Around Maryland

New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that Black and African Americans experienced over 1.6 million excess deaths over the previous two decades — a trend that researchers believe means more work needs to be done. The study published in JAMA looked at millions of records from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spanning from 1999 to 2020, comparing the race of Black and white populations across age groups.

Eric Lin, a junior from Severna Park High School, will sit as the 50th student member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education starting in July. Lin’s election was announced this month following a debate in late April with the other two finalists, Indu Bodala, of Glen Burnie High School, and Taryn Reinhart, of Annapolis High School.

Wondering what to do with that extra day off this Memorial Day weekend? Well, the D.C. region is home to many outdoor attractions perfect for celebrating the holiday weekend. Erin Gifford, a freelance travel writer who has written three guidebooks for hiking in Virginia and the surrounding D.C. area, recommended a few favorite hiking spots that vary in difficulty and driving times. “I always look for hikes that are just interesting,” Gifford said. “They need to be a good distance, not too long, maybe 2 or 3 miles, and that always have kind of engaging features.”

Baltimore County’s Department of Recreation and Parks has launched a Park Finder web tool to provide users with “comprehensive information on 362 parks and recreation centers throughout the County, makes exploring and enjoying Baltimore County easier than ever,” county officials said Monday. Users can search by name, community name, and/or amenities like playgrounds, picnic areas, amphitheaters, farmlands, pickleball courts, dog parks, boat rentals, and more.

Preakness organizers took a different approach to the 2023 version of the storied event, welcoming an international pop star to take the stage following the race. Instead of performing during the day or Friday, the weekend’s biggest performer — Bruno Mars — played shortly after the running of the 148th Preakness Stakes. The result was an attendance total that was slightly higher than last year’s, when Megan Thee Stallion and Lauryn Hill performed on the eve of Preakness 2022, but one that still paled in comparison to the previous decade.

Allegany County’s housing prices have far surpassed the pay scale for many local would-be buyers. According to Maryland Realtors, from April 2023 compared to April 2022 the county saw 9.7% fewer housing units sold with the average sales price up by 19.4%. Home sales across the state dropped by 33.8% year over year in April.

On the side of every Baltimore firehouse, a white sign adorned with flames presents a stark record: 10 people dead in fires already in 2023. The count serves as a reminder of how lethal fires can be, a reality that city and state officials seek to emphasize since Maryland experienced more deaths in the first quarter of this year than in the same period each year for the past two decades.

The Department of Transportation is increasing patrols around the city after an uptick in bike lane citations. Bikers around common in Baltimore. Louisa Benatovich likes to ride her bike around the city when it gets warm. “I like that you can feel very connected to your surroundings and that you’re not using your vehicle and it’s a little extra workout,” she said.

On Tuesday, the council in Montgomery County, Maryland, voted 9-2 to pass legislation requiring safety plans from businesses that stay open late. The bill applies to businesses open between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. that allow, or provide “on-site consumption of tobacco, alcohol, food or cannabis.” The new rules also apply to businesses open between midnight and 2 a.m. that have had two or more police service calls in response to serious incidents.