Today, February 23, 2024, West Side Elementary School was placed in a brief SECURE status due to a medical emergency.  First Responders arrived on scene and provided medical service.  School administrators were then able to give the “All Clear” and the instructional day resumed as normal with no disruption to school operations.

On Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served a criminal summons on Charles Mills.  The summons was issued as the result of a private citizen filing for charges against Mills at the District Court of Allegany County.  Mills signed for his copy of the summons and he was released pending trial. ARRESTED:  Charles Dennis Mills              AGE:  72               Ligonier, PA CHARGES:  Malicious Destruction of Property $1000+, Willfully Damaging Motor Vehicle without Owner’s Consent  

On Thursday, February 22, 2024 at approximately 7:04 AM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to residences in the 400 block of Arch Street to check the premises.  The caller reported broken windows and doors at the residences.  Officers searched the property and located George Thomas and Cassyopia Schell inside one of the residences.  It was determined that neither subject had permission to be at the residence.  Thomas and Schell were arrested and later seen by a District Court Commissioner.  Thomas posted a $2000 unsecured personal bond.  Schell was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center on a $2,000…

On Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served two bench warrants on Christopher Brown.  The warrants were issued as the result of Brown violating probation.  He was originally charged with 5 counts of School: Fail Send Child.  Brown was arrested and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and posted two $100 bonds. ARRESTED:  Christopher Michael Brown  AGE:  37      Cumberland, MD BENCH WARRANTS SERVED On Thursday, February 22, 2024, the Cumberland Police Department served two bench warrants on Crystal Pettie.  The warrants were issued as the result of Pettie violating probation.  She…

Democratic Congressman David Trone, member of the Congressional Labor Caucus, is urging the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Workforce Pell Act, which he co-sponsors. The legislation would allow students to pay for eligible workforce training programs using Pell Grants.  Currently, students are ineligible to use Pell Grants to pay for short-term training programs, denying many of them access to good-paying jobs and long-lasting careers. It is estimated that there are about 9 million job openings across the country unfilled due to a lack of qualified applicants. 

Allegany County Fair Director Kevin Kamauf shared the information about this year’s music acts for July with WCBC Thursday afternoon… Sara Evans is the fifth most-played country artist of the last twenty years. She’s had five number-one singles and has previously won the Academy of County Music’s Top Female Vocalist Award.  Anne Wilson is a rising Contemporary Christian Artist who has won two Dove Awards for New Artist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of The Year for “My Jesus.” All seats are reserved for the concerts and go on sale Friday at 8am.  Tickets are sold through e-tix…

Governor Jim and First Lady Cathy Justice have announced that the Communities In Schools program is now operational in all 55 counties in West Virginia.  Dedicated site coordinators placed across 272 schools in the state offer students individualized support and resource connections. West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt says the program has had positive results since its start in 2018…    

Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss knows that housing is a critical issue in the city. The project overseen by the county at the former Allegany High site is moving slowly and there is public opinion that housing planned for the former Memorial Hospital site is also far behind schedule. Could it be that the City doesn’t want another situation like Rolling Mill to occur?  Morriss spoke to WCBC about talks with the developer for that site… At this point, the project is at a standstill as RAZ Development waits to see if the City will come back to the negotiating table……

Tim Martin has handled maintenance at Canal Place for a number of years and was present at the December Canal Place Board Meeting when Republican Senator Mike McKay’s legislation to reorganize was initially mentioned. Martin has concerns about the board going from 9 members to 3, and he says he doesn’t like that the legislation was written without input.

Families with students getting ready to attend college usually dread filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA form.  This year, it is more difficult as the federal government is delayed in getting data into the system that helps determine how much aid students get.  Travis Hitchins is the Director of Financial Aid at Frostburg State University and tells WCBC what the delay has been about… FSU has extended its “Decision Day” until May 15 to give students time to consider their aid offer before making confirmation deposits.  Hitchens says that families should still apply for other…