Man Hugs Shark, Explosion Victims IDed, MD Swimmer Released in Brazil: News Nearby

Patch has community sites across Maryland. Here are some of the top posts from the past 24 hours.

• Natural Gas Blast Led to Apartment Fire, 3 Bodies Identified
• Lochte Apologizes for Behavior, 2 Teammates Leave Brazil, 3rd Fined $11K
• Maryland Weekend Weather: Sticky, Stormy, Then Cooler Next Week

Bel Air Fisherman Hugs Live Shark After Catching It: VIDEO

A Maryland fisherman has made waves online with a video of his catch. Zane Rutt, 21, of Bel Air, caught a shark, picked it up out of the water, released it and picked it up again for a photo op. His friend captured it on video, which Rutt posted Aug. 8 to Instagram.

Since then, more than 34,000 people have viewed the video, and the reaction has not always been positive. >>> Read more.

Gold Medalist Katie Ledecky Looks Ahead to Stanford, Getting Driver's License

Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky returned home to Montgomery County on Wednesday to a huge crowd of loved ones, fans and well-wishers on Wednesday at Dulles Airport.

Ledecky, 19, is a native of Bethesda. She won four gold medals and one silver medal in swimming in Rio, and is a nine-time world champion overall. >>> Read more.

• Rockville Native Helen Maroulis First American Woman to Win Gold in Wrestling
• Playground Arson Burns Up $100K in City-Owned Equipment, Reward Offered
• Prince George's County Man Drowns in Potomac River
• Train, Andy Grammer to Play at Merriweather Post Pavilion

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• Police Investigating Series of Car Fires in Rockville Neighborhood
• When to Stop For a School Bus: Montgomery Camera Program Expands
• Washington Monument Closure Extended 10 Days or More
• Swimming, Water Off Limits at Camp Wabanna in Edgewater

»Photo: Zane Rutt is involved with ocsharkhunter, a catch-and-release shark fishing page on Instagram, where he posted his most recent shark video. Screenshot from Instagram video used with permission of Zane Rutt.