On Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 a Cumberland Officer stopped a vehicle on Industrial Blvd. for an equipment violation.  A Maryland State Police K-9 assisted with the stop and performed a scan of the vehicle which resulted in a positive alert.  A search of the vehicle and occupants was conducted and a quantity of suspected heroin, CDS paraphernalia, and hypodermic syringes were recovered from the vehicle.  Rear passenger, Michael Richard Herndon, claimed ownership of the CDS and was arrested.  He was charged with CDS possession of paraphernalia, CDS possession of controlled paraphernalia, and CDS possession not marihuana.  He was taken before…

Today is the deadline to submit letters of interest for the soon to be vacant City Council seat- however the names of the candidates under consideration won’t be released to the general public. This represents the continuation of a policy that was first utilized in January of 2019 when the council reviewed and interviewed some 16 applicants without making any names known to city residents. Prior to 2019 – the process of filling a vacant council seat in Cumberland was far more transparent with all of the names made public- and potential candidates asked to appear to make presentations at council…

According to state health department data released Thursday morning, Maryland reported 1,272 new COVID-19 cases and 16 new deaths. Doctors say the new cases are fueled by dangerous strains targeting the unvaccinated. Governor Larry Hogan said the Delta variant, a strain that is reportedly two to four times more contagious than the original virus strain, accounts for nearly every new confirmed case in Maryland. Hogan says while many of the numbers have been spiking, he remains confident that the state has a handle on the the situation… Although the state health department strongly recommends face coverings, Hogan says no mask…

As the unofficial end to summer approaches, Maryland state troopers and local law enforcement  will be on extra alert in search of impaired, distracted and/or aggressive drivers this Labor Day weekend to ensure travelers get to their holiday destination safely. Beginning now through Labor Day, troopers will be on patrol, using a variety of initiatives to keep traffic moving, respond quickly to highway incidents and take appropriate enforcement action when violations are observed that threaten the safety of travelers…

Higher education’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was the focus of the September zoom speaker series hosted by The Greater Cumberland Committee. With the fall 2021 semester getting underway amidst a surge in COVID- regional higher education leaders discussed their schools initial approach to the pandemic last year; lessons learned; and plans for moving forward. The panalists included: Dr. Cynthia Bambara, President, Allegany College of Maryland; Dr. Richard Midcap, President, Garrett College; Dr. Ron Nowaczyk, President, Frostburg State University; and Dr. Jennifer Orlikoff, President, WVU Potomac State College. Dr Nowaczyk said the vaccination protocols established by the University of Maryland…

Beechwood will be closed until further notice. This will road closure will affect the following bus stops: Bus #94 for Mountain Ridge High School – stop is Douglas Avenue @ Beechwood Street, 7:02 a.m. pick-up, 3:19 p.m. drop-off Bus #30 for George's Creek Elementary School – stop is Douglas Avenue @ Beechwood Street, 8:23 a.m. pick-up, 3:49 p.m. drop-off

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) today announced the release of the Maryland Department of Health Facilities Master Plan, a 20-year plan to align MDH’s projected patient care needs with health care services offered or provided by the Department. MDH also submitted the phased plan to the Maryland General Assembly today.  MDH has 14 health care facility campuses located throughout the state. Eleven are currently operational and provide Marylanders with multiple health care services across a large number of buildings, many of which are aging and no longer align with evolving patient care models or are reaching or are at…

Congressman David Trone (MD-06) announced that a new report from the Joint Economic Committee found that the American Rescue Plan (ARP) prevented over 729,000 Marylanders from falling into poverty and reduced poverty by 66.3% in Maryland. Trone is a member of the Joint Economic Committee.  The report also detailed how the ARP and other bipartisan emergency measures exacted during the COVID-19 pandemic prevented more than 50 million Americans from slipping into poverty this year. You can read the entire report here.  “When families and businesses were struggling at the height of the pandemic, President Biden and I acted quickly to…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced the State of Maryland has officially surpassed the major milestone of vaccinating 80% of all eligible Marylanders 12 and older.  To date, Maryland has reported 7,567,750 vaccinations. 80.0% of Marylanders 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 81.2% of Marylanders 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 94.8% of Marylanders 65 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. “Maryland has not only already passed our goal of vaccinating 80% of adults 18 and older, we have now surpassed…

The We Are Fort Hill committee is pleased to announce that the Hall Of Fame Luncheon will be held in the newly remodeled courtyard at the school on Saturday, September 11, 2021, at 12 p.m. All inductees, honorees, and guests are asked to park in the rear parking lot near the 1st floor cafeteria door. Greeters will be available to escort you to the courtyard. The cost of the luncheon is $45. For questions or tickets, contact Mark Manges at 240-362-6670 or Sally Shreve at 301-707-6017.