A fatal car crash on Interstate 81 North near exit 6 took the lives of two men on Saturday, but a mystery currently surrounds their identity.  Omar Ortega was traveling Northbound on the highway with two other occupants when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to go into the median, rolling over and ejecting two passengers.  Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The Berkeley County Sheriff has not released the names of the two as both had United States and Mexico identification cards, but with different names.  It is believed they may not be legal residents.

A new report shows Maryland leads the nation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions since 2005. Environmental Protection Agency reports show greenhouse gas pollution fell in 44 states and Washington, D.C., with Maryland seeing a 36% reduction. Emissions fell in all sectors tracked except commercial.  Emily Scarr with the Maryland Public Interest Research Group says the reduction level shows that local policy matters.     “It’s really evidence that states and regions have a lot of control on their greenhouse gas emissions showing ways that we can continue to reduce emissions, as well as showing warning signs of things that states…

Maryland and West Virginia both recognize this week as Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, encouraging older drivers to access resources to help them continue driving safely. Pam Fischer of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program said age brings changes drivers should take note of that could make them vulnerable…     “Mobility is so important to stay engaged and active. But we know that there are physical and cognitive changes that come with aging that’s also coupled with medical conditions and increased medication use that will put older road users at particular risk.” Fischer said aging could result in reduction of…

The City of Cumberland is making City-owned real estate available for purchase through an auction on GovDeals.com. Two City-owned property have been posted for live online auction. The properties up for auction include 921 Lexington Avenue and 424 Cumberland Street.  The auction is view only starting on December 2, 2024 and ends on December 13, 2024 at 10:59AM. The auction begins on December 13, 2024 at 11:00AM and will end on December 20, 2024 at 7:00PM. Please note that 921 Lexington Avenue is a duplex unit and only the left side is available for sale and 424 Cumberland Street is…

The Maryland Retailers Alliance reports that retailers kicked off the holiday season with the second largest turnout in the Thanksgiving shopping period, which is a good indicator of spending for the season. Nationally, 197 million consumers shopped over the five-day period monitored by the National Retail Federation (NRF).  Factors cited for the improved shopping numbers include increased consumer confidence, early shopping trends, and the emphasis on shopping local.  Retailers expect strong sales in electronics, toys, apparel, and home goods. Gift cards also remain a top choice for many Maryland shoppers, with a 10% increase in gift card purchases anticipated this year.

The Associated Press reports that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders controlling owner Josh Harris met with congressional lawmakers Monday on Capitol Hill as efforts push forward to secure access to the RFK Stadium site in the District of Columbia. Two people with knowledge of the situation confirmed Goodell and Harris held a series of meetings concerning the RFK Stadium proposal, among other topics. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because their appearance on Capitol Hill was not publicized. According to one of the people, the ongoing security issue of drones on game days was also discussed in…

On Monday, December 2, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a Circuit Court bench warrant on Rodney Wertz.  The warrant was issued as the result of Wertz violating probation.  He was originally charged with Assault-2nd Degree.  Wertz was arrested and transported to the Allegany County Detention Center, held without bond pending his initial appearance before the court. ARRESTED:  Rodney Lee Wertz          AGE:  58           Frostburg, MD  

An upcoming episode of “Outdoors Maryland,” now in its 36th season, will feature forestry students from Allegany College of Maryland.  The program will show students as they prepare for and compete in the annual Mid-Atlantic Woodsmen Competition at the Penn State Mont Alto campus. The sport includes traditional forestry skills including chain-sawing, axe throwing, and tree climbing.  The episode is set to air on Maryland Public Television on December 10th at 7:30pm.

The American Lung Association’s 2024 “State of Lung Cancer” report reveals the survival rate has increased 26% in the last five years.  Maryland ranked among the best states for non-smoking adults and better for surgery as a first course of treatment.  Aleks Casper of the American Lung Association says that those with a high lung cancer risk need to get screened… "If we can get people screened, right, then our chances of impacting all the other metrics improve. So if we get people screened and we can find it early, then we can connect them to treatment and we can…

On Monday, December 2, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a criminal summons on Maylee Regan.  The summons was issued as the result of an incident that occurred on November 25, 2024 at approximately 12:03 AM when officers responded to a business in the 400 block of Virginia Avenue for a shoplifting complaint.  Police contacted the staff who reported that a female suspect stole from the store.   A suspect was developed and identified as Maylee Regan.  After further investigation, police filed for charges against Regan at the District Court of Allegany County.  Regan signed for her copy of the summons…