On December 4th, 2023 Officers from the Cumberland Police Department served an Arrest Warrant on Robin Colleen Schaeffer for being owner of uninsured vehicle and allowing another person to drive the uninsured vehicle. She was taken to ACDC to await her hearing. On December 4th, 2023 Officers from the Cumberland Police Department served Arrest Warrant on Joshua Michael Smith for Violation of Probation. He was taken to ACDC to await his hearing.  

State Delegate Jim Hinebaugh of Garrett County is preparing to enter his sophomore year in Annapolis.  At last Friday’s Pre-Legislative Breakfast at Rocky Gap, he shared that there is quite a difference between his new position as Delegate and his former role as a county commissioner in Garrett…    

Winter is coming.  Maryland has designated this week as Winter Safety Week in the state. Emergency Management, FEMA, and the National Weather Service will all have initiatives aimed at keeping Marylanders safe during the winter season indoors, outdoors, and while driving.  Mary Erickson, Deputy Director for the National Weather Service, suggests a list of items to keep in your car’s emergency kit when driving in the wintry weather…    

There is a vehicle accident on Oldtown Road at Lousiana Avenue.  Emergency crews are on the scene. Please avoid the area if possible.

A little bit of Allegany County is in Annapolis for Christmas.  Recently the Cumberland Garden Club decorated a tree at the Maryland State House for the holidays.  This is the seventh year that the club has created a tree to represent the county. The Federated Garden Clubs of Maryland decorate the main hall rotunda of the State House with a tree or wreath from each county. This year’s Allegany County tree has a theme that honors area veterans.  The holiday display runs through the end of the year and is free and open to the public.

The Canal Place Authority is moving steadily ahead with its River Park project.  At a recent board meeting, Executive Director DeDe Ritchie explained that the preliminary engineering report is nearing completion and should be available to take to the Annapolis Pace Reception in January.  She also said they are currently looking to hire a Project Manager to direct the planning of River Park…    

Trees for Troops held a donation event over the weekend in Pennsylvania.  It’s a national program that provides free, farm-grown Christmas trees to armed forces members and their families each holiday season through donations, sponsorships, and the work of volunteers. Since 2005, more than 293,000 Christmas trees have went to military families and troops in the United States and overseas.  Brigadier General Laura McHugh talked about having a tree when she was stationed overseas…    

Traffic fatalities are continuing a dangerous trend in Maryland.  The State Department of Transportation reports that November saw 38 people die in Maryland as a result of motor vehicle crashes. So far in 2023, there have been 554 deaths, including 135 pedestrians and 15 bicyclists. That’s a 7.6% increase compared to the same time in 2022. Officials remind Maryland drivers to follow the rules of the road – drive sober, slow down, buckle up, and move over for stopped vehicles along the roadside.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is urging consumers to be careful when having packages delivered to their homes. More online shopping means more mail coming to homes so it is important to take precautions against theft. Morrisey suggests having packages shipped to the workplace or to a trusted neighbor instead of allowing packages to be dropped on porches unattended. It’s also encouraged to require a signature to verify receipt of packages.  Video doorbells have become increasingly popular, and have caught some porch pirates red-handed. The AG also warns against emails that may phish for personal information about delivery statuses. …

“Eye of the Storm” seems an appropriate name for this week’s Maryland Association of Counties conference in Cambridge.  Budget battles over the Blueprint for Education and now talks of major transportation program cuts all point to a challenging General Assembly session.  Maryland’s counties are concerned about county-funded commitments in education, and what kind of partner the State is going to be in the coming year.  Allegany County Administrator Jason Bennett is attending the conference and says he’s sure there will be talk about how much funding will be needed for next year’s portion of the Blueprint…