Connect with us

Maryland

Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than $213 Million to Support Replacement of Maryland Transit Administration’s Light Rail Fleet – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin

Published

on

Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than 3 Million to Support Replacement of Maryland Transit Administration’s Light Rail Fleet – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin


Funds provided by the Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $213,696,341 to the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to complete its Light Rail Vehicle Fleet Replacement project. The federal funds, provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Rail Vehicle Replacement (RVR) program, will support the MTA’s efforts to replace all 52 aging light rail vehicles in its fleet with new ones.

These investments will ensure safe, efficient, and more accessible light rail travel in the Baltimore region, and were made possible in part by the lawmakers’ work to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The RVR is a newly-established program in the infrastructure law.

Advertisement

“Public transit is critical to the social and economic life of Baltimore, and light rail is an integral piece of that service, connecting people to their jobs, schools, neighborhoods, and more,” said Senator Cardin. “Light rail riders deserve a system that is safe and reliable. Replacing the aging, outdated cars with modern cars will improve safety and service and is another example of how the Biden administration’s critical investments are working to help rebuild our nation’s transportation systems.”

“Maryland’s light rail service helps keep Baltimore area residents and the local economy on the move – which is why we need to keep it in top shape. This federal investment will provide the critical funds the MTA needs to fully replace its aging fleet with state-of-the-art rail cars and ensure that people across the City and surrounding communities can get where they need to go safely, efficiently and reliably. We worked to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act so that projects like these could bring our infrastructure into the 21st century,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to reap rewards for our state and our constituents,” Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger said. “If we want commuters to use mass transit, it must be safe, affordable and convenient. This critical funding will enable MTA to replace its aging fleet of light rail cars to ensure safe travel for decades to come.”

“Marylanders rely on our light rail system to move throughout the Baltimore region safely and efficiently,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “Currently, however, our aging fleet’s frequent service disruptions can make this a challenge. We recognize the burden unreliable transportation has on our constituents, which is why Team Maryland fought so hard to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to deliver these much-needed improvements for central Maryland commuters.” 

“The light rail system has, for decades, provided critical means of transportation for Maryland commuters and essential workers by connecting Baltimore City with northern and southern suburbs. However, an overhaul of the light rail fleet was long overdue,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “This momentous federal investment was made possible through the transformative Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Team Maryland fought to get signed into law, as well as our continued, unified voice on ensuring the safety and efficiency of Baltimore’s light rail,” he concluded.

Advertisement

“Reliable transit in the Baltimore region is essential to connecting Marylanders with life’s opportunities and spurring economic growth,” said Governor Moore. “Thanks to Team Maryland’s continued support and advocacy, this funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help ensure MTA’s light rail fleet is safe and operational for decades to come.”

“This federal funding is vital to enhancing safety, accessibility and performance on MTA’s light rail,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “By having a more reliable light rail fleet with low-floor cars, MTA will deliver premiere customer service to the greater Baltimore region.” 

Earlier this month, the lawmakers wrote a letter to the Federal Transit Administration in support of the MTA’s Light Rail Vehicle Fleet Replacement project. The State of Maryland is providing $90 million in matching funds and allocating $127.6 million in federal formula funds to the project to bring the effort across the finish line.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act invested $1.5 billion through 2026 to create the FTA’s Rail Vehicle Replacement program. To date, the RVR has invested over $700 million in projects across the country to replace aging railcars and ensure safe and accessible travel for the communities that rely on them.

###

Advertisement



Source link

Maryland

Maryland confirms 5 new measles cases, bringing year’s total to 9 – WTOP News

Published

on

Maryland confirms 5 new measles cases, bringing year’s total to 9 – WTOP News


The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”

Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.

“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.

The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.

Advertisement

Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.

Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.

It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.

The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.

“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.

Advertisement

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Maryland

Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning in October

Published

on

Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning in October


Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.

This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.

This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.

“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”

Advertisement

In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.

Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:

Online:

  • Adults: $8
  • Senior Citizens (60+): $6
  • Children (ages 6-12): $4
  • 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only

At the door:

  • Adults: $10
  • Senior Citizens (60+): $8
  • Children (ages 6-12): $4
  • Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only

Special Offers:

  • Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
  • Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.

The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Maryland

Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’

Published

on

Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’


Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.

The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.

Emily Mullen, a Pet Supplies Plus employee, holds Magnolia. Photograph: Beltsville Community Cats

“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.

Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.

Advertisement

A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.

“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”

Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.

Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.

Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.

Advertisement

According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.

Magnolia, our sweet 3.5-month-old tuxedo kitten, had quite the adventure today after being stolen from her adoption habitat at Pet Supplies Plus in Beltsville. Photograph: Beltsville Community Cats

That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”

“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”

Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.

Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.

Advertisement

The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.

Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending