Maryland has the greatest risk for negative effects from federal job cuts and funding. Over 160,000 federal workers call Maryland home, so the state needs to think differently and act quickly on budget matters.  Senate President Bill Ferguson feels a recession is likely, telling reporters lawmakers are doing all they can to keep Maryland from further decline…     “We are cutting over two and a half billion dollars of the state budget and we’re at a point now in order to protect core functions of the social safety net in the face of what the Trump administration is doing,…

Allegany County Library Director John Taube presented updated budget proposals at a public meeting that would keep all six libraries open, but cut staffing. Trish Morgan of the Save the Westernport Library group said that 70% of the budget goes to staff when it should only be about 35%. The library board of trustees is asking Taube to make cuts in other areas to preserve staffing…     “They tasked Mr. Taube to come up with some other kind of budgets that, number one, would keep all the other libraries open and, number two, how else can we cut the…

In the wake of the many wild fires across the country, including the devastating Palisades fire in California, a new “Fix Our Forests” bill is working through the U.S. Senate. The bill would revise forest management practices including forest health and fire-safety defenses for high-risk areas. West Virginia Senator Jim Justice sees the bill as an economic opportunity for the country to bring jobs back home…     “Why don’t we say, I’ll tell you what we’re going to do, we’re going to create some kind of management funding or whatever, and we’re going to apply that towards labor back…

It is one of the busiest days in the Maryland General Assembly – Crossover Day is today – that means any bill that a chamber would like to see passed must be voted over to the other chamber for consideration. One bill with a large amount of attention is the Business Services Tax, adding 2.5% surcharge for different services. While doubtful it gets out of the house, House Minority Leader Jason Buckel says it is a bad deal for the state…     “This bill, quite frankly, will create tremendous negative, adverse consequences for Marylanders. For job creators, for employees,…

The recent improvements that CSX has invested in the Cumberland yards are paying off for the railroad.  A significant reconfiguration of the yards in Cumberland has allowed CSX to handle merchandise traffic that had previously been routed through New York. The railroad has reduced train starts by 1,000 per week, saving CSX about $4 million dollars a month. CSX says they have not seen any significant traffic changes due to tariffs imposed on incoming goods.

A non-profit that makes many prescription drugs more affordable has come to Maryland. Governor Wes Moore made the announcement late last week that Good Pill, a home delivery pharmacy will now be available in the state, offering prescriptions at just $2 per month. Good Pill is owned by SIRUM a company working to expand healthcare access…     “SIRUM turns unopened, unexpired medicine into life-saving prescriptions instead of what they normally are – turning them into waste. They’re the nation’s largest redistributor of surplus medicines and they provide medications to families through their pharmacy service called Good Pill.”

This Wednesday’s meeting of the Maryland Board of Public Works has two large projects on its agenda for Western Maryland.  Funding through the Maryland Stadium Authority would bring a NCAA lighted soccer field to the Western Maryland Regional Sports Complex at Frostburg State University. Also on the agenda is a contract with Harbel Construction for the repair and restoration of the historic Casselman Bridge in Grantsville at a cost of $8.1 million dollars. The bridge has been closed since December of 2020 due to structural concerns.

Nearly 5,000 families become homeless due to an eviction each year. Maryland House Bill 709 would let local jurisdictions put eviction laws in place to prevent landlords from evicting tenants without good cause. Erica Puentes with Progressive Maryland says the law would help keep families stable…    “Good cause laws require transparency and accountability from corporate landlords for why they’re choosing to evict a tenant. Good cause would prevent people from being evicted unless the landlord provides a good reason.”

On Saturday, March 15, 2025 at approximately 7:18 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence in the 400 block of Seymour Street for a trespassing complaint.  Officers contacted the complainant who reported that Tara Miller was trespassing on the property.  There was a clearly visible ‘No Trespassing’ sign at the residence.  Officers contacted Miller who had been previously told by police not to return to the property.  She was issued a criminal citation and released pending trial.

On Sunday, March 16, 2025 at approximately 9:08 PM, officers of the Cumberland Police Department responded to a residence in the 200 block of Pennsylvania Avenue for an assault in progress.  Police contacted an alleged victim who reported that she had been assaulted by Kayden Brewington.  Officers observed that the victim had sustained injuries.  After further investigation, Brewington was placed under arrest and transported to Central Booking.  He was later seen by a District Court Commissioner and posted a $2,500 unsecured personal bond