School Mental Health Fight: Fifteen Democratic-led states sued the Trump administration to stop cuts to a $1 billion school-based mental health grant program, arguing the plan violates a court order and would leave districts without support for counselors and training. Religious Community Security: As houses of worship in Maryland and beyond face rising threats, congregations are leaning on state and local grants to fund security upgrades, including staffing and equipment. Immigration Enforcement at the Local Level: Montgomery County lawmakers are weighing a bill that would bar former ICE and Border Patrol officers from certain county jobs tied to public resources and decision-making. Education & Choice Debate: A push for private-school scholarship tax credits is drawing backlash from teachers unions, while parents and advocates continue arguing over what “freedom” should look like in K-12. Book Bans & Kids’ Stories: New research highlights how bans disproportionately target Black and LGBTQIA+ books, and why children’s literature about everyday Black life matters for empathy. Maryland Culture & Sports: Maryland will match an $85 million offer to secure the Preakness and Black-Eyed Susan branding rights, aiming to protect the state’s Triple Crown role. Tech & Privacy: A new report argues federal agencies have effectively bypassed warrants by buying cellphone location data from brokers, raising Fourth Amendment concerns. Health & Everyday Life: UMD research finds menopause “silent symptoms” show up far more in online discussions than in clinical notes—suggesting gaps in what gets recorded in care.