Last fall, it was announced that Virgin International would be investing several million dollars in our region with a Hyperloop facility and test track to be located in Grant and Tucker Counties. Retired General Jim Hoyer has been working with Hyperloop, so WCBC asked him for an update on the project…    

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice says he has no intention of postponing end of the mask mandate for all on June 20, but concedes that individual businesses have the option of continuing to require the face coverings. Governor Justice says vaccination rates are trending toward enough people having their first doses during the next four weeks…  

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan says his administration is reviewing the state's unemployment program. Many employers are saying they can't find employees to do the jobs they have available, and many on the jobless roles are content to sit at home and receive enhanced unemployment benefits. Governor Hogan commented on the situation while visiting Allegany County last week…

In order to continue to facilitate vaccination efforts in Allegany County and to better serve the community, UPMC Western Maryland is pleased to partner with the Allegany County Health Department to announce an upcoming Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination clinic to be held Thursday, May 27, from noon until 6 p.m. in the hospital auditorium. All Individuals age 12 and older are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and this clinic will administer the first dose. Please note, individuals under the age of 18 must have a parent present to sign a consent form. Those interested can register for an appointment online at…

The state of Maryland kicks off its 40-day campaign of 40 consecutive lottery drawings for vaccinated residents on Thursday. The daily payout is 40,000 dollars. On July Fourth – the day of the final drawing – the jackpot will be $400,000. The funding for the campaign will be provided by the Maryland Lottery’s Marketing Fund which is used for promotions and advertising. This new promotion will not reduce the amount the organization contributes to public schools and other state initiatives. 

A Frostburg woman died Friday in Morgantown during a crash in which the driver of the vehilce she was a passnger in was driving the wrong way. The Monongalia County Sheriff's office says that 66 year old Janis Janis Yeager, of Morgantown, and 68 year old Charlene Earle, of Frostburg, both died as a result of injuries sustained in the collision, which occured not far from Milan Puskar Stadium on Route 705. The mishap occured around 1:45 PM, according to the report.

U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony Brown, Jamie Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) today announced $36,358,851 in American Rescue Plan funding to support our state’s pandemic response.   This funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a part of the Public Health Crisis Response program, launched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to expand lab capacity, enhance disease surveillance programs and step up statewide mitigation efforts.     “Additional help from the American Rescue Plan continues to help Maryland’s COVID-19…

On Sunday, May 23rd, 2021, The Cumberland City Police responded to a residence in the 200 block of Memorial Ave for a well-being check. Upon arrival, Officers contacted the resident who was visibly upset. The subject began to yell at officers and slammed the door of the residence, locking it behind themselves. Officers continued to try and communicate with the subject but they refused to answer the door again. The subject then appeared in a window where they then displayed a handgun to the officers on scene. Officers on scene then took cover and called for backup units to respond….

International Bluegrass Music Association 2020 Momentum Award nominee Colebrook Road will be the opening act for the Del McCoury Band’s free concert at Canal Place on Memorial Day. The five-piece band is based in Harrisburg. Their latest CD, “On Time” is available with the band recently releasing a single titled “Back to Where We’ve Been.” Because of COVID-19, Maryland officials decided not to authorize the traditional four-day DelFest event held annually at the Allegany County Fairgrounds on Memorial Day weekend. Instead, DelFest was rescheduled for Sept. 23-26 at the fairgrounds. 

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad remains on schedule to kick off its 2021 season with Memorial Day weekend excursions. The scenic railroad has been shutdown since March 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, it was announced in late April that the plan is for a reopening in stages to allow for the hire of additional staff while easing back into the routine of running what is viewed as the region’s premier tourist attraction. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss is a member of the WMSRR board of directors…