Unbox your spring bonnet and press your seersucker. Baltimore’s annual Preakness Stakes returns this month. If you’re new to the world of horse racing, don’t fret. Here’s a rundown of everything you need to know ahead of the 149th Preakness Stakes.
Francis Scott Key Bridge cleanup officials shared a video animation Wednesday depicting how crews plan to deploy small explosive devices to clear a large steel truss resting on the bow of the Dali container ship in the Patapsco River. Crews will cut holes into various sections of the truss and place thin pieces of metal inside those holes — with small explosive charges attached — according to the one-minute animation.
Negotiations between Baltimore’s school board and its long-serving CEO, Sonja Santelises, appear to have stalled less than two months before her contract expires, a highly unusual situation that could suddenly leave the school system without a leader if they can’t reach a deal. Parents and community members say the board has left them in the dark.
Fatal overdoses in Maryland continued their downward trajectory, dropping 3% in 2023 to 2,503, according to data from the Maryland Office of Overdose Response. This trend is in contrast to the surge in the United States, which topped 112,000 overdoses in 12 months for the first time, according to new provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The pandemic era of 2020 and 2021 saw an escalation in overdose deaths, both in Maryland and the United States. While the United States grapples with escalating rates, Maryland overdoses have declined 11% since then.
Salvage crews may be getting close to removing the collapsed portion of the Francis Scott Key Bridge that’s resting on top of a massive cargo ship in Baltimore, Maryland. Crews are in the process of detailing what it will take to raise the section of the bridge that’s on top of the Dali, which caused the bridge to collapse in March after the collision.
Frederick County Public Schools has released an online survey ahead of the Board of Education’s next meeting on May 15 to gather public feedback on potential cuts to balance the district’s operating budget.
The body of the last missing construction worker killed in the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March has been recovered, officials announced Tuesday as demolition crews prepared to use explosives in the ongoing cleanup effort. Officials said the crew of the Dali will remain on board the grounded container ship while crews conduct a controlled demolition to break down the largest remaining span of the fallen bridge.
Kentucky Derby champion Mystik Dan will rest and recover over the next week before his owners and trainer Kenny McPeek make a “last-minute decision” about whether to point him toward the May 18 Preakness Stakes, expected to feature a field dominated by fresher horses. As the new champ posed for photos outside his barn at Churchill Downs on Sunday morning, co-owner Lance Gasaway said he would only want his horse to run in the $2 million Preakness if he has a strong chance to win…
Many of the nation’s fallen firefighters — 226 of them — were remembered this past weekend, in front of fire agencies and families from across the nation. One of the larger groups of honorees in recent years, it included 89 who died in 2023 and 137 from prior years. They included Christopher D. Morlan, a battalion chief with the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services. The second Frederick County firefighter memorialized over the weekend was Mark R. Fisher Jr., a volunteer in Frederick County and career firefighter with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.
We’re staying up to the minute on the issues shaping the future. Join us on the newsletter of choice for Maryland politicos and business leaders. It’s always free to join and never a hassle to leave. See you on the inside.
