Maryland
U.S. Air Force reverses course on retiring A-10 Thunderbolt planes, making way for potential Maryland return
MIDDLE RIVER, Md. — It was March of 2025 when Maryland’s Air National Guard gave up their treasured A-10 Thunderbolt planes.
The U.S. Air Force planned to retire the planes, 21 of which were stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport.
Warfield was ordered to transition from flying missions to offensive and defensive cyber operations.
Air Force to retire Maryland National Guard’s A-10 planes in leadup to Cyber transition
On Wednesday Maryland Congressman Andy Harris said the Air Force decided to preserve the A-10 Thunderbolt II program through 2030, giving Warfield some hope they could get the planes back.
Air Force Secretary Troy E. Meink made the decision amid an ongoing war in Iran, in an attempt to preserve the U.S. military’s combat power as aircraft production ramps up.
“We are pleased that the A-10 program is now being extended,” said Harris. “The Maryland Guard has extensive experience to bring to the table, and we are in contact with the Office of the Air Force Secretary to urge them to bring A-10s back to Maryland so our airmen can help defend the nation.”
A University of Maryland (UMD) football player was arrested for harassment, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.
Dontay Joyner, a defensive back and rising senior at UMD, was charged with telephone misuse for making repeated calls, electronic communications harassment, and violating release conditions, a misdemeanor offense, according to court records.
Joyner’s attorney is calling the ordeal “outrageous,” saying “[Joyner] has been locked in a cage in Harford County for seven nights after being charged with a misdemeanor for telephone misuse for texting his longtime girlfriend during an argument. This is simply outrageous.”
Joyner’s attorney, Former Attorney General Douglas Gansler, said the 21-year-old has never been in trouble with the law and does not own a handgun. According to Gansler, Joyner’s girlfriend is “fully supportive of him and does not want to press charges.”
According to the UMD Terps website, Joyner is a Lakeland, Florida, native who previously attended Arkansas State. In the spring, Joyner was given the Nick Cross Defensive Back Award in a tradition that honors “past terrapin greats.”
According to court records, Joyner was held without bond.
WJZ has reached out to UMD officials for comment.
In Maryland, residents can find parades, concerts, history programs, fireworks, volunteer opportunities and family-friendly celebrations leading up to Independence Day.
America250, the national semiquincentennial initiative, is encouraging communities to take part through local commemorations, block parties, service projects and July 4 events. State and local commissions, historical societies, museums, libraries, parks departments and civic groups are also hosting events tied to the milestone.
Open primaries advocate Jeremy Gruber says nearly 100,000 independent voters in D.C. remain locked out of primary elections despite voters overwhelmingly approving open primaries in 2024. On The Final 5 with Jim Lokay, he blames the D.C. Council for refusing to fund the change and says similar efforts are gaining momentum in Maryland, where more than one million independents are also excluded from primaries. Gruber argues that in many one-party jurisdictions, the primary is effectively the election, making voter access even more critical.
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