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Education

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Lifelong Educator Entering Hospice Care After Battle With Cancer 'Touched So Many' Lifelong Educator Entering Hospice Care After Battle With Cancer 'Touched So Many'
Lifelong Educator Entering Hospice Care After Battle With Cancer 'Touched So Many' A beloved teacher and mother of two who bravely battled cancer before it returned one last time is being remembered for her decades educating children in the region. Kym Hurley, a lifelong educator who was forced to retire due to her health conditions, has entered hospice care, organizers of a long-running GoFundMe campaign for her family confirmed on Tuesday afternoon. Hurley, who has taught children for more than 30 years - and would have taught or another 30 if her health permitted, friends say - put on a courageous years-long fight with the disease. The teacher is being remembered for …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Snow Way! These Maryland, Virginia School Districts Announce Tuesday Closures (UPDATED) Snow Way! These Maryland, Virginia School Districts Announce Tuesday Closures (UPDATED)
Snow Way! These Maryland, Virginia School Districts Announce Tuesday Closures (Updated) Some students are celebrating - and some parents are mourning - as school districts in Maryland and Virginia begin announcing closures for Tuesday.  With the first snowstorm of 2025 rolling through the region, most schools were closed on Monday, Jan. 6, and some districts chose to be proactive and called off classes on Tuesday as a precaution. As of 5:30 p.m. on Monday, these districts have announced closures:  Maryland Anne Arundel County Public Schools; Baltimore County Public Schools; Calvert County Public Schools; Charles County Public Schools; College of Southern Maryland;…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Some DMV Schools Closing Early Due To Inclement Weather: Here's The Latest Breakdown Some DMV Schools Closing Early Due To Inclement Weather: Here's The Latest Breakdown
Some DMV Schools Closing Early Due To Inclement Weather: Here's The Latest Breakdown With rain expected to turn to snow across parts of Maryland and Virginia, some school districts are being proactive and have already announced early dismissals or closures for students and staff. A Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac River, and I-95 corridor through central Maryland, northern Virginia, and District of Columbia. Temperatures are expected to continue dropping over the weekend, with a wintry mix expected on Sunday night into Monday. Rain and snow will develop across the region today with higher snow accu…

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by Zak Failla
News
DMV Jeopardy! Stars Stumble: Tough Week Under Bright Lights Ends In Defeat DMV Jeopardy! Stars Stumble: Tough Week Under Bright Lights Ends In Defeat
DMV Jeopardy! Stars Stumble: Tough Week Under Bright Lights Ends In Defeat Who is... The DMV's Best? Turns out none of them after falling flat under the bright Jeopardy! lights. Three local contestants from Maryland and Virginia stepped up to the podium, but all three went home empty-handed, leaving the DMV without a champion. The week kicked off on Monday, Dec. 9, with Vienna ESL teacher Lisa O'Donnell taking on Boston's Bill McKinney, a vice president of restaurants and bars. McKinney cruised through the competition, winning a few games before his controversial exit on Friday. On Wednesday, Hyattsville tax accountant Sam Nguyen couldn’t clinch a victory, while …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Sharp Drop In College Enrollment Raises Alarm Sharp Drop In College Enrollment Raises Alarm
Sharp Drop In College Enrollment Raises Alarm Fewer high school graduates began college this fall, with enrollment in that age group dropping 5 percent from last year, according to an analysis by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.  Four-year institutions were hardest hit, with public colleges seeing an 8.5 percent drop in first-year enrollments and private nonprofit colleges reporting a 6.5 percent decline.  This trend poses significant challenges for colleges and universities, particularly those reliant on tuition revenue.  As the competition for students intensifies, institutions face mounting pressur…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder
Ivy Leaguer From Prominent Maryland Family Officially Charged With CEO's Murder An Ivy League-educated high school valedictorian from a privileged, politically connected family has been charged with the execution-style murder of the CEO of one of the nation's largest healthcare providers after a days-long manhunt. Click here for a new, updated story - CEO Murder: Whiz Kid Suspect May Have Spiraled After Traumatic Back Surgery New York prosecutors have formally charged 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a native of Towson, Maryland, with the fatal shooting of United Healthcare executive Brian Thompson.  The incident occurred outside the New York Hilton in midt…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage At Maryland High School Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage At Maryland High School
Second Racist Incident In Eight Months Sparks Outrage At Maryland High School A shocking act of racism at Wootton High School has ignited outrage in the school community, prompting school leaders to postpone a pep rally and vow cultural change. The incident occurred Monday, Dec. 3, when a Black student discovered a racial slur written on their desk, according to a letter sent to families by Dr. Peter O. Moran, chief of the Office of School Support and Improvement. "This incident has not only harmed this individual student but has harmed students, families, and staff, specifically those who are Black or African American," Dr. Moran wrote in the letter. He acknowledge…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Unitarian Universalist Minister From Maryland Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy! Unitarian Universalist Minister From Maryland Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy!
Unitarian Universalist Minister From Maryland Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy! The DMV is set to be represented on Wednesday as a popular minister is ready to represent the region on Jeopardy! Takoma Park resident Kimberley Debus, a community-based minister with thee Unitarian Universalist Association, who has served across the country, is the latest contestant to take her shot at becoming a champion on the popular quiz show. Debus, who has ties to Nebraska and New York, is set to square off against Gloria Nastas, a retired healthcare policy analyst from Michigan and returning champion Stevie Ruiz, an assistant front office manager from Long Island who won $17,987 on …

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by Zak Failla
News
Former Maryland Teacher Learns Fate After Years-Old Sex Abuse Case With Student Comes to Light Former Maryland Teacher Learns Fate After Years-Old Sex Abuse Case With Student Comes to Light
Former Maryland Teacher Learns Fate After Years-Old Sex Abuse Case With Student Comes to Light A former middle school teacher in Maryland will have to register as a sex offender for 25 years once she completes her prison term for sexually abusing a student, authorities announced on Tuesday. Melissa Marie Curtis, 31, of Upper Marlboro, was sentenced to 30 years in prison with all suspended but 12 months to serve, followed by five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty in June to three counts of third-degree sex offense in connection to the abuse of a teen. In November 2023, police in Montgomery County launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse that ha…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
First-Grade Teacher Left Classroom To Sell Drugs On School Property In Maryland: Complaint First-Grade Teacher Left Classroom To Sell Drugs On School Property In Maryland: Complaint
First-Grade Teacher Left Classroom To Sell Drugs On School Property In Maryland: Complaint A teacher in Maryland who allegedly left her classroom to sell drugs to people on school property is facing charges for distributing a fatal dose of fentanyl, according to federal authorities. Sarah Katherine Magid, 34, has been charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and the death of a victim, according to a criminal complaint that was unsealed this week in District Court. Magid, a first-grade teacher at a Montgomery County school was arrested in August following a search and seizure warrant by the DEA and local police at her Burtonsville home fo…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public Elementary Schools: New Rankings Released Montgomery County is the place to be for parents with young children according to a new Niche report listing Maryland's top elementary schools. It was a clean sweep in the top five for Montgomery County, which led the latest rankings recently released by the organization following lists for the top middle and high schools in the country.  To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche use…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public Middle Schools: New Rankings Released Several middle schools in Montgomery and Howard counties are among the best in Maryland, according to a new Niche report. Cabin John Middle School in Potomac topped the list, followed by three in Howard County: Clarksville, Mount View, and Folly Quarter middle schools. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users."  The results are similar to the top public high schools in the st…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Elementary School Teacher In Maryland Indicted For Coercion Of Former Student: Feds Elementary School Teacher In Maryland Indicted For Coercion Of Former Student: Feds
Elementary School Teacher In Maryland Indicted For Coercion Of Former Student: Feds An educator in Prince George's County has been indicted after allegedly coercing and enticing a child who was a former student, federal authorities announced. Bowie resident Mark Cobb, a former teacher at Cooper Lane Elementary School in Landover Hills, is now facing charges that include coercion and enticement of a child, as well as possession of child pornography, officials say. According to the indictment, between June 19 and June 25, the teacher allegedly engaged in a texting relationship with a 9-year-old student, during which he allegedly requested and received illicit photos fro…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
CODE RED: 'General Threats' Made Toward Montgomery College Cancels Classes CODE RED: 'General Threats' Made Toward Montgomery College Cancels Classes
Code RED: 'General Threats' Made Toward Montgomery College Cancels Classes Montgomery College was unexpectedly shut down on Friday afternoon after threats were made targeting the school.  A "Code Red" alert was issued on Oct. 11, to allow for an investigation into the threats that led to a closure of the campus effective as of 1:30 p.m. on Friday. "At this time, any information regarding an active threat on school property has not been deemed credible," the school said. MC Alert: URGENT - Code RedEffective at 1:30 p.m., Friday, October 11, @montgomerycoll will be CLOSED onsite and all remote operations/instructions/services are suspended. Please check you…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released
These Are Maryland's Top Public High Schools: New Rankings Released A pair of Montgomery County public high schools were ranked the best in Maryland, followed by some in Howard County, according to a new Niche report. Poolesville High School took the top spot in Maryland - and 32nd overall in the nation - followed by Walt Whitman High School, River Hill High School, Winston Church Hill High School, and Marriotts Ridge High School. To determine the "best public schools in America," Niche's ranking was "based on rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from US Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected …

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by Zak Failla
Business
'Super Mom' Claims $500K 'Powerball Double Play' Prize On Ticket Sold At Maryland Wawa 'Super Mom' Claims $500K 'Powerball Double Play' Prize On Ticket Sold At Maryland Wawa
'Super Mom' Claims $500K 'Powerball Double Play' Prize On Ticket Sold At Maryland Wawa Wednesday was a lucky day for Lottery players in Maryland - one "Super Mom" in particular - who cashed in big on a $500,000 Powerball Double Play ticket sold at an area Wawa. The sixth second- or third-tier Double Play winning ticket sold in 2024 has been claimed just days after the fateful drawing on a ticket that was sold at Wawa in the 5400 block of Urbana Pike in Frederick. The winning numbers for the Wednesday, Sept. 25 drawing were 06-32-51-62-69 with a Power Ball of 26. This week, the Frederick County winner, going only by the moniker "Super Mom," was in Lottery Headquarters to coll…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Maryland Educators Accused Of Failing To Report Alleged Rape, Police Say Maryland Educators Accused Of Failing To Report Alleged Rape, Police Say
Maryland Educators Accused Of Failing To Report Alleged Rape, Police Say Two former educators are facing criminal charges after failing to disclose a reported rape involving a student in Harford County, authorities announced. Former Aberdeen Middle School Principal Regina Jones, 44, and paraeducator Tonya Johnson, 56, were both arrested for failing to report alleged child abuse/neglect after a student came forward to advise them that they were the victim of a rape. According to the Aberdeen Police Department, on April 18, 2023, police were alerted by a local hospital about a past rape involving a minor, and it was later determined that the incident happened…

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by Zak Failla
Events
Memory Of UMD Student Gianna Signorile, 21, Stays Alive With Annual NJ 5K Memory Of UMD Student Gianna Signorile, 21, Stays Alive With Annual NJ 5K
Memory Of UMD Student Gianna Signorile, 21, Stays Alive With Annual NJ 5K Gianna Signorile's legacy will live on forever. The lifelong Nutley resident died in December 2021 after battling a rare form of liver cancer. In her obituary from the Biondi Funeral Home, she was remembered as a hero who shined bright in every room she entered. A straight-A student at Nutley High School, Signorile attended the University of Maryland's School of Business, where she made the Dean's list before transferring to Fordham University Gabelli School of Business, according to her obituary. Even while battling cancer, she made education her top priority, her obituary reads. The Gian…

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by Sam Barron
News
First-Grade Teacher In Maryland Arrested In Connection To Fentanyl-Related Death: Police First-Grade Teacher In Maryland Arrested In Connection To Fentanyl-Related Death: Police
First-Grade Teacher In Maryland Arrested In Connection To Fentanyl-Related Death: Police A first-grade teacher in Maryland has been arrested in connection to the fentanyl-related death of a District resident earlier this year, police in Montgomery County announced. Sarah Katherine Magid, an educator with the county's public schools, was arrested on Monday following a search and seizure warrant by the DEA and local police at her Burtonsville home following an investigation into a March 2024 overdose. An autopsy later determined that the DC man's cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. According to the Montgomery County Department of Police, following the man's death, it was deter…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
School Security Guard Caught With Student Sentenced For Sexual Abuse In Maryland School Security Guard Caught With Student Sentenced For Sexual Abuse In Maryland
School Security Guard Caught With Student Sentenced For Sexual Abuse In Maryland An ill-fated fling between a school security guard and student in St. Mary’s County landed him a lifetime on the Sex Offender Registry and years in prison, the state's attorney's office announced on Wednesday. Davon Natrell Stewart, 22, who was tasked with keeping students safe, was convicted following late last year following a two-day bench trial of sexual abuse of a minor after he was caught with a 15-year-old from Chopticon High School, where he worked. "(Stewart) abused his position of trust by using his authority to commit a sex offense on a child who was a student in the school he wa…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
High School Teacher, Coach In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Police Say High School Teacher, Coach In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Police Say
High School Teacher, Coach In Maryland Accused Of Sexually Abusing Minor, Police Say A 38-year-old teacher in Maryland has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a minor, police announced on Sunday. On Friday, Carlos Arroyo was arrested by detectives with the Baltimore County Crimes Against Children Unit following allegations of sexual misconduct involving a juvenile, according to authorities. Arroyo is a teacher at Randallstown High School, police noted. Randallstown High School Google Maps street view He has been charged with two felonies, which include sexual abuse of a minor and third-degree sexual offense, as well as two misdemeanor offenses. …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Elementary School Principal Accused Of Assaulting Student In Maryland: Police Elementary School Principal Accused Of Assaulting Student In Maryland: Police
Elementary School Principal Accused Of Assaulting Student In Maryland: Police The elementary school principal in Montgomery County accused of assaulting a student has turned himself in and is facing charges, according to the police. In February, the Rockville City Police Department was tipped off by a staff member about an alleged assault of a student at Ritchie Park Elementary School, and an investigation by the agency and state's attorney's office identified Principal Andrew Winter as the suspect. On Monday, June 3, police say that a warrant was issued by a District Court Commissioner for one count of second-degree assault, and the 54-year-old Winter turned hi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Elementary School Teacher Accused Of Assault, Sexually Abusing Minors In Maryland: Police Elementary School Teacher Accused Of Assault, Sexually Abusing Minors In Maryland: Police
Matthew Scott Banks Schlegel Accused Of Abusing Minors An elementary school educator in Maryland was arrested at his Severna Park home following a weeks-long probe into allegations of sexual abuse involving minors, authorities announced. Matthew Scott Banks Schlegel, 44, who has been the subject of an investigation since March by the Anne Arundel County Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division Child Abuse Unit was taken into custody on Thursday, officials say. According to police, Schlegel was identified by students and school administrators as the subject of the investigation, and he was immediately removed from the school syst…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Maryland High Schools Ranked In Brand-New List Maryland High Schools Ranked In Brand-New List
Maryland High Schools Ranked In Brand-New List US News & World report has released its annual list of Best High Schools in the U.S. According to the report released Tuesday, April 23, Maryland has 25 districts and 255 high schools. The rankings were determined by performance on state-required tests, graduation, and how well they prepare students for college.  The top 10 high schools in Maryland, according to US News, are: 10: Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Bethesda 9: River Hill HS, Clarksville 8: Western School of Technology, Baltimore 7: Urbana HS, Ijamsville 6: Richard Montgomery HS: Potomac 5: Winston Churchill High School, …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Scripps National Spelling Bee Gets Competitor From Central PA Middle School Scripps National Spelling Bee Gets Competitor From Central PA Middle School
Scripps National Spelling Bee Gets Competitor From Central PA Middle School A seventh-grade student won big over the weekend and now he's heading to a national competition!  Akshaj Somisetty who studies at Mountain View Middle School in the Cumberland Valley School District was named the top speller of the 2024 Central PA Spelling Bee and will compete in Scripps National Spelling Bee, WITF announced Saturday evening.   The aspiring doctor won the local competition against 36 other spellers in round 14 by spelling “aeronautics.” “Participating in the Bee cultivates confidence and poise in public speaking and performance under pressure,” says WIT…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Student Caught With Replica Gun Inside Maryland Middle School Assaulted Classmate, Sheriff Says Student Caught With Replica Gun Inside Maryland Middle School Assaulted Classmate, Sheriff Says
Student Caught With Replica Gun Inside Maryland Middle School Assaulted Classmate, Sheriff Says Some staff members at a Charles County middle school got a brief scare when they spotted what appeared to be a handgun in a locker inside the building, officials say. Several students at Milton Somers Middle School were walking in the hallway with a staffer, when they began pulling on locker doors, causing some to open along the way. According to a spokesperson from the Charles County Sheriff's Office, as the students were instructed to stop with the shenanigans, the staff member spotted what appeared to be a gun protruding from a backpack in one of the lockers. The School Resource Officer…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
School Staffer Allowed Students To Fight Inside Maryland Middle School Classroom, Sheriff Says School Staffer Allowed Students To Fight Inside Maryland Middle School Classroom, Sheriff Says
School Staffer Allowed Students To Fight Inside Maryland Middle School Classroom, Sheriff Says A disturbing video is reportedly making the rounds after a school staffer at a Charles County middle school allowed two students to fight inside a classroom at Davis Middle School. The sheriff's office said that over the weekend, school administrators were made aware of a recording of a fight that appears to show the staffer allowing two students to fight in front of their classmates, who moved desks to create a ring for the two to brawl. They were eventually broken up by other students, not the staffer. According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, over the weekend, officers beca…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
High School Football Coach From Georgia Confesses To Killing GF In Maryland: Police High School Football Coach From Georgia Confesses To Killing GF In Maryland: Police
High School Football Coach From Georgia Confesses To Killing GF In Maryland: Police A Georgia man turned himself in at the Prince George's County Police Department over the weekend and admitted to strangling his girlfriend to death in Accokeek, authorities announced. Carl Kearney, Jr., 43, has been charged with murder in Maryland after admitting to his role in the death of 38-year-old Patrina Best, whose body was found by police on Saturday morning during a welfare check. Police say that at approximately 9:20 a.m. on Feb. 17, Kearny walked into the Division V Clinton police station and advised officers that he had strangled his girlfriend inside her home that morning …

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by Zak Failla
News
Rumors Swirling About Immigrant Families Relocating From New York City To Maryland Hotels Rumors Swirling About Immigrant Families Relocating From New York City To Maryland Hotels
Rumors Swirling About Immigrant Families Relocating From New York City To Maryland Hotels Elected officials in Maryland are holding firm that they have no plans to allow undocumented immigrants to relocate from New York City into their communities. Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly is digging his heels in the ground amid reports and rumors that hundreds of families could be heading from the Big Apple to the Old Line State for temporary housing. According to Cassilly, more than 200 families are among those being discussed to move to Maryland hotels.  "My office received an unsolicited letter on Monday from an unknown organization indicating that they were working to bring u…

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by Zak Failla
News
Former Middle School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student In Maryland, Police Say Former Middle School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student In Maryland, Police Say
Former Middle School Teacher Accused Of Sexually Abusing Student In Maryland, Police Say A former middle school teacher in Montgomery County is facing a host of charges for allegedly sexually abusing a former student, authorities announced. Melissa Marie Curtis, 31, of Upper Marlboro, has been arrested and charged with multiple sexual offenses for engaging in inappropriate acts with a minor, though the investigation into her actions is ongoing, according to the Montgomery County Department of Police. Last month, police launched an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse that happened years ago after a now-adult man came forward and said that he had been abused by Curtis …

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
Could Baltimore's Maggie Sajak Replace Vanna White On 'Wheel Of Fortune?' Could Baltimore's Maggie Sajak Replace Vanna White On 'Wheel Of Fortune?'
Could Baltimore's Maggie Sajak Replace Vanna White On 'Wheel Of Fortune?' Could Maggie Sajak replace Vanna White on "Wheel Of Fortune?" White herself certainly thinks so, she told E! News. She's filled in before, anyway. We’re keeping it in the family – meet our special guest letter-turner, Maggie Sajak! @patsajak #Family #FamilyTime #WheelOfFortune pic.twitter.com/QJCEqzuXtz — Wheel of Fortune (@WheelofFortune) January 7, 2020 Maggie, 28, grew up in Severna Park, MD, and earned her undergrad degree from Princeton University, before completing law school at Columbia University. She currently handles social correspondence for "Wheel Of Fortune," and as her d…

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by Cecilia Levine