Mel Nichols, a 37-year-old bartender in Phoenix, Arizona, takes home anywhere from $30 to $50 an hour with tips included. But the uncertainty of how much she’s going to make on a daily basis is a constant source of stress. “For every good day, there’s three bad days,” said Nichols, who has been in the service industry since she was a teenager. “You have no security when it comes to knowing how much you’re going to make.”

Swallow Falls State Park, in western Maryland, has the cascading Youghiogheny River, the state’s tallest waterfall, old-growth hemlocks, hiking paths and cross-country ski trails. It’s a popular destination for visitors from throughout the region, including white-water kayakers and people who appreciate mighty, centuries-old trees.

As the dust settled after the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, as the initial shock wore off and the breaking news coverage subsided, residents of this tiny peninsula found themselves facing an uncertain future. Many had spent decades living in the shadow of the Key Bridge, an iconic landmark that placed the community of Turner Station firmly on the map.

As a service to the community, Atlantic General Hospital continues to host free community clinics, providing flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Today, at the Gudelsky Family Medical Center, community members gather early morning, at the clinic drive-thru. Populations Health Coordinator, Alyce Marzola said, this is an effort to protect the community. “You can get your COVID vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time.

 

All six candidates on the ballot for the Frederick County Board of Education discussed the increasing role of technology and expanding early education at a forum on Sunday. The forum was held at Hood College in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Frederick County; about 50 members of the community gathered to watch. Candidates Colt Morningstar Black, Josh Bokee, Jaime Kiersten Brennan, Veronica D. Lowe, Janie Monier and Chad King Wilson Sr fielded questions from moderator Betty Mayfield, a former math professor at the college and a past co-president of the League.

Stop sign camera enforcement near schools could be coming to Prince George’s County, Maryland. A bill to allow stop sign cameras in school zones is advancing in the county council. The measure was passed unanimously on Oct. 10 by the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee. At the meeting, the panel was told by council staff that the bill was needed to authorize the camera installations, which have been given the green light by the Maryland General Assembly.

Cambridge residents showed up yesterday, to vote for a new mayor, but the election ended in a runoff. Candidates now prepare to settle the score on December 3rd. Current Mayor, Steve Rideout said, it was likely, the election was going to play out like this, “It’s not unusual for there to be a runoff, it happened when I was elected here a couple of years ago, and when Mayor Bradshaw was elected, there was a runoff there as well.”

The plans for a controversial power line seem to be one step closer to becoming a reality for many Marylanders. PSEG unveiled its route for the 70-mile transmission line that would cut through multiple counties in the state. From the moment the project was announced, it has been met with backlash. Hundreds of Marylanders have spoken out about the proposal, including many local leaders.

In this week’s episode of Center Maryland’s The Trail series, Damian, Candace and Don start by talking about Candace’s not so favorite fall drinks and foods. They then pivot to discuss early voting trends around the country and recap Vice President Kamala Harris’s interview on Fox with Bret Bair. Also, Don gives his thoughts on the Stevie Wonder concert in Baltimore as well as the Governor’s birthday party.

Superintendent Mark Bedell informed the Board of Education recently that early release days for elementary schools will not have recess built into the schedule, to the frustration of some board members. “When we talk about recess, we are talking about something essential to a child’s growth, like food,” District 3 representative Corine Frank said at a Board of Education workshop Oct. 7.