Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallaher sentenced Michael Fisher, a.k.a. “Mark Wilson,” age 47, of Laurel, Maryland, today to 17 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his participation in a large-scale drug trafficking organization involving fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana shipped from California to Maryland through the U.S. mail.  At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Gallagher found that approximately 120 kilograms of cocaine, 6.5 kilograms of fentanyl and 50 kilograms of marijuana were attributable to Fisher as part of the conspiracy.

According to his guilty plea, in November 2019, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking conspiracy that used the U.S. mail to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan area.  During the investigation, court-authorized wiretaps of Fisher and his co-conspirator, Dwight Antonio Pitts, revealed conversations in which they discussed the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana with each other and with other individuals.  Further, law enforcement conducted surveillance and observed drug transactions by both Fisher and Pitts.


Per The Maryland Department of Health (MDH): The Maryland Department of Health has confirmed and reported the death of a Maryland resident in which human monkeypox (MPX) was a contributing factor. The individual was immunocompromised, resulting in a more severe case. MDH will not be providing additional information to protect patient confidentiality.

“Human monkeypox is still circulating and can cause severe illness and death,” said MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Jinlene Chan. “If you are eligible, such as being immunocompromised or at-risk, the best way to protect yourself against serious illness from MPX is by getting vaccinated.”


“The partnerships that drive these projects across our state are crucial to spurring economic growth in Maryland’s diverse and vibrant communities,” said Governor Hogan. “Our state revitalization programs are a shining example of how we can work together to create impactful change and improve the quality of life for residents.”

The six programs will support revitalization and redevelopment projects and activities including: business expansion and retention; streetscape improvements; homeownership and home rehabilitation incentives; commercial improvement programs; community facilities; mixed-use development, and demolition activities. For a full list of awards, visit: FY23 State Revitalization Program Awards.


“I am proud to appoint such distinguished individuals to serve in our state’s judicial system,” said Governor Hogan. “Our state is gaining an immensely talented and principled group of judges who will honorably serve the citizens of their respective counties and Maryland in the years to come. I want to especially congratulate Cathi Coates as she becomes the first woman in state history to serve on the Worcester County District Court.”

For Garrett County Circuit Court:


Niche, a rankings and review resource that provides information on K-12 schools, colleges, cities, neighborhoods, and companies across the United States, recently published its new 2023 Best Schools and Districts rankings. Now in its ninth year, the rankings include updated data for 92,743 public schools, 30,112 private schools, and 11,820 school districts nationwide. According to the rankings, 8 of the top 10 (and 19 of the Top 25) public elementary schools in Maryland are located in Montgomery County, with Stone Mill Elementary School (North Potomac) earning the top spot. All MoCo schools ranked in the top 25 are listed below.

The 2023 Best Public Elementary Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, middle school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. Read more on how this ranking was calculated. 


County Executive Marc Elrich and Maryland’s First Lady Yumi Hogan attended a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, October 18, to mark the beginning of construction at the UNDBIO’s new U.S. R&D headquarters at 12441 Parklawn Drive in Rockville. Addition details below per the State of Maryland:

ANNAPOLIS, MD—First Lady Yumi Hogan attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday to begin the laboratory construction and build-out of South Korean pharmaceutical company UNDBIO’s new U.S. R&D headquarters in Rockville. UNDBIO’s international arrival to Maryland was announced last month during Governor Larry Hogan’s trade and investment mission to Asia.


Earlier this week we reported on betting apps touting that mobile betting will soon be available in Maryland. John Martin, director of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, said “I am confident there will be mobile wagering in the state of Maryland in 2022” in a webinar earlier this month, and now it appears the first of the licenses will be awarded on November 21st.

Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) Chairman Thomas Brandt announced this this morning that the commission will begin discussing qualified sports betting applicants and potentially award online sports betting licenses at its Nov. 21 meeting, according to Saturday Tradition.


Field of Screams, now in its 22nd year in business, was recently voted as the #1 spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Haunted Attractions in the country. Located in Olney, this Hollywood-level production includes well-trained actors and an intense fright experience with decor and props not seen outside the movie industry.

Enter a horrifically terrifying world beyond imagination at the Fields of Screams in Olney, Maryland. A good walk through the woods on The Haunted Trail and Trail of Terror leaves visitors scurrying away. Along their journey, guests are welcomed into thirteen haunted houses, where they might find anything from dead bodies to hillbillies and butchers. Enjoy Body Bean Bag Pumpkin Toss, Zombie Brain Smash, and other Carnival Town Games for a thrilling, competitive experience.


With betting apps touting that mobile betting will soon be available in Maryland, John Martin, director of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency, said “I am confident there will be mobile wagering in the state of Maryland in 2022” in a webinar earlier this month.

Caesars was the first operator to announce its application for one of up to 60 mobile sports betting licenses in Maryland. Sports Wagering Application Review Commission (SWARC) decided it will award licenses on a rolling basis after the October 21 application due date. This will allow SWARC will to set up online Maryland sportsbooks to launch when each is ready instead of launching all of them on the same date.


Niche, a rankings and review resource that provides information on K-12 schools, colleges, cities, neighborhoods, and companies across the United States, recently published its new 2023 Best Schools and Districts rankings. Now in its ninth year, the rankings include updated data for 92,743 public schools, 30,112 private schools, and 11,820 school districts nationwide. According to the rankings, 6 of the top 10 (and 14 of the Top 25) public middle schools in Maryland are located in Montgomery County, with Herbert Hoover Middle School earning the top spot.

The 2023 Best Public Middle Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, middle school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.


With the first “early decision” college-application deadline looming on Nov. 1, and tuition and room and board at a four-year college costing around $23,000 – $52,000 per year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its 2023’s Best College & University Rankings report, in addition to separate rankings for colleges and for universities. WalletHub compared over 900 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary. Below you’ll see the “Top 10 Colleges & Universities in Maryland” (does not include community colleges):

Top 10 Colleges & Universities in Maryland


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