Maryland Archives - Page 317 of 419

Maryland Is 2023’s ‘6th Best State for Teachers’, According to Study

Published September 18, 2023 at 9:29AM | Updated September 18, 2023 at 9:50AM

With World Teachers’ Day around the corner but teachers making an average of $3,644 less per year than they did 10 years ago when adjusted for inflation, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2023’s Best & Worst States for Teachers, with Maryland coming in as the “6th Best State for Teachers.” Maryland came in first in the ‘Existence of a Digital Learning Plan’ category.

In order to help educators find the best opportunities and teaching environments in the U.S., WalletHub analyzed the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 24 key metrics, ranging from teachers’ income growth potential to the pupil-teacher ratio to public-school spending per student. Teacher-Friendliness of Maryland (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

Sugarloaf Mountain Remains Closed to The Public

By MCS Staff

Published September 17, 2023 at 9:35PM

Sugarloaf Mountain, a Stronghold property, has been closed since an attempted break-in at the Strong Mansion on August 19th. Stronghold Inc., the non-profit that owns and operates the property for the public’s “enjoyment and education in an appreciation of natural beauty”, has posted the following message:

The Stronghold property will be closed to the public until further notice. Stronghold Incorporated will be focused on providing for and reassessing the security needs for the entirety of the Stronghold property. On Saturday August 19, 2023 an unidentified individual attempted to make entry into the Strong Mansion between the hours of 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Physical evidence was collected at the scene, including a DNA sample. Security camera footage is being reviewed. If anyone happened to see anything suspicious or has any information pertaining to this situation please contact Deputy Wheeler with the Frederick County Sheriff’s office at (301) 639-4866, reference case number 2023-090125. We appreciate any information as well as your understanding and patience at this time.

Maryland Man Wins $580K After Store Clerk Gave Him Ticket For Wrong Game

By MCS Staff

Published September 17, 2023 at 5:49PM

A loyal Maryland Lottery player knows his games as well as he knows his favorite Lottery retailers and their employees. So, when a new store clerk gave him a ticket for the wrong game and tried but couldn’t void the ticket, the Upper Marlboro resident accepted the employee’s profuse apologies and continued on his way home with one very lucky Multi-Match ticket in hand. Full story below, per MD Lottery:

Little did he know that the $10 quick-pick ticket in his possession would win a $580,000 jackpot in the Sept. 11 drawing. “This is the biggest prize of my life,” he said, sitting with his wife in the Winner’s Circle at Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. The happy husband said he has read a lot of Lottery winner stories and just cannot believe it is his turn to tell the story of a win that his wife described as “divine intervention.”

FDA Expands Warning to Consumers About Product That Has Been Referred to as “Nature’s Ozempic”

By MCS Staff

Published September 17, 2023 at 12:05PM

There are currently three FDA-approved semaglutide products. All three medications, Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy, are only available with a prescription, and there are no approved generic versions. Since their approval, many weight loss products have used the medications’ name, “Nature’s Ozempic”, etc. to fuel sales of their products.

Per the FDA: The FDA and Maryland Department of Health analyses have determined that certain weight loss products labeled as Nuez de la India, and potentially marketed as “botanical food,” “India Nuts for Weight Loss,” “slimming seeds,” “India seeds for weight loss,” or “diet seeds,” appear to be highly toxic yellow oleander, a poisonous plant native to Mexico and Central America. Ingestion of yellow oleander can cause neurologic, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse health effects that may be severe, or even fatal. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cardiac changes, dysrhythmia, and more.

Current Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, Mohammed Choudhury, Will Not Seek Second Term

By MCS Staff

Published September 16, 2023 at 5:34PM

In a joint statement from the Maryland State Board of Education and State Superintendent of Schools, Mohammed Choudhury, it was announced that he will not be seeking a second term. The full statement can be seen below:

”Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury informed the State Board that he is withdrawing his request for a second term to pursue other opportunities.

Florida Man Sentenced in Maryland to Over Five Years in Federal Prison for Nationwide Scheme that Defrauded Elderly Victims of More Than $2.5 Million

By MCS Staff

Published September 16, 2023 at 10:46AM

According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2018 through November 2019, Avboraye-Ibginedion was part of a conspiracy to defraud elderly victims by persuading them to send thousands of dollars in cash to members of the conspiracy, falsely stating that the money would be used to help the victims’ relatives pay legal or other expenses for crimes and other incidents that had not actually occurred. Conspirators targeted elderly victims throughout the United States, calling and posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other individual, falsely telling the victim that a relative, typically the victim’s grandchild, had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime, and needed money—often tens of thousands of dollars—for bail, legal fees, and other expenses.

Witnesses testified that during the telephone calls, the conspirators directed victims to send cash to particular addresses via an overnight delivery service. The conspirators even posed as the victims’ relatives to further induce them to send the cash. Once the victims did send money, the conspirators called the victims asking for more cash, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims. To prevent the victims from sharing the information with anyone, the conspirators told the victims that a “gag order” had been placed on the case requiring secrecy, or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild and they didn’t want anyone else to know about it.

Governor Wes Moore’s Statement on Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury’s Decision Not to Seek Second Term

By Patrick Herron

Published September 15, 2023 at 12:41PM

Governor Moore released the following statement regarding Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury’s decision not to seek a second term:

“I want to thank Superintendent Choudhury for his service to the state of Maryland. He led the Maryland State Department of Education admirably during an unprecedented global pandemic and a transformative time for our state’s education system. His implementation of the initial phase of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future has set our students and educators up for success as we continue the work of making Maryland’s public schools the best in the country.

Attorney General Brown Announces Appointment of Chief of New Civil Rights Division

By Patrick Herron

Published September 15, 2023 at 9:13AM

Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) announced today that Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has selected Jonathan M. Smith to serve as Chief of the newly created Civil Rights Division. Smith is a well-respected legal figure in civil rights, with a strong trajectory of work at the frontlines of justice, equity, and equality on both local and national stages.

For the past seven years, Smith served as Executive Director of the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, a non-profit law firm, addressing racial and economic injustice related to prisoners’ rights, housing, employment, education, disability, police misconduct, and immigrants and refugees.

Governor Moore Attends Affordable Connectivity Program Training Session in Montgomery County to Encourage Community Enrollment Through Engagement

By Patrick Herron

Published September 14, 2023 at 9:41PM

Per the State of Maryland: Today, Governor Wes Moore joined the Montgomery County Office of Broadband’s training event during a free Broadband Affordable Connectivity Program training session to encourage community enrollment in the program. The virtual event, with more than 250 in-person participants, complements last month’s Affordable Connectivity Program training session at Salisbury University.

“Thank you for answering the call to help connect people to high speed connectivity,” said Gov. Moore. “Your work is critical to Maryland’s success, as the internet is one of the most important pathways to prosperity in the 21st century. You are the very best of Maryland, and I thank you for your service.”

Governor Wes Moore Joins President Joe Biden in Prince George’s County in Support of Key Investments to Grow the Economy, Announces $17.4 Million in Funding for Adult Education

By Patrick Herron

Published September 14, 2023 at 9:39PM

Governor Moore speaking at podium during President Biden's visit to Prince George’s County Community College

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Wes Moore today announced that Maryland will direct $17.4 million toward adult education providers in support of key investments to grow Maryland’s economy. The announcement came as part of the program during President Joseph R. Biden’s visit to Prince George’s County Community College in support of the Biden Administration’s vision for growing the country’s economy.

“Together, we will grow an economy that works for everyone, from the bottom up and the middle out,” said Gov. Moore. “President Biden has been very clear about his vision to empower and educate workers to grow the middle class. It’s a vision I stand by because it’s good for Maryland, good for our people, and good for our economy. Together, we are going to work in partnership to follow the president’s lead, build out our workforce, grow the economy, and win this decade.”

MD and VA Men Facing Federal Charges for Fraudulently Obtaining More Than $550,000 in COVID-19 Cares Act Unemployment Insurance Benefits Using the Personal Information of Identity Theft Victims

By MCS Staff

Published September 14, 2023 at 4:46PM

A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Michael Cooley, Jr., a/k/a “Micheal Cooley Jr.,” “5Micmusik,” and “Michael White,” age 24, and Isiah Lewis, a/k/a “Zay,” age 33, both of Maryland; and “Alonzo Brown, age 26, of Virginia, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, enacted to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The superseding indictment was filed July 19, 2023, and unsealed today upon the arrest of the defendants.

Lewis is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt at 2:30 p.m. Cooley and Brown are expected to have their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, Georgia this afternoon as well.