Breakfast links: MTA recommends major cuts to commuter rail and bus service due to the pandemic

A MARC train by Ryan Stavely licensed under Creative Commons.

Major MTA cuts will slash service

The Maryland Transit Agency lost $150 million in covid-related budget cuts, and will start reducing service for MARC trains and Baltimore-area bus routes in 2021. A third of LocalLink bus routes would go away, and 40% of the remaining ones would get reduced service, along with other cuts. (David Collins / WBAL, Kate Ryan / WTOP. Tip: Chester B.)

JMU sends students home

James Madison University became the first school in Virginia to switch from in-person to virtual learning after it asked almost all students to return home this week following nearly 500 reported cases of COVID-19 in the student population of 20,000. (Eliza Berkon / DCist)

A driver hit and killed a woman in Prince George’s County

The driver of a van hit and killed a woman who was walking on Indian Head Highway in Fort Washington late on Monday night. (Dana Hedgepeth / Post. Tip: Chester B.)

Througout the region, people are volunteering to be poll workers

Despite concerns over a possible shortage in people to staff polling places on election day, some jurisdictions like Arlington and DC now say they have plenty of volunteers due to a combination of combined polling centers and new people signing up to work. Other areas, like Montgomery and Prince William Counties are still looking for more help. (Martin Austermuhle / DCist)

Fairfax needs lots more affordable housing

Fairfax County estimates that it will need to build 15,000 new affordable housing units over the next 15 years to provide sustainable housing prices for new and current county residents after the Silver Line Phase II opens and draws more people to Fairfax and Loudoun. (Ashley Hopko / Reston Now)

Lots of schools could be up for renaming in DC

A DC committee published a list of parks, government buildings, and 21 public schools that it says should be renamed or given more context due to the name’s connections with slavery, oppression and racism. The report originally listed, but later removed, eight federal sites within city limits. (Post. Tip: Chester B.)

Maryland will move to Phase 3, but will MoCo?

Governor Larry Hogan announced that the state would allow businesses, including movie theaters and entertainment venues, to reopen this weekend. But, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said the county will review and make its own determination on local restrictions. (Briana Adhikusuma / Bethesda Beat)

Maryland announces new education standards for virtual learning

The Maryland Board of Education announced that school systems doing virtual learning must plan for at least 3.5 hours of live learning every day, and that counties who are committed to virtual learning through 2020, which includes Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, resubmit reopening plans to the state. (Elizabeth Shwe / Maryland Matters)

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