With Maryland’s COVID-19 metrics showing promise, the State Board of Education said it will evaluate the need for masks to be worn in schools when it meets next week. With a growing number of medical professionals, parents, and Governor Larry Hogan calling for an end to school mask requirements, State Board President Clarence Crawford said the issue will be evaluated and discussed when the board meets Tuesday… Meanwhile, looking to force the issue, a citizens group, the Coalition of Maryland Parents is suing the state board over the masking requirement. The group’s attorney C. Edward Hartman said moving forward with…

Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss stated emphatically Wednesday that the proposed River Park at Canal Place project will move forward- and that plan includes removing the dam under the Blue Bridge. After West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced his opposition to the project- Delegate Gary Howell chimed in- telling the Cumberland Times News that the dam removal would take away more opportunities than it would create. The proposed project calls for constructing the river park along the North Branch of the Potomac River behind Canal Place. The park would include a moderate whitewater course, canoe and kayak docks, trails and…

Local lawmakers are seeking $100 million in funding from the state as a way to incentivize economic growth in Western Maryland- and the proposed legislation received a hearing this week before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in Annapolis. The idea of creating a fund of $100 million to attract businesses and spur new home construction was developed by the 11-member Task Force on the Economic Future of Western Maryland. The task force met for nearly two years to work on ideas to jumpstart the economy in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties. The delegation bill requests $20 million a year…

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced a continued decline in the state’s COVID-19 health metrics, including hospitalizations dropping below 700 — now more than five times lower than the omicron peak last month. Hospitalizations are now less than one-fifth of the omicron peak of just below 3,500. Overall, hospitalizations have declined by 80.3%. Maryland’s COVID-19 case rate has declined by nearly 95%, and the state continues to report the country’s lowest case rate. During Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting, Lt Governor Boyd Rutherford talked about the possibility of annual COVID vaccinations…

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has updated its COVID-19 case numbers to include reinfections data. MDH counts a case as a reinfection, and includes it as a new case, if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and has not had a positive COVID-19 test result within the past 90 days. Maryland is now counting 24,800 COVID-19 reinfections among its cumulative cases, dating back to late September. Updated COVID-19 surveillance data can be found on the Maryland COVID-19 surveillance dashboard at coronavirus.maryland.gov.  Due to the addition of reinfections, the Allegany County COVID-19 case count has jumped to 16,712 total cases….

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced Wednesday that his office has reached an agreement with representatives of the state’s cities and counties over how to allocate any settlement funds or judgments received in their various suits against opioid makers, distributors and other parties in the pharmaceutical supply chain. The agreement, called a memorandum of understanding (MOU), calls for the creation of a private, nonstock, nonprofit foundation for the purposes of distributing settlement or judgment funds awarded from litigation for abatement purposes.

A team of Frostburg State University students tied for second place in the First Annual Dr. Charles R. Drew Knowledge Bowl on Feb. 12, along with students from Howard University and Hampton University. The three schools participated in a friendly battle of wits, showing their knowledge of Black history, science, literature, religion, the arts and popular culture.  FSU students Aaron Mickens, Trekia Perkins and Reggie Morton represented FSU in the event. McKenna Booker, program management specialist for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, coached the team, which finished tied for second with Howard University. Hampton University finished in first…

The Cumberland Times News reports that while an exact date hasn’t been set, Gov. Larry Hogan “in the near future” will announce one of two finalists, which include a local resident, as the next student member of the Maryland State Board of Education, his office said Tuesday.  Allison Schultz, an 11th grade Fort Hill High School student, advanced Saturday in a competition for a seat on the 2022-2023 state education board. She was among five nominees to participate in the Maryland Association of Student Councils virtual legislative session, where she and Merin Thomas, a student from James M. Bennett High…

Allegany County Emergency Services reported that units responded to a house fire on Walter Drive in Cresaptown just before noon Wednesday. No injuries and juts minor damage reported. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's office is investigating to determine the cause. 

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today updated reinfections data posted to the COVID-19 surveillance dashboard at coronavirus.maryland.gov. Maryland is now counting 24,800 COVID-19 reinfections among its cumulative cases, dating back to late September. Maryland’s COVID-19 surveillance data are presented on the dashboard through various metrics. Case data are also reported through a number of demographic and jurisdictional-based subsets, which have been adjusted to reflect the reinfection data over time.    MDH counts a case as a reinfection, and includes it as a new case, if an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and has not had a positive COVID-19 test…