Allegany County Commissioners President Jake Shade expressed frustration with the board of education for not yet producing a final schedule that outlines specifically the dates when all students can return to the classroom.  Shade, speaking during Thursday’s regular commissioners meeting, said that the county officials are being approached routinely by parents asking about the situation and he felt it was time to make a statement.  While the school board has been working with a hybrid schedule that is gradually returning kids to in person instruction- a final timetable outlining exact return dates has not been announced.  Shade said other school systems…

Downtown-based Dollar Mutual Bancorp announced it will acquire the Monroeville-based parent company of Standard Bank, bringing together two regional names in a transaction valued at $158 million.  After the deal closes — the banks expect that to be sometime during the first half of next year — Standard will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dollar and Standard’s president Andrew Hasley will remain in that role.  Standard’s 17 offices in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Bedford counties in Pennsylvania, and Allegany County in Maryland, will be added to Dollar’s 76 branches in Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia

Due to Covid-19 restrictions being placed upon the upcoming fall sports season, Mountain Ridge High School's stadium can only have a capacity of 405 spectators and a maximum capacity of 100 spectators in the school gym. These numbers do not include anyone participating in the event. There will be tickets available for parents of those students that are participating in the event; however, in some cases, such as varsity football and volleyball, there will be no extra tickets available. Extra tickets may be available for some boys and girls soccer and JV football games, and they will go on sale at…

U.S. Congressman David Trone (MD-06) toured Maryland’s Sixth District Thursday to learn about COVID-19 recovery efforts and programs to support young adults in our community.   Trone started the day in Hagerstown with a hard hat tour of the new Easterseals Adult Day Services building and a discussion with Easterseals staff on their efforts to create a Young Adult Reentry Program. Following the hard hat tour, Rep. Trone participated in a walking tour of Hagerstown to discuss with City staff the impact of COVID-19 on downtown economic development. He also visited Horizon Goodwill’s Young Adult Solution Center to learn how…

Governor Larry Hogan announced $250 million in additional economic relief for small businesses on Thursday.  This doubles the previous amount of help that was made available for small businesses in the state. At the beginning of this pandemic, many small businesses thought the state, along with the rest of the country, would be out of the woods and further along in recovery by fall. But many businesses are still facing financial hardship and restrictions. The governor says there are signs that the national economic recovery is failing. He said $50 million will be made available to small businesses and another…

The number of early voters casting a ballot in West Virgina is already almost half of the total number of those who voted early during the 2020 primary. Elections officials say cooperative weather and certainty about candidates likely has contributed to increased turnout. The Secretary of State’s Office reported 20,827 people participating in early voting on Wednesday, with Barbour, Marion, Monongalia, Monroe, Upshur and Wirt counties not yet reporting. The entire early voting number for the 2020 Primary Election in West Virginia was 42,400.

Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) will move the start of its spring 2021 semester full-term classes to Thursday, January 21, 2021, and eliminate its March spring break. Delayed start courses begin on Thursday, February 11, and all courses will end on Friday, May 7, 2021. The decision was made following a local rise in reported COVID-19 cases and predictions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicate further spikes in infections during winter months.  The college recommends that students use the extra week in January to safely recharge and mentally prepare themselves for the spring semester.   Dr. Kurt…

The Cumberland  Board of Zoning Appeals voted 2-1 with one abstention Wednesday to give the go ahead for construction of a 195-foot cell tower on Knox Street. Plans to erect the tower were developed by a local businessman and his wife, who obtained land behind Joe’s Viaduct Restaurant to build the structure for lease to a cellular company. Dominic and Marcy Dearcangelis sought approval for their plan from the zoning board in a virtual hearing held Wednesday.    

A Bowie-native is coming to Baltimore to play for the Ravens in a trade announced Thursday. The Ravens have agreed in principle, pending the passing of a physical, with the Minnesota Vikings to a trade for Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue in exchange for undisclosed draft picks, Ravens executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta announced Thursday. "We are excited to add Yannick Ngakoue to our football team," DeCosta said in a statement. "Yannick is someone who we are very familiar with going back to the draft process years ago. He is an exciting player and a dangerous…

Allegany County Emergency Services reported a tractor trailer break fire just before midnight Wednesday on Interstate 68 East prior to the Winchester Road. on ramp. One lane of traffic was closed for about a half hour as the scene was cleared.