930 WFMD Local News

Carroll County officials have started work on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget and are inviting residents to participate in the process. Affordable faith-based education is once again available to the Frederick community this spring.   A Maryland Lottery player in the Silver Spring area is celebrating after winning $4 million in Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing.   

A federal judge has temporarily paused work on a proposed immigration detention facility in Washington County, but supporters say the project could bring significant economic benefits to the region. A man accused of killing his estranged wife in Ellicott City has pleaded not criminally responsible in Howard County Circuit Court. New Veterans Services Office Opens in Frederick County to Help Connect Veterans with Benefits

The state’s highest court is weighing a case involving Frederick County and a local advocacy group over legal fees tied to a public records dispute.  Gun-rights advocates are voicing strong opposition to a new assault weapons bill passed by the Virginia General Assembly. West Virginia’s jails are stretched beyond their limits, with multiple facilities housing far more inmates than they were built for.

Hagerstown Man Pleads Guilty to Exploiting Minors in South America, Faces Up to Life in Prison A controversial immigration detention project in Washington County is moving forward after federal officials awarded a major operations contract. Montgomery County authorities have been actively cracking down on illegal firearms in Silver Spring this week, seizing multiple guns during several stops.

A teenager in Frederick is facing multiple charges after a major firearms investigation.  A debate over juvenile justice reform is intensifying in Maryland after the Maryland Senate approved a bill that would reduce the number of crimes for which teenagers can automatically be charged as adults. An amount of 500-thousand dollars is going out to 19 non-profit and religious organizations in Frederick County to help meet  increased demand for food services. 

Four people are facing charges after two early-morning traffic stops in Frederick led to the seizure of guns, drugs and cash. Amazon is expanding its footprint in Frederick with a major new facility on Gas House Pike.  Maryland Man On Probation For 2018 Child Porn Conviction Found Guilty in Virginia Child Solicitation Case

 A former Harford County sheriff’s deputy has been sentenced to decades in federal prison for abusing two teenage girls. Ryan Christopher Hall of Woodstock, a 27-year veteran and former domestic violence investigator, admitted to sexually exploiting the girls over several years.  A Sunday afternoon fall near railroad tracks in Chambersburg left one person seriously injured. Petition organizers working to force a public vote on Frederick County’s new data center overlay say they’re closing in on their goal.

A Montgomery County Police sergeant has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. Montgomery County authorities are investigating a deadly crash that occurred Monday night in Damascus. More than a year after a deadly shooting inside a Hagerstown apartment, a Washington County jury has convicted the man responsible.

In Frederick County Circuit Court, 29‑year‑old Nyzeir Sampson was sentenced to a 30‑year prison term for a 2025 drive‑by shooting that seriously wounded two men.  A man was killed early Sunday in Columbia during a police-involved shooting, sparking an investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division.  A routine traffic stop in Finksburg Thursday afternoon turned into a major drug and weapons arrest.

Senate Advances Juvenile Justice Reform as Frederick County State Senator Folden, Prosecutors Warn of Public Safety Risks Public Hearing Set on Thurmont Electric Rate Increase Request $4 Billion Data Center Planned for Berkeley County, West Virginia, Sparks Debate

Frederick County’s Board of Education has approved a $1 billion budget request Wednesday for the upcoming school year, about a 3 percent increase over last year. An overnight fire in Taneytown caused major damage, but smoke alarms helped save lives.  A Washington County jury has convicted 40‑year‑old Daniel Matthew Anderson on all charges tied to the June 2025 shooting of a Hagerstown Police Department officer, according to law enforcement and court reports.

On Wednesday, sheriffs from across Maryland gathered in Annapolis to oppose proposed legislation that would further limit local cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Lawmakers in Annapolis debated a controversial bill that would bar police and immigration agents from wearing masks while on duty as the House Judiciary Committee took it up Tuesday. A Hagerstown native playing Division I basketball is now facing serious drug charges in North Carolina.

Frederick County State Senator Bill Folden is sponsoring a bill that could require all self-contained special education classrooms in Frederick County Public Schools to be equipped with video cameras as part of efforts to increase transparency and ensure student safety An increase in misconduct complaints against law enforcement officers highlighted the latest annual report in Carroll County. Morning drivers on Interstate 270 should expect changes as ramp metering goes live on 16 northbound ramps in Montgomery and Frederick counties.

One person is dead after a house fire in Mount Airy Monday afternoon. Federal officials say a Frederick man was in court on Friday facing charges for flying a drone over a top-secret military facility and sharing the footage online. A Taneytown man is facing charges after a late-night break-in at the Sunoco gas station on East Baltimore Street.

A suspicious scene outside a burning townhome early Friday morning has led to an arson arrest in Frederick County. Charges have been filed in connection with a December hit-and-run that left an elderly Gettysburg woman seriously injured. Bond has been denied for a man accused in a deadly Sterling townhouse fire that claimed the life of a 36-year-old woman.

A proposed congressional redistricting bill that passed the Maryland House of Delegates is now stalled in the state Senate.   In Annapolis, state lawmakers are moving forward with legislation aimed at easing Maryland’s chronic shortage of school psychologists.  Health insurance costs are forcing changes for thousands of public school employees in Howard County. 

Three people, including a toddler, are dead following an early morning house fire in Fulton County. New details have been released in the off-campus murder of a Shepherd University student last week. A Frederick man is behind bars following an investigation into the sexual solicitation of a minor.

Despite objections from local sheriffs and public safety officials, Wes Moore has signed legislation on Tuesday banning Maryland counties from entering or continuing 287(g) agreements with federal immigration authorities.    Two men from Michigan are facing serious charges after a traffic stop in Frederick County turned into a drug and weapons arrest. A Martinsburg High School custodian is facing 29 charges after authorities say he was discovered hiding in a girls’ locker room during a basketball game earlier this month.

Maryland Republican lawmakers and sheriffs are pushing back against a new state law that would BAN 287(g) agreements between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A Maryland YouTuber is facing federal charges after authorities say he posted drone footage showing a flight over the Raven Rock Mountain Complex, a highly secure military installation often called a second Pentagon. Winchester police have successfully arrested Craig Ruble, who had been the subject of an active search on serious child pornography charges A Sunday evening house fire in Bethesda left one person displaced, but no injuries were reported. 

A deadly early-morning shooting in Shepherdstown has led to a murder charge against a 25-year-old man. Prosecutors across Maryland are pushing back hard against the Youth Charging Reform Act  -- a bill that would change how teens are charged for serious crimes.  A narcotics investigation in Hagerstown led to an arrest and the recovery of drugs and a gun.

  A couple hundred students walked out of Urbana High School Thursday afternoon to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement, kicking off what could be a series of similar demonstrations across Frederick County public high schools. One of the drivers responsible for a deadly crash that killed six highway workers on the Baltimore Beltway is back in court. A Germantown man is facing charges after police say he assaulted a child inside a Silver Spring arcade, and investigators believe there may be other victims. Frederick’s City Council is moving to make its work more transparent, approving a series of changes to how meetings and legislation are handled.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore used his fourth State of the State address Wednesday to urge lawmakers to take up his controversial mid-cycle congressional redistricting plan, arguing new maps are needed as other states redraw theirs ahead of the 2026 elections. A 16-year-old accused of shooting another student inside Wootton High School will remain behind bars after a judge ordered him held without bond during a hearing Wednesday. Montgomery County police say a large fight involving more than 20 juveniles near the Silver Spring Metro Station ended with multiple injuries and a teenager facing gun charges..

In Washington County the Board of County Commissioners moved ahead Tuesday with a resolution in full support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security.  Montgomery County police have arrested a man more than two years after a homicide in Germantown. Montgomery County Police say a major DNA breakthrough has led to charges in two decades-old sexual assault cases, and investigators believe there could be more victims. 

Tension gripped the Rockville community Monday afternoon when emergency responders rushed to Thomas Wootton High School after reports of shots fired on campus.  A new federal rule could start removing thousands of Maryland residents from the food assistance program known as SNAP as early as next month. An Allegany County grand jury has returned an 11-count indictment against a high-ranking Cumberland police officer.  A Franklin County man is facing serious charges after an early Saturday morning shooting in Chambersburg. 

  A Hampstead man will spend the next two decades in prison after a violent domestic assault left a woman with life-threatening injuries. ICE has deported Melbin Ramos-Orellana, a Honduran national who was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman against her will.  The Howard County Council has passed two emergency bills aimed at curbing federal immigration enforcement in the county.  Governor Wes Moore on Friday joined county and city leaders, along with Plamondon Hospitality Partners, to break ground on a new full-service Marriott hotel and conference center at Carroll Creek. 

Tension over congressional redistricting sharpened Thursday in the Maryland Senate as one Democratic lawmaker walked off the floor in protest of stalled legislation. New state transportation data shows Maryland’s traffic deaths fell to the lowest level in more than a decade in 2025.  Maryland’s Freedom Caucus is advancing a package of energy bills aimed at lowering utility costs for residents.  

A Maryland woman has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for a deadly crash in Baltimore County that killed six construction workers.  Tragedy struck Leesburg Pike in Loudoun County Monday afternoon when a crash involving a snowplow left one man dead and another injured. A Loudoun County Public Schools safety training for school board members and staff on January 13 drew controversy.  The Howard County Council are deliberating some legislation that will limit ICE activity in the future and immidiately cancel any agreements already in place.

Maryland lawmakers have passed legislation that would ban local law enforcement from entering formal cooperation agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Two teens are under arrest after a traffic stop on Interstate 270 in Frederick County led to the discovery of a loaded gun. State lawmakers are set to consider new legislation aimed at improving storm drain safety in Maryland after a fatal flash flood last year in Mount Airy highlighted dangers posed by unprotected drains.  A wild police chase on Interstate 81 ended with the arrest of a Martinsburg man wanted on drug-related probation violations.

In a Howard County courtroom on Friday, a judge convicted a 19-year-old Columbia man in the 2025 double homicide of two teenagers outside The Mall in Columbia. Maryland’s 2026 governor’s race just got a new entrant as Republican Dan Cox, who lost to Governor Wes Moore in 2022, has officially filed to run again. The senior centers in Frederick County are undergoing a feasibility study. 

A Washington County judge has handed down a 14-month prison sentence to a Hagerstown woman, identified as a victim of domestic violence, after a jury convicted her of reckless endangerment for providing misleading information to police during a violent standoff. Debate is intensifying in the Maryland Senate after Democrats moved forward with two bills that Republicans say could undermine public safety and local control. More than 55 organizations across Frederick County are receiving new funding through the Community Foundation’s Impact Grant program  

The Frederick County Board of Education’s proposed budget for next year is climbing to historic levels. A workplace dispute turned deadly Wednesday afternoon at the Northrop Grumman facility in Linthicum, prompting a large police response near Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.  An archaeological project tied to the restoration of a Revolutionary War-era structure at the Maryland School for the Deaf campus in Frederick has uncovered two sets of historic human remains.

The Maryland Senate is one step closer to ending local agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after the Judicial Proceedings Committee approved legislation targeting 287(g) partnerships on Tuesday.  A vacancy has opened on the Frederick City Council following the resignation of District 4 representative Scott Lasher.  A multi-agency narcotics investigation in the Eastern Panhandle has led to two arrests in Morgan County.

Frederick Man Arrested Following Child Exploitation Investigation A state audit is drawing new attention to gaps in how Maryland screens educators before they enter classrooms.  Maryland based retailer Under Armour is investigating a data breach that exposed customer email addresses and other personal information, though the company says no passwords or financial data appear to have been compromised.

Frederick Police Investigate Deadly Stabbing on Danielle Drive Maryland lawmakers are racing to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts, introducing a redistricting bill, House Bill 488 on Friday -- just days after an advisory panel recommended a new map.  Montgomery County police have arrested a Silver Spring man accused of a disturbing string of crimes in Gaithersburg and Derwood. Investigators 

Lawmakers in Annapolis are debating how Maryland law enforcement should interact with federal immigration authorities. A robbery at a Montgomery County pizza shop has led to the arrest of a 20-year-old Olney man. Police say the incident happened late on the night of October 8th at a Papa John’s along Georgia Avenue.  A Gaithersburg man has pleaded guilty in federal court to using stolen identities to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits and government documents, and now faces significant prison time.

A Frederick dentist who previously served jail time for harassing his ex-fiancée is now facing new assault accusations from another woman. A push to significantly raise Maryland’s minimum wage is gaining momentum in Annapolis, as lawmakers and labor groups roll out a proposal that would increase the hourly wage to $25 and eliminate all sub-minimum wages. A majority of the Montgomery County Council is pushing back against federal immigration enforcement, backing new legislation aimed at limiting ICE activity on county property

Maryland State Republicans are raising concerns about Governor Wes Moore’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, saying it increases spending by nearly three billion dollars while revenues lag behind. A Carroll County woman is behind bars after deputies say she attacked her juvenile son in their Manchester home. Selina Mui is charged with attempted second-degree murder, second-degree child abuse, and first-degree assault. Maryland State House Republicans are sharply criticizing Governor Wes Moore’s Redistricting Commission after it voted to move forward this week with a new congressional map. State health data shows Maryland’s severe flu surge may be easing after peaking around the holidays, but officials say the season is far from over

Maryland State Police are investigating a deadly two-vehicle crash that occurred Monday evening in Frederick County. A Washington County jury has delivered a guilty verdict in a deadly shooting in Hagerstown in 2024 Police are investigating a shooting that occurred Monday evening outside a McDonald’s in Gaithersburg.  

A juvenile driver was killed in a fiery crash early Saturday morning after a Howard County police officer attempted a traffic stop in Columbia. Maryland lawmakers are facing a growing political battle over the proposed ICE Breaker Act of 2026, legislation aimed at barring certain U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from moving into state or local police jobs.  A group of Frederick County residents is expected to gather outside Winchester Hall Tuesday afternoon to protest a controversial expansion of the county’s data center zoning.  A new candidate has entered the race for Frederick County’s top office, with former Frederick Mayor Jeff Holtzinger filing to run for county executive.

Two additional people are now facing charges in a Washington County triple murder investigation connected to a deadly house fire last fall. In Carroll County local officials are reporting significant declines in both crime and drug overdoses for 2025 compared with the previous year A Maryland government contractor accused of mishandling and stealing classified information remains in federal custody following a court hearing in Baltimore.

A drug raid in Hagerstown on Thursday led to the seizure of nearly 100 grams of fentanyl, more than 60 grams of cocaine, and $1,802 in cash. During the 20-26 Maryland General Assembly, several lawmakers will making an  effort to repeal the Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program.  There's a laundry service for unhoused people in Frederick County. 

With the 2026 Maryland General Assembly underway,  the Frederick County Legislative Delegation is considering several bills  to bring forward.  On Wednesday Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins announced he is seeking re-election.  He made the announcement as he walked out of the County Board of Elections.  The bridge that carries  Route 28  over the Monocacy River in Frederick County will be closed this weekend.     

Montgomery County police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a 73-year-old woman Monday evening near Columbia Pike and Fairland Road.  An explosion from an underground electrical fire in downtown Frederick knocked out power to multiple blocks Monday night, sending emergency crews and utility workers to the scene near South Market Street and East All Saints Street A groundhog found on January 13th  at the intersection of West Patrick Street and Mc-Cain Drive in Frederick has tested positive for rabies.   Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown recently announced that the state's Health Education and Advocacy Unit resolved more than two-thousand consumer health care complaints in fiscal year 2025.   With the start of the General Assembly’s legislative session today, a new statewide criminal justice reform effort is getting underway in Maryland.

Maryland Department of Human Services facing scrutiny over requirement of ensuring proper distribution of federal tax money used by the state. Health officials warn residents of a confirmed case of measles from a traveler. MDOT will close a right lane on westbound I-70 and a partial ramp closure from westbound I-70 to northbound/southbound I-81 at exit 26 near Hagerstown at 8pm on January 15. Weinberg To Receive Grant From Deleplaine Foundation.

  A 19-year-old is now facing charges in a deadly rollover crash that killed a Germantown woman last summer. Carroll County deputies arrested two women following an organized retail theft investigation that began at a Sykesville Ulta Beauty store.  It's not data centers that are the biggest threat to farmland in Frederick County, it's solar fields.  That comment comes from County Council President Brad Young

Governor Wes Moore stopped by Frederick High School on Thursday to unveil a historic $10.2 Billion K-12 education budget for Fiscal Year 2027 Across the nation and in Maryland. flu cases and hospitalizations continue to rise........ Walkersville town officials are expected to take up several key issues this year, including possible updates to the town charter, a review of police services, and changes to food truck regulations.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office has arrested two teenagers in connection with a violent armed robbery reported last fall. Charges have been filed against a Monrovia man for a robbery in Frederick   The need for more child care centers is expected to be addressed in legislation passed unanimously by the Frederick County Council on Tuesday.  

A tragic crash on Interstate 81 in Berkeley County has claimed the life of a 5-year-old child. Fire crews battled a major blaze that severely damaged a longtime Frederick landmark early Tuesday morning.  A deadly head-on collision on Interstate 95 in Howard County early Sunday morning has left two people dead and two others hospitalized. There's a new Deputy State's Attorney for the Frederick County State's Attorney's Office.    

Fire breaks out at Red Horse Restaurant on Tuesday morning Howard County police say a missing woman reported earlier this month has been found dead, and her fugitive ex-boyfriend is now wanted on murder charges. Authorities in Washington County say a coordinated operation in downtown Hagerstown last week has led to multiple arrests in a crackdown on illegal drugs and firearms. Maryland wrapped up 20-25 with a sharp drop in federal employment, losing nearly 15-thousand government jobs since January, according to the state Department of Labor.

Following a grand jury indictment, Maryland State Police have arrested a Washington County man in connection with a deadly crash earlier last year in Allegany County. The federal government is moving forward with plans to revamp the nation’s immigrant detention system, aiming to speed up deportations through larger, centralized facilities. Many new Maryland laws are now in effect, including several aimed at improving access to health care.