Over the last three years, Zamora has grown accustomed to shooting hoops while wearing her dark blue service uniform, swarmed by youngsters from the Boys and Girls Club of Lummi Nation, a Native American tribe in northwestern Washington State.

Zamora, a native of Salinas, California, who’s preparing to start her final year at the academy, has volunteered to mentor kids during each of her one-week spring breaks.

“It’s one of the best things I’ve done at the Naval Academy and even just generally,” Zamora said of her three trips to the Lummi Nation. “They take our [hats] and run away or I give them the anchors that decorate my uniform. Just to foster that relationship is really important.”

Zamora is part of the Midshipmen Action Group (MAG), a volunteer service organization created in 1992. But the group’s impact extends beyond a spring trip to assist children from Native American tribes in STEM education.

Through MAG, hundreds of midshipmen volunteer their time in Anne Arundel County and Annapolis yearly, amassing more than 14,400 hours across 29 volunteer projects during the 2024-25 academic year.

Areas of service include environmental stewardship, veteran and convalescent assistance, donations and youth mentorship; 835 midshipmen volunteered a combined 1,783 times at 119 different events during the last school year.

“It is just an incredible amount of service,” said Commander Kyle Bandermann, who provides the group logistical support as its officer representative. “Our moniker is that ‘Service to the nation begins with service to the community.’ And that is what they’re choosing, that is what they’re prioritizing.”

Mids for Kids

MAG is most active during the middle twelve weeks of each semester. Midshipmen, led by a group of about 50 seniors — or first-class midshipmen — dedicate hundreds of hours to environmental care through nature cleanups, snow shoveling in Annapolis, planting trees and general landscaping for people in need.

To support veterans, MAG works with groups that organize memorial trips and ceremonies.

The flagship program, Mids for Kids, works with about 10 Anne Arundel County Public Schools to put volunteers in classrooms.

Zamora volunteers at Walter S. Mills-Parole Elementary in Annapolis, assisting kindergartners and fifth graders with their studies.

MAG members also volunteer at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank’s warehouse, where they sort and box food for distribution, among several other projects. Over their 15-year partnership with the food bank, MAG has donated more than 400,000 pounds of food.

“MAG members demonstrate a deep commitment to service and community,” Anne Arundel County Food Bank CEO Leah Paley said. “We are lucky to have them in our corner.”

MAG is the largest extracurricular activity at the Naval Academy. While midshipmen are required to compete in athletics, there is no requirement for service-related activities.

“There’s no sense that people think midshipmen need to do more for their country, yet they are,” Bandermann said.

The Princeton Review ranks the U.S. Naval Academy number one in “Town-Gown Relations,” an analysis of a university’s relationship with its surrounding population. Elizabeth Wrightson, the academy’s director of media relations, credits that success to MAG.

There are nine other clubs at the academy that volunteer for various activities, like the Catholic Midshipmen Club, Latin American Studies Club and Black Studies Club. In total, 2,334 midshipmen volunteered on 189 different events, culminating in 16,943 total service hours from the 2024-2025 academic year.

MAG made up more than 85% of the entire university’s service hours.

“So many projects and so little time,” Bandermann said of midshipmen choosing to participate in area service projects. “The mids have an incredible amount to do here. There’s the task of making it through to the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and just matriculating through this university. And this is what they are choosing to spend their time on.”

Zamora will travel to Washington for the fourth time next spring. She says she’s compelled to return year after year because she comes from a similar background as students at the Lummi Nation, one with minimal exposure to STEM.

“I’ve developed such a passion for STEM and research,” Zamora said. “I think it’s so wonderful to be able to spark that with little kids.”

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Tom Wieland, a Gambrills Republican, said he aims to mitigate the swelling traffic he’s witnessed since moving to the county 40 years ago. It’s an issue he blames on increased development combined with stagnant construction of infrastructure and roads.

“When we moved here, the area that is now Waugh Chapel Towne Centre had horses there,” Wieland said of his move from Glen Burnie to the western portion of the county. “We thought we were moving out into the suburbs. Ever since then, Democrats have continually passed more high density zoning and building all along route 3 all the way up to Laurel.”

The current county executive, Steuart Pittman, is a Democrat, while the three before him were Republicans.

Wieland, 71, lost a 2022 bid for the seat in the Republican primary to Cheryl Renshaw. Current District 4 representative Julie Hummer, a Laurel Democrat, defeated Renshaw in the general election.

Hummer is finishing her first term on the council and is eligible for reelection. However she did not respond to an inquiry about whether she would be seeking another term.

The primary election is June 23, with a candidate filing deadline of Feb. 24.

Wieland owns and operates Ritchie Pharmacy in Brooklyn Park.

“I’m a business owner, we want jobs, we want businesses, but you have to have roads,” Wieland said. “They spent millions of dollars doing a study on how they’re going to fix the congestion of Route 3. Of course, nothing has happened and there’s no way they can widen it.”

Maryland transportation officials are working on a projectto improve traffic and safety along the Route 3 corridor starting in 2027. The project — three lanes going north and south from Waugh Chapel Road to Annapolis Road — is expected to cost about $35 million. Anne Arundel County is covering 20% with the state paying for the rest.

Quick to say he is not a MAGA Republican, Wieland said he intends to support parental rights and provide options for what children are — and are not — being taught in county public schools.

Among other issues he intends to focus on if elected, Wieland voiced his approval of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers deporting undocumented immigrants, but also supports providing “pathways” for some. He pointed to the newly introduced Dignity Act of 2025 in the U.S. House of Representatives as a good example. The bipartisan bill aims to let immigrants earn legal status if they meet certain requirements — like being in the U.S. since Dec. 31, 2020, or passing a criminal background check — over a period of time.

While state and local governments can pass legislation touching on immigration, the federal government holds the exclusive power to regulate immigration. In May, the Department of Homeland Security included Anne Arundel County and Annapolis in a list of cities, states and jurisdictions it said are “deliberately obstructing” the enforcement of federal immigration law. The list of “sanctuary cities” was removed shortly after.

Wieland says he’ll represent the district with small business owners and the working class in mind. He also said he’d focus on district-specific legislation.

“We need to flip the county,” he said. “If you’re a county council member, you need to concentrate on what’s going on in your district. Everybody is different, people in Arnold and Pasadena, leave them to do what they want to do. I’ll try to fix what’s going on in District 4.”

Wieland holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a degree in pharmacy from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy in Baltimore.

Wieland and his wife, Monica, have two children and three grandchildren.

Before his children were grown, Wieland volunteered as a scout leader and coached youth athletics. He’s currently HOA treasurer for the Four Seasons Community of Gambrills and treasurer for the North County Republican Club.

Wieland is also a trustee for the Maryland Pharmacist Association and volunteers his time oyster farming for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

“People are getting fed up with all these things in my district,” he said. “They thought they were going to move here for a nice, suburban community, it’s just not working out for them. Hopefully that’s going to inspire people to vote for me as a Republican.”

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Born in Baltimore in 1943, Mr. Gary moved to Anne Arundel as a child. He later entered public service and represented the county in various capacities, including as executive from 1994 to 1998.

Before becoming county executive in Anne Arundel, Mr. Gary represented the county’s District 33 in the House of Delegates from 1983 to 1994. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruthanne Neighoff Gary. He has three children, Donna, Cynthia and Gregory and four grandchildren.

“He was an extremely loyal person,” Mr. Gary’s daughter, Donna Gary-Vereb, said. “When you were his friend, you were his friend for life. He appreciated people and was very charismatic and outgoing. You know politicians, he’d talk to anybody.”

In office, the former owner of a drapery business governed with a bluntness “befitting a big-city mayor,” the Washington Post reported in 1998. His political approach and candor were directed toward county schools, the working class, human services issues and environmental and historic preservation.

Mr. Gary established a “Wheels for Work” program that made old county cars available to welfare recipients. He also helped oversee the acquisition of the property now known as the Frederick Douglass Museum and Cultural Center in Highland Beach.

Mr. Gary lost his bid for reelection in 1998 to Democrat Janet S. Owens, the first woman elected county executive.

Any success he had in office was a result of his stubborn legislative style, a trait seldom seen outside of the political arena, his daughter, a Millersville resident, said.

“My father was a stubborn man,” she said. “But what his friends and associates will tell you is that he worked across the aisle. He was a fierce defender of the taxpayer’s dollar.”

Mr. Gary was the second son of John G. Gary, Sr. and Elizabeth Irene Gary. His father was in the Navy and his mother was a homemaker. Mr. Gary and his brother, William, who died in 1983, spent their childhood on naval bases in Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Indiana and Maryland.

The family moved to Pasadena in the early 1950s, living only a few houses away from Mr. Gary’s future wife, Ruthanne, on West Shore Road. They both attended George Fox Junior High and Glen Burnie High School before marrying in 1962 and eventually settling down in the Brightwood neighborhood in Millersville.

“It’s hard to talk about my dad without talking about my mother,” his daughter said. “You talk to anybody that knew them, it’s like peas and carrots.”

Prior to establishing his own companies, Drapery Specialist and Tradesman Co-op, Mr. Gary was the foreman for the interior design firm, Chambers Co. in Baltimore. His projects took him to Bogota, Colombia; Lagos, Nigeria and the Bahamas. He later moved from decorating the interiors of homes to building custom ones.

Gary-Vereb remembers family after-church Sunday lunches at Andy’s Kitchen, the Transit Truck Stop in Millersville and Hella’s Restaurant.

“A lot of our lunches would be interrupted by people coming up and literally pulling a chair up and joining our after-church lunch,” she said. “People would walk up and talk, whether it was about a problem, a thank you or just to catch up on old times.”

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, a Democrat, wrote in a Facebook post: “I was sad to learn of the recent passing of former Anne Arundel County Executive John Gary. I am grateful for his leadership and his dedication to our county, and I am holding his loved ones in the light as they grieve his loss.”

Del. Stuart Schmidt, a Republican who represents District 33 in Anne Arundel, grew up playing sports in the Harundale Youth Sports League, where he said Mr. Gary was a constant presence.

Schmidt, also a graduate of Glen Burnie High School, said he’s taken some of Mr. Gary’s community presence into his career as both a delegate and coach.

“It’s something I’ve carried into my role as a delegate, to always be out in the community,” he said. “I always want to carry on the kind of legacy of County Executive Gary and all the elected officials that would show up for me as a kid.”

Mr. Gary’s burial was private.

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Davids, the first woman and Hispanic person to lead the academy since its founding in 1845, will be renominated for a third star — the rank of vice admiral — and will be deputy chief of naval operations staff, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said Friday.

“I’m honored to be nominated as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations, Plans, Strategy and Warfighting Development,” Davids, a 1989 Naval Academy graduate, said in a news release.

Marine Lt. Gen. Michael Borgschulte, who is the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs, will be nominated to replace Davids.

If confirmed by the Senate as the academy’s 66th superintendent, the 1991 Naval Academy graduate would be the first Marine Corps officer to lead the school.

“Lt. Gen. Borgschulte brings a wealth of operational experience and strategic insight,” Secretary of the Navy John Phelan said.

If Davids’ new role is confirmed by the Senate, she would become a high-ranking adviser for Navy strategy, plans and policy.

Superintendents of the Naval Academy agree to serve a minimum of three years and retire at its completion, according to federal law. In some cases, that rule can be waived by the secretary of defense — but most retire as superintendent.

“Vice Admiral Yvette Davids has served the Naval Academy with distinction and honor,” U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth, a Democrat whose district contains the academy, said. “She played a critical role in the history of the Academy as its first female Superintendent, and I look forward to seeing all she accomplishes at her next post.”

Davids’ stint at the helm of the academy, which began in January 2024, has been shadowed by changes to its diversity policies enacted by the Trump administration.

In April, the academy released a list of 381 books and literary works removed from its library as part of a review of DEI materials, following directives from Hegseth’s office.

Among the works that were removed were “How to Be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou. Copies of “Mein Kampf” by Adolf Hitler remained available.

Ahead of Hegseth’s visit to the academy in April, staff mistakenly removed and then replaced photos and items commemorating female Jewish leaders. Later that month, the Naval Academy canceled a speech by author and podcaster Ryan Holiday after he declined a request not to reference the removed books.

The Pentagon, in a May memo, ordered the removal of race as a factor in admissions at the military service academies. The Naval Academy stopped doing so in February, according to Davids.

“At this moment, and since February, in alignment with the executive orders, race, sex and ethnicity have no part in our admissions process,” Davids said at a Naval Academy Board of Visitors meeting in May. “Many people have asked me if I think there’s going to be an impact there. It’s a little too early to tell.”

In May — after an additional Pentagon-ordered review — most of the nearly 400 books that were removed from a Nimitz Library closet and held under lock and key were placed back on the shelves.

Last month, the chair of the Naval Academy History Department resigned after reportedly being ordered by Davids to remove a previously approved paper from the list of those to be presented at a symposium.

“Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars,” Hegseth said in February when he announced leadership changes across military branches.

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The group — which includes Wohlsen Construction, design firm Becker Morgan Group and Cap Ex Advisory Group, an organization specializing in leading capital projects — will build the estimated $14.6 million Edgewater Community Recreation and Resilience Center.

“The Edgewater community spoke loud and clear with a vision to transform an eyesore into an asset, and it’s great to see the project moving forward,” Pittman said in a news release Wednesday. “The Wohlsen team brings the right experience, the right values and a clear understanding of what this facility can mean for our residents.”

The center, which will be located on a 5-acre property at 3130 Solomons Island Road, will be the county’s first recreation facility designed for environmental resilience.

Set to fill a building that once housed a Giant Food and is now occupied by a Halloween supply store, the project will not require construction of any new lots or buildings, according to the project’s preliminary plan.

Plans for the center include a gymnasium, multipurpose courts, dance and fitness studios,  and an indoor playground.

“As both a member of the Edgewater community and the project executive for Wohlsen Construction, I’m especially honored to support this transformative project,” Andrew Hooker, project executive and an Edgewater resident, said. “The Edgewater Recreation and Community Center will bring meaningful benefits to our region, creating space for wellness, connection and community programming.”

The county purchased the property in May 2024 for $5.4 million, according to Heath Neiderer, spokesperson for Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks. A total of $11.5 million was set aside in the county’s fiscal 2025 capital budget for the purchase of the property and construction. There was $6.5 million allocated for the project in the fiscal 2026 capital budget.

After a call for proposals in April, more than 30 firms combined to submit 10 applications, according to Matt Fleming, the Resilience Authority’s director.

“From an exceptionally strong pool, the Wohlsen Team stood out for both their technical expertise and their alignment with the county’s vision for resilient, community-centered development,” Fleming said.

The Resilience Authority is a joint venture between the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County governments created to provide planning, funding and assistance in completing infrastructure projects that mitigate the effects of climate change.

According to preliminary plans, construction for the center is expected to begin by spring 2026.

“One of the key strengths of this team is their recognition that the current concept design needs refinement to fully meet our programmatic goals,” Jessica Leys, director of the Anne Arundel County Department of Recreation and Parks, said. “They showed a deep understanding of our objectives and a commitment to shaping a final design that balances fiscal responsibility with long-term community benefit.”

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Kelly Smith, 47, wants to transfer her work motivating area youth to government as she joins the race to represent the northwestern part of the county. Her campaign will officially launch Saturday at Timbuktu Restaurant and Lounge in Hanover.

Smith joins fellow Democratic candidate Geonta Simmons in the race to replace Pete Smith, a Severn Democrat who is running to replace the term-limited Steuart Pittman as county executive.

“I care about our residents, I care about our families, our businesses, our community, our environment,” Kelly Smith said. “If you don’t have anyone else to call, you can always reach out to me and we will find a solution.”

Since filing June 5 for the June 30, 2026, primary, Smith has met with dozens of District 1 residents in an effort to identify issues and come up with solutions.

After speaking with the Anne Arundel County Professional Firefighters and Fraternal Order of Police unions, Pete Smith and area faith leaders, she’s focusing on issues involving youth, education, affordable housing and job instability.

“My strategy is to talk with the community and then put the plans together,” she said. “I didn’t want to come out promising to work through a plan when I really didn’t know all of the issues or even how I can get those plans accomplished.”

Smith, an Army veteran, grew up in a military family and calls Hampton, Virginia, home. Her father and two brothers are retired Air Force veterans.

She graduated from East Carolina University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice before serving four years in the Army in counterintelligence.

After her time in the Army, Smith moved to Anne Arundel County and worked for 17 years as an intel analyst for the U.S. Capitol Police. She retired after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Her husband, Henry, is a retired Capitol Police special agent. They have four daughters, all of whom attended Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

“Having a background in intel has taught me how to be resourceful and organized,” Smith said. “I am research- and action-oriented.”

After retiring, Smith then worked one year as a teacher at MacArthur Middle School in Fort Meade in the Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID) program, which focuses on college and career readiness.

Smith has volunteered on the parent-teacher-student association board, has coached soccer and was a Girl Scout leader for 13 years.

“We were an untraditional Girl Scout troop,” Smith said. “We held symposiums, our girls started businesses, we created our own uniform — something that the girls were comfortable wearing. I became more than just their leader; I was their mentor through life.”

Smith holds a master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation and is pursuing a Ph.D. in higher education at Regent University.

She was elected to represent District 32 on the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee in April and is the president of the Lambda Delta Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority in Anne Arundel County, a service organization she’s been active in for 26 years.

Asked what made her run for office, Smith said, “Legacy.”

“I have three grandchildren. The youngest is 4 months old,” Smith said. “Trying to have a community that they live in and can excel in, they need a foundation for that. Right now, with so many issues going on in our community, our country and our state, I felt I could do something bigger than just retire — I can actually put my money where my mouth is.”

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On July 1 — the first day of fiscal 2026 — residents of southern Anne Arundel County were surprised to see they could no longer use the boat ramp at Discovery Village. The seven-member council, which serves as the ultimate fiscal authority in Anne Arundel, cut the $154,000 used to pay the yearly lease from the budget.

“I understand budget constraints and the need to make responsible fiscal decisions,” Anne Sigman, a Shady Side resident, said. “Yet decisions such as this diminish the quality of life the residents of south county seek to enjoy.”

Most of the council, in budget meetings on June 9 and 10, came to the conclusion that the cost of leasing the property outweighed the use residents were getting out of the ramp — which Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks said was just a small fraction of what other public ramps saw.

In a 6-1 vote, the council passed an amendment removing the $156,000 County Executive Steuart Pittman, a Democrat, allocated for the ramp inside his proposed budget. The first attempt to pass the amendment failed by a 3-3 vote, with Amanda Fiedler, an Arnold Republican, abstaining. Fiedler voted in favor of the amendment when voting the following day.

Shannon Leadbetter, a Crofton Republican, represents the area containing the ramp. She cited the analysis by the Department of Recreation and Parks that the Discovery Village was used by 100 boaters per month, while others saw thousands of boaters. That statistic ultimately persuaded her to support the cut.

“As a fiscal conservative who supports public water access in South County, after reviewing the terms of the previous lease at Discovery Village it became clear it was a bad deal for the taxpayer and made their dollars increasingly vulnerable over time,” Leadbetter said in a statement Tuesday. “I am strongly advocating for a solution that provides public water access in South County balanced with responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds.”

In 2016, then-County Executive Steve Schuh, a Republican, began leasing Discovery Village from then-owner Adam Hewison. The lease was intended to run through 2046. The county was also financially responsible for repairs.

Discovery Village, which formerly hosted environmental and educational events in the county, is a public park that sits on the bank of Parish Creek across from several marinas. The property is now largely overgrown with a boarded-up building sitting on the property.

In 2019, the county built the $1.4 million ramp.

Opponents of the cut say the analysis of 100 boats per year is incorrect and expressed concern over what they deemed a rushed decision from the council with minimal public participation.

David Goodwin, an Annapolis resident and president of Reliable Real Estate Services, said he’s worked with those in charge of managing the property and its ownership for more than two years. He argued that the lease was terminated with no explanation and incorrect figures.

“The statistics that you gave of 100 boats per year just doesn’t seem like it was properly taken,” Goodwin said during public testimony at a July 7 council meeting. “Based on a count from last Saturday from a local resident [and] tenant, there were 63 boats that used the ramp last Saturday alone.”

Despite the removal of funding, the Pittman administration said it’s ready to explore alternatives.

During the budget hearing June 9, Budget Officer Chris Trumbauer, speaking on behalf of the Pittman administration, said the administration would work to maintain public access at the site and look at other ways of doing so in the surrounding area.

“We respect the county council’s decision as the final fiscal authority,” Pittman said in a statement Tuesday. “My administration remains committed to working with community partners to explore future water access opportunities in the Shady Side area.”

The county’s remaining public boat ramps are at Fort Smallwood Park on the northwestern tip of the county near Riviera Beach and Pasadena, and Solleys Cove Park, in Curtis Bay. There are also 18 boat launches for car-top boats — like kayaks and canoes — across the county.

Reliable Contracting, which owns the lot, did not respond to requests for comment.

“This ramp was the only public resource in south county available to residents to launch motor boats and had been highly used by residents in the local area,” Sigman said “On any day we went to launch our boat, there had always been other boaters launching or pulling boats from the water. Not only was the ramp a valuable resource to local residents, it also has been used by local fishermen.”

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The bill, introduced by Lisa Rodvien, an Annapolis Democrat, would give the clinic’s owners clarity as to whether or not they’re following zoning laws — a distinction that is currently hazy as Anne Arundel County code does not have a definition for “eating disorder treatment facility.”

While there are therapists in Anne Arundel who treat eating disorders, this appears to be the first inpatient facility.

“This [bill] basically just adds a definition to our code,” Rodvien said. “This allows the owners to go forward with confidence and gives them a little protection around themselves from a legal standpoint.”

Rodvien began discussing the legislation with an attorney hired by the potential buyers of a vacant Millersville property this spring. The space was formerly used as a residential facility, although what kind is unclear.

The Capital Gazette was unable to speak with the attorney or potential owners, whose names are unknown.

“It seems like a very reasonable use for a space that is currently not used,” Rodvien said. “Someone wants to move forward and support people with eating disorders to get treatment and help improve their quality of life, that’s a good thing. I don’t see any downside to that.”

According to the National Alliance for Eating Disorders, treatment options vary between several inpatient and outpatient options. Each stage of care generally involves a team including therapists, dietitians and psychiatrists, among others.

Amy Allen-Chabot, a professor of nutrition at Anne Arundel Community College, said closer proximity to treatment would incentivize more individuals to seek help.

“We have students with eating disorders at the college, I’ve interacted with many of them,” Allen-Chabot said. “It would be my hope that if you had something closer, then parents would be more open to treatment. …There’s certainly a need.”

Allen-Chabot also mentioned Sheppard Pratt psychiatric hospital in Towson and The Renfrew Center for Eating Disorders’ two locations in Baltimore and Bethesda as reliable locations for eating disorder treatment. She was unaware of any such facility within Anne Arundel.

The bill would take effect 45 days from the date it becomes law. Its first hearing is scheduled at a council meeting September 2, following the council’s summer recess in August.

While drafting the legislation over the last several months, Rodvien said she was unable to discuss the bill with her colleagues during the course of budget deliberations.

“Gosh, it’s been busy,” Rodvien said, referencing the completion of the fiscal 206 budget. “It’s not a huge bill, I think it should be very straightforward and I hope it will be an easy 7-0 vote.”

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First reported by WBAL-TV, residents around Marley and Furnace creeks said they dealt with the stench of decaying rays for days. They described the smell as so powerful that they couldn’t go swimming, fishing or out to enjoy their piers.

“It was so bad, the smell was so horrific, you couldn’t even come out of your house,” Dale Lott, of Point Pleasant, told WBAL-TV. “They had all these cownose stingrays that were just dead.”

The cownose ray is a brown, kite-shaped ray with a long tail, according to the Chesapeake Bay Program. The rays migrate along the Atlantic Coast and visit the Chesapeake Bay during the summer months to mate and give birth in the shallow water.

The first die-off — of about 80 rays — was on June 20, according to the Maryland Department of the Environment. Last week, another 50 to 150 rays died in Marley Creek and Furnace Creek, located in the Glen Burnie area.

Experts with the Department of the Environment say the likely cause of death was overcrowding.

“Cownose rays travel in schools that can number in the thousands, and they are typically seen in open waters such as the mainstem of the Chesapeake Bay or the mouth of bay tributaries,” Maryland Department of the Environment spokesperson Jay Apperson said in an email Friday. “The most likely cause of these die-offs is overcrowding of rays wandering into smaller bodies of water that do not provide sufficient dissolved oxygen.”

The Maryland Department of the Environment said its crews are collecting water samples to check on water quality and they do not believe the die-off is ongoing.

As for cleanup, Apperson said it will occur naturally.

“In regards to any clean up, Mother Nature generally takes care of that fairly quickly, through winds or tides that take the fish away from shorelines,” Apperson said. “In the case of the rays, it might take a little longer because of their size.”

He advised property owners near Marley and Furnace creeks who want to take matters into their own hands to exercise caution and avoid direct contact with the rays. He added that property owners wanting to remove rays from their shorelines should consider burying them.

“We were pushing the sting rays off our bulkhead and kept pushing them out and pushing them out and they were just floating,” Lott told WBAL-TV. “It cleared up. Going into the fifth day, the stench started to go away. You could come outside and enjoy your backyard and your pier and being out on the water.”

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Courtney Buiniskis, of Shady Side, is the legislative aide to Democratic council member Lisa Rodvien and a former community engagement officer to County Executive Steuart Pittman. She says in addition to her experience working at the highest levels of county government, her own experiences with the deaths of family members have prepared her for the role of administering the county’s estates.

“I’m an educator by trade, so the more I researched, the more I found out I was meant for this role,” Buiniskis said. “That coupled with my life experiences; I lost my brother, my mother and grandmother in a span of 10 years. … I realized this has a lot in common with my journey.”

With each death in her family, Buiniskis grew more familiar with the probate court process, she said. Meanwhile, her time in the county government revealed how little county residents know about wills and what the register actually does.

Buiniskis, 48, has spent more than a decade working in education as an adjunct professor of communication and workforce development at Anne Arundel Community College, in county government and community advocacy — experiences she says will help her bring a people-first vision to the office and boost its visibility within the community.

“The register of wills is more than just paperwork — it’s about helping families through some of the most difficult times in their lives,” Buiniskis said. “I’m running to ensure that every resident has access to fair, compassionate and efficient services, while understanding what the office can do for its Anne Arundel County residents.”

Buiniskis also said she intends to emphasize transparency, accessibility and community outreach. Before doing so, she will run against the current register of wills, Jasmine Jackson.

Jackson was appointed to replace Erica Griswold who, in January 2024, was indicted on misconduct and theft charges, leading to her removal from office. She took over in June 2024 after working in the department for 16 years.

After a year at the helm, Jackson’s staff credits her with repairing the organization’s bruised reputation. Since her appointment, the register of wills has also cut state spending within the department by 25% while removing the staff responsible for community outreach.

“They were strictly doing outreach work,” Jackson said. “That is not what this office is about. This office is about administering estates.”

While Jackson said she took on the responsibility of community engagement herself, Buiniskis says she’s not doing enough. Her goal is to ensure that all communities — especially the underserved — have the information and support they need.

After a failed bid for the District 30B seat in the Maryland House of Delegates in 2022, Jackson claimed Buiniskis’ entry into the race is politically motivated.

“I’m very disappointed that the register of wills office has turned into a steppingstone for political advancement,” Jackson said. “I’ve worked hard this last year to restore integrity and trust back to this office. I plan on keeping it that way.”

Buiniskis denied the accusation, saying her only motivation is to make sure the probate process is easier in Anne Arundel County than it was for her loved ones.

Buiniskis’ has been endorsed by key Anne Arundel Democrats including Pittman, Sheriff Everett Sesker, state Sens. Dawn Gile of District 33  and Shaneka Henson of District 30, and County Council Chair Julie Hummer, among others.

“You see the endorsements that I have,” Buiniskis said. “I started as an adjunct professor with nothing to my name as far as name recognition. This is where I’m at — not because I’m pretty and I smell great, it’s because I work hard.”

Jackson and Buiniskis are the only candidates vying for the register of wills seat so far. The filing deadline is Feb. 24, 2026.

Have a news tip? Contact James Matheson at jmatheson@baltsun.com, 443-842-2344 or on X @jamesmatheson__