Ripken Weds, Rollercoaster Closes, Sea Lice: Top MD News Of 2018

MARYLAND — It was a busy year in news in 2018, from a sea lice outbreak in waters at Maryland beaches to Six Flags shutting down one of its big rides in Prince George's County. There were tragedies — a school shooting and two workplace shootings — and changes, like tolls taking a turn toward electric and new laws regulating everything from smoke alarms to sexual assault reporting.

Patch readers were not consumed with the violent stories; in fact, our most read stories based on the number of page views were about a hospital that discharged a vulnerable woman in Baltimore to mysterious sea lice getting into swimmers' suits in Ocean City.

Here are some of our most read stories of 2018:

• Investigation Into Hospital Follows Video Of Vulnerable Woman
• Sea Lice Outbreak Makes Ocean City Beach-Goers Miserable
• 'Sea Lice' Are Not What They Seem On Eastern Shore
• Cal Ripken Marries Judge
• Six Flags Shutting Down Major Rollercoaster
• New Maryland Laws Take Effect October 1, 2018
• Sen. John McCain's Headstone In Place At US Naval Academy
• Slain Gunman Identified, 2 Teens Hurt In Maryland School Shooting
• Annapolis Shooting: 5 Murder Counts Filed In Capital Gazette Case
• Rite Aid Shooting: Victims Named, Motive Unclear
• Maryland's Best School Districts: New Rankings Released
• 3 Boys Charged With Rape In High School Football Hazing
• No More Cash: Maryland Tolls Changing To Electronic Only
• Body Found After Ellicott City Flood Was Missing National Guardsman
• Missing Flood Victim Found From Harford County Storm: Police
• 310-Pound Shark Caught At Mouth Of Patuxent River

What do you think were Maryland's biggest stories of 2018? Tell us in the comments!

(For more local news from Maryland, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)

Photo by Elizabeth Janney.