The sounds rang out like shotgun blasts in Bowleys Quarters Friday morning, before the iconic towers of the C.P. Crane Generating Station toppled to the earth. From hundreds of feet away, crews detonated 688 linear-shaped charges placed strategically throughout the old power plant, said Mark Loizeaux, owner of Controlled Demolition Inc. The explosives generated about 3 million pounds of pressure per square inch, he said, and in under 20 seconds, the structure fell to the ground in a cloud of dust and debris.

Beloved southern-style chicken finger joint Raising Cane’s is opening a location in Gambrills in January, a restaurant spokesperson said. The restaurant, known for its chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries and Texas toast, will employ about 115 people at the new location near the intersection of Crain Highway and Johns Hopkins Road, spokesperson Julia Doyle said. A Towson storefront will open this winter. And a third site in Bowie on Crain Highway and Heritage Boulevard will follow in early 2024.

Experts say the best thing people can do to help after a natural disaster is to donate money that will be distributed by a responsible, local nonprofit. Hours after a tornado spun through tiny Smith Island on Aug. 4, hitting 17 buildings and severely damaging three, that’s exactly what began to happen. Jay Fleming, a photographer and frequenter of the island, started a GoFundMe campaign the night the tornadic waterspout struck. So far, about 1,200 people have donated that way to the island’s relief efforts. The money will soon be controlled by Smith Island United, a tax-exempt charity on the remote island in the Chesapeake Bay.

After a full weekend of ballot counting, the Democratic primary race for Montgomery County executive remains relatively unchanged. With re-counted and audited results from early voting and 12 of 13 election districts on Election Day, incumbent Marc Elrich (D) has gained one additional vote and challenger David Blair has gained two, according to a Sunday night announcement from the Montgomery County Board of Elections. After initial certification of the July 19 primary results, Elrich led the race by 35 votes. Dozens of elections board workers from around the state reported to the Germantown Community Center gymnasium from Friday through Sunday to aid in the recount effort, which was requested by Blair’s campaign.

The Maryland Association of Counties annual summer conference is set to kick off Wednesday in Ocean City, and beyond the official proceedings taking place in the Roland Powell Convention Center and the score of free receptions sponsored by political leaders, lobbying firms and special interest groups, there are at least seven candidate and political committee fundraisers scheduled to coincide with the convention.

One of the criticisms of Baltimore’s approach to taxes raised by Renew Baltimore’s unsuccessful effort to roll back the city’s property tax rate is that the current approach smacks of preferential treatment, and that is unquestionably true. When the city inks deals that abate taxes for deep-pocketed developers seeking to build projects in parts of the city that have already attracted significant investment, the average homeowner in a distressed neighborhood is inclined to wonder: What about me? Throw in the appearance (at minimum) of racial bias as Baltimore’s high-value projects are often in predominantly white neighborhoods, and the contrast between have’s and have-not’s becomes even more alarming.

According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 600,000 people in Maryland quit their jobs in 2021 as part of the “great resignation.” As a result, local businesses have struggled to rehire workers as many are now looking for more flexibility, as well as better pay and benefits. However, in this highly competitive job market, there may be a glimmer of hope in the form of the SECURE 2.0 Act making its way through Congress. The law aims to expand automatic enrollment in retirement plans. For example, the SECURE 2.0 Act would require employers with 401(k) or 403(b) plans to automatically enroll all new, eligible employees at a 3 percent contribution rate. This rate would also increase annually by 1 percent until it reaches at least 10 percent.

Two ballot questions supported with an infusion of cash from the chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group may be put to voters this fall in Baltimore. City election officials are reviewing petition signatures for two potential questions for voters: Do they want to establish recall elections for city politicians who fail to live up to standards? And would they impose a limit of two terms on the city’s mayor, City Council and comptroller? The drive to get the questions on the ballot was undertaken by a group called the People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement. The organization was created in February and funded almost entirely by David Smith, executive chairman of Sinclair, a Hunt Valley-based television broadcasting company, according to a July 25 campaign finance report.