A public hearing occurred during Thursday night’s Allegany County Commissioner meeting regarding additional funding for renovating the Archway Station Recovery Housing Project.  $900,000 was awarded through the Community Development Block Grant funds for purchasing and renovating the building; however, the expense was significantly higher than expected.  The County requested an amendment to the grant agreement with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, according to Community Development Representative David Nedved… “The Allegany County Commissioners proposed to request an amendment to the grant agreement with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development for additional funding from the Maryland Recovery…

The issue of local cuts in the Allegany County Library System was taken to the County Commissioners meeting last night.  Trish Morgan, president of a new nonprofit group Save the Westernport Library said the library system is considering closing two to three libraries—including the Westernport Library—as a solution to a budget shortfall the library system has been aware of for several years… “Yet the executive director—whose salary is $125,000 a year—has admitted that he and his leadership team have not done any grant writing or fund raising for this eventual shortfall.”

Conservation groups in West Virginia are sounding the alarm over layoffs of federal land-management workers.  Some 5,000 US Forest Service and National Park Service employees have been fired nationwide. Olivia Miller with the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy says such cutbacks will impact the state’s outdoor recreation economy…    “Public lands have an enormous economic impact in our state, bringing in around $9 billion annually and supporting about 91,000 jobs. Many communities are built around outdoor recreation and tourism.”

Former Governor Bob Ehrlich joined members of the Maryland Freedom Caucus on Lawyer’s Mall in Annapolis for what was termed a Tax Revolt Rally. The Caucus opposes tax increases being proposed in the General Assembly on Marylanders. The state currently ranks 46 of 50 in tax competitiveness.  Ehrlich said that “Maryland” is becoming a word with negative connotations…     “Maryland is now a verb in Virginia. And I’m not kidding. The Republicans in Virginia are warning their constituents ‘we do not want to Maryland our Virginia.’ When you become a verb in politics, you’ve got a problem.”

While Governor Wes Moore has his hands full trying to get the budget for the state of Maryland over the finish line, he has also been dealing with what he calls the chaos of the Trump Administration and affects it is having on the state as well.  From putting thousands of Maryland federal workers off the job to pulling the site of the FBI, Moore said he is trying to focus on delivering well-thought out plans for his state…    “That is the frustrating thing – the performative politics. People are done. And they’re exhausted by it. They just want…

The Choose Cumberland Relocation program has been reopened for application. The City received enough grant money for 10 relocation packages, five of which have been allocated. Other people selected have had to pull out of the program for various reasons, leaving the openings. Historic Preservation Coordinator Ruth Davis-Rogers says the application process is online and easier to complete. Applicants are chosen based on a scoring method…     “Everyone that applies is not automatically accepted. We do go through it and we figure out who scores the highest because we do want people who will be contributing to our community,…

Democratic leaders held a press conference Thursday putting forth a new budget framework as the Maryland General Assembly works to overcome a multi-billion dollar deficit. The Governor said $500 million dollars in additional cuts, the most in 16 years, is being used to close the deficit.  Senate President Bill Ferguson reviewed what taxes are NOT happening…     “We are not increasing the Maryland sales tax rate on goods. We are not adding a fee for deliveries. We are not increasing property taxes. We are not raising money from i-gaming.  We are not increasing the estate tax. We are not…

The Bishop Walsh Mock Trial Team improved its record to 12-0 Thursday with a state semifinal win over Walter Johnson High School in Annapolis.  BW will take on Worcester Prep of Berlin, MD in the title match Friday at the Supreme Court of Maryland.  Bishop Walsh is coached by Tony Orndoff, Nathan Williams, and Jessica Colwell.

From the Associated Press: The leader and two members of a cultlike group that has been connected to six killings in three states face new gun charges in Maryland. Authorities have described Jack LaSota, who is also known as Ziz, as the apparent “leader of an extremist group” called the Zizians who follow her online writings on veganism, gender identity and artificial intelligence. The group has been linked to killings in Vermont, Pennsylvania and California. A cross-country investigation into LaSota and the Zizians broke open in January when one member of the group died and another was arrested after the shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol…

A harness racing driver has died after a reported incident Wednesday involving six horses at The Meadows racetrack in North Strabane, Washington County.  Hunter Myers, 27, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital and died from his injuries, according to Washington radio station WJPA.