On Friday officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a Grand Avenue address for a reported assault. Upon officers arrival they spoke with the victim who advised that Matthew Scott Lewis had struck them with an open hand. Officers observed evidence of the assault, as well as obtained a statement Lewis advising he had struck the victim. Lewis was placed under arrest for assault and taken before a District Court Commissioner where he was released on his own recognizance.   Arrest: Matthew Scott Lewis, age 37, Cumberland Maryland. Charge: Assault Second Degree.

Members of Frostburg State University’s men’s lacrosse team are being placed in quarantine after a player tested positive for COVID-19 and, between when the team members had been tested and the result was received, the team engaged in a high-intensity practice involving close contact among team members.  FSU has been conducting its intercollegiate athletic program under guidelines set forth in the NCAA Resocialization of Collegiate Sport, which include specific COVID-19 testing protocols for all sports.  The action is being taken to practice an abundance of caution and with the guidance of the Allegany County Health Department. The student-athlete who tested…

The first permits for growing medical marijuana will soon be issued in West Virginia.  Jason Frame, Director of the West Virginia Office of Medical Cannabis, said they hope to issue the permits with the next week. Ten growers were selected to receive the permits out of 39 applicants. They’ll not be able to sit around. Each permit requires action within six months. There are provisions to provide some additional time if needed, but if the permit holder fails to move forward with the development of an operation in the prescribed time, they risk losing the permit. “The point of that…

Frostburg State University's annual Appalachian Festival wraps up today with a full schedule of entertainment. The event, as a result of the pandemic is virtual this year. All program offerings can be accessed through the festival's website at www.frostburg.edu/events/afestival.  The three day event culminates in a full day of workshops, presentations and musical performances on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m   Today’s festival highlights the mountain region's music, dance and storytelling traditions with a series of live performances and workshops, discussions and presentations, and a puppet show. This year's live music lineup includes bluegrass, old-time and folk music by the…

In an interview with the Mineral Daily News Tribune this week, former Keyser City Council member William Zacot talked about the events that led up to his being charged with embezzling funds from the Keyser Youth Baseball League and why he chose to enter into a plea agreement rather than move forward with a jury trial.  According to Zacot, the issue began when a division occurred in the youth baseball league. Zacot had been coaching but found himself filling in for the president of the KYBL who had to be away for some family issues.  Zacot takes the blame for…

The Allegany County Health Department reports ten new cases of COVID-19.  None of the new cases have required hospitalization.  The latest positives include a male under age 10, a male and female in their teens, three females and two males in their 20s, a male in his 30s and a male in his 50s.  The cumulative case count for Allegany County now stands at 445. To date, 17,276 Allegany County residents have been tested for COVID-19 and received their results.  Of those, 16,831 were negative and 445 were positive.

Officials at the University of Maryland are asking students in one dormitory to restrict their activities in response to a spike in coronavirus cases. The cases are tied to Denton Hall. All students who tested positive are in isolation and anyone who had close contact with these students was notified and moved to quarantine housing, university officials said Friday.

Governor Larry Hogan today marked the beginning of the state’s first-ever Maryland Restaurant Week by announcing expanded capacity for indoor dining. Effective Monday, September 21 at 5:00 p.m., capacity for indoor operations at restaurants may increase from 50 to 75 percent, with appropriate distancing, and following strict public health requirements consistent with the CDC, FDA, and the National Restaurant Association. Read the governor’s order. Earlier in the day, the governor visited McGarvey’s Saloon and Oyster Bar in Annapolis to present a proclamation recognizing Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 27 as Maryland Restaurant Week. The governor spent time in several…

WBAL reports Maryland has been awarded $2.4 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Labor to help combat unemployment fraud. “As our department works to provide unemployment benefits to all eligible claimants, bad actors are still trying to capitalize on the additional funding available during the COVID-19 pandemic intended to help those truly in need,” Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson said in a statement. “Our top priority is to provide relief to legitimate claimants who need it the most, but the high level of fraud surrounding these federal programs does require us to carefully and manually review each claim.” In July,…

Allegany County Emergency Services reports that Interstate 68 West at area mile marker 55 currently had two lanes of traffic closed earlier in the afternoon due to a vehicle fire. The scene has now been cleared