Maryland

Court strikes down Maryland’s first-in-the-nation digital ad tax

Published

4 weeks ago

August 14, 2026

Court strikes down Maryland’s first-in-the-nation digital ad tax

A Maryland court has struck down the state’s first-in-the-nation tax on digital advertising.

The tax, approved in 2021, was designed to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for public schools by taxing online ads sold by big tech companies.

On Friday, the Maryland Tax Court ruled in favor of Apple, Google, and Peacock TV and ordered the state to refund taxes already paid by the companies.

How Maryland’s digital ad tax worked

Companies making more than $100 million in global annual gross revenues were taxed at a 2.5% rate. The rate increased for companies with larger revenues, topping out at a 10% rate for companies making $15 billion or more in global gross annual revenues.

Supporters of the law contended Maryland needed to overhaul its tax methods in response to significant changes in how businesses advertise. But attorneys representing Big Tech companies, including Amazon and Meta, challenged the law in multiple legal venues, arguing in part that they were unfairly targeted.

Last year, 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled part of the law violated the Constitution because it blocked Big Tech companies from telling customers about the tax. That, Judge Julius Richardson said, violated the right to free speech.

Latest court ruling

In Friday’s ruling, the Maryland Tax Court said the tax violates the federal Internet Tax Freedom Act, as well as the First Amendment and the commerce and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution.

The tax court said Congress — not the state legislature — is tasked with regulating interstate commerce, and that the tax law was inappropriately based on global revenue rather than revenue from in-state advertising.

The federal Internet Tax Freedom Act bars the taxation of e-commerce if similar services are not taxed. At least for now, the tax court found, there isn’t much of a difference between digital advertising and print or billboard ads, which means the bar on taxation applies.

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Joseline Pena-Melnyk, both Democrats, issued a statement saying they “respectfully disagree” with the tax court ruling and expect the legal process to continue.

They said the tax was enacted to keep the state’s tax system in pace with a changing economy.

“We remain committed to ensuring that Maryland’s tax system is fair, sustainable, and reflects today’s economy,” they said. “We will continue working with the Attorney General and Comptroller as this matter proceeds through the courts.”

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Maryland

Human remains found in North Carolina 49 years ago identified as missing Maryland teen

Published

3 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Press Room

Human remains found in North Carolina 49 years ago identified as missing Maryland teen

WILSON, N.C. (WLOS) — Human remains discovered in 1977 have been positively identified nearly 50 years later with the help of advanced DNA testing, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Cindy Marcell Blizzard has been identified as the person whose skeletal remains and clothing were found Dec. 29, 1977, in a wooded area near the Firestone plant in Wilson. The SBI said Blizzard had run away from her home in Monkton, Maryland, in spring of that year. She was 15 years old.

When the remains were found, a medical examiner determined they belonged to a white female who was about 16 to 23 years old. The SBI said it also appeared the remains had likely been at the site some time between six months and two years.

Although the medical examiner classified the victim’s death as undetermined, the SBI said the location and recovery of the remains raised questions about foul play, and the case was treated as a homicide.

24-YEAR-OLD ASHEVILLE COLD CASE BACK IN NATIONAL HEADLINES

Decades of comparing dental records against missing persons cases provided no matches, the SBI said. A DNA test on the victim’s teeth in 2010 didn’t provide any answers, either.

“The forensic tools of the time weren’t enough, and the case went cold,” a Sept. 8, 2026, news release said.

In 2024, the SBI said Special Investigator Andy Murr of the Cold Case Investigative Team was assigned to review the case again. Murr found the case qualified for advanced DNA testing and sent a bone sample to a forensic DNA lab. The SBI said a genealogy service then used the single nucleotide polymorphism, or SNP, profile to trace possible relatives, leading investigators to Blizzard.

The SBI said Blizzard’s death remains unsolved, and investigators are still searching for answers.

Anyone with information about the 1977 case involving Cindy Marcell Blizzard is asked to call the SBI Cold Case Tip Line at 919-582-TIPS, email coldcases@ncsbi.gov or contact the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office at 252-237-2118.

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Maryland

Maryland Casinos Generate $160 Million In Gaming Revenue During August

Published

13 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Press Room

Maryland Casinos Generate 0 Million In Gaming Revenue During August

Casinos contribute $68.5 million to the state BALTIMORE – Maryland’s six casinos combined to generate $160,007,163 in revenue from slot machines and table games during August 2026. The statewide total was a decrease of $10,263,507, or 6.0%, compared to August 2025. Casino gaming contributions to the state during August 2026 totaled $68,507,667, down 4.2% from […]

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Maryland

Maryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Sept. 7, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

September 7, 2026

Press Room

Maryland Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for Sept. 7, 2026

The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Sept. 7, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

15-19-28-39-56, Powerball: 03, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

Midday: 5-4-4

Evening: 7-0-3

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

Midday: 7-2-9-3

Evening: 3-0-7-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

Midday: 6-7-5-8-0

Evening: 9-3-1-6-4

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

9 a.m.: 13

1 p.m.: 06

6 p.m.: 08

11 p.m.: 12

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

01-21-24-33-34, Bonus: 15

Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MultiMatch numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

07-12-19-22-32-43

Check MultiMatch payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from Sept. 7 drawing

20-26-49-56-65, Powerball: 05

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Keno

Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.

Claiming by Mail

Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:

Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center

1800 Washington Boulevard

Suite 330

Baltimore, MD 21230

For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.

Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less

Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:

Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD

Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.

When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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