Attorneys General from 37 states and the District of Columbia have joined together asking the Food and Drug Administration to take swift action against bad actors endangering consumers with counterfeit forms of weight loss and diabetes drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy.  The letter asks the FDA to increase enforcement to take unsafe counterfeits off the market. ABC News Medical Correspondent Dr. Alok Patel says consumers should be aware where they are buying the drugs…    “Make sure you are getting any medication from a board-certified health care professional. That you’re only getting these from state licensed pharmacies or if you’re…

Cumberland’s Mayor and City Council discussed expanding the city property tax abatement to fire and police officers who live within but work outside of the city. Councilman Brian Lepley was asked by an officer if the City would consider extending the abatement initiative. Councilman Lepley told WCBC that the council discussed it but decided to keep the abatement as-is since it has been used as an employment incentive…     “The City Council and Mayor just felt that this wasn’t the way – the direction they wanted to go. They do provide this for the local Cumberland police officers and…

Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman testified in Annapolis recently in support of Senate Bill 977, the Maryland Data Privacy Act.  The legislation would require law enforcement and units of State government to deny access to certain databases or facilities for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration law. Lierman said 21% of Maryland’s civilian labor force is made up of immigrants that pay taxes…     “We want to encourage compliance with our tax laws and one way that we can keep doing that is to make sure we can let our immigrant community members know that their data is safe with…

Deadlines for West Virginia’s Promise Scholarship program and the needs-based West Virginia Higher Education Grant are quickly approaching. Certain eligibility requirements must be met for the Promise Scholarship with minimum ACT and SAT scores. The deadline for applying is March 1. For the Higher Education Grant, up to $3,400 may be awarded to students.  The deadline for the grant is April 15. All students are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to access all state and federal financial aid resources.

Last week’s announcement that Governor Moore’s proposed budget could cost Allegany County over $5 million dollars has all hands on deck in Annapolis to allay some of the proposed changes.  Senator Mike McKay says the Western Maryland delegation is doing all they can with lobby efforts. Delegate Jim Hinebaugh sits on the Appropriations Committee and House Minority Leader Jason Buckel is on the Ways and Means committee where they can possibly make changes. McKay says Western Maryland’s counties and other small counties will have huge hits…     “The counties are at the mercy of the state. When you send…

As part of Frostburg State University’s plan to resolve its long-term budget deficit, a division realignment has been announced. Regional Development and Engagement has merged with University Advancement to create the Division of Advancement and Regional Engagement, or DARE, that will be lead by John Short.  The new Division of Student Success is a merger of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs and will be headed up by Dr. Larry Weill.  The mergers have resulted already in projected savings of more than $600,000. Plans also include reorganization of deans’ offices across the university.

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, an officer with the Cumberland Police Department observed a Chevrolet passenger vehicle traveling the wrong way on a one-way street in the downtown area. A traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle and contact was made with the occupants. During the stop, a police K9 was utilized to conduct a free-air sniff of the exterior of the vehicle, which alerted positively to the possible presence of CDS inside. During a subsequent search, a male passenger was found to be in possession of a quantity of suspected crack cocaine, as well as CDS paraphernalia. As a…

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence in the 100 block of Memorial Ave for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, officers contacted the caller who advised that two children had been assaulted inside the home. During the investigation, it was determined that an argument started involving the caller and an intoxicated male suspect regarding the children.  The male then became enraged and kicked a bedroom door in where the children were. He then assaulted the two children, ages nine and eleven, causing minor injuries. As a result, Robert Christopher Vincent, 31, of…

On Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, the Cumberland Police Department arrested Jason Richard Walker, 38, of Cumberland MD. Walker was arrested on an active Bench Warrant issued by the Allegany County District Court on February 19th, 2025. The warrant alleges Walker failed to appear in court on that date for a previous 4th-degree burglary charge. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner for an Initial Appearance where he was remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center. He is currently being held without bond. Name:    Jason Richard Walker                                 Age:   38 Charges:   Bench Warrant-Fail to Appear.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will take on the Baltimore Orioles at 1 p.m. today on WCBC.  At 3 p.m., Allegany College hosts Harcum.