Around Maryland

The Capital Crescent Trail is projected to reopen between Bethesda and Silver Spring in spring 2026—a year earlier than expected, according to a recent report from the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). The 11-mile trail, which runs from Georgetown in Washington, D.C., to Silver Spring, has been partially closed since 2017 as part of MDOT’s Purple Line light-rail construction project.

The Frederick County government is taking steps to construct affordable housing units on the Prospect Center campus, which the county acquired in October 2021 for $20 million to use as a multi-agency complex. The 26-acre property on Himes Avenue in Frederick includes several large parking areas, in addition to the 209,000-square-foot main building, which the county previously used as a mass vaccination site.

Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, and Baltimore City officials unveiled strategies to keep young people occupied and out of trouble once school is out, which includes enforcement of the curfew law. This year’s summer youth engagement strategy looks much like last year’s. “Our approach this year is informed by lessons learned from last summer,” said Stefanie Mavronis, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement.

A solemn holiday to honor those who died fighting for the U.S. armed forces, Memorial Day weekend brings events and celebrations across the D.C. area. Here’s what you need to know. Memorial Day is also the unofficial start of summer, which means many area swimming pools are starting to open.

New rates for hangar rentals and other services at Hagerstown Regional Airport won approval from the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, but without some of the added fees initially proposed, and a new three-year rate schedule for water and sewer service was also approved. Because of increasing costs for services, Airport Director Neil Doran had sought approval to implement fees to cover Dumpster costs, security badges, airport maintenance, after-hours fire and rescue services and miscellaneous operations fees in addition to a 4% hike in hangar rentals.

Baltimore officials say they are working to streamline the transfer of police misconduct files to the civilian oversight group that determines discipline, amid concerns about delayed cases. Members of the city’s Administrative Charging Committee told The Baltimore Sun last month that Baltimore Police had been turning over some internal investigations too close to deadlines for disciplinary decisions, forcing them to cram hours of body camera footage into weekends and, at times, schedule emergency meetings.

The Frederick County Council is considering five proposed amendments to the Frederick County charter, including one providing for the removal of a council member from office and another authorizing the legislators to remove an appointed department head. During a meeting on Tuesday, the council voted unanimously to send the five proposed amendments to a public hearing.

The state has acceded to public demand to retain all 36 of its commuter bus routes but at reduced frequencies, the Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Transit Administration said in a news release Wednesday. In February the department said it would cut eight routes and reduce service on 26 more, including 10 in the Baltimore region.

The Howard County Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a $2.4 billion operating budget for the coming fiscal year that holds the line on property taxes while increasing spending on public safety and schools. After a month of public hearings and legislative meetings, the council approved a spending plan that makes minimal changes to the one recommended by County Executive Calvin Ball.