The Cumberland Times News reports Mineral County crossed the 500-case threshold Friday as the area's COVID-19 situation continued to worsen. County health Administrator A. Jay Root said that health officials are "seeing record numbers at this point."   As of Friday morning he reported an additional 30+ cases. He warned that unless  all of the community starts to wear masks properly, social distance and avoid large gatherings, this is going to continue.

Since Monday, Maryland drivers have seen an increase at the pump, mirroring the national average. An increase in gas demand, alongside a drop in total domestic gasoline stocks helped push prices higher this week. Low demand will likely contribute to pump prices remaining low this autumn.    The gas price average in Maryland today is $2.25, up three cents from last week, down respectively six cents in the last month, and 25 cents from this date last year.   Today’s national gas price average is $2.13, up two cents in the last week, down respectively five cents from last month,…

The University of Maryland is moving nearly undergraduate classes online effective Monday. The decision exempts only a few approved classes, university President Darryll J. Pines said in a letter to the university community. Graduate classes and approved research activities may continue. The decision comes amidst a spike in coronavirus cases in Prince George's County and statewide. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced this week that effective Sunday, indoor gatherings should be restricted to 10 people and outdoor gatherings should be limited to 25 people. She also limited occupancy for indoor dining to 25% and occupancy at retail establishments to 50%. Earlier this month, the university…

Deputy State Fire Marshals in the Western Regional Office are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying persons of interest with the intentional burning of a 2007 Jeep in Cumberland. Deputy State Fire Marshals are currently investigating two incidents in Allegany County.  On November 12, 2020 at 10:44 PM, 30 firefighters from the Bedford Road Volunteer Fire Department responded to 13507 Sentinel Lane, NE in Cumberland for a structure fire that a neighbor reported.  When firefighters arrived, they found a single family rancher style home on fire.  It took the firefighters 10 minutes to control the blaze which originated in a…

Allegany County Emergency Services reported a late afternoon house fire on Maryland Avenue in Cumberland. 

The Allegany County Health Department reports 317 new cases of COVID-19 and three deaths in Allegany County since Monday, bringing the county’s total cumulative case count to 1,470 and the death toll from the disease to 30.  Due to the extremely high number of new cases, an age breakdown was not immediately available.  However, the health department will continue to provide those details in the future whenever possible.   On Wednesday, the Allegany County Health Department and Maryland Department of Health partnered to offer ongoing COVID-19 testing at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.  The hours for this free drive-thru testing are 2…

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Friday led a coalition of 23 attorneys general asking U.S. Attorney General William Barr to rescind a controversial recent memo on voter fraud. Under long-standing Department of Justice policy, prosecutors did not pursue voter fraud cases until after elections have been certified by states so as to avoid affecting the outcome or creating a perception of intrusion. On Nov. 9, days after President Donald Trump's defeat by former Vice President Joe Biden, Barr issued a directive allowing federal prosecutors to pursue “substantial allegations” of voting irregularities, if they…

For the week of November 7-13, 2020, ACPS reports sixteen (16) individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 who were within an Allegany County Public School.  These individuals will complete the required isolation period.  Contact tracing in six (6) of these cases indicated no close contacts and no need to quarantine staff or students.  In the remaining ten (10) cases, close contacts were identified, and those individuals will complete a 14-day quarantine period. Notification was sent out via the ACPS Blackboard notification system if there was a positive case in a building.

A single vehicle accident at the top of Haystack Mountain, Interstate 68 East, caused a traffic backup for about a half hour early Friday afternoon. The vehicle struck a light pole. The lone occupant was transported from the scene with non life threatening injuries. 68 East was closed for approximately 45 minutes while units cleared the scene.

Succumbing to pressure and the growing numbers of COVID-19 cases in  West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice announced several executive orders to help slow the spread of the virus, including a tighter mask requirement. Justice said Friday that starting at midnight it will be mandatory to wear masks or face coverings in all public buildings and offices at all times, regardless of the ability to socially distance. Businesses are to post signs at all entrances announcing compliance with the order. If someone doesn't comply with wearing a mask, Justice told businessowners to call law enforcement to have them removed. Justice said…