Plane Diverted | Historic Ban | Pawn Scheme | Maryland News

Here are some of the week's top posts from Maryland Patches.

Maryland Fracking Ban Makes History
A law signed by Gov. Larry Hogan makes Maryland the first state with proven natural gas reserves to ban the practice of fracking. The law will go into effect on Oct. 1.

Diverted Southwest Flight From BWI Airport Lands Safely In Maine
A Southwest Airlines flight from Baltimore Washington International Airport was diverted on Monday, due to a flap issue. Then the plane proceeded to safely land in Portland, Maine.

5 Indicted In Harford Pawn Shop Scheme, Sheriff Says
"Each of the original theft suspects are admitted addicts who stole to support their addiction," Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said. "After a thorough review of these cases, I am certain this is one more by-product of the heroin epidemic that has a hold on our community."

Gaithersburg Muslim Athlete May Compete Wearing Religious Head Covering

A new policy now lets Maryland student athletes wear religious attire during sports, as long as the garment is not "abrasive, hard, or dangerous to any player/others," according to the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA). The policy change occurred after a highly controversial incident where a Muslim student at Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg was prevented from playing in a basketball game because of her religious head scarf, or hijab, in March.

• Missing Hoggle Kids: Mother To Remain In Mental Hospital
• Troopers On Lookout For Distracted Driving In Maryland
• Military Plane Crashes In Prince George's County
• Estranged Husband Charged In Double Homicide: Baltimore County Police
• One Killed, Four Seriously Hurt In Jessup Crash: State Police
• One Dead, 3 Injured in Gaithersburg Condo Fire
• Deale Natives Brothers Osborne Win 2 ACM Awards
• Driver Tried To Kill Officers After They Woke Him In Parking Lot: HoCo Police
• Pedestrian Killed in Oxon Hill: Police
• Driver in Fatal Davidsonville Crash Indicted On 19 Criminal Charges
• Suspect Named In Fatal Stabbing Outside Glen Burnie Bar
• Payless Closing 2 Bethesda Area Stores
• Gun In Purse Was Unintentional, Ellicott City Woman Says: TSA
• Immigration Order From Baltimore County Executive: FULL TEXT

File photo.