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'Second Home' Closing: Beloved Maryland Coffee Shop's Team Faces Heartbreaking Goodbye 'Second Home' Closing: Beloved Maryland Coffee Shop's Team Faces Heartbreaking Goodbye
'Second Home' Closing: Beloved Maryland Coffee Shop's Team Faces Heartbreaking Goodbye The coffee was never really the point. For nearly seven years, a Maryland coffee shop has offered something harder to find than a good cup of joe: a place where people with intellectual and developmental disabilities could work, grow, belong, and be seen for what they could do. Now, that chapter is coming to an end. Bitty & Beau's Coffee is set to close its downtown Annapolis location on Sunday, Sept. 13, leaving behind a team that supporters say turned the City Dock shop into far more than another stop for caffeine. Since opening in February 2020, it has become a second home for many…

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by Zak Failla
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Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How VA Fared Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How VA Fared
Best, Worst Places To Retire In US Revealed In New Ranking: How VA Fared A new report shows which cities offer the best affordability, activities, and other benefits for retirees. WalletHub released its 2026 Best & Worst Places to Retire ranking on Monday, Aug. 31. The personal finance website compared 182 US cities across 45 measures covering affordability, activities, quality of life, and health care. The study evaluated cities using factors including adjusted cost of living, taxes, recreation and senior centers, museums, weather, crime rates, access to health care providers, hospital quality, and life expectancy. The analysis assumes retirees ar…

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by Chris Spiker
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Dog Kills Aggressive Raccoon That Tests Positive For Rabies In Maryland, Officials Say Dog Kills Aggressive Raccoon That Tests Positive For Rabies In Maryland, Officials Say
Dog Kills Aggressive Raccoon That Tests Positive For Rabies In Maryland, Officials Say This dog picked a fight with the wrong raccoon. An aggressive raccoon killed by a dog in Maryland later tested positive for rabies, prompting health officials to warn that other pets or people may have encountered the infected animal before its death. Carroll County Animal Control was called to the area near York Street and the Route 140 crossing in Taneytown on the afternoon of Thursday, Aug. 27, after the dog killed the raccoon, according to the county Health Department. Testing later confirmed the raccoon was rabid. Now health officials are trying to determine whether anyone else cross…

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by Zak Failla
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Rabid Raccoon Confirmed In Maryland: Here's Where Officials Say It Was Found Rabid Raccoon Confirmed In Maryland: Here's Where Officials Say It Was Found
Rabid Raccoon Confirmed In Maryland: Here's Where Officials Say It Was Found A rabies alert has been issued in Maryland after a raccoon tested positive for the virus. The raccoon tested positive on Monday, Aug. 31, near Mary Drive and Shirley Boulevard in Port Tobacco, according to the Charles County Department of Health. Now, officials are looking for anyone who may have encountered it. Anyone who recently had contact with a raccoon in that area, or whose pet may have encountered one, is being asked to call the health department. Rabies is spread through the saliva of an infected animal, typically through a bite or scratch, health officials said. The virus can a…

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by Zak Failla
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Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation
Connecticut Mom ‘Overwhelmed With Gratitude’ After Taylor Swift’s $50K Donation A Connecticut mother who was nearly killed after stopping to help three teenagers who crashed on Interstate 95 in July said she is "overwhelmed with gratitude" after Taylor Swift donated $50,000 to support her recovery. Ashlie Taunton, of Ledyard, was severely injured July 18 after she stopped to help teenagers whose vehicle had hydroplaned off I-95 in Hopkinton, Rhode Island, during a rainstorm. Moments after she helped the last person out of the vehicle, a second car veered off the road. She shoved a teenager to safety before the car struck her. The 42-year-old's heroism has drawn nationa…

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by Josh Lanier
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Birthday Dream Turns To Nightmare For DC-Area Chef Struck By Truck In Jamaica Birthday Dream Turns To Nightmare For DC-Area Chef Struck By Truck In Jamaica
Birthday Dream Turns To Nightmare For Dc-area Chef Struck By Truck In Jamaica Five days ago, Chef Jason Briscoe was doing what he does best. The DC-area chef was behind a kitchen counter showing his followers how to make Jamaican curry chicken, carefully seasoning it while walking viewers through another recipe for the online community he built around food and Jamaican culture. Now, Briscoe is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after being struck by a truck while riding a bicycle during what was a planned celebration in Jamaica. "This was supposed to be a birthday trip," Briscoe's Kitchen & Spice wrote while sharing photos of him in the hospital. "Th…

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by Zak Failla
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Taylor Swift Drops $50K Surprise On Mom Who Nearly Died Saving Teen On I-95 Taylor Swift Drops $50K Surprise On Mom Who Nearly Died Saving Teen On I-95
Taylor Swift Drops $50K Surprise On Mom Who Nearly Died Saving Teen On I-95 Ashley Taunton isn't out of the woods yet, but Taylor Swift is helping her get there. The 42-year-old Connecticut mother who suffered critical injuries while assisting a group of teenagers on I-95 got an unexpected assist from a certain 36-year-old singer. You may have heard of her. Taylor Swift donated $50,000 to the GoFundMe campaign for Ashley Taunton, whose recovery from a July crash has gone viral. PEOPLE confirmed on Friday that the pop star had contributed to the fund, which has since jumped to more than $87,000 since it was created in July. Taylor Swift made a big donation…

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by Zak Failla
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Virginia's Justus Kelley Makes History As First Mother To Win Miss USA Virginia's Justus Kelley Makes History As First Mother To Win Miss USA
Virginia's Justus Kelley Makes History As First Mother To Win Miss USA Virginia waited more than half a century for another Miss USA. The wait ended in historic fashion on Thursday, Aug. 27, when Miss Virginia USA Justus Kelley was crowned Miss USA 2026 during the 75th edition of the pageant in Miami. Kelley, 31, became the first mother and first married woman to win the Miss USA title, according to People and Business Insider. She is also reportedly the first woman in her 30s to win. And she ended quite the drought back home. Kelley became the first woman representing Virginia to win Miss USA since Deborah Shelton took the crown in 1970, according to B…

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by Zak Failla
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'Intentionally Misleading': Judge Blocks Maryland Democrats' Redistricting Push 'Intentionally Misleading': Judge Blocks Maryland Democrats' Redistricting Push
'Intentionally Misleading': Judge Blocks Maryland Democrats' Redistricting Push Maryland Democrats' bid to rewrite the rules of the redistricting game just got smacked down in court. Anne Arundel County Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson on Wednesday, Aug. 26, blocked a proposed constitutional amendment from going before voters in November, finding lawmakers failed to follow their own election laws. And he wasn't done there. Thompson also found that language being presented to voters was "intentionally misleading" and that the proposed amendment improperly bundled two separate constitutional issues together. Democrats hold seven of Maryland's eight US House seats…

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by Zak Failla
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West Coalition Leader Tawanda Jones Faces 'Long, Arduous Recovery' After Medical Emergency West Coalition Leader Tawanda Jones Faces 'Long, Arduous Recovery' After Medical Emergency
West Coalition Leader Tawanda Jones Faces 'Long, Arduous Recovery' After Medical Emergency For more than a decade, Tawanda Jones has refused to stop showing up in Maryland. Now, the community she has spent years fighting for is showing up for her. Jones, a Baltimore teacher and leader of the West Coalition who became a prominent voice for police accountability following the 2013 death of her brother, Tyrone West, is facing a lengthy recovery after suffering what her family described as a serious medical emergency. Her daughter, Jakiah Harris, said Jones has undergone several significant procedures and is "doing very well," continuing to make encouraging progress. But there is a…

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by Zak Failla
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ICE Touted 1,300+ Arrests Across The Region; Elected Officials Says Numbers Tell Another Story ICE Touted 1,300+ Arrests Across The Region; Elected Officials Says Numbers Tell Another Story
ICE Touted 1,300+ Arrests Across The Region; Elected Officials Says Numbers Tell Another Story Maryland isn't buying the federal government's sales pitch for its latest immigration crackdown. Gov. Wes Moore fired back at the Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday, Aug. 25, after federal officials touted more than 1,300 arrests during a sweeping two-week ICE operation across Maryland and Virginia. Moore's issue isn't with taking violent offenders off the streets. It's who else is getting swept up. DHS officials have recently conducted mass deportation operations in Maryland without notifying state officials.Deploying untrained, unqualified, and unaccountable agents to swe…

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by Zak Failla
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Think You Work Hard? See Where Maryland, Virginia Land In New 50-State Ranking Think You Work Hard? See Where Maryland, Virginia Land In New 50-State Ranking
Think You Work Hard? See Where Maryland, Virginia Land In New 50-State Ranking Maryland and Virginia apparently aren't afraid to put in the work. A new WalletHub ranking put Maryland at No. 14 among the hardest-working states in America, while neighboring Virginia came even closer to cracking the top 10 at No. 11. Turns out, the DMV has some hustle. WalletHub compared all 50 states using 10 measures ranging from average workweek hours and employment rates to unused vacation time, second jobs, commute times and how much leisure time residents get each day. Maryland finished with a score of 50.38, just three spots behind Virginia, which posted a 51.89. But how t…

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by Zak Failla
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Rabid Groundhog Found In Maryland, Officials Warn People, Pets May Have Been Exposed Rabid Groundhog Found In Maryland, Officials Warn People, Pets May Have Been Exposed
Rabid Groundhog Found In Maryland, Officials Warn People, Pets May Have Been Exposed A run-in with the wrong groundhog could mean more than a torn-up garden in Maryland. Harford County health officials issued a rabies exposure alert on Monday, Aug. 24 after a groundhog found near the 3800 block of Old Federal Hill Road in Jarrettsville tested positive for the virus. The Maryland Department of Health confirmed the positive test Monday, according to the Harford County Health Department. Now officials are trying to determine whether anyone else, or their pets, may have crossed paths with the infected animal. Health officials stressed that simply spotting a groundhog isn't ca…

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by Zak Failla
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SUV Goes Through One Wall, Out Another At Maryland Dance Studio For Kids SUV Goes Through One Wall, Out Another At Maryland Dance Studio For Kids
SUV Goes Through One Wall, Out Another At Maryland Dance Studio For Kids A Maryland dance studio built to give kids a safe place nearly became the scene of something much worse. An SUV crashed through the Dynamic Divas of Princess Anne studio on Mt. Vernon Road at approximately 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 23, tearing through the side of the building before exiting through the front, according to studio director Leslie Nelson. No children or staff members were inside at the time. Photos from the aftermath show a gaping hole ripped through the front of the studio, with walls buckled, windows shattered and insulation, glass and other debris scattered across the park…

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by Zak Failla
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They Tried To Stay Open, But Flood Damage Finally Forces Virginia Restaurant To Close They Tried To Stay Open, But Flood Damage Finally Forces Virginia Restaurant To Close
They Tried To Stay Open, But Flood Damage Finally Forces Virginia Restaurant To Close For weeks, they tried to keep the pasta coming. The water damage finally won. Corso Italian in Arlington's Village at Shirlington has been forced to close temporarily after flooding caused significant damage to the restaurant earlier this month, leaving dozens of employees facing an unexpected stretch without their regular paychecks. Water entered both of Corso's dining rooms and its basement on Sunday, Aug. 2, during an ongoing construction project, according to an email from the restaurant shared online. But the popular eatery didn't immediately shut down. For the next several week…

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by Zak Failla
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$50K Powerball Ticket Sold In Maryland Misses $1M Prize By One Number $50K Powerball Ticket Sold In Maryland Misses $1M Prize By One Number
$50K Powerball Ticket Sold In Maryland Misses $1M Prize By One Number A Powerball player in Maryland came one number away from a much bigger payday. The $50,000 winning ticket from the Wednesday, Aug. 19 drawing was sold at Korner Liquors on Old Washington Road in Waldorf, according to the Maryland Lottery. The player matched four of the five white balls plus the Powerball, good for the game's third-tier prize. The winning numbers were 10-21-58-61-64, with Powerball 17. Had that ticket matched the fifth white ball instead of the Powerball, it would have been worth $1 million. Matching all five white balls and the Powerball would have delivered the jackpot. …

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by Zak Failla
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Officer Shot In Head, Neck On Maryland Trail Walks Out Of Rehab After 2-Month Fight Officer Shot In Head, Neck On Maryland Trail Walks Out Of Rehab After 2-Month Fight
Officer Shot In Head, Neck On Maryland Trail Walks Out Of Rehab After 2-Month Fight Paul Catalfamo is coming home. The Baltimore County Police officer walked out of a Maryland rehab facility on Wednesday afternoon, more than two months after he was shot in the line of duty and suffered a serious spinal cord injury. At the time of the shooting, his family was warned that he was facing a lengthy recovery. He had plenty of company as he embarks on the next phase of his recovery. Paul Catalfamo Baltimore County Police Catalfamo, 22, emerged from the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute surrounded by family members, his care team and f…

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by Zak Failla
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Most Fun States Ranked In New Study: See How VA Fared Most Fun States Ranked In New Study: See How VA Fared
Most Fun States Ranked In New Study: See How VA Fared The Northeast has some of the most fun states in the country, but several others landed near the bottom of a new ranking. WalletHub released its 2026 list of the Most Fun States in America on Tuesday, Aug. 18. The study compared all 50 states across 26 metrics of entertainment, recreation, and nightlife, including restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters, national park access, music festivals, bars, casinos, and recreation spending. The personal finance website split the study into two main categories: entertainment and recreation, which made up 80% of the score, and nightlife, which ac…

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by Chris Spiker
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Night Cheering On Commanders Ends In Nightmare For Family Of 4 Seriously Hurt In Crash Night Cheering On Commanders Ends In Nightmare For Family Of 4 Seriously Hurt In Crash
Night Cheering On Commanders Ends In Nightmare For Family Of 4 Seriously Hurt In Crash A night spent cheering on Washington ended with a Maryland family facing a much different fight. The Brown family was heading home after watching the Commanders beat the Miami Dolphins, 20-7, in a preseason game on Friday, Aug. 14, when they were struck by a car, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched on their behalf. All four family members suffered serious injuries in the crash, organizers said. Trinity was hurt the worst. She is recovering at Christiana Hospital in Delaware and has “a long road ahead of her,” according to loved ones. The family had spent the night together chee…

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by Zak Failla
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WATCH: Runaway Emu Gives Virginia Firefighters A Very Different Kind Of Rescue WATCH: Runaway Emu Gives Virginia Firefighters A Very Different Kind Of Rescue
Watch: Runaway Emu Gives Virginia Firefighters A Very Different Kind Of Rescue "No two days are alike in this job." Firefighters in Northern Virginia traded flames for feathers on Tuesday, Aug. 18, when a runaway emu sent crews scrambling for a very different kind of rescue. The unusual call came from the Hamilton area of Loudoun County, where members of Fire Station 5 were dispatched to help reunite the escaped bird with its owner, according to the Loudoun Career Fire Fighters Association. No hoses needed. Just a little teamwork and some careful wrangling. Video from the encounter shows two rescuers working together in a wooded area as they guide the surprisingl…

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by Zak Failla
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Three Generations Of Virginia Family Who Lost Nearly Everything Starting Over After Fire Three Generations Of Virginia Family Who Lost Nearly Everything Starting Over After Fire
Three Generations Of Virginia Family Who Lost Nearly Everything Starting Over After Fire Three generations of one family escaped a devastating Northern Virginia fire with their lives. Nearly everything else was left behind. Danial Boushra, his wife, their four young children, and his parents lost their Chantilly home when an accidental fire broke out around midnight and spread through the residence, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by close friend Eddie Adiyeh. Everyone in the family made it out safely. But what came next was another reality entirely. The Boushras lost nearly everything they owned, according to Adiyeh, leaving a family of eight suddenly without …

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by Zak Failla
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Long Road Home: Maryland Cyclist Seriously Hurt After Being Hit By Car In California Long Road Home: Maryland Cyclist Seriously Hurt After Being Hit By Car In California
Long Road Home: Maryland Cyclist Seriously Hurt After Being Hit By Car In California A Maryland cyclist's trip across the country has turned into a long and uncertain road home. Baltimore resident Cory Donovan was cycling in California on Saturday, Aug. 15, when he was struck by a car and seriously injured, according to longtime friend Jeff Trammell. Donovan had traveled to California for a week of cycling when everything changed in an instant, Trammell said. He was rushed to a hospital after the crash and remained there as of this week while facing an uncertain recovery. Now, thousands of miles from Maryland, Donovan doesn't know when he'll be released or when he'll be a…

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by Zak Failla
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DC, Virginia Schools Go Back-To-Back In Top 10 Of New National Rankings DC, Virginia Schools Go Back-To-Back In Top 10 Of New National Rankings
DC, Virginia Schools Go Back-To-Back In Top 10 Of New National Rankings Maryland and its DMV neighbors just aced their latest report card. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026-27 Best High Schools rankings on Tuesday, Aug. 18, and schools across Maryland, DC, and Virginia made plenty of noise, including two that landed back-to-back among the six best public high schools in America. School Without Walls High School in DC made the biggest splash, soaring from No. 69 nationally last year all the way to No. 5. That 64-spot surge was the largest among the four newcomers to crack the national top 10 this year, according to U.S. News. Right behind it was a…

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by Zak Failla
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Jammed Machine, Last Ticket, $1M: Man Hits Lottery Jackpot In Wild Fashion Jammed Machine, Last Ticket, $1M: Man Hits Lottery Jackpot In Wild Fashion
Jammed Machine, Last Ticket, $1M: Man Hits Lottery Jackpot In Wild Fashion A jammed machine turned out to be one very lucky break for a Maryland man who wound up pulling $1 million out of it. The Carroll County ironworker was making a familiar stop at the Sheetz in the 3200 block of Main Street in Manchester when he bought a $20 100X the Cash scratch-off from a Lottery vending machine.  That's when things briefly went sideways: The machine jammed, forcing him to get some help retrieving his ticket. Once it was freed, he learned there was something else unusual about his purchase.  He had snagged the very last ticket in the machine, setting up a sequenc…

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by Zak Failla
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New Website Reveals Millions Of Flock Searches: How To Check Your License Plate New Website Reveals Millions Of Flock Searches: How To Check Your License Plate
New Website Reveals Millions Of Flock Searches: How To Check Your License Plate A new website is helping drivers see whether their license plate has been searched in Flock Safety's controversial surveillance system. HaveIBeenFlocked.com says it has compiled data on nearly 242 million unique searches involving more than 4.6 million plates. The records range between December 2021 and July 2026. According to the website, the data comes from audit logs released through Freedom of Information Act requests and Flock-provided transparency portals. "The dataset is incomplete," the website says on its FAQ page. "Few governments provide easy access to these …

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by Chris Spiker
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Hero Firefighter Revives Large Dog Saved From Burning Maryland Home Hero Firefighter Revives Large Dog Saved From Burning Maryland Home
Hero Firefighter Revives Large Dog Saved From Burning Maryland Home Two dogs were saved from a Maryland townhouse fire on Sunday, Aug. 16. Crews were dispatched to the 20100 block of Club Hill Drive in Germantown at approximately 5:17 p.m. after a neighbor spotted smoke coming from the middle-of-the-row townhouse, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service officials. Firefighters arrived to find a kitchen fire burning on the first floor with flames extending upstairs, prompting a response that ultimately brought approximately 50 firefighters to the scene. As crews worked through the home, they found both dogs inside and carried them to saf…

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by Zak Failla
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'Now It's Our Turn': Virginia Sheriff's Sergeant Seriously Injured In Motorcycle Crash 'Now It's Our Turn': Virginia Sheriff's Sergeant Seriously Injured In Motorcycle Crash
'Now It's Our Turn': Virginia Sheriff's Sergeant Seriously Injured In Motorcycle Crash A Virginia lawman who has spent years answering calls for help suddenly needs some of his own. Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Matthew Liebler was hospitalized with major injuries after being hit by another vehicle while riding his motorcycle, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by a coworker. Now his wife, two boys, friends, and fellow law enforcement officers are bracing for what could be a long road back. Liebler remains hospitalized receiving treatment for his injuries and is expected to be out of work for an undetermined amount of time, fundraiser organizer Orie Morgan said. H…

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by Zak Failla
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Cancer Fight Takes Cruel Turn After Tree Crashes Through Virginia Woman's Home Cancer Fight Takes Cruel Turn After Tree Crashes Through Virginia Woman's Home
Cancer Fight Takes Cruel Turn After Tree Crashes Through Virginia Woman's Home Vikki Plumb was already in the fight of her life when Mother Nature dealt another brutal blow. After battling cancer for years, which reached Stage 4, the Virginia woman is now picking up the pieces after a tree came crashing through her home and totaled both her vehicles during the recent round of thunderstorms that rocked the region. The incident happened on Monday, Aug. 10, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched by her family. The photos tell part of the story. A massive tree can be seen sprawled across the property, its heavy limbs crushing vehicles parked outside the home. For Pl…

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by Zak Failla
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Gone Fishing, Then Disaster: Rogue Wave Sends Virginia Man Into Boat Cleat Gone Fishing, Then Disaster: Rogue Wave Sends Virginia Man Into Boat Cleat
Gone Fishing, Then Disaster: Rogue Wave Sends Virginia Man Into Boat Cleat One rogue wave changed everything. TJ Hartney was heading out to fish for cobia with friends in Virginia on Saturday, Aug. 8, when their boat hit the wave, throwing him off balance and sending him sliding down the gunwale, according to his family. Then came the impact. Hartney was impaled by a cleat on the boat, causing a severe injury to his right arm, his family said. The fishing trip was over. A much longer journey was just beginning. Because of the severity of his injuries, Hartney was rushed to the emergency room at Virginia Beach General, where he has already undergone one surgery,…

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by Zak Failla
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Want To See One Of Five Known Surviving 1931 Bentleys? It's Coming To Maryland Want To See One Of Five Known Surviving 1931 Bentleys? It's Coming To Maryland
Want To See One Of Five Known Surviving 1931 Bentleys? It's Coming To Maryland Some serious automotive royalty is preparing to roll into Maryland. A rare 1931 W.O. Bentley, a fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms and a collection of old-school American pickups will take over the waterfront at the Kent Island Yacht Club when the 19th annual St. Michaels Concours d'Elegance on Chesapeake Bay returns in September. And the Bentley leading the charge is no ordinary Sunday driver. The 1931 W.O. Bentley Saloon by Vanden Plas is one of just five known survivors from a run of only 25 built, according to Concours organizers. Contributed via Tracey Johns/St. Michaels Concours d’Eleg…

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by Zak Failla
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Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash
Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash Flock Safety is making major changes to how it stores data as nationwide privacy concerns rise over the controversial surveillance cameras. The company announced the updates in a blog post on Thursday, Aug. 13. Flock says it will cut its recommended default retention period for automatic license plate reader (ALPR) data from 30 to seven days. The changes also include new safeguards that Flock says will prevent law enforcement from misusing data. Flock will require agencies to use a system that flags unusual searches, automatically locks some users out pending review…

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by Chris Spiker