A virtual press conference on Tuesday revealed concerns that Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks have about President Trump’s spending bill. Specifically, cuts to Medicaid that would affect over a million Maryland residents. WCBC asked about specific impacts to Allegany County that Senator Alsobrooks addressed, saying deep Medicaid cuts will be on top of other expenses…    “Where Allegany County has about 34% of its population who are enrolled in Medicaid, it’s not just the cuts to Medicaid, it’s just overall. All of the increases to the cost of living – we expect for sure to see an…

More than three million personal income tax returns were processed in Maryland for the 2025 tax season, according to the Maryland Comptroller’s Office.  The agency took less than 3 days on average to process returns filed electronically, a 39% decrease from last year while paper returns were also processed quicker – a 35% decrease from 2024. Comptroller Brooke Lierman says nearly two-thirds of the three million returns were issued refunds from the state…    “As of April 15th, we processed over 2.5 million tax returns and issued $2.5 billion in tax refunds.”

The Maryland Municipal League is holding its annual convention in Ocean City this week.  Governor Wes Moore delivered the keynote address Tuesday.  Representing the City of Cumberland are Mayor Ray Morriss, Councilmen Jimmy Furstenburg, Brian Lepley, and Eugene Frazier, city administrator Jeff Silka, city clerk Allison Layton, and Historic Planner Ruth Davis-Rogers.

A small decrease in Maryland’s gas tax is coming in July.  New tax rates released by the Office of the Comptroller set the new tax rate on gasoline at 46 cents per gallon. The decrease of one-tenth of a penny is the second in two years and the fourth since a 2013 law was enacted that linked automatic increases to the rate of inflation.

The West Virginia Division of Highways (WVDOH) will open the 3.4-mile southern section of the four-lane US 522 Berkeley Springs Bypass in Morgan County by noon on Wednesday, June 25, 2025.  State and local officials had long been concerned about heavy truck traffic on US 522 through the community of Berkeley Springs. About 30 percent of the approximately 13,400 vehicles that use US 522 every day are trucks.

The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police – Barrack C have combined resources to target open and active warrants. As a result, the following individuals have been apprehended: Wednesday, June 18, 2025 Ben Richard Metheny, 46 of Cumberland, was served two (2) District Court Bench Warrants for Violation of Probation and Failure to Comply. 1)  Original conviction in the VOP case is for Fraud-Persnal Identification to Avoid Prosecution where Judge Bean sentenced him to a 1-year jail term with 18-months supervised probation. 2)  Original charges in the Failure to Comply case are Assault – Second Degree and Motor…

On Monday, June 23rd, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Megan Lynn Pawliske, 39, of Cumberland, MD. Pawliska was arrested on an active Bench Warrant issued by the Allegany County District Court on June 9th, 2025. On that date, it is alleged that Pawliske failed to appear in District Court for a previous theft charge. Pawliske was taken before a District Court Commissioner for an Initial Appearance, where he was released on a $500 unsecured bond. ARRESTED -  Megan Lynn Pawliske,       W/F 39 yo CHARGES -  Bench Warrant- Failure to Appear. On Monday, June 23rd, 2025, the Cumberland…

Comptroller Brooke Lierman has released the agency’s first report on the impact of the federal government on Maryland’s economy.  The report shows that Maryland has the third-highest number of federal jobs in the nation and is home to 50% of all jobs under the Department of Health and Human Services.  An estimated 229,000 Marylanders are employed by the feds, and earn almost $30 billion dollars annually. Another 153,000 receive $8.8 billion in federal retirement income annually.

As Washington DC’s gas company continues a 40-year project to replace methane pipes, clean energy advocates argue the projects are misguided and prefer alternatives for public health and the environment.  Claire Mills with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network says they are urging the Public Service Commission to create a plan that transitions the District to clean electricity, rather than doubling down on methane gas…    "Even if your gas pipe is all good, just burning methane gas in your home in your gas stove or your furnace has really negative health impacts. So in the long term, the real solution…

HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 9 PM TODAY by the National Weather Service. Heat index values up to 103 expected in Maryland, Central and Eastern Allegany County. In Virginia, Augusta and Rockingham Counties. In West Virginia, Eastern Grant, Eastern Mineral, Eastern Pendleton, Hampshire, Hardy, and Morgan Counties. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.