Around Maryland

Frederick County’s Board of Education has narrowed the school district’s budget deficit to about $6.4 million after approving multiple cuts on Wednesday, which included reductions in average raises for district employees. Frederick County Public Schools’ proposed expenditures for fiscal year 2025’s operating budget were about $988 million — about $50 million higher than its projected revenues, according to a presentation from Heather Clabaugh, associate superintendent of fiscal services.

Without raising taxes, the Montgomery County Council voted to add $26.3 million dollars to the Maryland county executive’s proposed budget plan for FY2025. While the 11-member council was able to reach a consensus in its “straw” vote — the action before next week’s final decision — some concerns about the $7.1 billion spending plan were also voiced.

At the Maryland Institute College of Art’s graduation on Monday, interim President Cecilia McCormick asked the undergraduate class of 2024 to look into a mirror. “To be an artist, you have to be true to who you are,” McCormick said. The 200-year-old art and design school, which promotes itself online as “an institution that continually re-invented itself to meet the challenges of changing times,” has had its own self-reflecting to do in recent years.

The day has finally arrived, we now know when the Washington Commanders will face each of their opponents for the upcoming 2024 NFL Season. Since Draft night, Commanders fans have been waiting to find out which team rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels will take his first snaps against. The NFL released the official schedule Wednesday night, it includes all 17 games set for the Commanders' upcoming season.

Living alone in downtown Silver Spring and no longer able to drive because of a disability, Cynthia Goodman was feeling increasingly isolated when her doctor suggested in 2015 that she join a local organization that connects residents who need help with others who are willing to provide it. So Goodman signed up to become a member of Silver Spring Village, one of 30 such groups in Montgomery County.

Asma Naeem, director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, has an unexpected take on the climate protests that have shaken the art museum world in recent years. The protests, meant to convey the severity of climate change, have seen precious works of art from Sweden to Washington, D.C., doused in paint and cans of soup by impassioned climate activists. They’ve caused thousands of dollars in damage and prompted some museums to step up security for delicate artwork.

With Preakness week off and running, several of the contenders for Saturday's race have arrived in Baltimore, but not many of their trainers. Many of the trainers have so many horses across the country -- not just a few -- that they can't spend a whole week in Baltimore. But fortunately, the man, the myth, the legend, Hall of Famer trainer D. Wayne Lukas has returned.

A divided Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Monday issued a long-awaited overhaul of how regional electric transmission lines are planned and paid for, a move cheered by clean power groups but blasted by a conservative commissioner who said it was driven by “special interests” and exceeds the commission’s authority.