The Board of Revenue Estimates unanimously voted today 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.  "While it is tempting to view these numbers as indicators that our economy has avoided a worst-case scenario and we are on a path to recovery,…

The American Hotel & Lodging Association estimates more than 4,800 jobs in the industry have been lost in West Virginia during the course of the pandemic.  A report from the association also warned that as many as 170 lodging sites could go into foreclosure, and says at least 230 of them may go out of business, without additional financial assistance from Congress The survey, based on an Oxford Economics analysis, said the Mountain State had 12,711 people working in the hotel industry in March 2020 and, by September, at least 4,843 of those jobs had been lost. The report says a total…

2:53 PM: National Highway has now reopened following a traffic accident. Scene has been cleared. 2:18 PM:  Allegany County Emergency Services reports that National Highway is show down in both directions in the area of the Fruit Bowl as the result of a motor vehicle crash. 

Jury trials will resume in Maryland courts next week. The final phase of the judiciary's five-phase plan goes into effect next Monday. All courts will be fully operational. However, anyone entering a courthouse will still have to wear a mask or face covering, answer a health questionnaire and get their temperature checked. “Jury trials require the assembly of large groups of citizens in order to allow the selection of an impartial jury," Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera said in a statement. "Doing this responsibly, while safeguarding due process, is a complex challenge that the leaders of the circuit courts have worked…

Just in time for the winter heating season, the Maryland Public Service Commission has unveiled a new website for gas supply, to supplement the electricity shopping site unveiled earlier this year. MDGasChoice.com is the PSC’s stand-alone site where consumers can shop for and sort offers to supply their home’s energy needs – whether they are seeking the lowest price per therm, environmentally-friendly gas supply, no monthly or early termination fees, etc. The companion site for residential electricity shoppers, MDElectricChoice.com was launched in March of this year. “The new site means Maryland consumers can make informed choices when shopping online for all of their energy supply. Both…

Public Safety Answer Points, locally the Allegany County Joint Communications Center staff have been working with local government and businesses to ensure that they are compliant with an updated law from 2015, requiring phone lines to connect directly to a 9-1-1 center.   Kari’s Law, signed in 2015 by Maryland Governor Larry Hogan requires buildings with multi-line phone systems to give the caller the ability to dial 9-1-1 from any phone without dialing any additional digit, prefix or postfix, most commonly the number “9”.  The law only applies to dialing 9-1-1 and does not apply to other outgoing calls, where…

Genevieve Batman, junior at Allegany High School, was recently selected to participate in a global youth conference called YOUNGA as a U.S. youth delegate. YOUNGA is in its first year and is a companion to the United Nations General Assembly. Genevieve will join 1,500 youth and young adults from around the world, 30 of which will represent the United States at this conference.                     YOUNGA’s youth mastermind sessions will be held September 28-29, 2020, followed by four weeks of specialize sessions with corresponding leadership training and then culminating with the Global Spectacular October 23-25, 2020. Some of the guest speakers…

On Monday, September 28, 2020, the Cumberland City Police served an Arrest Warrant on Maxwell Redman, age 58 of Cumberland, Maryland.  The Warrant stemmed from a September 25, 2020 incident that occurred in the 200 block of Columbia Street.  During that incident, officers were dispatched to Columbia Street for a reported assault.  While conducting their investigation, they learned that the victim had been assaulted with a blunt object and sustained serious injuries. Subsequently, Redman was developed as a suspect and a Search Warrant was executed related to the incident.  As a result of the assault, officers applied for Charges in…

Students are trickling back to school in Allegany County, and Monday, Acting Superintendent of Schools Jeff Blank provided an update on the status of getting kids back into the classroom…

The Allegany County Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to opt for a sports calendar which will feature a return to practice in two weeks, with opening games set for about a month from now. Tracy Leonard is the Supervisor of Athletics for ACPS… WCBC News has learned that Allegany County contests are expected to features games within the county, and with schools from Garrett and Washington Counties. A meeting of athletic directors is expected to be held tomorrow.