The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has posted the November 21, 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. The weekly updates are posted at https://wvde.us/reentrymetrics. County plans should be reviewed for additional requirements.  Red (Substantial Community Transmission): Counties must move to remote learning. No extracurricular competitions or practices are permitted. Staff may report to their schools, as determined by the…

Governor Larry Hogan Saturday announced that the State of Maryland reported a new daily high of 51,510 COVID-19 tests, smashing all previous records. State health officials continue to expand Maryland’s testing capacity during the fall surge, and strongly encourage all Marylanders to get tested for COVID-19. According to official data from the Maryland Department of Health, the state reported 2,885 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 177,887 confirmed cases, and 16 new deaths, for a total of 4,261 confirmed deaths. “We are and will continue to be much better positioned than most states when it comes to testing because of Maryland’s acquisition…

The Joint Communications Center of Allegany County dispatched Cumberland Police, Fire and EMS to Eastbound Interstate 68 at the 43 mile marker after a truck struck a bear. According to initial reports, several other vehicles also sustained damage as a result of the collision. That call came in at around 8:15 PM and the fast lane was shut down. The interstate was reopened fully within an hour.  

The Maryland Fire Marshal's Office has issued a report on a Friday night fire that occurred in a two story dwelling on Niner's Lane. Investigators say the blaze was ignited when a aerosol can fell behind a stove and exploded, causing about $600 in damage to the John Donaldson residence. It took Cresaptown firefighters 10 minutes to put it out.

On Sunday, shortly after midnight, at 16290 Spielman Road (MD Route 63), Fairplay, Hagerstown, Maryland, a single vehicle (Honda Odyssey) struck a telephone pole putting wires partially into the roadway. Initially, Potomac Edison thought they would have the roadway opened in less than 1 hour. But, after surveying the damage to the transformer, Potomac Edison requested SHA shutdown the roadway for approximately 4-5 hours until they can restore power to the area. An update will be sent when the roadway is reopened.  

On Friday, the Cumberland Police Department served a bench warrant on Caelan Patrick Ryan O’Toole.  The warrant was issued by Circuit Court for failing to appear for trial on November 20th, 2020 on an assault charge.  He was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center held without bond until he can be seen by a Circuit Court Judge.   Caelan Patrick Ryan O’Toole, age; 20, Cumberland, Maryland.   Criminal Summons Served   Mark Feodor Smith Sr, age; 54, Cumberland, Maryland. Charges:  2 cts. CDS possession not marihuana.

Hundreds of new COVID-19 cases in Western Maryland- and deaths reported in both Allegany and Garrett counties in Friday.  The Allegany County Health Department reported  seven additional people had died, raising the overall toll to 47. Seventeen deaths have been linked to the virus since Nov. 13. Garrett County health officials reported two COVID-related deaths Friday — both were living in long-term care facilities in Allegany County, but their official place of residence was Garrett. The Garrett deaths raised the county toll to three. The first was in September.

Maryland drivers saw only slight changes at the pump this week as demand for gasoline dipped. In the new weekly report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased which, alongside an increase in total domestic gasoline stocks, helped the national average and some local prices to decrease this week. As demand remains low, pump prices are likely to remain low ahead of Thanksgiving.   The gas price average in Maryland today is $2.23, down respectively two cents from last week, six cents in the last month, and 24 cents from this date last year.   Today’s national gas…

Maryland’s unemployment rate rose slightly, from 7.6% in September to 7.8% in October. Maryland did gain or regain 10,200 jobs, a month-over-month job growth rate of 0.4%.  Unemployment rates in October were lower in 37 states, higher in eight and unchanged in five.   Hawaii had the highest unemployment rate in October, at 14.3%, followed by Nevada, at 12.05%. Nebraska had the lowest state unemployment rate in October, at 3.0%, followed by Vermont at 3.2%.

The members of the Maryland congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone, today called upon President Donald Trump to overturn the Oct. 14 decision to deny federal disaster funding to Maryland for the impacts of Tropical Storm Isaias. “On August 3 and 4, 2020, Tropical Storm Isaias impacted Maryland with wind gusts up to 72 mph, spreading debris over roadways and across power lines, resulting in over 75,000 power outages and one…