Articles by Matthew Hay Brown

12:06 PM EDT, June 19, 2013

Details of Super Pond deaths expected at hearing

Details of the accident at Aberdeen Proving Ground that left two members of an elite Navy dive unit dead in February will be aired in public for the first time Wednesday, when military lawyers hold a preliminary hearing into possible criminal charges.

9:18 PM EDT, June 18, 2013

NSA chief says programs disrupted 50 terrorist plots

Under growing pressure over recently disclosed surveillance programs, the head of the National Security Agency told lawmakers Tuesday that gathering telephone data and monitoring Internet use has helped to disrupt more than 50 "potential terrorist events" since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

11:22 PM EDT, June 14, 2013

Little impact seen from suspension of clearance investigations

The Pentagon decision to suspend security clearance vetting for some defense contractors is likely to have little impact on either the Defense Department or private industry, officials from both said.

5:51 PM EDT, June 17, 2013

Navy football players facing charges in alleged rape

The superintendent of the Naval Academy has decided to bring charges in the alleged sexual assault of a female midshipman last year by three members of the football team, academy officials said Monday.

9:40 PM EDT, June 10, 2013

Similarities seen in leaks by Snowden, Manning

A young man comes to Maryland, takes some community college classes, uses his computer skills to get a job in which he gains a security clearance.

3:57 PM EDT, June 10, 2013

Ex-CIA worker from Maryland revealed as source of NSA leaks

A British newspaper has identified a 29-year-old former Marylander as the source of the top secret documents that revealed details of two National Security Agency surveillance programs and revived debate of the agency's reach into the private lives of Americans.

9:16 PM EDT, June 6, 2013

Privacy advocates outraged, but lawmakers defend collection of phone records

Privacy advocates expressed outrage Thursday over revelations that the National Security Agency has been collecting telephone records of virtually every phone call made in the United States for seven years, but the Obama administration and a bipartisan group of lawmakers defended the program as both legal and necessary.

3:31 PM EDT, June 8, 2013

NSA surveillance sparks privacy debate

You make a call from your land line or text a friend from your smartphone. You browse an online retailer for clothing, a book or music; you create a wish list or write a review.

2:05 PM EDT, June 3, 2013

Fire destroys two homes at Fort Meade

Two homes in the Potomac Place neighborhood of Fort Meade were destroyed and two more damaged in a fire Sunday, base officials said.

7:04 PM EDT, June 3, 2013

Bradley Manning's lawyer calls him young, naive, 'good-intentioned'

An Army prosecutor told a military judge Monday that Pfc. Bradley Manning drew on his military training to harvest hundreds of thousands of classified documents from military computers and dump them on the Internet, where he knew their release would endanger fellow U.S. soldiers.

8:18 PM EDT, June 3, 2013

Former Naval Academy instructor sentenced to 60 days

A former instructor at the Naval Academy was sentenced Monday to 60 days in a military jail for indecent acts, fraternization and conduct unbecoming an officer stemming from an incident with two female midshipmen in 2011, an academy spokeswoman said.

4:56 PM EDT, June 2, 2013

Former academy instructor acquitted of rape of midshipman

A former instructor at the Naval Academy has been found not guilty of aggravated sexual assault in an alleged attack on a female midshipman two years ago, an academy spokeswoman said Sunday.

8:09 PM EDT, June 1, 2013

Protesters gather at Fort Meade in support of Bradley Manning

Chanting "Free Bradley Manning" and wielding signs that read "my hero" and "Americans have the right to know," hundreds of demonstrators descended on Fort Meade on Saturday to support the soldier now facing a court-martial in the largest security breach in U.S. history.

9:50 PM EDT, May 31, 2013

Three Naval Academy football players investigated in alleged sexual assault on female midshipman

The Navy is investigating the alleged sexual assault last year of a female midshipman at the Naval Academy by three members of the football team, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed Friday.

3:16 PM EDT, June 11, 2013

Park service says police furloughs no longer needed

The National Park Service has announced that it no longer needs to furlough U.S. Park Police.

9:16 PM EDT, May 29, 2013

Fort Meade workers getting furlough notices

More than 500 civilian workers at Fort Meade will receive furlough notices over the next week, base officials said Wednesday.

8:07 AM EDT, June 1, 2013

Fort Meade preparing for hundreds at Bradley Manning demonstration

Fort Meade officials plan to close the main gate of the Army base in Anne Arundel County on Saturday, but police said they didn't not have plans to limit traffic on surrounding roads during a mass demonstration for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning.

11:39 PM EDT, May 27, 2013

Navy Reserve airborne electronic attack squadron makes final Md. flight

For nearly a quarter-century, members of the airborne electronic attack squadron VAQ-209 have launched their jets from this air base in Prince George's County for deployments over Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

6:36 PM EDT, May 29, 2013

Three Marine leaders relieved of duties after accident that killed Severna Park grad

Three Marine leaders have been relieved of their duties following the March training accident that killed a 21-year-old graduate of Severna Park High School and six other Marines, officials said Wednesday.

7:24 PM EDT, May 27, 2013

Families, friends remember fallen Marylanders

For Theresa Mills, the "most emotional day" came last June when the Marine Corps notification team visited her Laurel home to tell her that her older son had been killed in Afghanistan.

5:01 PM EDT, May 26, 2013

After war, a joyful reunion recalled on Memorial Day

As the hospital ship USNS Comfort motored up the Chesapeake Bay, Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class Josh Cackowski was eager to see his son — and anxious about how the 18-month-old might react to him.

3:13 PM EDT, May 15, 2013

Workers find unexploded ordnance at Fort Meade

Police and firefighters cordoned off a section of Fort Meade on Wednesday morning after utility workers discovered a piece of unexploded ordnance from the World War II era, base officials said.

8:55 PM EDT, May 9, 2013

Md. National Guard preparing for final Afghan deployment

As the Maryland National Guard prepares for what could be its final deployment to Afghanistan, its commander sees a "pivotal point" in the nation's history.

6:43 PM EDT, May 9, 2013

Md. National Guard preparing final Afghan deployment

As the Maryland National Guard prepares for what could be its final deployment to Afghanistan, its commander sees a "pivotal point" in the nation's history.

8:30 PM EDT, May 13, 2013

Maryland National Guard celebrates foreign partnerships

For Capt. Martin Noorsalu, deploying to Afghanistan with the Maryland National Guard last year was an unusual opportunity.

5:26 PM EDT, May 6, 2013

NSA plans new computing center for cyber threats

A new computing facility at the National Security Agency will help the country better defend against cyber attacks , agency officials and members of Congress said Monday.

8:48 PM EDT, April 12, 2013

Dundalk man accused by city police of child pornography

Baltimore Police asked for the public's help Friday in identifying victims of a Dundalk man they say collected and traded child pornography.

4:07 PM EDT, May 2, 2013

Charges weighed in diver deaths at APG

Two senior enlisted leaders with an elite Navy dive unit could face charges of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of two sailors at Aberdeen Proving Ground in February, and others could be charged, the Navy said Wednesday.

3:06 PM EDT, March 17, 2013

Carroll County soldier killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash

An Army officer from Eldersburg was among five soldiers killed in a helicopter crash earlier this week in Afghanistan, the Defense Department said late Saturday.

10:01 PM EDT, April 12, 2013

Woman killed, man wounded in Shipley Hill shooting

A woman was killed and a man wounded Friday evening in a shooting in the Shipley Hill neighborhood of West Baltimore, police said.

8:21 PM EDT, March 20, 2013

Triffon Alatzas named top editor of Baltimore Sun Media Group

Triffon G. Alatzas, who has served The Baltimore Sun as head of digital media and also led the sports and business departments, was named top editor of the 176-year-old news organization Wednesday.

7:04 PM EDT, March 24, 2013

Naval Academy astronauts return to inspire next generation

The course is Human Space Flight. The subject for today: analogues — the scenarios found in the world or contrived in the laboratory that NASA uses to simulate work and life aboard a space ship.

6:01 PM EST, February 14, 2013

Naval Academy names new commandant

Capt. Bill Byrne, a former quarterback at the Naval Academy, will return to Annapolis this spring as commandant of midshipmen, officials said Thursday.

12:48 PM EDT, March 24, 2013

Commission identifies obstacles for African-Americans in federal workforce

Despite decades of regulation, legislation and effort, obstacles continue to hinder equal employment opportunities for African-Americans in the federal workplace, a federal commission has reported.

3:06 PM EST, February 19, 2013

In surprise move, General Allen retires from military

Marine Corps Gen. John Allen, the former commander of the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan whose nomination to lead NATO was delayed last year while investigators probed his e-mails to a Florida socialite, has retired from the military.

11:13 AM EST, February 9, 2013

Foreign Service welcomes Kerry to Foggy Bottom

In greeting new Secretary of State John Kerry, members of the Foreign Service were welcoming one of their own.

7:12 PM EDT, March 13, 2013

Baltimore sailor says he was told not to report rape

After he was raped by a fellow Navy sailor, Brian Lewis wanted justice.

8:01 PM EST, February 7, 2013

Army adding high-flying blimps to Aberdeen airspace

The Army is planning to move an over-the-horizon radar system, with more than 100 soldiers and a pair of giant, blimp-like aerostats that fly as high as two miles up, to Aberdeen Proving Ground in the fall, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger said Thursday.

9:38 AM EST, February 25, 2013

Obama taps O'Malley to co-chair national homeland security panel

President Barack Obama has named Gov. Martin O'Malley one of two co-chairmen of a panel of state and federal officials focused on defense and homeland security, the governor's office said Monday.

12:48 PM EST, February 15, 2013

Archbishop Lori to celebrate Mass of Thanksgiving for Benedict

Archbishop William E. Lori will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving next week for the papacy of Benedict XVI, the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced Friday.

3:11 PM EST, February 1, 2013

Leopold to be sentenced in March

A judge has set a March date for the sentencing of Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold, as more Republicans said they were considering applying for his job.

8:22 PM EST, February 6, 2013

Reactions mixed to Postal Service's decision to stop Saturday delivery

Word that the cash-strapped Postal Service would stop delivering mail on Saturdays hit Lakesha Johnson hard.

9:21 PM EST, February 1, 2013

Leopold resigns as Anne Arundel executive

John R. Leopold stepped down Friday as Anne Arundel County executive, bringing an apparent end to the decades-long career of an idiosyncratic and charismatic force in Maryland politics who as recently as a year ago was considering a run for statewide office.

11:17 AM EST, February 9, 2013

Cardin asks NIH researchers to help fight looming cuts

Sen. Ben Cardin had a simple request of researchers at the National Institutes of Health looking for ways to defend their funding from looming budget cuts: "Put a face on this."

7:37 PM EST, January 28, 2013

Leopold defense rests; closing arguments set for Tuesday

Circuit Judge Dennis M. Sweeney denied Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold's request for acquittal on all charges in his misconduct trial, clearing the way for closing arguments Tuesday.

5:16 PM EST, February 8, 2013

Fort Meade Burger King reopens after maggot infestation

The popular Burger King restaurant on Fort Meade, shut down this week when workers discovered an infestation of maggots, has reopened after an all-clear from the installation's public health team.

7:48 PM EST, January 25, 2013

Leopold not guilty on one misconduct count

A circuit judge found John R. Leopold not guilty Friday of one count of misconduct in office, a partial victory for the embattled Anne Arundel County executive as his trial continued on other charges.

7:48 PM EST, February 4, 2013

By resigning, John Leopold can keep his county pension

By resigning ahead of a vote to remove him, former Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold may hold onto his $8,000 county pension, officials said.

10:39 PM EST, January 30, 2013

Arundel County Council pushes ouster of Leopold

Despite a warning from the county attorney that the move was premature, the Anne Arundel County Council pressed ahead Wednesday with a plan to remove County Executive John R. Leopold from office for criminal misconduct.

8:12 PM EST, January 23, 2013

Pentagon lifting ban on women in combat

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will end the long-standing prohibition on women serving in direct combat, Pentagon officials said Wednesday, opening hundreds of thousands of military jobs previously closed to female service members.

2:20 PM EST, February 7, 2013

Dundalk residents react to Postal Service's decision to stop Saturday delivery

At the Dundalk Post Office this week, news that the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service would stop delivering mail on Saturdays beginning in August was greeted with a mix of apathy and understanding.

10:22 PM EST, January 29, 2013

Leopold found guilty of misconduct, suspended from office

A judge found Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold guilty Tuesday of two counts of misconduct for using public employees to perform political and personal tasks, and he was suspended from office while the County Council made plans to force him out permanently.

6:31 PM EST, January 21, 2013

Ravens fans confident before Super Bowl

For Camina Anderson, it's not if the Ravens win the Super Bowl. It's when.

2:07 PM EST, February 1, 2013

Army identifies diver who died at APG's 'Super Pond'

The Army has identified the diver who died Wednesday at Aberdeen Proving Ground's "Super Pond."

3:00 PM EST, January 31, 2013

Former Naval Academy instructor to be court-martialed

A former Naval Academy instructor who is accused of sexually assaulting a female midshipman will be court-martialed, an academy spokeswoman said Thursday.

9:24 AM EST, January 21, 2013

Two walk into hospitals with gunshot wounds

Baltimore police on Monday morning were investigating a pair of shootings from Sunday evening.

7:12 PM EST, January 16, 2013

Former Naval Academy instructor faces sexual assault charges

A Marine Corps officer who worked as an instructor at the Naval Academy has been accused of sexually assaulting a female midshipman in his Annapolis apartment following the annual croquet match between the academy and St. John's College in 2011.

5:08 PM EST, January 30, 2013

Leopold's name could be removed from iconic deli menu

At Chick and Ruth's Delly in Annapolis, where politicians' favorite meals are named for them and listed in large print signs above the counter, a diner can order a "John R. Leopold" — chicken noodle soup.

10:30 AM EST, January 17, 2013

Leopold waives right to jury trial; judge will decide case

Attorneys likely will begin laying out their cases before week's end in the criminal trial of Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold, who is accused of using taxpayer-funded police officers for his personal and political benefit.

8:55 PM EST, January 24, 2013

Women in combat — 'It's going to level the playing field'

When Maryland National Guard Capt. Cara Kupcho first enlisted in the military 18 years ago, she wanted to drive a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, a 30-ton, armor-busting tank.

8:32 PM EST, January 23, 2013

Detail officer says Leopold removed opponent's campaign signs

An Anne Arundel County police sergeant told a judge Wednesday that he drove County Executive John R. Leopold on a predawn tour of Pasadena and Glen Burnie, with Leopold directing him to spots where the county executive uprooted his opponent's campaign signs.

8:34 PM EST, January 17, 2013

Leopold chooses trial by judge in complex misconduct case

Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold has waived his right to a jury in his criminal misconduct trial, clearing the way for attorneys to make opening statements Friday in a case that now will be heard by a single judge.

9:37 PM EST, January 13, 2013

Anne Arundel Executive John Leopold stands trial this week

For nearly a year since John R. Leopold was charged with using his taxpayer-funded police detail to arrange sexual liaisons and defeat his political adversaries, the Anne Arundel County executive has said little in public about the allegations.

11:05 AM EST, January 12, 2013

Fort Meade commander taking on synthetic marijuana

At first, the soldier's behavior was puzzling. He appeared to be having hallucinations. He was anxious. He became belligerent.

12:08 AM EST, January 2, 2013

'Fiscal cliff' deal approved, avoiding tax increases, spending cuts

A bipartisan plan to avoid federal spending reductions and tax increases that would hit Maryland especially hard won final approval Tuesday night in the House of Representatives even as outside groups warned that the bill would simply delay difficult decisions for a few months.

9:37 PM EST, January 18, 2013

Police corporal, scheduler say they planted signs for Leopold

Crying as she testified, a former scheduler for Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold told a judge Friday that she emptied her boss' urinary catheter bag several times during the workday and went along with planting signs for his 2010 re-election campaign because she feared for her job.

6:07 PM EST, January 5, 2013

Women in U.S. military fight for right to serve in combat

As a woman in the Army, Staff Sgt. Jennifer Hunt is barred from serving in the infantry. But that didn't stop commanders in Afghanistan from tapping her when they needed a female soldier to accompany men on their door-kicking missions.

10:38 AM EST, December 16, 2012

Hoyer, Van Hollen: No more cuts to federal workforce

As the fiscal cliff looms, two of Maryland's most influential congressmen have a message for those looking to the federal workforce for more savings: Look somewhere else.

3:46 PM EST, December 8, 2012

Six decades later, sons seek answers on death of Detrick scientist

First, the Army told Frank Olson's sons that the Fort Detrick scientist's death in a fall from a 13th-floor window of a New York hotel had been an accident.

5:11 PM EST, January 2, 2013

For former members, life after Congress

Connie Morella served as an ambassador in Paris. Helen Bentley became a consultant to the port of Baltimore. Wayne Gilchrest opened an environmental education center on the Eastern Shore.

7:31 AM EST, December 4, 2012

Lead limits on military firing ranges outdated, report says

Researchers commissioned by the Defense Department said Monday that decades-old limits on lead exposure are inadequate to protect the health of workers on military firing ranges.

12:04 PM EST, January 1, 2013

Belcamp teenager killed in Aberdeen crash

A Belcamp teenager has died of injuries from a car crash late Monday in Aberdeen, officials said.

5:07 PM EST, December 1, 2012

Foreign midshipmen forge international ties

Like her classmates at the U.S. Naval Academy, Midshipman 1st Class Dagmara Broniatowska learned how to salute, ran the endurance course and memorized the body of American military information, history and quotations known as the Rates.

5:14 PM EST, November 10, 2012

Young veterans easing back into life after war

Joseph Bathgate calls them "the Hollywood questions."

6:38 PM EST, December 24, 2012

Searching for Christmas joy after Newtown

Like preachers across the country preparing for Christmas services today, William Lori has grappled with the question of how to celebrate the joy of the day so soon after the devastation of Newtown.

December 8, 2012

Federal workers, others oppose poultry inspection overhaul

Federal workers' unions and food safety groups have joined to oppose new rules proposed by the Department of Agriculture to streamline federal poultry inspections.

8:39 PM EST, November 30, 2012

Gross' health 'deteriorating;' wife pleads with Cuba, U.S. for release

As Alan Gross neared his third anniversary behind bars in Cuba, his wife gave new details of his deteriorating health and issued an impassioned plea to officials in Washington and Havana to negotiate his release immediately.

9:57 AM EST, November 11, 2012

After the election, a scramble for Hill jobs

When the votes from the 6th Congressional District were counted last week, John Delaney didn't just become Maryland's newest House member. He also became the state's newest employer.

8:05 PM EST, November 27, 2012

Psychiatrists recommended easing of Manning custody, official testifies

The former commander of the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Va., told a military court on Tuesday that accused WikiLeaker Bradley Manning was held in highly restrictive "prevention-of-injury" custody even though psychiatrists recommended the conditions be eased.

11:44 PM EST, November 6, 2012

Students celebrate approval of Maryland Dream Act

The mood was celebratory Tuesday night at Arcos Restaurant in Fells Point, where the Dreamers — students brought to the United States illegally as children, who now want to pursue higher education here — won their battle for in-state tuition breaks at the state's public colleges and universities.

4:30 PM EST, November 25, 2012

Accused WikiLeaker Manning says he was punished before trial

Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is due back at Fort Meade this week, where lawyers for the alleged WikiLeaker plan to argue that he was punished at a military brig before his case had been heard — grounds, they say, to dismiss all charges against him.

7:40 PM EDT, November 1, 2012

Despite storm, officials say polling places will be ready for Election Day

While some Marylanders cope with flooding and others wait for the lights to come back on, elections officials said polls everywhere should be ready in time for Election Day.

8:52 PM EDT, October 31, 2012

Early voting resumes at record pace

The opportunity to vote in a highly charged presidential election and on several closely contested ballot questions drew Marylanders back to the polls Wednesday, keeping the state's early voting turnout on a record pace.

5:55 PM EDT, October 26, 2012

Delaney, aided by Clinton, widens funding lead over Bartlett

Democratic challenger John Delaney outraised longtime Republican Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett by a 6-to-1 margin in the first half of October and had more cash on hand going into the final weeks of the campaign, according to figures released by the Federal Election Commission.

3:48 PM EST, November 17, 2012

Democrats, GOP still divided on illegal immigration

The way Francisco Dominguez sees it, a law that would allow him to become a U.S. citizen would benefit everyone.

7:23 PM EDT, October 23, 2012

Dream Act: Some see hope, others a drain on state resources

First of three articles about state ballot issues

6:51 PM EDT, October 18, 2012

FBI says New York bomb suspect considered Baltimore target

A man accused of plotting to attack the Federal Reserve in New York considered striking a lightly guarded military installation in Baltimore, according to authorities.

3:23 PM EDT, September 29, 2012

Ten years ago, snipers plunged region into terror

When the Washington-area snipers launched their shooting rampage a decade ago, Prince George's County restaurateur Paul LaRuffa suffered the same effects as everyone else: anxiety about leaving the house, fear of pumping gas, worry for loved ones — all adding up to a general jumpiness about when, where and whom the gunmen would strike next.

6:48 PM EDT, October 15, 2012

Democrats seek investigation of anti-Dream Act group

The Maryland Democratic Party is asking state prosecutors to investigate what it says are "serious campaign finance violations" by a group that opposes the state's Dream Act.

5:18 PM EDT, September 22, 2012

Independent puts money behind Senate run

Arguing that the two-party system is corrupt, a Montgomery County businessman is pouring his own money into an independent bid for the U.S. Senate from Maryland.

2:15 PM EDT, October 13, 2012

Washington-area federal charity drive lowers sights

With the economic recovery still sluggish, a donor pool laboring under a long-term pay freeze and uncertainty about looming budget cuts, organizers of the Combined Federal Campaign in the National Capital Area have reduced their fundraising goal for the 2012 giving season.

7:39 PM EST, November 14, 2012

General Allen was leader at Naval Academy

When Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen overheard a platoon of first-year midshipmen at the Naval Academy shout "kill" during training one summer day a decade ago, he ordered the word expunged from their vocabulary.

3:05 PM EDT, September 29, 2012

10 years ago, snipers plunged the region into terror

When the Washington-area snipers launched their shooting rampage a decade ago, Prince George's County restaurateur Paul LaRuffa suffered the same effects as everyone else: anxiety about leaving the house, fear of pumping gas, worry for loved ones — all adding up to a general jumpiness about when, where and whom the gunmen would strike next.

8:06 PM EDT, September 14, 2012

LaFerla to challenge Harris as write-in candidate

John LaFerla, the Chestertown physician who narrowly lost the Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District in April, has won the party's support to challenge Republican Rep. Andy Harris as a write-in candidate, he said Friday.

12:05 AM EDT, October 12, 2012

Same-sex marriage supporters condemn action against petition signer

Gov. Martin O'Malley and other supporters of the law to allow same-sex marriage in Maryland called Thursday for the reinstatement of a university administrator who was placed on leave for signing a petition aimed at overturning the measure.

5:06 PM EDT, September 22, 2012

At Morgan State, Michelle Obama urges supporters to work

While polls show President Barack Obama beginning to widen his lead over Republican rival Mitt Romney nationally and in key states, first lady Michelle Obama had a message for supporters Friday at Morgan State University: Take nothing for granted.

6:29 PM EDT, September 17, 2012

Historically black Md. universities win federal grants

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded more than $12.2 million to Maryland's four historically black colleges and universities, Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski said Monday.

7:38 PM EDT, September 3, 2012

After Grand Prix of Baltimore, crews hustle to clear downtown streets

With the Grand Prix of Baltimore over, workers were taking down fences, removing safety barriers and opening streets Monday with the goal of restoring the flow of traffic through Downtown Baltimore in time for the Tuesday morning commute.

6:41 PM EDT, September 12, 2012

Muslim leaders in Maryland condemn attacks

Events such as the attacks on the U.S. diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt that left four Americans dead make Hasan Jalisi's work more difficult.

9:21 PM EDT, September 21, 2012

As congressional ally retires, federal employee advocates cite progress, challenges

A leading advocate in Congress for federal workers, Sen. Daniel Akaka says he's pleased by progress on some of his priorities: Legislation to allow employees to work from home, reforms in hiring and the security clearance process, improvements in matching veterans and people with disabilities to jobs.

7:30 PM EDT, September 11, 2012

Fla. officials sending Rosen voting allegations to prosecutors

Elections officials in Florida said Tuesday they were asking prosecutors to investigate allegations that former Maryland congressional candidate Wendy Rosen was registered and voted in both states.

6:38 PM EDT, September 14, 2012

Democrat withdraws from 1st District congressional race after allegations she voted in two states

Wendy Rosen, the Democratic challenger to Republican Rep. Andy Harris in the 1st Congressional District, withdrew from the race Monday amid allegations that she voted in elections in both Maryland and Florida in 2006 and 2008.

3:43 PM EDT, September 8, 2012

Marylanders head elsewhere to drum up votes

With primary battles settled, the conventions over and the general election less than two months away, Democrats and Republicans now turn to the end game: reaching out to persuade the few remaining undecided voters that their nominee is the one to solve the nation's problems.

4:00 PM EDT, September 3, 2012

Md. Navy SEAL to be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery

A Navy SEAL from Edgewater is to be laid to rest this week at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

3:54 PM EDT, September 3, 2012

Convenience store clerk shot in robbery attempt

A gunman shot a convenience store clerk during a robbery attempt early Monday in Halethorpe, Baltimore County police said.

4:03 PM EDT, September 2, 2012

Van Hollen gains unexpected role in Obama campaign

Even as he campaigns for re-election to Congress, Rep. Chris Van Hollen has been tapped by the Obama campaign to help lead the Democratic rebuttal to Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan — a role that is taking him to battleground states around the nation.

10:36 PM EDT, September 3, 2012

Man, 20, stabbed after fight over woman in Dundalk

A 20-year-old man was in critical condition with a stab wound after an argument Monday morning in Dundalk, Baltimore County police said.

11:27 PM EDT, August 20, 2012

Navy SEAL from Edgewater killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash

A Navy SEAL from Edgewater was killed in last week's Black Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan, defense officials said Monday.

7:55 PM EDT, August 27, 2012

Conaway says he's planning water bill lawsuit

Baltimore's clerk of the Circuit Court announced plans Monday for a class action lawsuit to force the city to collect delinquent water bills from businesses and other large customers.

8:07 PM EDT, August 25, 2012

Maryland GOP delegation unified behind Romney

Maryland Republicans converge on Tampa this week to cast their ballots for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and get energized for the November election against President Barack Obama.

11:39 PM EDT, August 20, 2012

Navy SEAL from Edgewater killed in Afghanistan helicopter crash

A Navy SEAL from Edgewater was killed in last week's Black Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan, defense officials said Monday.

4:21 PM EDT, August 19, 2012

Fame followed the Henn quads

At nine months of age, they hadn't yet left the hospital, the babies standing at the crib rail. And yet the Henn quadruplets, photographed weeks before they left St. Agnes in October 1947, were already veterans of the international media spotlight — the subject of dozens of news reports, beginning with their discovery in utero through their birth to their parents' efforts to care and provide for them.

11:39 PM EDT, September 3, 2012

Charlotte speech gives O'Malley a shot at advancement, redemption

When Gov. Martin O'Malley takes the stage at the Democratic convention to give the most important speech of his political career, he'll have to deliver on one deceptively simple goal: He'll need to make people want to hear more.

11:51 PM EDT, August 20, 2012

Sarah Palin endorses Bongino for Senate

Former Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has made another foray into Maryland politics, endorsing GOP candidate Dan Bongino in what she calls his "uphill battle" for the Senate, his campaign announced Monday.

6:41 PM EDT, August 13, 2012

Maryland sees a future in drones

In a cavernous production facility at AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Hunt Valley, workers assemble remote-control planes that help U.S. forces identify enemy targets.

7:34 PM EDT, August 2, 2012

STOCK Act: Federal employees sue government over financial disclosure

Seven senior federal employees and four employees' groups filed a federal lawsuit Thursday to stop their agencies from posting their salaries, stock portfolios and other assets online.

11:20 AM EDT, September 3, 2012

Firefighters battle Jessup liquor store blaze

Firefighters battled heavy flames at a liquor store blaze in Jessup early Monday, a county fire spokeswoman said.

9:27 PM EDT, August 14, 2012

Military police headed to Afghanistan

Maryland National Guard Sgt. Darren Lebowitz is leaving soon for Afghanistan as many U.S. troops return home.

12:33 AM EDT, July 26, 2012

Social Security Administration gets C's in clear communication

Advocates for plain language have issued their first report card on how clearly federal agencies communicate with taxpayers and others — and the Social Security Administration has drawn a pair of C's.

5:55 PM EDT, July 20, 2012

VA to open new outpatient clinic in Southern Maryland

The Department of Veterans Affairs will open a new outpatient clinic for veterans in Southern Maryland next year, Secretary Eric K. Shinseki said Thursday.

4:32 PM EDT, July 28, 2012

Unexploded ordnance in Afghanistan poses hidden threat

The hulking old tanks, left to rust when Soviet forces pulled out of Afghanistan in 1989, still packed a threat when Albert Whittington arrived.

9:59 AM EDT, August 12, 2012

Talk of D.C. commuter tax finds opposition in Maryland

Talk in Congress of letting the District of Columbia tax commuters is getting a cool reception in Maryland.

11:17 PM EDT, July 21, 2012

Two service members among Aurora dead

WASHINGTON — Two service members were among the dozen moviegoers killed Friday in Aurora, Colo., military officials said.

4:49 PM EDT, July 21, 2012

Thousands brave wet Artscape

Undeterred by the wet weather, thousands strolled Saturday among the art displays, the crafts tables and the Italian sausage vendors of Artscape.

2:54 PM EDT, July 26, 2012

Special Forces soldier from Baltimore County killed in Afghanistan

A Special Forces soldier from Baltimore County was killed Saturday in Afghanistan, officials said.

5:35 PM EDT, August 2, 2012

Obama declares major disaster in Md. for derecho

President Barack Obama on Thursday declared a major disaster in Maryland following the storms and high winds of late June and early July, and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected.

8:35 PM EDT, June 18, 2012

War of 1812 enemies sign 'declaration of peace'

On the 200th anniversary of the U.S. declaration of war on Britain and its colonies, representatives of the United States, Britain and Canada gathered at Fort McHenry to sign a "declaration of peace."

June 30, 2012

Federal government tries to reach out to younger workers, recent graduates

Next month, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management rolls out the Pathways programs, created by President Barack Obama in an effort to better attract young people to federal government jobs.

9:37 PM EDT, July 19, 2012

Army sergeant from Baltimore dies in Afghanistan

An Army sergeant from Baltimore was killed by a roadside bomb Wednesday in Afghanistan, officials said.

5:50 PM EDT, July 20, 2012

Pentagon: Colorado shooting suspect was never in military

The suspect in the Colorado movie theater shootings is not and has never been a member of the armed forces, the Pentagon said Friday.

2:54 PM EDT, June 16, 2012

Aberdeen scientists fight a war against IEDs

Inside a two-story, cylindrical metal structure at Aberdeen Proving Ground, scientists detonate a homemade bomb to take high-speed pictures of the shrapnel flying apart.

7:18 PM EDT, June 14, 2012

Walter Reed doctor sentenced for oxycodone possession

A federal judge sentenced an Army doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Thursday to a year and a day in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and possession of the painkiller with intent to distribute.

June 29, 2012

Federal executives balk at new financial disclosure rules

Lawmakers of both parties congratulated themselves on the overwhelming bipartisan passage of a law that bars members of Congress from insider trading.

11:17 PM EDT, June 4, 2012

Castro daughter: Trade Gross for Cuban Five

A daughter of Cuban president Raúl Castro says the United States should release five imprisoned Cuban intelligence officers in exchange for the Maryland aid worker held for more than two years in Havana.

11:00 PM EDT, May 30, 2012

Edgewater Marine killed in Afghanistan

A Marine from Edgewater has died in Afghanistan, defense officials said Wednesday.

11:59 PM EDT, June 23, 2012

Marine from Laurel killed in Afghanistan

A Marine from Laurel was killed Friday in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said Saturday night.

10:13 AM EDT, June 5, 2012

Police break up suspected meth lab at Elkridge Holiday Inn

Howard County Police arrested five out-of-state men Monday in connection with a methamphetamine lab in an Elkridge hotel room.

8:03 PM EDT, May 31, 2012

Andromeda, Milky Way galaxies on collision course

First, the bad news: The Andromeda galaxy, an agglomeration of 1 trillion stars that is visible to the naked eye, is hurtling through space at 250,000 miles per hour — and it's coming right at us.

6:16 PM EDT, May 29, 2012

Panetta tells Naval Academy graduates to look to Asia-Pacific

With Osama bin Laden dead, the war in Iraq over and the war in Afghanistan winding down, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told graduating midshipmen Tuesday to prepare themselves for "one of the key projects" of their generation: building American strength in the Asia-Pacific region.

3:57 PM EDT, May 30, 2012

One dead, two hurt in Kent Narrows boat crash

An Eastern Shore man is dead and two people remained hospitalized after their small boat hit the south jetty at Kent Narrows late Sunday, police said.

6:14 PM EDT, May 26, 2012

15 years later, CIA acknowledges fallen Marylander worked for agency

The report from the State Department was brief: Thomas M. Jennings Jr., a federal worker from Burtonsville on a temporary assignment with NATO peacekeepers, had died in a car crash in Southern Bosnia.

1:55 PM EDT, May 21, 2012

Mids describe smooth transition from 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'

When his roommate at the Naval Academy said jokingly last year that Andrew Atwill was a homosexual, the midshipman told him to cut it out.

10:08 PM EDT, June 10, 2012

Seventy years later, pioneering black Marines honored

When the train full of Marine recruits from Baltimore reached Washington, the blacks were made to move to the back. At boot camp in North Carolina, they were forbidden to step onto Camp Lejeune without a white escort.

7:26 PM EDT, May 18, 2012

Outside G-8 summit, few protesters

— A high-profile meeting of world leaders at Camp David drew only sparse protests Friday despite extensive security preparations by local officials.

7:38 AM EDT, May 29, 2012

Swimmer's body found by Natural Resources police

The body of a swimmer who disappeared Sunday near Howell Point on the Eastern Shore, was recovered by the Maryland Natural Resources Police Monday.

7:16 PM EDT, May 28, 2012

Seven Marylanders honored in Memorial Day ceremony

Last year, Aaron Marchanti invited his father to the annual Memorial Day ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

7:02 PM EDT, May 22, 2012

Lori to take religious freedom message to Washington

As Catholic institutions across the country sue the Obama administration over new health insurance rules, Baltimore's new archbishop is scheduled to speak in Washington this week at a conference focusing on "Rising Threats to American Religious Freedom."

5:45 PM EDT, April 28, 2012

A surprise reunion, a friendship resumed

In 26 years as a Marine, Sgt. Maj. Brian Taylor has lost several comrades. But he never forgot that "puny little squiggly kid" from West Baltimore who "just had all of this motivation and no direction."

8:04 PM EDT, April 20, 2012

Former Mid sues Naval Academy over rapes

A former midshipman who says she was raped twice while at the Naval Academy has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force officials to improve their response to sexual assaults at the service academies.

7:48 PM EDT, June 4, 2012

Anne Arundel County considering defibrillators at pools

The Anne Arundel County Council is considering requiring pool operators to keep defibrillators among their safety equipment.

8:07 PM EDT, April 25, 2012

New Hopkins institute to help protect soldiers

The Johns Hopkins University will use a $90 million award to form an institute that will help the Army develop lightweight materials to better protect soldiers and vehicles, university officials said Wednesday.

11:56 PM EDT, May 28, 2012

Swimmer's body found by Natural Resources police

The body of a swimmer who disappeared Sunday near Howell Point on the Eastern Shore, was recovered by the Maryland Natural Resources Police Monday.

10:28 AM EDT, May 12, 2012

Gold Star Mothers continue the service of their fallen children

BETHESDA — A mother arrives at the Red Cross office at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on a mission for her son, a 23-year-old soldier and double amputee. He needs a back scratcher.

10:15 AM EDT, May 2, 2012

Public may watch Guantanamo arraignments from Fort Meade

Members of the public may watch the arraignment of self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other terror suspects Saturday at Fort Meade, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday.

8:14 PM EDT, April 23, 2012

Pentagon creating new spy service

The Pentagon is creating a new intelligence service aimed at gathering information on terrorist networks, weapons of mass destruction and other emerging concerns, a senior defense official said Monday.

5:37 PM EDT, May 23, 2012

Catholics to launch national campaign with mass in Baltimore

The Catholic Church, embroiled in a dispute with the Obama administration over new health insurance rules, has chosen Baltimore to kick off a national campaign it says is aimed at promoting religious liberty.

12:07 AM EDT, April 19, 2012

Md. National Guard headed to U.S.-Mexican border

As the election-year debate over illegal immigration heats up, Maryland National Guard members are preparing to deploy to Texas to help monitor the U.S.-Mexican border.

9:03 PM EDT, May 5, 2012

9/11 defendants refuse to participate in arraignment

Before self-proclaimed 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was brought into court Saturday, Carole Reuben of Potomac said his arraignment would mark "the beginning of the end of the process."

8:21 PM EDT, May 7, 2012

As Afghanistan drawdown looms, concerns about Pakistan

Back from a visit to Kabul, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger expressed confidence in relations between the U.S. and Afghanistan. It's Pakistan that concerns him.

9:55 PM EDT, April 16, 2012

Baltimore County woman gets 60 years in husband's murder

A Dundalk woman who admitted to arranging her husband's murder two years ago was sentenced Monday to 60 years in prison.

9:17 PM EDT, April 16, 2012

Peabody composer wins Pulitzer Prize in music

Kevin Puts, a composer who teaches at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, won the Pulitzer Prize in music Monday for his first opera.

7:44 PM EDT, May 21, 2012

From Cuban cell, Gross thanks Jewish community for support

Alan Gross, the Potomac man serving 15 years in Cuba after carrying communications equipment into the communist island nation, continues to communicate with supporters from the military hospital where he is held.

5:58 PM EDT, May 1, 2012

Limited seats at Fort Meade for public to watch terror arraignments

Members of the public may watch the arraignment of self-proclaimed 9/11mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other terror suspects from Fort Meade on Saturday, but seating for the video feed will be limited, a spokesman for the Army base said Tuesday.

8:04 PM EDT, April 1, 2012

Key races, little interest as primary nears

Despite high-profile races — including a Republican presidential contest that brought the candidates swinging through the state and a nationally significant House race in Western Maryland — elections officials predict that turnout could fall to near-record lows in Tuesday's primary.

8:34 PM EDT, April 16, 2012

Arundel police identify officer in fatal shooting

Anne Arundel County Police have identified the officer who shot a Gambrills man to death in the man's home last week as Timothy Peek, a four-year member of the force assigned to patrol services.

7:05 PM EDT, May 11, 2012

Alan Gross, in Cuban prison, asks to see his ailing mother

Alan Gross, the Maryland man who is serving 15 years in a Cuban prison after taking communications equipment into the communist nation, is asking authorities there to let him return to the United States to visit his ailing mother before she dies.

4:02 PM EDT, March 16, 2012

Hotels agree to wounded soldiers program

Three national hotel corporations have agreed to participate in a program that will allow Americans to donate their hotel points to wounded soldiers and their families, Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger and Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin said Friday.

7:35 PM EDT, March 15, 2012

As gasoline prices rise, Obama takes aim at alternative-energy critics

With rising oil prices creating a drag on the economy and his re-election effort, President Barack Obama mocked Republican critics of his alternative-energy policy Thursday, comparing them to the "cynics and naysayers" who didn't believe the Earth was round or that television would take off.

8:30 PM EDT, April 11, 2012

Guardsman to receive Air Force Cross for heroism in Afghan firefight

As they prepared for the helicopter assault in volatile eastern Afghanistan, the team of American and Afghan special-forces soldiers was told it might encounter 10 to 15 enemy fighters on the ground.

6:22 PM EDT, March 24, 2012

A growing thirst in Damascus

Stop by the Red Rooster, a 10-seat joint just off Main Street in this rural community an hour west of Baltimore, and you can order a burger, some barbecue or the fried chicken that some locals claim is the best on the East Coast.

11:03 PM EDT, March 27, 2012

Dismayed by Washington, Pooran runs for Congress

Milad Pooran was honeymooning in the South Pacific last summer as politicians in Washington were turning a deadline to raise the U.S. debt limit into another opportunity for partisan brinkmanship.

1:20 PM EDT, April 3, 2012

Md. voters to have say in GOP primary

Candidates in the 6th Congressional District ran from polling place to polling place this morning, confronting particularly low turnouts despite the sunny, warm weather.

8:32 PM EDT, April 9, 2012

Mega Millions winner claims prize

The holder of the winning Mega Millions ticket purchased at a Baltimore County convenience store stepped forward Monday to claim the prize, officials said.

10:57 PM EDT, April 9, 2012

Police officer kills self after traffic stop, chase

A Montgomery County police officer shot himself to death after leading a state trooper on a high-speed chase on the Eastern Shore early Monday, state police said.

10:12 PM EDT, April 3, 2012

Romney wins Maryland primary for GOP nomination

Maryland Republicans pushed Mitt Romney closer to the GOP presidential nomination Tuesday, giving the former Massachusetts governor a double-digit margin of victory on a day when he also won in Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

6:53 PM EDT, March 14, 2012

O'Malley to speak at conference for gay and lesbian Catholics

Gov. Martin O'Malley, who continues to campaign for same-sex marriage in advance of a likely referendum aimed at overturning the law he signed this month, will speak Friday at a conference in Baltimore for gay and lesbian Catholics.

12:21 AM EDT, March 16, 2012

Lawmakers approve veterans' driver's licenses

The General Assembly has voted unanimously to create a "veteran" status on Maryland driver's licenses.

8:43 PM EST, March 1, 2012

Fort Meade to close golf course after more than six decades of play

The golf course at Fort Meade will close May 1 after more than six decades of play, officials at the Army base said Thursday.

8:01 PM EST, February 29, 2012

A turning point in terror prosecutions

The conviction of a former Baltimore County man in a deadly hotel bombing in Indonesia is seen as a turning point in the long-delayed prosecution of terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay.

6:07 PM EST, March 10, 2012

Treating the wounds of military sexual trauma

Machele Fredericks had to face her attacker every day.

6:46 PM EST, March 8, 2012

Maryland Guard members mourn Marchanti

Maj. Gen. James A. Adkins, the commander of the Maryland National Guard, visited with Maj. Robert J. Marchanti II last fall as he drilled at an Army base in Virginia.

10:19 PM EST, February 14, 2012

Navy moving hospital ship Comfort to Virginia

The USNS Comfort, the white-hulled hospital ship that has been a fixture of the Baltimore waterfront for a quarter-century, is moving next year to Norfolk, Va., the Navy announced Tuesday.

4:54 PM EST, March 6, 2012

Frederick Co. welcomes G-8 summit move to Camp David

Frederick County officials welcomed news Tuesday that President Barack Obama will host this year's G-8 summit at Camp David.

5:38 PM EST, January 28, 2012

Maryland Guard travels dangerous road in hopes of Afghan peace

For the soldiers of Task Force Raven in Afghanistan, the tempo is high, the roads are rough, and the work is dangerous.

7:08 PM EST, March 7, 2012

Laurel man indicted on terrorism charge

A Laurel man was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on a charge of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization.

7:12 PM EST, February 13, 2012

State, local officials preparing for new BRAC

As President Barack Obama proposed a new round of military base closures and reorganization, Maryland's political and business forces already are working to protect installations here and position the state to benefit from any future moves.

5:20 PM EST, March 3, 2012

From Owings Mills High School to a cell at Guantanamo

A studious young man with an aptitude for computers, Majid Shoukat Khan was working as a database administrator in a high-rise office building in Tysons Corner, Va., on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

6:39 PM EST, February 3, 2012

Accused WikiLeaker Manning sent to court-martial

The commander of the Military District of Washington has ordered a court-martial for Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, the former intelligence analyst accused of giving hundreds of thousands of classified documents to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks.

11:19 AM EST, February 28, 2012

City fire department honors Marchanti

The Baltimore City Fire Department is flying the flag at half-staff to honor Maryland National Guard Maj. Robert J. Marchanti II, who was killed Saturday in Afghanistan.

10:07 PM EST, February 23, 2012

Bradley Manning charged in WikiLeaks case

Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, the former intelligence analyst accused in the largest leak of classified material in U.S. history, was formally charged Thursday with aiding the enemy and violating the Espionage Act.

6:38 PM EST, February 20, 2012

Airman from Upper Marlboro one of four killed in Africa

An airman from Upper Marlboro was killed Saturday in an accident in Africa, the Pentagon said.

3:59 PM EST, January 26, 2012

Baltimore selected to host Navy Week

Baltimore has been selected to host a Navy Week in June, when the Blue Angels, the Leap Frogs parachute team and ships and sailors will join in the War of 1812 bicentennial celebration.

7:50 PM EST, February 27, 2012

Md. Guard major who taught in Balto. Co. is killed in Afghan ministry shooting

As violent protests continued in Afghanistan over the burning of copies of the Muslim holy book by NATO forces, the Pentagon confirmed Monday that a Maryland National Guard major was one of two U.S. military officers shot to death inside a ministry building in the heart of the Afghan capital over the weekend.

5:05 PM EST, January 21, 2012

Discovery of WWII shells at state park spurs search

Growing up, George E. Raley Jr. heard stories that the military had conducted some sort of testing during World War II on the quiet Southern Maryland peninsula known as Newtowne Neck.

9:23 PM EST, January 9, 2012

Ex-soldier from Laurel charged with trying to join terrorist group in Somalia

Craig Benedict Baxam was surfing the Internet from his Army base in South Korea last summer when he came across an Islamic religious website.

8:08 PM EST, February 20, 2012

Maryland Air National Guard losing planes, mission

For months, the men and women of the 135th Airlift Group have been training on their new C27J Spartan turboprops for their deployment this spring to Afghanistan.

8:10 PM EST, February 21, 2012

Pentagon: No enemy involvement in Djibouti crash

There was no enemy involvement in the air crash that killed an airman from Upper Marlboro in Africa over the weekend, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

8:05 PM EST, January 17, 2012

Mourners remember Westminster airman killed in Afghanistan

Mourners of Airman 1st Class Matthew Ryan Seidler said the Westminster man had followed his dream of serving his country, found a band of brothers in the Air Force and died protecting his fellow soldiers in Afghanistan.

7:08 PM EST, January 12, 2012

Court-martial recommended for Bradley Manning

An Army officer recommended Thursday that Pfc. Bradley Manning, the former intelligence analyst accused of giving hundreds of thousands of classified documents to the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, be court-martialed on charges of violating the Espionage Act and aiding the enemy.

January 8, 2012

Sexual assaults are up at Naval Academy – or are they?

Reports of sexual assaults at the Naval Academy doubled last year, the fourth straight year the number has increased, according to the Defense Department.

12:13 PM EST, February 9, 2012

Bradley Manning to return to Fort Meade for WikiLeaks case

Private First Class Bradley E. Manning, the former intelligence analyst awaiting a court-martial on charges of aiding the enemy and violating the Espionage Act, will return to Fort Meade this month for his arraignment, the Army said Thursday.

5:41 PM EST, January 14, 2012

U.S. war on terror focuses on new battlefield: the Internet

A Woodlawn man watches online videos of Osama bin Laden, posts about jihad on his Facebook page, and — according to federal prosecutors — agrees to a plot to detonate a bomb at a military recruiting center in Catonsville.

7:01 PM EST, January 11, 2012

Ex-soldier accused of trying to join terrorist group ordered held

The Laurel man who is accused of attempting to join a terrorist group in Somalia was ordered held Wednesday until his case is decided.

8:35 PM EST, January 5, 2012

Maryland to fare well in Obama's 'leaner' defense strategy

While President Barack Obama described plans Thursday to make the U.S. military "leaner," officials in Maryland said the focus of installations and defense contractors here on intelligence, cyberwarfare, research and development is likely to protect the state from the deep cuts feared elsewhere.

8:02 PM EST, December 27, 2011

Sexual assault reports double at the Naval Academy

The number of sexual assaults reported at the Naval Academy doubled during the 2010-2011 academic year, as did the percentage of female midshipmen reporting unwanted sexual contact, according to a report released Tuesday by the Defense Department.

7:42 PM EST, December 20, 2011

Team leader says she warned supervisors about Manning

A former team leader of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning testified Tuesday that she told superiors on several occasions that Manning should not be allowed to handle classified information or be sent to Iraq, but her warnings apparently went unheeded.

7:43 PM EST, December 8, 2011

'It's more than just football'

Marc Firlie calls comparisons between football and warfare a cliche.

7:44 PM EST, December 15, 2011

Bradley Manning supporters plan rally outside Fort Meade

Hundreds of activists are planning to demonstrate outside Fort Meade this weekend in support of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, the former intelligence analyst accused of sending hundreds of thousands of classified documents to the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks, organizers said.

10:09 PM EST, December 19, 2011

Manning investigators found huge trove of war reports — and a boast

Army investigators found nearly half a million field reports from Iraq and Afghanistan on a computer memory card among the belongings of Pfc. Bradley Manning, with a note suggesting that an unnamed recipient "sit on this information" while deciding how best to distribute it, according to testimony Monday.

8:03 PM EST, November 28, 2011

Family takes case of Md. man imprisoned in Cuba to public

– Judy Gross stood outside Cuba's diplomatic mission to the United States, microphone in hand, and described her family's Thanksgiving.

9:37 PM EST, December 19, 2011

Manning supporters barred from courtroom

Two supporters of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning were barred Monday from the accused WikiLeaker's preliminary military hearing at Fort Meade.

11:32 PM EST, November 18, 2011

Md. Guard Special Forces jumping from new planes

The buzz of propellers drifted down over the airfield at Aberdeen Proving Ground as the stubby gray plane came into view. The loadmaster from the Maryland Air National Guard crew dropped the rear hatch open. One by one, six soldiers filed out of the airplane and into the sky.

6:54 PM EST, November 17, 2011

Pledges bring New Year's Eve fireworks more than halfway to goal

Eleventh-hour pledges for the annual New Year's Eve fireworks display have taken fundraising more than halfway to the $75,000 minimum needed to stage the Inner Harbor spectacle next month, organizers said Thursday.

8:14 PM EST, December 15, 2011

U.S. brings Iraq war to an end

Flying over Iraq this week, Maryland National Guard Col. David W. Carey surveyed miles and miles of emptiness.

7:12 PM EST, November 30, 2011

Ruppersberger co-sponsors cybersecurity bill

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, and Republican committee Chairman Mike Rogers introduced legislation Wednesday that would allow the government to share classified information on potential cyberattacks with private businesses.

7:47 PM EDT, November 3, 2011

Coast Guard plans advanced ships off East Coast

The commandant of the Coast Guard, in Maryland this week to visit a newly launched national security cutter, said Thursday that he expects to deploy two of the state-of-the-art vessels off the East Coast.

10:02 PM EST, December 16, 2011

Manning's lawyer asks military to stop WikiLeaks hearing

Pfc. Bradley Manning, the soldier accused of sending hundreds of thousands of classified documents to be published by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, made his first appearance in a military courtroom Friday on charges that could land him in prison for life.

7:09 PM EST, December 3, 2011

Helping businesses defend against cyber threats

Analysts with the National Security Agency see the threats coming at corporate America: viruses, worms and other malware targeting the computer networks that serve the nation's banks, utilities and businesses.

5:58 PM EST, November 21, 2011

WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning to have hearing at Maryland's Fort Meade next month

A military hearing for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, the former intelligence analyst accused of giving classified materials about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to WikiLeaks, has been scheduled for next month at Fort Meade.

7:06 PM EST, December 10, 2011

Defense suggests accused WikiLeaker was troubled soldier

To his supporters, Army Pfc. Bradley E. Manning is a hero, the whistle-blower who revealed U.S. war crimes and diplomatic double-dealing in the Pentagon records and State Department cables he is alleged to have sent to the anti-secrecy organization WikiLeaks.

4:44 PM EDT, November 5, 2011

Atheists at Fort Meade seek official recognition

Capt. Ryan Jean wanted to perform well on the Army's psychological evaluation for soldiers. But he also wanted to answer the questions honestly. So when he was asked whether he believed his life had a lasting purpose, Jean, an atheist, saw no choice but to say no.

8:57 PM EDT, October 19, 2011

Naval Academy preparing officers for cyberwarfare

Huddled over laptop computers, four midshipmen spent 20 minutes setting up a wireless network and tested it with what they assumed was a private chat.

8:30 PM EST, November 23, 2011

U.S. withdrawal from Iraq brings Marylanders home for holidays

Maj. Mark Zinno Citarella was scheduled to spend Thanksgiving in Baghdad. The commander of a public affairs unit in the Maryland National Guard, he figures he would have joined fellow officers on a chow line, serving the holiday meal to enlisted troops.

May 9, 2010

The road to religion

The first thing to know about Maryland's Religious Freedom Byway is that religion in Colonial Maryland was rarely free.

5:37 PM EST, November 16, 2011

Wind energy plans pose challenge to Navy testing

In the 400-foot-plus turbines that a wind energy company wants to build on his tree farm on Maryland's Eastern Shore, Hall Coons sees a chance at a steady stream of income — and an opportunity to untether his economic fortunes from the ups and downs of the lumber market.

7:30 PM EDT, November 1, 2011

Two centuries later, group seeks to bring home sailors killed off the shores of Tripoli

For the American sailors off Tripoli — five of them from Maryland — it was a suicide mission: Sail the small ship heavy with explosives in among the enemy fleet, set the blast to go off in 15 minutes, jump into lifeboats and get as far away as possible.

6:03 PM EDT, October 27, 2011

City architecture firm wins Navy building contract

The Navy has awarded a contract of up to $10 million to a Baltimore firm for architectural, engineering and other services at installations throughout the mid-Atlantic, the Defense Department announced Thursday.

9:10 PM EDT, October 21, 2011

Delight and disbelief at Iraq withdrawal announcement

Dorothy Lee says it will be good to get her grandson back home from Iraq. But the Havre de Grace woman will believe it when she sees him.

7:15 PM EST, November 14, 2011

Swaying the supercommittee

At 84, Barbara Talbert might seem an unlikely Washington lobbyist. But when she heard senior citizen programs could be cut to reduce federal budget deficits, she quickly got on a bus to Capitol Hill.

9:30 PM EST, November 21, 2011

Supercommittee inaction could hurt state

Marylanders from nearly every walk of life could be affected by across-the-board budget cuts starting in 2013 as a result of the congressional supercommittee's failure to reach an agreement to trim the nation's spiraling budget deficits.

10:52 PM EDT, October 3, 2011

Cancer cluster not shown near Fort Detrick, says state

Neighbors of Fort Detrick were not diagnosed with cancer in greater numbers than the broader population of Frederick County during the period for which data are available, state health officials told the community Monday.

4:46 PM EDT, October 8, 2011

A death from cancer, and a search for answers

Randy White had just buried a daughter, dead at 30 with a brain tumor. Now his other daughter had been diagnosed with growths in her abdomen.

10:44 AM EDT, November 3, 2011

Md. guard unit back from Iraq ahead of schedule

A Maryland National Guard unit has returned from Iraq ahead of schedule, the first Marylanders to come home since President Barack Obama announced the withdrawal of all U.S. forces by the end of the year.

6:13 PM EST, December 2, 2011

Mother appeals for son's release from Cuban prison

The 89-year-old mother of Alan Gross, the Maryland man who is serving 15 years in a Cuban prison after taking cellphones, laptop computers and satellite equipment into the communist nation, released a video statement Thursday appealing to President Raúl Castro for his release.

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Articles by Matthew Hay Brown

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