Philip Schrock of McHenry entered a guilty plea to the charge of Aggravated Animal Cruelty. A pre-sentence investigation is in progress but Schrock could be facing the maximum penalty of three years’ incarceration.  Investigators with Garrett County Sheriff received reports that a puppy had been killed in the presence of minor children inside a home. Interviews confirmed that Schrock had grabbed the dog and repeatedly slammed it violently on the ground causing substantial injuries that led to its death.

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a criminal summons on John Nicholas.  The summons was issued as the result of an incident that occurred on September 15, 2024 at approximately 4:17 PM when officers responded to a residence in the 600 block of Bedford Street for an assault in progress.  When police arrived, they learned that an assault did occur between parties and that they were disturbing the peace of the neighbors.  Nicholas was identified as one of the suspects.  Police filed for charges against Nicholas at the District Court of Allegany County.  Nicholas signed for…

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at approximately 10:51 AM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to the first block of Greene Street for a reported stabbing.  Police contacted the victim and observed that he had sustained serious injuries.  Officers began administering aid to the victim until the Cumberland Fire Department arrived on scene and transported him the hospital.  The victim reported that he had been stabbed by the suspect who was later identified as Jeremiah Martin.  Martin was located in the area and detained by officers.  After further investigation, Martin was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters. …

The Cumberland Mayor and City Council proclaimed September 20th as Prisoner of War Missing in Action Day at Tuesday’s public meeting.  Mayor Ray Morriss began the meeting by reading the POW MIA Day proclamation.  He spoke with WCBC Wednesday, stating from now on September 20th will be dedicated to remembering those who served by honoring their sacrifice and commitment to service….   “Between the second World War, the Korean War, the Vietnamese War, the struggles over in the Gulf and Afghanistan, there’s actually a total of still what they consider 86,000 that are missing in action. Now, 41,000 of those were…

Allegany County and the Bel Air community continue to work on solutions to renovate the closed Bel Air Elementary School pedestrian bridge, but the scope of the project and funding needed is holding them back. The bridge allows some students to walk to school instead of being bused. State Senator Mike McKay said what started as a small project has turned into a much larger one due to regulations that need to be met to receive federal funding… “All parties involved are trying to do the best they can to make it happen, but unfortunately the funding that the county,…

While many find parking space at a premium downtown, one community group is asking the city for a specific no-parking zone.  Representatives from Let’s Beautify Cumberland addressed the Mayor and City Council this week to maintain the enhanced beauty of the new Cas Taylor Memorial Bridge over Wills Creek by prohibiting parking on the span.  LBC’s Ed Mullaney spoke for the organization… “LBC petitions the Mayor and City Council to maintain the open beauty currently highlighted by the absence of parked cars. While in reality it is just a small bridge, without parking it feels expansive and inviting. The openness…

Efforts to keep AM radio in the dashboards of vehicles has taken a step forward in the House this week as the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 45 to 2 to send the proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to the full House for a vote. The role of AM Radio during recent natural disasters was cited by Representative Frank Pallone of New Jersey… “AM Radio is a critical component of our emergency alert system, providing life-saving and time sensitive information when people need it most. My constituents saw its value first-hand when super storm Sandy struck my…

On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served two bench warrants on Charles Parker Jr.  The warrants were issued as the result of Parker failing to appear in court.  In one case, Parker was originally charged with Assault-2nd Degree.  In the other case, he was originally charged with driving on a suspended license.  During a search incident to arrest, Parker was found to be in possession of CDS paraphernalia.  Parker was issued a citation for the violation.  He was transported to Central Booking.  Parker was later seen by the courts and released on his personal recognizance. ARRESTED:  Charles…

First-Generation Student Success Grants have been awarded to public colleges and universities across West Virginia. The grants come from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. WVU Potomac State College is one public institution provided funding up to $5.000 to support recruiting, retaining, and fostering the success of first-generation college students. Such students are the first in their families to pursue higher education and often face unique challenges in degree completion.

A bill introduced by Democratic Maryland Congressman David Trone is on the way to the Senate after passing out of the House on Tuesday. The Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act reissues benefits to the families of veterans who fell victim to fraud and passed away before funds could be returned to them. A 2019 report showed the median loss of veterans is 44% higher than for civilians.  Trone is a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.