For the first time since mid March, some students are back in the classrooms today in Allegany County, as phase two of the Board of Education’s five stage plan to reopen schools is now underway. Public schools, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, were ordered closed on March 16th by state school superintendent Karen Salmon. With the start of the new school year on September 8th, systems across Maryland have been following individual plans for gradually bringing back students for in-person instruction. After starting the year with two weeks of virtual online learning-  In Allegany County, small groups of students-…

Although later than usual this year, National Night Out Cumberland is on.  "America’s Night Out Against Crime" will still bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances by bringing the City of Cumberland Police Department to the community.  However, during this year of being cautious and following local health department guidelines, the event has been reimagined.  Organizers are asking everyone to turn their porch lights on throughout the community on Tuesday, October 6, a throwback to the roots of the National Night Out campaign. It’s an important year to recognize National Night Out, which promotes not only police-community relations but also crime, drug…

It’s been more than five years since talks began about the concept of purchasing homes and properties in the Rolling Mill neighborhood with a vision of a major commercial development project.  To date, while dozens of sites have been cleared and houses demolished, holdouts remain and no progress has been made toward constructing new commercial entities. City officials are apparently growing weary of the stagnant nature of the project and are now voicing those concerns to the developer.  Cumberland Gateway Real Estate is the Frederick based developer, with announced plans for a plaza off Interstate 68 at Maryland Avenue called Cumberland Gateway….

Officials see summer of 2021 as the likely starting point for the beginning phase of the $9.5 million Baltimore Street Access Project, and although the process has been lengthy, a lead designer says the end result should prove well worth the wait.  Using the projected 18-month construction phase, that timeline would point to a completion sometime at the end of 2022. The project will include the installation of Baltimore Street, allowing for vehicular traffic and parking, underground infrastructure replacements and cosmetic streetscape work.  During a recent project update, William Cochran of Cochran Design Studio said even wtih numerous delays and rising costs estimates, the…

Officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a Virginia Avenue address Saturday for a reported assault. Upon officers arrival they spoke with the victim who advised that James William Whetstone had shoved them to the ground, choked them, and then drug them across the street before they were able to escape. Officers observed evidence of the assault and Whetstone was placed under arrest. He was then taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was held without bond.   Arrest: James William Whetstone, age 37, Cumberland Maryland. Charge: Assault Second Degree.

On Saturday, Cumberland Police responded to the 400 block of North Centre Street for a reported intoxicated male. The officers arrived and spoke with Kevin Paul Bailey, who advised he had taken medication and provided it to the officers. The officers observed the medication to not be in a prescription bottle and further investigation revealed Bailey did not possess a prescription. Officers completed an application for charges and a Criminal Summons was issued. Bailey signed for his Criminal Summons and awaits his trail at District Court. Arrest: Kevin Paul Bailey, age 33, Cumberland Maryland Charge: Possession of CDS not Mariuana.

During Friday’s briefing, Gov. Justice reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently adopted their own color-coded system to assist states in determining whether children should be in-school or they should be utilizing a remote learning model of instruction. Gov. Justice noted that White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx praised the West Virginia Model as “remarkable” during her recent trip to West Virginia, highlighting the plan as a leading practice nationwide for all states to emulate. Like the West Virginia Model, the CDC uses a five-color system to represent community spread for particular regions. Like the West Virginia Model, the CDC’s colors…

A Mountain Lake Park man is dead after the riding lawn mower he was operating was struck from the rear by an automobile. 61 year old Freeman Eckenode was hit on Oakland Drive near Pensinger Boulevard by a Toyota Camry operated by Harold Fike, of Oakland. Garrett County Sheriff's Deputies are investigating.

The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) has posted the September 19, 2020, School Alert System Map update. This map, guided by information from the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) and vetted by the COVID-19 Data Review Panel, determines which counties will hold in-person and blended instruction, and it will direct the level of extracurricular activities permitted. The weekly updates are posted at https://wvde.us/reentrymetrics. County plans should be reviewed for additional requirements. Red (Substantial Community Transmission): Counties must move to remote learning. No extracurricular competitions or practices are permitted. Staff may report to their schools, as determined…

Welcome to the 2020 Maryland Fall Foliage Report, brought to you by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Although we will mention a festival or event occasionally, that will not be a major focus this year due to numerous cancellations of many seasonal events.  However, the men and women working for Maryland’s Park Service and Forest Service will provide eyewitness accounts, as well as photographs, as the fall season unfolds. Stand of Maple Trees in Potomac Garrett State Forest, photo by Scott Campbell   “Another fall season is already upon us! I have noticed red maples and serviceberries starting to…