Swim With 40-Foot Whale Shark Caught On Video | Patch PM

A man jumped into Maryland waters for a swim with a massive shark off Ocean City, and a Montgomery County thief racks up $13,000 in bogus credit card purchase. Plus, analysts predict how many more Marylanders would die under the GOP health-care plan, and a list of county fairs to visit. Here are the top local news stories worth reading and talking and knowing about on Friday, July 7, as pulled from our Maryland sites.

Man Swims With Monstrous Whale Shark Off Maryland Coast

A Hebron man celebrated Fourth of July in quite a unique way this week in the waters off Ocean City. Josh Schleupner didn't catch any tuna like he was planning, but he did take a dip with a rare, monstrous whale shark.

Hot-Iron Torture Of Annapolis Hotel Guest Brings Prison Sentence

A Baltimore man convicted of burning a Crown Plaza Annapolis Hotel guest with a clothes iron until he shared his ATM information has been sentenced to 18 years in prison with five years of supervised probation upon release for armed robbery, authorities say.

Man Charges $13K On Credit Cards Stolen From Montgomery County Schools

Police are investigating 11 thefts of female employees' purses from nine Montgomery County schools and child care centers. Detectives believe the same suspect is committing the thefts, police said, with about $13,000 in charges racked up so far at Target, Safeway, Best Buy, and Giant.

More Maryland news:

• GOP Health Care Plan Would Cause Unnecessary Maryland Deaths: Analysis
• Shrimp & BBQ Fest, Dispatch, All American Bar Crawl: Maryland Weekend Events
• County Fairs In Maryland 2017: Events, Dates And More Information
• Maryland Ranks Among Worst States For Business Startups
• PG County Teen Reaches 2nd Round At Wimbledon
• Hyattsville Man Firebombed A House, Pleads Guilty
• Shady Side Shootings Ruled Murders, $10K Reward Offered
• Winners Of Bel Air's Independence Day Parade 2017

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