With a government shutdown five days away, Congress is moving into crisis mode as Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces an insurgency from hard-right Republicans eager to slash spending even if it means curtailing federal services for millions of Americans. There’s no clear path ahead as lawmakers return with tensions high and options limited. The House is expected to vote Tuesday evening on a package of bills to fund parts of the government, but it’s not at all clear that McCarthy has the support needed to move ahead.

In the realm of American politics, we frequently find ourselves in the unenviable position of choosing between the lesser of two imperfect options. The 2020 presidential election vividly illustrated this dilemma. On one side stood Donald Trump, a polarizing figure who was involved in the events of Jan. 6, 2021 — actions that remain a point of contention. On the other side was Joe Biden, a seasoned politician whose cognitive abilities appeared to be in noticeable decline and who carried his own baggage of potential legal problems.

Gaithersburg and Rockville are the third- and fourth-largest cities in Maryland, with nearly 70,000 residents each. These two Montgomery County municipalities regularly top lists of the nation’s most diverse places and are the backbone of the region’s biotech industry. It’s in Rockville where scientists mapped the human genome and found a potential HIV cure, and in Gaithersburg where they discovered a COVID-19 vaccine. What happens here has echoes that go way beyond the borders.

Baltimore residents can now deposit clothing, shoes, sheets, and other textiles into the large blue collection bins at any of the city’s five residential drop-off centers. “This new recycling opportunity will help reduce textile waste, which is one of our fastest growing waste streams. In addition, this effort increases recycling options for residents and diverts material from the City’s landfill,” said Richard J. Luna, interim director of Baltimore City’s Department of Public Works.

A truck driver who fatally struck a State Department employee riding her bike in Maryland — shortly after the diplomat had returned from a presumably more dangerous posting in Ukraine — pleaded guilty to a traffic offense Monday and was fined $2,000. Santos Reyes Martinez, 52, admitted in court to causing the death of Sarah Langenkamp 13 months ago when he turned his flatbed building supply truck into a bike lane along River Road in Bethesda.

Covid-19 tests are now available to be ordered for free from the US government. Starting Monday, people can order four tests per US household through Covidtests.gov. People without an internet connection can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to request tests. Covid-19 rapid tests can be taken at home and can be used regardless of whether someone has symptoms. The tests should be good through the end of the year. Some of the dates on the tests may show that they are expired, but the US Food and Drug Administration has extended those dates.

“We are trying to be as fiscally responsible as we can, given that we are already set up with a limited budget,” said Elizabeth Marchetta, executive director of food & nutrition services for the Baltimore City Public Schools System. Since the start of the pandemic, the school system has seen higher food costs across all sectors, said Monique Rolle, BCPSS’s manager of meal planning and procurement. Their biggest jumps in expenses have been from meats and grains.

Carroll County sheriff’s deputies will soon have another tool available to monitor speeding drivers on county roads. The Board of Carroll County Commissioners approved a request from Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees earlier this month to purchase 10 solar-powered speed signs at a cost of $52,135 from All Traffic Solutions, in Chantilly, Virginia. The signs detect and display vehicle speed as drivers approach them, and work as a traffic-calming device to make drivers aware that they are driving at speeds above posted limits.]

Precisely 35,475 people passed through security at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Friday, the highest daily total since December 2019, airport officials said late Monday afternoon. The milestone comes as welcome news to airline companies that took massive financial hits during the height of the pandemic and travelers ready to break out their shelved guidebooks, although maybe not the dad who hates dealing with traffic and would rather not give you a ride to the airport.

Serving the second-largest population of students with disabilities in the state, Baltimore County Public Schools cut special education teacher vacancies by nearly half this year. Last year, the district had 80 special education teacher vacancies, compared to 43 this year, according to BCPS. Allison Myers, executive director of the system’s Office of Special Education, said hiring incentives have helped bring down the vacancies.