Frostburg State University alumni from across the country will be able to attend this year’s Homecoming no matter where they are — It’s virtual. The festivities can be accessed from the Frostburg State’s Homecoming website and FSU Alumni Association Facebook page from Thursday, Oct. 15, to Sunday, Oct. 18.  This year’s events start off with a virtual presentation in appreciation of retired faculty and staff all day Thursday, Oct. 15, on the Facebook page (@frostburgstatealumniassn).  All day Friday, celebrate the Bobcat Athletics Hall of Fame over the years, as well as honor 2020’s inductees and athletic programs celebrating anniversaries. Look for…

West Virgina has reached 350 COVID-19 deaths, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Health and Human Resources. Five deaths were added to the total Wednesday, including a 56-year old male from Fayette County, a 68-year old male from Kanawha County, a 95-year old male from Boone County, an 81-year old female from Putnam County, and a 68-year old male from Kanawha County. 156 new cases were added from Tuesday to Wednesday.  Total active cases in the state are now at 3,991, according to the DHHR Barbour, Kanawha and Boone counties are the only counties currently in the “orange” category on…

Maryland State Police are warning the public about a telephone scam in which the caller has cloned, or, “spoofed,” a Maryland State Police telephone number in an attempt to scare victims into thinking they are the target of a criminal investigation. A complainant reported today that she had received a call in which the caller ID on her phone showed “State Police” and the number 410-386-3000, which is the actual number for the Maryland State Police Westminster Barrack. When the woman answered the call, the person on the other end of the line told her that a criminal complaint had been filed…

The NFL may be up against its most serious COVID-19-related challenge yet, as a potential outbreak has caused two teams to suspend in-person club activities for the week. According the NFL Network, the Tennessee Titans had three new player positives and five new personnel positives for COVID-19. Then on Wednesday, it was learned one more Titans player tested positive on Tuesday, bringing the total number of positive tests to nine. All other tests for both the Titans and the Vikings came back negative, however. Later Wednesday morning, the league announced that the game between the Steelers and Titans would be postponed, and will likely be…

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) announced today that it will receive $2,612,302 in federal Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) grants. MEMA will distribute these funds to local jurisdictions throughout Maryland that are at risk for or have been adversely affected by natural disasters. The grants originate from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) and fund specific projects that have been identified by communities as important to saving lives and preventing loss of property. “These mitigation grants are an important step in reducing the risk posed by hazards and disasters,” said Russell Strickland,…

Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) is extending the deadline to apply for 2020 Homeowners’ and Renters’ Property Tax Credits from October 1 to October 31. These two tax credit programs save Marylanders more than $65 million per year, with homeowners receiving an average credit of $1,348 on their tax bill and renters receiving an average direct payment of $414. Applications can be submitted online through Maryland OneStop. “This is yet another step our administration is taking to ensure more of our citizens can remain safe and secure in their homes,”…

Although nothing is official, Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said Tuesday that plans are being discussed to break up Canal Place, in order to create a more efficient and profitable operation. The Canal Place Task Force- established by legislation in 2018- has conducted a comprehensive review of the value and revenue potential for all entities making up the 13-acre Canal Place property in downtown Cumberland. The review was to determine if Canal Place, which is state owned, should continue as is, or if all or part of the property should be marketed to private interests. During an afternoon work session of the city council,…

The Maryland Board of Revenue Estimates unanimously voted Tuesady to approve revenue projections of $18.7 billion for Fiscal Year 2021 and $19.7 billion for Fiscal Year 2022.  The FY 2021 forecast reflects a $1.4 billion increase (and a $2.1 billion increase for FY 2022) from unofficial estimates that the Board heard at a special nonvoting session in May to better understand the State's fiscal posture and review several revenue scenarios in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Comptroller Peter Franchot tells WCBC News that while it may be tempting to view these numbers as indicators that the state’s economy has avoided a worst-case scenario and is…

While UPMC and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine continue to work on a potential COVID-19 vaccine- the notion that a vaccine could be ready within the next few months was deemed unrealistic by system leaders during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. President Trump is among those who has suggested that a vaccine could be ready by the end of October. Dr David Nace, chief medical officer, UPMC Senior Communities, said it highly unlikely a vaccine will be ready by the end of the year…

On Sunday, a New York Times exposé on President Trump’s tax returns revealed decades of tax avoidance and millions of dollars in business losses over the past two decades. The picture painted by Trump’s returns is sharply at odds with the shrewd, deal-making image the president has tried to fashion as a real estate mogul and TV star on a show built around his business prowess, “The Apprentice.” Now, five weeks from Election Day, the question is will these new revelations affect the presidential race? U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, says this does create an opportunity for Joe Biden…