Governor Larry Hogan, Tuesday, announced awardees from the Fiscal Year 2021 application round for three state revitalization programs administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The Community Legacy program, the Strategic Demolition Fund, and the Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative will provide more than $27 million to 157 projects in 19 counties and Baltimore City that support community development and economic growth. The Strategic Demolition Fund awarded more than $8 million to 11 projects including three in Allegany County totaling $625,000. Those projects: $500,000 to go toward the demolition and predevelopment activities for the old Allegany High School…

City Hall will be reopening to the general public on Monday, March 15, 2021. The public will be allowed into City Hall from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the purpose of making payments with the Tax and Utility Department or conducting business with the Community Development Department. All visitors will be required to wear face masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines while inside the building. No more than four visitors are permitted in the lobby at any one time. Admittance to other offices will be accommodated by appointment only, with individuals contacting the appropriate staff member or department, in advance, by phone or email…

Bishop Walsh School will be closed Tuesday due to a burst pipe. There will not be virtual learning today. 

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The public schedule for Governor Larry Hogan for Tuesday, March 9, 2021 includes the following:  3:30 PM: Governor Hogan will provide a COVID-19 update. Governor’s Reception Room State House

You can now count Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss among those who has received a COVID-19 vaccination. Morriss reported on the experience during his weekly Coronavirus update…      

At Monday’s news briefing, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice took aim at Senator Joe Manchin, saying the Democrat is not a champion of bipartisanship, and that he did not represent the people of the Mountain State well at all in voting for the American Rescue Act…

Vaccinations are up, while both COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are down dramatically in Maryland, West Virginia, and in most parts of the country. Last week, President Biden said he anticipates every adult in the nation being vaccinated by the end of May. However, most health officials are cautioning Americans about letting down their guard. Dr Matthew Simmons, a leader in managing the care of infectious disease patients at UPMC Western Maryland, told  WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” that although there reason for optimism, the pandemic is not yet over…  

Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford is bemoaning  residents who do "vaccine shopping" but said the state can't really do much to stop them from getting their COVID-19 vaccines if they are entitled to get them under Phase 1 of distribution. On the plus side, Rutherford said it appears that vaccine anxiety is lessening as COVID numbers drop across the board…

Fully-vaccinated Americans can gather with other vaccinated people indoors without wearing a mask or social distancing, according to long-awaited guidance from federal health officials. The recommendations also say that vaccinated people can come together in the same way with people considered at low-risk for severe disease, such as in the case of vaccinated grandparents visiting healthy children and grandchildren. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the guidance Monday. The guidance is designed to address a growing demand, as more adults have been getting vaccinated and wondering if it gives them greater freedom to visit family members, travel, or…

Gov. Larry Hogan is asking lawmakers for permission to give state employees a bonus. The governor on Monday submitted a $74.1 million supplemental budget that would provide a $1,000 bonus for all state employees. Hogan said the bonuses were made possible by early belt-tightening taken last year before projected revenue hits from COVID-19. “This supplemental budget recognizes the hard work of our state employees, who have overcome significant challenges to deliver essential services to Marylanders during this public health emergency,” Hogan said in a statement. “We have been successful in weathering this storm without having to implement any layoffs or…