Are you looking for some Fourth of July fun? We’ve got all the essential details you need, including when and where to enjoy this fantastic holiday. So, mark your calendars and get ready to dive headfirst into an unforgettable Fourth of July!
Fast-moving thunderstorms rolled through parts of the D.C. area Tuesday afternoon, bringing heavy winds, reports of hail and “blinding downpours.” But smoke gets in your eyes Wednesday, when smoke from the Canadian wildfires comes back. Some of the strongest storms hit Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties in Maryland on Tuesday, where multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued throughout the afternoon.
The city of Frederick began work last week on a stream restoration project at Monocacy Village Park. The project, which is expected to be completed in summer 2024 according to a city news release, is currently in its assessment stage. Contractors are surveying the area around the stream to determine how the plans for the stream's design should proceed, said Jenny Willoughby, the city's sustainability manager.
Maryland may be later than many other states in legalizing cannabis, but those who wrote the state’s laws hope they’ve avoided the problems that have plagued other states: Lack of product, lack of diversity in the industry, and taxes so high that people kept buying on the black market. Maryland Del. C.T. Wilson will be watching Saturday’s rollout of recreational sales closely.
Maryland's state school superintendent hopes to move the academic needle this summer for low-performing schools. The majority of those failing schools are in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. That's where the superintendent plans to direct his focus. "This is my administration's responsibility and our chance to revamp school improvement," said Mohammed Choudhury. At Tuesday's State Board of Education meeting, Choudhury suggested the obstacles to learning aren't just about money.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury said he intends to stay in the role, and he gained a show of support from the Maryland State Board of Education president during the board’s Tuesday meeting. Choudhury told The Baltimore Sun that he is committed to staying in Maryland for a 10-year period. “I meant that,” he said. “I’ll fulfill my promise and commitment.”
A recent report from from The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found that about a third of U.S. gun homicides involved heavy drinking — on the part of the perpetrator, the victim, or both — and a quarter of suicides also involved alcohol misuse. Heavy use of alcohol is also a strong predictor of future violence, researchers found.
More than one month after Baltimore City officials unveiled a plan to enforce a youth curfew, not a single child has been taken to what officials are calling a Youth Connection Center. Bryan Doherty, a spokesman for Mayor Brandon Scott’s office, said that shows that the city’s outreach efforts are working. But Doherty declined to say how many youth have been found in violation of the curfew or to specify how exactly officials are engaging with young people.
Maryland college programs do a poor job preparing new teachers with the necessary skills to teach their students to read, according to the findings of a review from research nonprofit the National Council on Teacher Quality. For the review, released June 13, the organization analyzed almost 700 college teaching programs across the country, looking at how well they did at educating prospective elementary school teachers on how to teach reading.
The City police department is planning on stepping up its efforts to slow the number of car thefts in Baltimore. Car thefts are up 95% in Baltimore since this time last year, with thefts of Kias and Hyundai making up 40% of all vehicle thefts. It's part of a nationwide problem. Acting police commissioner Richard Worley said they are working to provide a steering wheel lock free to city residents to help prevent thefts.
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