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African American groups call for ditching 'racist' Francis Scott Key, naming new bridge after late congressman

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African American groups call for ditching 'racist' Francis Scott Key, naming new bridge after late congressman

A coalition of African American groups in Maryland is pushing for Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge to be renamed once reconstructed over what they say is racism connected to Key’s legacy. 

The Caucus of African American Leaders of Anne Arundel County recently voted unanimously to call for changing the names of two bridges in Maryland, including the Key Bridge, and will lobby Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and the state’s Democrat-controlled General Assembly on the proposal, the Baltimore Banner first reported Tuesday. The bridge collapsed in late March when a cargo ship struck a support beam. 

The coalition includes groups such as an NAACP chapter and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, which wants the replacement bridge to be renamed in honor of the late Rep. Parren Mitchell, the first African American elected to the U.S. House from the state of Maryland. Mitchell was also a civil rights pioneer as the first Black graduate student admitted to the University of Maryland.

MARYLAND GOVERNOR TO DISCUSS REBUILDING COLLAPSED BALTIMORE BRIDGE WITH CONGRESS

A coalition of African American groups is pushing Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on changing the name of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. (Getty Images)

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When asked about the proposal, Moore told Fox News Digital that he remains “laser-focused on providing closure to these families, clearing the channel, and rebuilding the bridge.”

However, the Baltimore Banner said that Moore told reporters on Monday that he thinks there will “be a time for that” conservation later.

A spokesperson for the Caucus of African American Leaders told Fox News Digital they believe “public structures and buildings that taxpayers pay for shouldn’t be named in honor of people who owned slaves.”

Their issue with the bridge keeping its name after Key, the author of the national anthem, stems from his “legacy” being clouded with “accusations of racism,” the Baltimore Banner wrote.

The Banner noted that Key, an attorney by profession, purchased enslaved people but also represented some Black Marylanders in court who sued for their freedom.

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MARYLAND’S RISING STAR DEM GOVERNOR FACES FIRST NATIONAL TEST AFTER BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE

An Oil on Panel portrait of Francis Scott Key (fragment). Attributed to Joseph Wood (1778-1830). Collection of the Walters Art Museum. (Public Domain)

They also quote Key as having said Black Americans are “a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community,” which has received pushback as an “erroneous” quote from the Star Spangled Banner Foundation. 

“A racist quote attributed to Francis Scott Key, the author of the lyrics to ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ has been circulating in news articles and blog posts,” the foundation wrote in 2020. “Incorrectly credited to Key as a first-person expression of his attitudes about race in the United States, the quote asserts that free Blacks are “a distinct and inferior race of people, which all experience proves to be the greatest evil that afflicts a community.”

“The quote is taken from page 40 of Jefferson Morley’s generally insightful 2012 book Snow-Storm in August: Washington City, Francis Scott Key, and the Forgotten Race Riot of 1835),” the foundation continued. “Morley, in turn, cites as his sole source a quote in the 1937 biography Francis Scott Key: Life and Times by Edward S. Delaplaine. This biography is the source of confusion as to the quote’s speaker.”

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A section of the damaged and collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge is seen in the Baltimore port, Monday, April 1, 2024. (Kaitlin Newman/The Baltimore Banner via AP)

Conservatives on social media previously speculated about a possible push to rename the Key Bridge once it is eventually rebuilt, due to past efforts to “cancel” the famed attorney and poet and a news article hinting at his “controversial” past.

“Baltimore obviously won’t rename the new bridge after Francis Scott Key again,” GOP Rep. Mike Collins posted on X responding to the bridge collapsing.

“So, any guesses on the new bridge name?”

WASHINGTON POST HITS ‘CONTROVERSIAL POET’ FRANCIS SCOTT KEY AFTER NAMESAKE BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSES

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“What do you bet, that when the Francis Scott Key Bridge is rebuilt, there will be a major push to rename the bridge?” Texas Public Policy Foundation Chief National Initiatives Officer Chuck DeVore posted on X.

Others on social media also previously pointed to an article from The Associated Press suggesting that it was the beginning of an attempt to frame the conversation around Key’s past.

The campaigns of Rep. David Trone and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Democrats seeking the party nomination for U.S. Senate, did not respond to a request for comment on the proposal by the time of publication. 

Republican Maryland Senate candidate Larry Hogan’s campaign likewise did not provide a comment on the proposal. 

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Democratic Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a former NAACP president whose U.S. House district includes the Key Bridge, also did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication. 



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Vermont

Hour-by-hour: When to expect showers & thunderstorms Tuesday in Vermont, New York

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Hour-by-hour: When to expect showers & thunderstorms Tuesday in Vermont, New York


The most widespread storm coverage will occur between 2-8 PM Tuesday, April 14

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Timeline: When to expect showers & thunderstorms Tuesday in Vermont, New York

The most widespread storm coverage will occur between 2-8 PM Tuesday, April 14

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NBC5 meteorologists expect strong to locally severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon into the evening for Vermont and northern New York.Watch the video to see when showers, downpours, and storms are most likely near your town.

NBC5 meteorologists expect strong to locally severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon into the evening for Vermont and northern New York.

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Watch the video to see when showers, downpours, and storms are most likely near your town.

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iframe.src = originalSrc + (originalSrc.indexOf(‘?’) > -1 ? ‘&’ : ‘?’) + ‘t=” + Date.now();
}
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function initializeWeatherBox(container) {
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var isWeatherBoxV2 = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’;

function switchWeatherTab(tabName, clickedElement) {
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var weatherWatchHeader = container.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-header’);
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if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
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weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘href’, “https://www.mynbc5.com/alerts”);
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘onclick’, “return handleWeatherLinkClick(event, ‘click_alerts’, ‘click’, ‘mobile-weather’, “https://www.mynbc5.com/alerts”);”);
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if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = containerId === ‘home-weather-v2’ ? ‘Watch Latest Forecast’ : ‘Latest Forecast’;
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var iconEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-icon’);
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function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
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var bgPath = weatherImages.backgrounds[iconName] || weatherImages.backgrounds.unknown;
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if (window.fetch) {
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.then(function(response) { return response.json(); })
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var weatherWatchLink = weatherWatchHeader.querySelector(‘.weather-watch-link’);

if (weatherData.alerts_count > 0) {
weatherWatchHeader.className=”weather-watch-header has-alerts”;
if (weatherWatchText) {
weatherWatchText.textContent = `Weather Alerts (${weatherData.alerts_count})`;
}
if (weatherWatchLink) {
if (!weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’)) {
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-href’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘href’));
weatherWatchLink.setAttribute(‘data-initial-onclick’, weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘onclick’) || ”);
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}
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if (weatherWatchText) {
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var initialHref = weatherWatchLink.getAttribute(‘data-initial-href’);
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function updateCurrentWeather(weatherData) {
if (weatherData.current) {
var tempValue = weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;
var skyValue = weatherData.current.sky || ”;
var feelsLikeValue = weatherData.current.feels_like_f || weatherData.current.temp_f || ”;

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var tempEl = container.querySelector(‘.weather-grid–current-temp-value’);
if (tempEl) {
tempEl.textContent = tempValue;
tempEl.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, tempValue + ‘ degrees Fahrenheit’);
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skyEl.textContent = skyValue;
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skyValue + ‘, feels like ‘ + feelsLikeValue + ‘ degrees’;
weatherContainer.setAttribute(‘aria-label’, summary);
}

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updateWeatherBackground(weatherData.current.icon_name);
}
}

function updateWeatherBackground(iconName) {
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tabs[prevIndex].focus();
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case ‘ArrowRight’:
e.preventDefault();
var nextIndex = currentIndex

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Boston, MA

Man seriously hurt in Dorchester crash – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Man seriously hurt in Dorchester crash – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


DORCHESTER, MASS. (WHDH) – A man was rushed to the hospital after a crash between a car and a scooter in Dorchester, according to Boston police.

Police responded to Aspinwall Road at approximately 8:51 p.m. for a report of a motor vehicle accident. Officers said they found one victim hurt on scene. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. 

People who live in the area said the intersection sees a lot of scooter traffic in the warmer months of the year.

“It’s a little bit dangerous, especially when it gets warm because people are riding mopeds and riding bikes and stuff, and they do tricks,” said one woman who lives in the area. “It’s just a big intersection where cars are coming from every different way and you never know what’s going to happen.”

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The crash is under investigation.

This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Pittsburg, PA

St. Mary’s Colgan Softball Dominates Riverton in Run-Rule Victory – Pittsburg Today

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St. Mary’s Colgan Softball Dominates Riverton in Run-Rule Victory – Pittsburg Today


A fractured, cubist depiction of the St. Mary’s Colgan softball team’s dominant victory over Riverton, capturing the energy and intensity of the game through bold, geometric shapes and colors.Pittsburg Today

The St. Mary’s Colgan softball team secured a decisive 10-0 victory over Riverton in five innings at Pittsburg State Softball Field. Pitcher Bella Ascanio struck out 9 batters, while the Lady Panthers’ offense exploded for 6 runs in the first inning, 1 in the second, and 3 more in the fourth to end the game early via the run rule.

Why it matters

This win continues St. Mary’s Colgan’s strong start to the season and showcases the team’s dominant pitching and hitting abilities. Riverton struggled to get anything going offensively against the Lady Panthers’ stifling defense.

The details

Bella Ascanio was dominant in the circle for St. Mary’s Colgan, striking out 9 Riverton batters. The Lady Panthers’ offense got going early, scoring 6 runs in the first inning, 1 in the second, and 3 more in the fourth to end the game via the 10-run rule after 5 innings. Kynlee King recorded a hit for Riverton, but the Lady Rams were unable to sustain any offensive momentum against the Lady Panthers.

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  • The game took place on April 13, 2026 at Pittsburg State Softball Field.

The players

Bella Ascanio

The starting pitcher for St. Mary’s Colgan, who struck out 9 batters in the game.

Kynlee King

A player for the Riverton Lady Rams who recorded a hit in the game.

Kara Osborn

A player for St. Mary’s Colgan who drove in the first run of the game with a hit to the outfield.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

St. Mary’s Colgan demonstrated its dominance on both sides of the ball, with Bella Ascanio’s overpowering pitching performance and the Lady Panthers’ explosive offense leading to a decisive run-rule victory over Riverton. This win should give the team confidence as they continue their season.

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