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…

EcoLogix was recently engaged by the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority to handle project management for the River Park project.  At the monthly board meeting, Canal Place Executive Director Dee Dee Richie praised the group for the assistance they have already been able to offer for the River Park, saying they have a wealth of knowledge about working within state government on similar projects.  

A Cumberland man who led police on an unusual chase through Bedford County is behind bars on $300,000 bail. Police received calls dealing with theft, trespassing, assault and criminal mischief before taking Andrew McDonald into custody. McDonald allegedly stole tools from a garage before dousing himself and the garage in gasoline and leaving the scene. He then crashed the car he was driving, stopped another driver in the road and jumped on the side of their vehicle and would not get off.  He assaulted a police officer before eventually being subdued.

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at approximately 2:17 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a condemned property in the 200 block of Baltimore Street for a trespassing complaint.  Officers arrived and observed that the residence was posted unfit for human habitation by the City of Cumberland.  Police located multiple individuals inside the property.  The suspects were identified as Brian Fussell, Perry Hamilton Jr, Shannon Hewlin, Brittany Lantz, Brittany McDonald, and David Snyder.  The subjects were issued criminal citations.  It was discovered that Lantz also had an active bench warrant.  The warrant was issued as the result of…

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a bench warrant on Jamar Peck.  The warrant was issued as the result of Peck violating probation.  He was originally charged with Assault-2nd Degree.  Peck was arrested and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center on a $1,000 bond. ARRESTED:  Jamar Cordelle Peck      AGE:  27         Cumberland, MD BENCH WARRANT SERVED On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a bench warrant on Garry Legeer III.  The warrant was issued as the result of Legeer…

Sarcopenia is a health condition that causes loss of skeletal muscle mass.  Population studies suggest that people lose about 5% of muscle mass for every decade of life after the age of 30.  Justin Bittner, Physical Therapist at UPMC Western Maryland, tells WCBC muscle mass tends to plateau, but certain conditions or incidents can affect that decline…   Bittner says the UPMC Physical therapy clinic can help residents assess their risk for Sarcopenia and create a program to increase muscle mass and strength….  

Maryland U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen was one of several Democrats that did not attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress late last week.  On TV’s Face The Nation program, Van Hollen said during his recent visit to Israel, residents there asked him not to be used as a “prop” by Netanyahu to gain support, but instead take a good look at his government…   The Senator is pleased so far with how Vice President Kamala Harris is addressing the Israeli-Hamas situation head-on…   

Gino Giatris is excited. Curtis’ Coney Island Famous Weiners is the recipient of a $50,000 grant from the national Trust of Historiic Preservation and American Express. The grant is part of the “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” program that is now in its fourth year. Giatris tells WCBC the iconic Cumberland location ticked all the right boxes this year to successfully receive the grant that goes to one location in each state… "It's a win-win-win for everybody." "106 years in business, third generation, historical building historical district so we hit all the check boxes this time in." Giatris says it’s the…