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Maryland Substitute Teacher Removed After Child Pornography Arrest, Officials Say Maryland Substitute Teacher Removed After Child Pornography Arrest, Officials Say
Maryland Substitute Teacher Removed After Child Pornography Arrest, Officials Say A substitute teacher who briefly worked at two Maryland high schools has been charged with possession and distribution of child pornography, school officials announced. Thomas Miller was arrested by Baltimore County Police and is facing charges unrelated to his work inside Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) buildings, according to a statement released by officials. Officials said Miller worked only three days within HCPSS: Dec. 13, 2024 at Wilde Lake High School; Jan. 4, 2025 at Marriotts Ridge High School; March 7, 2025 again at Marriotts Ridge. Police confirmed that the criminal…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Gun Found In Maryland Student’s Backpack During Pot Investigation: Sheriff Gun Found In Maryland Student’s Backpack During Pot Investigation: Sheriff
Gun Found In Maryland Student’s Backpack During Pot Investigation: Sheriff What started as a search for cannabis turned into a much more serious discovery at a Maryland high school, when officials found a loaded handgun in a student’s backpack. A student at Westlake High School in Charles County is in custody after school staff and deputies investigating him for possessing cannabis found a handgun in his backpack, officials confirmed Thursday morning. The incident unfolded early on April 24, though authorities have not specified the exact time. No one was injured, and there were no threats of violence, the sheriff's office said. "The gun was not displayed, and th…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move
Saved by the Bell: Quaker Prep School In Sandy Spring Will Stay Open In Surprise Move In a stunning twist that has left the community buzzing, Sandy Spring Friends School (SSFS) in Maryland is not closing after all. Just weeks after blindsiding families with the bombshell news that it would shut its doors after the 2025 school year, SSFS has officially reversed course — and it’s thanks to an outpouring of last-minute financial support and good old-fashioned community grit. In an urgent message sent Tuesday, April 23, the Board of Trustees announced that “a path forward” has been secured thanks to “substantial and meaningful funding guarantees” from a newly formed Coalition o…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Gun Fired In Maryland Elementary School Belonged To Visiting Relative, Police Say Gun Fired In Maryland Elementary School Belonged To Visiting Relative, Police Say
Gun Fired In Maryland Elementary School Belonged To Visiting Relative, Police Say A loaded handgun that went off inside a Maryland elementary school earlier this month belonged to a visiting relative, and potential charges are now pending, authorities said. Investigators in Charles County have wrapped their probe into the April 10 firearm incident at Billingsley Elementary School and confirmed the gun did not belong to the student who brought it. Instead, detectives determined the firearm “belonged to a relative of the student who was visiting from out of town,” the sheriff’s office announced on Tuesday, April 22. The gun went off during school hours, and although no on…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education 150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education
150+ College Leaders Blast Trump For 'Unprecedented Overreach' On Higher Education More than 150 college leaders issued a scathing letter criticizing the Trump administration's escalating threats against universities. The American Association of Colleges and Universities released the public letter on Tuesday, April 22. The group of university presidents accused President Donald Trump of "unprecedented government overreach," warning that the crackdown could harm students and democracy. Trump has demanded that colleges eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, along with other orders aimed at limiting campus activism. The Trump administration has paused…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Teen Threatened School Principal, Religious Groups In Voicemail: Montgomery County Police Teen Threatened School Principal, Religious Groups In Voicemail: Montgomery County Police
Teen Threatened School Principal, Religious Groups In Voicemail: Montgomery County Police A Montgomery County student is facing hate crime charges after allegedly leaving a threatening voicemail targeting a local school principal and multiple groups, police say. Detectives with the Behavioral Assessment and Administrative Unit (BAAU) say the threat was made on Tuesday, March 18, prompting a swift response from Montgomery County Community Engagement officers. Investigators said a voicemail was left at a Montgomery County Public School (MCPS), where the suspect used threatening language aimed at the principal, as well as “various demographic and religious groups.” The 17-year-old…

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by Zak Failla
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IRS May Withdraw Harvard's Tax-Exempt Status As Fight Between Trump, University Escalates IRS May Withdraw Harvard's Tax-Exempt Status As Fight Between Trump, University Escalates
IRS May Withdraw Harvard's Tax-Exempt Status As Fight Between Trump, University Escalates The Trump administration is weighing whether to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status—an unprecedented and aggressive move that has escalated tensions between the Ivy League institution and the federal government, according to reports from The Washington Post and CNN. According to two people familiar with the matter, the Internal Revenue Service is preparing to rescind Harvard’s long-standing nonprofit designation, CNN reported. A final decision could be announced soon. Related: Obama Calls Out Trump Over "Unlawful" $2 Billion Cuts to Harvard The effort follows the White House’s …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
‘Unlawful’: Obama Defends Harvard Against Trump’s $2B Funding Threat ‘Unlawful’: Obama Defends Harvard Against Trump’s $2B Funding Threat
‘Unlawful’: Obama Defends Harvard Against Trump’s $2B Funding Threat Former President Barack Obama is lending his voice to support Harvard University after the prestigious Ivy League school dared President Donald Trump to follow through on his threatened $2 billion federal funding freeze if the school didn’t comply with his administration’s new guidelines. Among other demands, Trump wants Harvard to dismantle its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs; ban masks at campus protests; implement a merit-based admissions and hiring system; and reduce the influence of faculty and administrators he claims are “more committed to activism” than education, a letter …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Quaker Prep School In Maryland To Shut Down After 2024–25 School Year, Officials Say Quaker Prep School In Maryland To Shut Down After 2024–25 School Year, Officials Say
Quaker Prep School In Maryland To Shut Down After 2024–25 School Year, Officials Say Sandy Spring Friends School will close for good following the 2024–2025 academic year due to what officials described as an “untenable financial position,” the school’s Board of Trustees announced Monday. In a message sent to parents, students, staff, and alumni, board members said they made the “extremely difficult but necessary determination” to shut down the historic Quaker school after efforts to stabilize enrollment and fundraising fell short. “Regrettably, despite an immense effort to shore up the school’s financial foundation, we simply do not have the financial wherewithal to meet o…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Drug Bust Near Maryland Elementary School: Crack, Xanax, Cash Seized, Sheriff Says Drug Bust Near Maryland Elementary School: Crack, Xanax, Cash Seized, Sheriff Says
Drug Bust Near Maryland Elementary School: Crack, Xanax, Cash Seized, Sheriff Says A Maryland man is facing serious drug charges after deputies say they caught him parked with crack cocaine and prescription pills just feet from a Calvert County elementary school. Deputies responded to Beach Elementary School in Chesapeake Beach at 7900 Old Bayside Road recently, after receiving a report that a suspicious truck was striking curbs in the parking lot, according to the sheriff's office. The vehicle eventually pulled away from the school but stopped again in the 3900 block of Old Bayside Road. When deputies made contact with the driver, identified as 39-year-old Derek James W…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Gun That Fired In Maryland Elementary School May Belong To Visiting Relative: Sheriff Gun That Fired In Maryland Elementary School May Belong To Visiting Relative: Sheriff
Gun That Fired In Maryland Elementary School May Belong To Visiting Relative: Sheriff A 9-year-old student accidentally fired a gun inside a Maryland elementary school classroom on Thursday morning, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. It happened around 10:24 a.m. at Billingsley Elementary School, where the student reached into their backpack during class to grab a paper, authorities said.  The book bag was on the student’s lap at the time when the gun discharged. No one was hurt. A teacher and a nearby school resource officer rushed to the student and recovered the loaded gun from inside the bag. Investigators said it is not yet clear who owns the gun or …

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by Zak Failla
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Villanova Student Removed From Campus After Assault Outcry, Won’t Walk At Graduation Villanova Student Removed From Campus After Assault Outcry, Won’t Walk At Graduation
Villanova Student Removed From Campus After Assault Outcry, Won’t Walk At Graduation A Villanova University student who recorded another student’s sexual assault will not walk at the school’s graduation ceremony following intense backlash, the victim's attorney told Daily Voice on Wednesday, April 9. Juan Eguiguren, a Villanova senior, was present during the assault of a female classmate, according to a lawsuit and campus petition. Rather than intervening, Eguiguren allegedly took photos of the incident and later slept in the same room, organizers of the campaign allege. In the underlying case, Elijah Joseph Katzenell, 22, of Camp Hill, PA (according to the Pennsylvania S…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
Johns Hopkins Students Lose Visas Amid Federal Immigration Push: Reports Johns Hopkins Students Lose Visas Amid Federal Immigration Push: Reports
Johns Hopkins Students Lose Visas Amid Federal Immigration Push: Reports About a dozen international students at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore had their visas revoked, according to officials. Several students and recent graduates who had F-1 visas through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System had their information pulled amid the Trump administration's ongoing push to deport immigrants. The F-1 visa allows students to enter the United States as a full-time student at an accredited college, university, seminary, conservatory, academic high school, elementary school, or other academic institution or in a language training program. Accor…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Parents Charged After Gun Fires In Third Grader’s Backpack, Sheriff Says Parents Charged After Gun Fires In Third Grader’s Backpack, Sheriff Says
Parents Charged After Gun Fires In Third Grader’s Backpack, Sheriff Says A Virginia third grader brought a loaded handgun to school — and it went off inside his backpack, the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said.  Now, his parents are the ones facing charges. The gun went off inside a classroom at Lee Hill Elementary School around 10:50 a.m. on Monday, April 7, according to investigators.  There were no injuries, and the student did not appear to have intended to harm anyone, officials said. Deputies say the 8-year-old had found the unsecured firearm at home, stuffed it into his backpack, and accidentally pulled the trigger while reaching into t…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Shots Fired Near Watkins Mill HS Prompts Shelter-In-Place: Police (DEVELOPING) Shots Fired Near Watkins Mill HS Prompts Shelter-In-Place: Police (DEVELOPING)
Shots Fired Near Watkins Mill HS Prompts Shelter-In-Place: Police (Developing) A report of gunfire in a Montgomery County neighborhood led officials to lock down a local high school Friday afternoon as a safety precaution, police said. The Montgomery County Department of Police said officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 10300 block of Apple Ridge Road on Friday, April 4, shortly after noon. As a result, nearby Watkins Mill High School was placed under a shelter-in-place order while officers investigated. Police did not report any injuries and have not said if anyone was in custody. The investigation is ongoing. Want breaking news in the DMV as it happ…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Maryland Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Virginia Elementary School, Police Say Maryland Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Virginia Elementary School, Police Say
Maryland Woman Called In Bomb Threat To Virginia Elementary School, Police Say A Maryland woman is at large after allegedly calling in a bomb threat to a Northern Virginia elementary school, triggering a police investigation and arrest warrant, officials said. The Prince William County Police Department says officers responded just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2, to Covington-Harper Elementary School in Dumfries after receiving a report of a phone threat. The caller — later identified as 32-year-old Nidera Fortune of Fairmont, Maryland — allegedly called in a bomb threat to the building, prompting school officials to contact police. Investigators quickly determ…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say
Student Injured In Reported Assault At Watkins Mill High School, Montgomery County Police Say A student was injured in a reported assault Wednesday afternoon at Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery County, prompting a lockdown and police response, officials said. Officers with the Montgomery County Department of Police were called to the school shortly before 2:00 p.m. on April 2, after reports of an assault on campus, the department said in a post on X. One student was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. No other injuries have been reported. As a precaution, the school was initially placed on lockdown before transitioning to a shelter-in-p…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address
Gov. Glenn Youngkin Tapped To Deliver Liberty University Commencement Address The governor is heading back to Lynchburg — and this time, he’s got the mic. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will deliver the keynote address at Liberty University’s 52nd Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 9, the school announced this week. “The opportunity to address Liberty University’s Class of 2025 is a tremendous honor,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Liberty’s commitment to academic excellence and steadfast faith equips its graduates to lead with conviction and purpose. "I look forward to celebrating this momentous occasion with the graduates, their families, and the entire Liberty co…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction
Kermit The Frog Confirmed As 2025 UMD Commencement Speaker — And The Internet Has Best Reaction It's not easy being green, or delivering an epic commencement speech.  But Kermit the Frog, a Peabody Award winner and best-selling author (and muppet) will do both in May, when he will return to the campus where he was first brought to life (by creator and alum Jim Henson, Class of 1960) to deliver the commencement speech in May. The school made the announcement this week, and the internet's reaction is everything you could've ever hoped for. "Kermencement," one absolute genius commented on UMD's post on Facebook. Others begged for the event to be live-streamed, while many …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Maryland: Sheriff Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Maryland: Sheriff
Driver Killed, Students Hurt In Crash Involving School Bus In Maryland: Sheriff A box truck driver was killed and two students were hospitalized after a crash involving a school bus in Prince Frederick on Wednesday morning, officials said. Deputies with the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office responded shortly after 9 a.m. on March 26 to the area of Route 231 near Sea Gull Beach Road for a serious crash involving a school bus carrying 12 students and a box truck. According to the sheriff’s office, the bus driver and ten students were unharmed. However, two students were transported to CalvertHealth Medical Center with minor injuries. The driver of the box truck — identifi…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal
Teens With Hoax Explosive Device Charged After Bomb Scare At Maryland HS: Fire Marshal Two Maryland high schoolers are facing charges after police say they triggered a full-blown bomb scare with a fake device that forced students to evacuate and drew in the state’s bomb squad. Two 17-year-olds from Boonsboro High School in Washington County were hit with juvenile charges following the March 19 incident, the Office of the State Fire Marshal announced on Monday, March 24. According to investigators, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office requested bomb squad assistance around 11:15 a.m. after a suspicious device was discovered inside a student’s backpack. The school was immedia…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Montgomery County, Police Say Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Montgomery County, Police Say
Teen’s School Shooting Threat Forced Lockdowns In Montgomery County, Police Say A 13-year-old student in Maryland has been charged after allegedly calling in a school shooting threat that put two schools on lockdown, authorities announced. The incident happened on Monday, March 17, when administrators at Parkland Middle School in Rockville received multiple phone calls from an individual claiming they intended to carry out a mass shooting, according to Montgomery County Police. School officials immediately contacted police, and School Community Engagement Officers responded to the scene.  As a precaution, Parkland Middle School was placed on a shelter-in-place lo…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials
Hoax Explosive Device Found In Student’s Backpack At Maryland High School: Officials A bomb squad rushed to a Maryland high school after reports of a possible explosive device inside a student’s backpack, authorities announced. The Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said its Bomb Squad personnel responded to Boonsboro High School in Washington County after receiving information about a possible improvised explosive device on Wednesday, March 19. With assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the bomb squad arrived within 20 minutes of the initial report and determined that the suspected item was a hoax device.  The device was rendered safe, and explosi…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Maryland Bus Stop: Police Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Maryland Bus Stop: Police
Man Killed, Child Hurt In 'Disturbing' Shooting Near Maryland Bus Stop: Police Some community leaders in Anne Arundel County are calling for change after a man was gunned down and an 11-year-old student was hospitalized in a shooting near an Annapolis bus stop on Wednesday. Officers responded to the 100 block of Clay Street at around 7:40 a.m. on March 19, where they found a 36-year-old man suffering from fatal gunshot wounds and the child injured. The student was taken to the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Unit for treatment and evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries, while the Annapolis Police Department launched a homicide investigation. Update as of 9 am The …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police
Peeping Tom Hid Camera In University Of Maryland Dorm Bathroom: Police A 19-year-old Maryland man turned himself in after police say he placed a hidden recording device inside a bathroom at a University of Maryland residence hall, officials announced. Noah Michael White, of Belcamp, turned himself in to the Department of Corrections in Upper Marlboro on Tuesday, March 18, after detectives identified him as the suspect in a voyeurism case on campus, according to University of Maryland Police (UMPD). The incident unfolded a week earlier on March 11 when a resident at Johnson-Whittle Hall in College Park discovered a portable recording device inside a single-use …

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical
Drama Students 'Bring Down The House' As Ceiling Falls During Montgomery County Musical The show must go on—even when the ceiling comes crashing down. Magruder High School drama students in Montgomery County are raising money to recover from an unexpected disaster after a chunk of the auditorium ceiling collapsed mid-performance during their spring musical, forcing them to relocate, organizers said. The Magruder Drama Department was in the middle of their second performance of "Once Upon A Mattress" when a section of the ceiling suddenly fell, sending a scare through the audience.  Despite the unexpected chaos, the student performers powered through without missing a bea…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say
Threat Prompts Shelter-In-Place At Two Montgomery County Schools, Police Say A reported threat at a Montgomery County middle school led to a shelter-in-place at two area schools while police investigated, officials said. Montgomery County Police responded to Parkland Middle School in Rockville late Monday morning, March 17, after receiving a report of a potential threat at the school. As a precaution, both Parkland Middle School and nearby Brookhaven Elementary School were placed under a shelter-in-place order while officers assessed the situation, police said. By 12:36 p.m., authorities reported that both schools had been moved to a modified shelter-in-place as th…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
Two Students Die From Flu Amid Statewide Surge Of Cases In Maryland (DEVELOPING) Two Students Die From Flu Amid Statewide Surge Of Cases In Maryland (DEVELOPING)
Two Students Die From Flu Amid Statewide Surge Of Cases In Maryland (Developing) Two elementary school students in Maryland have died from the flu, officials confirmed. In Prince George's County, two young children died amid a recent rise in flu cases across the state, prompting the Health Department issuing an alert. The students attended CMIT North Elementary School in Laurel and John Bayne Elementary School in Capitol Heights, according to NBC. "Our school communities are feeling the impact of a nationwide rise in flu cases, with increasing numbers across the county and outbreaks in several of our schools," Superintendent Millard House II wrote to the community. "T…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
More Students Than Ever Stressed Over College Admissions, New Survey Says: Here's Why More Students Than Ever Stressed Over College Admissions, New Survey Says: Here's Why
More Students Than Ever Stressed Over College Admissions, New Survey Says: Here's Why For high school seniors, spring is a nerve-wracking time as college decisions roll in — but the class of 2025 is more stressed than ever, according to a new survey. The Princeton Review said 73 percent of students and parents reported "high" or "very high" stress over the admissions process. That's the highest level in the 23-year history of the College Hopes & Worries Survey, which had its 2025 edition released on Tuesday, Mar. 4. The 2025 survey polled 9,317 students and parents about a wide variety of college-related issues. Financial Pressures, Testing, AI Concerns Financial s…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Rolling Hills, Gothic Spires, Waterfront Views: Most Beautiful College Campuses In Northeast Rolling Hills, Gothic Spires, Waterfront Views: Most Beautiful College Campuses In Northeast
Rolling Hills, Gothic Spires, Waterfront Views: Most Beautiful College Campuses In Northeast Choosing a college is about more than academics, sports, and social life — campus beauty can also make a lasting impression. Travel magazine Conde Nast released its 2025 list of the 54 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the United States. Across the Northeast, several schools stand out for their historic architecture, stunning landscapes, and picturesque settings. Whether framed by rolling hills, autumn foliage, or Gothic spires, these colleges offer students an inspiring backdrop for their studies. Connecticut Wesleyan University was recognized for utilizing Greek Revival a…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
'Active Attacker' With Knife Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At University Of Virginia 'Active Attacker' With Knife Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At University Of Virginia
'Active Attacker' With Knife Leads To Shelter-In-Place Order At University Of Virginia The University of Virginia faced its second lockdown this week after reports of a knife-wielding attacker near campus, officials said. On Thursday, Feb. 27, UVA Police issued an emergency alert about an active attacker with a knife near 100 Emmet St. S., across from Alumni Hall.  The suspect was initially described as a white man wearing a red hoodie and blue sweatpants. Later updates described him wearing a white T-shirt, blue sweatpants, and white shoes. The alert, posted at 5:03 p.m., advised students and staff to shelter in place, marking the second such incident this week.  …

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by Zak Failla