Dustin Nash at Westernport Elementary School. Photo by Tylesha Shoemaker        

Due to high water issues and the voluntary evacuation in place, Route 40 Elementary will be closed today, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Buses that serve the Route 40 District will not operate today – buses 12, 15, 20, 19, 84, 11, and 68. Additionally, bus 34 will not run the Savage River portion of its route. Route 40 staff are to report to Grantsville Elementary today.

The Allegany County Department of Emergency Services is issuing the following update regarding the ongoing flooding situation in the county: Dam Conditions • Savage River Dam is currently at Nonfailure Emergency Level 1. Water is flowing over the spillway; however, the dam remains intact and the structural integrity is stable. • Piney Mountain Dam also remains intact with no structural concerns at this time. • While both dams are holding, rivers and streams downstream are extremely high, and we continue to monitor them closely. Weather and Water Levels • Water levels have receded slightly, but a heavy band of rain…

Governor Wes Moore is urging Marylanders to stay vigilant and exercise extreme caution amid the ongoing flash flooding in Western Maryland. Heavy rainfall has led to significant flooding, particularly in Allegany County, prompting evacuations and emergency response. The area’s rainfall is estimated at about 4.65 inches since midnight last night, with additional rainfall expected throughout the evening. Forecasting of the North Branch Potomac River in Cumberland is expected to reach 22.6 feet overnight, which would mark the highest river crest since 1996. "We remain in close contact with local officials and continue to coordinate resources as the rain continues to fall,”…

Bishop Walsh School and JDJECC will be closed tomorrow May 14th. There will be no asynchronous learning. Tomorrow's scheduled AP exam is postponed. Students, please see your email for more information.  The spring concert scheduled for tomorrow is postponed. Date TBD

Due to severe storms and heavy rains that resulted in flash flooding, Governor Patrick Morrisey has declared a State of Emergency in Mineral County. The State of Emergency will remain in effect for thirty days unless terminated by the Governor. Governor Morrisey ordered personnel and resources to mobilize and respond to any emergency and delegated certain administrative powers to the Director of the West Virginia Emergency Management Division (WVEMD) to facilitate the provision of essential emergency services. Governor Morrisey and the WVEMD ask all West Virginians to remain attentive to weather conditions through local media reports and follow any instructions…

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a reminder that mental health is health and that seeking help is a sign of strength. The yearly event serves to encourage individuals to seek help. Josie Snyder, a mental health counselor says that it is important for family to initiate conversations, especially with children…     “The biggest thing that these parents can do is start communicating, start talking, asking questions. Be curious rather than judgmental.”

West Virginia Senator Jim Justice is putting is mark of approval on a bill to end taxing of wages on overtime work. The Overtime Wages Tax Relief Act was introduced by Senators Roger Marshall and Tommy Tuberville, creating an income tax deduction for overtime income. Senator Justice common-sense bill that will help more folks achieve the American Dream…     “I’m a business guy. I’m not a politician. But I can tell you hands down at the end of the day, you’ve got to grow revenue. You’ve absolutely got to grow revenue and how you grow revenue, you’re going to…

Preparations are well underway for this year’s DelFest at the Allegany County Fairgrounds.  It’s the 17th year for the festival in the county, and some changes are being made this year to the musical lineup.  Promoter Stan Strickland says that there is still a mix of old and new, with younger musical groups as well as the better-known musicians…     “They mixed it up with old friends that people have seen before like Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon, a lot of the ones that are big deals in the jam band world. And they did some unique things like…