Seven Maryland schools designated National Blue Ribbon Schools

Seven Maryland schools, including one in Baltimore County and two in Harford County, were named Blue Ribbon schools Monday by the U.S. Department of Education. The recognition is given to the highest performing schools in the nation or those with extraordinary success in closing the achievement gap among student groups. To be considered, a school must first be chosen as a Maryland Blue Ribbon School. The area Blue Ribbon schools are West Towson Elementary in Baltimore County, Waterloo Elementary in Howard County, and Fallston Middle School and Harford Day School — an independent school — in Harford County. The minute she got the news on Monday, West Towson Princpal Susan Hershfeld headed out to hand-deliver a note to each teacher that said, “Congratulations, you work at a National Blue Ribbon School.” Attached was a Hershey’s chocolate bar wrapped with the seal of the U.S. Department of Education. The other state Blue Ribbon schools are Urbana Elementary in Frederick County and Luxmanor Elementary and Bannockburn Elementary in Montgomery County. can still use an apple image as a universally known symbol for education on campaign material. Adam Mendelson, a spokesman for the Maryland State Education Association, says the union is confident in the merits of its case and that the court will ultimately decide that the governor’s campaign has infringed on the union’s registered apple trademark. He says the union will continue to defend the trademark in connection with phrases that imply the political endorsement of teachers.

Police caution drivers about road-rage assailant

Baltimore County police are urging drivers to use caution as they continue to search for an assailant who shot a woman in a road rage incident Sunday on Interstate 695. The 58year-old woman is in serious condition after she was shot on the inner loop near Harford Road. The woman was passing two other drivers who were arguing when she was shot, according to police. Officer Jennifer Peach, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Police Department, said the suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, particularly because he took aim at a woman who was not initially involved in the incident. “This woman by all appearances accidentally drove into this situation but then became the target of this suspect’s anger or aggression,” Peach said. Police are asking drivers who were on 695 when the shooting occurred to call police with any information. So far the police have not received any substantial tips, Peach said. “Alot of people are pointing toward the State Highway Administration video cameras, but they are very grainy and will be of little evidentiary value to us,” Peach said. “It’s just too distant, too grainy looking – we wouldn’t be able to get very much out of that at all.” Sunday’s shooting was the latest road rage incident in the Baltimore area that resulted in a serious injury. During fiscal 2017, 638 citations were issued for aggressive driving, according to notes on a bill in the Maryland General Assembly aimed at curbing aggressive driving. HB 881 passed the House of Delegates but died in the Senate. Aggressive driving led to 4,305 crashes in Maryland in 2016, according to the memo. Of those accidents, 2,615 resulted in property damage, 1,653 resulted in injuries and 37 people died. Motorists can be charged with aggressive driving — an offense that carries fines and license points — if they are observed with at least three violations, including overtaking and passing other drivers, passing on the right, following too closely, failing to yield the right of way or speeding.

Hogan names director of anti-human-trafficking

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has named the state’s first anti-human-trafficking director. Hogan announced Monday that Laurie Culkin will be an advocate on behalf of human trafficking victims. The position will be part of the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention. Culkin will be responsible for coordinating supportive services for victims, as well as enforcement activities relating to human trafficking. Culkin enters the post from the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service in Baltimore. She served as the coordinator of the Human Traffic Prevention Project, where she led the state’s first pro bono program on human trafficking.