Connect with us

Maryland

New Maryland laws include ending Noah’s Law loophole, protecting children online

Published

on

New Maryland laws include ending Noah’s Law loophole, protecting children online


At the stroke of midnight, new laws took effect in Maryland on Tuesday, October 1st. Those laws stretch from increasing safety for everyone on the roadways to making it safer for children online.  

Advertisement

One new law, in particular, ends the Noah’s Law loophole. The loophole essentially lets those caught driving drunk off the hook from being required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle if they received probation before judgment. 

That ends on Tuesday.  

Noah’s law first passed in 2016 in memory of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta, who was killed by a drunk driver the year before. Advocates, including Noah’s father, Rich Leotta, have been fighting to close the loophole for nearly a decade. 

Advertisement

“This is not just for Noah,” said Rich Leotta on Monday,” what always bothers me is … it took a public face to put in front to make smart decisions. I mean this tool basically just changes behavior and saves lives. It’s bene a long journey. Nine years for me, from first Noah’s Law to now. But we’re finally closing the loophole and making sure everyone that is arrested for impaired driving will get an interlock. 

The ignition interlock device works like a breathalyzer test in your car that has to be blown into before the driver is allowed to start their vehicle. Rich Leotta says he and advocates don’t know how many lives the device will save, but do know that about 70% of the time, when an ignition interlock device is required, those using the device do not repeat it. 

Advertisement

READ MORE: Driver who struck, killed Officer Noah Leotta sentenced to 10 years in prison

There’s another big change now in place that seeks to protect children while online. It’s referred to as the “Maryland Kids Code.” 

Part of the measure will now prohibit big tech companies like Amazon, Meta, and Google from collecting certain data on kids and teens under 18-years-old.

Advertisement

An advocate for the bill previously told FOX 5, in 2022, social media sold $11 billion-worth of ads targeted at children. 

“I think it’s much needed. There’s too much going on and kids don’t know what to do with that kind of information, that kind of access, it’s just too much,” said Alexandra Brown in Silver Spring on Tuesday morning. 

Advertisement

READ MORE: Maryland lawmakers pass bill aimed at protecting kids online

Debra Etsy both agreed and disagreed. “Parents deal with so much and [there’s] so many avenues where children can get involved in things that they shouldn’t. And a little control is a good thing. But then again, I see the other option that it could be a bad thing. So, I’m kind of mixed to be honest with you – I’m really mixed about it, but parents need to have a little bit more control of what their children watch,” Etsy told FOX 5. 

Here’s the full list of laws taking effect October 1st from the Maryland General Assembly. 

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Maryland

Maryland double murder suspect arrested in Miami Beach

Published

on

Maryland double murder suspect arrested in Miami Beach


MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Weeks after a horrific murder in Maryland where police say the killer shot off more than four dozen rounds, authorities have arrested the suspect in Miami Beach.

Investigators say an enraged ex drove over 1,000 miles to commit the crime. Police found evidence inside a Miami Beach apartment on Saturday, leading to an arrest.

Investigators say Crimea Baker and Sean Lange were shot multiple times by Baker’s ex-husband, 33-year-old David Turner on Aug. 27.

Police believe Turner broke into their New Market, Maryland, home and shot off at least 42 shots.

Advertisement

“We believe Turner entered the back door of the residence sometime after 1 a.m., before 1:25, and murdered her and Mr. Lange in the bed in the bedroom firing more than 42 rounds,” Frederick County, Maryland Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said.

Inside at the time were Baker’s children, who were not hurt during the shooting but hid for hours before calling police.

“I’ve never seen anything to this degree, really it was unbelievable,” Jenkins added.

Jenkins said Turner drove from Miami Beach to Maryland to kill the couple.

It would be weeks before the FBI and Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale police would cuff Turner following search warrants on his car and Miami Beach apartment and an alibi that didn’t match up.

Advertisement

Video shows a SWAT team going into the Miami Beach building off West Avenue. That is where police say they found evidence to get that arrest warrant. Investigators believe this may have been a crime of passion that was domestic-related.

“There is no explanation that I can think of that would have justified anything like this,” Jenkins said.

Turner will be extradited to Maryland soon to face two counts of first-degree murder and home invasion charges. He was being held in the Broward County jail.

Baker’s family has set up a GoFundMe page for those children who are now left without their mother.

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Maryland

Numbers That Mattered: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Maryland Terrapins — Hoosier Huddle

Published

on

Numbers That Mattered: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Maryland Terrapins — Hoosier Huddle


0…

Represents the points off turnovers that Maryland had during Saturday’s game. Indiana turned the ball over four times. In most games, that leads to a loss, but Maryland could not capitalize whatsoever on Indiana’s miscues. This game had a lot of luck woven into it. One being this stat here, the other being the amount of tipped passes that Maryland had for big gains. Saturday was unique, that’s for sure, but props to the Indiana defense here for shutting down Maryland’s offense amidst significant adversity.

7.39…

Represents Indiana’s yards per play against Maryland (per gameonpaper.com), which ranks as an 85th percentile score for a single FBS vs. FBS game in the country when compared to 2023 full season data. Maryland generated 5.66 yards per play (45th percentile). These two metrics tell a firm story of how the game progressed, as Indiana was more efficient with the plays they had on offense compared to Maryland. Yards lead to points and points lead to wins. Despite turnovers, Indiana pulled out a win with efficiency on both sides of the ball.

1…

Represents the number of plays where Maryland had a higher win probability than Indiana during Saturday’s game. That play was with 6:33 left in the 3rd quarter when Maryland forced a punt at the score of 21-21. At that point in time, Maryland’s win percentage was 53%. Then, James Evans’ punt was downed at the 15 yard line and Maryland’s win percentage dropped back down to 41.9% (per gameonpaper.com). That swing really shows the importance of special teams in a given game, and boy did James Evans have a major impact here. To be clear here though, there were 167 plays on Saturday and Indiana had a higher win probability than Maryland on 166 of them. 

49%…

Represents the snap share that lead running back Ty Son Lawton received on Saturday (per Pro Football Focus). The game against Maryland was likely the first game of the season where we’d see what the true carry split was amongst Indiana’s many talented running backs. Behind Lawton, Justice Ellison received 39% of the snap share and Kaelon Black received 11% of the snap share (to avoid messy decimals, we rounded down, resulting in these %’s adding to 99%. Rest assured, these figures are accurate). Ty Son Lawton, on the season, has been very effective in his first year with the Hoosiers, putting up 277 rushing yards on 4.8 yards per attempt and 6 touchdowns. He has also posted 3 receptions for 22 yards in the 2024 campaign. Lawton has been a great addition to the Hoosiers this season and will no doubt be a huge factor to Indiana’s success moving forward.

Advertisement

19…

Represents Mikail Kamara’s rank on Pro Football Focus (PFF) when looking at overall defensive grades among nearly all edge defenders in the country (nearly 550 edge defenders graded in this dataset). Kamara had one of his best games of the season against Maryland, putting up 5 QB pressures in the form of 1 sack, 2 QB hits, and 2 QB hurries. On the season, Kamara has been an absolute force, putting up 20 QB pressures in the form of: 4 sacks, 5 QB hits, and 11 QB hurries. Entering a more difficult portion of Indiana’s schedule, Kamara will be an extremely important part of the Hoosiers’ pass rush.

Saturday, October 5th @ 3:30 PM EST…

Represents Indiana’s next game against the Northwestern Wildcats. Be on the lookout for another edition of “Numbers That Mattered” after that game as well.



Source link

Continue Reading

Maryland

Scary season: Haunted houses and ghost tours for frightful fun in the DC area

Published

on

Scary season: Haunted houses and ghost tours for frightful fun in the DC area


The nights are getting longer, and Halloween decor is jumping out of the bushes. It’s time to search high and low for thrills and chills!

Whether that means a horrifying haunted house or a creepy ghost tour, you have plenty of options in D.C., Maryland and Virginia… if you dare!

Haunted houses and Halloween trails in Maryland

Field of Screams

📅 Weekends and select other days through Nov. 2
📍 4501 Olney Laytonsville Road, Olney, Maryland
💲 $30+ (varies by date)
🔗 Details

Advertisement

Voted the best haunted attraction by USA Today, Field of Screams is for those seeking a real scare across 55 horrifying stations.

Tickets are sold online only starting at $54 and grant you admission to the SUPER Screams Haunted Trail and the Slaughter Factory Haunted House (if you dare).

Field of Screams is not recommended for children under 12.

Carnival games, bonfires, s’mores and a concession stand will be available if you can stomach it before or after the scares.

Field of Screams says it’s set to open Friday, Oct. 4. It pushed back its opening date amid bad weather and reports of permitting delays.

Advertisement

Laurel’s House of Horrors

📅 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 2, plus extra days in the last weeks of October
📍 935 Fairlawn Ave., Laurel, Maryland
💲 $34.95+
🔗 Details

Get ready to be spooked in the area’s biggest indoor haunt. Built inside an abandoned movie theater, this season’s haunted house offers new chilling experiences in an eerie 28,000-square-foot space.

Explore the building’s paranormal activity and encounter terrifying creatures throughout the theater. Want more scares? Try out their “Escape the Movies” escape rooms based on some classic scary films (for an extra fee). 

Along with general admission tickets, guests can buy additional packages with options to skip the line.

Advertisement

Six Flags Fright Fest in Bowie

📅 Select nights through Oct. 27
📍 13710 Central Ave., Upper Marlboro, Maryland
💲 $70 for a single-day park ticket and haunted attractions pass
🔗 Details

Six Flags has even more reasons to scream during October. Scare zones and rides for all are included with standard admission tickets. Get the Haunted Attractions Pass to experience more scares, including Haunting of Hall Manor, Sideshow: Haze House, Twisted Fairytales and more.

The scares ramp up after 6 p.m., and this experience may be too scary for kids 13 and younger. No costumes are allowed for visitors over 12.

Markoff’s Haunted Forest 

Advertisement

📅 Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October, plus Halloween
📍 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson, Maryland
💲 About $40 for the trail (varies by night and attraction)
🔗 Details

Venture off into the woods to experience three haunted attractions. While waiting in Markoff’s Midway, soothe your fears at the bonfires or dance with “creepy weirdos.” Then, you can then venture off into The Town where you get up close and personal with the strange residents. The mile-long Haunted Trail has twisting turns and terrifying scenes.

Live entertainment is available some nights such as dance groups, live bands and fire spinners.

AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail

📅 Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 26
📍  2380 Davidsonville Road, Gambrills, Maryland
💲 $25 (Terror Trail) or $10 (Boo Loop maze)
🔗 Details

Advertisement

Looking for a family-friendly haunt? Visit the Arundel Volunteer Fire Department to wind through the scary Terror Trial aimed at kids aged 8 and up. If the kids want to have a less spooky adventure, get lost in their new Boo Loop Maze for $10. It’s geared toward kids under 8.

Kids are welcome to come in costume, uncover the mysteries of the Boo Loop filled with fairies, dancing skeletons and cackling witches.

You can purchase tickets at the firehouse or online. Proceeds go toward supporting the volunteer fire department.

Haunted houses and Halloween trails in Virginia

Fields of Fear at Cox Farms

📅 Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 2, plus Sunday, Oct. 13
📍 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, Virginia
💲 $30-$40
🔗 Details

Advertisement

Fields of Fear turns this fall festival destination into one of your nightmares starting on Fridays and Saturdays.

Fear Deluxe admission includes one entry to four haunted attractions over 20 acres: the Firegrounds, Dark Side Hayride, Cornightmare and the Forest: Back 40.

Be warned: “You may be touched by Fields of Fear actors, but you will not be forcefully struck or grabbed by any Cox Farms staff member or actor at any time,” Cox Farms says.

Fields of Fear is not recommended for children under 12 years old. Children under 14 years old must have a chaperone. If Fields of Fear sounds too scary, check out Cox Farms’ Fall Festival.

The Workhouse Arts Center

Advertisement

📅 Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays through Nov. 2, plus Halloween
📍 9518 Workhouse Way, Lorton, Virginia
💲 $30 in advance, or $35 day-of
🔗 Details

Operating on the grounds of a notorious former prison, Workhouse Arts Center has real-life scary stories to back up its haunted trail.

“Haunt: Twisted Tales of Terror” immerses guests in an outdoor walk-through trail where classic fairy tales take a very dark turn. Grab your loved ones close: The haunted house promises “gruesome characters and nightmarish surprises around every corner.”

Before and after the haunt, check your adrenaline in a festive atmosphere with a DJ, a bar and food trucks. Local artists will be selling their wares at the Haunt Pop-up Shop.

On Oct. 20, the Center is set to offer designated sensory-friendly time slots. On the trail, sound levels will be less intense and strobe lights won’t be turned on, the center says.

Advertisement

For a more lighthearted twist on Halloween scares, check out their production of “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors.”

Spooky tours in the D.C. area

Congressional Cemetery

📅 Various dates
📍 1801 E St. SE
💲 Suggested donation ($5+)
🔗 Details

While the Congressional Cemetery’s Soul Strolls is sold out, you can still enjoy a variety of other tours of the permanent resting place of 65,000 people.

Congressional Cemetery offers Sunday Strolls and Only at Congressional Tours regularly. They’re in the daytime, so it’s a good option if you’re looking for slightly spooky vibes.

Advertisement

Halloween Ghosts and History Tour

📅 Various dates
💲  About $22
🔗 Details

Author Edward Moser offers three ghost tours highlighting the spooky side of landmark neighborhoods. Here’s info on Georgetown and Old Town, Alexandria.

Screams & Disease Tour

📅 Oct. 18, 26 and 26
📍 Lee-Fendall House Museum (614 Oronoco St., Alexandria, Virginia)
💲  $15
🔗 Details

Advertisement

Explore the dark and bloody history of the Civil War hospital at the Lee-Fendall House.

Tickets must be purchased in advance.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending