Maryland
Maryland Cracker Barrel disability discrimination suit settled
Maryland’s attorney general announced a settlement has been reached Monday with Cracker Barrel over allegations of disability discrimination.
Back in December of 2024, a group of students with autism were denied service at a Cracker Barrel in Waldorf, Maryland. Each of those students will receive several thousand dollars, and the company has agreed to revise and strengthen its policies.
News4 reported on December 2024 protest outside the restaurant after the group of 11 students with autism as well as seven staff members were not allowed to sit down and enjoy a meal at the restaurant.
The students were part of a life skills learning trip, according to school officials. They called ahead and were told they didn’t need a reservation, but when they got there, they were not accommodated. An employee asked that the restaurant be removed from a list of businesses willing to participate in the community based instruction, which helps students develop social and life skills.
At the time, Cracker Barrel said it was having a staffing challenge and later said it fired a general manager and two employees over the incident.
Maryland’s attorney general launched an investigation.
While Cracker Barrel denied the allegations, it did agree to the settlement. Cracker Barrel will pay each affected student $7,500, donate $17,500 to the Dr. James Craik Elementary School programs that support students with developmental disabilities and strengthen its public accommodation policy nationwide to ensure it’s in compliance with disability rights laws, according to the attorney general.
“This settlement compensates these students and their school while requiring Cracker Barrel to update its policies – advancing inclusion and accessibility not just across Maryland, but across the entire country,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement.
While the students didn’t get to eat inside the restaurant, they did place a to-go order. Under the settlement, Cracker Barrel agreed to pay the school nearly $450 for the cost of the meals and transportation that day.
Cracker Barrel also agreed to contribute $9,000 to the Civil Rights Enforcement Fund, which supports education, outreach and enforcement efforts across Maryland.
News4 reached out to Cracker Barrel for a statement but did not get a response.
Maryland
Dog who called Maryland shelter home for 7 years finally adopted: “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house”
The SPCA of Anne Arundel County announced that their longest running shelter resident has been adopted. Kylo Jace found his forever home after living at the SPCA of Anne Arundel County for 7 years.
The SPCA said on their Facebook page thar Kylo is a dog who “takes many meetings with someone in order to fully trust them and feel comfortable enough to show his true silly, wonderful personality.”
Over the years, he had specific volunteers and staff who had earned his trust and would take turns walking and caring for him day after day, the shelter said.
Over the course of the past 7 months, the woman who adopted Kylo came to visit him twice a week and slowly, but surely, worked her way into his trusted inner circle.
The team at SPCA even worked to ensure Kylo was comfortable getting into his new owner’s car, doing home visits before the big day. On Sunday, he officially left the building that he has spent the past few years in for the final time.
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and we truly are on Cloud 9 knowing he gets to spend the rest of his life loved for exactly who he is!” shelter staff said on social media.
Kylo’s adoption fee was fully paid for in memory of Jim Ehrig, a fan favorite of Kylo’s who passed away.
The SPCA hopes Kylo’s story will encourage more people to take a chance on a shelter dog.
Watch Tide to Table of Ocean City’s crew in action in Instagram reel
Instagram reel offers inside look at Tide to Table crew in action. Provided bby Jason Schwinabart, Vision Jet Media.
Vision Jet Media
The results are in for Delmarva Now’s reader poll of the best local ice cream shop on Maryland’s Lower Shore.
The 10 ice cream shops featured in the poll from the Ocean City, Salisbury and Berlin areas are often sought out by beachgoers with a sweet tooth during the hot summer months.
Get to know the winner and runner-up below.
Island Creamery voted best ice cream shop on Lower Shore
Island Creamery finished in first place with 47 votes, or 62.67% of the total, in Delmarva Now’s reader poll.
The creamery, named “Best Ice Cream Place in America” on July 7, 2023, for its use of fresh, quality ingredients and creativity, is best known for unique flavors such as Wallops Rocket Fuel and Rum Raisin.
It operates three locations across the Delmarva Peninsula: 120 N. Main St. in Berlin, 306 Dogwood Drive in Salisbury and 6243 Maddox Blvd. in Chincoteague, Virginia.
Dumser’s Dairyland secures second place in ice cream poll
Dumser’s Dairyland secured second place in Delmarva Now’s reader poll with 16 votes, or 21.33% of the total.
The family-owned business first opened in 1939 and offers a wide variety of fresh ice cream flavors, including coconut chocolate chip, butter pecan and mint Oreo.
Dumser’s Dairyland operates seven locations in Ocean City, including on the Boardwalk, in West Ocean City and along Coastal Highway. Some locations capture the look of a 1950s diner.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
Maryland lawmakers serving in the U.S. Congress expressed their condolences on Sunday after the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Graham, a Republican, died on Saturday following a “brief and sudden illness,” according to his office. He was 71 years old.
Republican Congressman Andy Harris, who represents Maryland in the House of Representatives, called Stewart a “true leader” and said his “selfless service to his country both in uniform and in Congress is much appreciated.”
“My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, dedicated staff, and the people of South Carolina during this difficult time,” Harris said. “Working with him on budget issues made it clear to me that he was a true leader in the fight to restore fiscal responsibility, and he will be sorely missed.”
Graham died on Saturday evening, shortly after he returned from a trip to Ukraine. He was scheduled to appear on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, followed by four terms in the U.S. Senate. Before his political career, Graham served in the United States Air Force.
Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who served with Graham in Congress for more than two decades, said that even though the two disagreed on many issues, they had always had “an open line of communication and honest conversation.”
“Whenever possible, we worked together to find common ground, including our joint efforts to support our Syrian Kurdish partners and the SDF, who have been our main allies in the fight against ISIS,” Van Hollen stated. “My heart goes out to Lindsey’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
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