Hoops for hope: Police use basketball to build relationships

ARNOLD, Maryland—Anne Arundel County police have changed the way they interact with people recovering from drug addiction, turning to basketball to build relationships.

Angel’s house: Recovery residences support women’s sobriety

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland—Angel Traynor, who once struggled with opioid addiction, now runs five recovery homes for women in Anne Arundel County. Jenn Twiford is in recovery, living in one of Angel’s houses.

Blindsided: Annapolis police detective loses son to heroin

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland—John Lee policed the streets of Annapolis for more than two decades as a detective. With years of experience under his belt, he was shocked when he and his wife discovered their son Patrick was afflicted by heroin addiction. The dependency disorder would eventually claim his life, leaving his parents and community devastated.

A chief’s promise: Police encourage addicts to get help with disease

MILLERSVILLE, Maryland—Anne Arundel County Police believe that incarcerating people addicted to opioids is not a solution to the epidemic. Police Chief Timothy Altomare views addiction as a disease, and his department is encouraging addicts to get into treatment.

‘Tale of two cities’: Heroin afflicts black, white communities

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland—Heroin has been a national epidemic for decades, but as it spreads into the white community, the problem garners attention in ways never seen before. Heroin abuse has afflicted the Clay Street neighborhood in Annapolis since the ’70s.

Flicker of remembrance: Vigil honors those lost to addiction

GLEN BURNIE, Maryland—A growing number of people are survivors of the opioid epidemic, carrying on after losing a loved one to addiction. Aleta Daley’s son, Sean, is a victim of the crisis. She found understanding and empathy among people who share her experience at a candlelight vigil to commemorate those afflicted by the nationwide epidemic.

Public health concerns raised about industrial chicken farms

Farms on Maryland’s lower Eastern Shore are starting to look more like factories these days. Johns Hopkins’ Center for a Livable future says the influx of these industrial chicken farms, also known as CAFOs, could threaten public health throughout the state.

Maryland Health Organizations Push for Higher Cigarette Tax

Top Maryland health advocates endorsed a proposal to increase state cigarette taxes by $1 per pack, in a report released Wednesday.

Gourmet Hamburgers a Hit in Prince George’s, But Nutrition a Concern for Some

Hamburger lovers craving something bigger, juicier and more artistically done than fast food fare are being spoiled for options as the gourmet hamburger comes to Prince George’s County, though a local nutritionist warns about the impact on public health.

Feds Target Maryland Buyers of Raw Milk

The feds have cut off a supply of raw milk for Maryland residents from Pennsylvania. The move outraged some Marylanders who are forced to go out of state for raw milk because Maryland is one of 25 states in which sales for human consumption are illegal.