WCBM Top Stories

Maryland House Passes 63B Budget With Divisive 1.3B Tax Hike Plan

Maryland House Passes 63B Budget With Divisive 1.3B Tax Hike Plan

Mar 22, 2024 | 9:23am
With the 2024 legislative session nearing its end, the Maryland House of Delegates approved its $63 billion budget proposal and a controversial funding mechanism on Thursday after extended debate. This move sets the stage for negotiations with the Senate, as lawmakers grapple with addressing future budget deficits. While the House budget closely resembles the version […]
Maryland Leads Nation in Rising Mortgage Debt, Study Finds

Maryland Leads Nation in Rising Mortgage Debt, Study Finds

Mar 21, 2024 | 11:24am
A new study conducted by the personal finance website WalletHub has revealed that Maryland experienced the largest increase in mortgage debt from the third quarter of 2023 to the fourth quarter, surpassing all other states. The report, which compared mortgage debt trends across the 50 states, highlighted Maryland’s significant rise in average mortgage balances during […]
Baltimore Taxpayers Face $534,000 Bill for Payroll Errors

Baltimore Taxpayers Face $534,000 Bill for Payroll Errors

Mar 21, 2024 | 9:47am
Taxpayers in Baltimore are facing a hefty $534,000 cost to rectify significant errors in employee payroll deductions, according to a report released on Wednesday by the city’s auditor. The report unveiled “significant errors in retroactive payment calculations” that improperly deducted contributions from as many as 12,000 employee paychecks. The city’s new paperless payroll system, implemented […]
Baltimore City Schools CEO total compensation hits $479,000

Baltimore City Schools CEO total compensation hits $479,000

Mar 21, 2024 | 9:29am
Baltimore City Public Schools received an unprecedented $1.7 billion from taxpayers this year, marking the largest budget in the district’s history. However, despite the influx of additional funding, City Schools continues to rank as the lowest-performing district in the state, with dismal test scores and graduation rates. Furthermore, according to federal test scores, Baltimore is […]
Pigtown warehouse ablaze, fire crews battling heavy smoke and flames

Pigtown warehouse ablaze, fire crews battling heavy smoke and flames

Mar 20, 2024 | 3:16pm
Baltimore City firefighters are currently engaged in an intense battle against a two-alarm fire raging in the Pigtown neighborhood. The incident, reported around 1:30 p.m., is centered at the intersection of Bayard and Hamburg Streets, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department. The active fire involves a large pile of scrap metal, posing a significant […]
Wave of Shootings Rattles Baltimore County Residents

Wave of Shootings Rattles Baltimore County Residents

Mar 20, 2024 | 9:16am
Baltimore County, MD – A surge of violent incidents has left residents on edge this week as the area grappled with five shooting cases, two of them resulting in fatalities. The troubling spate of crimes began last Monday when a man was shot in the Parkville neighborhood. On Thursday, tragedy struck again as two men […]
Maryland Lawmakers Debate Ambitious $400M Pimlico Redevelopment Plan

Maryland Lawmakers Debate Ambitious $400M Pimlico Redevelopment Plan

Mar 20, 2024 | 9:11am
As the legislative session nears its end, the House Ways and Means Committee convened a hearing on Tuesday to discuss a proposed bill that could reshape the future of the Pimlico Race Course. The legislation aims to rebuild the historic racetrack and construct a state-of-the-art training facility, funded by $400 million in state bonds. Additionally, […]
UMBC Failed to Properly Address Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Former Coach

UMBC Failed to Properly Address Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Former Coach

Mar 19, 2024 | 10:39am
A Title IX investigation by the Department of Justice has found that the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) was aware of allegations of sexual assault, harassment, and discrimination by former swimming and diving head coach Chad Cradock, but failed to adequately address the issues as required. The investigation, launched in November 2020 after the […]
Judge Allows Secrecy of Mosby Legal Defense Fund Donors, Sparking Transparency Concerns

Judge Allows Secrecy of Mosby Legal Defense Fund Donors, Sparking Transparency Concerns

Mar 19, 2024 | 10:32am
A Baltimore City Circuit Judge has ruled that the names of donors to the Mosby Legal Defense Fund can remain confidential. The fund came to light three years ago amid growing legal questions surrounding former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and City Council President Nick Mosby. Initially, the city’s ethics board ordered Nick Mosby […]
72-Year-Old Carjacking Victim Outraged Over ‘Lenient’ Punishment for Juvenile Suspect

72-Year-Old Carjacking Victim Outraged Over ‘Lenient’ Punishment for Juvenile Suspect

Mar 19, 2024 | 10:17am
Donna Tallent, a 72-year-old victim of a violent attack and carjacking, is expressing outrage at what she considers a lenient punishment for one of the young suspects involved in the crime. Surveillance images captured the harrowing November night when two thieves beat Tallent with a gun and stole her car from the backyard of her […]