There has been liberal leave declared liberal leave for Garrett County only from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., on February 21, 2025. Non-emergency essential employees who report to the office may use liberal leave between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. upon notification to the employee’s supervisor. Employees who are telework eligible and scheduled to telework should telework as planned unless leave is granted. Emergency essential employees should report as scheduled. Garrett County Public Schools will open two (2) hours late on Friday, February 21, 2025.

On Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 11:05 AM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence in the 1500 block of E. Oldtown Rd. for a disturbance.  Police arrived and learned that an assault had occurred.  Officers contacted the alleged victim who reported that she had been assaulted by Andrew Crabtree.  Police observed that the victim had sustained injuries.  After further investigation, Crabtree was placed under arrest and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and remanded to the Allegany County Detention Center on without bond. ARRESTED:  Andrew Michael Crabtree     …

On Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 3:36 PM, an officer of the Cumberland Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Baltimore Street.  The operator of the vehicle, David Ambrose, exited his vehicle and began approaching the officer in an aggressive manner.  Ambrose was yelling and causing a disturbance.  He refused to listen to the officer’s order to lower his voice and to stop causing a disturbance.  Ambrose’s behavior attracted the attention of multiple people in the area.  Ambrose was placed under arrest and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and released on his…

Adjustments were made to this fiscal year’s annual County budget due to unexpected expenditures amounting to nearly two million dollars.  Over $400,000 from the county's general fund will go toward funding four body cam analysts, and three positions that were originally American Rescue Plan funded positions.  County Administrator Jason Bennett said they reached out to the state and tried to work out additional federal ARP funding… “The funding that is expired here is federal ARP funding that we used as a stop gap.  We’re just out of that funding now.  So, we applied for a grant through the state which…

Although the Cumberland Economic Development Corporation could take a much deserved break after their involvement in the downtown project, they are not in hibernation.  Talking with CEDC Director Matt Miller, many projects are in some state of action, including the plot of land being prepared along Messick Road for industrial development…     “We feel our niche is between 20 and 40,000 square foot facilities that might bring in 20, 40, 50 new jobs each. The site can probably hold four to five of those types of buildings.”

Maryland’s senior U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke on the Senate floor, decrying the exclusion of Ukrainian representatives in talks to end the war between Russia and the Ukraine. President Trump has said he wants one-on-one talks with Vladimir Putin, but Van Hollen says it is a betrayal of the Ukrainian people…     “The Ukrainian people, for over three years now, have been fighting against the brutal onslaught by Vladimir Putin – they’re fighting to protect their sovereignty, their way of life. And President Trump is throwing the Ukrainian people under the bus, and at the same time betraying…

Governor Wes Moore had already issued an order to look for efficiencies in government before President Trump took office. He agrees there are many ways government can be modernized in order to streamline programs and save taxpayer money. Moore says it needs to be done in a methodical, structured manner…     “I am all about finding efficiencies. I am all about making sure that we are modernizing the way that government works. I also know that it needs to be done smartly, and it needs to be done in a way that is transparent.”

A joint hearing this week on Governor Moore’s plans to make adjustments to the Blueprint for Education made it clear that help is needed for continued funding.  Delegate Jason Buckel discussed with Moore’s Chief of Staff Fagan Harris what the administrations wants to do…     “All of the taxes that we’ve dedicated and allocated to the Blueprint fund are not going to pay long-term for the cost of this program. I believe you said that the Governor is willing to create a new dedicated revenue stream to prop up or pay for the long-term costs of the Blueprint fund….

Democratic governors Wes Moore of Maryland and Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania have been named to President Trump's Council of Governors.  The council is comprised of ten governors with five from each party.  Moore and Shapiro will serve two year terms.  The council has been established for over 15 years.  Its goals are to bring together leaders from both political parties to work better together on important matters like managing disasters, deploying the National Guard, and combining military efforts within states.