At a virtual press briefing Thursday, UPMC leaders shared the health system’s most recent findings related to COVID-19. Since the spring, UPMC (which includes the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland)  has been tracking key data to better inform its approach to treating COVID-19, which impacts each patient differently. Among the key statistics provided:  UPMC is receiving 2.5 times more COVID-19 test results per day in the last two months compared to the prior period;  and the positivity rate of 5.28% is only slightly higher than the spring’s rate of 4.94%, which indicates people are generally taking the correct precautions…

Stage 3 of Maryland’s reopening will be effective, as of 5 PM Friday.  In Cumberland and Allegany County, movie theaters and performing arts centers will be able to open at 50% capacity beginning. Up to 100 people will be allowed at indoor venues or 250 people at outdoor venues.  All retail stores as well as churches and houses of worship will be able to increase capacity from 50% to 75%. Local jurisdictions will still be able to decide not to open as much as the state plan allows.  Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss…

Labor Day is weekend is upon us and that that means law enforcement will be out in full force. Maryland State Police begins it’s holiday enforcement  at 12 a.m. Friday and that effort will  conclude Monday, September 7 at midnight.  Unfortunately holiday weekends often times leads to D.U.I. arrests, crashes and sometimes fatalities…

Several instances of fraudulent phone calls from a bogus “Western Maryland Health System” phone number have been reported through the region over the last few weeks.     These calls have been reported with both 722 and 301 area codes, and often begin with a recorded message claiming there is a problem with a patient’s social security number. From there, they present an invitation to press a button to speak with someone. These calls are fraudulent and, if engaged with, present a danger of identity theft.     When it comes to telephone calls from UPMC Western Maryland and its vendors, please…

The Allegany County Health Department will offer free drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the Allegany County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, September 9 from 1 PM to 6 PM.  Participants are asked to bring a driver’s license or other ID that shows their name, address, and date of birth.  Participants do not need an appointment, a doctor’s order, or an insurance card.  The drive-thru model is an easy way for individuals to get a COVID-19 test with minimal contact.  When a vehicle drives in, all patients will remain in the vehicle and a nurse will swab each patient’s throat.  All patients must be…

Just over 11,000 Marylanders filed first-time unemployment claims last week, state labor officials said Thursday. The figure is down slightly from the week before. Most of the new claims were in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Prince George's, Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties. In Allegany County there was a total of 122 new claims.  Since March, 588,620 Marylanders have filed for unemployment. Most of the jobs lost have been in hospitality, health care and retail. Nationally, the number of laid-off Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a still-elevated 881,000 last week, evidence that the coronavirus keeps forcing many businesses to slash…

Beginning on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, Allegany County Public Schools will once again provide FREE meals to all children age 18 and younger through December 31, 2020, pending the availability of funding.  This is a change to the earlier update provided by ACPS to families last week and comes as the result of an announcement just released by the federal government (USDA). Breakfast and lunch will still be provided at all 21 school locations Monday-Friday from 12:00-1:30 p.m. 

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman David Trone (D-Md.) today applaud the award of $4,122,800.00 in federal funding for the Greater Cumberland Regional Airport in Cumberland, Maryland. This award is disbursed by the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and appropriated through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). This new funding will go towards rehabilitating the airport’s runway, protecting the structural integrity of the pavement and to minimize debris from foreign and miscellaneous objects.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 the Cumberland Police Department served an arrest warrant on Abraham Rivera Ortiz for violation of probation.  The warrant was issued by District Court for failing to follow the conditions of his probation ordered by the court back in January, 2020.  He was taken before the District Court Commissioner and was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center held on a $2,500 bond.   Abraham Rivera Ortiz, age; 37, Cumberland, Maryland.

On Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 the Cumberland Police Department served an arrest warrant on Paul Edgar Wilhelm.  The warrant was issued by District Court in reference to an incident that took place on August 13th, 2020 at a Columbia Avenue residence.  On that date, it’s reported that Wilhelm entered a residence in the early morning hours and sexually assaulted a female that was sleeping.  He was charged with home invasion, second degree rape, 4th degree sexual contact, 3rd degree sex offense, 3rd degree burglary, and 2nd degree assault.  Wilhelm was taken before the District Court Commissioner and was remanded to…