The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has posted the November 28, 2020, Saturday Education Map that determines which counties will hold in-person and blended instruction and directs the level of extracurricular activities permitted. The map is developed with information from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and vetted by the COVID-19 Data Review Panel. Governor Jim Justice has called for all schools to begin the week of Nov. 29, 2020, in remote learning, with those in green, yellow and gold able to return to in-person or blended learning models on Thursday, Dec. 3. The weekly…

All Allegany County Public School students will remain in a fully-virtual learning format for the week of December 1-4, 2020, as a result of county health metrics and the availability of adequate staff. Schools are still CLOSED on Monday, November 30, 2020, for the Thanksgiving holiday. Announcements regarding the learning format for the week of December 7th will be communicated to the public on Friday, December 4, 2020.

The Cumberland Times News reports that Allegany County received national attention this week for its rapidly growing COVID-19 case rates.  The New York Times reported that per capita, Allegany County “has the worst outbreak in Maryland, and the Cumberland region has the 14th-highest number of recent cases per capita of any metro area in the country.” Meanwhile, local obituaries stated that people died at UPMC Western Maryland due to complications from COVID-19. The Maryland Department of Health confirmed the virus has killed more than 60 people in Allegany County, and that number is expected to increase.

The City of Cumberland and the Downtown Development Commission, on Friday, jointly presented a virtual tree lighting ceremony in celebration of the holiday. Mayor Ray Morriss and special guests hosted the popular holiday tradition which was streamed live streamed via Allegany Media for all to view. The event, which usually draws hundreds to the downtown mall on Black Friday,  was virtual due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic

Allegany County Emergency Services reported a vehicle accident late Friday in the area of New Geroges Creek/Autumb Breeze. One lane was briefly shuit down as units cleared the scene.  

On Fridat at approximately 5:30 PM an officer from the Cumberland City Police Department was patrolling South George Street when they heard a male subject creating a disturbance. The officer contacted James Latgis III and learned he was yelling at a subject inside a nearby business. The officer contacted the victim and learned there was an active protective order barring Mr. Latgis from contacting them. The order was verified as active and Mr. Latgis was placed under arrest without incident. Mr. Latgis was taken before a District Court Commissioner for an initial appearance. Mr. Latgis was remanded to the Allegany County…

On Saturday at approximately 2:00a.m, deputies with the Allegany County Sheriff's Office along with Troopers of the Maryland State Police responded to a Brice Hollow Rd, Oldtown, MD home for a reported armed subject. Officers were advised that a male subject later identified as Wayne Anthony Pankey (38, of Oldtown, MD) was armed with a handgun in the home threatening family members.  Upon the arrival of responding units, Pankey exited the home where he was challenged by Police. Pankey complied with the officers commands, and was taken into custody without further incident. The investigation in the matter revealed that Pankey…

Staff members and incarcerated individuals are beginning to see spikes in COVID-19 infections in Maryland prisons, echoing upward trends in other areas of the state. Maryland Matters compiled a database of confirmed COVID-19 infections among inmates and department staff at the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, finding that 1,349 inmates and 1,003 staff members have been infected since the pandemic’s start. The data, made publicly available by Maryland’s Open Data Portal, is a weekly snapshot of confirmed cases across state and local congregate living facilities dating back to April 29. These figures only capture new positive COVID-19 tests for the reported…

WBAL reports preliminary information from the Maryland State Police COVID-19 prevention efforts, which started at 5 p.m. Wednesday, indicate troopers made no arrests, filed no charges and issued a minimal amount of warnings for people in businesses who were not wearing face coverings or social distancing. Troopers in every county and Baltimore City were involved in COVID-19 education, prevention and enforcement efforts overnight in support of local health officials and police departments. As of Thursday morning, preliminary information shows troopers on patrol and on the high-visibility units made more than 730 checks at restaurants and bars overnight. State police said troopers overwhelmingly…

Federal prosecutors say a Maryland tax preparer was indicted on fraud charges after she used false or inflated itemized deductions and other means to increase her clients’ refunds. The U.S. Attorney’s office in Maryland also said in a news release Monday that 56-year-old Anita Fortune used other co-conspirators’ identifying information to file tax returns after the IRS revoked her e-file privileges. Prosecutors say Fortune was indicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and thirty-nine counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison,…