Some people who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, are eager to get a booster, and are thinking about getting the Pfizer booster. Saying that there is not enough evidence at this point, the Food and Drug Administration does not endorse mixing vaccine. Dr Matthew Simmons, an expert on infectious diseases at UPMC Western Maryland, was asked for his opinion during an appearance on WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show”…

According to the Maryland State Board of Education, the latest numbers reported this week shows that 16,559 students have been placed in quarantine since the beginning of the school year and 784 teachers and staff members have also been sent home. Those numbers have renewed a push toward virtual learning. Currently virtual learning is not being utilized in the Allegany County Public School system, but statewide the average virtual learning class size is around 23 students. State board of education member Rachel McCusker said numbers from school systems across the state are unacceptable… There's also concern the large virtual classroom…

Governor Larry Hogan held a press conference Thursday afternoon to provide Marylanders with an update on COVID-19- and to provide some clarity on the booster shot issues.The state has administered more than 78,000 booster shots. In total, Maryland has reportedly administered more than 7.9 million vaccines, including 96.1% of citizens age 65 and older, 83.6% of Marylanders 18 and older, and 82.6% of all eligible Marylanders age 12 and older…

A Mazing City public art exhibit by the Allegany Arts Council opens at Canal place in downtown Cumberland on Saturday October 2nd from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. The A Mazing City consists of large, colorful panels in the shapes that celebrate Cumberland's architectural assets in a bright and artful way. Visitors can enjoy walking through the maze-like structure. The A Mazing City is on display through December 1, 2021.  Allegany Arts Council Executive Director, Julie Westendorff

Another COVID-19 press conference this week that once agains painted a less than flattering picture of Allegany and Garrett counties. Maryland’s two most western counties are lagging signficantly behind most of the state when it comes to vaccination rates.  Maryland’s three most western jurisdictions also have the state’s highest daily COVID-19 case rate at 10.42% in Allegany County, 14.81% in Garrett County, and 10.58% in Washington County. The statewide rate was 4.04%. On Thursday, Dr Ted Delbridge, executive director of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services System, drew a connection between low vaccination rates and high case rates- and…

On September 29, 2021, at 7:20 pm Officers of the Cumberland Police Department along with detectives from the Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit responded to a residence in the 500 block of Fourth Street, Cumberland, for a death investigation.  At the scene officers discovered the female occupant with obvious trauma who was identified as 83 year old Rebecca Reynolds.    Ms. Reynolds was subsequently examined by the medical examiner who ruled the death a homicide.  During the subsequent investigation officers determined the victim’s vehicle had also been stolen during the crime which has been recovered in Howard County, Maryland.  Officers working the case…

The Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates voted today to dramatically increase the revenue projections for Fiscal Year 2022 by 5 percent to $21.1 billion, representing a $995 million increase from the March estimates. Additionally, the Board, which consists of Comptroller Peter Franchot, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Budget Secretary David Brinkley, set the first official revenue forecast for Fiscal Year 2023 at $22.2 billion.   Higher-than-expected collections in both the individual and corporate income tax are driving factors in the revenue write-up, while sales tax revenues also have risen sharply since the Board’s last revision in March. Andrew Schaufele, the Board’s executive…

Frostburg State University welcomes students and graduates from all generations to celebrate Homecoming 2021. From Thursday, Oct. 14, to Sunday, Oct. 17, FSU will host a variety of events and festivities, including sports, a Hall of Fame Induction ceremony and reunions.  The celebration kicks off on Thursday with the Retired Employee Luncheon in the Alice R. Manicur Assembly Hall in the Lane University Center at noon.  Friday morning, a Baseball Golf Invitational will be held at Rocky Gap Casino Resort at 8 a.m.; reservations are required. That evening, the Bobcat Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner begins at 5…

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development today announced the Emergency Rental Assistance Program has approved $135 million to assist 15,000 renters affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Early projections show a continued positive trend with an estimated more than $50 million in assistance to be paid out in September. “The basis of our program, which was built in consultation with a bipartisan workgroup, has been to ensure that rental assistance is provided in an equitable way, with low barriers and a local focus,” said Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “Our approach means that there is a long-term sustainability to the…

Tech at the Gap, the largest conference in Western Maryland for web developers, system administrators, network and security specialists, managers and other IT professionals, returns on October 14 to the Rocky Gap Casino Resort. The popular one-day of professional development and networking opportunities features a range of speakers and presenters for its unifying theme of Prepare to Launch, from a retired fighter pilot/astronaut to a self-described tech education jedi. Tech at the Gap begins with registration and a networking breakfast at 7 a.m. and concludes at 4:30 p.m.     Both general admission and virtual tickets are still available. Conference information and tickets are available at www.techgapmd.com. For a…