One person was hospitalized following a 2-vehicle accident in the 600 block of Henderson Avenue early Monday evening.  According to police, a motorcycle was turning onto Henderson when it struck a stopped car. The driver of the motorcyclist was transported by ambulance to the hospital with unspecified injuries. The driver of the car was not injured. 

On Monday, beginning at approximately 12:20 p.m., the Frostburg City Police Department received multiple calls from the public reporting that a male subject was assaulting random people with rocks or bricks, damaging property, and engaging in other criminal activity in the areas of First Street and Centennial Street, Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. Callers provided a description of the suspect, and police searched the area. Police located the suspect matching the description, identified as Jason Marquee Lavergne, 23, of Severn and Frostburg, in the area of First Street. Lavergne was holding a rock in one hand and a brick in the…

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department, on behalf of Columbia Gas of Maryland, would like to notify the public that on Thursday, July 29, 2021, beginning at 5:00 am, delays should be expected on Virginia Avenue from Elder Street to Mary Street.  Parking will be restricted on Virginia Avenue from Elder Street to Mary Street and residents are asked to have all cars removed from the street by 5:00am on Thursday, July 29, 2021.  The work is expected to be completed by 6:00pm on the same day. Humbird St will also be closed from Virginia Avenue to Ella Street between 5:00…

The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) has ranked Allegany County in the bottom five jurisdictions for COVID vaccination rates among nursing facility staff. According to the Skilled Nursing Facilities Vaccination Dashboard, only 59.4% of staff at Allegany County skilled nursing facilities are fully vaccinated against COVID. The county ranked a bit better in vaccination rates for residents of those nursing facilities, with 85.7% fully vaccinated against COVID. That puts the county at 15th out of 24 jurisdictions for nursing home resident vaccinations. The vaccination rates for staff and patients reflect an average of rates at all skilled nursing facilities in…

President Joe Biden announced eight nominees for U.S. Attorneys across the country Monday, including here in Maryland where he nominated Prince George's County Delegate Erek L. Barron for the position. Barron would be the first Black U.S. Attorney in Maryland’s history. The nominees were chosen ” for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials in this field, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice,” a press release from the White House stated. Barron is a partner at the law firm Whiteford Taylor & Preston…

Allegany County has secured a tire recycling business that could eventually employ about 50 people in the area. The company, MNM&D, Inc. of Pasadena, recycles commercial truck tires from around the globe. During the regular business meeting of the Allegany County Commissioners, the officials voted to extend a 15-year lease to the company to locate a tire recycling facility in the McCoole Business Park. Nathan Price is the county project manager…  

While more COVID-19 shots are going into people's arms every day, some rural communities in Maryland are lagging behind others- including Allegany County. Those those statistics are not lost on Lt Governor Boyd Rutherford. The numbers released three times weekly by  the local health department continue to show Allegany County nearly 20% behind the statewide numbers of those having been vaccinated. When the vaccination process started the county didn't receive enough vaccine supply, which immediately slowed the process of getting shots into arms. As time went on, supply started to meet demand, but didn't match the vaccine people wanted. Lt…

Tuesday continues a WCBC Tradition, Rotary Radio Day. The fundraising event by the local service club had been held every year for over a quarter of a century- until the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 program. It is returning after that year’s hiatus. Karen Johnson, with the Cumberland Rotary Club is co-chair of the event…    

Several states are considering legislation to ban the controversial Critical Race Theory education program in public schools. However, it is not viewed as a significant problem in Maryland according to Governor Larry Hogan. Lawmakers are debating and voting on legislation aimed at CRT in states including Tennessee, Texas, Georgia, Arkansas, South Dakota, and Arizona. While there have been a few high profile cases of community debate in Howard and Montgomery counties in Maryland, Governor Hogan says he doesn’t view it as a significant issue, at this point…  

At the next meeting of the Allegany County Commissioners, the plan is to reveal how more than $13 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds will be dispersed.  In total, Maryland will receive $6.35 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Municipalities in Allegany County will receive a total of $44 million- led by Cumberland which will receive $20 million. The funds will be issued in two equal portions, with the first installment having been released last month. County Commissioners President Jake Shade announced that the county will release details at the next public meeting which is scheduled for August…