Frostburg State University’s 167th Commencement Ceremony takes place Wednesday, December 17th at 2pm in the Cordts Physical Education Center Main Arena.  This year’s commencement speakers are graduates Koley Richard from the College of Business, Engineering, Computing & Analytics; Kayla Casey from the College of Education, Behavioral & Health Professions; and Emily Guardo Toledo from the College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences. Over 300 students will receive degrees during the ceremonies.

Hometown Bank of PA donated a $125,000 Educational Improvement Tax Credit to the Bedford County Regional Education Foundation. The credit covers tuition, fees, and books for all credits taken through Allegany College of Maryland during the 2025-2026 academic year by early college students residing in any of the Bedford and Fulton County School Districts. It also includes students in Claysburg-Kimmel, Spring Cove, Williamsburg and Fannett-Metal School Districts who take ACM classes in their high schools, at the ACM Bedford County Campus, or online.

A two-alarm structure fire on Greene Street this morning displaced several residents. The fire was called in just after 2am. Two local hotel inns were contacted by emergency services to take in the victims until Red Cross volunteers arrived, but both refused. WCBC's Chris Meyers worked to help some of the displaces find safety at WCBC's studios… "A representative from the American Red Cross got here just before 6am and she's working through their paperwork and information and I believe four of the residents have been assigned temporary housing as they recover from this fire over on Greene Street this…

South Liberty Street from Baltimore Street to Merchants Alley will be closed on Tuesday, December 16th from 9AM – 1PM and on Friday, December 19th from 9AM – 1PM for drywall deliveries to Will's Moutain Hotel project.  

On Sunday, December 14th, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Timothy Dale Ryan Jr, 39, of Cumberland MD. Ryan was arrested after he approached a Cumberland Police officer monitoring traffic in the area of the 600 block of Centre St. Ryan approached the officer and inquired if he had an active warrant for his arrest. A check was made and Ryan was not found to be wanted at this time. The officer then observed Ryan begin to pick up rocks and throw them into the roadway. When the officer exited their cruiser, Ryan threw a rock, damaging the officer's vehicle….

Many WCBC listeners are familiar with the song “Christmastime in Cumberland” recorded by local musician Roger Williamson. Earlier this year, Williamson’s wife Debra passed away and Roger is a resident at Allegany Nursing and Rehab on Furnace Street. A caller encouraged others to send him a card at the holidays to let him know he and his song is being remembered…     “It’s Christmastime in Cumberland, Christmastime is here…”

Allegany County schools, like most schools around the state, are struggling with student attendance. While post-COIVD attendance is up, it still hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. WCBC talked with Kris Kehrwald from the school system who stressed how important attendance is for educational growth…     “It’s really going to help keep students engaged. When students attend school regularly, they’re going to be more engaged and they’re going to be on track academically. And they’re also going to be there to access resources that they may need.” Kehrwald said local schools are focused on creating an environment that students look…

May’s flooding did more than destroy roads and other infrastructure It also took out furnaces, hot water heaters, and other needed amenities in peoples homes.  To further ruin the holidays, the town of Westernport found that all of their Christmas decorations were gone. But Lonaconing Mayor Jack Coburn said communities pulled together to help the town have a brighter holiday…      “It’s remarkable because most of their Christmas decorations got flooded away. And they put out a plea that anyone wanting to donate any lights or anything, they could do that. So I know we did at our store…

The Maryland General Assembly meets tomorrow in a special session to take up mainly two matters – a vote on a new house speaker to replace Adrienne Jones who has stepped down, and to deal with a number of bills that were vetoed by Governor Moore at the end of the last session. Senator Mike McKay believes the session will only last one day…     “Of the 37 that were vetoed, I think we’re only going to take up a handful of them. Number one will be reparations. That’s been a very important to the Black Caucus, very important…

The State Highway Administration will have a series of rolling roadblocks on I-68 east between Frostburg and LaVale to allow crews to clear debris as part of a slope stabilization project on I-68. This work will take place beginning Monday, December 15 through Friday the 19th between 9am and 5pm.  The SHA’s construction partner, First Fruits of Ridgeley, West Virginia, will use electronic message boards, signs, barrels and cones to notify motorists about the work zone and lane closure. Crews will be scaling to remove debris and stabilize the slope in that area.