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Driver was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision.

Silver Spring, MD – A 34-year-old Silver Spring woman was killed in a single-vehicle collision on Sunday April 13, 2025, in the 10400 block of Colesville Road.

At approximately 10:41 p.m., Montgomery County Department of Police and Fire/Rescue personnel responded to multiple reports of a vehicle that struck a utility pole. Upon arrival, first responders located a black 2022 Kia Telluride off the roadway. Osbelia Minh, the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Preliminary investigation by the Montgomery County Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit revealed that the Kia was traveling southbound on Colesville Road when, for unknown reasons, the vehicle left the right side of the roadway and struck a wooden utility pole. Minh was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal injuries.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

Senator Van Hollen makes a major announcement regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia.

(L) Senator Chris Van Hollen                     (R) Rep. April McClain Delaney

Hagerstown, Md (KM) A large number of people attended a town hall meeting in Hagerstown sponsored by 6th District Representative April McClain Delaney. Senator Chris Van Hollen also attended.

During the discussion of national issues and the impacts they have locally, Senator Van Hollen made this announcement about Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident who was apprehended by federal immigration agents in March, and sent to a prison in El Salvador. “I am planning tomorrow {Wed)  to go  El Salvador,” he said to a cheering crowd at North Hagerstown High School. “To work to bring him home.”

The Trump Administration says it made “an administrative error” in deporting Abrego Garcia to El Salvador. The administration has been ordered by a federal judge to bring Abrego Garcia back to the US.

The Administration says Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS 13 gang. His attorneys say  their client is not an MS 13 gang member, and has been never been in trouble with the law.

Another topic addressed at the town hall was the SAVE Act, which was introduced to help fight voter fraud. It requires anyone registering to vote to show evidence of American citizenship such as birth certificate, a US passport or naturalization papers. The bill was approved by the House of Representatives.   Congresswoman   McClain Delaney voted against it. “The SAVE Act is a very bad piece of legislation” she said to sound of boos from the audience. “It purports to make sure only Americans are voting. But what it’s really doing is trying to disenfranchise millions and millions of voters across this country.”

She said it would make it difficult for women who have changed their last names after getting married register to vote. “Millions of women like me who have a different married name—McClain Delaney as opposed to April McClain–need to go back and try and get all the paperwork,” McClain Delaney said.

Senator Ven Hollen said he will fight against it when it comes up in the Senate for a vote.

A question came up about the future of Social Security and Medicare. Representative McClain Delaney spoke about that. “We’re going to make sure it’s protected,”  she promised. “Medicare and Social Security is not an entitlement. People have earned it…..and it’s obscene that Social Security would be threatened.”

Senator Van Hollen also noted that Elon Musk called Social Security a Ponzi Scheme. He also said the Republicans seem to have a plan to privatize Social Security. “Let’s you have a question. You call them on the phone. You can’t get through. After a while, when no one’s responsive to your calls or to your e-mail, then people begin to go ‘oh well,, maybe we do need to privatize Social Security,'”: he said.

Both Van Hollen and McClain Delaney are Democrats.

As the town hall was ending, Representative McClain Delaney told the audience if they have any questions or concerns to contact her office, and her staff would get back to them as soon as possible.

By Kevin McManus

But she says actions on the federal and state levels impacted the preparation of her budget.

Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater

Frederick, Md (KM) A proposed fiscal year 2026 budget totaling $1.02 billion was introduced on Tuesday by Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. She said public education  is her top priority. “When I became County Executive, Frederick County was spending $390 million a year on public education. In this year’s budget, we will invest over $508 million in our schools,” she says. “This is $118 million or 30 percent increase over three short years.”

This increase in funding for public education will include  $26-million for school nurses, health room technicians, physical and occupation therapists, school resource officers and crossing guards. The county is also using one-time funding to buy new classroom technology. and putting $1 million into the trust fund that protects post employment benefits of retired educators.

Fitzwater is also proposing $175 million more for school construction. That amount  will be used to accelerate the pre-design work on a new Brunswick High School and limited renovation projects at Twin Ridge and Hillcrest Elementary Schools, and make sure replacement Middletown Elementary and Middle Schools stay on track to open in August, 2027.

The budget also funds 100 percent of the construction of elementary school number 41. It’s expected to built on a one-year schedule to open in August, 2027. It will be located near the intersection of Route 144 and Mussetter Road.

Other highlights of the budget, according to a county news release, include:

*Employee Compensation new base rate of $21 per hour for County employees, and a two percent across-the-board increase for all county employees beginning on January 1st, 2026

*Expanded senior services at the Middletown 50+ Community Center and planning for new senior centers in other parts of the county.

*Affordable Housing Funding to oversee affordable housing projects, primarily on county-owned land.

*Public Safety funding for the Sheriff’s Office for training space, and additional resources for the State’s Attorney’s Office to address a growing caseload.

*Fiscal Responsibility, setting aside reserve funds for long term pension obligations, and making strategic investments to protect the County’s AAA Bond Rating.

During public listening sessions, County Executive Fitzwater said many citizens asked that more money be spent on public education. But she said funding all the requests is  not possible. “Let me be clear: I want to do more for our schools. But in the face of disruptive and damaging federal action, and state budget cuts, we have to be fiscally responsible and conservative in our approach,” she said. “We cannot spend what we don’t have, and we cannot make promises we may not be able to keep.”

Regarding the impact from the state on the local budget: “In this year’s budget, they’ve providing millions of dollars for school construction and long awaited safety upgrades to US 15,”: Fitzwater continued. “But in balancing their budget, they are shifting some costs to local governments. We are inheriting a bill for millions of dollars in state teacher pension obligations which we’ll have to pay each year.”

Fitzwater said about 12,000 federal employees live in Frederick County. If the federal government reduces its workforce by 25 percent, the county’s; unemployment rate will “increase dramatically,”  put pressure on the local social safety net and hurt the local tax base.

“What I’m about to say cannot be overstated: the initial chaos we are experiencing at the federal level is not normal. In many cases it is unconstitutional and it’s not okay,”: Fitzwater emphasized. She said the county must “remain steadfast”  in its support of public education.

Under the proposed budget, the county property tax rate remains at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value.

The County Council is expected to hold a public hearing on the budget on Tuesdays, April 22nd.

By Kevin McManus

State officials say funding for the project is in place.

Frederick, Md (KM) After years of discussion, there’s finally some movement on the US Route 15 Road Improvement Project. That’s the construction of a third lane in each direction along the highway between Interstate 70 and Maryland Route 26 in Frederick.  . The State Highway Administration says the funding for the project is in place.

John Delaney, the Project Manger, says the preliminary design work is expected to wrap up soon. He also says 65 percent of the design work could be completed by 2026..

Part of the project includes utility relocation. “That includes both overhead utilities and underground utilities. That coordination is on-going and we expect to continue that coordination at locations  to start sometime this year,” he says,.

The installation of an Intelligent Transportation Systems to better monitor traffic congestion will also be part of the Route 15 project. “Part of that will be to install traffic monitoring places throughout the corridor to help traffic flow more smoothly, and help end emergency response situations,” says Delaney.

Noise walls will   also be installed. “Part of the reason we’re proposing noise walls is because we are widening the roads,” Delaney says. “We also have a lot of residents in neighborhoods who are very close to the roadway. So we understand the noise impacts of the roadway on those residences. So we are mitigating some of those noise impacts.”

The other features of this project are widening the bridges to accommodate additional travel lanes, upgrading drainage and stormwater management, and planting new trees and scrubs

SHA says construction work is expected to begin in 2028. But Delaney says property owners along US Route 15 may notice some work connected to the project starting  soon. “So we’ll have crews on the site in the coming months for soil boring. We’ll have a crew out there for that as well as some other data collection such as video pipe inspection or utility designation,” he says. “And, again, the utility relocations are expected to start soon.”

Delaney says the additional lanes north and south for  this stretch of US Route 15 are expected to be taken from the already existing medians in the roadway. . But he says SHA could end up taking some land from alongside the road. However,  it  will provide compensation to property owners along this stretch US Route 15 if that’s the case.

By Kevin McManus 

MPT says this is its 21ST season for showcasing the Chesapeake.

Owings Mils, Md (KM) It will soon be time for Chesapeake Bay Week on Maryland Public Television. During the week of April 20th through April 26th, MPT will broadcast programs depicting life along the nation’s largest estuary. Senior producer Sarah Sampson says it will be more than just the environmental aspects of  the Bay.

“We have programs about food. We have programs about history; even recreation on the Bay,”: she says. There’s expected to be 18 hours of programming focusing on the Chesapeake Bay’s history, heritage and resources as well as its ecosystem, according to MPT.

The cornerstone of this year’s program is “Resurrecting Poplar Island.” Sampson says it was once a thriving community in the 18th and 19th centuries of about 100 people. But the island eroded over the years. “It’s one of the most ambitious environmental restorations in the country. They’ve actually built an island. It was down to  about three acres because of erosion in the 1990’s. And they’ve actually rebuilt this island. It’s about 1700 acres today. And with that, they recreated an entire ecosystem,” says Sampson.

That program will premier on Sunday, April 20th at 7:30 PM.

Poplar Island is located off of Tilghman Island on the Eastern Shore.

Other new programs on MPT as part of Chesapeake Bay Week:

“Chesapeake Rhythms” on Tuesday, April 22nd at 8:00 PM. This segment highlights the seasonal movements of the region’s iconic creatures, such as the tundra swan, monarch butterfly and the American eel.

“Every Acre Counts: Chesapeake Farmers in the Forefront”  on Tuesday, April 22nd at 8:30 PM. This one is about four local farmers who are putting new technology to the test to create more sustainable land practices.

“Headwaters Down: Tidal River,” Wednesday, April 23rd at 8:00 PM. This segment is about the journey of five friends as they kayak the James River, exploring the 110-mile stretch from Richmond, Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay.

“Upstream Downriver: Uniting for Water Justice,” Wednesday, April 23rd, at 9:00 PM. This segment depicts the human connection to  the rivers that flow through the hearts of the cities, towns and rural areas..

“On Water’s Edge,” Thursday, April 24th, 7:30 PM. This program looks at the city of Crisfield and it’s relationships with the waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

In addition to the Maryland Public Television network at their scheduled times, these programs will also  air on MPT-HD, and the MPT Live stream with additional content available to stream live. They will also be on demand through  the PBS App, and MPT’s online video player.,

Sampson points out that the Chesapeake Bay is important for all of the Maryland, including areas located far away from the Bay, including  Frederick County. She points out that the Monocacy River empties into the Potomac River which eventually flows  in the Chesapeake Bay. “I know people in Frederick County like to eat crabs, and they like to eat fish. Many of us in Maryland love seafood. That’s another reason to pay attention to the health of the Bay,” says Sampson.

By Kevin McManus

He is jailed without bond.

Asburn, Va. (KM) The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of a teenager last weekend. Fadalla Mohammad, 19, of Ashburn,   has been charged with 1st-degree  murder, and use of a firearm in a felony. He’s being held without bond at the Loudoun County Detention Center

Deputies arrested Mohammad in Leesburg on Sunday.

Authorities say on Saturday afternoon just before 6:00 PM, deputes were called to the 43000-block of Hillmont Terrace in Ashburn for an injured 16-year-old boy in the passenger seat of a vehicle parked in front of the Harris Teeter in Southern Walk Plaza. . Immediate assistance was rendered , but the youth was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound.

Investigators determined the victim was shot in another location, and then transported to the Southern Walk Plaza.

“This was a brutal crime and is a tragedy for this young man’s family,” says Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman in a statement.. “I’m proud of the many deputies, detectives, analysts and other who worked around-the-clock to identify the suspect, then locate and arrest him. The arrest of a suspect in less than 24 hours is a tribute to their diligence and skills, and the use of state-of-the-art technologies to identify and locate Mohammad.”

The incident remains under investigation. Anyone who has information  is asked to contact Detective Whitehead at 703-777-1021. Citizens who want want to remain anonymous can call Loudoun County Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.

By Kevin McManus

Citizens are being asked to provide their input.

Frederick, Md (KM) Citizens are invited to take part in the development of a Climate and Energy Action Plan. Lindsay Humphrey, a project manager with the County’s Division of Energy and Environment, says both the County and the City of Frederick are working on this plan. She says it’s designed to assess how climate change is affecting the area’s infrastructure, natural resources, community members and health.

She says citizens can go on line and describe how climate change is affecting them. “And we have a survey available there that people can take. We have a flood mapping tool that people can utilize. And then, obviously, there’s contact information on that page.   If there’s anything outside of what you would want to include on the survey, send us an e-mail and let us know and we can capture that feedback,” says Humphrey.

The e-mail address is www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ClimateAction.

Humphrey says the plan, when it’s completed, will address the changing climate in the area, and include an in-depth assessment of community needs. “We’re trying to build upon previous work that the Climate Emergency Workgroup had started, and just really trying to come up with a climate plan that has actionable items that are specific to Frederick County Government and the City of Frederick and that we can take a collaborative approach with community partners in tow to meet climate goals,” she says.

Frederick County and the City of Frederick adopted a joint resolution in 2020 which calls for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to one third of 2010 levels by 2030, and by 100 percent in 2050. A Climate Emergency Mobilization Workgroup was formed. Its volunteer members spent 18,500 hours to come up with a Climate Response and Resilience Report to help the City and the County meet their climate and greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Humphrey says the public is encouraged to offer their recommendations for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “We’re asking the public come out, really get informed on kind of what is going on in the planning process,” she says. “Also, asking what are priorities for you? What are barriers that you may have in regards to, again, these actions and strategies that will come out of the plan? And really trying to tailor this to make sure  that it’s a community-driven plan and meets the needs of our community.”

As part of this process, Humphrey says citizens will be asked how climate change has impacted them where they live when it comes to such issues as flooding, extreme heat and drought. “We’re all different areas of the county in that something might look a little bit different to somebody say in Brunswick versus Emmitsburg, etc,” she says. “Just really trying to make it more personal for people, especially when we’re going out in the community and talking about this with them.”

There will be a series of climate workshops where the public can learn more about the process of developing this plan, and offer their input. Citizens can find out where by going on line to www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/ClimateAction. If some citizens can’t make, they can still take the survey and offer their ideas.

Humphrey says public input will end in June, and a final report is expected by September.

By Kevin McManus

He was arrested after a search warrant was served at his residence.

Frederick, Md (KM) The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office has charged a Frederick man with 19 counts of possession of child pornography. Maxwell Forquer, 19. was arrested on Thursday as detectives with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were serving a search warrant on his home in the 6600 block of Spokeshave Court in the Farmbrook neighborhood.

Authorities say they received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about possession of numerous files containing child sexual abuse material. An investigation led to Forquet as the suspect. Detectives say 19 files containing such material were located at the home on Spokeshave Court during the search.

As deputies were trying to serve the search warrant, another occupant of the home became irate and struck a deputy in the arm numerous times. Authorities took Jessica Turner, 52, into custody, charging her with 2nd-degree assault.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with additional information on this case  to contact Detective Staub at 301-600-3679.

By Kevin McManus

31-year old Edward Robinson of Columbia is charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree murder.

Ellicott City, MD – Howard County police have arrested a suspect and charged him with two counts of murder in a 2020 shooting in Columbia that killed 30-year-old Rabiah Ahmad and forced the delivery of her baby girl Ahja, who died five days later.

Edward Robinson, 31, of Columbia, is charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree murder and related assault and handgun violations. He was arrested in Gaithersburg on April 9 and is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center.

Ahmad was 28 weeks pregnant when she was shot while inside a residence in the 6600 block of Dovecote Drive. She died at the hospital. Doctors delivered Ahja, but she also later died.

At approximately 11 p.m. on July 31, 2020, police responded to the Dovecote address, where numerous people were living, for a report of several gunshots. Police discovered that multiple bullets had been fired into the house from the outside. Ahmad, who had recently moved to Maryland and had been staying at the residence for only a few months, was struck once; no one else was injured. Police believe she was not the intended target.

The case was turned over to the Howard County police cold case unit in September 2024. Through a tip and further investigation in the ensuing months, detectives learned that Robinson had a dispute with two individuals who also lived at the Dovecote address. Police believe that dispute led him to fire upon the house as a suspected warning to other residents.

The projectiles found at the scene were the same caliber as a gun recovered at Robinson’s residence in Columbia during a search warrant on April 9. The firearm will be tested to determine if it was the murder weapon.

“Our detectives never rest until they get justice for a grieving family, and today we were able to provide Rabiah’s family with some sense of closure,” Police Chief Gregory Der said. “Nearly five years have passed since Rabiah and baby Ahja’s senseless deaths, and I know it must have felt much longer for their family. Rabiah had an incredibly bright future, and her and Ahja’s lives were taken so callously. I want to commend our detectives for their tireless work and those who came forward to provide the information necessary to move this case forward.”

“On July 31, 2020, Rabiah Ahmad and her unborn daughter Ahja were taken from this world far too soon in an act of unimaginable violence. Their case remained cold for five years, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Howard County Police Department in identifying and arresting their shooter. We hope that Rabiah and Ahja’s family can attain some closure after all this time,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “Since Chief Der returned to the Howard County Police Department, we have made solving cold cases a top priority. We have increased the reward for cold case information to up to $30,000, expanded our Cold Case Unit by adding two dedicated investigators, and invested in new tools and outreach to highlight unsolved cases and bring new leads to light. Our efforts are making a difference, and we will continue to ensure that every resident is and feels safe.”

Senator Lewis Young says it was due to the state’s budget woes.

Frederick County State Senator Karen Lewis Young

Frederick, Md (KM) The dust is beginning to settle on the 2025 Maryland General Assembly which adjourned for the year on Monday, April 7th after 90 days. Frederick County State Senator Karen Lewis Young had this assessment. “It was certainly one of the most challenging one in my 11 sessions largely because of our budget challenge,”  she says.

The state was facing a budget deficit of $3 billion dollars. Senator Lewis Young, who is a member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, says some cuts needed to be made to bring the budget into balance. “I would say the biggest areas were probably positions that were unfilled,” she said. “If there were positions that we saw  that were unfilled, and had been that way for a while, we just eliminated them.”

She says $1.6 billion in cuts were made.

But Senator Lewis Young says she was able to get seven bills passed. One would study whether Frederick County’s; Family Connects should be expanded statewide. That’s where a nurse makes a home visit to a woman who had just given birth, to make sure that both the new mother and her baby were healthy.   This would take place  before their first postpartum visit following delivery

She says this program in Frederick County is being paid for with federal money leftover from the COVID-19 pandemic. But that money is expected to run out soon

Senator Lewis Young said expanding this program statewide would cost  $40 million, and $1.1 million do it locally. “So we established a workgroup that could try to identify existing programs throughout the state that might be relevant and close to the program we have,”: she said.

Another bill that made it would expand the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Program to veterinarians and veterinary assistants. It would be a way to help alleviate a shortage of these professionals in Maryland. “This will allow veterinarians and vet techs to be able to apply for tuition reimbursement up to a certain amount if they agree to practice in Maryland for five years, or donate 100 hours  a year for three years to an animal shelter,” she says.

Senator Lewis Young says taking away the worries of tuition payments provides incentives to these professionals to stay in Maryland so that families, farmers and animal  shelters have access to veterinary care.

Legislation dealing with data centers also passed the General Assembly. Frederick County is considering data centers as a possible source of revenue, and for good paying jobs for its citizens. But Senator Lewis Young says many of her constituents have expressed concerns about these facilities, particularly environmental issues. They also wondered if there is enough energy, and whether the number of jobs these facilities could provide is accurate.  She says this bill would set up a commission to study these issues. “The University of Maryland School of Business will do the financial analysis. The Department of the Environment will do the environmental impact. And the Energy Department will do the energy forecast,”  says Senator Lewis Young.

The Senator says  she  was also able to bring back more than $10 million in local capital projects. They include the Maryland Deaf Community Center ($1 million), Frederick County Microgrid ($500,000), Heartly House ($500,000), Frederick Youth Center ($150,000), the Frederick Center ($125,000), 7th Street Fountain Park ($50,000) and Splash Point at Baker Park ($50,000).

There was also $7.5 million for the downtown hotel and conference center. The Senator staff says that money came from the fiscal year 2026 budget, but the Senator was instrumental in keeping the amount from being reduced.

By Kevin McManus

Fire officials say diesel fuel spilled from a tanker truck.

Scenes from hazardous materials incident in Emmitsburg, April 10th, 2025  (Phots from Frederick County Fire & Rescue Servcies)

Emmitsburg, Md (KM) A vehicle accident in Emmitsburg Thursday morning involving a tanker truck led to a hazardous materials incident. .

The Frederick Scanner Facebook page reports at around 7:45 AM, fire and rescue crews were dispatched to North Seton Avenue and Provincial Parkway where they found an overturned tanker truck, and reports of fire in the vehicle.

All occupants got out safely. One person who was evaluated at the scene refused transport to the hospital.

Fire officials say the truck was carrying about 2,600 gallons of diesel fuel. About 50 gallons spilled on the roadway, and almost five gallons went into a nearby creek. Hazardous materials crews were called to the scene to contain the spill. The Maryland Department of the Environment also responded to the incident.

Fire fighters managed to put out the fire just after 8:00 AM. And haz mat personnel completed their work shortly after 11:00 AM, according to the Frederick Scanner Facebook page.

All emergency vehicles have cleared the scene.

By Kevin McManus

Jack Fitzgerald passed away this week.

Jack Fitzgerald  (Photo from the Fitzgerald Auto Mall website)

Frederick, Md (KM) The founder of one of the largest auto dealerships in the region has died. Jack Fitzgerald passed away on Tuesday, April 8th. He was around 90 years old, according to his obituary. .

Fitzgerald started off in 1956 as a door-to-door salesman, and then as a salesman for Handley Ford in the Washington DC area which was owned by Vincent Sheehy. .

In 1966- Fitzgerald purchased a stake in Diver Dodge in Bethesda. which is he re-named “Colonial Dodge”: and moved it to Rockville Pike.

His obituary also says Fitzgerald developed a customer-first philosophy which he called the “Fitzway.” It was grounded in transparency, honesty and respect, and there was “no haggle, no hassle” when it came to selling a vehicle  to a customer. That person paid the same price as everyone else.

In addition to running his auto dealerships, Fitzgerald was passionate about car seat safety, and educated parents and other caregivers in the proper  installation of  child safety  seats.

Along with that, his obituary says Fitzgerald transferred his company into a 100-percent employee-owned business. “I want to ensure that our employees keep their jobs long after I’m gone, and the Fitzway philosophy continues well into the future,” he said. “There’s just no better way to go.”

Fitzgerald Auto Malls include 20 franchises in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Florida, which employ 1,800 people.. There is a Fitzgerald auto dealership in Frederick off of Baughmans Lane.

Fitzgerald is survived by his sister, his son, daughter, grandson and stepson.

By Kevin McManus

The panel held a hearing on that topic on Tuesday,

Frederick, Md (KM) The Frederick County Council on Tuesday held a hearing on a proposal to raise the salaries of the County Executive and members of the County Council. but only one person testified.  He was Brent Simmons of Monrovia who was a member of the Compensation Review Commission which recommended the pay raises. He testified against the increase  in salaries.

“We continue to financially struggle with funding all the priorities of the county. And the public speaking out, it’s our schools, whether it be the operating budget or the overcrowding or the infrastructure for the schools,” said Simmons.

He also noted that the county doesn’t bring in enough money for pay for schools or other needs. “The property tax bills that our residents pay continue to go up, whether it’s because of the assessments, and including last year, the increase in the property tax rate, and yet it’s still not enough,” Simmons says.

The Commission recommended the County Executive’s salary go up to $162,000 annually, an increase of $25,000 or 18.25 percent.  . It also proposed that Council members pay go up to $42,000 per year, a boost of $7,000 or 20 percent.  These pay raises would go into effect in December, 2026, when the candidates elected to be County Executive and members of the County Council take their oaths of office.

In his comments, Simmons said local elected officials do work hard for the citizens. “It’s not to say that the County Executive or yourselves deserve that raise. But you don’t deserve it ahead of the priorities of the county,” he said.

But if the raises are approved, Simmons said they should be spread out over the next County Executive and Council members’  four-year terms, and a not a lump sum in the first year.

Council President Brad Young said he and his colleagues are expected to discuss and possibly vote on the proposed salary increases during their meeting next Tuesday.

By Kevin McManus

He was charged following an incident in downtown Frederick in 2019 where someone was shot. 

Frederick County Court House 

Frederick, Md (KM) A verdict came down Wednesday the trial of a Frederick man. The State’s Attorney’s Office says the jury found Gregory Lyte, 39, not guilty on all three counts. They were attempted 2nd-degree murder, use of a firearm in a crime of violence and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction.

He had been on trial in Circuit Court since Monday for an incident which occurred in downtown Frederick in February, 2019. In that case, two groups of individuals got into an argument inside of the Taco Daddy restaurant on North Market Street. The confrontation moved outside on the sidewalk. During that fight, one man was shot in the abdomen.

The victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, but he has recovered.

By Kevin McManus 

That’s according to Council President Brad Young.

Frederick, Md (KM) Data centers are being touted in Maryland as a good revenue source for state and local governments.  Frederick County Council President Brad Young discussed that during a recent appearance on WFMD’s “Morning News Express.”

“We need an additional tax revenue source in Frederick County,” he says. “Right now, over 80 percent of our tax base comes on the backs of residential homeowner taxes, and we have to find additional ways of getting some businesses in Frederick County to support taxes that don’t put that burden on the residences.”

Young says data centers are permitted in Frederick County in areas zoned limited industrial and general industrial. One is under construction at the former Eastalco  site in Adamstown.

The Council held a hearing two weeks ago on a bill to put more regulations in place for data centers.   It covers such issues as where they can be located, and stipulates standards for visual impacts, sound, vibration reporting, air pollution, environmental health considerations and acceptable areas for data center development. Young says a vote on this legislation is expected on May 6th..

In addition to being a good revenue source, Young says data centers can provide high paying, full time jobs. During the hearing, Young says members of the IBEW  said they worked outside of Frederick County because they couldn’t afford living here. He summarized what they said. “Right now, we’re having to go to our jobs in Northern Virginia and DC.  We want to live in Frederick County because it’s a great quality of life, but we have to go down the road to chase the money. Put those jobs in Frederick County.’  So this would do that, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Also, during the hearing, there were those who spoke out against data center in Frederick County. “The bill that Council Member {Renee} Knapp and I put forward actually puts a lot of additional requirements on data centers that are not in place now, “he says. “Now, unfortunately, they don’t go far enough for the folks who don’t want data centers.”

Many opponents point to Northern Virginia which has numerous data centers, and they don’t want Frederick County to be like that. Young says it won’t happen. “Northern Virginia before they’re done, will have over 200 data warehouses. I estimate at most if everything gets built out in Frederick County, we might have five,”: he says.

Young says some of these data centers are built close to residential areas in Northern Virginia. . But that was due to bad decisions on their part.. “They basically said ‘put ’em anywhere you want. We want the revenue. We’re willing to sell out our county and put these anywhere to get the revenue.’. That is not what we’re doing here in Frederick County,” he said.

By Kevin McManus

Gregory Lyte is charged in connection with a shooting in 2019.

Frederick County Court House.

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Frederick, Md (KM) The trial of a Frederick man charged with attempted 2nd-degree murder and two firearms offenses will continue on Wednesday in Frederick County Circuit Court.

Gregory Lyte, 39, was arrested for a shooting outside of a restaurant in downtown Frederick in February, 2019.

Police say two groups of people got into an argument inside of Taco Daddy on North Market Street. The individuals resumed their fight out outside on the sidewalk.  One man was shot in the abdomen.  He was taken to the hospital for treatment and has since recovered.

The State has still not rested yet in Lyte’s trial, and it will continue calling witnesses starting on Wednesday  at 9:00 AM, when the trial is expected to resume.

By Kevin McManus

Residents are asked to practice what they would do if a tornado occurred.

Hanover, Md (KM) The Maryland Department of Emergency Management is encouraging residents to take part in the “Great Twister Test” on Wednesday, April 9th, 2025 starting at 10:00 AM

Officials say the National Weather Service will issue a statement over NOAA Weather Radio about a tornado drill. Schools, businesses, community groups and individuals are encouraged to practice what they would do if a tornado was on its way. That includes getting into a safe shelter such as a basement, storm shelter or the interior of a sturdy building; and staying  away from windows,  doors and outside walls.

If you’re outside, MDEM urges residents  not to  go under an overpass or a bridge, and lie flat in a low lying ditch or depression;  and stay away from trees and vehicles. Cover you head and neck. You should use your arms to protect your head and neck.   If close by, use pillows, blankets and/or couch cushions.

If you are driving a vehicle and spot a tornado, stay in your car.. Also, buckle up, and lower your  head below the windows while covering your  head with your arms,  or a coat  or blanket, if possible; or get   out  the car and lie flat in  a low-lying ditch or depression away from trees and vehicles.

If possible, go to a public shelter.

This is all part of Maryland Severe Storms Awareness Week. April 7-11, 2025.

MDEM says tornadoes happen almost every year in Maryland, and they can be violent or deadly.  Since 2000, fatalities from twisters have been recorded in LaPlata, College Park and Baltimore city. These rotating columns of air can destroy buildings, flip cars and create deadly flying debris.

Since 1950, MDEM says Maryland has experienced 425 tornadoes,  nine tornado-related deaths and over 300 injuries.

By Kevin McManus

It will be in effect from 2 AM to 9 AM on Wednesday.

...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM EDT WEDNESDAY...* WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures in the lower to middle 20s.* WHERE...Portions of central and northern Maryland and central and  northern Virginia west of Interstate 95, and the eastern panhandle  of West Virginia.* WHEN...From 2 AM to 9 AM EDT Wednesday.* IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other  sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor  plumbing.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.To prevent water pipes from freezing, wrap or drain or allow them todrip slowly.By The National Weather Service, Sterling, Va.

23-year old man struck the median and collided with a large tree.

The married couple were found in their home.

Gaithersburg, MD – The deaths of a married couple found in their Chevy Chase home have been ruled a murder-suicide.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Montgomery County Department of Police – 2nd District officers and Fire Rescue personnel were dispatched to the 8500 block of Connecticut Avenue in Chevy Chase where 61-year-old Kate Simoni Fralin and 63-year-old William Scott Fralin had been found inside of their residence with apparent gunshot wounds.

The couple were both pronounced dead at the scene. A gun and ammunition were located nearby.

Major Crimes detectives responded to the location, and the decedents were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsy.

The manner of death for Kate Simoni Fralin was determined to be a homicide. While the official cause and manner of death for William Scott Fralin are pending, his death is being investigated as a suicide.