Man Arrested in Connection with Girlfriends’ Murder
Morgan County resident James Zell has been arrested in connection with
the murder of his girlfriend. The body of 29-year old Kelly Butler was
found in an abandoned cabin in the Eagle Mountain subdivision of Pin Oak
in Hampshire County. Zell was arrested in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania for
driving under the influence. He was interviewed Thursday, but, at the
time, declined knowledge of her whereabouts. By Friday, he gave a full
confession and admitted to killing the woman. He will be extradited to
West Virginia.
Police Seek Information on Breaking and Entering
Cumberland City Police are seeking information on a Christmas Day
breaking and entering in the Bellvue Street area. The victims were away
from their homes for a period of time; when they returned home, they
observed their residence had been forcibly entered and several items had
been stolen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Cumberland City
Police at (301)-777-1600 or Allegany and Mineral County Crimesolvers at
(301)-722-4300.
Man Held in Assault Incident
Cumberland resident James Derek Coffey was charged with assault and
disorderly conduct, following an incident, occurring on Baltimore Street
last Wednesday. Coffey is accused of shoving another man to the ground,
and then kicking him in the head. The victim refused medical treatment,
but Coffey was arrested on Christmas Eve and taken to the Allegany
County Detention Center in lieu of $5,000 bond.
Animal Shelter Wins National Award
Local resident Pete Masloch has received the Henry Bergh Leadership Award, from the No Kill Advocacy Center. The award, according to the Cumberland Times-News, is given for unwavering commitment to ending the systematic killing of animals in shelters. Bergh was a 19-th century animal advocate who launched the treatment for the human treatment of animals in North America.
Eight Garrett County Businesses Cited
Eight Garrett County businesses recently failed compliance checks for
selling alcohol to minors. Businesses in Oakland, Deer Park and
Friendsville each received fines, and several had their alcoholic
beverage licenses suspended. Several other businesses will have hearings
next month. The clerks who sold alcohol to the Maryland State Police
cadet are criminally charged, and will have to appear in Garrett County
District Court.
EMS Company Receives $300,000 from Commissioners
The Mathias-Baker, West Virginia EMS squad was recently given $300,000
by the Hardy County Commissioners, so it can continue operations. The
company recently paid over a million dollars to settle allegations that
it submitted false claims for payment to Medicare and Medicaid programs,
and would have had to “fold” if not for the financial assistance. The
EMS group will have to report its financial progress to the
commissioners on a monthly basis, and the Hardy County Commissioners are
working on a contingency plan, should the company fail to rectify its
financial situation.
Bill Introduced on Sexual Assault
A Pennsylvania State Representative has been working to pass an amended bill that would create the offense of institutional sexual assault in a school or child center setting. Representative Carl Metzgar says the bill it would apply whether or not the student has reached the child has reached the age of consent, which is 16 years old; the bill would also make the crime a felony.
Christmas Tree Collections Announced
Christmas trees will be collected for recycling in Cumberland on
Friday, January 13th. City residents wishing to recycle their Christmas
trees are asked to remove all decorations and place the tree curbside
the evening of January 12th. For additional information, contact the
city’s Public Works Department at (301)-759-6620.
Former ACM Athletic Foundation President Dies
The former president of the Allegany College of Maryland Foundation,
Nello Caporossi, died on Saturday, December 17th. He had been president
of the group for 21 years. Caporossi was also a member of the Maryland
Terrapin Club and a charter and founding member of the Fort Hill “F”
Club. He had been employed at the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company for 36
years, retiring as a Production Superintendent. At his request, he was
cremated, with his ashes being spread at the Canaveral National Seashore
in Florida.
