A long awaited skate park for the Mason Sports Complex is getting nearer to reality.  City Administrator Jeff Silka made a presentation at the Mayor and City Council work session on Tuesday, outlining the revised plan. Allegany County has committed $250,000 toward the park and the Cumberland skate park Committee is charged with raising another $50,000.  A new designer was located that will shave $100,000 off the original estimate of over $600,000.  Silka told the council that it is time to make a firm decision on the project… Mayor Ray Morriss is supportive of the project and related to the…

Although it hasn’t been formally voted on, it does look like parking rates in the City of Cumberland are going to be raised.  Mayor Ray Morriss was on the Dave Norman show on Wednesday and said that a presentation to the council showed the rates need to increase to keep the parking authority solvent.  Callers to the Dave Norman show have complained about the loss of parking downtown with the construction project, but Mayor Morriss says that is not the case… Morriss said people visiting downtown do need to know that the parking ticket warnings are going to be ending,…

The current status of the former Verso property in Westernport was discussed when Allegany County Commissioner Bill Atkinson was a guest on WCBC recently.  Preparation work has been going on at the property to do a cleanup of chemicals and other issues to make it compliant with the Maryland Department of the Environment and make the property ready to be available to interested businesses…

WCBC’s Jim Robey Achievement Scholarship at Allegany College has been awarded to Cumberland resident Drake Rose.  The scholarship is awarded annually to a full-time student with at least a 3.0 GPA,  be enrolled in the Multimedia Technology or General Studies curriculum and state a financial need.  Rose is enrolled in the Multimedia program and is primarily interested in becoming a film maker.  Rose talked to WCBC about his classes… The scholarship is $500 for the year, divided over the Fall and Spring semesters. Rose told WCBC that the instructors are very interested in the work students do in classes…

Allegany Farmers Market every Thursday from 9:30AM – 1PM at Canal Place. Visit the website at alleganyfarmersmarkets.com for more information. 

Downtown Bedford will host Rock the Block on Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. on Juliana and Penn Streets. Vendors will be set up selling a variety of food and beverages. Food options include wood-fired pizza, subs, fries, hamburgers, popcorn, lemonade, grilled cheese and tater tots, nachos and mini donuts.  

Maryland ActNow has been launched by Governor Wes Moore, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to extending internet access to all Marylanders and making it affordable.  The Governor’s office has partnered with the non-profit Education SuperHighway to help increase awareness of the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program.  More than $267 million in Federal Funding will be used to bring affordable access to more than 44,000 locations that are underserved or unserved.  For low-income households, the federal program offers a $30 internet discount and the state offers an additional $15.

 Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other law enforcement partners nationwide – including Attorneys General from all 50 states and the District of Columbia – announced a new crackdown on illegal telemarketing targeting operations responsible for billions of calls to U.S. consumers. The joint state and federal “Operation Stop Scam Calls” initiative builds on the efforts of Maryland and other state and federal partners to combat the scourge of illegal telemarketing, including robocalls. This initiative targets telemarketers and the companies that hire them, as well as lead generators who deceptively collect and…

Frostburg State University will offer a Post-Master’s Certificate in Advanced School Counseling beginning in January. The course, designed for professionals working with school districts, is flexible and can be taken virtually during the winter and summer terms. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to serve children and young adults as a certified school counselor at the elementary and secondary levels. Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to apply for the National Certified School Counselor credential.  It will give school counselors the opportunity to complete requirements for the Maryland State Department of Education recertification as well…

Update @ 04:20…The interstate currently is open to one lane. Motorists should still use caution in the area and expect delays.  02:48.. I-68 East Bound is shut down at Willowbrook Road due to a working Tractor Trailer fire. Motorists should use an alternate routes and expect delays.