CUMBERLAND — A new crop is coming.

A new list of 15 fascinating local people.

Allegany Magazine has announced that it is once again seeking nominations for its year-end “15 Most Fascinating People” issue.

“When we ran the feature our very first year in 2006, it really proved very popular,” said Shane Riggs, Allegany Magazine’s managing editor. “We’ve been promoting it in the magazine this year and already have a few worthy nominations for this year’s issue, but we would like to hear about more people out there.”

In 200 words or less, readers of the magazine and members of the local community are challenged to nominate a resident of the area deserving to be named one of the year’s 15 most fascinating people of Allegany County. Nominations must include a means to contact the nominee.

“Everyone knows at least one fascinating person and we want to hear about them,” said Riggs. “We’re once again looking for those unsung heroes in our area.”

The criteria for what makes a person “fascinating” can be as varied as the person.

“It could be someone who makes your day by the attention to detail she has or a man who volunteers his time. It could be a teacher in your life who made all the difference; a co-worker who puts in 110 percent; a nurse who made your stay at the hospital bearable; the owner of a unique business that has added to the quality of the community; a waitress who is the reason you keep going back to that restaurant,” Riggs said. “Really, anyone can be nominated for any reason the person believes makes them fascinating and unique and an asset to our community.”

When the staff of Allegany Magazine selects a nominee, that person is contacted and if he agrees to be featured in the magazine, arrangements will be made for a portrait photograph to be taken. The nominator’s essay in the December/January issue that features the story will accompany that photo. The people chosen will not be told who nominated them until the issue premieres and they see it in print. Similarly, Allegany Magazine readers will not know who has been chosen until publication.

Nominations, however, are due before the end of business day on Sept. 4. They can be mailed to the magazine at P.O. Box 1662, Cumberland, MD 21501 or e-mailed to sriggs@alleganymagazine.com. In the subject line write “fascinating people.”

Previous “fascinating people” from 2006 through 2008 have included Eleanor Albright, Bill Ambrose, Enordo “Moose” and Ellen Arnone, John Balch, Jeanlyn Lewis Barrera, Bob Candy, William Colbert Sr., Sharon Cosgrove, Shane Crawford, Whitney Dawson, Irma Dezen, Tom Dowdell, Robert Doyle, Pat Ferguson, Joan Fitzpatrick, Shirley Giarritta, Brian Green, Amy Griffith, Brian Grim, Mary Louise Grimm, Ron Growden, Gail Hall, Ivan Hall, Kirsten Hanson, Butch Hendershot, Iona Huff, Larry Imes, Richard and Vivian Jamison, Carol Kauffman, Gerry LaFemina, Rick Lewis, Bernice Lucas, Dana Colbert Mackey, Tim Magrath, Michelle Malone, Richard E. Markle, Maude McDaniel, John Michaels Jr., John Morley, Bill Preston, Louise Richards, Gayle Shanholtz, Dennis Sherald, Donald “Tom” Smith, Karla Biller Sparber, Ernie Spriggs, Rick Swandol, Tim Thomas, Henry B. Thornton, Dennis Tipton, Kathy Turnbull, Lou Van Hollen and Dr. Gregg Wolff.