Volunteer Maryland today announced the graduation of Volunteer Maryland Class 32, recognizing 14 AmeriCorps members who mobilized more than 3,600 volunteers, serving 58,058 hours, for 20,000 community members in need across Maryland. Of the 3,600 volunteers, more than half were newly mobilized by Class 32 during their service year. For the first time, Volunteer Maryland hosted the graduation ceremony virtually to protect attendees during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing AmeriCorps members to invite guests to support them from all over the country. “Since 1992, a diverse group of people have been coming together to serve Maryland as AmeriCorps members with Volunteer…

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) will close three I-68 (National Freeway) westbound ramps tonight for milling work in Cumberland starting at 10 p.m.   Crews will close and detour I-68 at the MD 639 (Willowbrook Road) on ramp, the Maryland Avenue on ramp and the Maryland Avenue off ramp until 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1.    The work is part of a $6 million safety and resurfacing project on I-68 from the Willowbrook Road bridge to the Crosstown bridge. The project, which includes adding an auxiliary lane on the MD 639 ramp, is expected to be complete this fall, more than six months ahead of schedule. Crews will return by the end of the month for paving…

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sent a letter on Friday to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar criticizing the Trump Administration for their continued political interference in the COVID-19 response. Along with 30 of their colleagues, the Senators warned that decisions to pressure and overrule public health experts will erode public trust and hamper efforts to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.   “The timing of this interference is particularly troubling, as people across the country are waiting anxiously for a safe and effective vaccine to COVID-19. More than ever, public…

The Allegany County Health Department reports four new cases of COVID-19 in Allegany County.  The latest cases include a female in her teens, a male in his 30s, a male in his 50s, and a female in her 60s.  None of them has required hospitalization.  The cumulative total number of cases in Allegany County now stands at 395. 

The Maryland state official fired on Saturday for expressing support for a suspected Kenosha, Wisconsin, shooter is speaking out against his dismissal. Arthur Love IV was dismissed after he posted comments and pictures of 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, the Illinois teen charged with murder in the shooting of two protesters during a riot in Kenosha. Love had served as deputy director in the Governor's Office of Community Initiatives, which oversees the Commission on African American History and Culture.  He is planning to hold a news conference in Baltimore on Monday afternoon. In a statement, a family friend said Love is "exploring all options" to contest his…

The West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles announced on Monday that any driver's license, instruction permit, Graduated License (level 1, 2, or 3), or Commercial Driver's License (CDL), as allowed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), with an expiration date of March 1, 2020 or later, will be extended until December 31, 2020. Identification cards are included in the extension as well. This announcement revises the July memorandum that extended the expiration date on the face of these documents until September 30th. Additionally, this new extension applies to driver's license and ID card transactions only. Customers are encouraged to…

On Sunday, August 30th, 2020 a Cumberland Police Officer on patrol in the area of Frederick Street observed a maroon late model mustang travelling at a speed well above the posted speed limit.  The officer attempted to stop the vehicle but it failed to stop.  Another officer in the area of Bedford Road and Nave’s Crossroads, observed the same vehicle speeding and driving recklessly.  He also tried to stop the vehicle but it failed to yield for him and travelled onto Shades Lane well above the speed limit.  The officer then lost sight of the vehicle and moments later, located…

The Cumberland Police Department is requesting the assistance of the public in locating Paul Edgar Wilhelm; age 53.  He’s a white male, approx. 5’6”, and weighs approx. 310 lbs; last seen wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans, and camouflage hat. Wilhelm was last seen on 8/30/2020 around 6:30 p.m. in the 500 blk. of Columbia Avenue.  He has been reported missing and is also wanted for questioning in a breaking and entering and a sexual offense that was reported to police earlier on 8/30/2020.  Anyone that has information to Wilhelm’s whereabouts is asked to contact the law enforcement or the…

In February, shortly before the Coronavirus Pandemic brought most things to a halt, some controversy had been brewing about the possibility of Allegany County no longer funding the local opportunity scholarship program. It now appears those dollars will be remaining at least for one more year.  Allegany County receives a 3.75% share of the revenue accrued each month from electronic gaming at Rocky Gap Casino Resort. Those funds are deposited into the Rocky Gap Local Impact Fund and subsequently dispersed to local nonprofits by Allegany County. The largest beneficiaries of the funding have been local fire and emergency medical service…

Mail-in voting will play a major role in the November 3rd general election but those individuals who prefer the more traditional method will have that option – albeit with fewer voting centers. Diane Loibel, Allegany County Board of Elections administrator, said the voting centers have been were instituted due to coronavirus concerns.  Instead of casting ballots at the precincts normally used by voters, Loibel said six voting centers will be made available — Allegany, Fort Hill and Mountain Ridge high schools, Westmar Middle School, Flintstone Volunteer Fire Department and the Allegany County Office Complex on Kelly Road. She cautions, however, that those…