All Mountain Ridge District schools are operating on a 3-hour delay today, Thursday, January 2, 2025. All morning pre-kindergarten classes in that district are canceled and there will be no breakfast served.

Due to inclement weather, Garrett County Public Schools will open 2 hours late today, Thursday, January 2, 2025. 

Outgoing Maryland Senator Ben Cardin appeared on ABC’s This Week with Jonathan Karl, talking about his role on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his time in elected office. The 81-year old Democrat has been elected to public office 18 times in his career.  Cardin said the decision of when to step down from office should be a personal one…     “It was time for me to give another person an opportunity and it was time for me to say I’ve been an elected official long enough. I’ve accomplished what I set out to do and I’m very…

Frostburg State University presented an honorary doctorate for the late Pansye Atkinson at their 165 commencement on December 16, 2024.  Atkinson spent more than 30 years serving in several capacities at FSU.  Her daughters, Diane Hudson and Kimberly Naylor accepted the award on their mother’s behalf, and Naylor thanked the University for honoring their mother. “Education is something that our mother was very, very, very much driven by.  There is never a lesson too small to learn in her eyes, and this is something that we both are just very honored and touched for her to receive this.”  

Over 85% of all voters oppose attempts to weaken the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new poll commissioned by the Environmental Protection Network. West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey recently asked a federal court to block a new EPA rule aimed at reducing emissions from power plants.  Matt George with Seven Letter says the data shows the vast majority of folks want legislation such as the Clean Air Act to remain in place, and want strengthened regulations that curb pollution. "The majority of voters really do recognize the value of regulations that keep our air and water clean and…

The continuation of a flying mission for the Maryland Air National Guard has been secured through the transfer of the 121st Fighter Squadron from DC to Maryland.  The Maryland Air Guard originally began flying as part of the 104th Observation Squadron of the U.S. Air Force in 1921. Maryland was set to lose its A-10 Thunderbolts this fall but will now have F-16 jets at Joint Base Andrews.  Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says the transfer does not negatively affect the national capital area…   “It’s not going to have an impact on DC. There’s no practical impact. All of…

Staffing problems are a prominent issue in the juvenile justice system in Maryland. Increasing assaults on staff by youth are seen as just one reason staffing is low. Mandated overtime of multiple 16-hour days each week are driving employees elsewhere.  Kevin Miller who works at the Backbone Mountain Youth Center spoke at a recent news conference saying that effective programs are not possible with current safety problems…     “Our ratio are one staff person to eight youth. But, if two kids get into a disagreement, until relief gets there we have to get them to stop fighting by ourselves….

On 12/31/2024 the Cumberland City Police served a Grand Jury Indictment on Courtney Hall for CDS related offenses. Hall was transported to the Allegany County Detention Center held without bond pending her next court appearance in Circuit Court. Arrested: Courtney Marie Hall (27) Cumberland, MD Charges – 2 counts of CDS possession with intent to distribute, CDS possession not cannabis     

19-year old Kaleb Strong has been charged with vehicular homicide for a crash that killed an Altoona student-athlete and another person.  Strong and three other passengers were in a car crash in Bedford County near Breezewood in October that claimed the lives of Keaghan Smith and Kamren Martin. Strong had a blood alcohol content twice the legal limit the night of the crash. Strong and another passenger survived with injuries. He is being held in the Bedford County jail on $150,000 bond.

According to the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation’s 2025 reassessment, over 700,000 “Group 1” residential and commercial properties had an overall increase in value of over 20% in the last three years. The average increase in value was 21.1% for residential properties and 16.4% for all commercial properties.  The assessments were based on an evaluation of 60,761 sales that occurred within the “Group 1” over the last three years.  96.9% saw an increase in property value.