Due to heavy rains that have resulted in flash flooding, and a severe and continuing threat to the health, safety, welfare, and property, Governor Patrick Morrisey has declared a State of Emergency in Marion County. “As flash floods continue throughout North Central West Virginia, emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse,” said Governor Morrisey. “State resources are being dispatched to the region immediately. Please — stay off the roads. Do not underestimate the strength and speed of these floods. Pray for our friends and neighbors during this challenging time for our state.” The…

National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch from Monday 12:00 pm until Tuesday 12:00 am for portions of western Maryland, including the following areas, Eastern Garrett, Extreme Western Allegany and Western Garrett, western Virginia, including the following areas, Eastern Highland and Western Highland, and eastern West Virginia, including the following areas, Eastern Grant, Eastern Pendleton, Western Grant, Western Mineral and Western Pendleton. Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Low-water crossings may be flooded. ADDITIONAL DETAILS Numerous showers and thunderstorms are…

Allegany County Joint Communications Center reporting Westernport Road, Route 135 just outside of Westernport remains closed in both directions due to landslide. Maryland State Highway Administration and community Fire Department presently on scene.

Governor Wes Moore made a request to the White House that a Major Disaster Declaration be issued to assist Allegany and Garrett County communities impacted by flooding in May. The declaration will make federal assistance programs available to restore public infrastructure in the area.  County Administrator Jason Bennett said that ahead of the state’s request, the county had received money from the first-ever State Disaster Recovery Fund…    “We got $459,000 from the State of Maryland this week from the Governor directly for state disaster recovery funds. We are coming up with a plan to expend those dollars in the…

Governor Patrick Morrisey has announced a major overhaul of West Virginia’s transportation priorities, introducing a focus on repairing and preserving existing bridges and roads. Morrisey directed the Department of Transportation to implement strategies to improve bridge health immediately…     “According to the federal government and other surveys, 14% of the bridges in our state – they are rated poor. We have to change that. By 2028, we have to get that number down. We have to get that number down under 10, and we also have to ensure that we’re no longer ranked near the bottom of all these…

Congresswoman April McClain Delaney has requested $7 million dollars in federal Community Project Funding for Allegany County in the FY 2026 federal budget. If approved, $2.8 million would go to Frostburg State University’s planetarium, $1.3 million to Lonaconing’s Georges Creek water line, $900,000 toward fire engine replacement for Potomac Fire Company No. 2 and $2 million toward the City of Cumberland water filtration plant.

Allegany College of Maryland ranks third in the state for scholarship support for its students. Just behind Montgomery and Howard County Community Colleges, ACM provides proactive help to students through more than 250 scholarships annually. Courtney Jensen, ACM Foundation Director tells WCBC the college ranks highest in student help when it comes to college size…     “So we are third in the state in scholarships. We give out over 2.5 million dollars every year in scholarships to support our students. And if you look at scholarships per FTE which is a more equitable comparison, you’re able to see that…

WCBC News has found that there are precedents for local governments taking over private water services in situations similar to what Bel Air residents are facing.  In Lake Wylie, South Carolina, York County government purchased Blue Granite Water System that shares the same parent company as Maryland Water Service. Negotiations for the sale took over a year, and cost the county $36 million dollars. York County Information Officer Greg Suskin told WCBC complaints had come in for some time…     “The company, Blue Granite, would go before the Public Service Commission about every two years on average and ask…

On Saturday, June 14th, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Jacob Allen Kasecamp, 39, of Cumberland, MD. Kasecamp was arrested on an active Bench Warrant issued by the Allegany County District Court on June 12th, 2025. The warrant alleges that Kasecamp violated the terms and conditions of probation that had been placed upon him due to a previous conviction for possession of a controlled substance. Kasecamp was taken before a District Court Commissioner for an Initial Appearance, where he was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center. He is currently being held without bond. ARRESTED -  Jacob Allen Kasecamp,   …

Olivera (Olja) J. Finn, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of immunology and surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center was presented with the 2025 PNC Elsie Hillman Distinguished Scholar Award for her decades of research in immunology and groundbreaking work on developing a vaccine to prevent several human cancers, including breast cancer.    The PNC Elsie Hillman award, now in its 14th year, honors advancements in cancer research and treatment and recognizes those who support these efforts at UPMC Hillman, the region’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. The award was presented at…