Maryland is lifting its mask mandate. That announcement came Friday from Governor Larry Hogan. Masks will still be required in schools, on public transit and in the healthcare industry. The CDC announced Thursday that vaccinated people could go anywhere, indoors and outdoors, without a mask. Hogan said people who are not vaccinated should get vaccinated immediately and should wear a mask. Individual businesses can still require masks and local jurisdictions can also keep stricter restrictions…  

Funeral services will take place Monday for longtime area businesswoman Linda V. Parsons, who died Wednesday at age 78. Mrs. Parsons was the owner of Linda's Old Furnace Restaurant in Ridgeley for 27 years. She was a 1960 graduate of Fort Ashby High School. The service will be held at Upchurch Funeral Home in Cumberland, beginning at 1pm.

Late Saturday morning, Cumberland Police were called to a Virginia Avenue business to address a trespassing complaint. 26 year old Laura Green was found on the property, and had been told via letter that she was not to be there. During the arrest, she was found in possession of an item from the store that she didn't pay for and charged.  

Just before 11 Saturday evening, Cumberland Police charged a city man with creating a traffic hazard with his bicycle on Williams Street. During the arrest, officers noticed a CDS capsule and a subsequent search turned up three more. As a result, 28 year old Dillon Nicholson was charged and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center in lieu of $5000 bond.

District 1A Delegate Wendell Beitzel and District 1 State Senator George Edwards will be hosting a public forum on the 2021 legislative session. The forum will take place at the auditorium at Garrett College on Friday, May 21, at 6pm. The legislators will open with some general comments about how session went and then will take questions from the audience. Mask-wearing required because it is a school setting. 

Two people were transported to UPMC Western Maryland following a vehicle versus motorcycle accident which occurred on Henderson Avenue near Queen City Motors Saturday evening. Cumberland police and EMS responded to the scene according to Allegany County's Joint Communications Center. The street was closed for about an hour.  

Maryland is taking decisive action to address COVID-19. The Hogan administration’s highest priority is keeping Marylanders safe. Find the latest information on Maryland’s covidLINK website.  For all outdoor activities, continue to follow CDC guidance.  Maryland public lands are open for safe outdoor activity although some indoor facilities may remain temporarily closed or require reservations. Information specific to Maryland State Parks can be found by visiting the Maryland Park Service website.  Maryland Department of Natural Resources Service Centers are open by appointment only. Customers can schedule appointments online or call a local service center for assistance. Licenses, permits, and stamps can be obtained by using the department’s…

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic essentially shut down the state- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is scheduled to visit Cumberland. While full details of the governor’s itinerary are still being finalized- it has been confirmed that he will be making a stop at a planned youth COVID-19 vaccination clinic to be held at Greenway Avenue Stadium this coming Wednesday, May 19th.  The youth vaccination clinic is being coordinated through the Allegany County Health Department.

Fans are back at Pimlico Race Course to witness another chance at a Triple Crown. The Preakness will feel somewhat back to normal, even if everything carries a giant asterisk. The limited capacity of 10,000 fans expected Saturday is far less than the crowd of 100,000 that usually packs the grandstand and infield and is a fraction of the 50,000 who saw Medina Spirit win the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs two weeks ago. The Bob Baffert-trained colt was cleared Friday to run in the second leg of the Triple Crown after failing a post-Derby drug test.  

On Friday officers with the Cumberland Police Department responded to the 700blk of Hilltop Dr for a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival Officers contacted several residents in the area stating that a male subject came out of their residence and began screaming and cursing at people in the neighborhood. As officers attempted to make contact with the subject, he fled into his residence. Officers attempted to get the male to open their door with negative results and the subject threatened officers to do harm to them and to burn down the residence. Numerous attempts to get the subject to…