On Monday, October 12, 2020, Allegany County Public Schools will begin the implementation of the in-person/hybrid learning model for Grade 1 students.  First grade students will report to their bus stop for their normal pick-up time.  Schools will be dismissed daily at 1:30 p.m.  First grade students will report to school Monday-Thursday, and Friday will be a virtual learning day.    Parents will be provided with their child’s in-person learning schedule for their grade level and will also be provided with a parent letter, a COVID symptom checklist, and mask requirements and guidelines.  Parents have also been informed that they have…

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter to United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressing for details on Turkey’s reported use of the Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft system. Turkey’s use of the S-400 could undermine U.S. national security, allowing Russia a backdoor to spy on NATO allies. In their letter, the Senators once again urge Secretary Pompeo to sanction Turkey for the initial purchase of the S-400, as required under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). In addition, the Senators ask for specific information on Turkey’s use of the S-400, including…

Due to the success that the Outdoor Dining/Eat in the Street promotion has become—alternating Saturdays and Sundays bi-weekly for the past seven weeks—the City of Hagerstown will be closing the first block of South Potomac Street to traffic and opening it to diners on BOTH Saturday AND Sunday the next two weekends. Join the City in supporting Hagerstown’s outstanding downtown restaurants by snagging a taco, a burger, or a coffee and enjoying it while you sit down and relax “in the street” on Saturdays, October 10 and 17 from 4-9pm and Sundays, October 11 and 18 from 11:30am-3pm. For motorists,…

Two nurses in West Virginia are among those who have died in recent days due to COVID-19 complications. WVU Medicine and the governor’s office confirmed the deaths Wednesday.  A 48-year-old woman who worked as a nurse in the MRI unit at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, and an unidentified nurse who had worked for the last 10 years at Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital in the Huntington area contracted the virus and died as a result, according to state health officials. In a statement, West Virginia Nurses Association Executive Director Julie Huron said her organization’s members are concerned about having enough Personal Protective Equipment and have expressed frustration…

Maryland’s coronavirus positivity rate fell as the number of hospitalizations increased and 460 new cases of the virus were reported, according to data released by the state’s health department Wednesday. The state has recorded 128,664 COVID-19 cases and 3,829 deaths. Six new deaths were reported since Tuesday.  Hospitalizations increased by 31 to 391; of those cases, 298 are acute care and 93 are intensive care. The state’s calculation of the positivity rate dropped fractionally from 2.95% on Tuesday to 2.9% on Wednesday.

On October 7th, 2020, The Cumberland City responded to the area of W. Oldtown Rd for the report of a large disturbance. Officers were advised that multiple subjects exited two parked vehicles and became involved in a verbal altercation in the street. A witness advised that one male subject was armed with a knife and had displayed it during the altercation.  When Officers arrived on scene, two subjects were found in the immediate area that matched the description of the armed male. One of the males became argumentative with officers and refused to identify himself. The male then identified himself…

Wednesday marks the first day that practice sessions for fall sports in the Maryland public school system is permitted- with game competition set to begin in three weeks. Governor Larry Hogan, last month, announced that fall sports could resume, but he left it up to each jurisdiction to decide whether student-athletes will be allowed to participated.  Hogan said parents from every part of the state have been clamoring for fall sports to begin. .. While the Allegany County Board of Education voted to approve the plan at a special meeting last week, there was some frustration expressed by board members, regarding the limitations…

Jury cases will return to Allegany County Circuit Court next week, with a glut of criminal cases needing quick action on the docket in the coming weeks. Chief Judge Jeffrey Getty tells WCBC News that there have been changes to the courtrooms, and the process, which were done to comply with social distancing safety protocols of the pandemic…

The Allegany County Commissioners last week appointed the seven-member Salary Study Commission, with its first meeting set for later this month. The commission is charged with recommending salaries for local elected county offices including the county commissioners, board of education and the sheriff. The recommended salaries would not go into effect until the election following their approval. County Attorney Lee Beeman…

  West Virginia Governor Jim Justice is allowing live outdoor music performances and certain indoor events to resume during the coronavirus pandemic. Justice has signed an executive order that allows the resumption provided that safety guidelines are followed. Live performances will be limited to outdoors only and must follow capacity limits and require face coverings and social distancing whenever possible. Attendance will be restricted to 25% of a venue’s capacity or 250 people, whichever is less.Indoor live music performances with people in attendance remain prohibited. Such performances without people present that are broadcast to a remote audience will be allowed.