Maryland Archives - Page 287 of 395

One Maryland Town Included in U.S. News’ “Best Places to Live By the Beach in the U.S.“ List

Published October 10, 2023 at 7:32PM

U.S. News & World Report released its Best Places to Live in 2023-2024 list, which includes 20 places that are ranked according to the following factors; affordability, job market, morning commute, access to quality health care, and more. While places like Los Angeles, Miami, Charleston and others were expected on a list like this, one town in Maryland unexpectedly came in at 14– Salisbury, ranked a couple spots ahead of San Diego (16).

To add a little context, U.S. News includes popular beach destinations like Ocean City (MD), Rehoboth Beach (DE), and Bethany Beach (DE) in Salisbury’s “metropolitan statistical area”, per the U.S. Census. Salisbury is also home to Maryland’s only Cookout location– a popular fast food area focused in the southeast that has slowly expanded further north.

Governor Moore Announces New Annual Record for Chesapeake Bay Oyster Planting

By Patrick Herron

Published October 10, 2023 at 4:07PM

“Planting 1.7 billion oysters this year shows the success of the broad partnership of watermen, scientists, academics, nonprofits, and state and federal government officials dedicated to this vital natural resource and economic driver for Maryland,” said Gov. Moore. “I’d like to thank the partner organizations and our dedicated Department of Natural Resources staff who enabled the state to achieve this significant accomplishment.”

In 2014, Maryland committed to restoring oyster populations in five Bay tributaries, as part of the interstate Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The state embraced oyster plantings as a key component of its Chesapeake Bay restoration and replenishment strategy by deploying hundreds of millions of juvenile oysters on both sanctuary reefs and public oyster reefs annually. Oysters are beneficial because they filter excess nutrient pollutants from the bay, provide valuable habitat for other marine species, and boost the state’s commercial seafood industry through annual harvests and oyster aquaculture.

Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fall Foliage Report

By MCS Staff

Published October 10, 2023 at 12:34PM

Fall days are here – blue skies, clouds like giant marshmallows, and gobs of sunshine. The only thing missing is the cooler daytime temperatures characteristic of fall weather. Crisp autumn air causes leaves to stop making food or stop the process of photosynthesis, which turns the leaves green during warmer months. When the temperature drops, chlorophyll breaks down and the green color begins to disappear, revealing yellows, oranges and in some tree species, purple tones. Although daytime temperatures across the state have been in the 80s this week, nighttime temperatures are dipping into the low 50s and 60s, giving us the cooler conditions necessary for leaf change. Next week, temperatures drop across Maryland, setting the stage for fall’s colorful show.

Western Maryland: The western region of our state is taking the lead in gorgeous fall color. Forester Dakota Durcho reports near peak conditions in some tree species: “The trees we typically see change early – black walnut, black gum, and sassafras – have mostly changed at this point. However, most of the other dominant hardwoods in the area such as yellow poplar, hickory, and oak are just now starting to change, some of which can be attributed to dry conditions.”

Maryland Road Named One of America’s Top Autumn Foliage Road Trip Destinations

By Patrick Herron

Published October 10, 2023 at 12:33PM

MarketWatch Guides has released their inaugural Fall Foliage Road Trip guide and the The Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway has been named one of the top destinations. The byway is located about two hours from Montgomery County. Per the article, “Scenic fall drives are often — and understandably – associated with the mountains. But the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway offers an alternative of catching the colors among the gentle terrain and lulling waters of the Chesapeake Bay region. The National Scenic Byway runs along Maryland Route 213 and Maryland Route 18 between the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

At just two-and-a-half hours from Washington, D.C. and an hour-and-a-half from Baltimore, Md., the byway is doable as a daytrip from either city. And while the fall colors and tideland scenery are worth the trip alone, fall color season is also still crab season in eastern Maryland. Make sure to set aside some time for the region’s famed crab cakes at one of the many waterside restaurants along the route in scenic towns like St. Michael’s and Cambridge.” Click here to read the complete top ten list. Featured image courtesy of Market Watch.

2023’s Largest High Schools in Maryland (By Enrollment)

By MCS Staff

Published October 9, 2023 at 6:44PM | Updated June 8, 2024 at 5:04PM

There are 182 public high schools in Maryland with an approximate average of 1,030 students per school. All of the 20 largest schools when it comes to enrollment have at least double the average. Full list below using data prior to the start of the 2023/2024 school year (Montgomery County high schools in bold):

20. Broadneck High School (Anne Arundel County): 2,203 students

Maryland Department of Health Announces First Travel-Related Case, Death Due to Tickborne Illness Powassan

By Patrick Herron

Published October 9, 2023 at 8:44AM

Per the Maryland Department of Health: The Maryland Department of Health today announced the first travel-related Powassan virus death in Maryland. The Department confirmed the presence of Powassan, which is spread by the bite of an infected tick, on Sept. 22, with subsequent follow-ups reinforcing that result.

“We are very saddened to report the first death due to the Powassan virus in our state,” said Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman. “Powassan is very rare, and this is the first-ever case recorded in Maryland. The individual contracted the virus in Canada and returned to Maryland afterward. We do not believe that Powassan poses any threat of local transmission in Maryland. As always, we urge everyone to practice good habits when in areas that could have ticks or avoid those areas altogether.”

Nearby Columbia, MD Rated 2nd Safest City in The U.S., Washington D.C. in Bottom 10 According to Study

By MCS Staff

Published October 9, 2023 at 7:39AM | Updated October 9, 2023 at 12:52PM

With the U.S. experiencing over 500 mass shootings and over 25,000 motor vehicle deaths so far this year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Safest Cities in America, with nearby cities like Columbia (Howard County) and Washington D.C. making appearances on each side of the list.

To determine where Americans can feel most protected against life’s hazards, including nonphysical forms of danger, WalletHub compared more than 180 U.S. cities across 41 key metrics (WalletHub compared 182 cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least two of the most populated cities in each state — across three key dimensions: 1) Home & Community Safety, 2) Natural-Disaster Risk, and 3) Financial Safety). The data set ranges from traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and the percentage of the population that is uninsured.

Jennie M. Forehand, Who Represented Montgomery County For 36 Years, Has Passed Away

By MCS Staff

Published October 8, 2023 at 11:02AM

Former Maryland State Senator Jennie Margaret Meador Forehand, who represented Montgomery County for over 35 years,’passed away on October 3, 2023, at age 87, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease according to an obituary posted on orileybranson.com

Per the obituary, “Jennie was born in Nashville, TN and grew up in Charlotte, NC where she met her husband Bill in 7th grade. She graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill, married in 1958 and moved to Maryland in 1961. After Jennie’s retirement from public service in 2014, she and Bill moved to Indianapolis, IN.

Governor Wes Moore’s Statement Regarding Senator Melony G. Griffith’s Hiring as New President and Chief Executive Officer of the Maryland Hospital Association

By Patrick Herron

Published October 7, 2023 at 11:08PM | Updated October 7, 2023 at 11:27PM

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today released the following statement regarding Senator Melony G. Griffith’s hiring as new president and chief executive officer of the Maryland Hospital Association:

“Melony Griffith has represented Prince George’s County with distinction in the Maryland General Assembly. We are grateful for her fierce advocacy for reducing health disparities, driving economic development, and building a responsible budget. Senator Griffith’s legacy of service will strengthen our communities for generations to come.

U.S. Marshals to Auction Off Car Collection of YouTube Personality in Maryland; Lamborghinis, Bentleys, and More Will Be Included in the Auction

By MCS Staff

Published October 6, 2023 at 4:43PM

The U.S. Marshals Service will hold an auction for the multimillion dollar car collection of the imprisoned YouTube star Bill Omar Carrasquillo on October 13th in Baltimore, MD. The live auction will include over 55 cars, motorcycles, ATV, and other vehicles seized from Carrasquillo, also known as “Omi In A Hellcat”. The collection includes exotic cars like Lamborghinis and Bentleys, Jeeps and other SUVs. The auction will be held at the historic B&O Railroad Museum on October 13th, with a preview day on Thursday, October 12th starting at 11 am EST. Also available in a separate online sale is a collection of jewelry seized from Carrasquillo along with other items from other cases.

Earlier this year, Carrasquillo was sentenced to 5 ½ years in prison for crimes arising from a wide-ranging criminal scheme that involved piracy of cable TV, access device fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of copyright infringement. In addition to his prison sentence, Carrasquillo is subject to a $30 million forfeiture money judgment and must pay $15 million in restitution.The event is open to the public. To place a bid on any item, registration is required. Registration information for the auto event is located at www.appleauctioneeringco.com; and jewelry sale registration is located at http://www.txauction.com/USM .

Attorney General Brown Announces $49.5 Million Multistate Settlement with Software Company Blackbaud for 2020 Data Breach Impacting Thousands of U.S. Nonprofits

By Patrick Herron

Published October 6, 2023 at 4:26PM

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that the State has reached a multistate settlement with Blackbaud, Inc., a software company, to resolve allegations that Blackbaud failed to protect consumers’ personal information when it experienced a data breach in 2020 that impacted thousands of nonprofit organizations nationwide, including 290 nonprofits in Maryland. Under the settlement, Blackbaud has agreed to overhaul its data security and breach notification practices and make a $49.5 million payment to the states, of which Maryland will receive $820,156.

Blackbaud provides software to manage constituent data, including contact and demographic information, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial information, employment and wealth information, donation history, and protected health information to various nonprofit organizations, including charities, higher education institutions, K-12 schools, healthcare organizations, religious organizations, and cultural organizations. This type of highly sensitive data was exposed during the 2020 data breach, impacting over 13,000 Blackbaud nonprofit organizations nationwide.