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A nice day at MACo — time to think about disasters – Maryland Matters

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A nice day at MACo — time to think about disasters – Maryland Matters


Flooding in Annapolis in 2018. Some shops along Dock Street were spared while others had several inches of water inundation during high tide. WTOP photo by Dave Dildine.

Even on a pleasant, breezy, partly sunny day in Ocean City, with the waters of Assawoman Bay lapping gently against the pedestrian promenade behind the Roland E. Powell Convention Center, it’s hard not to think about extreme weather. A severe storm, gale-force winds, even sunny day flooding — it wouldn’t take much for the bay water to come lapping up over the barrier and on to the shore, creating havoc in the coastal resort town.

Maryland has experienced 51 days of “severe weather” — excessive heat, high winds, flooding, or some combination — in the past 18 months, according to Anna Sierra, chief development officer of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management.

Sierra and two county emergency management officials who have dealt with some of the state’s biggest recent disasters spoke on a panel Thursday at the Maryland Association of Counties convention about how the state and local governments deal with a range of emergencies. Progress has been made, but undeniable challenges remain, the experts said.

Michael Hinson, director of emergency management in Howard County, where two “thousand-year” floods hit Ellicott City in two years, said the 9/11 terrorist strikes and Hurricane Katrina in 2005 changed the nation’s thinking on emergency preparedness and response — and the pace of change intensified in subsequent years.

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“We’re in a different time and place,” Hinson said.

Today, he said, governments deal with a variety of emergencies on a regular basis, from cyberattacks to the opioid crisis, from the failures of aging infrastructure to crime and acts of terrorism, from election security to utility infrastructure to food security.

Then, Hinson said, there’s “the literal and figurative black cloud — climate change.”

“All of these things have been happening, we’ve been expanding what we’ve been doing,” Hinson said. “But we don’t necessarily have more hands to do it with.”

Additionally, emergencies become exponentially more catastrophic, the officials said, and government funding to address them hasn’t kept pace. Federal disaster aid places a lot of strings on how state and local governments can distribute the money.

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“We’re being asked to do a lot with essentially less money than we’ve ever had in emergency management,” Sierra said.

The state of Maryland has taken steps to bolster its emergency preparedness and disaster response — but with a major caveat. The General Assembly passed legislation this year, sponsored by Sen. Sarah K. Elfreth (D-Anne Arundel) and Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel), whose Annapolis-based district has been battered by tornadoes and regular flooding in recent years, to create the State Disaster Recovery Fund, designed to provide resources to residents and businesses in all 24 jurisdictions when a disaster strikes.

The legislation came with the recommendation that the fund be stocked with $20 million annually. But appropriators provided no cash for the 2024 fiscal year.

“There is no legislative mandate to fund the fund,” Sierra observed.

She added that even if it’s fully funded, the pot of money won’t be sufficient to meet all of the state’s needs. As a result, government officials must focus on mitigation.

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“Mitigation is now the center of the universe,” Sierra said.

Preeti Emrick, the Anne Arundel County emergency management director, said every disaster requires “a tiered response” involving federal, state and local leaders and resources. But she said local governments are uniquely equipped to confront the “social vulnerabilities” that follow a disaster.

Emrick also suggested that small actions and kindnesses can bolster a community in the immediate aftermath of an emergency — whether it’s delivering a large dumpster to a community, paying for hotels for residents who have been driven from their homes, or supplying essential items like baby formula or kitty litter that residents may not be able to easily obtain.

The important thing, the officials said, is for local leaders to be ready for an infinite number of eventualities and not just respond to catastrophic emergencies.

“The writing is on the wall,” she said. “It is time to be proactive.”

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Maryland

Watch Aidan Chiles, Nick Marsh talk MSU win over Maryland

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Watch Aidan Chiles, Nick Marsh talk MSU win over Maryland


Michigan State won a big time road game over Maryland, improving their record to 2-0, and giving head coach Jonathan Smith his first Big Ten conference victory as the head man of the Spartans.

A big part of that win was the connection between Aidan Chiles and Nick Marsh, and more specifically their 77-yard touchdown connection tying the game 24-24 late in the fourth quarter.

Chiles and Marsh spoke to the media after the team’s win, which you can watch via Spartan Mag on YouTube:

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Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner





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16-year-old arrested after 15-year-old fatally shot in Maryland high school bathroom

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16-year-old arrested after 15-year-old fatally shot in Maryland high school bathroom


A 16-year-old student at a high school in Maryland has been detained after he allegedly shot and killed a 15-year-old student in one of the school’s bathrooms.

The name of the suspect has yet to be released. The victim, Warren Curtis Grant, died following the shooting at Joppatowne High School. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler made the announcement at a press briefing.

The suspect fled the scene but was detained close by just minutes later.

“He has yet to be charged but will be charged, and at the time those charges are preferred as an adult, we will release the name of the suspect,” Gahler told the press, according to The Guardian.

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The sheriff added that his office has handled more than 10 cases in the last two years “where the suspect was either the victim, witness or the suspect in an incident handled by the Harford county sheriff’s office.”

A member of the Harford County Sheriff's department tries to clear the way for an emergency vehicle as it heads toward Joppatowne High School after a shooting at the school, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Joppatowne, Md
A member of the Harford County Sheriff’s department tries to clear the way for an emergency vehicle as it heads toward Joppatowne High School after a shooting at the school, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Joppatowne, Md (AP)

While the sheriff’s office told the public to avoid the area after the shooting, it said that it was an “isolated incident, not an active shooter.”

An “active shooter” situation refers to when a suspect is firing against everyone they see rather than targeting a particular person.

An area church was used as a reunification center for students and their parents. The school is located about 20 miles northeast of Baltimore.

Gahler noted that more than 100 law enforcement officials responded to the scene.

The fight at Joppatowne High School took place just two days after the shooting at a high school outside Atlanta, Georgia where a 14-year-old shot and killed four people.

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How to watch Michigan State vs. Maryland (9/7/24): TV channel, kickoff time, live stream

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How to watch Michigan State vs. Maryland (9/7/24): TV channel, kickoff time, live stream


Michigan State got the job done in its season opener, but it wasn’t pretty as it hung on at home against Florida Atlantic. Now, it has to head on the road to open Big Ten play in what promises to be a tougher test.

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on FuboTV (free trial)

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on Sling

· Watch the Michigan State Spartans on DirecTV Stream

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· Visit MLive’s Betting Home for latest odds & sportsbook promos

Michigan State is 1-0, but the road gets tougher now. The Spartans go on the road and start Big Ten play early in Week 2 with a trip to Maryland. The Terrapins have a new look this year without quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa but looked strong in their season-opener against Howard last week.

· Who: Michigan State at Maryland

· When: 3:30 p.m.

· Where: SECU Stadium, College Park, Maryland

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· Twitter: Follow Matt Wenzel

· Live updates: Beginning at 2:30 p.m. at mlive.com/spartans

· Latest line: Maryland -9.5

TV Network: Big Ten Network

Streaming options:

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· FuboTV is offering $30 off the first month for all U.S. plans. Sign up to get your favorite TV shows, live sports events, and much more

· Sling currently has an offer of $20 for the first month of subscription and has streaming coverage of live sports, news and entertainment.

· DirecTV Stream offers live sports, news and on demand TV.

Five must-reads before kickoff:

* Michigan State lost two members of its secondary, Dillon Tatum and Khalil Majeed, to long-term injuries in its season opener. The team is turning to some new faces to fill in the holes from those injuries.

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* Alex VanSumeren was once Michigan State’s top-rated recruit, but he’s been seldom seen on the field due to injuries. Now, though, he’s healthy and making his mark on the Spartans’ defensive line.

* Aidan Chiles’ 10-completion, two-interception performance in Michigan State’s season-opener was his “floor,” according to offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren, who has a plan to improve the quarterback’s performance going forward.

* Jonathan Smith had a name for Week 1 in college football: overreaction Saturday. He’s cautioning fans not to put too much stock into an opening performance that likely underwhelmed many.

* The run game and discipline are two of Matt Wenzel’s five things to watch in this week’s matchup.

Michigan State

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* Passing: Aidan Chiles 10-14, 114 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT

* Rushing: Kay’ron Lynch-Adams 9 rush, 101 yards, 1 TD

* Receiving: Michael Masunas 2 rec., 29 yards, 0 TD

* Tackles: Angelo Grose 12

* Sacks: Khris Bogle 1.5

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* Interceptions: Grose, Nikai Martinez 1

Maryland

* Passing: Billy Edwards Jr. 20-27, 311 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

* Rushing: Roman Hemby 14 rush, 66 yards, 1 TD

* Receiving: Tai Felton 7 rec., 178 yards, 2 TD

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* Tackles: Glendon Miller 6

* Sacks: None

* Interceptions: Ruben Hyppolite II, Miller 1

Friday, Sept. 6

Western Illinois at Indiana

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Duke at Northwestern

Saturday, Sept. 7

Texas at Michigan, noon (FOX)

Rhode Island at Minnesota, noon (Peacock)

Bowling Green at Penn State, noon (BTN)

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Akron at Rutgers, noon (BTN)

Iowa State at Iowa, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Michigan State at Maryland, 3:30 p.m. (BTN)

Eastern Michigan at Washington, 3:30 p.m. (BTN)

South Dakota at Wisconsin, 3:30 p.m. (FS1)

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Kansas at Illinois, 7 p.m. (FS1)

Colorado at Nebraska, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)

Western Michigan at Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. (BTN)

Boise State at Oregon, 10 p.m. (Peacock)





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