TikTok School Drama | Taylor Swift Defends Fan | Machete Rapist | Violent Teacher: MD News

MARYLAND — On the weekend, we present a week in review of the top stories and headlines from all across Maryland. Here's a roundup of some of the biggest and quirkiest stories across the state. You can also find your local Patch and catch up on those stories by clicking here.

Taylor Swift Defends Fan At Concert

Taylor Swift stood up for a Maryland fan who was “harassed” by a concert security guard.

Man Carrying Machete Charged With Rape

A man with a machete is accused of raping and robbing two women in a park.

Fishy Crime: 100 Koi Fish Stolen

Something is fishy: Three residents have reported the theft of more than 100 prized Japanese koi fish from their backyard ponds.

TikTok, Meta, Snapchat Spark School Drama

TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat are to blame for a mental health crisis among teenagers, a lawsuit argues.

Teacher ‘Repeatedly And Violently Abused Children’

John Merzbacher, a former Catholic school teacher and child rapist called the worst example of systemic abuse among non-clergy members within the Baltimore Archdiocese, died in prison last week.

Legally Armed Person Near School Bus Stops: Police

A legally armed person was seen walking past school bus stops, police said. Officers noted that the person carried a long gun but didn’t break any laws.

Homework Morphs Into Teen Fantasy Novel

A high school junior has turned her 3,000-word Honors English class assignment into a hefty 91,500-word, “The Realm Crashers and the Shadow King.”

Slaveholder Names Removed From 2 Schools

Two schools were renamed because their original namesakes held enslaved people.

MD Moviemaker Hits It Big In Cannes

This Marylander is making it big in Hollywood. The producer had a movie at one of the world's largest film festivals.

Commanders Sale Celebrated

An Orioles minor league team celebrated the Commanders sale with free tickets and giveaways.

Homelessness Surges In 1 MD County

This county has hundreds more people experiencing homelessness this year. Here’s what Maryland is doing to help.

Stolen Military Truck Joy Ride

A man stole a 5-ton military truck and took it on a joy ride down I-95. Police caught and arrested the man.

Homeless Toiletries Packed By Marriott

Marriott International headquarters’ staff filled toiletry kits for the homeless, wrote letters of thanks to active duty and military veterans, and cleaned up local parks.

Lottery Scam Swindles Woman Out Of $10K

A woman gave $10,000 to scammers who said it would guarantee the payout of a winning lottery ticket.

Pasta Sauce Recalled Over Allergy Alert

A pasta sauce sold in Maryland was recalled for an allergy alert. Here’s which brand chefs should keep an eye out for.

Hands Up! Ex-Cop Owes $1.3M To IRS

A former police lieutenant is headed to prison for failing to tell the IRS about $1.3 million he earned from his private business.