Maryland
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore warns of major budget cuts amid $3B budget deficit
Maryland faces major budget cuts amid $3B budget deficit
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has warned that massive budget cuts are on the way as state lawmakers try to solve a $3 billion budget gap. He told Maryland residents Wednesday to brace themselves for $2 billion worth of cuts in his soon-to-be-released budget. But that still leaves another $1 billion that lawmakers will have to come up with to close this deficit.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has warned that massive budget cuts are on the way as state lawmakers try to solve a $3 billion budget gap.
Moore told Maryland residents Wednesday to brace themselves for $2 billion worth of cuts in his soon-to-be-released budget. But that still leaves another $1 billion that lawmakers will have to come up with to close this deficit.
Normally, the first day of a General Assembly session is a cause for celebration but this year it comes with a big challenge.
Moore said that not only does he want lawmakers to come up with a solution to close the budget gap, he also wants still fund priorities like economic growth, public safety and schools but Moore would not endorse the idea of tax hikes.
“We are not going to grow an economy on the backs of working Marylanders, on the backs of middle-class Marylanders. So I’ll work with anybody to be able to come up with a long-term solution but my bar’s high, been high and will remain high when it comes to revenues,” Moore said.
But while the governor says his bar is high for tax hikes, Democrats, who control both houses of the statehouse, and Republicans, who are outnumbered, are already fighting it out.
Republicans say they support the governor’s plan to cut spending but they will hold the line on taxes.
“I believe the Democrats are sending every signal that they are going to raise taxes and we are going to fight it, fight it, fight it,” said Republican delegate Kathy Szeliga, who represents Howard County. “Maryland is already one of the most highly taxed states in the country.”
Democratic lawmakers say no decisions have been made either way.
“You know, people get nervous because they think that automatically means raising taxes. Not necessarily. We’re going to do our job and make sure that we don’t hurt people too, we understand the budget is tight but we don’t have to keep hurting people too,” Democratic delegate C.T. Wilson, the Maryland Economic Matters Chairman.
Moore is set to unveil his budget proposal on Wednesday, Jan. 15. This General Assembly session will last for 90 days.
Maryland
Strong winds Wednesday evening, cold weather for Thanksgiving in Maryland
Central and Eastern Maryland will experience unseasonably mild weather Wednesday afternoon, with highs in the mid-60s to near 70°.
A strong cold front will bring a broken line of sprinkles and gusty showers to the area between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Measurable rainfall isn’t likely with the front, but a drastic temperature drop and gusty winds will be quite dramatic mid to late this evening.
Arctic blast Wednesday in Maryland
Early morning low clouds and fog are lifting across central and eastern Maryland. Skies will continue to be partially clear now through mid-afternoon. This will allow temperatures to climb into the upper 60s to near 70°. Expect a breeze out of the west-southwest at 10 to 20 mph.
A broken line of sprinkles and showers will cross the area between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. These sprinkles and showers will last anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes. Strong gusty winds will follow this batch of showers, which will help bring much colder air down into the area late tonight.
Overnight lows will fall into the upper 30s, but gusty winds will continue to impact the region overnight with wind-chills down to around 30°.
Cold weather during Thanksgiving and Black Friday
Gusty, cold winds will be the big story across Maryland on Thanksgiving Day. Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s on Thanksgiving Day morning, with wind-chills even colder – a stark contrast from Wednesday afternoon.
Thanksgiving Day looks cold for the entire day with partly sunny weather. Highs will only top out in the mid-40s with gusty winds out of the west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph. Wind-chills will not reach any higher than the mid to upper 30s.
The Ravens game Thanksgiving evening will feature January-like cold with temperatures in the lower 30s with numbing wind gusts and wind-chills in the 20s.
The cold and breeziness continues on Black Friday: Friday morning wind chills for some will dip into the teens and 20s. Even with sunshine in the forecast Friday, temperatures in some neighborhoods may not reach 40°.
Rain returns to Maryland Sunday
The final weekend of November starts quiet but may end on a wet note. Temperatures both days will max out in the 40s.
Saturday looks brisk, bright and chilly with highs in the lower 40s. Clouds increase late Saturday into Sunday morning. Sunday also brings the chance of some rain back to Maryland, especially later in the day. We’ve tagged Sunday as a possible First Alert Weather Day for Sunday given that it’s another high-impact travel day across Maryland as people return from the Thanksgiving holiday.
Winter weather possible early next week
While Monday looks nice and quiet with a partly to mostly cloudy sky, the weather could get interesting Monday night into next Tuesday as a wave of low pressure moves in our direction from the southwest.
The track and strength of this area of low pressure will be critical in determining how much rain, ice, and/or snow will be possible across central and eastern Maryland. Right now, computer models disagree with the exact track; therefore, a wide variety of outcomes are possible.
At this time, the chance of winter weather is great enough that the WJZ First Alert Weather Team has tagged Tuesday as a possible First Alert Weather Day. Please check back with our team through the holiday weekend as details about the storm and its possible impacts become clearer.
Maryland
Olympic Gold medalist Quincy Wilson commits to University of Maryland Track & Field Program
Olympic Gold medalist and Maryland native Quincy Wilson has committed to the University of Maryland’s Track and Field Program, Head Coach Andrew Valmon announced Monday.
Wilson chose Maryland over South Carolina, Southern California, Texas A&M and UCLA, according to Coach Valmon.
“Quincy is a generational athlete who has the upside to continue to thrive at the top of our sport,” Valmon said in a statement. “His support system here at Maryland, in his home state, is unmatched. I am excited to get to work on this next phase of his journey.”
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Wilson became the youngest American male to be part of the Olympic track team at 16 years old.
He was a rising junior at Bullis School in Potomac when he competed in last year’s Olympics. He was also named the USATF Athlete of the Year in 2024 after becoming one of the most well-known track and field athletes in the U.S.
Wilson worked alongside Terps Assistant Throws Coach Rudy Winkler and Maryland Associate Head Coach Danielle Siebert during the Paris Olympics. Former Olympian and record-holder Coach Valmon hopes to provide strong experience and mentorship to Wilson.
“Though Maryland has produced several Olympians throughout the program’s track and field history and has several current and former Olympians and U.S. Track & Field Olympic staff, Wilson is the first-ever Olympic competitor to sign with the Terps,” UMD said in a statement.
Quincy Wilson’s Track and Field career
Wilson had his breakout year in 2023, according to Coach Valmon. He claimed the New Balance Nationals indoor 400-meter title with 46.67 seconds and won second place at the New Balance Nationals outdoor 400 meters.
In 2023, Wilson also made history as one of the youngest U.S. athletes to sign a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contract with a major sports brand.
He completed the 2025 outdoor season tied for seventh fastest in the world.
Wilson began competing nationally in 2022, winning his fifth AAU Junior Olympic Games title and coming in second place in the 200-meter final.
Maryland
Autopsy report in Maryland prosecutor Jonathan Luna’s 2003 death may soon be released
The autopsy report in the cold case surrounding the 2003 death of Baltimore prosecutor Jonathan Luna could soon be unsealed.
The Lancaster, Pennsylvania, District Attorney told WJZ that those coroner’s records should be released, which will be decided by the court.
Luna’s body was found in a creek in Lancaster County with nearly 40 stab wounds. The coroner ruled his death a homicide, but the report was never released.
In the decades since, police have not identified a suspect or suspects.
“In the years following the initial hearing in 2020, the investigation into the death of Jonathan Luna was handed over to a new team of investigators at the Pennsylvania State Police who undertook a thorough reexamination and reevaluation of the case, in close consultation with the District Attorney’s Office,” the Lancaster District Attorney’s Office said in a statement. “Based on this reexamination and reevaluation and based on the new approach that we are taking with this very unique case, we now believe that the Coroner’s records can be unsealed without substantially hindering the investigation into Mr. Luna’s death.”
Luna’s unsolved death
Luna, who was a 38-year-old assistant U.S. attorney in Baltimore, was found lying face down in a creek, wearing a suit and a tie, in Lancaster County around 5 a.m. on December 4, 2003, according to the Washington Post.
The coroner’s office at the time determined that Luna had died from stab wounds and drowning. His death was determined to be a homicide. Officials said more than half of the stab wounds were to his neck.
According to a story by the Washington Post, Luna reported leaving his Baltimore office at 11:38 p.m. and heading north on Interstate 95, away from his home.
His car passed through several toll booths in Maryland and Delaware before stopping at an ATM in Newark, Delaware, according to the Post. His debit card was reported used at a Sunoco gas station in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, around 3:20 a.m.
Police said Luna’s car was parked at the back of a well-drilling company in Denver, Pennsylvania, before it was driven into the creek.
To this date, his case remains unsolved.
-
Business1 week ago
Fire survivors can use this new portal to rebuild faster and save money
-
World1 week agoFrance and Germany support simplification push for digital rules
-
News1 week agoCourt documents shed light on Indiana shooting that sparked stand-your-ground debate
-
World1 week agoSinclair Snaps Up 8% Stake in Scripps in Advance of Potential Merger
-
Science4 days agoWashington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu
-
World1 week agoCalls for answers grow over Canada’s interrogation of Israel critic
-
Politics1 week agoDuckworth fires staffer who claimed to be attorney for detained illegal immigrant with criminal history
-
Technology1 week agoFake flight cancellation texts target travelers