$731M Winner, Zoo Babies, Huge Waitress Tip: MD Good News In 2021

Colleen Martin
·6 min read

MARYLAND — This year Marylanders helped their neighbors, participated in school supplies drives, fundraised for people who needed it and supported local essential workers. Others surprised their family members after being away from home, won the lottery and received astounding gifts.

As the year comes to a close, take a look at some of the best news this year in Maryland —heartwarming and inspiring stories from across the state.

January
Angler Reels In MD Record Setting 57-Pound Flathead Catfish
This 57-pound, 50-inch long flathead catfish was caught near the Lapidum Boat Ramp on the Susquehanna River.

Middle-Schooler Makes Masks For Others, Delivers Laptops
Anne Arundel County middle schooler Caleb Oh decided to help others during the coronavirus pandemic by distributing laptops, food and masks.

Gaithersburg Activist, 8, Appears On Biden's Inauguration Special
Cavanaugh Bell, who started a food pantry during COVID-19, was invited onto Biden's 'Celebrating America' inauguration special in January.

Soldier Surprises Wife In Labor At St. Joseph Medical Center
Private 2nd Class Tyrell Hicks was saluted during an honor walk in the hallways of St. Joseph Medical Center when his son was born. His wife didn’t know he was coming.

February
Adorable Sitatunga Calf Born At The Maryland Zoo
The sitatunga calf was born Feb. 4. Her mother, Cricket, was was born at the zoo in 2013.

Teacher Helps Feed Howard County Families During Pandemic
The teacher asked for help on social media and was able to feed 100,000 people in Howard County.

March
Artist To Paint Mural Honoring Black Musicians
The mural will commemorate a venue where famous Black musicians performed during segregation. Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington performed there.

Maryland's Earliest Colonial Settlement Found In St. Mary's
Archaeologists say English settlers who fled from religious persecution in 1634 built the fort –– it was the size of a football field.

AACC Named Best Community College In America: Study
Anne Arundel Community College was the only Maryland community college in the top 10.

April
Black Entrepreneur, Scientist Wins $100K To Diversify Cosmetics
Isfahan Chambers Harris was awarded the money to grow her start up, Alodia Hair Care.

Two Southern White Rhinos Arrive At Maryland Zoo
The two four-year-old rhinos spent their early days at the zoo quarantining and getting acclimated to leaving near other animals.

May
MD NBA Rookie Gifts Mom And Grandma New Cars
Immanuel Quickley surprised his mother and grandmother on Mother’s Day with Range Rovers.

Top Baby Names In Maryland For 2020
Liam and Olivia were the most popular names given to babies born in Maryland in 2020, according to recently released federal data.

14 MD Companies Among 2021's Best Workplaces: Inc.
More than a dozen companies in Maryland have been named among the best places to work in America by Inc. magazine.

June
'Cicada Mania': Chocolate-Covered Bugs The Craze In Gaithersburg
Chocolatier Sarah Dwyer has found a use for the pesky cicadas invading the DMV. She's turned them into a treat that's both sweet and salty.

Cicada Counting Unites MD Family, Teaches Beauty Of Nature
A Brandywine family turned this year's cicada swarm into a learning experience. Sarah Frank and her children are competing to see who can find the most critters.

July

Concord Point Lighthouse To Reopen For First Time Since 2019
The lighthouse in Havre de Grace had a special cleaning before its post-coronavirus debut.

HoCo Seafood Wholesaler Helps Save The Bay By Harvesting Catfish
The wild blue catfish has been damaging the Chesapeake Bay, but a Howard County seafood wholesaler is harvesting the fish to save the Bay.

Crofton Community Raises Money For Favorite Ice Cream Man
A longtime Crofton ice cream truck driver found himself the recipient of the community's generosity when they raised money for a new truck.

August
Annapolis Olympian Posts Top 15 Finish In Windsurfing
An Annapolis Olympian finished in the top 15 of her windsurfing competition at the Tokyo games. She graduated from Broadneck High School.

New Record Label Started By Maryland Rapper
An Anne Arundel County rapper started a record label. Originally from Havre de Grace, he released a single with local artists to celebrate.

Hunting Adventure Of A Lifetime Won By Maryland Union Member
The "Brotherhood Outdoors" hunt was aired on the Sportsman Channel.

September
Lost Dog Found In Dundalk Flown Hundreds Of Miles Back Home
Nigel, a recently adopted shelter dog, had been stolen out of his new mom's yard. He was found hundreds of miles away and flown home.

$50K Winning Lotto Ticket Surprises Air Force Veteran
An Air Force veteran who bought a winning lottery ticket from a Catonsville store was surprised when he won $50,000.

Emmy Goes To Silver Spring Film Group For 'Secrets Of The Whales'
Silver Spring-based film company Red Rock Films won an Emmy for its documentary mini-series "Secrets of the Whales."

2 Truckloads Of Meals Donated To Anne Arundel County Food Bank
Two trucks dropped off an 80,000-pound meal donation at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. The good deed came on Hunger Action Day.

October

Fall Festival Fundraiser Helped Edgewater Tornado Victims
After the Tropical Depression Ida tornado destroyed three homes, Anne Arundel residents planned a festival to fundraise for the victims.

Teacher From Prince George's County To Appear On 'Wheel Of Fortune'

Upper Marlboro resident and teacher Keisha Andrews-Veney went on Wheel of Fortune during Great American Cities week.

November

Latest Edition Of Annapolis Cookbook Supports Feed Anne Arundel
A new Annapolis cookbook is raising money for a Maryland charity. The book teaches local recipes and fights hunger in Anne Arundel County.

Odenton Brewery Raises Money For Local Fire Department
An Anne Arundel County brewery will raise money for the Odenton fire department this weekend. Proceeds from special beer will benefit the station.

Annapolis Fundraiser Supports Flags For Vets, Military Nonprofits
An Annapolis masquerade and festival raised money to send flags to late Afghanistan veterans. The events also benefited military nonprofits.

December

Shocking Tip Left By Secret Santas Stuns Howard County Waitress
A Howard County waitress couldn't believe the amount of tip left by a group of secret Santas seeking to brighten the holidays for others.

Wayward Zebras Finally Find Their Way Back Home
Several zebras escaped an exotic animal farm in Prince George's County this fall. The remaining two still on the loose have returned home.

Maryland Sisters Model For Macy's Billboard Thanks To Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish and Macy's granted Abi's wish to be a Macy's billboard model. You can see her and her sister Vivi on Route 301 in Prince George's County.

This article originally appeared on the Rockville Patch