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…

The City of Cumberland Engineering Department would like to notify the public that on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, the Baltimore Street Bridge will be reduced to a single lane at intermittent times to allow for the biannual inspection of the bridge. The contractor is expected to begin at 7:00 am and conclude at 5:00 pm. Parking on the bridge will be prohibited during this time. "No parking" signs will be posted on Tuesday, November 17, 2020. Each end of the bridge will be flagged to route vehicles around the contractor’s equipment. Traffic patterns across the bridge are expected to be…

The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a fire off Bedford Road late, according to emergency service officials.    “No injuries were reported in the incident that brought fire departments from two counties to 13507 Sentinel Lane just after 10:30 p.m.,” Lt. Todd Bowman said. “Fire arriving units assessed the scene, with the fire conditions preventions, determined the need for additional resources.”   Fire department units from Bedford Road, Bowman’s Addition, Ridgeley, Ellerslie, Baltimore Pike, LaVale, Wiley Ford, Corriganville, Flintstone, Cresaptown, District 16, Cumberland and Bowling Green. These units were assisted on scene by Allegany County Department of Emergency…

Fort Hill High School has been recognized by the Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education as a Maryland Green School.  This prestigious award is presented after a school has demonstrated dedication to promoting responsible environmental stewardship practices and increasing awareness of how their relationship with the environment ultimately impacts public health and society.  Multiple facets of the school community were assessed, including environmental instruction and behavior changes, habitat restoration and pollution reduction, energy conservation and solid waste reduction, community partnerships, and celebration of “green” practices.  Pictured receiving the award are science teachers Tim Morral and John Howard.

On November 12th, 2020, The Cumberland City Police Department arrested Cherrod Aaron Mackall, 31, of Baltimore MD. Mackall was arrested on an outstanding Arrest Warrant for an incident that occurred on June 7th, 2020. During this incident, Officers with the Cumberland Police were called to respond to a residence in the 300 block of Grand Ave for the report of a disturbance. Once on scene, officers contacted a female victim. The victim alleged that they had returned to the residence to find Mackall in the home. Mackall then threatened the victim and began to assault them. After a brief struggle,…