After being sent home by Penn in the second round of last year’s NCAA tournament, No. 3-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse knew it needed to bring in a firestarter on offense. That spark came in the form of the Quakers’ best attacker.
Maryland
New proposal could eliminate federal income taxes for millions in Maryland
WASHINGTON (7News) — A new push in Washington could reshape how millions of Americans pay federal income taxes — but it’s already drawing sharp debate from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (DMd.) and other Democratic backers have unveiled a proposal that would eliminate federal income tax liability for a large share of workers by raising the thresholds at which income tax kicks in. Meanwhile, Republicans such as Rep. Jason Smith (RMo.) argue the idea could shift the tax burden and overlook other priorities.
“If you’re a family of four and you make $73,000 or less, you will pay zero in federal income taxes, that is about affordability. But yet every single Democrat voted against extending the child tax credit,” said Smith.
Under the plan championed by Van Hollen and allied lawmakers, individuals earning below $46,000 and married couples filing jointly earning under $92,000 would owe no federal income tax. Supporters say this would extend a form of relief to roughly half of U.S. workers, ensuring that many households keep more of their earnings without owing federal income tax.
“We play that Americans who are earning just enough to get by to meet their basic living expenses should not have to pay a federal income tax. And those who are in that range should be able to keep more of their hard-earned money,” said Van Hollen.
SEE ALSO | Should taxpayers pay for universal child care?
The proposal is part of a broader effort by some Democrats to address affordability and the rising cost of living by reducing tax burdens for middleincome workers. Supporters argue it would ease financial pressure on households struggling with inflation and stagnant wages.
To offset the revenue losses from such tax cuts, Democratic backers propose funding the plan in part with a surtax on incomes above $1million and other targeted tax changes on higherincome earners, a structure they say would keep the plan progressive and sustainable.
Republicans and policy experts have questioned the plan’s feasibility and longterm effects. Some GOP lawmakers point to tax provisions passed last year under President Donald Trump — such as expanded deductions and changes to how certain income is taxed — as alternatives that already provide relief to families, including seniors and workers who earn tips or overtime.
Rep. Jason Smith, a senior Republican voice on tax policy, has been critical of Democratic tax proposals, arguing they may overlook broader fiscal priorities and fail to extend key benefits for families. He has also highlighted efforts by Republicans to preserve or enhance tax benefits like the Child Tax Credit in past legislative deals.
The debate comes amid ongoing discussions in Congress about how to balance tax relief with funding for government programs such as healthcare, education, and social safety net initiatives. While Van Hollen’s proposal focuses on reducing or eliminating federal income taxes for a large group of taxpayers, critics warn that without careful offsets and broader policy planning, such changes could stress the federal budget or shift the tax burden in ways that benefit some groups more than others.
SEE ALSO | Senate advances housing reform amid affordability crisis
Some analysts also point out that eliminating income taxes for portions of the workforce wouldn’t change other tax obligations like payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare or state and local taxes, meaning realworld savings might be more modest for families once all tax liabilities are considered.
Even if the proposal gains traction among some Democrats, it faces significant hurdles in a closely divided Congress. Republicans controlling the House have advanced alternative tax policies and broader affordability packages that include their own tax priorities. Without bipartisan support or inclusion in a larger budget reconciliation package, the Van Hollen plan may struggle to advance on its own.
As lawmakers continue to negotiate tax and affordability measures ahead of the 2026 elections, the tax debate is likely to remain a central issue.
Supporters said the plan could offer meaningful relief for middleincome families. Opponents caution that its fiscal and economic impacts need careful evaluation before it can be considered viable federal policy.
A D.C. man won $5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket in Maryland last week, and the matching number that netted him the prize happened to be his age.
Talk about a birthday surprise! A D.C. man won $5 million from a scratch-off lottery ticket in Maryland last week, and the matching number that netted him the prize happened to be his age.
Maurice Williams, a school bus driver in D.C., claimed the first top prize on a $5,000,000 LUXE scratch-off. He had used his $50 winnings from a previous LUXE scratch-off ticket to buy a new one the next day.
In a release from the Maryland Lottery, Williams said he didn’t know he had won until he scanned the ticket: “It’s crazy because the matching number was 59 and I just turned 59 the other day.”
Williams said he sat in shock for a while before calling his mother.
He said he plans to buy his mother a house with the winnings and then save up.
Two more top prizes from the scratch-off have yet to be claimed, the Maryland Lottery said, as well as nine $200,000 prizes, 10 $50,000 prizes and thousands of prizes ranging from $50 to $10,000.
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Taxpayers are being told to expect delays getting their money back, with the Comptroller of Maryland warning paper returns could take up to 30 days due to budget constraints and staff reductions — a slowdown economists say could strain cash…
Maryland
No. 3-seed Maryland women’s lacrosse fends off Rutgers, 11-8, in NCAA Tournament second round
Penn transfer Keeley Block’s two late goals closed the door on Rutgers Sunday, capping her four-goal performance and driving the Terps into the very quarterfinal round she denied them from in 2025.
“I just really don’t think when I shoot,” Block said. “So maybe I just didn’t think a lot.”
In a Big Ten rematch, the Terps never relinquished their lead, advancing with an 11-8 win over the Scarlet Knights.
The first quarter mirrored Maryland’s regular-season contest against Rutgers as the Terps scored four goals in the first eight minutes of the contest. Lauren LaPointe notched the latter two goals within 28 seconds of each other, settling into her spot on the left elbow with ease.
Rutgers found a footing and netted its opening goal with six minutes to go in the opening frame, but the Terps’ response came just 37 seconds later. LaPointe spotted a cutting Block deep in the fan and shuttled a high pass for Block to immediately jam into the back of the net.
LaPointe capped her dominant opening frame by finding another cutter in Maisy Clevinger with seconds remaining. Clevinger buried her ninth goal of the season to give the Terps a five-goal advantage.
“As we move forward in this tournament, the good thing about having a balanced offense is you really need everybody to step up for us to be successful,” head coach Cathy Reese said. “Everybody needs to do their part.”
A massive component of Maryland’s early dominance was the performance of Kayla Gilmore. The sophomore helped the Terps take the first eight draw controls of the contest, avenging her 19-12 defeat in the circle the last time these teams played.
After the Terps eventually lost a draw — over 20 minutes into the contest — the scoring began to even out. Rutgers’ Hilary Elsner and Caroline Ling sandwiched a Kori Edmondson free position goal, and Alex Popham hit a low-angle snipe with four minutes left in the half to cut the Maryland lead to three.
After a brief lull, Clevinger scored again with just 73 seconds left in the first half. Jordyn Lipkin’s assist on the score marked her second of the contest, as Maryland notched seven first half set-ups. Three different Terps had multiple assists Sunday.
But the Scarlet Knights grabbed assists of their own, scoring off indirect free positions from the left elbow three times in the second frame. The last of those scores came from Kate Theofield, who stunned JJ Suriano with just seven seconds before the halftime horn sounded. The Terps’ netminder was far more active in the second quarter, facing eight more shots than she did in the first and conceding on four of them.
While Maryland’s offense perfectly replicated its first half from its last meeting against Rutgers, its defense suffered from occasional mental lapses. Six first-half fouls from the Terps gave the Scarlet Knights easy opportunities, and Suriano looked particularly vulnerable against shots from the wing.
Maryland’s defense continued to struggle after the break despite four Suriano saves in the first eight minutes of the second half. The Terps let up another easy goal to Ling before Edmondson and Popham traded scores.
At the close of the period, Maryland finally pieced together another run through the stick of Block. She blasted off the line on an 8-meter chance, finding nylon for her eighth hat trick of the year. Then, after committing a yellow card infraction early in the fourth quarter, Block stormed back onto the field and scored almost immediately.
That goal proved to be the dagger, securing the Terps’ return to the quarterfinals. Despite scoring just three goals in the final 30 minutes — none of which were assisted — Maryland’s defense found the stops it needed to keep the season alive.
1. Suriano’s presence. After a dominant performance in Maryland’s narrow Big Ten championship loss, the junior maintained her form Sunday. Suriano’s 10 saves and 55.6% save percentage demonstrated a reliable presence for the Terps between the posts,, what Reese described as “JJ doing JJ things.”
“I think high pressure situations are more fun,” Suriano said “And I find the joy in being out there with my teammates, doing what I love.”
2. The ground ball battle. It has been a rare sight in 2026 to see Maryland outdo its opponent in ground balls. But against Rutgers, the Terps dominated, corralling 15 of the 25 total ground balls, with Suriano and Kristen Shanahan combining for seven.
3. Painting the frame. With a respectable 24 total shots, Maryland needed to be highly accurate to maintain its advantage. The Terps succeeded, shooting 87.5% of their shots on goal and completely overwhelming Scarlet Knight goalkeeper Stella Quilty.
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