West Virginia House Democrats were unable to stop the passage of a bill dealing with election integrity in the area of absentee ballots.  House Bill 2117 reinforces that mail-in ballots must be received on election day by the close of the polls. Democrats were concerned voting rights were being limited as part of the bill prevents the distribution of absentee ballot applications.  Delegate Evan Hansen said older voters could be affected…       “It puts our nursing home staff in a tight spot because federal regulations require them to help residents vote. A routine part of what they do…

On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Ruby Carline McCullough, 35, of Cumberland MD. McCullough was arrested on an active Bench Warrant issued by the Allegany County Circuit Court on February 11th, 2025. The warrant alleged McCullough failed to appear in Circuit Court on that date for a previous charge of obstructing and hindering. She was taken before a District Court Commissioner for an Initial Appearance where she was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center. She is currently being held without bond. At the time of her arrest, McCullough was also found to be in possession…

On Saturday, March 8th, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department responded to the 100 block of Fayette St for the report of a theft of a utility trailer. The victim advised the 8ft trailer had been stolen sometime after 6 am on this date. Later in the day, at approximately 11am, an officer on patrol in the area of Sedgewick St observed a GMC truck with a similar style trailer affixed to it. The officer was able to confirm that the trailer was stolen by the owner’s registration plate that was still being displayed. The officer then made contact with a…

Today is the deadline business owners can submit testimony to Maryland lawmakers regarding a proposed business services charge that adds a 2.5% tax to many business services including bookkeeping and payroll, repair services, financial planning, and property maintenance. Chamber of Commerce CEO Juli McCoy wants businesses to contact lawmakers or even to testify in Wednesday’s House and Senate hearings…     “There is the option to testify on Zoom. Register to do that. You have to submit your testimony in advance and then you sit there on Zoom and wait for the hearing and wait for them to call you,…

Today marks a significant milestone for Allegany College of Maryland's baseball program as Coach Mason Heyne celebrated his 100th win. The Trojans swept the College of Southern Maryland at home at Steve Bazarnic Field, adding another memorable chapter to Heyne's tenure. This victory is particularly special as it comes in Heyne's fifth full season as head coach, following his interim year in 2021. Coach Mason Heyne has been instrumental in leading the Trojans to success since taking over the program. In his first full season, he guided the team to a Region 20 playoff berth with a 27-19 record. The…

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown joined a coalition of 38 attorneys general and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to propose a final package of remedies to end Google’s illegal monopoly over internet search engines and to restore competition to the benefit of consumers nationwide. The revised Proposed Final Judgment aligns closely to what the states and DOJ offered in November in an initial filing with the D.C. federal district court judge who, last year, ruled in a landmark decision that Google is a monopolist in online search “Because Google has secured a dominant position in the search market and…

The workload on the house floor is getting much heavier as more and more committees complete their work sending bills to the House floor.  The pace will remain steady and increase as we near the end a little over a month from now.  One thing that makes West Virginia unique among the states is that the legislature must approve agency rules, they come to us in the form of rules bills.  And right now we are working on a lot of rules bills.  Other states and the US Government do not operate that way.  Their agencies are allowed to implement…

Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m.  Turn clocks forward one hour.  Check smoke detectors in homes and businesses.  

With the end of winter and warm weather on the horizon, the West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) and its partners in the asphalt industry are getting ready to fight the annual springtime war on potholes.  Relatively mild winters the past several years have allowed asphalt plants to open early, letting the state get a jump start on patching potholes. This winter is different, where a series of winter storms and lingering cold weather have put hot asphalt production on hold.

Maryland trout season begins March 29.  The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is hosting its second annual Youth-Only Trout Fishing Day on March 22, where anglers ages 16 and under can keep up to two fish at designated areas before the official season begins.