$73 million awarded for Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Transportation Authority has awarded a $73 million contract to Kiewit Infrastructure Co., which will be responsible for the complete design and construction of the new Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge, located in Baltimore, is part of a critical infrastructure project that is aimed at improving safety and efficiency. Officials say the two-phase Progressive Design-Build process will […]

MSDE updates free school meal income guidelines

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) this week announced updates to the Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for free and reduced-price school meals, effective from August 28, 2024, through June 30, 2025. The guidelines, updated annually by the federal government, were adopted by MSDE through June 30, 2025. The eligibility for free and reduced-price meals is determined based on […]

Maryland State Police to boost Labor Day weekend DUI enforcement

BALTIMORE, MD—Maryland State Police have announced that they plan to increase enforcement during the Labor Day weekend in an effort to reduce drunk driving. From August 30 to September 2, Maryland State Police plan to conduct saturation patrols across the state. The initiative is part of the Maryland State Police’s Impaired Driving Reduction Effort team, which is trained to identify […]

Baltimore County Public Library’s Catonsville Branch reopens after $7M renovation

CATONSVILLE, MD—After 15 months of anticipation, the Catonsville Branch reopened its doors on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. The Catonsville Branch of the Baltimore County Public Library underwent significant renovations over the past several months. The renovation project began in March of 2023.  The $7 million renovation included upgrades to the building’s infrastructure, including a modernized sprinkler system, upgraded HVAC, and […]

Walmart recalls apple juice over high arsenic levels

BALTIMORE, MD—Walmart’s Great Value Apple Juice supplier has recalled more than 9,500 cases due to elevated levels of inorganic arsenic, exceeding the FDA limit of 10 ppb. The recall affects 8-ounce plastic bottles sold in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, […]

Maryland assessment scores hold steady in mathematics, English language arts

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland State Department of Education on Tuesday released results from state assessments, revealing that proficiency in math and reading skills remained steady in 2023-2024. According to the results, approximately 48.4% of students in the state showed proficiency in English language arts, up from 47.9% in 2022-2023. The proficiency rate for math was 24.1%, up from 23.3% the previous […]

Maryland Department of Labor announces $1.8 million in funding for cyber ranges to address cybersecurity workforce gap

BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Labor on Tuesday announced that it is providing $1.8 million in funding to support the development of cyber ranges that will provide in-demand cybersecurity training to close a critical workforce gap. The initiative is part of the state’s efforts to address a projected cybersecurity skills gap of over 30,000 vacancies in 2023. The funding will […]