Gov. Jim Justice today announced the appointment of Dr. Stephen Loyd as Director of the Office of Drug Control Policy (ODCP).  “Dr. Loyd is going to be an incredible asset in fighting the opioid crisis and drug abuse in West Virginia," Gov. Justice said. “His genuine compassion for people struggling with addiction and his drive to improve public health are exactly what we need. West Virginia has a long way to go with our drug challenges, and we are going to continue pulling the rope together to achieve real progress.”  Dr. Loyd is an Internal Medicine/Addiction Medicine physician, earning his medical degree at…

Tuesday, July 30, 2024 Danielle Jean Ash, 32 of Cumberland, was arrested a District Court Arrest Warrant stemming from a C3I Investigation for events that occurred between 3/10/24 to 5/7/24. Ash has been charged with the following: 15 counts of Issue False Document, felony Theft Scheme: $1,500 under $25K, felony Fraud ID Information Theft $1,500 to less than $25K, 15 counts of Forgery/Private Document/Possession, 15 counts of felony Forgery – Private Documents, and Conspiracy-Theft Scheme: $100 to less than $1,500. Ash is being held at the Allegany County Detention Center on a $7,500 – 100% cash bail and is pending…

The West Virginia Department of Health has launched a new project called MEDALS,  aimed at promoting antibiotic stewardship in nursing homes across the state. MEDALS stands for Maximizing Efforts Dedicated to Antimicrobial Leadership and Stewardship and is a concentrated effort to elevate standards in infection prevention.  Nursing homes will be evaluated based on criteria highlighting efforts for infection control and continuous improvement.

Doctors and medical personnel are providing free healthcare services at the Allegany County fairgrounds this week. General health exams are available along with physicals and immunizations for children 4 to 18 years of age. Today's hours begin at 8 a.m. and run till 7 p.m. tonight. Specialty medical services available include Optometry, vision screenings with diabetic eye exams, Medical exams and Occupational Therapy. Dental exams include X-rays, fillings and extractions. Behavioral health screenings can be initiated with specialist referrals. Veterinary services are provided today with rabies vaccinations, medical exams and nail trimming. David Stewart of AHEC West is assisting in coordinating the Mountain Maryland…

A manufacturer has purchased the 350,000 square foot building that once housed the Hunter Douglas factory. Announcement of the name of the new owners should happen in the coming weeks. Commercial real estate agents Binswanger Global announced the property sale without details on the buyer. According to Jeff Barclay, Allegany County Economic Development Director, the county has been working with the new owners for a while and says the location will give the business an east-coast presence… "Been working with the company for a few months and there's some modifications to the building that they're going to need to make…

Governor Wes Moore shared his thoughts on small business development during a speaking engagement in Baltimore this week. Saying that the state is asset rich and strategy poor, Moore pointed to the many entrepreneurs, colleges and military installations Maryland has but there is no coordinated strategy to use that talent. He said the state has made it difficult for small businesses to start and succeed…   " The problem is we have not had a strategic plan and we haven't had guidance and we've frankly made it far too difficult for a lot of our small businesses to be able…

James Zamagias, a longtime history and political science teacher and Dean of High School Academics at Bishop Walsh, has announced his retirement after 45 years at the Catholic school in Cumberland. Jim has been a member of WCBC's Sports Team for over 30 years and will continue those duties. Zamagias, a resident of Cumberland, graduated from BW in 1975. After getting his undergraduate from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Zamagias returned to BW as an instructor where he has remained for his entire professional career. He later earned his Master in Education at Frostburg State University. Affectionately known as “Mr. Z”…

Allegany County Public Schools has announced the appointment of Dr. Sarah Welsh as the new Supervisor of English Language Arts and Reading. Dr. Welsh has been an employee of Allegany County Public Schools for 21 years. She spent 15 years teaching English and Journalism at Allegany High School, and most recently was the Assistant Supervisor of Student Services. Welsh holds a Master’s of Arts degree in Teaching Secondary English, post-graduate certification in administration and supervision, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Frostburg State University.  

Back to school season is just around the corner, and West Virginia has announced an upcoming sales tax holiday to help get families ready for the school year. The West Virginia state sales tax holiday starts on Friday, August 2nd and runs through Monday, August 5th during which time certain back to school items will be exempt from state sales tax. Qualifying items include clothing, school supplies, instructional materials, laptops, and sports equipment. For more information and to see what items qualify, visit tax.wv.gov.

Allegany County is searching for more poll workers for the upcoming Presidential election in November. An open house hosted by the Board of Elections will be held at the County Office Complex on Kelly Road Thursday, August 1st from 10am to 3pm. Election workers are paid for their work at the polls and training is provided. Diane Loibel, County Election Administrator, says each polling place needs between eight and thirty workers – currently there are ten vacancies… "Will have voting system demonstrations, will give some general information about what it's like to be an Election Judge, you know that it…