On Sunday November 1st, 2020 officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to the 600 block of East First Street for a home invasion. Upon officers arrival they spoke with a victim who had sustained serious injuries, and claimed that a male suspect wearing a mask had assaulted them with a knife, while trying to steal their property. The victim was transported to the hospital and officers canvassed the area for witnesses and attempted to locate the suspect. Officers spoke with a witness who was able to provide information that the suspect had entered the residence uninvited. Officers interviewed the…

It seems that every election, there is a judge that orders polling places remain open due to an issue with a delayed opening, faulty voting machines, or long lines.   WCBC's Dave Norman asked District 1B Delegate Jason Buckel if the long lines we've seen during early voting assures that such challenges will delay the end of voting, and the results, on Tuesday evening…     WCBC will have complete coverage of the 2020 vote Tuesday evening beginning at 7 PM.

Today is the final day of early voting in Allegany County, with the County Office Building open from 7 AM until 8 PM…and beyond…to accommodate those who want to use the option.   Elections Director Diane Loibel says it was a busy weekend for voting, and that about 15% of the total registered to vote here have already cast ballots…     Tomorrow is Election Day, and Allegany County will have six vote centers taking the place of normal poling places due to the pandemic.  

With the arrival of November this weekend, we are in the month of Thanksgiving, a holiday where families get together in large numbers. It could also be a time when COVID-19 spreads quickly. WCBC News asked West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is there is a proper way to hold such a dinner…     COVID Czar Clay Marsh suggested families get tested before such events.

WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON EST MONDAY… * WHAT…Northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts around 50 mph expected. * WHERE…In Maryland, Extreme Western Allegany and Central and Eastern Allegany Counties. In West Virginia, Morgan, Western Mineral, Eastern Mineral, Hardy and Hampshire Counties. * WHEN…From 4 AM to noon EST Monday. * IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.

On Saturday, October 31, 2020, the Cumberland City Police served two arrest warrants on Christina Dana, age 24 of Hagerstown, Maryland. Both warrants charged Dana with one count of harassment, electronic harassment, and telephone misuses. Dana was later provided her Initial Appearance in District Court and released on her own recognizance in both cases.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has posted the October 31, 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…

The lines have been long at the Allegany County Office Building for early voting, which began on Monday and will continue today through Monday, with Tuesday being the official date of the general election. Lines were a little shorter on Wednesday, likely due to the rainy weather with voters having to line up outside. Wait times have ranged from 45 minutes to well over an hour in some cases. The line was already forming Sunday morning at 7 AM, as evidenced by this WCBC News photo…

Welcome to the Fall Foliage Report for October 29, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. We are looking forward to a full moon Hallo-weekend with peaking foliage in parts of central Maryland! Weverton Cliffs, South Mountain State Park, photo by Emily Bard Dan Hedderick, project forester, Forest Service, Allegany County, reports: “The end of last week was the best time to be out in Western Maryland. Now the wind and rain have set in to bring down our leaves. We are past peak. The forest will take a nap for the winter, but rest assured it…

Deputy State Fire Marshals arrested a Rawlings man within hours after determining he was responsible for intentionally setting a vacant home beside his residence on fire. On October 31, 2020, at approximately 11:15 a.m., neighbors called 911 after discovering a vacant mobile home on fire at 15807 Blooming Fields Drive SW, located within the Blooming Fields Mobile Home Park. Firefighters from Rawlings, Cresaptown, and other nearby fire departments arrived on the scene and discovered the rear of the approximate 20' x 80' mobile home on fire. Firefighters were able to contain the fire within ten minutes; however, the home sustained…