Downtown Bel Air will smell like smoke and victory this weekend. The Maryland State BBQ Championship returns Friday and Saturday, and if you have never been, this is the year to fix that. 🔥 What We Know: The Bel Air Downtown Alliance brings back the Maryland State BBQ Championship — also known as the BBQ Bash — to Downtown Bel Air on Friday, October 9, and Saturday, October 10.

Aberdeen's American Legion Post 128 is throwing open its doors for a Crab and Bull Feast — and yes, "all you can eat" means exactly what it says. 🗓️ What We Know: The feast runs Saturday, October 17, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Post 128, located at 44 North Parke Street in Aberdeen. Tickets cost $55 in advance or $60 at the door.

The public will have to wait longer to see body-camera footage from the August police shooting that killed 57-year-old Francisco Aparicio-Munoz in Bel Air. State investigators said they need more time to interview witnesses before releasing the video. No new release date has been announced. What We Know: The shooting happened Aug. 15 during a traffic stop on Franklin Street. Bel Air Police Officer Christopher Birch shot Aparicio-Munoz after police said the two got into a physical fight.

What follows is a letter to my eldest son that I wrote shortly after he was born. It was published in the local newspaper at the time. That was 12 years ago. The Boy has grown into a scrapping young Wild Thing now and I wanted to commemorate his birthday by republishing this letter. May it bring hope to anyone with a newborn child or who has ever struggled through infertility.

Aberdeen police are looking for a teenage boy who was last seen late Tuesday night near Center Deen Avenue. Who's missing: 15-year-old Jordan James Price was last seen about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday near Center Deen Avenue in Aberdeen. He is about 5 feet, 7 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. He is bald and was last seen wearing a black beanie, a black hooded sweatshirt, flannel pajama pants, and gray shoes. He was carrying a blue backpack. If you know something: Anyone with information about Jordan's whereabouts should call the Aberdeen Police Department at (410) 272-2121.

A crash involving an overturned dump truck shut down Magnolia Road in Joppa Wednesday morning and knocked down power lines, cutting off traffic and threatening outages in the area.

Kids in Havre de Grace will have a new place to trick-or-treat this Halloween season — the front parking lot of Havre de Grace Middle/High School. What's happening: Havre de Grace Middle/High School is holding its first trunk-or-treat event Tuesday, Oct. 27. In a trunk-or-treat, decorated car trunks replace front doors as the candy stops for kids in costume. How it works:

Unsubsidized individual health insurance rates in Maryland will rise by an average of 14.6 percent in 2027. Small group insurance rates will increase by an average of 10.2 percent. What’s Happening: The Maryland Insurance Administration linked the higher individual rates to expired federal tax credits, federal eligibility changes and rising hospital and prescription drug costs. Each member’s actual cost will depend on the insurer, plan, age and available financial aid.

I have a confession to make and some of you are going to find it odd. I have never in 25 or so years of adulthood bought my own trash bin to take to the curb. In both of the houses I owned in Georgia, the trash bin came with the trash service. You'd sign up for garbage service either with the city or a private company, depending on where you lived, and on the next trash day they'd show up and plop a trash bin and a recycling bin at the end of your driveway.

A Nor'easter moving up the East Coast could bring coastal flooding to Havre de Grace and rough water on the Chesapeake Bay this weekend, county emergency officials say.

The smell of good food and the sound of live music will settle over Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen starting Friday evening, as the Avena Maryland Italian Festival opens its doors for a three-day run — and its biggest year yet. Now in its 4th year, the festival runs Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27, with organizers saying this edition is expanding its footprint compared to prior years, bringing more food, more music, and more to experience across the three-day event.

Residents in the Joppa and Edgewood areas can get a free flu shot at their local library branch next week — no appointment needed. What's happening: Nurses from UM Upper Chesapeake Health will be set up at two Harford County Public Library locations to give free flu shots. When and where: Joppa Branch, Monday, Sept. 28, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Reporter's Notebook is a rolling list of developing stories our newsroom is following. Check back throughout the day for updates. 2:50 pmAt 2:47 p.m., Mechanicsville Volunteer Fire Department Unit ST2 responded to an electrical hazard at 31440 Point Lookout Rd. in Mechanicsville, Md., where a downed tree was reported on a powerline that was on fire and arcing, with smoke visible.

A fox found in Edgewood tested positive for rabies, and health officials are asking anyone who had contact with it to call for a checkup.

Andrew Cassilly, whose brother runs Harford County, will take over as Bel Air's top appointed official Sunday after the Board of Town Commissioners voted to hire him Monday. What's happening: The board voted Sept. 21 to appoint Cassilly as Town Administrator, the role that manages day-to-day operations for all town departments, oversees town finances, handles strategic planning, and speaks publicly on behalf of the town.

Three city council members and two city staffers sat down with state delegates and highway officials Monday morning, and they came away saying a solution to the traffic mess around Havre de Grace's largest new housing development may finally be within reach. What's happening: The meeting, organized by Delegates Steve Johnson and Andre Johnson, brought together Council Members Vicki Jones, David Glenn, and Matthew Ellis, along with Director of Administration Chris Ricci and Senior Aide to the Mayor and Legislative Liaison Adam Rybczynski, to work through traffic problems tied to Greenway Farm is a community built by D.R.

For decades, people trying to build, renovate, or open a business in Havre de Grace have run into a wall of rules — some outdated, some stricter than state law requires, and some that simply conflict with each other. City leaders got their first look Monday night at a plan to change that. Why it matters: Mayor William Martin told the council the city's reputation for being hard to do business in did not happen by accident.

A commercial nuclear reactor is coming to Aberdeen Proving Ground, and residents in surrounding communities want to know what that means for nuclear waste in their backyards. What we know: The U.S. Army has chosen a company called Ameresco to build and operate a power generation facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the military installation in Aberdeen. The project will include both a natural gas plant and an advanced nuclear reactor.

A car fire in an attached garage spread to the second floor of a home on Beall Drive in Joppa on Saturday evening, forcing one adult from their home.

I want to be clear about something before I say what I'm about to say. I like it here. I genuinely, sincerely, non-sarcastically like it here. The scenery is beautiful. The community is warm. The history is staggering. The healthcare situation that brought us here in the first place has already proven itself worth every mile of that twelve-hour drive. For roughly ninety percent of the things that matter in a man's daily life, Maryland is delivering.

Unlicensed food trucks have been spotted in parks and neighborhoods across Harford County, and health officials say buying from one puts customers at risk. What's Happening: Every food truck in Harford County is required to be licensed and inspected by the Harford County Health Department. Once licensed, a truck must display that license somewhere customers can clearly see it. What This Means for You:

Havre de Grace is hosting a free community fall festival Saturday, October 24 on North Washington Street from 1 to 5 p.m. What's happening: The festival includes live music, food, drinks, and activities for families. Here is what is planned: Live music from Soundtown Baltimore. An inflatable corn maze and pumpkin painting. A pie eating contest, sponsored by Jaime Bakes.

A 15-year-old student was found with a loaded handgun at Joppatowne High School Thursday morning after a weapons detection system flagged a possible threat.

A dryer fire broke out Thursday afternoon in a home on Ferguson Road in the Joppatowne section of Joppa. What happened: Firefighters arrived at a house in the 700 block of Ferguson Road to find smoke coming from the one-story home. They found the fire had started in a dryer and put it out quickly. What we know: Two units responded, an engine and a ladder truck from the Joppa Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company.

Seniors in Harford County no longer have to travel to get the help they need. A county program that brings health, fitness, and social programs directly to where older residents live has earned national recognition. What's happening: The BLOOM Project, run by Harford County's Office on Aging, won the 2026 Aging Innovations & Achievement Award from USAging, a national nonprofit that has represented local aging agencies across the country since 1975.

Drivers on southbound I-95 near the MD 24 interchange in Harford County will see a new lane setup starting around September 18, with an overnight left-lane closure beginning Thursday night to prepare for the shift.

Aberdeen police say drivers are regularly failing to yield at crosswalks and will begin targeted enforcement across the city over the coming months.

Two children playing at the Churchville Recreation Center ran to their parents Sunday after an older man tried to get them to approach his vehicle, according to the Churchville Recreation Council Board of Directors. What happened: The children were playing away from the main baseball area when an unfamiliar adult man approached them and tried to get them to come toward his vehicle.

A car rolled over on Philadelphia Road in Joppa Friday night, and one person was taken to the hospital. What happened: The crash was reported at 9:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of Philadelphia Road. Photos from the scene show a car flipped upside down resting against a utility pole and fire hydrant with debris spread across the grass nearby. What we know: One person was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Their condition has not been released.

An 81-year-old Bel Air woman died Friday night after a car struck her as she crossed the street in front of her home. What happened: Police say 81-year-old Joanne Philipovich was crossing the 100 block of Royal Oak Drive in Bel Air at about 7:50 p.m. Friday when a car hit her. The street has no crosswalks or overhead lighting. Emergency crews treated her at the scene before she was taken to University of Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore, where she died.

Gunshots rang out early Saturday morning in the Bulle Rock neighborhood of Havre de Grace after a group of suspects tried to break into a car and then opened fire when a homeowner interrupted them. What happened: About 2 a.m., police responded to the area of Granville Court and Majestic Prince Circle. When officers arrived, they determined the suspects had been trying to break into a vehicle when the homeowner confronted them.

If you drive north on Route 24 toward Bel Air, your lane layout changed this morning. What's happening: Both northbound lanes on Route 24 moved to the left today onto a newly built bridge span over I-95. A barrier wall now separates northbound and southbound traffic under the new setup. Overnight Wednesday, crews closed lanes and slowed traffic to prepare for the switch.

A Harford County Council member introduced a new, narrower version of a charter amendment Tuesday night that would limit who can serve on the County Council — the third attempt this year to change the rules around elected officials who also hold government jobs. What's happening: Council Member Aaron Penman introduced Bill 26-18, which would bar a sitting council member from holding another elected office, holding an appointed position in Maryland state government, Harford County government, or any Harford County municipality, or working as a county employee in an office directly controlled by the county executive or council.

Harford County residents who need help getting around can now sign up for bus passes through a local assistance program in Edgewood. What's happening: The Harford Community Action Agency is offering bus passes to county residents. To get one, bring a government-issued photo ID to the agency's office and fill out a short application — the whole process takes about 5 minutes.

Businesses, homeowners, and property owners in Joppatowne now have access to state funding programs for repairs, redevelopment, and commercial improvements after Maryland approved Harford County's request to expand an existing designation that previously covered only Edgewood. What's happening: The state Department of Housing and Community Development approved the expansion of Harford County's Sustainable Community designation — a state program that connects designated areas with funding for economic development and revitalization — to include Joppatowne.

The animal weighs half a ton. It's panicked, possibly injured, and it's not going anywhere on its own. That's the problem Harford County's special operations team trains to solve. The team responds several times a year to large animal rescues — an injured horse, a cow trapped in a pond — and the physics of the situation are unforgiving. You cannot simply lift a 1,000-pound animal.

The teenager who drove a stolen car into three law enforcement officers in Bel Air last weekend has a name. Police just are not saying it yet. The Bel Air Police Department announced Tuesday that the driver, who had been booked as John Doe following his arrest Saturday, was positively identified early the morning of September 6 as a 17-year-old male.

There are no fallen soldiers to honor on Labor Day. No battles to commemorate, no wars to remember. And yet, every September, someone inevitably confuses it with Memorial Day or Veterans Day, slapping a "Thank you for your service" post next to a barbecue photo and calling it patriotism. Labor Day is something different. It belongs to a different kind of American story.

Harford County's public bus service is not operating today, leaving riders who depend on it to find another way to get around. What's happening: Harford Transit LINK buses are not running today for the Labor Day holiday. Service picks back up Tuesday, Sept. 8. What this means for you: If you planned to ride the bus today, you will need to make other arrangements.

When we moved into the new house, we made a discovery that I suspect every person who has ever relocated makes within the first seventy-two hours, and that nobody warns you about in advance because they are either too traumatized to discuss it or they find your suffering entertaining. Most of your old furniture doesn't work in your new house.

Two people were arrested Saturday afternoon after a stolen vehicle driver struck three law enforcement officers in a Bel Air parking lot and led police on a chase that ended in the Jarrettsville area. What happened: Around 2:05 p.m., officers spotted a stolen vehicle in a parking lot near a Raising Cane's restaurant in Bel Air. Before anyone moved to stop the car, the passenger got out and walked into the restaurant.

Harford County families have a chance to help shape the 2027-28 school year calendar before it is built. What's happening: Harford County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Dyann R. Mack is holding a public listening session Monday, Sept. 8 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Board Room at the A.A. Roberty Building. Residents who cannot attend in person can watch a livestream of the session.

Drivers heading north on Route 24 toward Bel Air will need to adjust starting Thursday, September 10, when two lanes move onto a newly built bridge span over I-95. What's happening: The Maryland Transportation Authority is moving both northbound Route 24 lanes to the left, onto a newly constructed bridge span. A barrier wall will separate northbound and southbound traffic under the new setup.

Twenty-five years is a long time. Long enough that the students who will perform at Harford County's 9/11 memorial next week were not yet born when the towers fell. The Harford County Department of Emergency Services will host a public memorial at the Harford County Fairgrounds Equestrian Center on Tollgate Road in Bel Air from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday, Sept.

Harford County deputies are trying to identify a man they say stole from stores in the Bel Air area twice in August, and they want the public's help tracking him down. What's happening: Surveillance cameras captured images of the suspect during both incidents. Deputies say he may be driving a white Ford pickup truck. What we know: The case is logged under report number 26-182917.

Harford County residents can spend Saturday at a free all-day festival marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, with events running from morning through evening. What's happening: The Aberdeen 250 Celebrate America event takes place Saturday, Sept. 5, at Festival Park in Aberdeen. The Aberdeen Historical Museum will hold an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. as part of the day's activities.

Children are riding high-speed electric bikes through Harford County neighborhoods with no helmets, no licenses, and sometimes with toddlers on the back, and local officials say they have no real power to stop it. What's happening: The Harford County Council voted 7-0 to ask the county's state legislators to pass statewide safety rules for electric bikes. The resolution itself does not create any new law.

Harford County homebuyers and taxpayers may end up covering school costs that developers don't pay — and the county council wants the state to change that. The council voted 4-3 Tuesday to ask Maryland lawmakers to raise the cap on what the county can charge builders for each new home they put up. The fee, called a school development impact fee, is meant to offset the cost new housing puts on local schools.

Starting Friday, thousands of small vaccine-laced baits will be spread across Harford County parks and neighborhoods as part of a new effort to stop rabies from spreading through the local raccoon population. What's happening: The Harford County Health Department will launch a pilot program Friday, September 4, distributing more than 15,000 baits containing a rabies vaccine throughout the county. Ground teams in marked state vehicles will place the baits in areas where raccoons are likely to live and roam.