Latest news with #UMBC
CBS News
21-05-2025
- CBS News
Some Marylanders say Memorial Day travel is out of their budget this year
Memorial Day marks one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, signaling the unofficial start of summer. On Monday, the Eastern Shore and Maryland beaches will be filled with visitors. However, some Marylanders say the cost of traveling is too much for them. AAA estimates more than 873,000 Marylanders will drive 50 miles or more this weekend. While that is an increase from last year, it is still lower than pre-pandemic levels. "While prices are higher in some regards, gas prices are trending about 40 cents less than they were this time last year," Ragina Ali, from AAA Mid-Atlantic. AAA says the best times to drive this weekend are in the morning, typically before lunchtime. Poll: Financial restrictions keep vacationers at home A new poll conducted by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, shows that not everyone will be traveling this year. About 47% of Americans will skip a summer vacation this year due to financial restrictions, according to the poll. UMBC surveyed 1,123 adults in America between May 1 and May 5 to determine how summer vacation trends have changed for 2025. Less expensive ways to celebrate Some drivers told WJZ they don't want to deal with the traffic, and others say it is too expensive to travel. "I need a break. I drive enough," Glen Burnie resident Bruce Lee said. "Too much sitting in traffic. A 40-minute trip becomes two hours." Some Marylanders said they will say they will stay on this side of the Bay Bridge and head to the state parks, while others will enjoy a family BBQ at home. "You don't have any money to just to go out and have fun," said Christi Hayes. "But I mean, hanging out in somebody's backyard can be fun. I'm working a full-time job and part-time doing DoorDash, and it's just very, very difficult." And, a staycation at home is just the break some need. "Probably, relax. I might go to Sandy Point [and] do practically nothing," Lee said. Crackdown on distracted and impaired driving Maryland law enforcement says it will be cracking down on impaired and distracted driving. Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority will be conducting saturated patrols, as well as having additional personnel on standby to assist with any crashes that arise. More than 300,000 vehicles are expected to cross the Bay Bridge this weekend. "Those crashes are probably people looking at their cellphone, looking behind in the back seat, looking outside at the beautiful Chesapeake Bay. But we need you all to pay attention to the roadway ahead of you," said Lt. Col. Ronce Alford, from the Maryland Transportation Authority. Do you prefer flying? More than 70,000 Marylanders will fly this weekend. If you are flying, make sure you have a Real ID, which is now required. The Real ID is a federally compliant license, learner permit, or nondriver ID card issued by state driver's license agencies. You can tell if a state-issued license or ID card is a Real ID if it has a black or gold star in the upper right corner. In Maryland, 4.8 million residents, about 99% of all eligible residents, have a Real ID. Maryland state park reservation system The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced a new day-use reservation system, which will launch at several parks, beginning with Greenbrier State Park and Sandy Point State Park on May 19. The system will require all visitors to reserve day-use passes during peak times before their visit in an effort to reduce overcrowding. Ideally, the new process will ensure that visitors know that they have space before arriving at the park - a contrast from allowing visitors to drop in, which the Park Service says has led to an increase in capacity closures.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- CBS News
Many Americans plan to skip summer vacations due to financial restrictions, UMBC polls finds
About 47% of Americans will skip a summer vacation this year due to financial restrictions, according to a poll from UMBC. UMBC surveyed 1,123 adults in America between May 1 and May 5 to determine how summer vacation trends have changed for 2025. About half of Americans will skip summer vacation in 2025 According to the poll, a majority of Americans plan to forgo a summer vacation in 2025 for various reasons. While 47% of respondents said they cannot afford a vacation, about 21% said their family and personal obligations do not allow them the time to take a vacation this summer. The insight comes as many people in Maryland and across the nation have been impacted by federal funding and workforce cuts facilitated by the Trump administration. The federal cuts are part of the administration's effort to decrease spending and make the government more efficient. Another 20% of survey respondents said they would rather take a vacation during another season, and 16% said they can't get enough time off work to take a vacation. Americans share their opinions on summer vacations According to the poll, about 55% of Americans said they plan to spend at least two nights on vacation this summer. The survey found that about 54% of Democrats plan to take a vacation, compared to 61% of Republicans and 45% of Independents. The survey also found that more than half of their respondents prefer to try different vacation destinations each year, while only 16% like returning to the same destination. Trust in major airlines remains strong amid FAA issues The survey revealed that a majority of Americans still feel safe flying with major airlines, despite some hiccups over the past year, including plane crashes and delays due to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or airline staffing issues. In January, an American Airlines flight crashed in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. Afterward, WJZ found that some passengers at BWI Airport felt uneasy about flying. "Well, I feel very safe, but no doubt, when you're taking off or you're landing, you're going to think a little bit more about it than you would normally," Anne Arundel County resident Adam Pohl said. Since then, there have been several more reported crashes, like a medical jet crash in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that killed seven people. There have also been some near misses, like an almost collision between a Delta plane and a military jet near Reagan National Airport in March. Despite this, UMBC's poll found that 57% of respondents felt safe flying commercial. The survey also found that 80% of people felt safe driving a personal vehicle, and 57% felt safe riding on a U.S. passenger train.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Binghamton Bearcats Softball tops America East and heads to NCAA Tournament
VESTAL, N.Y. (WIVT/WBGH) – The Binghamton Bearcats softball team went into the America East Tournament as the #1 seed, having not lost a game, and they didn't disappoint. In the second round, following a first-round BYE, the team knocked off Bryant in nine innings, then met up with UMBC. The Bearcats took down the Retrievers and then faced off with the Bulldogs once again, whom they topped 10-3, and became the America East Champions. The Bearcats are now heading to the NCAA Tournament. They have one of the longest trips, playing in the Eugene Regional in Oregon, facing the Stanford Cardinal. The other two teams in the Regional are the Oregon Ducks, the hosts, and the Weber State Wildcats. This is the first time Binghamton has made it to the NCAA Tournament since 2015. The team will make their way west on Wednesday and prepare to open up their Regional play at 5 p.m. on Friday. The game will be streamed on ESPN+. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Judge rules against dismissing suit against UMBC brought by former athletic director
A judge denied on Tuesday the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought by its former athletic director over allegations that he was fired in retaliation for reporting an ex-swim-coach's sexual misconduct — and then accused of enabling the misconduct. Filing the lawsuit in August, Brian Barrio argues that despite his role in reporting the misconduct of ex-coach Chad Cradock, Barrio was fired by UMBC and then 'scapegoated' by the university in statements following his dismissal. Cradock died by suicide in 2021, after resigning from his position following the announcement of a university investigation into his misconduct. A separate investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice in March 2024 found that UMBC failed to protect student-athletes from Cradock. The following month, the DOJ announced a $4.14 settlement agreement to the former student-athletes who were sexually abused and harassed. The day before Barrio was fired, UMBC President Valerie Sheares Ashby issued a statement saying the university 'reset the Athletics Department's structure, governance, and reporting mechanisms, starting with making the athletic director a direct report to me.' She went on to say that those who failed to adhere to Title IX procedure would be held accountable. According to Barrio, this statement implied that his subsequent firing was connected with the UMBC athletics department restructuring and that he was one among those responsible for violating Title IX. This, in turn, has prevented him from finding employment elsewhere after his dismissal from UMBC, he said. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson rebuked UMBC's assertion that their statement was not libelous in nature, stating that Barrio's allegations of libel are plausible. Barrio said that he went to Sheares Ashby after his termination, who agreed that this representation was false but that she and the university declined to rescind the statement or issue a correction. In its motion to dismiss, UMBC argued that the charges against Sheares Ashby, who is a named defendant in the suit, should be granted immunity, asserting that she did not intentionally release the statement and should not be personally held liable. Hurson denied this argument and wrote in his ruling that she would remain named in the suit. 'It is highly unlikely that Sheares Ashby believed the statements to be true on the day they were uttered,' wrote Hurson, 'but somehow came to agree, just one day later, that they were false.' Have a news tip? Contact Mathew Schumer at mschumer@ 443-890-7423 and on X as @mmmschumer.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Some international students at University of Maryland lose legal status, school confirms
Seven individuals affiliated with the University of Maryland, College Park have unexpectedly lost their lawful status in the U.S., the university confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Friday. 'The university is aware that some international students at institutions nationwide, including UMD, have experienced the unexpected termination of their lawful status in the U.S.,' Susan-Ellis Dougherty, director of International Student Scholar Services at the university, said in a letter to the student body. 'ISSS will continue to communicate with impacted individuals to provide information specific to their situations.' The university declined to provide further information Friday. Maryland's announcement comes approximately 10 days after similar developments were reported at other universities. A Johns Hopkins University spokesperson confirmed that 37 students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked by the federal government. The university's Office of International Services website has taken steps to inform students of the revocations and is providing 'a range of support services,' the school announced. Additionally, four UMBC students have had their visas terminated, a spokesperson confirmed. UMBC officials said the school is running daily audits of its student immigration records, having uncovered four record terminations by ICE. In each instance, the school immediately reached out to the affected students, some of whom plan to depart, while others have engaged immigration counsel and are exploring their options. Other Maryland-based colleges and universities were not experiencing issues with revoked visas or declined to comment. The F-1 visas are being terminated through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The program is part of the National Security Investigations Division and helps 'government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students,' according to the division's website. At least 1,024 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to a report by the Associated Press. Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@ or on X as @ToddKarpovich.
