Around Maryland

As B&O Railroad Museum’s “Royal Blue” train traveled down the first mile of commercial railroad track laid in the U.S., drag queens sashayed down the aisles. Music pumped from speakers placed atop the luggage racks, and the air was full of dollar bills — tips waiting to be accepted by performers. When the 40-minute-long journey was over, people crowded under the museum’s outdoor pavilion to escape the rain and dance. (Photo: Kylie Cooper/The Baltimore Banner)

Inside one of the trailers at Lamont Elementary School, two classes of multilingual learners were practicing comparing and contrasting. Separated only by a divider, a small group of third graders discussed tornadoes and hurricanes; for the second graders, it was polar bears and pandas. The sound carried across the room, but the kids, many of them immigrants to Prince George’s County from countries such as El Salvador and Mexico, stayed focused. (Photo: Kylie Cooper/The Baltimore Banner)

As the world reached 12 consecutive months of record global heat, the nine tornadoes that touched down earlier this month in Maryland raised the question of whether the state’s residents can expect to experience the threat more often in the face of climate change. Maryland set a single-day record June 5 when the National Weather Service rated six of the nine at EF1, the most ever of at least that rating, which measures wind speed and damage to trees and buildings.

Five years ago, hundreds of teens met up at the Inner Harbor over Memorial Day weekend, setting off a firestorm of public opinion after some grew rowdy and six were arrested. Last year, a similar crowd of young people talking, dancing and riding scooters downtown, near the Inner Harbor, prompted a police response to “monitor” activity. Days later, two teens were shot along East Pratt Street.

Transit Services of Frederick County has received a national award as 2024 Community Transportation System of the Year, according to a county news release. The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) recognized Frederick County’s Transit Services in the “Large System” category, for systems that either serve more than 50,000 people or receive federal grants for transportation planning in urbanized areas.

“Harbor Wetland,” a National Aquarium floating exhibit that re-creates a salt marsh habitat, will be open to the public Aug. 9, near the date of the aquarium’s 43rd anniversary. The exhibit, including a walkable floating dock, spans 10,000 feet. Admission will be free, and it will operate the same hours as the aquarium, which is open between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Sunday through Thursday and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Whether it’s electrified music or someone with a microphone and amplifier spreading their message, Montgomery County said it will begin cracking down on loud noises next month in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland. And now, there are new signs saying just that. Montgomery County Assistant Chief Administrative Officer Earl Stoddard told NBC Washington that enforcement will focus on the worst of the violators.

Leadership positions in Howard’s public school system will be reorganized in the coming months, including the creation of six new positions to oversee significant divisions of the school system, acting Superintendent Bill Barnes announced at a county Board of Education meeting on June 6. Barnes will become permanent superintendent July 1 and has served as acting superintendent since Jan. 10, after previous superintendent Michael Martirano announced his retirement Nov. 17 despite having almost three years left in a four-year contract.