Maryland
Fracking is banned in Maryland, but mineral rights remain to befuddle heirs – Maryland Matters
If you watched the Harris-Trump debate in Philadelphia recently, you probably learned more about fracking and suddenly asked yourself, “Fracking in Maryland?”
The answer could be Yes and No!
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a method for extracting natural gas or oil from shale and other “tight” rock forms.
YES, between 2006 and 2017, fracking was conducted in two Maryland western counties, Garrett and Allegany, under the Marcellus Shale, the second-largest natural gas reservoir in the world.
NO, on April 4, 2017, Gov. Larry Hogan signed a bill to ban fracking in Maryland, the first state with natural gas reserves where a legislature has voted to bar the practice.
Only five states have banned fracking, including Vermont (2012), New York (2020), Maryland (2017), Washington (2019), and California (effective October 2024). The governor’s executive order issued the New York ban, which means a future governor (possibly a Republican) can reverse it.
This guest commentary is brought up to date from my 2020 commentary, “What do Biden’s Fracking Views Mean for Maryland?”
Since Joe Biden became president in 2021, no fracking has impacted Maryland.
Is this nuclear power’s moment in Maryland?
Now, it is a race between Donald Trump (R) and Kamala Harris (D). The Republican candidate has always supported hydraulic fracturing, while the Democratic candidate has always flipped on the fracking issue.
Last week, Harris told a Pittsburgh television station, “That’s where I stand, period. As president of the United States, I will not ban fracking.”
The reason for that is simple: as of July 2, 2024, records of 220,175 drilled and proposed wells exist in Maryland’s neighboring state of Pennsylvania. The Keystone State’s natural gas sector supports around 123,000 jobs.
The top five fracking counties in Pennsylvania are:
- McKean, with 37,275 wells, where 72.3% of its votes in the 2020 presidential race going to Trump.
- Warren, with 21,433, and 68.9% for Trump.
- Venango, with 19,887, and 70% for Trump.
- Indiana, with 14,565, and 68.2% for Trump.
- Armstrong, with 11,801, and 75.6% for Trump.
Garrett County voted 77% for Trump, while Allegany County voted 68.5% for Trump.
So, the Harris-Walz campaign team is working hard to reduce the Trump percentage in the fracking counties over the USA.
While campaigning for the seat of Maryland’s 6th Congressional District, which includes Garrett and Allegany counties, April McClain-Delaney (D) and Neil Parrott (R) have yet to mention fracking.
If your ancestors lived in Garrett or Allegany counties, you might have mineral rights, although you know nothing. Supposedly, the Maryland Democratic legislators might exempt these counties from the 2017 law banning fracking statewide. In that case, you might receive a call from a company landman who would negotiate directly with you to acquire leases for the exploration and development of minerals. So I recommend reading “He Said I Was a Fracking Heiress. I Went to West Virginia to Find Out.”
In late 2013, I received an email from my Gorrell cousin, who asked me to prepare to receive an email from a landman. At first, I did not understand what my cousin meant. After contacting the landman, I learned that all of my Gorrell first cousins and I are fracking heirs, although our Gorrell parents never told us, as well as we did not know our great-great-grandfather had bought mineral rights to two Appalachian tracts in late 1890.
A decade later, in 2024, the county where my ancestors lived ranks first among 55 West Virginia counties in gas production.
I have predicted that the Maryland legislature will do nothing if Trump gets re-elected. If Harris wins, the legislature will likely not change unless Garrett and Allegany countians need to improve their economics badly due to more extended wells and advancements in fracking techniques. Also, the legislature will entitle Marylanders who are mineral rights owners and landowners to receive royalties, which will increase Maryland’s revenue. Your vote could make a difference in this crucial decision.
As singer Taylor Swift said, “Your research is all yours to do, and the choice is yours to make.” I encourage you to Google or research “fracking in Maryland” to gain a deeper understanding of this important issue.
If the Maryland ban continues after the election, most mineral rights owners might get tired of being harassed by leasing agents for selling the mineral rights to them.
Maryland
Office building in Glen Burnie evacuated after shift in parking garage floor
GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WBFF) — An office building in Glen Burnie was evacuated on Thursday afternoon after its underground parking garage experienced a shift in one of its floors.
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department initially responded to the 7300 block of Ritchie Highway around 2:30 p.m. on July 9 after reports of a partial building collapse.
However, the department later clarified that there has been no collapse of the 10-story building.
Officials said crews are evaluating the building’s structural integrity after work was being performed in the parking garage.
All occupants were safely evacuated, and no injuries have been reported, according to Fire Captain Jenny Macallair.
The fire department is asking drivers to avoid the area while crews continue their assessment.
FOX45 News has a crew on the way to the scene, and we will provide updates as they become available.
Maryland
How the Baltimore-style hot dog tells a uniquely Maryland story
See America’s most iconic hot dogs
Welcome to the United States of Hot Dogs! We’ve compiled a few of the best hot dogs eaten across the country.
Although Maryland is often celebrated for its seafood, one over-the-top creation has carved out its own loyal following among locals and visitors alike: The Baltimore-style hot dog.
Sausage is merely its first layer of meat. It’s wrapped in a thick slice of fried beef bologna and piled high with toppings.
It’s proof that while hot dogs are truly an All-American food, their real power lies in how they adapt to local tastes.
Hot dogs were “invented” in the U.S. after German sausages were served in buns. They’re a staple of baseball games — the all-American pastime. And they are truly a democratic food: nearly anyone can afford to enjoy them.
But even more, hot dogs are American because of their adaptability, reflecting the ingenuity and diversity that gives our country such a rich culinary tapestry.
“You can tell the story of America through hot dogs. There are probably other things you could use, other objects or icons, but I think hot dog is a really good one,” said Bruce Kraig, a Ph.D. food historian and author of “Hot Dog: A Global History’ and ‘Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America.”
Regional hot dog toppings, from chili in Cincinnati to celery salt in Chicago to jalapeños in the Southwest, tell distinct stories of place.
Here in Baltimore, Maryland, our contribution to the United States of Hot Dogs is the Baltimore-style hot dog.
What is a Baltimore-style hot dog?
At its core, the Baltimore dog is a meat-on-meat masterpiece. It starts with a kosher all-beef sausage that is split, fried and wrapped alongside thick, charred bologna slices.
It’s traditionally topped with raw onions and yellow mustard, with a pickle spear on top or on the side. Some variations include the addition of sweet relish, ketchup or cheese.
“In this creation, grease from the bologna mixes with the grease from the hot dog, and both find their way into the bread to form an unforgettable aroma, taste and aftertaste — and 200 points on your cholesterol count,” Baltimore historian Gilbert Sandler told The Baltimore Sun in a 2019 story.
Where did the Baltimore-style hot dog come from?
Its origins are often somewhat unclear, but it’s believed to have originated during the Great Depression when, according to TasteAtlas.com, “people added bologna slices to the hot dog in order to make it a fuller, heartier meal.”
Jewish delis along Baltimore’s historic “Corned Beef Row” were looking for ways to offer working-class customers a filling, calorie-dense meal for a small chunk of change, leading to the birth of the Baltimore-style hot dog.
First becoming popular in the early 1940s at Mandell and Ballow deli, the bologna-wrapped hot dog spread throughout Baltimore, The Sun reported.
“Despite being a nutritionally questionable combo of two of the world’s least-healthful meats, the bologna dog continues to be a local favorite, enjoyed without apology,” FoodRepublic.com wrote in 2023.
Four best places to try a Baltimore-style hot dog
Attman’s Delicatessen: A Baltimore institution since 1915, Attman’s version of the Baltimore-style hot dog sits at the top of its menu. Its dog — for $7.99 — comes with your choice of mustard, relish, chopped onions and ketchup. Details: 1019 East Lombard St., Baltimore; 410-563-2666, attmansdeli.com.
Weiss Deli: Another Baltimore staple, Weiss serves speciality sandwiches and, of course, the Baltimore-style hot dog. You can customize the $7.49 dog with up to eight toppings, but its most popular version comes with just deli mustard and raw onions on top of the bologna-wrapped sausage. Details: 1127 East Lombard St., Baltimore; 410-276-7910, baltimoreweissdeli.com
The Dog House Carryout: A legendary landmark in Baltimore, The Dog House Carryout has been slinging its classic comfort food for more than 75 years. You can get a quarter-pound all-beef hot dog for $6.95, with bologna added for an extra $1.25. The dog comes with your choice of mustard, relish, onions and ketchup. Details: 617 Fallsway, Baltimore; 410-685-7269, thedoghousebaltimore.com
Killa Dogz: Killa Dogz, one of the more modern hot dog spots in the city, offers a wide variety of options, including what it calls the “Bmore” dog. At $7, its version is deep fried, wrapped in bologna and “served on a squishy bun with mustard.” Chili and cheese are among the top ways to customize its dog. Details: 6106 Belair Rd, Baltimore; 443-438-7822. killadogz.com.
Jennifer Borresen contributed the interactive graphic to this story. She is a graphic journalist at USA TODAY, specializing in explanatory graphics and illustrations in various fields, including politics, science, weather and entertainment.
Maryland
Maryland man sentenced to 15 years for attempting to join ISIS
BALTIMORE, MD. – A Hanover man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release on Wednesday for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, federal prosecutors announced.
Michael Sam Teekaye, Jr., 22, pleaded guilty in January 2026 after unknowingly revealing a plot to travel abroad and fight for the designated foreign terrorist organization to an undercover law enforcement officer, prosecutors said.
What we know:
Court documents reveal that between March and October 2024, Teekaye coordinated travel arrangements with a Somali ISIS fighter. His itinerary detailed a flight departing from Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI) to Turkey, with subsequent travel through Ethiopia to cross into Somalia.
FBI agents arrested Teekaye at BWI on October 14, 2024, after he cleared airport security, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.
READ MORE: Maryland man arrested for allegedly attempting to join ISIS
Leading up to his arrest, court documents say that Teekaye prepared for his departure by practicing at a Maryland shooting range and attempting to purchase an assault rifle, which was blocked due to an existing state probation status.
Days before his arrest, Teekaye sent the undercover officer a photograph of himself wearing a mask and wielding a large machete, declaring a choice of “victory or martyrdom.”
Following his arrest, prosecutors say Teekaye made multiple unprovoked statements to law enforcement vowing to resume his violent efforts upon his eventual release from custody and threatening the lives of prison guards.
Dig deeper:
Federal authorities noted that Teekaye established a secondary plan to execute domestic terrorist attacks targeting Jewish individuals and institutions supporting Israel within Maryland if his international travel failed. A digital forensic search of his phone uncovered specific search histories focused on Jewish organizations and community members in Howard County, alongside queries regarding home break-ins and escaping murder charges.
A local rabbi impacted by the surveillance spoke during the sentencing hearing regarding the threat’s toll on the community.
The Source: Information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting.
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