As the clock struck midnight welcoming the New Year, Maryland celebrated new beginnings with the arrival of its first babies of 2025. In a heartwarming start to the year, several families welcomed their little ones, marking joyous milestones for each family. The first baby to make their debut was Lando Antonio Nakia Jackson, born just a minute past midnight at the University of Maryland Saint Joseph Medical Center, weighing 5 pounds 16 ounces.

The new year brought a few new laws to the D.C. area. Although July 1 and Oct. 1 are generally the big dates for new laws going into effect, here are a few you’ll want to know about whether you live in D.C., Maryland or Virginia.

Washington, DC

Cashless-only business ban: Businesses in the District now are required to accept cash, as a new law prohibiting cashless businesses went into effect Jan. 1.

Retailers may not “discriminate against cash as a form of payment for goods or services,” according to the D.C. Council. That means businesses can’t refuse to accept cash as a form of payment and may not post signs on their premises that cash payments are not accepted.

Businesses also are not allowed charge a higher price to customers who pay cash.

However, there are some exceptions to the cashless ban; you can see those here.

Virginia

Minimum wage: Virginia’s minimum wage is increasing from $12 to $12.41.

Maryland

New tiers of fines for speeding in work zones: If you speed in a Maryland highway work zone, be prepared to pay a hefty fine. A new tiered system of fines went into effect Jan. 1. If you’re driving 12-15 mph over the speed limit, the fine will be $60. Fines get progressively higher from there. For super speeders driving 40 mph or more over the limit, the fine is $500; if workers are present, the speeder will be slapped with a $1,000 fine.

No. 8 Maryland women’s basketball will start 2025 undefeated after a 12-0 start.

The Terps will host Kaylene Smikle’s former squad on the second day of the new year as Rutgers travels to Xfinity Center.

The game will tip off at 7 p.m. Thursday and stream on Big Ten Plus.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-5, 0-2 Big Ten)

Head coach Coquese Washington is in her third season at the helm with Rutgers and has already matched the team’s win total from last season. That said, Washington’s biggest struggle as Rutgers’ head coach is Big Ten play. Since taking over, Rutgers is 7-31 against conference opponents; Maryland is 26-12 in that span.

Smikle, who has been a star for Maryland this season, led Rutgers in scoring last season.

Rutgers’ wins came against Manhattan, Cornell, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Iona, Georgia Southern, Fairleigh Dickinson, Wagner and Lafayette. The Scarlet Knights have yet to earn a signature win against a team of Maryland’s caliber.

Players to watch

Kiyomi McMiller, freshman guard, 5-foot-8, No. 32 — McMiller leads Rutgers in scoring as a freshman with 20.4 points per game, which ranks 17th among freshman in the country. She also averages 3.4 assists and 5.5 rebounds. She hails from Silver Spring, Maryland, and was ESPN’s No. 22 ranked recruit in the 2024 class.

Destiny Adams, senior guard/forward, 6-foot-3, No. 1 — Adams leads Rutgers this season with 10.2 rebounds per game and is second in scoring with 18.3 points per game. She’s in her second season with Rutgers after playing two seasons with North Carolina. Last season, she earned coaches’ All-Big Ten second-team honors and was a media Big Ten honorable mention.

Chyna Cornwell, graduate student center, 6-foot-3, No. 54 — Cornwell is in her fifth season with Rutgers and has operated as the de facto starting center for the last three years. She ranks second on the team with 8.9 rebounds per game and third with 8.6 points per game. She is a presence in the paint and has yet to attempt a 3-pointer in her entire five-year career.

Strength

Offensive rebounds. The Scarlet Knights average 16.1 offensive rebounds per game this season, tied for the most in the Big Ten and the 18th-highest mark in the country. Maryland is right behind Rutgers, averaging 15.4 offensive rebounds per game.

Weakness

Assist-to-turnover ratio. Rutgers has the second-worst assist-to-turnover ratio in the Big Ten (0.90), only above Penn State’s 0.89 mark. Rutgers is 123rd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio, while Maryland is 67th at 1.06. The Scarlet Knights also average just 12.5 assists per game, tied for 222nd in the nation.

Three things to watch

1. Usher in the new year. The Terps are 12-0 for the first time since 2018-19, when they won their first 12 games before losing to Rutgers on Dec. 31 at Xfinity Center. The last time the Terps entered the new year with an undefeated record was 2011-12. Maryland’s upcoming schedule includes games against Rutgers, No. 23 Iowa, No. 4 USC, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

2. Smikle’s revenge. Smikle led Rutgers in scoring in each of the last two seasons. She currently leads the Terps with 17.8 points per game and may enter Thursday’s game with a new sense of aggressiveness.

3. The Big Ten isn’t easy. Despite winning its first two Big Ten games this season, neither have been easy victories for Maryland. The Terps will suit up for their third Big Ten game against a team that hasn’t fared well during conference play in recent history. How the first 10 minutes of the game play out may indicate whether or not it will be competitive.