The Maryland Department of Natural Resources annual “Gift of Trees” program is available again this holiday season. Marylanders can purchase native trees, singly or a grove of 10 trees, for planting in honor of a celebration, or commemoration. A certificate will be issued and mailed to the buyer within a week or two of an order. All trees will be planted in the next growing season, in locations such as parks, playgrounds, and schoolyards, and along creeks and streams.

Excitement is building for Saturday’s Winter Festival in Downtown Cumberland. The event starts at 4pm and takes place along Baltimore, Liberty, and Centre Streets, as well as City Hall Plaza.  Downtown Development Commission Director Melinda Kelleher tells WCBC new attractions are in store for families attending this weekend’s event… “Between City Hall and the Chamber of Commerce, we’ll have the kid’s area.  That will be fire pits with s’more making kits so the kids can do s’mores. We’ll have games, arts and crafts, hot chocolate.” Other special activities are also available to celebrate the season… “The other addition which we’re…

Between fiscal years 2023 and ’24, Amtrak rail ridership was up 14.8% across the country.  Overall, passenger count for the trains exceeded 28.5 million travelers. Amtrak’s Central Route, known by the moniker “Capitol Limited,” is one which travels through Cumberland daily, had increased ridership of 29% year over year.  The Cumberland station for Amtrak served over seventy-six hundred Capitol Limited passengers in the 2023 fiscal year.  The train had an on-time percentage of 70%.

UPDATE Friday, December 13th at 3:04a.m. Randi Snowden is no longer missing.The Cumberland Police Department would like to thank the public for any assistance they may have provided. Thursday, December 12th at 4p.m. Randi Leigh Snowden has been reported missing to the Cumberland Police Department.  She is a White female, 12 years old, 4’-11’, approximately 82 lbs., with shoulder length dark brown hair and green eyes.  She was last seen in the area of Fayette Street on Wednesday evening, 12/11/24. Her clothing description is as follows: blue jeans, and a white Playboy sweater.  It is believed that she is currently within…

A fatal accident in August on the Ocean City Boardwalk has made the return of the tram service doubtful for 2025, according to city manager Terry McGean.  McGean told the website delmarvanow that since the death of a two year old on August 20 the tram service has been suspended.  

The four state football championship games will be in Charleston for the first time in 30 years as Wheeling has been the host since before the turn of the century. The City of Charleston won the most recent bid to host the games over Wheeling, Bluefield, and a split bid from Morgantown and Huntington.  Charleston last hosted the title games in 1994.  Laidley Field has an artifical surface and will host two games Friday and two games Saturday.  Frankfort takes on Roane County at 7 p.m. with airtime at 6:45 on Classic Hits 107.

On December 8, 2024, at 1:36 am, officers from the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence in the 700 block of Fayette Street, Cumberland, following a report of a man with a weapon. Upon arrival, officers interviewed several witnesses who stated that during a house party, an altercation occurred in which a male suspect struck an 18-year-old male victim in the head with a handgun and stabbed a 21-year-old female victim with a knife. The injuries sustained were minor, and both victims refused medical treatment at the scene. The suspect had left the party prior to police arrival. Further…

The 150th running of the Preakness Stakes will take place one last time at Pimlico Racetrack on the third Saturday of May, before a complete overhaul of the racing grounds takes place. Preakness Festival 150 plans were rolled out at a Camden Yards press conference Wednesday afternoon. According to First Lady Dawne Moore, a weeklong festival is planned… “We have envisioned a festival that includes family friendly events, educational opportunities, a headline concert, the Black-eyed Susan of course, and the iconic Preakness Stakes.” Governor Moore added that a $10 million dollar plan for affordable housing is planned for the Park…

Allegany County Department of Social Services Director Courtney Thomas-Winterberg nominated AHEC West for the Rural Maryland Council’s Outstanding Rural Economic Development award. AHEC West leadership traveled to Annapolis to receive the recognition. Associate Director Melissa Clark said they were nominated and given the award for the Mountain Maryland Medical Mission that took place in late summer…     “We provided assistance to 4,033 patients with over 28,000 procedures all at no cost to various underserved and other populations. It saved our community as a whole $1.2 million dollars.”

On Wednesday, December 12, 2024, Officers of the Cumberland Police Department served a Bench Warrant on Denise McGraw. The Allegany District Court issued the warrant after Denise failed to appear in court on December 10th, 2024. The original case was set due to multiple protective order violations. McGraw was taken before a District Court Commissioner where she was released on her own recognizance pending her trial. Arrest: Denise Lee McGraw, Age 59, Cumberland, Maryland. Charge: Failure to Appear, Violate Protective Order x2