amusement and theme parks

• Harford

Harford Library celebrates the release of the eighth Harry Potter book with midnight parties

About 60 children and adults decked out in costume to attend a launch party for "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" at the Bel Air Library late Saturday night. The Bel Air Barnes & Noble opened at midnight for the release and had sold out of all its copies by 3 p.m. Sunday.

By David Anderson

Aug 1, 2016

• Maryland

A child, a cause: the legacy of the Columbia Mall shootings

Brianna Benlolo left behind a child, Tyler Johnson, a cause. Families of the co-workers killed by Damon Marcus Aguilar, who then killed himself, remember the Jan. 25, 2014, Mall in Columbia shootings.

By Jean Marbella

Jan 24, 2015

• Maryland

Riders rescued from Six Flags roller coaster

Two dozen people were stranded atop the Joker's Jinx roller coaster at Six Flags America in Largo on Sunday afternoon.

• Maryland

How many pitches is too many

• Maryland

Two Westminster High alumnae begin their teaching careers in opposite districts

Aubrey Karoglan and Carlyn Wiedecker will be two of about 11,000 first- and second-year teachers participating in this year's crop through Teach for America.

• Carroll County Times

Taneytown veterinarian named to Horse Industry Board

New York native to help promote horse industry

• Maryland

Greetings from Havre de Grace, and around the world

Go to the rear of Mary Martin's shop in Havre de Grace, and you'll discover a vast history of the world — of nearby small towns but also farflung foreign cities — being collated in an assortment of 3x5 postcards.

• Harford

Patterson Mill graduate receives $5,000 Humbert scholarship

Bel Air resident Ryan Parks has received the 2014 William A. Humbert Memorial Scholarship for $5,000

• Maryland

In Maryland, a thin electoral line between roguish and rotten

• Maryland

In Maryland, a thin electoral line between roguish and rotten

• Harford

Weyrich Cronin & Sorra, CPAs and business consultants honored as Firm of the Year

Enterprise Worldwide's highest honor, the Firm of the Year award, was presented to Weyrich Cronin & Sorra at the Enterprise Worldwide Annual Symposium on May 29, 2014 at Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort.

• Travel

Six Flags America launching new roller coaster this weekend

Ragin' Cajun is part of Maryland theme park's new Mardi Gras section.

• Baltimore City Paper

Center Stage’s production of Colman Domingo’s play shouldn’t work . . . but it does

• Travel

Jolly Roger amusement park marks 50 years in Ocean City

Jolly Roger Parks is celebrating 50 years in Ocean City on Tuesday with a ceremony at its flagship amusement park on Coastal Highway.

• Baltimore City Paper

KIDS

• Baltimore City Paper

Mexicoland

• Amusement and Theme Parks

Colman Domingo's 'Wild with Happy' gets dynamic production at Center Stage

Well-knit cast at Center Stage shines in Baltimore premiere of Colman Domingo's 'Wild with Happy' about a gay man, the death of his mother and a zany road trip.

• Obituaries

Kurt Bluemel, ornamental plant grower

Kurt Bluemel, a perennial nursery owner and plants man who was called the "Johnny Appleseed of ornamental grasses," died Wednesday of cancer at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Towson. The Baldwin resident was 81.

• Baltimore City Paper

Polar Express 4D at the National Aquarium

• Baltimore City Paper

30 Years Later, the Times Discovers "The New Poor"

• Baltimore City Paper

Vote Obama Out—or You’re Fired!

• Baltimore City Paper

"Struggling Homeowners" Default and Go to Disney World

• Entertainment

Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan on the seamy underbelly of Singapore

The story collection "Singapore Noir," explores a nation misunderstood by the West

• Musical Theater

Center Stage gives area premiere of 'Wild with Happy'

Comedy deals with love, grieving, sexuality

• Baltimore Hotels

Five unique accommodations in the Maryland area

You don't have to travel far to find a Hobbit hole, a lighthouse or other unique accommodations within driving distance of Baltimore.

• Howard County

Long Reach High musicians wow Disney World [Elkridge]

The Long Reach High School Band, Orchestra and Choir were invited to Disney World April 9-13 to perform in both Epcot and the Magic Kingdom.

• Laurel Leader

Laurel mother knows what's best for daughter

Laurel mother knows what's best for her daughter as each opens business on the same street

• Baltimore County

Dynamo music teacher leads Towson High students to perform at Disney

Of Towson High School's 1,400 students, 607, or 43 percent, have requested to enroll in a music class for the 2014-2015 school year. And that is a tribute to John Olin, department head Dave Rhen and chorus director Derrick Jackson. Olin, of Towson, recently organized a trip for nearly 200 students to perform at Disney World in Orlando.

• Features

I don't wanna go! Boy cries over surprise Disney trip in funny video

Matt and Wendy McDermott thought they had planned the perfect surprise for their five-year-old son, Ferris.

• Business

Horseshoe casino, city mount hiring campaign

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is working with the city of Baltimore to hire about 1,700 people for jobs ranging from dealers to restaurant servers before it opens this summer. The city wants to help city residents get the jobs since its unemployment rate is currently about 8.3 percent.

• Howard County

Columbians want a park, not a mini-Disneyland [Letter]

• Travel

Six Flags America opens for weekends, spring break

Maryland theme part launches season and new Mardi Gras section

• Features

Wedded: Kathryn Thomas and Cody Yager

For these veterinarians, a mutual love for animals lead to a love for each other

• Sports

Orioles-Braves starting lineups, updates on Ayala and Alex Gonzalez

The Atlanta Braves are traveling down from Disney World today to play the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium for their only spring meeting.

• Opinion

Craig's gift to the 1 percent [Letter]

Craig's gift to the 1 percent

• Laws and Legislation

Maryland House gives preliminary OK to raising minimum wage

The House of Delegates gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would raise Maryland's minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10, rejecting a flurry of amendments offered by opponents.

• Politics

House panel approves minimum-wage increase

Gov. Martin O'Malley's proposed increase in Maryland's minimum wage to $10.10 cleared its first hurdle Monday night as a House committee approved the bill and rejected a proposal to set a different standard for rural areas.

• Business

Eastern Shore encouraged to cash in on Wallops Flight Facility

Maryland government officials should try to get more economic ripples from the Wallops Flight Facility — just over the line in Virginia — by capitalizing on space tourism and the potential from unmanned aircraft, according to a new study.

• Harford

Aberdeen's historic B&O station moves slowly toward restoration

Aberdeen's long-dilapidated historic train station might finally be moving forward with a new foundation, the Historical Society of Harford County said.

• Obituaries

Sharon L. Friedlander

Sharon L. Friedlander, a much beloved Baltimore County public schools special education teacher, died Jan. 24 of giant cell myocarditis, a rare disease that attacks the heart, at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

• Travel

Finding winter's refuge on Chincoteague

Visiting Chincoteague in winter

• Baltimore City Paper

The Super Bowl-that fat, fantastic tick of a spectacle-is set to dig its massive, ad-bloated mandibles into nearly every inch of the American media's goose-pimpled flesh

• Harford

Seven from county compete for Dopey medals in Disney [Column]

Seven Harford Countians completed a unique running challenge Sunday in Orlando, Fla., the Dopey Challenge.

• Politics and Government

Thousands of immigrants seek drivers licenses

In the next few weeks, beginning Jan. 2, 13,000 immigrants in Maryland will take tests for drivers licenses. The so-called "second-tier" licenses allow undocumented immigrants who pay taxes to drive cars on Maryland roads, but the licenses cannot be used for federal identification. The MVA is seeing the greatest demand for these licenses in the Washington suburbs.

• Sports

As winter meetings wrap up, Orioles still without a major move

The lobby at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort quickly emptied out as Major League Baseball's winter meetings ended Thursday. While the Orioles only added a pair of Rule 5 draft picks this week, the club continued efforts to land a free-agent closer.

• Food & Drink

Gumdrop decor

Throughout the month of December, Springer hosts gingerbread-decorating workshops in her lovely Phoenix home. Her kitchen — transformed into a veritable Candyland with bowls and bowls of gumdrops, M&Ms and Hershey's kisses — is the stuff of kids' dreams.

• Sports

Thoughts on Orioles closer possibilities, trading prospects and the posting system

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette is shopping for a closer, among other things, at this week's winter meetings here at the Walt Disney World Resort.

• Sports

Orioles' Dan Duquette raves about Francisco Peguero while meeting with media

We will know soon enough whether Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette strikes gold with the signing of former Giants top prospect Francisco Peguero, but Duquette is definitely making it clear how highly he thinks of the 25-year-old.

• Sports

Orioles focused on acquiring left-handed hitter, pitching at baseball's winter meetings

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said Sunday evening that the club will stick to its original mission of trying to get better through high-value acquisitions.

• Harford

Community is invited to showing of documentary on integration of Baltimore park [Letter]

Join us at 10 am on Sunday, Dec. 8 at Temple Adas Shalom for an exclusive showing of All the King's Horses: The Story of Gwynn Oak Amusement Park.