Latest news with #WesternMaryland
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Alert Day issued for Wednesday morning heavy rain
After a beautiful Tuesday afternoon with sunshine and mild temperatures, changes are on the way. Clouds will increase tonight, with overnight lows dipping into the mid-50s. Rain will begin moving into western Maryland later tonight and spread across the rest of the state by early Wednesday morning. The rain will be widespread and, at times, heavy—impacting the morning commute and making for a soggy wait at the bus stop for school children. To account for potential delays and travel inconveniences, we've issued a WJZ First Alert Weather Day for Wednesday. The heaviest and most widespread rainfall is expected in the morning hours. While showers will become more scattered during the afternoon, it will remain damp and chilly. High temperatures will struggle to climb out of the 50s. Some areas will pick up close to an inch of rain before the rain tapers off. The unsettled weather continues Wednesday night through Thursday, with periods of showers expected. Temperatures will remain on the cooler side, topping out in the low to mid-60s Thursday afternoon. By Thursday evening and night, showers will become more isolated. Friday brings limited improvement, with only a few isolated showers or patches of drizzle expected—mainly in the morning. Afternoon highs will again hold in the mid-60s. Looking ahead to the holiday weekend, conditions begin to improve. Saturday will be partly to mostly cloudy, with highs in the upper 60s to near 70. Sunday looks to be the pick of the weekend, featuring a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the low 70s. For Memorial Day on Monday, a storm system passing to the south could bring a few showers into areas west and south of Baltimore. However, most of the region is expected to remain dry, albeit under extra cloud cover. Highs will reach the mid-70s. Partly cloudy skies are expected Tuesday, with highs near 70 as we head toward the end of May. Stay with WJZ for the latest updates as we track this week's rain and monitor the potential for changes over the holiday weekend.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Moore: 'I've been so inspired'
WESTERNPORT — When 9 feet of water rushed into the basement of their Church Street home, Mark Slider and his partner Steve Matthews lost items including a new $14,000 boiler, washer, dryer and refrigerator that floated up to the ceiling and knocked out plumbing. Despite devastation caused by Tuesday's flood, Slider talked of his gratitude for the close-knit community that welcomed the same-sex couple 20 years ago and has treated them like family ever since. 'When we moved here I didn't know what to expect,' he said. 'But we couldn't have picked a more accepting place.' That gentle spirit and love of community felt almost palpable across the tiny town, which was covered with mud, muck and mold as residents welcomed Gov. Wes Moore Thursday. 'I'm appreciative of (Moore's visit) because Western Maryland usually seems to get left out,' Slider said. 'We need help.' His plea was apparently answered. Moore, after seeing the town's destruction, declared a state of emergency to strengthen Maryland's response to the flood-damaged region. Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton led the governor, Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and others on a tour of spots hit hard by the flood, including Tri-Towns EMS, Boal Funeral Home and the local library. During the walk, Moore talked to area residents on mud-covered sidewalks and porches. Gov. Wes Moore in Westernport Gov. Wes Moore is in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Some yards contained broken fences, crushed lawns and battered, scattered sandbags. Folks filled dumpsters with debris as the Maryland State Police Trooper 5 helicopter circled above to further assess the damage. Water poured from a drain pipe through the side of a wall at Westernport Elementary School, where cars were drowned and abandoned in the nearby parking lot. Despite the wreckage, as sunset approached bells rang at St. Peter's Catholic Church and raised a reminder that life goes on in the small, rural town. After the tour, the governor talked of what stood out most. 'It's the people,' he said. 'I've been so inspired,' Moore said. 'We're seeing the best of Maryland.' 'Within minutes' Allegany County Emergency Services Interim Director Roger Bennett said Moore made state help available 'within minutes' of the flood. Roger Bennett, April McClain Delaney, Wes Moore Allegany County Emergency Services Interim Director Roger Bennett, center, talks to Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and Gov. Wes Moore in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. 'Everyone at the state got us resources,' he said of aid, including water rescue teams. Maryland departments, including natural resources, police and environment responded, Bennett said. Helping hands Kristi Williams recently moved to Delaware, but is a lifetime member of Tri-Towns EMS. Kristi Williams Kristi Williams 'This is my hometown,' she said of Westernport, where she was a police and fire commissioner. Despite wearing medical boots on both feet due to injuries sustained in snow, Williams returned to the EMS station to help clean up after the flood. Folks rallied to help clean and set up fans and dehumidifiers, she said. 'It was a lot of hands so it made the work light,' Williams said. 'We were all working together so well. It became a feeling ... an emotion.' Mike Wilhelm and his granddaughter's boyfriend, Aden Cebotar, tossed items into a dumpster parked near Main Street. Mike Wilhelm and Aden Cebotar Mike Wilhelm, right, and Aden Cebotar toss items into a dumpster parked near Main Street in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. 'I lost everything out of my basement,' Wilhelm said, adding that water rose to just 18 inches below the cellar's ceiling. His items destroyed by the flood included a large freezer, tools, a washer, a dryer and a hot water tank. While the loss amounted to several thousand dollars, 'It isn't much compared to other people,' Wilhelm said of many of his neighbors. Mold started Allegany County Library System Executive Director John Taube said water rushed through side doors at the Westernport branch. He believes that caused furniture to float into a panic bar and open another door of the building. More than 30 chairs then floated downtown, Taube said. He described some of the building's damage. 'You can see the water marks on the wall,' Taube said. 'The mold has already started to grow.' He said a $21,000 flood insurance policy will cover roughly $500,000 for the building and $181,000 for contents. 'Luckily, our shelving is steel,' Taube said of being able to power wash the units. Due to flooding, the Westernport and George's Creek library branches are closed. The ACLS Board of Trustees, which for months has discussed solutions for a budget deficit, will meet at the LaVale branch from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday. 'Very grateful' Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White was 10 years old when the town flooded in 1996. Gov. Wes Moore, Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton and Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White Gov. Wes Moore, Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton and Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White 'This is worse now,' he said. 'Just the mud and wreckage and debris ... it's a lot.' White thanked area residents and nearby EMS stations from Keyser and southern Garrett County for helping Tri-Towns with the flood damage. 'We're very grateful,' he said. 'The community has stepped up.' His wife, Brittany, said the couple's two teenage sons and their family home remained safe during the flood, but the experience was surreal. 'It was almost like living in a movie,' she said. Brycen Garner, 20, said his mom is an EMT at Tri-Towns, where he also volunteers. Brycen Garner Brycen Garner 'It's been a shock,' he said of witnessing the flood and seeing it damage a friend's house. 'I was up on the hill and could just hear it.' Laundry, prisoners State Sen. Mike McKay said he's working on creative approaches to help folks in Westernport. State Sen. Mike McKay State Sen. Mike McKay As president of the Mid- Atlantic Association of Cleaners, he reached out to the leader of Procter & Gamble's Tide division to bring a tractor-trailer filled with running washing machines and dryers to Westernport for residents who, due to the flood, lost their ability to clean laundry. A local church agreed to facilitate the mobile laundry unit, McKay said. 'I'm working on getting that to happen,' he said. 'My goal is to have it here within three weeks.' McKay said he is also working with the state Department of Corrections to provide inmate labor to clean the town. The workers would be from low-crime backgrounds, vetted and properly supervised, he said. McKay said he wants to make sure areas damaged by the flood receive long-term help. He compared the needed aid for the recent weather event to immediate attention that surrounds a newborn but later fades when most needed. 'The flood to me ... is kind of like a young mother who just gave birth,' McKay said.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Moore: 'I've been so inspired'
WESTERNPORT — When 9 feet of water rushed into the basement of their Church Street home, Mark Slider and his partner Steve Matthews lost items including a new $14,000 boiler, washer, dryer and refrigerator that floated up to the ceiling and knocked out plumbing. Despite devastation caused by Tuesday's flood, Slider talked of his gratitude for the close-knit community that welcomed the same-sex couple 20 years ago and has treated them like family ever since. 'When we moved here I didn't know what to expect,' he said. 'But we couldn't have picked a more accepting place.' That gentle spirit and love of community felt almost palpable across the tiny town, which was covered with mud, muck and mold as residents welcomed Gov. Wes Moore Thursday. 'I'm appreciative of (Moore's visit) because Western Maryland usually seems to get left out,' Slider said. 'We need help.' His plea was apparently answered. Moore, after seeing the town's destruction, declared a state of emergency to strengthen Maryland's response to the flood-damaged region. Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton led the governor, Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and others on a tour of spots hit hard by the flood, including Tri-Towns EMS, Boal Funeral Home and the local library. During the walk, Moore talked to area residents on mud-covered sidewalks and porches. Gov. Wes Moore in Westernport Gov. Wes Moore is in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Some yards contained broken fences, crushed lawns and battered, scattered sandbags. Folks filled dumpsters with debris as the Maryland State Police Trooper 5 helicopter circled above to further assess the damage. Water poured from a drain pipe through the side of a wall at Westernport Elementary School, where cars were drowned and abandoned in the nearby parking lot. Despite the wreckage, as sunset approached bells rang at St. Peter's Catholic Church and raised a reminder that life goes on in the small, rural town. After the tour, the governor talked of what stood out most. 'It's the people,' he said. 'I've been so inspired,' Moore said. 'We're seeing the best of Maryland.' 'Within minutes' Allegany County Emergency Services Interim Director Roger Bennett said Moore made state help available 'within minutes' of the flood. Roger Bennett, April McClain Delaney, Wes Moore Allegany County Emergency Services Interim Director Roger Bennett, center, talks to Congresswoman April McClain Delaney and Gov. Wes Moore in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. 'Everyone at the state got us resources,' he said of aid, including water rescue teams. Maryland departments, including natural resources, police and environment responded, Bennett said. Helping hands Kristi Williams recently moved to Delaware, but is a lifetime member of Tri-Towns EMS. Kristi Williams Kristi Williams 'This is my hometown,' she said of Westernport, where she was a police and fire commissioner. Despite wearing medical boots on both feet due to injuries sustained in snow, Williams returned to the EMS station to help clean up after the flood. Folks rallied to help clean and set up fans and dehumidifiers, she said. 'It was a lot of hands so it made the work light,' Williams said. 'We were all working together so well. It became a feeling ... an emotion.' Mike Wilhelm and his granddaughter's boyfriend, Aden Cebotar, tossed items into a dumpster parked near Main Street. Mike Wilhelm and Aden Cebotar Mike Wilhelm, right, and Aden Cebotar toss items into a dumpster parked near Main Street in Westernport on Thursday, May 15, 2025. 'I lost everything out of my basement,' Wilhelm said, adding that water rose to just 18 inches below the cellar's ceiling. His items destroyed by the flood included a large freezer, tools, a washer, a dryer and a hot water tank. While the loss amounted to several thousand dollars, 'It isn't much compared to other people,' Wilhelm said of many of his neighbors. Mold started Allegany County Library System Executive Director John Taube said water rushed through side doors at the Westernport branch. He believes that caused furniture to float into a panic bar and open another door of the building. More than 30 chairs then floated downtown, Taube said. He described some of the building's damage. 'You can see the water marks on the wall,' Taube said. 'The mold has already started to grow.' He said a $21,000 flood insurance policy will cover roughly $500,000 for the building and $181,000 for contents. 'Luckily, our shelving is steel,' Taube said of being able to power wash the units. Due to flooding, the Westernport and George's Creek library branches are closed. The ACLS Board of Trustees, which for months has discussed solutions for a budget deficit, will meet at the LaVale branch from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Monday. 'Very grateful' Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White was 10 years old when the town flooded in 1996. Gov. Wes Moore, Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton and Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White Gov. Wes Moore, Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton and Tri-Towns EMS Chief Justin White 'This is worse now,' he said. 'Just the mud and wreckage and debris ... it's a lot.' White thanked area residents and nearby EMS stations from Keyser and southern Garrett County for helping Tri-Towns with the flood damage. 'We're very grateful,' he said. 'The community has stepped up.' His wife, Brittany, said the couple's two teenage sons and their family home remained safe during the flood, but the experience was surreal. 'It was almost like living in a movie,' she said. Brycen Garner, 20, said his mom is an EMT at Tri-Towns, where he also volunteers. Brycen Garner Brycen Garner 'It's been a shock,' he said of witnessing the flood and seeing it damage a friend's house. 'I was up on the hill and could just hear it.' Laundry, prisoners State Sen. Mike McKay said he's working on creative approaches to help folks in Westernport. State Sen. Mike McKay State Sen. Mike McKay As president of the Mid- Atlantic Association of Cleaners, he reached out to the leader of Procter & Gamble's Tide division to bring a tractor-trailer filled with running washing machines and dryers to Westernport for residents who, due to the flood, lost their ability to clean laundry. A local church agreed to facilitate the mobile laundry unit, McKay said. 'I'm working on getting that to happen,' he said. 'My goal is to have it here within three weeks.' McKay said he is also working with the state Department of Corrections to provide inmate labor to clean the town. The workers would be from low-crime backgrounds, vetted and properly supervised, he said. McKay said he wants to make sure areas damaged by the flood receive long-term help. He compared the needed aid for the recent weather event to immediate attention that surrounds a newborn but later fades when most needed. 'The flood to me ... is kind of like a young mother who just gave birth,' McKay said.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
State of Emergency declared for flood-damaged areas in western Maryland
A State of Emergency has been issued for communities in western Maryland that were impacted by this week's severe flooding, Gov. Wes Moore announced on Thursday. The governor visited the damaged areas in Allegany County in the aftermath of Tuesday's storms. "After surveying the damage and receiving updates on the work still ahead in Western Maryland, I've declared a State of Emergency to accelerate our response," Gov. Moore said. "Today, our thoughts are with the Marylanders who have been directly impacted by this storm, and our gratitude is with all of the first responders, crisis managers, and public servants who raised their hands to support our people in a moment of need." The State of Emergency opens the region up to receive the necessary resources to recover. Western Maryland washout Allegany and Garrett counties had major flooding, caused by more than five inches of rain, and the Georges Creek crest rose to its second-highest on record. There were damaged buildings, power outages, gas line washouts, and roadways washed out. Hundreds of students at Westernport and George's Creek elementary schools were evacuated and rescued from the high-rising waters. "No one ever expects disaster to strike close to home, but when it does, the strength and resilience of our communities become clear," said Maryland Department of Emergency Management Secretary Russ Strickland. "The people of Western Maryland faced unimaginable flooding with courage and saved lives through the quick action of local responders. Under Governor Moore's emergency declaration, MDEM will continue to lead a coordinated, statewide response and recovery, working side-by-side with local officials, first responders, and our state and federal partners to support immediate needs, assess damage, and build a path toward long-term recovery. We will not leave until the work is done." During Gov. Moore's visit to western Maryland, he surveyed the flood damage to the Westernport fire hall, library, local businesses, and Westernport Elementary School. "It's heartbreaking, the kind of impact we're seeing, particularly in the western part of the state," Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told WJZ on Wednesday. "We have been in constant communication with our local elected officials there." The state mobilized multiple agencies to assist in the recovery efforts: Maryland State Troopers are stationed across the region. Natural Resources Police are checking door to door in areas under mandatory evacuation orders. Department of Emergency Management leaders held a conference call with local officials to coordinate the response. The State Highway Administration is focused on cleaning up closed roads. The Maryland Department of the Environment said the Savage River Dam remains stable. Howard, Frederick, and Montgomery Counties have assisted with their swift water rescue teams. Floodwater rescues At least 150 children and 50 adults were rescued from schools in Allegany County. Twelve students were trapped overnight at Mountain Ridge High School in Frostburg. "Administrators, teachers, a school nurse, a school security officer, a counselor, food services staff, and others were on hand to take care of the students," Allegany County Public Schools wrote in a statement. At Westernport Elementary, water covered the ground floor, and first responders took 10-year-old William Wade, his 8-year-old brother Quinton, and their classmates by boat to safety. "I went in a motorboat, and they drove us to where there was no water—and we saw how high the water was," William Wade told CBS News Pittsburgh. He said, "I'm just happy to be alive."
Washington Post
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Washington Post
Flash flooding forces evacuation of elementary school in western Maryland
WESTERNPORT, Md. — Flooding in rural western Maryland forced the evacuation of an elementary school Tuesday afternoon as water began to breach the second floor, according to local officials. Downtown homes and businesses were also inundated with floodwaters following hours of heavy rain. Officials reassured the public that students and staff were safe as concerned parents and other community members posted on social media wondering how long the emergency situation would last at Westernport Elementary School.
