On the morning after participating in his final regular business meeting of the Mayor and City Council- Cumberland City Administrator Jeff Rhodes joined WCBC’s “Dave Norman Show” to discuss his pending retirement and look back on his career. Rhodes, 62, announced his plans to retire last November, and although  June 1st will be his official last day, he will essentially be stepping down from day to operations in the next week. Rhodes began working for the city as director of community development in 1997 and was appointed city administrator in 2011.  Asked to point to his greatest success on the…

Troopers arrested an Allegany County man early Wednesday morning after a multi-state investigation developed evidence supporting child pornography and related charges. The suspect is identified as Brent Nikota Bittner, 18, of Cumberland, Maryland. Bittner is charged in West Virginia with use of obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor, employment or use of a minor to produce obscene matter, distribution and display to a minor of obscene matter and use of minors in filming sexually explicit conduct that is prohibited. He was transported and processed by Maryland State Police. Additional charges are pending in Maryland. Beginning in February 2021,…

On Wednesday, May 19, 2021, Maryland’s Governor, Larry Hogan, joined ACPS Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Jeff Blank, along with members of the Western Maryland Delegation and other local leaders, at the Greenway Avenue Stadium vaccination clinic targeted to high school students. This clinic was arranged in cooperation with the Governor’s Office, the Allegany County Health Department, UPMC Western Maryland, and ACPS in an effort to get young adults in the community vaccinated against COVID-19.               According to Governor Hogan, “First I just want to thank the Western Maryland Delegation to Annapolis, the leaders here in Allegany County and in Cumberland,…

The statewide COVID-19 positivity in Maryland continues to plummet and was calculated at 2.19% on Wednesday, which is also another record low since the start of the pandemic, according to the state health department.   Related hospitalizations in Maryland continue a steady decline and are now below 600. More than 2.6 million state residents are now fully vaccinated. 12 addtional coronavirus deaths in the state were reported on Wednesday.

Pennsylvania voters became the first in the nation to curb their governor’s emergency powers, approving constitutional amendments proposed by Republican lawmakers angry over Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. The vote on Tuesday's statewide primary ballot came as Republican lawmakers across the country have sought to roll back the emergency powers governors wielded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans see the referendum as a victory with strong political overtones, as the state gears up for a wide-open governor's race in 2022 and Wolf leaving office after two terms. Republicans in the state Legislature and those aiming to replace him in 2023 have…

ACPS Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Jeff Blank, had the opportunity to welcome Governor Hogan to West Side Elementary School for a tour of the school prior to his visit to the Greenway Avenue Stadium vaccination kick-off event. “I’m glad that the Governor was able to see first-hand the hard work that our staff continues to do as well as how our amazing students have adapted to a new learning environment this year," said Mr. Blank. Governor Hogan was led on his tour of classrooms by West Side principal, Mrs. Shannon Green, and West Side assistant principal, Mr. Jamie Clark, and…

WCBC News has been notified of the passing of Teresa Dudiak of Lavale at age 63. Mrs. Dudiak was the owner and operator of Rita's Italian Ice in LaVale and was a lifelong resident of Allegany County. Friends will be received at Adams Family Funeral Home in Cumberland on Sunday, May 23, from 2 to 6 p.m. Memorial services will be conducted at Central Assembly of God Church on Monday, May 24, at 11 a.m.    

On 05/18/21 @ 2340 hrs. officers from the Cumberland Police Department responded to a business in the 13000 block of Ali Ghan Road for a reported stabbing. Upon arrival officers were immediately contacted by the victim in the matter, who stated he was involved in an argument with the suspect, Ekko Vendetta O'key.  During the argument O'Key produced a knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. O'key was ultimately placed under arrest, he is currently awaiting his initial appearance before the District Court Commissioner. The victim in the incident was treated at UPMC WMD for his non-life threatening injuries. The matter remains under investigation…

City Administrator Jeff Rhodes closed out a  23-year career with the city of Cumberland Tuesday night as he participated in his final regular city council meeting.  Rhodes, 62, announced his plans to retire last November. Although his final official day is June 1st- with vacation and personal days accrued he has essentially wrapped his city career. Rhodes began working for the city as director of community development in 1997 and was appointed city administrator in 2011.  At the conclusion of last night’s meeting, Mayor Ray Morriss thanked Rhodes for his service- and for helping steer the city through some difficult fiscal times…

During a Tuesday afternoon bill signing ceremony, Governor Larry Hogan, Senate President Bill Ferguson, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones announced that the Maryland State House will reopen to the public…