Maryland
Maryland Gov. Moore issues cannabis pardons, announces homeownership program
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will pardon thousands of cases of cannabis possession in the state, he announced Thursday.
The governor made the announcement at a Juneteenth event and also announced a new program to increase race-based equity.
In an interview with News4 earlier this week, Moore called these initiatives part of the “work of repair” he said is necessary to address ways communities of color have suffered from the systemic impacts of racism.
Moore announced he’s directing more than $400 million toward historically underserved neighborhoods in Maryland – an effort he said is designed to raise appraisal values and increase homeownership in disenfranchised communities.
Under the JUST Communities program, 419 Census tracts will receive special consideration when competing for state funding.
According to Moore’s office, qualifying communities must have histories of redlining, impacts from highway projects, high state imprisonment rates or unequal exposure to environmental or health hazards. In Montgomery County, 36 communities will receive the designation. In Prince George’s County, 89 will receive it.
Moore is issuing nearly 7,000 new pardons for misdemeanor cannabis convictions. Last year, he signed a clemency order pardoning 175,000 people whose cannabis charges he said posed an unjust barrier to employment.
“This is one of the most aggressive home-ownership pushes for the Black community that we have seen in our state’s history,” he told News4 earlier this week.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore sits down with News4’s Shawn Yancy to discuss his future as a politician, including whether or not he intends to run for president in 2028.
“It’s about access. It’s about inclusion. And it’s about wealth. Because that is the issue that we’ve got to address when it comes to this work of repair,” he continued. “What are we doing to address wealth and the wealth gap? And I’m really excited that Maryland again is moving more aggressively on this issue of ending the racial wealth gap than any other state in the country.”
The governor has been heavily criticized for vetoing a bill that would have created a commission to study the harms caused by slavery. He said these efforts are designed to help those communities now.
Maryland
Authorities arrest TikTok user accused of issuing terror-linked threats in Maryland
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Federal authorities have arrested a Florida man accused of using TikTok to issue violent threats while he was living in Maryland, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Arsham Rashidi Dizajgan, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, has been charged with six counts of transmitting threats to injure another person across interstate or foreign commerce.
Dizajgan was taken into custody in Gainesville on the same day the indictment was unsealed.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley, FBI – Jacksonville Field Office; Police Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief of Police Nelson Moya, Gainesville Police Department (GPD).
Threats to the safety and security of American citizens will not be tolerated, particularly when such threats adopt the language and tactics of violent extremists and foreign terrorist organizations,” Hayes said, via press release. “We will investigate and prosecute such violations to the fullest extent of the law.
According to the indictment, Dizajgan lived in Arnold, Maryland, from September 2024 through March 2025.
During that period, he allegedly used TikTok to post photos and videos of Americans with upside-down red triangles placed over their heads — an image federal prosecutors say is used in Hamas propaganda videos to mark impending targets.
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The indictment states that these posts were accompanied by threatening language.
The FBI takes all threats seriously and will investigate each and every potential threat brought to our attention,” Paul said, via press release. “Swift collaboration between the FBI’s Baltimore and Jacksonville Field Offices, as well as the Anne Arundel County and Gainesville Police Departments, led to this arrest. We continue to encourage the public to report any concerning messages to law enforcement.
Authorities also allege that during the same timeframe, Dizajgan posted additional content condemning Americans and non-Muslims and praising violence against them.
This arrest reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting our communities,” Carley said, via press release. “When an individual uses social media to issue violent threats and signals support for a foreign terrorist organization, the FBI will hold that individual accountable. We take these threats seriously and will move quickly to ensure online rhetoric does not turn into real-world harm.
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If convicted, Dizajgan faces federal penalties for each of the six counts.
Maryland
Maryland High School Football Playoffs See Game Result Changed
The use of an ineligible player has knocked one Maryland high school football team from the postseason and given another new life.
Middletown High School was set to compete in the next round of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association playoffs this coming week after besting Liberty, 51-7.
However, the use of an ineligible player has resulted in the Knights being forced to forfeit the victory, sending Liberty to the next round of the 2A/1A championship bracket.
Frederick News-Post reported the decision after receiving an email from the Middletown school district.
“We recognize that this news is disappointing for our student-athletes, families and community,” the email from Middletown High School read. “Please know that our foremost priority is to uphold the principles of integrity, sportsmanship and full compliance with FCPS and state athletic guidelines.
“It was recently discovered that an ineligible MHS student-athlete inadvertently participated in the game. Upon identifying the issue, the school immediately reported the concern to FCPS.”
From there, the FCPS sent the violation to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, who made the ultimate decision.
Middletown confirmed they will not file an appeal, as “playoff games are not eligible for appeal” according to the MPSSAA.
For Middletown, they end the season 8-3 overall. They had won three in a row and five of six prior to the official change of the win over Liberty to a forfeit loss.
The Knights had dropped a 17-14 decision at Frederick and a 56-42 contest with Linganore on the road.
Middletown has not had a losing record since 2014, when they went 4-6 overall. Current head coach Andy Baker came on in 2024, going 9-3 overall with two playoff wins before they lost to Patuxent, 42-13.
Liberty posted a 23-21 win in the opening round of the playoffs over Williamsport, as they won three straight down the stretch of the regular season before a loss in the finale to Century, 13-8.
The Lions are in their first year under Marcel Fraser, who replaced veteran head coach Lawrence Luthe.
Maryland
Maryland grandparents allegedly shot dead by close business associate outraged over money dispute while on phone with 911
A Maryland couple was allegedly murdered in their home by a business associate enraged over money, with one of the victims heard pleading for her life in a chilling 911 call.
William “Charlie” Hayes, 56, and his wife, Jeanna Hayes, 54, were found shot inside their Pasadena home in the Long Point community — about 15 miles outside Baltimore — on Sunday around 2 p.m., according to the Anne Arundel County Police Department.
In the moments leading up to the killing, a 911 call from the couple’s home revealed the woman pleading with a man she identified as “Tony” not to shoot her.
A short time later, the call captures the man quarreling with “Charlie” about money before gunshots erupt, CBS News reported. Additional shots rang out before everything suddenly fell quiet.
The couple — who owned a home improvement construction business based out of their house — were pronounced dead at the scene when first responders arrived.
Through the 911 call and “additional investigative means,” detectives quickly identified Anthony Louis Reyes, 61, a business associate and friend of the couple, as the suspect, police said.
Reyes’ vehicle was picked up by an automated license plate reader hours after the cold-blooded murders, and an officer pulled him over.
However, the 61-year-old suspect allegedly fled, triggering a dramatic police chase.
Anne Arundel County Police Lt. AJ Gardiner told CBS News that during the initial traffic stop, Reyes got into a short struggle with an officer, resulting in minor injuries.
Officers eventually made Reyes pull over after about a seven-minute chase and swiftly arrested him.
Reyes has been charged with first- and second-degree murder and related offenses, police said.
The alleged killer is currently being held without bond.
The officer injured during the first traffic stop was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated and later released.
Gardiner said the couple’s deaths appear to be a targeted attack, though investigators have not released information about a potential motive.
“This was a person who was known to the family, both personally and in business,” Lt. Gardiner said. “I don’t know of any issues.”
Gardiner noted that the 911 call could play a vital role in understanding the details of the tragic shooting.
“It’s unfortunate we weren’t here in time to prevent it, but the information that was relayed really led us to a position where we could start isolating other things,” he said.
Authorities also revealed that the couple’s adult granddaughter lived with them but wasn’t home during the shooting.
Toni Arnold, the father of the granddaughter, told CBS News the killings have left their family shaken.
“I just can’t believe somebody viciously murdered them in broad daylight,” Arnold said. “He didn’t deserve that. He took care of his wife; he took care of my daughter. It just breaks my heart.”
Kathy Nguyen, a nearby resident, said she heard the shots from her house just down the road.
“I heard a couple of pop noises. I heard, ‘pop, pop,’” Nguyen recalled, adding that she initially thought it was hunters in the nearby woods before realizing something was wrong.
“Lights and sirens, and then they started running toward the house with rifles, and I thought whatever is going on is not good,” Nguyen said. “And then when I heard about what happened, it shook me to my core.”
Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal Awad said the double murder has rocked the “very close-knit community.”
“It’s just terribly horrific, especially right before the holiday season,” Awad told the outlet. “This is a very close-knit community. You can see it by how they have already started decorating for the holidays.”
Awad described Long Point as a quiet, low-crime community filled with waterfront homes, family houses, and cottages.
“We are very surprised to get a call like this here,” Awad said. “We know we have family members who are grieving tonight, and this entire community is grieving, and they are going to have to journey forward trying to make sense of what happened.”
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