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Schools
Maryland School Employee, Dance Instructor Indicted On Federal Child Exploitation Charges: DOJ Maryland School Employee, Dance Instructor Indicted On Federal Child Exploitation Charges: DOJ
Maryland School Employee, Dance Instructor Indicted On Federal Child Exploitation Charges: DOJ A school employee and dance instructor in Maryland has been indicted on child sex abuse crimes, federal authorities announced. Xaviour Smith, 28, of Upper Marlboro, a Prince George's County Public Schools worker who founded 1101 Dance Academy in Temple Hills, made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with alleged coercion and enticement of children. According to the indictment, between March and August 2025, Smith persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct.  Smith allegedly exploited the minors for the purpose of …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Virginia High School Evacuated After Gas Line Leak Triggers Emergency Response (DEVELOPING) Virginia High School Evacuated After Gas Line Leak Triggers Emergency Response (DEVELOPING)
Virginia High School Evacuated After Gas Line Leak Triggers Emergency Response (Developing) A routine Tuesday morning for students in Virginia was abruptly disrupted by a gas leak that forced the evacuation of a high school in Fairfax County, sending students and staff into the cold as emergency crews rushed in. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue crews were called around 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 10 to Justice High School on Peace Valley Lane when an alarm was activated inside the building. When crews arrived, firefighters discovered a gas line leak, prompting an immediate evacuation of the school, according to investigators. HazMat units were requested to the scene as a precaution, and Wash…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
One Shot, One In Custody After Shooting At Maryland High School: Police (UPDATED) One Shot, One In Custody After Shooting At Maryland High School: Police (UPDATED)
One Shot, One In Custody After Shooting At Maryland High School: Police (Updated) One person was shot at a Maryland high school Monday afternoon, triggering an immediate lockdown as police rushed to secure the scene. At 2:15 p.m., Feb. 9, in Montgomery County, officers were dispatched to Thomas S. Wootton High School for a report of shots fired, prompting school officials to lock down the campus as police worked to determine what had occurred. Police later confirmed that one person was shot and that the shooting happened inside the school, as officers remained on scene and continued clearing the building. One person was taken into custody. UPDATE 3:17 p.m: Law enfor…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Man Reportedly Followed Children Walking Home From School In Virginia Park: Police (DEVELOPING) Man Reportedly Followed Children Walking Home From School In Virginia Park: Police (DEVELOPING)
Man Reportedly Followed Children Walking Home From School In Virginia Park: Police (Developing) A walk home from school turned unsettling for a group of children in Virginia, police say. City of Fairfax Police are investigating a suspicious incident after several students reported that a man followed them while they were walking home from school, first through Van Dyck Park and then into their neighborhood, officials announced Friday, Feb. 6. According to police, the children noticed the man as they walked through the park and continued to see him trailing them after they left the area and headed home. The man was described as wearing black winter clothing. No physical contact was re…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Holstered Gun Found Outside Maryland High School After Dismissal, Police Say Holstered Gun Found Outside Maryland High School After Dismissal, Police Say
Holstered Gun Found Outside Maryland High School After Dismissal, Police Say A firearm was discovered on school grounds outside a Maryland high school after dismissal on Friday afternoon, prompting an investigation by Baltimore County Police. Officers were notified around 1 p.m. that a gun had been found outside the building on school property at Sparrows Point High School in Edgemere, on Friday, Feb. 6, police said. According to investigators, detectives determined the firearm was accidentally dropped by a relative of a student who was picking up a child from the school after a walkout had already concluded. The weapon was located outside the building, police confi…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Bomb Threat At Maryland High School Believed To Be Swatting Call, Police Say Bomb Threat At Maryland High School Believed To Be Swatting Call, Police Say
Bomb Threat At Maryland High School Believed To Be Swatting Call, Police Say Officers in Montgomery County are investigating a possible swatting call at Blair High School after receiving a bomb threat early on Wednesday morning, police say. Shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 4, members of the Montgomery County Department of Police were called to the building to probe reports of a bomb threat. The building was evacuated as a precaution. MCPD 3rd District officers at Blair High School for a reported bomb threat. MCPS has evacuated the school. Officers are investigating the validity of the threat. #MCPD #MCPNews pic.twitter.com/6vQfEItXrf — Montgomery County Departm…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Student Injured After Gun Goes Off Inside Maryland Elementary School Classroom (DEVELOPING) Student Injured After Gun Goes Off Inside Maryland Elementary School Classroom (DEVELOPING)
Student Injured After Gun Goes Off Inside Maryland Elementary School Classroom (Developing) An elementary school student was injured in Maryland after a gun went off in the classroom and struck him, police said. Officers from the Anne Arundel County Police Department were called early on Wednesday, Feb. 4 to Freetown Elementary School in Glen Burnie, where there were reports of an accidental discharge of a firearm. According to the department, the child with the weapon injured his hand when the gun went off. Investigators noted that there were other students in the classroom when the firearm discharged. No other injuries were reported. This message is to inform you about the …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Another Late Start: Howard County Schools On Two-Hour Delay For Tuesday Another Late Start: Howard County Schools On Two-Hour Delay For Tuesday
Another Late Start: Howard County Schools On Two-Hour Delay For Tuesday If this winter were a guest, it would’ve already overstayed its welcome. More than a week after the first snowstorm hit the region, schools across Maryland and Virginia are still dealing with closures and delays, with students facing yet another disrupted day on Tuesday, Feb. 3. What started with snow on Sunday, Jan. 25, has turned into a drawn-out battle with ice, frozen back roads, and temperatures that simply refuse to cooperate — keeping buses off the roads and classrooms dark well into February. As of 7:45 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 2, districts confirmed that lingering icy conditions and u…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Snowly Hell: These Maryland Schools Closed Or Delayed Monday, Week After First Storm Snowly Hell: These Maryland Schools Closed Or Delayed Monday, Week After First Storm
Snowly Hell: These Maryland Schools Closed Or Delayed Monday, Week After First Storm Eight days after the first flakes fell, the snow days just keep coming. What started as a Sunday snowstorm on Jan. 25 has now stretched into a full-blown winter break across parts of Maryland and Virginia, with students staring down another delay or closure on Monday, Feb. 2 — more than a week later. As of 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, school districts across the region confirmed that lingering ice, frozen side roads, and stubborn cold have kept buses parked and classrooms dark — even after a lighter round of snow dusted the area again this weekend. Schools are closed, offices will open on …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
12-Year-Old Won’t Face Charges After Making Swatting Call From School Bus In Maryland: Police 12-Year-Old Won’t Face Charges After Making Swatting Call From School Bus In Maryland: Police
12-Year-Old Won’t Face Charges After Making Swatting Call From School Bus In Maryland: Police A 12-year-old girl in Maryland will not face criminal charges after making a swatting call from a school bus that caused chaos for officials last fall, officials say. In September 2025, officers from the Montgomery County Department of Police were called to the 19100 block of Montgomery Village Avenue to investigate reports of a shooting in progress, though they were met by neither a gunman nor any evidence of shots fired. Officers already in the area did not hear the sound of gunfire and were not able to locate a caller at the scene. Further investigation determined the call was originatin…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
From Snow Day To Winter Break: Schools Closed, Delayed For Fifth Straight Day In Maryland From Snow Day To Winter Break: Schools Closed, Delayed For Fifth Straight Day In Maryland
From Snow Day To Winter Break: Schools Closed, Delayed For Fifth Straight Day In Maryland One snowstorm later, students are officially on an unexpected winter break. Across Maryland and Virginia, some school districts are closed for a fifth consecutive day on Friday, while others are shifting to remote learning or delayed openings as the region continues thawing out from the weekend storm that rocked the area — and quietly turned a snow day into a full week off. For students, it’s a free vacation. For parents, it’s another day of rearranged schedules, burned PTO, and figuring out childcare on the fly. More snow is likely on the way. District leaders cited lingering ice, treach…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Four Snow Days Later… Schools Still Closed In Howard County After Sunday Storm Four Snow Days Later… Schools Still Closed In Howard County After Sunday Storm
Four Snow Days Later… Schools Still Closed In Howard County After Sunday Storm School's out for... winter?  For the fourth straight day, school districts in Maryland and Virginia are canceling classes as the region continues digging out from the Sunday snowstorm that caused chaos in the area. District leaders cited lingering ice, treacherous side roads, and continued concerns about student and staff safety as the reasons for the prolonged closures, as crews continue to battle the widespread freeze triggered by the storm and subsequent cold spell. The school districts announced early on Wednesday that they will be closed on Thursday, Jan. 29:  Maryland An…

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by Zak Failla