Around Maryland

On Wednesday, Carroll County will officially mark International Overdose Awareness Day with activities aimed at boosting awareness about lives lost and local residents affected by substance abuse. International Overdose Awareness Day was initiated in 2001 to expand awareness, honor individuals lost to overdose and acknowledge the grief of those left behind. It is an opportunity to grieve, and honor loved ones, according to the staff at the Carroll County Health Department.

When Baltimore-area children return to school Monday, some of them will have a new spot to read and socialize. The Baltimore Hunger Project, My New Book Inc. and the Towson Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks worked together to bring “My Cozy Corners” to life in Baltimore City and Baltimore County schools. The Towson Elks Lodge No. 469 covered most of the costs thanks to a grant from the National Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The project fits the Baltimore Hunger Project’s mission statement of feeding not only the body but also the mind, and My New Book’s goal of making sure every child has a book.

Four Baltimore County Police officers opened fire on a motorist in Dundalk in April, shooting through the car’s front and rear windows as the driver tried to get away. Video from a nearby car’s dashboard camera shows a chaotic scene: A black sedan collides with an unmarked county police vehicle, then reverses and moves as if to leave. An officer fires at least one shot through the windshield, as others shout for the driver to get out. The sedan keeps moving, and an officer fires another shot at the car.

Maryland’s second-largest school district is facing roughly 900 vacancies among its 10,000 employees, which may force it to combine classes in the upcoming school year. Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson wrote to the school system community in a back-to-school letter this week, detailing ongoing challenges in the school system, specifically staffing vacancies.

A third of Maryland fifth and eighth graders scored “proficient” on standardized tests in science this spring, according to data released this week. About 30% of fifth graders and 35% of eighth graders passed the standardized test known as the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, which was administered in the spring.

Before voting to approve a $60,000 settlement with a man the Gun Trace Task Force arrested in 2016, Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby asked whether members of the corrupt plainclothes unit who robbed citizens and planted guns on people were still eligible to collect their pensions. Deputy City Solicitor Ebony Thompson said she was not sure.

Federal authorities issued their final environmental approval Thursday for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s project to widen the Beltway and Interstate 270, delivering a major milestone for an infrastructure project estimated to cost about $5 billion. The step is a requirement for the project to receive federal funds, and it opens the way for Maryland to sign a 50-year contract to build and manage toll lanes along the congested highways. It also begins a five-month clock for opponents of the project to file legal challenges.

In the summer evenings, after the air has cooled down, Alivia Blum, 18, walks her goats up the hill behind her family’s home in rural Baltimore County and back again. Afterward, she sits in their pen and feeds them hay and, as a treat, Cheez-Its. Trixie and Kitty are picky eaters, but they absolutely love Cheez-Its.

Students in Howard County head back to school on Monday while the school system continues to hire for some open teaching positions. Howard County Schools Superintendent Michael Martirano told C4 and Bryan Nehman on Thursday that the school system has done well when it comes to hiring for open teacher positions.