West Virginia’s COVID-19 Interagency Task Force believes that we are cresting the peak of the spike in Coronavirus cases ignited by the Delta variant. COVID-19 Czar Dr Clay Marsh says it may be several weeks before there is a decline in hospitalizations and deaths attributed to the disease. West Virginia counties in the WCBC listening area are all running infection rates of greater than 80, including 93 in both Mineral and Hampshire counties, and up to 146 in Grant County.

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced an update on the top 10 and bottom 10 skilled nursing facilities in the state ranked by percentage of staff with at least one dose of a vaccine against COVID-19 and highly contagious variants. MDH also announced an update on skilled nursing facilities that did not submit adequate staff COVID-19 vaccination data as required by the state. Per vaccination protocols that went into effect on September 1, 2021, all nursing facility staff are required to have their first or single dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Nursing facilities that fail to comply with vaccination…

The Senate Redistricting Committee will have an organizational meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday, September 23, 2021, in the Senate Judiciary Committee Room (208W). There will be no consideration of draft maps at this initial meeting. Subsequent meeting dates and procedures for the remainder of the redistricting process will be discussed at the Sept. 23 meeting. The agenda will be posted in advance of the meeting. Video and audio of the meeting will be streamed live at the West Virginia Legislature’s website –  http://www.wvlegislature.gov/live.cfm  – and the meeting will be posted to the Senate’s archived video location. For questions about the…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced $16.8 million in grants to support bicycle, pedestrian, and trail improvements through 42 projects across the state. The package includes $12.4 million in federal funding through the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), $1 million through the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), and nearly $3.4 million in state funding through the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Kim Lamphier Bikeways Network Program. “Over the last year and a half, more and more Marylanders have been walking, riding bikes, and using trails for transportation, recreation, and exercise,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “These grants, made possible through the federal and state…

On 9/19/21, at 6:30 pm, an officer from the Cumberland Police Department received a complaint that subjects were involved in the distribution of CDS in the area of Green Street.  Officers responded to the area and began to look for potential CDS distribution activity. While investigating the complaint, officers observed a subject identified as Drew Truman, age 30 of LaVale, involved in a CDS transaction.  Truman was then approached by officers and explained the reason they were contacting him. While officers were speaking with Truman, he produced a glass pipe containing a suspected controlled dangerous substance (CDS).  Upon the officer…

Now that the city council has filled Seth Bernard’s vacant seat with the selection of Joe George- attention now turns to finding the next city administrator. That position opened with the June 1st retirement of longtime administrator Jeff Rhodes. Currently Ken Tressler, the city’s director of administrative services, is serving in an interim capacity. The Mercer Group, a national personnel search firm, is handling the vetting of applicants and presented the council with a list of five finalists. Mayor Ray Morriss said the initial round of interviews were conducted Friday and Saturday at City Hall…

Maryland Secretary of Health Dennis Schrader said although COVID-19 is an issue, the department's biggest concern is the upcoming flu season. Appearing on WBAL Radio, Schrader said that most of the current hospital cases aren't COVID-19 related- and as flu season is arriving- the state will be multi tasking…

Between the first quarter of 2020 and 2021 overdose deaths involving drugs and alcohol in Maryland increased by 5.7%. Of 682 deaths, 612 were related to opioid use, nearly 90%, according to the state Opioid Operational Command Center report released in June. Allegany and Garrett counties saw decreases in opioid overdose deaths during that time of 38.5% and 50%, respectively. Thirteen people died of an opioid overdose in the first quarter of 2020 in Allegany County, and in 2021 there were eight such deaths. In Garrett County, there were two deaths in 2020 and one in 2021. Maryland’s Lt Governor…

President Joe Biden last week ordered sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans — private-sector employees as well as health care workers and federal contractors — in an all-out effort to curb the surging COVID-19 delta variant. While Baltimore City as well as Anne Arundel County governments have already implemented vaccination mandates for employees- the city of Cumberland is not yet ready to move in the direction. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss…

With COVID-19 once again surging in the region- the status of a number of popular fall and winter events may have to be altered. Fall festivities were on the agenda this month for Cumberland's Downtown Development Commission with Halloween up first for discussion. Last year the annual downtown Trick or Treating was cancelled- with those activities moved to Constitution Park. DDC executive director Melinda Kelleher… In addition to the downtown trick or treating relocating last year, the Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony and the New Years Eve Ball Drop were both done virtually.