Allegany County Emergency Services reports that a boater who was reported missing late Tuesday afternoon by his family was found unharmed a short time later by first responders during a search of the Potomac River. The Allegany County Special Operations water rescue team reportedly located the 89-year-old man as he was fishing along the river bank not long after his boat became submerged in the river.  Natural Resources Police, Oldtown, Paw Paw, District 16, LaVale, Bowling Green, Cresaptown and Barton volunteer firefighters responded to the incident upon alert at 4:30 p.m. As units began clearing the scene, the same units…

A free walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinic will be held on Wednesday, July 14 on the ground floor of the Willowbrook Office Complex (12501 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland, MD) from 9 a.m. to noon.  Both the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines will be offered to individuals 18 years of age or older.   Allegany County health officials continue to urge unvaccinated members of the public to get a COVID vaccine as soon as possible for their own protection and the safety of those around them.  COVID vaccines are safe, effective, and readily available at many pharmacies and healthcare locations.  …

The Cumberland Economic Development Corporation announced Wednesday that Michele Martz and Skylar Dice will be joining the Board of Directors in July. Ms. Martz serves as the President of UPMC Western Maryland and Skylar Dice is the Vice President and General Manager of Rocky Gap Casino Resort.  CEDC Executive Director Matt Miller called Martz and Dice dynamic leaders with  strong backgrounds in strategic planning, economic development, and job creation.  Martz has been a part of the Maryland healthcare delivery system since 1989 and was named President of UPMC Western Maryland in January of 2021. Dice, Vice President and General Manager…

Ocean City could see heavy rainfall Friday as some of the tropical moisture to the south will surge north with what's left of Hurricane Elsa. Some additional slight strengthening is possible overnight before weakening begins after Elsa moves inland by late Wednesday morning. Then, if Elsa moves a little to the north on the projected cone of uncertainty, there would be more of an impact to the Chesapeake Bay. The forecast possibilities extend from the Bay Bridge south to Ocean City. Latest data suggests Elsa could track farther inland as it passes Maryland Thursday night. This increases the chance for…

Gov. Jim Justice announced Wednesday the winners of 47 prizes, including a pair of college scholarships, as part of the 3rd prize giveaway of the COVID 19 vaccinations sweepstakes. Prizes included: two full four-year scholarships to any public institution in the state; five lifetime hunting licenses, five lifetime fishing licenses, five custom hunting rifles, five custom hunting shotguns, and 25 weekend getaways to West Virginia State Parks. One local winner announced: Charles Lockard of  Ridgeley the winner of a state park weekend getaway.

 An effort to rewater a portion of the C&O Canal could receive $390,000 in federal funding, reviving the project that has been idle for several years. U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen (both D-Md.) said in a statement Tuesday the funding was part of their “first requests in a series for fiscal year 2022 to the Senate Appropriations Committee for Congressionally Directed Spending or Community Projects.” The requests mark the first time since 2010 that the Senate has permitted projects that fall under energy and water development, like the rewatering, to be submitted. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would be the…

The City of Cumberland is beginning to see realize some of the benefits of the $20 million from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Passed by Congress, the federal aid package is intended to combat the public health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding may be used to maintain government services during the pandemic, water/sewer and broadband infrastructure, premium pay for essential employees and aid to households, small businesses, nonprofits and impacted industries such as tourism and hospitality. The Mayor and Council last night voted to allocate $1.2 milllion of that total to recover lost revenue…

Maryland's highest court this week dismissed Governor Larry Hogan's appeal of a lawsuit aimed at blocking the state from stopping extra federal unemployment benefits, sending the case back to the lower court. The court ruling means unemployed residents will continue to temporarily receive federally funded enhanced unemployment benefits. Hogan’s office issued a statement in response to the court ruling reiterating his position that there  are record numbers of jobs available, and the program is making it harder to fill them, hurting  restaurants and small businesses. Delegate Jason Buckel tells WCBC News that he supports the governor’s position, saying the federal…

Allegany County Public Schools will offer a Blended Virtual Learning Program to any student in Grades K-12 enrolled in ACPS for the 2021-2022 school year, who due to an extenuating circumstance, needs an alternative to in-person learning. Students who are admitted into the blended virtual learning program will attend the program for the set length of time per year (180 days) that is required for public school students.  While virtual learning will remain an option, School Superintendent Jeff Blank tells WCBC News that goal remains to see most students choose to return to the classroom for in-person instruction…

Governor Jim Justice on Tuesday lauded the state's vaccination efforts in light of a new milestone reached: more than 1 million West Virginians have now received at least one vaccine dose. During his COVID-19 press briefing, the governor also celebrated the percentages of subsets of the state's population to have received vaccines. Among those, 87.3% of the state's 65 and older population have received at least one dose, as have 79.4% of those 50 and older. Justice one again spent much of the briefing urging those who have not yet been vaccinated to get their shot…