resigned from their jobs. Also charged Chris Biggs who serves in Allegany County’s Department of Emergency Services- although he has been suspended. Earlier this month, special prosecutors…

Today, members of the Joint Republican Caucus announced a package of election integrity legislation to establish commonsense safeguards of Maryland’s elections processes. “We believe in free and fair elections for all Marylanders. We also believe that confidence in our elections and their validity is the basis of our civil society,” said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel. “With mail-in ballots becoming a larger part of our elections process, this legislative package proactively establishes safeguards to ensure the integrity of our elections.” HB 939 – Ballot Protection Act of 2022 prohibits election officials at all levels of government from the mass mailing…