Baltimore news

• Maryland Senate Advances Amazon Headquarters Bill

  16-03-2018 23:56
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — An incentive package of more than $5 billion to try to lure Amazon’s second headquarters to Maryland has moved closer to passage in the Senate.
  The Senate gave the measure preliminary approval Friday. Senators could vote on the bill Monday night.
  The measure includes a package of state income, property and sales tax credits. The state also is considering transportation enhancements. The measure would not take effect, if Amazon decides against putting the headqua
  
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• Latte Competitions Brewing At Coffee Fest In Baltimore

  16-03-2018 23:09
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — If you’re a coffee lover, Baltimore is the place to be this weekend.
  All over town, it will be paradise for latte lovers.
  “We’re putting on two events on Friday because there are so many coffee lovers in town for Coffee Fest. We’re hosting a latte seminar here at Order & Chaos, and afterwards we’re having a latte throw down with some amazing prizes,” says Matt Lederman, general manager of Order & Chaos Coffee on Key Highway
  
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• Baltimore Police Officer Arrested, Charged With Assault, Misconduct

  16-03-2018 23:02
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A Baltimore City Police officer has been charged with first-degree assault and misconduct, authorities announced Friday.
  Officer Kevin Battipaglia was arrested for an incident during an arrest in the 3000 block of Brendan Avenue on Christmas Eve. Battipaglia, a five-year veteran, has been suspended without pay.
  Police did not provide details regarding the incident.
  Baltimore City Police spokesperson T.J. Smith released the following statement:
  We take these matt
  
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• Small Crack In Concrete Steps Leads To Woman Falling Into 6-Foot Hole

  16-03-2018 22:38
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A Lochearn woman is recovering after falling into a six-foot space after the steps to her home collapsed Thursday afternoon.
  Baltimore County officials say the concrete steps at a home in the 3500 block of Venetian Road collapsed and a woman fell six feet into an open space.The 27-year-old woman reportedly stepped out onto the front porch around 3:15 p.m. and the steps crumbled.
  Her mother, Jacqueline Canada, was inside the house the incident happened.
  “Of course she
  
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• Rescuers Save Woman Who Fell Into 10-Foot Hole After Concrete Steps Collapse

  16-03-2018 22:38
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A Lochearn woman is recovering after falling into a hole nearly 10-feet deep after the steps to her mother’s home collapsed Thursday afternoon.
  “Inches away from death, no question about it. In a dark hole, cold and she stuck it out — she did great” said Chris Imbach, one of the specially trained rescuers who helped save Shantel Wiley after falling into the space with a concrete slab on top of her.
  Imbach is a member of the Pikesville Volunteer
  
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• Poll Reveals Most Teachers Oppose Being Armed With Guns In Schools

  16-03-2018 22:30
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– Teachers are weighing in on the nationwide debate to bring guns into the classroom.
  A new Gallup poll reveals that most teachers are opposed to the idea.
  The poll surveyed about 500 teachers of all grade levels nationwide.
  An overwhelming majority of teachers, 73 percent, oppose guns in the classroom. Fifty-eight percent say arming teachers would make schools less safe.
  “The NRA happens to be very good people by the way, they want to do the right thing,” said P
  
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• Bills To Rescue Maryland Health Exchange Market Advance

  16-03-2018 22:17
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Measures to help rescue the Maryland Health Care Exchange’s distressed individual market are moving forward in the General Assembly.
  The Senate gave preliminary approval to two bills Friday.
  One would tap about $340 million that health insurance companies and managed care organizations won’t have to pay in taxes due to the federal tax overhaul to keep costs down over the next year.
  The other puts the state on a path for a long-term solution through reinsur
  
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• Man Charged With Assault In Road Rage Incident In Prince George’s Co.

  16-03-2018 21:57
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Police have arrested a Baltimore man suspected of assaulting another man in an apparent road rage incident in Clinton, Maryland.
  Roderick Jerome Wolfe, 33, has been charged with first-degree assault.
  Maryland State Police say a witness told a trooper about the incident between two truck drivers on I-495. The witness claimed during the assault, Wolfe wielded a machete and punched the victim in the face.
  The victim also arrived at the trooper’s location near Bran
  
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• Reba McEntire Talks Disneyland, Getting In Colonel Sanders’s Shoes And Hosting 2018 ACM Awards

  16-03-2018 21:34
  (CBS News) — Country music superstar Reba McEntire will be returning as host of the 53rd annual Academy of Country Music Awards. McEntire, who has hosted the awards show 14 times since the late 1980s, joined “CBS This Morning” to reveal the news and announce the nominees of some of the show’s top categories.
  The three-time Grammy winner has sold more than 56 million albums worldwide and earned a record 35 No. 1 hit singles. She last hosted “country music&r
  
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• Jason Aldean, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan And More To Perform At 53rd ACM Awards

  16-03-2018 21:34
  The first batch of performers for the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards have been announced and the bill is already stacked with a slew of country-music superstars!
  Get ready for must-see performances from Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Florida Georgia Line, Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris and Thomas Rhett.
  Plus, Florida Georgia Line will be joined by pop bombshell Bebe Rexha to perform their chart-top
  
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• Find Out How You Can Be A Part Of Dierks Bentley’s 2018 ACM Awards Performance!

  16-03-2018 21:34
  Want a chance to be part of the 53rd ACM Awards? Dierks Bentley will be performing his hit WOMAN, AMEN and he’s looking to YOU to help him out. Who have been your female everyday heroes, your inspiration …mom, sister, wife, relative, friend, teacher, coworker, doctor, teammate, coach, or role model? You could be a part of this celebratory anthem by submitting a personal picture of the woman you want to honor. Please photograph your subject on a solid, neutral colored background, and
  
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• Reba McEntire To Host 53rd Academy Of Country Music Awards On Apr. 15

  16-03-2018 21:33
  (CBS News) — It’s official!
  Iconic entertainer Reba McEntire will return to host the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards, which air live from the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas on Sunday, Apr. 15 at 8/7c on CBS and CBS All Access.
  This year’s show will mark Reba’s 15th time hosting the ceremony, last appearing in 2012 with Blake Shelton.
  In addition to hosting Country Music’s Party Of The Year®, Reba is also in the running to take home a statuette for
  
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• Maryland Issues Permit For Natural Gas Pipeline

  16-03-2018 21:25
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland has issued a permit for a proposed natural gas pipeline in western Maryland.
  The Maryland Department of the Environment announced Friday that the wetlands and waterways permit for the proposed Columbia Gas pipeline includes customized conditions specific to the project and its location to ensure protection of public health and the environment.
  The 3.4-mile project would connect a TransCanada pipeline in Pennsylvania to Mountaineer Gas line in West Virginia. I
  
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• Man Charged With Murder In Shootout At Baltimore Barbershop

  16-03-2018 21:24
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A 29-year-old man has been charged in a fatal shooting at a barbershop in East Baltimore last month.
  Sammie Carroll has been charged with first-degree murder in a shootout at His & Her Perfection Barbershop, location in the 3200 block of Eastern Avenue.
  On Feb. 19, Baltimore City Police officers were called to the scene, where they found 47-year-old Andreas Tamaris suffering from a gunshot wound to the torso. He was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Hospit
  
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• Best NCAA Tournament Team-Name Stories

  16-03-2018 21:02
  Alyssa Naimoli
  The NCAA Tournament is well underway. And, as anticipated, March Madness is officially going mad.
  With so many teams all vying to be NCAA champions, some with a better chance than others and some whose hopes have already been dashed, one might wonder where they got their names.
  As a distraction from your already-busted bracket, here’s a look at some of the more interesting origin stories for names of teams still in the Tournament.
  Gonzaga Bulldogs
  Gonzaga traces their school
  
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• Charles, Maryland Beat Princeton 77-57 In NCAA 1st Round

  16-03-2018 20:55
  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Maryland dominated the paint, the glass — and its matchup with Princeton.
  Kaila Charles scored 20 points and the Terrapins beat Princeton 77-57 on Friday in the first round of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
  Eleanna Christinaki added 16 points and eight rebounds, Kristen Confroy finished with 14 points and Brianna Fraser had 11 rebounds for the fifth-seeded Terrapins (26-7).
  They shot 56 percent in the second half, built a 43-25 rebounding advantage and pulled
  
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• Automatic Voter Registration Bill Clears Maryland Senate

  16-03-2018 20:22
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland Senate has passed a bill that would create automatic voter registration for people who are eligible and agree to be registered.
  The Senate passed the measure 32-12 Friday. It now goes to the House.
  The bill designates three state agencies to register a resident to vote or update a resident’s voter registration record, unless the applicant declines to register or is determined not to be eligible.
  For example, if an eligible Maryland voter renews a dr
  
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• Ravens Withdraw Grant’s Contract After WR Fails Physical

  16-03-2018 20:11
  OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Ozzie Newsome has been forced to call an audible in his effort to enhance the Baltimore Ravens’ passing game.
  The Ravens general manager turned his attention toward nine-year veteran Michael Crabtree after former Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant failed his physical.
  Crabtree, a free agent, toured the Ravens team complex on Friday. In two games over the past two years with Oakland, the former 49ers star scorched Baltimore for 13 catches for 170 yar
  
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• Ravens Sign WR Crabtree To 3-Year Contract, Void Grant Deal

  16-03-2018 20:11
  OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens’ unyielding effort to land a big-play receiver finally paid off Friday when nine-year veteran Michael Crabtree signed a three-year contract.
  Hours after disclosing that the Ravens voided the contract of Washington Redskins wide receiver Ryan Grant following a failed physical, general manager Ozzie Newsome landed Crabtree, who played the past three seasons with the Oakland Raiders.
  Crabtree toured the Ravens’ complex Friday morning a
  
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• HBCU Settlement Pending, But Lawmakers Say It’s Not Enough

  16-03-2018 19:45
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Historically black colleges and universities in Maryland would receive up to $56.9 million annually under legislation, sponsors say, that would restore years of underfunding and program duplication by the state but is unlikely to pass.
  Proponents of the measure have rejected, as too little, a Feb. 7 offer from Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of a total of $100 million over the next 10 years to a coalition of historically black colleges and universities.
  A group of alumni
  
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• Cecil Co. High School Closes Early Due To Bomb Threat

  16-03-2018 19:27
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A Cecil County high school closed early Friday after a bomb threat was reportedly made.
  Cecil County Public Schools officials say law enforcement advised to close Elkton High School early as a precaution.
  The school system also says the messaging system to notify parents has been experiencing technical difficulties.
  More information can be found at www.ccps.org.
  Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
  
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• Maryland Clarifying Good Samaritan Law To Try To Save Lives

  16-03-2018 19:18
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A clarification to Maryland’s 2015 Good Samaritan Law, to protect the victim of a drug or alcohol overdose from criminal prosecution, passed the House and is making its way through the state Senate.
  The way the law is written now, the overdose victim would need to “reasonably believe” they’re suffering from a medical emergency to be guaranteed immunity in the courts. But it’s unrealistic to rely on an overdose victim to call on their own
  
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• Fire Crew Responds To Crash, Then Helps Man Complete His Food Delivery

  16-03-2018 17:56
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) —A Baltimore County fire crew helped a restaurant delivery man get food to a customer after he was involved in accident Thursday, officials say.
  It was around dinnertime when Towson Truck 1 had just finished handling a two-vehicle crash, according to Baltimore County Police & Fire. That’s when crew members learned the driver had been making a delivery.
  “He was less than a half-mile from his destination, and the family’s dinner was still in his damaged
  
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• Bill On Past Sexual Assault Evidence OK’d By Maryland Senate

  16-03-2018 17:54
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A measure to allow judges to admit evidence of similar sex offenses in some cases against a suspect accused of rape has been passed by the Maryland Senate.
  Senators voted unanimously for the measure Friday. A similar bill is pending in the House.
  Under the measure, prosecutors would be able to introduce evidence from past cases that are not directly related to the charges a person is facing in court. That’s not allowed under current law, but the measure would cr
  
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• Maryland Bill Would ‘Retire’ State Song To ‘Historic’ Status

  16-03-2018 17:48
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A majority of Maryland senators hope they’ve found a compromise to handle the state’s controversial state song: send it into retirement without erasing all recognition.
  The Senate voted 30-13 to put “Maryland, My Maryland” on historic status and say its sensitive pre-Civil War references to “Northern scum” and a despotic President Abraham Lincoln don’t reflect Marylanders’ values today. The bill now goes to the House.
  Wh
  
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• Spring Should Be Warmer Than Normal For Most In U.S., NOAA Says

  16-03-2018 17:44
  By Madeline Scheinost (CNN) — The official start of spring is just around the corner.
  This turn of the seasons generally brings warmer temperatures and more rainfall — but what does spring have in store for your part of the country?
  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, released their three-month spring outlook Thursday, giving us an idea of what we should expect from April to June in terms of temperatures, droughts and floods.
  Temperature Outlook
  A majority o
  
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• Arrest Made After Burned Body Discovered In Baltimore Home

  16-03-2018 17:08
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– Authorities have arrested a man after police discovered a burned body in a Baltimore home last month.
  City police say Anthony Ray Alston, 39, has been arrested for the murder of Shamar Poole, 38, whose burned body was found in a home in the 1200 block of East Belvedere Ave. on Feb. 27.Detectives say after collecting evidence, they learned that Poole was murdered in a home in the 1200 block of Glenhaven Rd. and his body was moved to the home in the 1200 block of East Belved
  
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• State Police: Pilot’s Body Recovered From Small Plane Crash

  16-03-2018 16:25
  OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — Maryland state police have confirmed that multiagency teams have recovered the body of the pilot of a small plane that crashed into coastal waters.
  A Friday state police statement says pilot Marcson Ngwa’s body was recovered from a “severely deteriorated airplane” located in an underwater debris field.
  RELATED: Authorities Searching For Missing Aircraft Off Ocean City Coast; Body Recovered
  The 28-year-old Windsor Mill man’s body was found
  
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• Joe Flacco Makes Elite Donation University of Delaware

  16-03-2018 15:58
  NEWARK, Del. (AP) — A popular meme asks if Super Bowl-winning Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is indeed elite. Regardless of that answer, the University of Delaware says his latest donation definitely is.
  In a Wednesday release, the university touted “a significant gift to the future of UD Athletics” made by the alumnus and his wife, Dana, as the largest from a UD football alumnus in the NFL. The exact amount has not been disclosed.
  Flacco invoked his four kids and thei
  
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• Family: Teen Dies After Sinus Infection Travels To His Brain

  16-03-2018 15:41
  By Jessica Royce & Scott Wolchek
  Flint, Michigan (WNEM) — A Mid-Michigan family is grieving the loss of a 13-year-old boy after they say a sinus infection traveled to his brain.
  Marquel Brumley, an eighth grader at the Mt. Morris School District, passed away Sunday at the hospital, according to family.
  Peggy Gilbert, a relative of the teen, said Marquel went to an urgent care clinic a few weeks ago complaining of cold symptoms and a headache. Gilbert said the urgent care diagnosed Marq
  
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• 30 Players: NL Central Rich With Young Pitching

  16-03-2018 15:30
  By Rich Arleo
  CBS Local Sports, in our 30 Players 30 Days spring training feature, profiles one young player from each Major League Baseball team leading up to opening day.
  The Chicago Cubs have built a perennial winner in the National League Central and are favorites to win the division for the third straight year thanks to a young core that continues to grow and improve each season. While the Cubs are the cream of the crop, the other four clubs are not stepping stones and all feature a boatloa
  
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• SportsLine’s Top Weekend Picks: NCAA Tournament Opening Rounds

  16-03-2018 15:15
  Kansas State Wildcats vs. Creighton BluejaysFriday, March 16, 2018, 6:50 pm ET
  CREIGHTON -1
  My projections see Creighton defeating Kansas State by at least five points Friday in their NCAA Tournament first-round meetings. The Bluejays also are winning the matchup in 68 percent of simulations. Creighton is 7-2 ATS in its last nine against Big 12 opponents, and also 32-12 ATS when coming off a straight-up loss.
  SportsLine Expert: Stephen Oh (9-4 in last 13 CBB O/U picks)
  Bucknell Bison vs. Michiga
  
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• Pentagon: No Survivors In American Helicopter Crash In Iraq

  16-03-2018 14:01
  BAGHDAD (AP) — All seven service members aboard a U.S. helicopter that crashed in Iraq were killed, the Pentagon said Friday in a written statement.
  The aircraft crashed in western Iraq a day earlier, U.S. officials said.
  The officials said seven service members were on board. They spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of the crash before they were made public.
  The crash did not appear to be the result of enemy activity and is under investigation, the Pentagon said.
  &
  
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• Maryland Medical Students To Get Residency Assignments

  16-03-2018 13:50
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Medical students at the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins find out Friday where they will spend their residencies.
  The ceremony is known as Match Day and the University of Maryland’s ceremony will be held at the Hippodrome Theater. Students from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will be matched on the East Baltimore campus. Students will be handed an envelope with the name of their residency. They have no prior knowledge of the location in the envelopes.
  The&n
  
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• Fallen Bridge: ‘Stress Test’ Preceded Collapse That Killed 6

  16-03-2018 13:28
  MIAMI (AP) — An innovative pedestrian bridge being built at Florida International University was put to a “stress test” before it collapsed over traffic, killing six people and sending 10 to a hospital, authorities said.
  As state and federal investigators worked to determine how and why the five-day-old span failed on Thursday, one factor may have been the stress test that Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said crews were conducting on the span.
  Two workers were on the 950-ton br
  
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• Maryland Man Gets 14 Years For Shooting, Carjackings

  16-03-2018 13:16
  BALTIMORE (AP) — A Maryland man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for several carjackings and a shooting.
  Twenty-three-year-old Jerome Pittman was sentenced Thursday, following a 2016 plea agreement where he detailed how he and another man shot and carjacked an unlicensed taxi driver on May 16, 2016. A U.S. Department of Justice release says Pittman also said in his plea that he and two men carjacked another person three days later.
  Pittman’s co-defendants, Ti’
  
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• Baltimore County Police Work To Establish Animal Abuse Unit

  16-03-2018 12:51
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore County Police say they are forming an animal abuse unit to take the lead in investigation and enforcement efforts.
  Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz made the announcement Thursday citing community input as one of the reasons the unit is necessary. The unit is called the Animal Abuse Investigative Team.
  “In response to community input, I asked Police Chief Sheridan and Animal Services Director Dr. Melissa Jones to review County procedures
  
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• Weather Blog: Last Weekend Of Winter

  16-03-2018 12:50
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The last weekend of Winter is here!! And it will be a pretty calm one. A mix of clouds and sun today. Tomorrow a sunny start but a cloudier afternoon. A very sunny Sunday. Temperatures will be on the cool side today, and tomorrow, but by Sunday we will be close to the normal of 54°.
  We are still watching what could become a “bit of an issue” early next week, but the approach of that Low is being pushed back 24 hours to Tuesday-Wednesday. Many questions rem
  
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• Target To Begin Same-Day Grocery Delivery Service

  16-03-2018 12:15
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Target stores are starting to offer same-day delivery services for groceries in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. region.
  The service is expected to begin March 29.
  Target will offer the service through Shipt, a grocery delivery app that uses personal shoppers to select and deliver products. The service is also expected to bring new jobs to the area as they will need people to be the personal shoppers.
  The businesses expect to serve a market of nearly 2.9 million househol
  
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• Group Formed To Oppose Baltimore State’s Attorney Fizzles

  16-03-2018 11:46
  BALTIMORE (AP) — A spokesman for a super PAC created to oppose Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby in the upcoming election says it has fizzled and is shutting down.
  The Baltimore Sun reports the Bmore Safe Now political action committee was formed last summer and posted an 18-second ad online targeting Mosby.
  However, the group last week filed its fundraising report showing it had raised just $5,235.
  Joshua Insley, a spokesman for the group, says the state’s attorney&rsqu
  
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• Carroll Co. School’s Ban On Confederate Flags, Swastikas Now In Effect

  16-03-2018 11:20
  BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The new ban on Confederate flags and swastikas at Carroll County Schools went into effect Thursday. The district’s new dress code bans the items from all schools and school-sponsored events.
  The policy was first introduced at a board meeting in January.
  RELATED: Confederate Flags, Swastikas To Be Banned At Carroll County Schools
  Meeting documents cite the need for students to refrain “from the display of symbols that are reasonably perceived as promo
  
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• 6 Confirmed Dead In Bridge Fall, 9 To Hospitals

  16-03-2018 10:30
  MIAMI (AP) — The Miami-Dade County Police say six people have been found dead in the rubble of a collapsed pedestrian bridge in South Florida.
  Police said at a news briefing Friday morning that six deceased people had been found at the scene by first responders. In a Thursday press conference, Fire Chief Dave Downey also said nine victims were removed “early on” and taken to hospitals. But he did not elaborate on their conditions.
  Rescuers worked through Thursday night and cont
  
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• Md. Woman Gives Birth On Side Of Road; Nicknames Son After Road

  16-03-2018 05:21
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A Harford County woman’s baby decided he wasn’t going to be born in the hospital, instead he decided to come into the world right in the car.
  Alyssa Lightner, 31, was on the way to the hospital after the first tell-tale signs her baby was coming. In a matter of minutes, the birth of her baby changed a number of lives.
  “I wanted to go natural, may be not that natural,” Lightner said. “My goal with him was not be in the hospital for long.&r
  
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• Weather Blog: Sun, Clouds, Snow Flurries, Rain In One Day

  16-03-2018 03:15
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A mixed bag of weather on this first day of the NCAA tournament. Sun gave way to clouds and even a few snow flurries and light rain showers as a cold front crossed the area in the late afternoon.
  A new dry and chilly air mass will be with us on Friday, to be followed by a slight warm-up this weekend.
  A weak system may cause some light showers on Saturday, but most of the moisture will stay south of the local area.
  The sun will return for Sunday, along with more seasonal te
  
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• Former Naval Academy Football Player Among 2 Killed In Jet Crash

  16-03-2018 02:56
  WASHINGTON (WJZ/AP) — The Pentagon acknowledged Thursday that budget shortfalls have eroded military capabilities, including training and flight hours, but stopped short of blaming those cutbacks for the crash of a U.S. Navy fighter jet that killed both crew members.
  Dana White, Pentagon spokeswoman, said the cause of the F/A-18 Super Hornet crash Wednesday off the coast of Key West, Florida, is still under investigation. But she was asked if there was a link between the crash and persiste
  
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• 2 Crashes Shut Down Both Lanes Of I-695

  16-03-2018 02:14
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– Authorities say two separate crashes shut down the inner and outer loop lanes of I-695 Thursday night.
  Maryland State police say the first crash happened at 8:20 p.m. on the outer loop at Perring Parkway. Two vehicles were involved and nine people were transported to area hospitals.Officials say the second crash occurred at 8:30 p.m. on the Inner Loop at Perring Parkway, this time three vehicles were involved. Three people were also transported to the hospital.
  Crews were
  
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• 4 Confirmed Dead In Bridge Fall, 9 To Hospitals

  16-03-2018 01:44
  MIAMI (AP) — The Miami-Dade County fire chief says four people have been found dead in the rubble of a collapsed pedestrian bridge in South Florida.
  Fire Chief Dave Downey said at a news briefing Thursday evening that four deceased people had been found at the scene by first responders. He also says nine victims were removed “early on” and taken to hospitals. But he did not elaborate on their conditions.
  He says “search and rescue mode” is continuing after nightfall
  
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• Maryland House Passes Gun-Control Measures

  16-03-2018 01:28
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland would ban devices that can increase a semi-automatic rifle’s firing rate, under a measure that cleared the state’s House of Delegates on Thursday night.
  The bipartisan vote was 128-7 to ban bump stocks, which can make a semi-automatic rifle’s firing rate to nearly fully automatic. The measure now goes to the Senate where similar legislation is moving forward.
  Del. David Moon, a Democrat who sponsored the measure, described it as a way to clo
  
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• Committee Weighs Bill To Enforce Maryland Hiring Law

  16-03-2018 01:22
  ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — The Maryland House Appropriations Committee this week debated a bill regarding the hiring of state employees that would add more oversight to enforce laws enacted by the legislature more than a decade ago.
  Delegate Clarence Lam, D-Howard and Baltimore counties, introduced House bill 1788 in response to his concerns over a possible change in the hiring practice at the Maryland Department of Health.
  An email from March of 2017 obtained by Capital News Service summarized
  
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• 5G Technology Invading Baltimore; Some Call It An Eyesore

  16-03-2018 01:12
  BALTIMORE (WJZ)– You could soon find an even faster connection on your cell phone in Baltimore.
  An FCC commissioner was in town Thursday to talk about 5G technology.
  You may not have even noticed them–but there are about 500 small cell boxes on light poles across the city.
  T-mobile talked futuristic tech Thursday with the FCC commissioner.
  “So, 3G, 4G mobile has been marked by those large towers, we’re moving into 5G where 80 percent of the deployments for 5G are going to
  
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