The Allegany County Board of Zoning Appeals will hold a hearing this evening at 5pm in county offices on Kelly Road on a case brought by Anchor, a citizen group against the location of wind turbines on Dans Mountain.  Anchor would like to see a reversal of the county’s decision to issue a zoning certification and zoning permit to Dans Mountain Wind Force.  The company has installed nine wind turbines with a height of 645 feet with 6.1-megawatt generators. This is the seventh hearing in the appeal.

At the request of North Centre Street businesses, the Cumberland Mayor and City Council voted to close Centre Street on Saturday, June 7th from 5-10 pm in order to prepare for and hold a celebration of life for Barb Buehl.  The event is planned to start at 7 pm following visitation and services at the Scarpelli Funeral Home on Virginia Avenue.  Mayor Ray Morris says holding such an event in Downtown Cumberland will be a great way to honor what all Barb Buehl did for the community… “That lady did a lot for our community both as when she was the executive…

Maryland Delegate Justin Ready spoke with WBFF-TV at length about the Maryland Blueprint for Education. Sustainability and affordability continue to be big sticking points with lawmakers like Ready who say it’s too much too fast. Some counties have issues paying for the expensive mandates, adding spending to already tight budgets. Ready says changes need to happen before future budget sessions…   “We’re going to be in a similar boat if we don’t make some major restructuring to Blueprint, and we need more flexibility as well as maybe less commitment to huge mandated spending increases year after year after year.”

After being on the injured list since the opening series in Miami in March, second baseman Nick Gonzales returns to the major league team.  Also returning is reliever Kyle Nicolas.  The Pirates sent first baseman Nick Solak to the minors and cut reliever Tanner Rainey after he lost Sunday's game in San Diego.

Cecelia Street in Cumberland is now open to two-way traffic.  The city took the action Tuesday afternoon as the Rolling Mill project continues to take shape after years of delays.  

The Ocean City Council voted this week to approve new regulations aimed at limiting the size and placement of tents and canopies on the beach. The new rules, which take effect immediately, are designed to address increasing complaints about blocked views and crowded conditions during peak season. The ordinance will ban all tents except for small baby tents, prevent canopies from being set up before 10 a.m. if left unattended, and limit canopy size to 10 feet by 10 feet.

Each year, the Appalachian Regional Commission releases a list of county comparisons with national averages. This year, Allegany County is listed as an “At Risk” county with seven areas within the county being marked as distressed. The ratings are determined based on three-year averages of unemployment, per capita market income, and poverty rates. This year, 90 Appalachian counties are listed as “at risk.” The designations determine match requirements for ARC grants. The maximum A-R-C grant share for Allegany County is 70%.

The beginning of June sees new laws going into effect after being passed by the Maryland General Assembly and signed off on by Governor Moore. A law setting a cap on settlement amounts for child abuse cases caused a rush of case filings before the May 31 deadline.  The Next Generation Energy Act gives electric customers two rebates in the coming year to offset rising energy prices. And there will be stiffer penalties for drunk driving convictions – those found guilty will be assessed 12 points on their license.

Robert Rudd Reinhard passed away on Memorial Day, May 26, 2025, a day befitting the pride he took in his United States Naval Service. Known to his family and friends as “Rudd,” he was a deeply creative thinker, a man of many interests who quietly earned many awards and performed countless good deeds. Rudd possessed deep knowledge of music, geography, history, and many other topics. He was an artist at heart, known for being a storyteller from the time he was a little boy, put in charge of holding his fellow classmates’ attention when the teacher was absent, to his…

Cecelia Street will be open to two-way traffic today, 6/3/25, at approximately 12pm. Street parking will be available along the southern curb line heading eastbound towards Maryland Ave.