The Allegany County Commissioners approved expansion plans for an area Cannabis Company at their most recent meeting. Grow West which recently opened a new dispensary on Walnut Street started in 2018 and has expanded to 240 employees. A new agreement with a cannabis processor will allow for expansion at their Kelly Road facility, according to CEO William Valois…    “This development will bring about 30 to 40 additional jobs to support the processor’s operations benefitting the community. It also marks the addition of another business and further expands Western Maryland’s cannabis industry.”

The City of Cumberland is finalizing plans for the annual fireworks display on the fourth of July.  Ryan Mackey, director of Parks and Recreation, said Starfire Fireworks out of St. Benedict, Pennsylvania would provide the pyrotechnics for the evening show that will last just over 15 minutes and can be seen from all over the city. Mackey said there are a few changes at Constitution Park for the day…     “We’ll have the pool open that day. We usually open a little bit earlier and then we close at three o’clock. We have to get people out of that…

Recent laws passed in Maryland are helping to bolster the behavioral health workforce. One new law allows school mental health professionals to be eligible for the state’s loan repayment program while another creates a state workforce development program. State Senator Malcolm Augustine says it’s been a focus in Annapolis to bring and keep mental health professionals in Maryland…     “It’s challenging right now for us to attract and retain these folks. It’s a global issue, so we are trying to do our very best to create opportunities for them to have their loans repaid, opportunities for them to grow…

Medicaid in West Virginia has become essential for affordable and accessible health care yet recently Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice had voted to cut some funding for the program. Ellen Allen with West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare says more than half a million Mountain State residents rely on Medicaid services, including many in nursing homes that may shut down without funds…     “These are people who couldn’t afford long-term care and policies. Their families don’t have the resources to support them. So what are you going to do with 72,000 people in skilled nursing facilities when Medicaid…

Friday’s Supreme Court Ruling that parents in Maryland could opt-out their children from school lessons that use LGTBQ+ themed books has had mixed reactions. The Maryland Freedom Caucus and House Republicans applauded the decision, saying parents are allowed to act in accordance with religious beliefs. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said he was profoundly disappointed in the decision and that such materials help create classrooms where children can thrive and be safe. The Montgomery County Education Association said the decision is reminiscent of a time when discrimination and intolerance were the norm.   

On June 29th, 2025 the Cumberland Police Department served a bench warrant on Gary Wayne Ray. The warrant was issued due to Ray failing to appear for court on June 16,2025 for an original charge of CDS possession not marijuana. Ray was placed under arrest and transported to Central Booking. He was later seen by a District Court commissioner and released pending trial at District Court.  NAME: Gary Wayne Ray  AGE: 44  Cumberland, MD CHARGE: CDS possession not marijuana

The Mayor and City Council of Cumberland will meet in public session beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the 2nd floor Conference Room of City Hall on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 for the purpose of immediately closing the meeting to discuss issues pertaining to an employee’s work performance.  Authority to close the session is provided by Section 3-305(b)(1)(i) of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland. The Open Work Session will then begin at 5:30 p.m. in the 2nd floor Conference Room. The Mayor and City Council's regularly scheduled Public Meeting will be held at 6:15 p.m. in…

On June 28th, 2025 at approximately 3:20 a.m., officers from the Cumberland Police Department responded to a business in the 400 block of Virginia Avenue for a complaint of an impaired driver. Upon arrival they made contact with Matthew Lynn Hutzel. Hutzel had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person and displayed other signs of impairment. Officers completed their investigation and subsequently placed Hutzel under arrest. He was transported to police headquarters, issued several citations, and was released pending trial at District Court.  NAME: Matthew Lynn Hutzel  AGE: 38 Wiley Ford, WV CHARGES: Driving vehicle while…

The Experimental Aircraft Association is having its breakfast at the Cumberland Airport’s Chapter House, beginning at 8am. Hotcakes, sausage gravy, fried potatoes and fruit cocktails are on the menu. Cost is $12 for adults and kids under 12 eat for $6.  Katie Kight with the EAA says the breakfast plays a role in fundraising money to send a local kid to the EAA Air Academy in Oshkosh, Wisconsin “They go out there for a week and they learn how to make parts of an airplane, they get to fly in helicopters, and they get to be with other kids from all…

Members of the Mountain Amateur Radio Club are participating in the single most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. Field Day is practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, fun and free for all ages. The event today is located at the old LaVale Swim Club parking lot at 599 Georges Creek Blvd. Amateur radio operators provide a critical public service for our community; during times of disaster, they are able to provide reliable communications when the normal infrastructure is offline. Licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and trained in the art and science of radio communication and…