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New Maryland athletic director Jim Smith is ready to focus on increasing revenue

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New Maryland athletic director Jim Smith is ready to focus on increasing revenue


COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Maryland’s new athletic director certainly understands the job description in 2025.

“We’re going to focus on revenue, because make no mistake about it, to compete with the caliber of schools, not just in the Big Ten but across the country, we must increase our revenues,” Jim Smith said while being formally introduced Thursday. “We’re going to be trying a few new things — I’m not going to tell anyone any of them today — taking new approaches, applying what I’ve learned from professional leagues.”

Maryland hired Smith last week, wrapping up a fairly turbulent couple months for the athletic department. In March, athletic director Damon Evans left for SMU, and around the same time, men’s basketball coach Kevin Willard departed to take the Villanova job. The Terps quickly hired Buzz Williams away from Texas A&M to replace Willard.

Smith arrives from baseball’s Atlanta Braves, where he was the senior vice president of business strategy. He’s also been president and CEO of the Ohio State University Alumni Association, and he’s held senior executive positions at Arthur M. Blank Sports & Entertainment, in charge of revenue and marketing for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United.

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“I think you can see his vision is next level, outside the box,” Maryland women’s basketball coach Brenda Frese said. “It’s a unique hire that in these changing times I think is much warrented.”

Smith’s challenge is to help Maryland compete — both on the field and in the athletic department’s coffers — with schools like Michigan and Ohio State. He said when he started with the Falcons they were near the bottom of the NFL in revenue.

“If you’re committed and you’re focused to the goals, you will achieve. That’s what we slowly did in Atlanta,” Smith said. “There’s no silver bullets from going towards the bottom of the Big Ten to the top of the Big Ten, from a revenue (standpoint). But there’s a lot of opportunity here.”

As college sports enter a new era expected to involve revenue sharing with players, the ability to bring in money can feel like an existential issue.

“I think if you were to say four years ago, this job is different and I’m not the candidate,” Smith said. “I think it’s just evolved to the point today where it requires someone who understands how a campus operates and can bring in different experience on how to generate additional revenue.”

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Maryland has won national titles in both men’s and women’s basketball in the last quarter-century, and the men’s lacrosse team is playing in the Final Four this weekend. But football — and even basketball at times — have struggled to compete for fan attention in an area with plenty of pro teams.

“We’re going to focus on filling SECU Stadium and Xfinity Center with Terp fans, and we’re going to give the best fan experience in the country,” Smith said.

Willard complained openly about the level of support he received from the athletic department before he left, and coach Mike Locksley’s football team finished 4-8 last season — although he has local quarterback recruit Malik Washington now.

“Coach Locks and I have talked a lot about where we are as a program. I think he feels really good with the recruits that we’ve brought in,” Smith said. “Part of it is our responsibility, to make sure that he’s got the funding that’s necessary to compete at the level with the other Big Ten programs.”



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Office building in Glen Burnie evacuated after shift in parking garage floor

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Office building in Glen Burnie evacuated after shift in parking garage floor


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.

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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.



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How the Baltimore-style hot dog tells a uniquely Maryland story

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How the Baltimore-style hot dog tells a uniquely Maryland story


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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.

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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.”

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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.

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“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.

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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. 

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Maryland man sentenced to 15 years for attempting to join ISIS

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Maryland man sentenced to 15 years for attempting to join ISIS


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. 

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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. 

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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.

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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:

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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.

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The Source: Information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting. 

Maryland CrimeNewsCrime and Public SafetyMaryland



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