How Prince George’s Co. plans to transform transit

Affordable and accessible public transportation is important for an urban setting, and part of having access is convenience. In Prince George’s County, Maryland, officials know the county wasn’t providing that as well as it needed to. At a Department of Public Works and Transportation garage in Forestville, county, state and federal leaders hoped to signal to residents that will be changing.

 

Survey of Western Maryland residents finds broad support for federal funding to expand substance use disorder treatment, police training

Majorities of both Republicans and Democrats in Western Maryland would support federal proposals to provide more treatment for people with substance use disorders and train police to divert people into treatment rather than prison, according to a recent poll.

Howard County buys 16.5-acre site to redevelop park space 

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and Department of Recreation & Parks Director Nick Mooneyhan Monday announced the purchase of the 16.5-acre East Columbia Library Park property located adjacent to Howard County Library System’s East Columbia branch on Cradlerock Way in Columbia to move forward with plans to enhance and expand the existing park.

From bomb threats to guns found on campus, Montgomery Co. students push schools for added security

Sam Ross, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, told her local school board how a rash of bomb threats — three at her school alone — have helped to create “fear in the community.” Ross told the Montgomery County Board that in addition to the bomb threats, a student was found with a gun on campus Monday at Walter Johnson High School, and on the same day, a gun was also found at an elementary school.

Slain Md. judge Wilkinson remembered as dedicated, even-keeled

Just hours before he was killed last week, a Maryland judge known for being fair and even-keeled calmly explained his ruling in a divorce case following hours of emotional testimony. On the losing end of the ruling was the man suspected of fatally shooting Washington County Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson later that day in the driveway outside his home. For Wilkinson’s family, friends and colleagues, it’s an unfathomable end to an exceptional life.

Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville ranked 7th among most arts-vibrant communities in the nation

SMU DataArts, the National Center for Arts Research, released its annual Arts Vibrancy Index on Oct. 26, which identifies Frederick-Gaithersburg-Rockville as No. 7 in the list of 20 large communities in the U.S. through an analysis of the level of supply, demand and government support for the arts in more than 900 communities across the country.

Health care workers more likely to report burnout, worse mental health than before the COVID pandemic

Health care workers are facing increased mental health struggles that can lead to burnout or workers thinking of finding another job, according to survey results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC urged health care employers to take care of their worker’s mental health and foster a healthy work environment.

Sermon on the streets: A trans pastor helps those on the margins find grace

The ceiling of this church is the sky. There are no stained-glass windows, just graffiti-covered concrete walls. No pews, only chairs unfolded on a vacant lot in Station North. Church members arrive by motorized wheelchairs, walkers, canes. A few smoke cigarettes or drink out of bottles wrapped in plastic bags. Many have slept on the streets, and some still lack permanent housing.

Baltimore lost two ‘superheroes’ in rowhouse blaze. Fair Lawn, New Jersey, lost its ‘firehouse kid.’

When Amir Saadah heard that the kid he coached a decade ago had been hurt while trying to render aid to his colleague during a Northwest Baltimore blaze, he wasn’t surprised. The football coach hadn’t picked 16-year-old Dillon J. Rinaldo to lead Fair Lawn High School’s varsity team because of any physical feats. It wasn’t the teenage Rinaldo’s practice attendance record, either.

Charles Co. health department warns of increase in rabies cases

The health department in Charles County, Maryland, is warning of an increase in rabies cases in the area. One raccoon and two skunks have tested positive for rabies since mid-September, according to a news release. The two skunks that tested positive for rabies were found on Sept. 21 and Oct. 24 in the Waldorf or White Plains area.