Everyone has had their share of terrible experiences in MoCo parking lots, and while there are more than 25 “bad” parking lots, we’ve narrowed down a list (in no particular order) of what may be the worst based on our experiences and comments left by readers throughout the years.
Featured image courtesy of Google Maps.
Per the Maryland Department of Health: The Maryland Department of Health has been awarded a five-year, $2.5 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand Alzheimer’s and related dementias prevention and care programs in the state. The grant period is from September 30, 2023 to September 29, 2028. Maryland is one of 43 states, cities, and territories to receive funding through the federal Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, signed into law in 2018, to create a national public health infrastructure to combat Alzheimer’s and related dementias and preserve brain health.
“Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias represent an urgent and costly public health crisis,” said Maryland Department of Health Secretary Laura Herrera Scott. “This grant will help Maryland provide support and resources within communities most impacted by this devastating disease and lessen the burden on caregivers and families.”
WHAT: Representatives from the Maryland Department of Transportation will meet with Montgomery County officials to discuss the agency’s Draft FY 2024-2029 Consolidated Transportation Program, which details a $21.2 billion, six-year capital budget investment in the state’s transportation network. The meeting is part of the department’s tour of 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld and other officials will outline the state’s investment plan and discuss Montgomery County’s transportation priorities.
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, October 26, 2023
Two new records for new species have been established in the Atlantic Division of the Maryland state fishing records program. Angler Chris Stafford of Cherry Hill, N.J. caught a pompano dolphinfish (Coryphaena equiselis) weighing 2.0 pounds on September 20, and Ellicott City resident Stephen Humphrey caught a great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda) weighing 13.0 pounds on October 6. Both fish were caught off the coast of Ocean City.
Pompano Dolphinfish Record: Stafford was working a school of dolphinfish at Poor Man’s Canyon and “bailing” them on light spinning tackle when he noticed that one of the dolphinfish that he caught looked slightly different from the others. Later on, back at the dock, one of the mates that works as a fish cutter at Bahia Marina also noticed that the general body shape and proportions of the fish were different from other dolphinfish. Stafford notified the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, which identified the fish species.
Peak leaf change is right around the corner in the western half of the state, evident in the russet leaves of the oaks, bronze and yellow hickory canopies, and the dazzling ruby red maples. The weather conditions remain ideal during the weekdays when Marylander’s are experiencing crystal blue, sunlit skies during the day, winding down with star-filled skies and chilly temperatures at night. Weekend weather systems have been a regular feature, bringing us wind and rain across much of the region, resulting in premature leaf loss in some areas of our state. However, there is plenty of fall color to be found if you know where to look. And this week, Western Maryland steals the show. Click here for fall foliage in Montgomery County.
Western Maryland: Cold, wet and windy conditions persisted through much of the week in northern Garrett County, bringing more leaves down to the forest floor. But leaf peepers need not despair, according to Forest Manager Sean Nolan. “Plenty of colorful leaves remain in the treetops at Savage River State Forest,” Nolan said. “The maple leaves have all turned while the oak trees are at various stages of color change with many still holding green leaves. The color change is definitely coming in waves, with individual trees showing vibrant colors and surrounding trees showing subtle changes. I would say we have certainly reached the midpoint and are moving toward peak as the oak trees continue to change.”
Governor Wes Moore today released the following statement regarding the killing of Judge Andrew Wilkinson:
“I am shocked, heartbroken, and sickened by the killing of Judge Andrew Wilkinson. He was the victim of a cold-blooded, vicious, and targeted attack. My heart goes out to Judge Wilkinson’s family, and my prayers are with everyone who knew him, loved him, and served alongside him.
Per the Maryland Lottery: “Congratulations to the lucky player that purchased a $510,000 jackpot-winning Multi-Match ticket for last night’s drawing! The winning ticket in the Oct. 19 drawing was sold by Old Orchard Liquors in Hagerstown. Check your tickets for the winning numbers: 2, 18, 21, 24, 25 and 40. The winner can choose between the annuity, paid in 25 equal installments, or an estimated $260,000 cash option (before taxes).
Lottery officials encourage the winner to sign the back of the ticket and keep it in a safe location. The player has 182 days after the date of the drawing to claim the prize. The lucky Western Maryland retailer can celebrate, too. Old Orchard Liquors located at 17619 Virginia Avenue in Washington County will receive a $1,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: “Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has joined a coalition of 49 Attorneys General announcing a $10 million settlement with payment processor ACI Worldwide over a 2021 testing error that led to the attempted unauthorized withdrawal of $2.3 billion from the accounts of mortgage-holders. The settlement includes injunctive relief designed to prevent a similar incident in the future.
ACI Payments, a subsidiary of ACI Worldwide Corp., is a payment processor for a variety of third-party clients, including mortgage servicers. Nationstar Mortgage, known publicly as “Mr. Cooper,” offered ACI’s Speedpay product to its customers so they could schedule and electronically pay their monthly mortgage payments through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. On April 23, 2021, ACI was testing the Speedpay platform when it erroneously attempted to withdraw mortgage payments from hundreds of thousands of “Mr. Cooper” customers on a day that was not authorized or expected. In many cases, consumers were subjected to the attempted withdrawal of multiple mortgage payments from their personal bank accounts. The Attorneys General allege the April 2021 incident was due to significant defects in ACI’s privacy and data security procedures and technical infrastructure related to the Speedpay platform.
Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando announced today that he is dropping out of the U.S. Senate race. Jawando announced in May that he was launching a campaign for the U.S. Senate after Senator Ben Cardin, Maryland’s senior senator and Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, announced that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term. Jawando’s full statement can be seen below (including a video):
“We are all living through such uncertain times. War is raging in the Middle East and Ukraine. Everyday Americans are not sure whether they can afford to keep a roof over their head or food on the table. Our Congress is meeting crisis with chaos and is paralyzed by far-right extremists. MAGA Republicans keep trying to elevate hard right election deniers to Speaker all while marching lockstep behind Donald Trump, a man who is running for president on a platform of revenge in a party that welcomes that with open arms. Now more than ever we need strong Democratic voices in the Senate. That’s why I got into this race.
Per the State of Maryland: “In an effort to reinforce the administration’s commitment to ensuring the safety of Marylanders of all faiths, Governor Wes Moore and Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller today met with Muslim community leaders, educators, parents, and students at the Islamic Society of Baltimore. Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. and Islamic Society of Baltimore President Hasan Hammad joined the governor and lieutenant governor. Last week, Lt. Gov. Miller visited the Beth El Congregation of Baltimore to attend evening Shabbat service and meet with congregation members.
“In Maryland we do not—and we will never—tolerate hatred. Not toward Muslims. Not toward Jews. Not toward Christians. Not toward anyone. Now is the time for us to stand together in love and community.”
This year, El Nino is in place heading into winter for the first time in four years, driving the outlook for warmer-than-average temperatures for the northern tier of the continental United States, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released by the Climate Prediction Center — a division of the National Weather Service. Seasonal temperatures are predicted to be “Leaning Above” average with precipitation also “Leaning Above” average for the D.C. Metro area. NOAA’s seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that temperatures and total precipitation amounts will be above-, near- or below-average (photos below). The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.
“These outlooks provide critical guidance on the upcoming season for many industries and sectors of our economy, from energy producers to commodities markets to agricultural interests to tourism,” said Sarah Kapnick, Ph.D., NOAA chief scientist. “With a strengthening El Nino and more potential climate extremes in an already record-breaking year, we’re lucky to have scientists like those at the Climate Prediction Center helping to build a Weather and Climate-Ready Nation by providing critical operational seasonal climate predictions.”