Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky surprised graduates at Johns Hopkins University’s commencement on Thursday, speaking to them in a live stream about his country’s fight to restore freedom and the students’ own futures. “I will not be too long,” said Zelensky, telling the crowd that time is of the essence, more valuable than even oil, uranium and lithium.

The population of Maryland and the United States is skewing older, new 2020 census data shows. Maryland’s median age of 38.8 — the same as the national median — is eight-tenths of a year higher than it was in 2010. The figures come from 2020 census data released Thursday. The Demographic Profile and Demographic and Housing Characteristics data, the third set of numbers released from the 2020 census, expands upon redistricting data released in 2021, including a more detailed look at age, sex, families, households and housing.

The Howard County Council added a competitive bidding process to access state funds for a new lakefront library in Columbia, a project for which the Howard Hughes Corp. had been selected. County officials revealed plans for the new library in March and said they expected it to become the community’s crown jewel. At 100,000 square feet, the library will cost around $144 million and will include other amenities such as an auditorium, a literacy classroom and a digital lab, officials said.

Children and teens gathering in Baltimore during nighttime hours this summer could be ordered to vacate or be transported to what officials are calling a Youth Connection Center, according to a memo from the Baltimore Police commissioner. The police document outlines how officers who encounter a crowd of 10 or more school-aged residents should instruct them to disperse in three successive announcements, before members of the group could be relocated by a Youth Connection Center employee.

Local political and civil rights leaders gathered in Severn Wednesday morning to condemn the young man whose neighborhood walks with a semiautomatic rifle have garnered national attention this past week. Together, they called for the armed demonstrations to stop, saying they’re inciting fear in the community, and suggested his actions may inspire further gun control regulation next year.

There’s been a big effort to repair roads across Baltimore City. Mayor Brandon Scott’s ‘Build-Better-B- More’ initiative was launched in June with the goal to repair 9,000 potholes and resurface miles of city roads over the next 90 days.

 

You can’t afford not to buy the hottest newly listed property in Anne Arundel County. Meade Senior High School, at 1100 Clark Road in Fort Meade, was listed on Zillow — as a prank — for $42,069. The listing boasts about the school’s “nice spacious kitchen and dining room” and “private basketball court” and “private study!!”

Maryland is gearing up for the summer season by launching a new tourism campaign. The campaign, in coordination with the Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism, will highlight water experiences, state history and local food. Gov. Wes Moore is featured in the ad titled “You’re Welcome.” The ad will air in northeast markets, which include New York and Philadelphia.

 

Everybody loves the Blue Angels, right? It’s a great show. Parents let their kids play hooky to see it. Thousands of boats fill up the Severn River. If you plan to view the show, which gets underway at 2 p.m. Wednesday, one thing you want is a great memory. The other thing is a photo. Not just any photo, but a picture showing the power and audacity of the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team.

Representatives of the Berlin Fire Company told town leaders the funding the municipality is proposing would not get the agency through the year. “We can’t operate on inadequate funds the entire year,” attorney Joe Moore said. Moore and David Fitzgerald, president of the Berlin Fire Company and Berlin Emergency Medical Services, met with Mayor Zack Tyndall and the town council on Monday during a work session.