The begins Wednesday at the Point Reyes National Seashore on the California coast. The group is scheduled to travel across the Golden Gate Bridge on July 4.

The relay is expected to end on Thanksgiving at Cape Henlopen, just north of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

The route runs coast to coast, splitting into two branches between Denver and Cincinnati.

Relay teams carrying red, gold and blue batons holding copies of the Declaration of Independence will travel more than 6,800 miles in what organizers said is the longest continuous nonmotorized relay in world history.

The American Discovery Trail Society, based in Front Royal, Virginia, is organizing the relay to celebrate the nation’s history.

Organizers said they are still looking for teams to take part in the relay in daylong shifts.

Participants are not limited to walkers. Runners, cyclists, hikers, wheelchair users and horseback riders are encouraged to take part. The group is also seeking volunteers to help organize the trip, as well as sponsors.

More information on how to sign up is available on

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The raises are part of a 2017 law designed to help the lowest-paid earners keep up with inflation and are linked to the consumer price index, which went up about 2% locally last year.

How much more minimum wage earners get depends on how big the company they work for is.

Workers at small businesses — those with 10 or fewer employees — will get an additional 45 cents per hour, rising to $15.95 an hour.

Mid-size employers will be paying workers an additional 50 cents an hour, up to $16.50 an hour, the largest increase for minimum wage workers this year.

Companies with over 50 workers will add 35 cents to the current county minimum wage, bringing their pay to $18 an hour.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said this change to the county’s minimum wage helps to build an economy where everyone benefits.

“Ensuring fair pay strengthens families, stabilizes our workforce, and supports small businesses that rely on local spending. Tying the minimum wage to inflation creates predictability for employers and workers alike and reinforces our shared goal of a more equitable and sustainable economy,” Elrich said in .

“At a time when federal policies allow billionaires to grow wealthier by the minute, I am proud that Montgomery County’s law ensures the earnings of our community’s lowest-paid workers at least keep pace with inflation.”

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Bazzano said drowning deaths among young children increased significantly between 2019 and 2022, prompting the .

“About 500 more children died during that period, and drowning deaths among children ages 1 to 4 were approximately 28% higher in 2022 than in 2019,” Bazzano said.

The updated recommendations emphasize that swim lessons alone are not enough to prevent drowning. Instead, the academy is urging families to use multiple layers of protection, including water competency, close supervision, life jackets and barriers around pools.

Water competency includes swimming skills, understanding water hazards and knowing how to respond in an emergency, Bazzano said.

“The strongest evidence-based protection for young children is a four-sided fence that completely separates a pool from the house and yard,” she said.

Bazzano also stressed the importance of assigning a dedicated “water watcher” whenever children are near water.

“Most childhood drownings aren’t happening because parents don’t care,” she said. “Toddlers are fast, water is quiet and adults can get distracted.”

She noted that drowning risks extend beyond swimming pools. Children can drown in ponds, drainage ditches, bathtubs, oceans and even large buckets of water.

Bazzano said the rise in drowning deaths overlaps with the COVID-19 pandemic, when many families lost access to swim lessons, public pools and lifeguards. But she said the larger issue is ensuring all children have access to water safety education and safe places to swim.

The updated guidance also addresses racial disparities in water safety. Bazzano said many nonwhite children, including African American children, have fewer opportunities to access swim lessons, water safety education and aquatic facilities.

“If we want to reduce drowning, we have to make those opportunities available to all children,” she said.

Community programs can help close those gaps, Bazzano added, pointing to local pools, community organizations and programs for children with disabilities, including Special Olympics.

To underscore how quickly drownings can happen, Bazzano shared a personal story involving her own family.

When her daughter was 2 years old, she fell into a pool during a gathering while her father, also a pediatrician, was watching nearby.

“There was no noise,” Bazzano said. “He saw her little scared face looking up at him as she was falling into the water.”

He immediately jumped in, fully clothed, and pulled her out.

“Had he not been watching closely, that could have ended very differently,” she said.

Bazzano urged families to enjoy the water this summer but to do so safely.

“Get outside, swim, play in the water and make great memories,” she said. “Just use layers of protection and prepare so that you can enjoy it safely. I’d much rather see you at the pool than see your child in my ER.”

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However, the Justice Department is suing the Commonwealth to block it.

In a , the agency claims that the state law is an illegal attempt to regulate the federal government, adding it puts officers at risk of harassment, doxing and violence.

names Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones and Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano as the defendants.

“Governor [Abigail] Spanberger cannot tell federal officers how to do their job,” Associate U.S. Attorney General Stanley Woodward said in the release.

Even though Spanberger is not named as a defendant in the suit, she signed the bill into law.

“Law enforcement officers wearing masks on American streets undercut basic expectations of accountability, sow fear and confusion, and erode the public trust,” Spanberger said in a May after approving the bill. “Americans have witnessed the horrors of what can occur when masked federal immigration enforcement agents engage in fear-based policing and enforcement theatre on American streets — like in Minnesota where Renee Good and Alex Pretti were murdered.”

Additionally, the suit seeks to overturn provisions of the bill that require individual identification of officers. In the release, the Justice Department adds the law would “functionally [ban]”  287(g) agreements, which are police agency contracts with ICE to collaborate in the detention of people suspected of being in the country illegally.

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It’s also what AAA calls the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers.

Johnathon Ehsani, an associate professor of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said all new drivers can have issues on the roads that can lead to trouble, but it’s especially worse for teens behind the wheel.

Between riding with friends, the temptation of using the phone while driving and those kids who might drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol, teens have a lot of additional factors when they get behind the wheel.

“All of these compound together to create the perfect storm,” Ehsani said.

AAA estimates that teen driving-related deaths jump by 30% between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

According to AAA, in 2024 alone, the most recent year of complete crash data, 2,636 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver.

A third of those deaths, 825, happened in the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Summer celebrations and travel can also increase the risk of impaired driving as AAA said about 1 in 3 summertime traffic deaths involve an impaired driver.

Ehsani said parents should be paying attention and stepping up to make sure their teens are safe.

“Limiting the number of passengers in the car, making sure that they’re not driving very late at night, and making sure absolutely no drugs or alcohol before driving,” Ehsani said. “Parents have to set the expectations.”

AAA has tips for everyone planning their party schedule this summer.

“No celebration is worth risking a life,” said Jose Torres, AAA’s manager of traffic safety advocacy and research. “Whether you’re heading to a backyard barbecue, a concert, or a weekend getaway, make a plan to get home safely before the fun begins. Choosing a sober ride is one of the simplest ways drivers can protect themselves, their passengers, and everyone else on the road.”

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That’s because Gov. Wes Moore announced that the $3 million in financial help, which his office said, will help small- and minority-owned businesses create 72 new jobs and retain 28 more.

It’s part of an investment created by the DECADES Act passed by the General Assembly earlier this year.

The money can be used to help those businesses buy new equipment, purchase real estate and fund working capital.

Moore said in a statement that the state “must ensure that every entrepreneur has a fair shot at success.”

“This investment through the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority, bolstered by the DECADE Act of 2026, is a testament to our commitment to creating equitable pathways to work, wages, and wealth for our small and minority-owned businesses,” the governor added.

In the fiscal years between 2021 and 2025, the state’s small business development financing authority helped 2,450 jobs by utilizing $33 million in loans and equity investments, .

State Commerce Secretary Harry Coker Jr. said “Maryland is focused on creating an equitable, robust, and competitive economy,” which he said starts with supporting small businesses.

“We’re grateful to these small businesses for creating new job opportunities in Maryland and look forward to watching them grow throughout the state,” Coker Jr. said.

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Speaking before supporters at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Moore promised a “public safety turnaround,” along with continued efforts to grow the state’s economy, improve public education and rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

Later in the day, Moore addressed backers at Prince George’s Community College, where chants of “four more years” echoed through the crowd.

Moore and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, face only token opposition in the Democratic primary set for June.

The campaign enters the race with more than $8 million in its war chest, giving Moore a sizable financial advantage as the election season ramps up.

Still, recent polling suggests potential headwinds. Moore’s approval rating dipped below 50% in March, according to a survey by the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Institute of Politics.

Moore, a Democrat first elected in 2022, has made public safety, economic development and infrastructure central themes of his reelection bid as he seeks to extend his tenure in office.

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First responders were called to the scene of the single‑vehicle crash at Norbeck Road and First Street, shortly after 3 a.m.

Police said a “preliminary investigation indicates that a gray 2025 BMW was traveling eastbound on Norbeck Road when, for reasons still under investigation, the vehicle crossed the median into the westbound lanes, left the roadway, and landed in a trench.”

A third man, with serious injuries, was transported to a hospital.

As of 9:40 a.m., roads in the area reopened to traffic.

A map of the area is below.

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U.S. Park Police told WTOP that the crash happened near Maryland Route 198 around 4:30 a.m.

Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash Sunday morning. The driver and sole occupant of the striking vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Two people in the vehicle that was struck were not injured.

Southbound drivers were taken off the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at Route 198 and were rerouted through Laurel. Drivers were able to rejoin the Parkway via Route 197.

The WTOP Traffic Center reported shortly before 10:48 a.m. that all lanes of the parkway are open, after police closed all southbound lanes for a crash investigation.

A map of the area is below.

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The danger is carbon monoxide, or CO — a colorless, odorless gas.

“It’s called the ‘silent killer,’ mostly because it is somewhat insidious,” said Dr. Chloe McCoy, an emergency room physician with MedStar Health. “A lot of the symptoms are nonspecific and may feel like flu-like symptoms.”

Using space heaters, gas furnaces, fireplaces and portable generators that don’t have proper ventilation can put CO into your home.

Advanced cases can leave someone feeling confused and disoriented, and it can even cause them to pass out. If you start feeling symptoms like that, and you’re using a generator or alterative heat source, turn it off if possible.

Then, McCoy said, “You need to get out of the house.”

“Getting exposed to fresh air is the first priority, and then the second priority is to call 911 and have emergency services address the issue,” she said.

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After the immediate snow, the bigger concern will be the freezing rain and ice expected to form on tree branches and power lines that could bring them down and potentially leave you in the dark.

Chuck McDade, a senior communications specialist with Pepco, urged the public to make sure their most important devices, such as their phones or medical equipment, were fully charged should the current sleet falling across the region turn to freezing rain.

“Now’s the time to charge it while the power is still on, and everything is fine,” McDade said. “Right now it’s just really a wait and see what happens with the rest of the storm.”

Utility companies in D.C., Maryland and Virginia have been preparing for this for days, getting resources in place to respond quickly.

How much ice we get and where the power lines go down may affect how quickly crews can get your power restored.

McDade urged customers to report any outages and to report any downed wires or damaged equipment, underscoring the importance of keeping a safe distance from compromised devices.

“We do ask if an outage does occur, to have some patience. We want our crews to get home safely at the end of the day so they can get out there make those repairs,” he said. “But it is a little bit different than a thunderstorm, where you can go out, you can assess the damage and start making repairs. But with the road conditions, you do have to take that into consideration.”

Aisha Khan at Dominion Energy in Virginia told WTOP it could be hours and potentially days before power may be fixed.

“I do want to emphasize that this could be gradual restoration,” Khan said.

Khan also urged caution if you encounter a downed power line. “Stay away from those power lines. Always assume they are energized. We ask that you stay 30 feet away,” she said.

Both Pepco and Dominion say you should have enough food and water for 72 hours, in case the power goes out, and make sure your phone is charged up.

If your power does go out, always call your utility to let them know — don’t assume it already knows.

Pepco’s Tammy Sanford, the director of regional power operations, previously told WTOP that there’s one thing the public can do to help crews speed up the restoration process: stay off the roads.

“Please, if you don’t need to be out on the roads, it’s going to be really important that first responders, including fire, police and our crews, can safely make their way around our system,” she said.

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“I wish our listeners would just take an hour or two to set aside time and hire yourself to dive into your finances,” said Barry Glassman, founder and president of Glassman Wealth Services.

Within the hour or so that’s set aside, Glassman said the time can easily be used to establish automated payment schedules and savings allocations.

“So let’s say you wanted to build up a cash reserve, you want to set aside money to buy a house. Take a look at your 401(k) holding,” Glassman said. “Make sure you’re getting the match, those kinds of things. Set those things up automatically in January.”

Reviewing credit card statements is also key, Glassman said, as many include summaries that lay out specifically how funds are being spent.

“If you see where your money went last year, nine times out of 10 you’ll likely reprioritize where you want to spend in 2026,” he said. “If you’re sharing expenses with a loved one or a roommate, go through those expenses and have an open conversation. Is this where we want our money to go in 2026?”

It’s also worth prioritizing investment interests for the year, and figuring out the dollar amount that will go toward the rainy day fund. Glassman said even five bucks a week can go a long way over time.

“A lot of people are overwhelmed with, ‘I don’t know how to start saving,'” Glassman said. “Start small. If it’s $10, if it’s $100, it doesn’t matter.”

When it comes to useful financial planning tools, AI chatbots can also be used to help identify best ways to save and plan, according to Glassman.

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“Certainly a volatile, disruptive year, and unfortunately I think those characteristics are going to be very much with us in 2026,” he said.

Hamrick points to five major issues that made for a rough economic ride in 2025, many of which revolved around President Donald Trump’s policies and one of which rocked how other countries trade with the United States.

“Tariffs in April,” he said, “the backing down from the absolute highest level of tariffs, but not much.”

Those import duties were a factor for the holidays, with high import duties on China affecting prices on toys to electronics to fake Christmas trees.

Hamrick also points to Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” signed July Fourth, and the tax effects of which the public will feel going into the new year and beyond, and the 43-day government shutdown that idled federal workers until almost Thanksgiving. That will also be a headline going into 2026, as the stopgap spending bill that ended the longest shutdown in U.S. history is set to expire by Jan. 30.

But, there were two other issues from 2025 that Hamrick pointed to that will also linger into the new year.

“The continuation of affordability challenges that hit Americans where they live and in their everyday personal financial lives,” he said, which gave rise to an economic term that many of us had never heard before: The K-Shaped Economy.

“That’s related to affordability,” Hamrick said, “but also accumulation of wealth, or lack thereof.”

And that is a theme we may be hearing more of in 2026.

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Services for 19-year-old DaCara Thompson will be held Tuesday at Kettering Baptist church on Crain Highway, .

Thompson went missing last month when she left home and never returned. A week later her body was found in Anne Arundel County.

Police arrested 35-year-old Hugo Hernandez-Mendez, charging him with first degree murder.

Authorities said the man is in the U.S. illegally.

He was denied bail last week and according to court documents investigators believe Hernandez-Mendez threw Thompson’s body off the South River Bridge on Route 50, a drop of more than 30 feet, and that her body had numerous fractures.

The motive for the killing is still under investigation.

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No one was hurt in the Friday afternoon blaze on Churchill Downs Road that saw upward of 60 first responders alerted to the scene.

Investigators said the fire at the single-family home was accidental, and that its origin point was traced to a recycling bin located just outside the garage.

However, officials are still unclear on how exactly it started.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said in a social media post on Saturday that fire damages amounted to about $1 million, including $100,000 in contents.

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