A sheriff's deputy has died in a shooting in Wicomico County, Maryland, about 2 hours by car outside of Washington, D.C.

The sheriff's office said Deputy First Class Glenn Hilliard was shot and killed trying to arrest a man who reportedly had multiple felony warrants. Hilliard was a 16-year veteran of the force.

The sheriff's office said Deputy Hilliard spotted a suspect coming out of an apartment complex around the coastal Maryland town of Pittsville. That's about 20 miles away from Ocean City, Maryland. After a brief chase, Hilliard was shot. The sheriff's office says Hilliard would have celebrated his 42nd birthday next Wednesday, June 22.

A man was arrested in connection to the shooting. Authorities said a man named Austin Davidson was being questioned. State police is handling the investigation.

Wicomico County Sheriff Michael Lewis said, "The deputy never got an opportunity to get his gun out of his holster."

RELATED: Wicomico Sheriff blames deputy's death on "revolving door" of Maryland's criminal justice system

On Twitter, Governor Larry Hogan offered his condolences and said that he's been in touch with the Sheriff's Office to offer support.

Hogan also ordered flags to fly at half-staff in memory of Hilliard.

This story was originally published by WMAR in Baltimore, Maryland.

Call it a hat trick.A Maryland woman has won her third lottery prize of at least $100,000 in five years, a feat she attributes to strategy and luck.The stay-at-home mom, 30, from Wicomico County won her latest prize playing a $100,000 Lucky scratch-off ticket, Maryland Lottery said Monday."I couldn't believe it when I saw how much I'd won," she told lottery officials, according to a release on the website. "I immediately called my husband and said, 'We did it again.'"When asked by lottery officials how she managed to win for a third time, she said research."We figure out which scratch-off games have been on sale for a long time but still have a lot of big-money prizes," she said.The information is available on the Maryland Lottery website. The $100,000 Lucky game, for example, debuted last September and still has more than 40 top prizes available.Still, there's an element of luck, especially when it comes to choosing where to buy the ticket. She picked a Goose Creek convenience store in Mardela Springs based on sheer intuition."I knew that they sold a big ticket a few weeks ago," she said. "I hoped that there was still some luck hanging around there."As for the prize money, the lucky woman says she's putting it all in the bank for her children.Despite her repeated wins, she's still in shock: "This is as crazy as it was the other times. It's unbelievable."

In 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service suggested that the monarch butterfly be put on the endangered species list.

Since then, not much has been done to protect the iconic butterfly. Now, butterfly enthusiasts all over the country are sounding the alarm, saying the monarch is dangerously close to being extinct.

The monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable species in the United States with their orange wings and black border with white spots. The monarch butterfly is an icon of the pollinator community. But, in the last few years, its population has declined to dangerously low levels.

"The population numbers have decreased, I've heard, up to 90%," said Pam Spencer, a master gardener with the University of Maryland and the founder of the Maryland Monarch Conservation.

Spencer said there are four generations of monarchs that come each year. The first three live for a few weeks, but the fourth can live up to three months and makes a tremendous trek from the U.S. back to the colonies in the mountains near Mexico City.

"From here, it's about 2,500 miles, and I've had four successfully make it to the sanctuaries in Mexico," Spencer said.

Once there, the monarchs will hibernate during the winter until they make the huge trek back to the U.S. Lately, there have been a number of factors that are seriously cutting down the monarch's numbers.

What's affecting the monarch population? 'They're starving'

An increase in pesticides in the Midwest and in areas along the East Coast has devastated different types of milkweeds upon which the butterflies and other pollinators feed.

"The monarchs are able to make the migration, but they're not able to find enough nectar sources as they make that trip, and they're starving," Spencer said.

Logging in Mexico, increased demand for development in the United States and an unstable climate are also playing a role.

"One winter storm in those mountains while they're hibernating could wipe out the entire population," Spencer said.

Jennifer Selfridge, an invertebrate ecologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, said while there are a number of species that are in much worse shape than the monarch, it's conservation groups like Spencer's that are making a real difference.

"Listing in and of itself doesn't protect species. It's on-the-ground actions that really make a difference," Selfridge said.

Federal funding to protect monarch habitats

In fact, Maryland has received grants from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create habitats on state park lands and wildlife management areas for monarchs and other pollinators.

"We are using that funding to do a lot of planting projects, to do prescribed burns, to do invasive species control. So, all these things that will benefit pollinators and in the process monarchs," Selfridge said.

"It would be such a great loss to not have the monarchs," Spencer said.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review the status of the monarch butterfly in 2024. If you'd like to take a closer look at the status of the butterfly and what you can do to help, check out the following links:

Watch the video above for the full story.

BALTIMORE —

Sunday will mark a new year, but Thursday marked 110 years for a Baltimore resident.

Clarice Patterson has lived in her west Baltimore home for 73 years, and although she's not as verbal as she used to be, she's just as feisty－and more loved than ever before.

Patterson enjoyed a birthday party with her great-grandchildren and grandchildren.

It's a rare occasion few get to see, as the life expectancy in the U.S. in 2020 was 77－33 years less than Patterson.

When Patterson was growing up, eggs cost around 33 cents and the average yearly income was $750. It was a time when family and hard work meant everything.

"She walked us to school every day and then walked back and picked us up at school. She would volunteer at the school. She was definitely feisty, and she was definitely the person who would get you in line," granddaughter Helena Johnson said with a laugh.

Patterson was born at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She graduated from Frederick Douglass High School and Morgan State University, earning a degree in business. She worked for Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks as a director of the Cahill Rec Center until she retired in 1983.

Patterson and her late husband have three children, three granddaughters and a handful of great-grandchildren.

And, while this matriarch has been holding things down for a long time, things weren't always easy.

"She would tell us about, like, how growing up, with her skin complexion, she couldn't go into certain stores, and her grandmother, she would have to sit outside and wait for her grandmother to finish in the store," Johnson said.

Patterson was diagnosed with dementia 10 years ago at the age of 100, but one couldn't tell by her dance moves at her 105th birthday celebration.

Now, she relaxes in her chair and does some leg exercises with her family on standby, bringing her cookies and tea, ready to continue to love and celebrate her life.

Johnson shared what the family said is Patterson's secret to longevity: "She used to say, 'Not drinking and eating healthy.'"

Watch the video above for the full story.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A certain mystique laps upon the shores. Even in the dead of winter on the Chesapeake Bay, there are still plenty of signs of life.

"This time of year, I notice how clear the water is," said Beth McGee, who has spent decades studying the nation's largest estuary.

On the surface, things may look calm here. However, this watershed, which touches six states and spans over 64,000 square miles, is sick.

"All told the bay is still struggling," said McGee, who works for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Every year, the nonprofit gives this waterway a grade based on how healthy it is. This year, it received a D+.

"Climate change is making our restoration efforts more challenging. More severe storms are bringing more pollution into the bay," McGee said.

What’s happening here has become a case study on just how hard it is to clean up and restore vital watersheds and estuaries, as well as reverse the impacts of pollution and global warming even as costly plans are being put in place nationwide to push back against climate change.

Environmentalists first started realizing how polluted the Chesapeake was back in the 1970s. By 2010, government agencies, nonprofits and environmentalists started taking action to clean it up.

"People across the country were saying, 'We need to watch this,' because they are setting themselves up for success. They have plans. They have accountability that no other watershed has had," McGee added.

Thirteen years later, though, progress has been slow.

Across the lower 48 states, there are 78 major watersheds, essentially basins catching water from rivers as they hit the sea. But of the more than 700,000 miles of waterways in the US, nearly 51% are impaired by pollution.

"One hundred years ago, people didn’t give rivers and streams much thought," explained Matt Ehrhart with the Stroud Water Research Center. "Clean fresh water is one of the most vital resources we have."

Ehrhart says that these days, most pollutants in our nation's watersheds come from agriculture. Fertilizers and pesticides used on crops often run off into nearby rivers and streams. There are other causes, like runoff from the road salt we use in the winter.

"It’s critical the way we live on the landscape doesn’t unduly impact those resources," he added.

As tensions rise between Russia and Ukraine, concerns are growing for people who fear for family and friends in Ukraine.

Some are worried about how an invasion will impact their loved ones. A Maryland man whose father is from Ukraine told sister station WBAL how the Ukrainian community in the Baltimore area feels about the situation.

Greg Zilberman, the owner of Silk Road Bistro, said his concerns are growing about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially after President Joe Biden said he is convinced that Russia has decided to invade.

"It's definitely overwhelming to say the least. It's a very uneasy feeling that it brings upon the world. Russia invasion anywhere, any country invading anywhere, there is always the risk of world war," Zilberman said.

The thought of war has Zilberman concerned, like many others in Baltimore's Ukrainian community. His father is from Ukraine and Zilberman said he has a friend there now.

"I'm nervous for him. I'm nervous for everybody there. There's no way that something like this doesn't result in bloodshed, unfortunately," Zilberman said.

Zilberman said the entire situation is complicated and it has many in the Ukrainian community divided.

"Some of them are really big Putin supporters. 'Come on in, we're your people, this isn't an invasion.' The other half, 'Why are you coming into our country? Stay out. Russia isn't big enough?'" he said.

If Russia does invade, he said that many are worried about how it will happen and the impact it will have on people there.

"Are they going to peacefully cross the border? Are they going to kick people from their homes? What kind of temporary government is going to be established?" Zilberman said.

Zilberman said he is closely monitoring the situation every day. He thinks some type of military action is definitely possible, but overall, he is hoping and praying for the best.

"Obviously, a peaceful resolution will be ideal, but it's a conflict like all the others in the world. It's not so black and white, it's a gray area," he said.

Zilberman said the issue has been a hot-button topic for many Ukrainians that come to his restaurant. He said he is hoping things between both countries are solved peacefully.

BALTIMORE — The Maryland Office of Chief Medical Examiner is experiencing an unprecedented backlog of autopsies. The delays mean families have to wait weeks to say goodbye to their loved ones who were murdered or overdosed.

“The bodies are piling up and decaying right in front of everyone’s eyes,” said Patrick Moran, President of AFSCME Council 3, which has members who are autopsy assistants and forensic investigators. “Bodies are decomposing, and that’s not the way to treat those that have lost their lives and families who are looking for closure.”

More than 200 bodies are awaiting autopsy. Moran said members of the union describe a gruesome scene at the agency in Baltimore, which is responsible for investigating violent or suspicious deaths, including all deaths unattended by a physician.

“It’s pretty vile, and it’s pretty unhealthy,” said Moran.

Running out of space, the Maryland Department of Health converted a parking garage downtown into a morgue until a permanent expansion could be built.

“The additional storage that has been provided allows adequate capacity decedents that may be awaiting autopsy as well as decedents who are completed and awaiting funeral homes,” said Dr. Jinlene Chan, Deputy Secretary of MDH, at a House subcommittee meeting last week.

Dr. Chan said the backlog has been rising for the last few weeks. It’s caused by high vacancy rates (17.2 percent in December) and increasing numbers of murders and drug overdoses, which are resource-intensive cases.

An MDH spokesperson said there is a nationwide shortage of qualified applicants.

Moran said it’d been a longstanding challenge to maintain adequate staffing.

As of December, three positions had been vacant for almost a year. Fire medical examiners have retired or resigned over the last two years, and three more are expected to retire soon.

“We need them to recruit more people to do the job. They need to look at what people need. The resources people need to do the job, the salary they need to do the job, and take action.

In a statement, MDH said they offer highly competitive salaries, and they are performing direct outreach to fill openings, dedicating a recruitment specialist specifically for OCME.

To assist with the growing workload, MDH added 21 new positions, including medical examiners, toxicologists, and support professionals.

In the meantime, FEMA is supplying two pathologists and two pathology assistants to provide additional support to OCME beginning this week.

The delays ultimately impact the families who grieve the loss of a loved one.

“The families are anxious anyway because they have lost someone dear to them, so it adds onto the anxiety level,” said Erich W. March, the VP and CEO of March Funeral Homes.

March said the OCME used to take two days to perform an autopsy. Now it’s taking as long as two weeks from the date of death, forcing families to wait to say their final goodbyes.

“It makes it difficult for the family plans their memorial service or tribute because they don’t have a real set date as to when the preparations can be completed,” said March.

The OCME is accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners or NAME. To maintain that status, there are specific standards they have to meet, and these issues are causing violations.

NAME’s standard is that no autopsy physician should be required to perform more than 325 autopsies per year. In fiscal 2021, OCME reported its highest ratio with 390 autopsies performed per ME, significantly surpassing the phase II standard.

In the FY23 MDH budget analysis, the Department of Legislative Services wrote that although OCME can continue to operate without accreditation, being accredited by NAME improves the public’s trust that the office is performing its work in a proper environment and limits questions about the validity of MEs’ findings at trials.

DLS pointed out that increased ME vacancies and higher caseloads have led to this ratio, and it is likely to have lasting impacts on recruitment and retention efforts.

Abby Isaacs at WMAR first reported this story.

A lucky Maryland family's recent trip to a grocery store turned into a $100,000 lottery windfall."My wife sent me in to get precooked chicken for dinner," a man from Hagerstown told Maryland Lottery officials. He bought the meal as instructed, but stopped by the store's self-service lottery vending machine before leaving."Really, I was going for the $421 million (Mega Millions jackpot)," he said. He inserted $20 in the machine, bought a $10 Mega Millions ticket and the first $10 scratch-off he saw, Monopoly X50.Later that night, after the family finished their delicious chicken dinner, the man decided to scratch his ticket. He immediately realized he won, but wasn't sure how much."I thought, at least I won $10 and I'll get my money back," he said. To make sure, he scanned the ticket with the Maryland Lottery app on his phone, which revealed the prize was $100,000."He let out a line of words that our kids are not used to hearing," his wife told lottery officials. "They thought he was upset."Video: Powerball ticket sold in Calif. in January worth $315 millionHowever, it wasn't long before they were all celebrating.The lucky family claimed their prize on Jan. 28 at the lottery headquarters in Baltimore.While there, the family told lottery officials how they plan to spend the money: a summer vacation, paying down debt, home repairs and maybe even a new TV.

In 2019, 18-year-old Emily Bhatnagar's father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

"It was the worst. It was like reliving it every single night, like nightmares and panic attacks," Bhatnagar told CBS.

She got through that time by reading and decided to try and find a way to share the magic of books with others.

"I thought, 'It's hard enough for an adult to have cancer,' but, when you think about a kid having cancer, and it just broke my heart," she said.

So that's when Bhatnagar started "For Love and Buttercup," a book drive that began with messages on social media asking others to donate books so she could share them with sick children.

"I was expecting like two or three responses, and there were like hundreds and hundreds, and so many books by my door, and it was just really exciting," she told CBS.

The project helped her with multiple life challenges she said.

“I was struggling with an eating disorder and going through a really rough time," she told WJLA. “Eventually when I recovered, it was to cope with my dad's cancer."

Now she has thousands of books to give to pediatric patients. She says the experience of helping others has changed her life. Bhatnagar has distributed at least 9,000 new books to hospitals and schools, including the hospital where her father was treated for cancer.

She hopes to make the book drive a project that she carries with her for many years.

U.S. doctors have transplanted a pig heart into a patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life — a first for medical science.

Doctors at the University of Maryland School of Medicine said Monday the patient is doing well three days after surgery.

The patient is 57-year-old David Bennett, a Maryland handyman too sick to get a human heart.

Bennett said before the surgery: “I want to live. I know it’s a shot in the dark, but it’s my last choice.”

Friday’s surgery showed for the first time that a gene-edited animal heart can function in the human body without immediate rejection.

According to USA TODAY, Bennett is breathing on his own without a ventilator. However, he reportedly is still on an ECMO machine that helps pump blood through his body. USA Today says doctors plan to slowly wean him off the machine.

"This was a breakthrough surgery and brings us one step closer to solving the organ shortage crisis. There are simply not enough donor human hearts available to meet the long list of potential recipients,” said Bartley P. Griffith, MD, who surgically transplanted the pig heart into Bennett.

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, more than 100,000 Americans are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and more than 6,000 patients die each year before receiving a transplant.

A Montgomery County home was accidentally burned to the ground by an owner trying to get rid of a snake infestation, officials said. The Poolesville homeowner was attempting to use smoke to purge the snakes from the house, according to Montgomery County Fire Department officials. In the process, the homeowner caught the house on fire, causing about $1 million in damage, The Washington Post reported. Video above: This Man Uses YouTube to Educate People About ReptilesThe fire broke out around 10 p.m. on Nov. 23, officials said. Pete Piringer, a spokesman for the county fire department, said on Twitter that 75 firefighters were called to put out the blaze that started in the basement. Piringer said the fire, caused by placing coals too close to combustible material, was accidental and that no people were hurt. But he said the well-being of the snakes is "undetermined."

WASHINGTON —

The federal government has canceled a multimillion dollar deal with Emergent BioSolutions, a Maryland-based vaccine manufacturer with facilities in Baltimore that were found to have produced millions of contaminated Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses this spring, the Washington Post reported.

Emergent disclosed the development Thursday in a conference call discussing its latest financial results, the Post reported. Emergent said it will forgo about $180 million due to the contract’s termination, according to the Post.

Emergent BioSolutions played a role in the Trump administration’s effort to speed up vaccine development and distribution. But after winning a contract from the previous administration, Emergent quickly ran into production problems.

In March, ingredients intended for use in producing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine shots contaminated 15 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The problems with the vaccines caused a months-long delay in production.

After that, the Biden administration put Johnson & Johnson in direct control of vaccine production there.

In June, the Food and Drug Administration decided to discard at least another 60 million additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced at the plant.

The lapses at the Bayview factory in Baltimore hampered J&J’s efforts to be a major player in vaccinating people, particularly in remote areas and poor countries. It only requires one dose and standard refrigeration and it's also cheaper than some other vaccines. But there have been problems with the Emergent plant.

The FDA repeatedly cited Emergent in the past for problems such as poorly trained employees, cracked vials and problems managing mold and other contamination around one of its facilities, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Somebody has finally won the big Powerball jackpot. So far, we know the winning ticket was sold a store in Maryland. The single ticket is worth more than $731 million.

Maryland does allow its lottery winners to remain anonymous. The state itself has only had three Powerball winners ever, including the latest one.

It's not really considered a "lucky" state if you compare it to places like Indiana, where they've had 39 Powerball winners, or Missouri, where they've had 31.

So, is there such a thing as a lucky state? Experts in math and statistics say no.

“Every lottery ticket has the same odds, no matter where it's bought, no matter when it's bought,” said Dr. Lew Lefton, a Georgia Tech University faculty member who teaches math.

Lefton says it's expected to have clusters of winners, whether its broken down by state, zip code, or even gender.

It would be strange if the winners were evenly distributed by state.

“Random processes always have clusters and empty spaces. If you think about just throwing random points of paint on a canvas, some of them are going to be close together. Some of them are going to be far apart. That's just normal,” said Lefton.

Population density doesn't really have an effect on the chances of winning. Buying more tickets also doesn't really increase your chances of winning. It just increases the jackpot.

“The real odds are increased, but it's incrementally increased. It's so small that it's not substantial unless you start buying literally hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of tickets,” said Lefton.

Lefton says if you're going to play the lottery, you're better off buying just one ticket.

“Don't expect to win, but just enjoy the uncertainty of being wealthy for a moment and the possibility. That's enough entertainment for your $2,” said Lefton.

The jackpot for tomorrow night's Mega Millions drawing is up to nearly $1 billion.

International Overdose Awareness Day is observed to remember all who have lost their lives to substance abuse disorder.

The day is the world's largest campaign to end overdose and acknowledge the grief and pain of those they left behind.

Sister station WBAL spoke with a mother who lost her daughter in July 2020.

"My daughter was the most beautiful, outgoing smart person," Michele Applegate said.

Applegate said those smarts led to a college scholarship in 2011. Once there, Abigail Thompson's struggle with drugs began.

"She was very popular, started hanging around with other affluent popular kids and started using cocaine, LSD, mushrooms," Applegate said.

That began a 10-year battle with addiction. Thompson was in 17 recovery programs. Applegate said she went into debt paying more than $100,000 trying to help her daughter recover. Thompson's longest period of sobriety was 18 months.

Applegate said in the summer of 2020, Thompson was back in treatment.

"Unfortunately, she met someone in treatment that had just been admitted that had drugs, they used at the program, the program discharged both of them," she said.

Thompson would later overdose on fentanyl and die. She was 27.

Dr. Kenneth Stoller, director of the Johns Hopkins Broadway Center for Addiction, said the pandemic fueled the rise of overdose deaths.

"People are alone more if they are using alone, there's not people there to call 911 or to use Narcan to revive them. This is a 'I carry this at all times,' this is a lifesaving medication that everybody should be carrying so that if somebody overdoses, they can be revived right away," Stoller said.

On awareness day, Applegate wants people to know: "If you're involved with someone who has a substance abuse disorder, don't give up on them. If they are breathing, there is hope for them to get recovery. Get help for yourself so you can support loved ones, don't give up. Always keep that connection there so when they are ready for help, you are able to support them."

ANNAPOLIS, Md. —

Health officials identified a case of the South African COVID-19 B.1.351 variant in Maryland.

The case announced Saturday involves an adult living in the Baltimore metro area who has no recent international travel. Comprehensive contact tracing is underway, state officials said.

The new variant's presence in Maryland was confirmed by the Maryland Department of Health in consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State officials said the B.1.351 variant has not been shown to cause more severe illness or increased risk of death when compared to other variants. The variant is believed to be more transmissible than other strains.

According to the governor's office, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of available vaccines against the B.1.351 variant; however, initial evidence suggests that vaccines are still likely to be protective against the variant. It is also expected that currently available diagnostic tests will detect the B.1.351 variant.

"State health officials are closely monitoring the B.1.351 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the state," Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. "We strongly encourage Marylanders to practice extra caution to limit the additional risk of transmission associated with this variant. Please continue to practice standard public health and safety measures, including mask-wearing, regular hand washing and physical distancing."

The B.1.351 variant was initially detected in South Africa. It was first identified in the United States on Thursday through two cases in South Carolina.

Viruses constantly change, or mutate, and new variants of viruses are expected to occur over time.

The B.1.351 variant is the second variant of COVID-19 identified in Maryland. The first variant identified in Maryland was B.1.1.7, commonly known as "the UK variant," which MDH announced that it identified on Jan. 12. Seven total cases of B.1.1.7 have been identified in Maryland since that time.

One of the United State's best Paralympians is calling for change.

Marylander Becca Meyers, 26, is not going to Tokyo to compete due to a decision she said would put her safety in jeopardy.

Becca Meyers and her mother, Maria Meyers, spoke to sister station WBAL-TV Wednesday about the devastating decision and what they hope comes next.

Meyers is one of the most decorated American swimmers in history. She's won six Paralympic medals, three of them gold. She put in countless hours at the pool training for the 2021 games.

But she will not represent team USA this year – she withdrew – and she did so because of safety concerns, but none that has anything to do with the coronavirus.

"They took away a part of me. A part of who I am. I’ve always been Rebecca, the swimmer, and now I feel less than that," Becca Meyers said.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee denied the Meyers' request to have a personal care assistant accompany her to the Tokyo Games.

"So, when they said 'No,' it just broke me. It made me feel, 'wow, the one place I had where I could excel as someone with multiple disabilities was taken away,' made me feel worthless," Becca Meyers said.

Becca Meyers explained her communication with the USOPC in recent years.

"It's been a really tough couple of months communicating with the USOPC expressing my needs as a deaf, blind athlete. We've had an understanding for the last couple of years since 2017 that I need a dedicated personal care assistant to come with me because of my disabilities. Because I [have] two sensorial disabilities, not just one. So, I really need that one-on-one care, orienting me to new places, traveling with me every step of the way so that I get to my destinations safely, that I get the proper meals. That was the purpose of having a PCA of whom I trust," she said.

Becca Meyers has suffered from Usher Syndrome since birth, leaving her deaf and with degenerative sight. Essentially, she can only see through a pinhole, straight ahead. So, having a PCA on hand is critical. She learned this the hard way, when alone at the 2016 Rio Games.

Related video: Tokyo Olympics Brings Hope for Change For Deaf Transgender Athlete

"I remember one night a couple, two days before a competition started just crying uncontrollably on the floor in my room. I felt so lost, so paralyzed in a way that I knew I couldn’t do this on my own. I’m a deaf, blind person. And I think that moment is when I came to terms with my disabilities," Becca Meyers said.

Becca's mother Maria has served as her PCA since 2017 as she is trained in the care of a deaf/blind person. When the USOPC refused to allow her to travel to Tokyo, the family decided they needed to be heard.

"It's not just for my kid, you know, this is for all of them. The culture has to change we can do better. We know we can do better," Maria Meyers said.

The USOPC will have one PCA on hand for the entire Paraswimming team in Tokyo.

"And then it turns out that the team was named and there’s nine blind swimmers. Nine out of 34. This is the biggest team of line swimmers they’ve ever taken. Not one is trained in orientation and mobility of the blind," Maria Meyers said. "She's not sitting at home and saying 'I only want green M&Ms.' This is not a diva moment."

Becca Meyers received support from Maryland's two U.S. senators and Gov. Larry Hogan. The outrage is widespread at denying a world class swimmer a safe way to represent the country, which she has done so well.

"I'm not going away quietly. This needs to change. The culture needs to change. I need to stand up to protect future generations from ever getting hurt or feeling scared to be a part of team USA," Becca Meyers said.

WBAL-TV reached out to the USOPC but received no comment on Becca Meyers' withdrawal from the games.

Fireworks detonated Sunday morning on the Ocean City, Maryland, beach, injuring an employee who was setting up for July Fourth festivities.

Several videos of the explosion were tweeted around 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Video obtained by sister station WBAL 11 News shows the explosion.

Police said an employee of the fireworks company suffered minor injuries and refused to be taken to a hospital. No beach or boardwalk patrons were injured, police said.

"Our fire marshals are on the scene and will investigate the cause of the unintentional discharge," Ocean City fire Chief Richie Bowers said in a statement posted on Facebook. "Prior to the fireworks being offloaded from the vehicle, fire marshals secure a safe zone around the fireworks and put other safety protocols in place. It is this very zone and safety protocols that kept anyone else from being injured."

A fireworks show was planned for later in the day for July Fourth celebrations in the area of North Division Street and the boardwalk.

Watch the video above to see the fire works detonate on the beach.

A Maryland baker is doing what she can to give back to the community one cookie at a time.

Julie Rewers' latest project involves making sure kids have water to drink in school.

"We have raspberry lemonade, which is a raspberry lemon sugar cookie; we have chocolate chip; Oriole dreamsicle, which is an orange cream sugar cookie; and then oatmeal raisin," Rewers said.

Those are just a few of the cookie flavors Rewers sells at farmers markets and food truck events. For the Baltimore baker and entrepreneur, each sale is important. She calls her business "Cookies for a Cause Maryland" because a portion of the proceeds go to help people in need.

"I usually donate 20% of my proceeds to the food bank, but I will also be donating to other specific local causes," Rewers said.

Her latest mission is to provide bottled water to students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County public schools. It's a project she started March 1 after seeing on social media that water fountains wouldn't be in operation because of the pandemic.

"So far, we've donated 4,600 water bottles and about 300 to 400 cases of water to about eight different schools," Rewers said.

She lives by the motto: "Cookies will save the world."

"So, cookies will save the world. It's definitely a motto that I go by. It's something that seems so small and, like, doesn't seem it will get you very far," Rewers said.

But it does go far to help others, one cookie at a time.

OVERLAND PARK, Kans. — A man fighting for the return of his late wife’s service dog encountered a setback in his case in a Maryland courtroom on Thursday.

The central issue of the court battle is the question of who owns the service dog, Tootsie.

Although a judge did not rule on that matter, he decided the sheepadoodle should remain with Starfleet Service Dogs, Inc. until a trial is held to determine the final outcome in the case.

Paul Marinsky’s late wife Brittani got Tootsie from Starfleet in May 2019 to help her manage daily life with a chronic illness. Brittani Marinsky died in Aug. after a battle with stomach cancer. Before she passed, she asked Paul Marinsky to promise that Tootsie would stay with him.

The couple paid monthly fees of $140 to Starfleet for a wellness plan for Tootsie. In the nearly two years the couple had the dog, Paul Marinsky said he and his late wife spent thousands on training and care.

However, during Thursday’s hearing, a judge pointed to the fact that Starfleet had initially purchased the dog for $800 from an online ad.

There was no receipt showing the Marinskys paid a lump sum to purchase or adopt Tootsie.

An attorney for Starfleet said in court the Marinskys did not pay thousands for training. Rather, the monthly fees were only for reimbursement for vet care and insurance for Tootsie. The attorney also said the Marinskys did not always pay those bills on time.

In her argument, the attorney leaned on the fact that Tootsie’s microchip was registered to Starfleet, which is why the dog’s vet called the organization and arranged for her return.

In his decision regarding possession, the judge did not weigh in on whether or not Starfleet’s taking of Tootsie was lawful.

Starfleet’s attorney said when the dog was picked up, she “had sores all over her body,” was unbathed, had overgrown toenails and an ear infection.

Paul Marinsky has rejected those allegations and said he took Tootsie to the vet because she was having ear problems.

Although the judge decided Tootsie should remain with Starfleet for now, he acknowledged ambiguities in the paperwork Brittani Marinsky signed.

“I wish the contract was clearer,” Judge John Moffett said Thursday morning.

Sean Day, Paul Marinsky's attorney in Maryland, argued Tootsie had graduated with his wife from Starfleet’s program. One of the documents Brittani Marinsky signed said that Starfleet was “willing to accept responsibility for graduated service dogs in the event of a graduate’s death.”

Day says that language in the contracts implies Tootsie became property of the Marinskys.

However, Starfleet’s attorney countered by saying the dog's graduation did not trigger an ownership transfer. She argued the phrase being questioned for its ambiguity was required by the Assistance Dogs International (ADI).

ADI is the worldwide authority that sets standards for service dog programs. Starfleet Service Dogs is not an ADI accredited member, nor is it a candidate program.

During the hearing, the attorney for the Starfleet confirmed Tootsie is in Maryland at this time. Although the judge indicated his preliminary belief Starfleet is likely to prevail, Paul Marinsky and his attorneys plan to keep fighting for the sheepadoodle’s return.

"I can't just walk away and let things be as they are without trying to do the right thing for myself, for my late wife and for Tootsie," Marinsky said in a previous interview with the 41 Action News I-Team.

Paul Marinsky's attorney said the hearing will strengthen his case before trial, since the judge didn't point out any weaknesses in their argument.

A trial date has not yet been set.

This article was written by Cat Reid for KSHB.

Related video above: Horseracing returns to Pimlico as crews prepare for Preakness

Rombauer romped to an 11-1 upset victory in the Preakness on Saturday, denying Bob Baffert-trained Kentucky Derby winner Medina Sprint the chance at a Triple Crown that would have come with a giant asterisk.

Medina Spirit finished third in the 1 3/16-mile race and was passed for the first time in his career after going off as the 2-1 favorite. All eyes were on Medina Spirit after he failed a post-Derby drug test for the presence of the steroid betamethasone.

Midnight Bourbon, who was 3-1, was second. Keepmeinmind was fourth and Baffert-trained Concert Tour ninth in the 10-horse field.

Rombauer busted the bias of horses hugging the rail, going past Midnight Bourbon and Medina Spirit down the stretch and winning by 3 1/2 lengths.

Jockey Flavien Prat won the Preakness two years after being elevated to the Derby winner aboard Country House when Maximum Security was disqualified.

Trainer Michael McCarthy won his first Triple Crown race and captured the Preakness before Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher, for whom he worked as an assistant before opening his own barn.

Rombauer is owned by John and Diane Fradkin, a far cry from Medina Spirit's Zedan Racing Stables and other horse racing conglomerates. He won for the third time in seven starts.

McCarthy said this week Rombauer's best weapon was between his ears and that his colt was training well. But few picked the long shot to win the Preakness, which was run in front of 10,000 fans at Pimlico Race Course.

Baffert was not in attendance, staying away because of the controversy with Medina Spirit, who still could be disqualified from the Derby.

A man who jumped off a bridge to save a little girl after a crash in Ocean City, Maryland, on Sunday has been reluctant to receive praise.Jonathan Bauer revealed himself on Friday on the condition that first responders would also be recognized for their work.An 18-month-old girl was ejected from a pickup truck into the bay below after a five-vehicle crash on the Maryland Route 90 bridge, WJLA-TV reported. Once he saw what had happened, Bauer didn't hesitate to jump off the bridge — at least a 25-foot drop into the water."When I looked over, I saw the car seat and some other items, and about 6 feet away from the car seat was a little girl. She was on her back, completely floating, head completely out of the water, arms moving, legs kicking, and a little pink dress," Bauer said.A family in their boat went over and rescued both Bauer and the baby just moments later.Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan and first responders presented Bauer with a plaque.The little girl has been released from a Baltimore hospital and is expected to be OK, according to reports.Hearst TV contributed to this report.