Trees for Troops held a donation event over the weekend in Pennsylvania.  It’s a national program that provides free, farm-grown Christmas trees to armed forces members and their families each holiday season through donations, sponsorships, and the work of volunteers. Since 2005, more than 293,000 Christmas trees have went to military families and troops in the United States and overseas.  Brigadier General Laura McHugh talked about having a tree when she was stationed overseas…    

Traffic fatalities are continuing a dangerous trend in Maryland.  The State Department of Transportation reports that November saw 38 people die in Maryland as a result of motor vehicle crashes. So far in 2023, there have been 554 deaths, including 135 pedestrians and 15 bicyclists. That’s a 7.6% increase compared to the same time in 2022. Officials remind Maryland drivers to follow the rules of the road – drive sober, slow down, buckle up, and move over for stopped vehicles along the roadside.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey is urging consumers to be careful when having packages delivered to their homes. More online shopping means more mail coming to homes so it is important to take precautions against theft. Morrisey suggests having packages shipped to the workplace or to a trusted neighbor instead of allowing packages to be dropped on porches unattended. It’s also encouraged to require a signature to verify receipt of packages.  Video doorbells have become increasingly popular, and have caught some porch pirates red-handed. The AG also warns against emails that may phish for personal information about delivery statuses. …

“Eye of the Storm” seems an appropriate name for this week’s Maryland Association of Counties conference in Cambridge.  Budget battles over the Blueprint for Education and now talks of major transportation program cuts all point to a challenging General Assembly session.  Maryland’s counties are concerned about county-funded commitments in education, and what kind of partner the State is going to be in the coming year.  Allegany County Administrator Jason Bennett is attending the conference and says he’s sure there will be talk about how much funding will be needed for next year’s portion of the Blueprint…      

The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services has awarded a grant to the West Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition to manage the state’s Mothers and Babies Support programs. The one million dollar grant helps pregnant women and families with infants with medical care, parenting skills, baby supplies and other material assistance.  The Coalition will administer grants to Pregnancy Care Centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies and other pregnancy help organizations throughout the Mountain State.

Historic Annapolis has again achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public. Historic Annapolis has been accredited since 1980. All museums must undergo a reaccreditation review at least every 10 years to maintain accredited status.  To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study, and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM’s Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, considers the self-study and visiting committee…

The Allegany County Sheriff's Office will be accepting applications until December 15, 2023 for the 2024 Citizen's Police Academy. Participants will be notified by January 3, 2024 if they are accepted into the program. Application does not guarantee acceptance. Online application is encouraged, however paper applications will be available at the Sheriff's Office. Classes will run every Wednesday from 6:00pm to 9:00 P.M. from March 13th thru May 8th at the Sheriff's Office located at 695 Kelly Road in Cumberland. Improving communication and understanding between community members and their law enforcement agencies is a top priority for the Sheriff's Office….

Governor Wes Moore has announced the appointment of the Maryland 250 Commission. The Maryland 250 Commission will develop a statewide, yearlong observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation focused on three themes – history, civics, and service. Nearly 40 states are now planning similar observances.  Governor Moore stated that, "Maryland is home to the origins of American democracy. By learning our history, Marylanders will be better prepared to strengthen American democracy."   Appointed as Chair is former Governor Parris N. Glendening and as Vice Chair former First Lady Judge Catherine Curran O’Malley.    

Three graduates will serve as commencement speakers for Frostburg State University’s 163rd Commencement Ceremony on December 20.  Lydia Deneen from the College of Business, Engineering, and Computational and Mathematical Sciences, Maxwell Sykes from the College of Education and Health, and Julia Broberg from the College of Behavioral Sciences will deliver remarks to the graduating class. Diplomas will be conferred by Hugh Breslin, University System of Maryland Regent along with Dr. Traki Taylor and Al Delia from FSU. The event will take place in the Cordts Physical Education Center Main Arena.

On Sunday, December 3rd, 2023, The Cumberland City Police arrested Daniel Keith Hewlin, 39, of Cumberland MD. Hewlin was arrested on two outstanding Bench Warrants for failing to appear in both District and Circuit Court on August 4th, and July 11th, respectively. Both court cases were in reference to previous CDS possession charges. Hewlin was taken to the Allegany County Detention Center where he is currently being held without bond. Arrested: Daniel Keith Hewlin           Age: 39 Charges: Bench Warrant-Failure to Appear x2