The Allegany County Health Department has announced that it will be distributing free adult-sized KN95 masks for the public beginning Monday, January 24.  Supplies are limited to one box per person, and can be picked up at the Willowbrook Office Complex and at any branch of the Allegany County Library System.  The masks will be given out on a first-come first-serve basis, and individuals cannot reserve masks for later pickup.  The masks will be available as long as supplies last. “We are asking members of the public to respect the one-box limit per adult, so that we can get masks…

The problem of trains blocking railroad crossings for long periods of time in Keyser's North End is not new a phenomenon, but residents says it is a persistent, potentially dangerous one. The Mineral Tribune reports that residents met with local, state and federal officials recently  at the Cornell Street fire station to discuss their concerns and possible solutions, both short- and long-term. Del. Gary Howell, who represents Mineral County and serves as speaker pro tempore of the West Virginia House of Delegates, organized the event and invited officials from CSX Transportation, Gov. Jim Justice's office, the U.S. Department of Transportation and…

Cumberland Police and EMS were sent to the scene of what was first reported as a vehicle rollover near the Outdoor Club on Industrial Boulevard. The initial call came in Friday at 6:00 PM.   When police arrived on the scene, they advised there was no rollover involved.  The accident investigation continues.

WEEKLY COVID UPDATE: For the 7-day period of January 14-20, 2022, there were no schools identified with a School Wide COVID-19 Outbreak.  Mountain Ridge High School, Allegany High School, and Fort Hill High School each had cohorts that met the definition of a cohort outbreak. ACPS had 32 staff members and 135 students reported as positive for COVID-19 during this time.  ACPS had 12 staff members quarantined as a close contact. 164 students were reported as close contacts to a positive person and required to quarantine.  This includes all staff and students reported as close contacts, whether the close contact occurred in the home,…

Frostburg State University’s 12th president, Dr. Herb. F. Reinhard, passed away at the age of 91 on Thursday, Jan. 13, in Alpharetta, Ga.  Reinhard was president of Frostburg State from 1986 to 1991, years of significant transition for the institution, including when it gained university status in 1987 and when it joined the University System of Maryland in 1988. He increased enrollment and the size of the faculty, as well as secured funding for the Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center, which opened in 1993. He was active in the local community himself, and he increased the University’s involvement in a…

Three studies released Friday offered more evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are standing up to the omicron variant, at least among people who received booster shots. They are the first large U.S. studies to look at vaccine protection against omicron, health officials said. The papers echo previous research — including studies in Germany, South Africa and the U.K. — indicating available vaccines are less effective against omicron than earlier versions of the coronavirus, but also that boosters significantly improve protection. The first study looked at hospitalizations and emergency room and urgent care center visits in 10 states, from August to this…

Reaching out with a fun Western-Maryland themed story - MPT's award-winning original series Outdoors Maryland will conclude its 33rd season by premiering two new episodes on January 25 and February 1 at 7:30 p.m. The season finales visit both Garrett and Allegany Counties, including Rocky Gap State Park, and High Rock Fire Tower.   In Allegany County, viewers will see the recreation of historic artifacts from the Weghkawamecq - the last settlement of the Patuxent and Mattaponi people.    In Garrett County, viewers follow DNR Ecologist Dave Brinker as he visits High Rock Fire Tower to conduct an annual inspection of one of some 15 MOTUS receiver and antenna…

Of hospitalized children who tested or were presumed positive for SARS-CoV-2, 44% developed neurological symptoms, and these kids were more likely to require intensive care than their peers who didn’t experience such symptoms, according to a new study led by a pediatrician-scientist at UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.   The most common neurologic symptoms were headache and altered mental status, known as acute encephalopathy. Published in Pediatric Neurology, these preliminary findings are the first insights from the pediatric arm of GCS-NeuroCOVID, an international, multi-center consortium aiming to understand how COVID-19 affects the brain and nervous system

On Thursday, January 20th, 2022 the Cumberland Police were called to a residence on N. Lee St. for a report of a female that had come to a residence and caused a disturbance.  Police contacted the female, Kimberly Dawn Hughes, age 45 of Cumberland MD, and advised her not to return.  A short time later the police received another complaint that the female had returned.  Hughes was given a second warning to leave the area.  The police were again called back to the same residence and found Hughes there.  She was placed under arrest for Fail to Obey a Lawful…

Senate Democrats suffered a major defeat this week  in their efforts to pass voting rights legislation –  a key issue for the party, which is under pressure to take action ahead of the midterm elections just months away. An attempt by Democrats to change filibuster rules in order to pass a voting bill failed amid opposition from moderate Democratic Senators including West Virginia’s  Joe Manchin.  After the vote failed, there was a loud round of applause from Republicans- and strong push back from Democrats including Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland. Speaking from the Senate floor, Cardin said now is not…