I-68 is shut down at this time in both directions near Exit 39 due to a crash with entrapment. Trooper 5 will be landing in the area.  Please find an alternate route.  More details as they become available.

After a storied career locally at Allegany High School and Allegany College of Maryland, Justin Copman has signed to play professional basketball in Ireland. Copman will join the Brogheda Wolves Basketball Club, which plays in the Ireland National League. Copman finished his collegiate career at Dominican College in New York last year.  Copman was a strong presence in the middle of the paint, helping the Allegany College of Maryland Trojans reach the National Tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas; playing alongside All-American Demarcus Demonia. Copman's older brother Jason also plays professionally internationally in Georgia in the country's top league. 

On September 27th, 2023 officers of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the area of Park Street and Spring Street, and contacted the operator, Scott Dawson, and a passenger, Devonte Blowe. Upon contacting the occupants, a glass smoking device, used as paraphernalia, in plain view, and a subsequent search of the vehicle was conducted. During the search quantities of controlled dangerous substances were located, and both Dawson and Blowe were issued Criminal Citations. Through the officer’s investigation they also learned that Blowe had an active Arrest Warrant that was issued by the Circuit Court when he failed…

On September 27th, 2023 officers of the Cumberland Police Department served an Arrest Warrant on Victoria Greer. The Arrest Warrant was issued by the District Court when a citizen filed for charges. Greer was taken before a District Court Commissioner where she was released after posting her bond. Arrest: Victoria Lynn Greer, age 54, Cumberland Maryland. Charge: Assault Second Degree, Credit Card Theft.

UPMC Western Maryland is surrounding the community at all levels of healthcare service.  President Michele Martz was on WCBC recently and said the hospital’s Cumberland campus is vitally needed in the community and patients should think twice before leaving the area… Locally, the number of patients served by UPMC may be surprising…

No public comment was received during the quarterly update on the downtown re-development project. The meeting was held via webex on Tuesday with mainly downtown businesses and city officials represented. Cumberland City Engineer Matt Idleman shared that he believes the project is running on schedule, heading into the winter months…

Environmental advocates are looking for protections of old-growth forests. In 2022, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to have old-growth forests across the country inventoried, The US Forest Service agency is responsible for more than 24-million acres of old-growth forests. Dan’s Mountain Wildlife Management area is part of the State of Maryland’s Old Growth Forests with pines dating back to the 1600s.  Sam Evans with the Southern Environmental Law Center says the U-S Forest Service needs to consider which forests should be cut, and which shouldn’t… Studies find old-growth forests can store between 41 and 84-percent of the total…

The LaVale Library is celebrating its first anniversary since a major remodel. Enhanced services, increased accessibility and enriched opportunities for the community have all been fulfilled with the renovations.  Since the re-opening, the library has served over 46,000 visitors and added 1,600 new users. Program offerings have attracted almost 6,000 community members. The remodel has increased the use of community meeting rooms with over 700 advance reservations created. Allegany County Library System Director John Taube says the redesign has made the LaVale location the “go-to” library for the community.  

The United States is on the verge of a government shut-down if a stopgap bill isn’t passed soon.  For many, questions swirl as to what may or may not happen if a shut-down occurs.  Social Security checks will not stop; the US Postal Service will continue to deliver mail. Essential employees will continue to report to work – including air-traffic controllers and law enforcement, but other areas will grind to a halt or be slowed considerably.  These would include programs like Head Start, national parks, and food safety inspections.  ABC’s Jay O’Brien says the clock is ticking on a solution……

West Virginia’s Highway Safety Program is working statewide to encourage drivers to buckle up during the Click It or Ticket campaign that will run October 6-22. The initiative will run in conjunction with this year’s National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s Operation Crash Reduction that will be conducted over Columbus Day weekend in Region 3 which includes West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.  For the past decade, October has been the most dangerous month for fatalities in the Mountain State with 309 traffic deaths reported.