Breaking news

Magnitude 4.7 earthquake reported off the coast of Ocean City

The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 4.7 earthquake 136 miles off the coast of Ocean City early Tuesday night. The quake hit around 6:30 p.m., and occurred just over 6 miles deep. A firefighter in Ocean City said he had not felt any tremors or related calls for service Tuesday. But dozens of people...

Winning streak pushes Maryland up to No. 4 seed in ESPN bracketology

Along with being voted No. 19 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 media poll, Maryland’s winning streak has given the Terps some credibility in the eyes of ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi. Lunardi, who in recent years has appeared to be skeptical of Maryland’s success when it came to projecting...

Three years after Chris Davis' record contract with Orioles, ramifications for club, baseball only grow

Absent anything but a 2014 American League East championship banner and a couple of good years of attendance, the most lasting relic from the early-to-mid-decade Orioles clubs that now seem a distant memory was established three years ago Wednesday: the seven-year, $161 million contract with two-time...

Schmuck: Young Maryland men's hoops deserves to be ranked, but needs to maintain proper perspective

While the Maryland men’s basketball team was cooling down after Monday night’s victory over Wisconsin at Xfinity Center, coach Mark Turgeon wanted his players to get something into their heads. The Terps had already muscled their way back into the national rankings having run their winning streak...

Lights, camera, action! Tumbling space snowman in film debut

The tumbling space snowman is making its out-of-this-world film premiere. Scientists from NASA 's New Horizons mission on Tuesday released the first stitched together animation of Ultima Thule (TOO-lee), the most distant object ever explored by humans. The small, icy object is shown spinning end-over-end...

Mike Preston's observations on Andy Reid's moment, Ravens' decisions on Suggs and Weddle, and more

I haven’t had a favorite NFL team since the Colts left Baltimore in 1983, but I will be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday when they play the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game. Unlike a lot of Baltimore fans, it’s not because of a dislike for New England Patriots coach...

Interested in Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s inauguration? Here’s what you need to know.

A full day of activities are planned to mark the inauguration Wednesday of Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford. Here’s what you need to know to take in the day: What’s the big deal? Hogan will be sworn into office to begin his second term as governor. He’s only the second Republican...

'I dug insanely deep': Frances Tiafoe's Australian Open run continues with upset of No. 5 seed Kevin Anderson

Frances Tiafoe rolled up his white shirt's right sleeve, flexed his biceps and slapped the muscle five times. Then he pounded his chest and yelled, “Yeah! Let's go! Let's go! Come on!” Forgive the young American's exuberance. This was, after all, the biggest victory of his nascent career. Down...

Commentary: Maryland town puts an officer on leave after the death of a 19-year-old man, but few are satisfied

Katyra Boyce was at a town council meeting in Greensboro in Caroline County last week, holding her 2-month-old daughter. The infant’s father, Anton Black, had died during an encounter with police in September. Boyce, along with about 50 others, had showed up seeking justice. Among their demands:...

Man fatally shot in West Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon

A man was killed in West Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon just before 5 p.m., according to police. The shooting happened in the 700 block of N. Grantley St. in the Edgewood neighborhood. When officers arrived, they found an adult male with gunshot wounds to his body. He was pronounced dead at the...

John M. Park, Applied Physics Lab mathematician, dies

John McMonegal Park Jr., a Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory mathematician, died of heart disease Jan. 2 at Brighton Gardens of Columbia. He was 89 and lived in Columbia. Born in Richmond, Ky., he was the son of John M. Park Sr., a farmer, and his wife, Mary Etta Cobb. He was raised on the...

Baltimore archbishop takes steps to increase reporting of abuse, seeks to move archdiocese ahead on reform

Archbishop William Lori encouraged the more than 500,000 Catholics in the Archdiocese of Baltimore on Tuesday to report wrongdoing by clergy at all levels as part of an effort to regain public trust as church leaders worldwide confront a sexual abuse crisis. Lori outlined the expansion of a reporting...

Nellie M. Semans, a homemaker who also co-managed a family farm in Virginia, dies

Nellie M. Semans, a homemaker and former board member of several historic homes and medical facilities, who was also co-manager of a family farm in Virginia, died Dec. 29 from melanoma at her Brooklandville home. She was 90. “She had style, substance and humility beyond compare,” Clinton R. Daly,...

Sheriff: Maryland's 'red flag' law prompted gun seizures after four 'significant threats' against schools

Maryland’s judiciary fielded 302 requests to remove firearms from individuals over the first three months of the state’s “red flag” gun safety law — including five cases involving threats against schools. “These orders are not only being issued appropriately; they are saving lives,” Montgomery...

Fatal overdoses, mostly related to fentanyl, continue to climb in Maryland

Fatal overdoses are continuing their grim march upward in Maryland, and the bulk of the deaths continue to be related to the powerful opioid fentanyl, according to the latest figures from the state Department of Health. The deaths recorded in the first nine months of 2018 jumped 8 percent from...

Maryland weather: Snow, ice forecast Thursday night, Friday morning; heavy rain likely this weekend

An inch or two of snow and a glaze of ice are forecast across Maryland from Thursday night into Friday morning, especially to the west of the Interstate 95 corridor. And then meteorologists said what looked like a chance for a significant snowfall over the weekend is instead likely to materialize...

Developers break ground on warehouse in Hanover to meet e-commerce needs

Ridgeline Property Group has broken ground on a 101,000-square-foot warehouse in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, an in-demand location for businesses looking to meet e-commerce demands. The building is far smaller than the largest industrial buildings going up in the region, but the infill property...

Hunt Valley contract drug manufacturer appoints new CEO

Pharmaceutics International Inc., a contract drug development and manufacturing firm in Hunt Valley, announced Tuesday that it has appointed Kurt R. Neilsen as its new president and CEO. Nielsen succeeds Syed Abidi, founder of Pharmaceutics International, or Pii, as CEO. Abidi is now executive...

Baltimore once again tops list of cities with worst bed bugs problems

Baltimore has once again earned the unsavory designation as the country’s worst city for bed bug infestations, according to an annual list published by the pest control company Orkin. This is the third year in a row Baltimore has topped the list, which is compiled based on treatment data from the...

Meet Marty, the robot assistant that's coming to Giant grocery stores

He goes by the name "Marty." Tall, slow-moving and gray-colored, he has big cartoonish eyes that disguise something unique about the newest employee at Giant Food Stores: Marty is deliberate and relentless and -- unlike his fellow employees -- he has the ability to work a seemingly endless number...

Examining a frequent January question for Orioles: What can they expect from Hunter Harvey?

This winter's change in the Orioles' offseason rhythms meant the team's annual pitching minicamp in Sarasota, Fla., wasn't held. A trip to Florida in this cold weather would have been welcome for all involved, but one of the main drawbacks was missing out on what's been an Orioles minicamp tradition...

'He helped people': Family members mourn Baltimore man killed while shoveling snow

The snow was falling and it was still dark out Sunday morning when Carlis Mabble headed outside. He wanted to clear the walkway for his sister before she left for work. It was a characteristic act of chivalry for the 43-year-old Mabble, who was known to shovel walkways for his family and for elderly...

Ravens' Lamar Jackson to Ray Lewis: 'I want to be the Brady' of Baltimore

In late December, Ray Lewis visited Ravens headquarters to film an “Inside the NFL” segment with Lamar Jackson for the Showtime show. On Monday afternoon, the final product was posted on Twitter — eight days after the Ravens’ season-ending playoff loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. But while the...

Baltimore County authorities seek dismissal of claims against them in class-action sexual assault lawsuit

Attorneys for Baltimore County authorities filed motions this week to dismiss claims against them in a class-action lawsuit that alleges law enforcement and prosecutors fostered a culture to dismiss and cover up complaints of sexual assault. Five women with ties to the University of Maryland, Baltimore...

Preston: Ravens are still a year or two away from being an upper-tier team

The talent discrepancy between the final four teams left in the NFL playoffs and the rest of the league is glaring after the divisional games over the weekend. Because of the talent on their defensive line, the Philadelphia Eagles were able to hang with New Orleans for a half until the Saints were...

Jeb Bush's speech at Hogan's inaugural comes as Maryland governor's star rises among anti-Trump Republicans

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will travel to Annapolis to serve as the featured speaker at Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s inauguration Wednesday — a move that will put two favorites of anti-Trump Republicans on stage together. As so-called “Never Trump” Republicans search for a candidate to challenge...

Updated school closings and delays

Rookie police trooper helps woman deliver baby boy on side of Maryland highway

A rookie state trooper delivered a baby on the side of a Maryland highway while responding to a car crash Sunday night. Trooper Esai Cunningham had been dispatched to the outer loop of the Capital Beltway near the I-95 split in College Park at around 11 p.m. after the crash was reported, Maryland...

Advocates, Maryland lawmakers seek to raise minimum hourly wage to $15 by 2023

Advocates and lawmakers began their push Monday to gradually raise Maryland’s minimum wage to $15 by 2023, a starting point for negotiations on what’s expected to be one of the hottest topics of this year’s General Assembly session. The state’s minimum wage is currently $10.10 per hour. “For far...

Baltimore commissioner pick Harrison to meet with residents in each police district before formal nomination

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said Monday that her new choice to become police commissioner will hold community meetings in all nine of the city’s police districts in the coming weeks, as part of a plan to build support for her pick. In the meantime, New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison...

Maryland weather: Meteorologists looking ahead to a potentially 'significant' snowstorm this weekend

This weekend's snowfall might have been just the beginning of an active winter weather pattern for Maryland. THE LATEST FORECAST: Snow, ice forecast Thursday night, Friday morning; weekend could bring heavy rain or snow » Another snowfall is possible Thursday, as moisture moves up from the south...

Maryland Public Service Commission authorizes utilities to install 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations statewide

Maryland’s utility companies on Monday won state approval to install a network of more than 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations — fewer than they had hoped for, but a step toward the state’s ambitious goal of 300,000 electric vehicles on the streets by 2025. The Maryland Public Service Commission...

Salvadoran woman who won civil rights suit against Frederick County is granted restraining order against ICE

A Salvadoran woman has won a temporary restraining order against U.S. immigration officials after she was unexpectedly detained last week amid mediation for her 2009 civil rights lawsuit in Maryland. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake issued the restraining order Monday, directing the Department...

M&T Bank, Baltimore mayor announce fees waived, payments deferred for furloughed federal workers

Workers affected by the partial government shutdown are eligible for financial relief such as fee waivers and payment deferrals, area lenders and Baltimore officials said Monday in separate announcements. M&T Bank said it’s working with customers who have missed paychecks because of the shutdown,...

'God created him, too': Grief-stricken Baltimore cashier says he didn't want to shoot robber

Wearing a flak jacket and handgun on his hip, the cashier buried his face in his hands, crying hard, saying he never wanted trouble. Two days ago a pair of gunmen tried to rob his family’s liquor store in Canton. When the shooting ended, one robber was fatally wounded by the cashier, police said....

Howard County seeks applicants for committee to bring back commerce to Ellicott City

Howard County is seeking applications for two spots on a committee to explore creation of an Ellicott City Community Development Corporation. Last month County Executive Calvin Ball announced that he would form a committee to help determine if a CDC — which generally promotes commerce and economic...

Maryland jumps back into Top 25, using 5-game winning streak to get all the way to No. 19

After beating two ranked Big Ten opponents in its current five-game winning streak, the Maryland men’s basketball team jumped back into the Top 25 in the latest Associated Press media poll released Monday. The Terps are ranked 19th going into their game Monday night against Wisconsin at Xfinity...

Maryland could soon miss tax payments due to federal government shutdown

As a partial shutdown of the federal government continues, the state of Maryland could soon be missing out on tax collections. Democratic Comptroller Peter Franchot’s office estimated Monday that 172,000 Marylanders are affected by the shutdown, including federal employees and contractors who aren’t...

Baltimore woman killed with 10-year-old son in shopping center crash remembered as loving mother, hard worker

Employees at Primo Chicken decided to keep the Hollins Market restaurant open Saturday despite their grief stemming from the sudden absence of one of their longtime coworkers. Maria Ramirez, a 31-year-old assistant manager who began working at the restaurant shortly after it opened five years ago,...

Jeb Bush to be featured speaker at Maryland Gov. Hogan's inauguration

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush will be the featured speaker at Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s inauguration Wednesday, according to Hogan’s office. Bush, a Republican who is the son and brother of presidents and a former rival of President Donald Trump, will join Hogan as he takes the oath of office...

Anne Arundel police sergeant charged with assaulting another officer

An Anne Arundel police sergeant has been charged with assaulting a fellow officer after a traffic accident Saturday in Crofton. Sgt. Kenneth Collier, a 21-year veteran of the department, was charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer — a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison — as...

Third Howard County teen faces weekends in jail in plea deal over Glenelg High graffiti case

Another Howard County teen could serve weekends in jail under a plea deal reached Monday over graffiti found last May at Glenelg High School that included swastikas and racial epithets. Tyler Curtiss, 18, of Brookeville pleaded not guilty to the hate crime charge, but agreed to the statement of...

Maryland correctional officer sentenced for bribery in drug conspiracy at Jessup

A former Maryland correctional officer was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty to bribery in a drug conspiracy at Jessup Correctional Institution, the state prosecutor announced Monday. Phillipe Jordan Jr., the last of 18 defendants to be sentenced in the case, was sentenced to 10 years, with...