Outrage has erupted among health experts over news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still eager to fund a widely condemned vaccine trial that would expose newborns in Guinea-Bissau to hepatitis B, putting them at high risk of a lifelong infection, which can lead to liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and premature death.

The trial was suspended in January after its unethical design came to light and drew international outcry. Although the trial is still halted, staff of the CDC director's office told the agency's budget office in late September to set aside $1.6 million to fund the trial, according to a report by Rolling Stone. The money was to be pulled from funding for the CDC's global health security programs, which might otherwise go toward efforts like combating the Ebola outbreak currently raging in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, did not respond to a request for comment from Ars Technica.

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The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) has released its latest roundup of major projects and traffic alerts that could impact motorists across Maryland. All work is weather permitting.

In Baltimore County, motorists should continue to expect weekly lane, ramp and shoulder closures along I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between I-70 and MD 43 (White Marsh Boulevard). The closures are associated with the ongoing Transportation Systems Management and Operations project along the corridor.

Several additional traffic alerts have been issued across the state over the past week. In Anne Arundel County, a microsurfacing project is underway along a section of MD 173.

In Baltimore County, SHA is scheduled to patch pavement along MD 943 (Warren Road), MD 372 (Wilkens Avenue) and MD 25 (Falls Road). The work is expected to include overnight lane closures and flagging operations, with traffic impacts continuing through late December.

In Charles County, SHA is resurfacing a section of MD 225. On the Eastern Shore, a section of MD 707 (Grays Corner Road) in Worcester County is scheduled to close for resurfacing work beginning Monday. Motorists can expect delays in the area through Tuesday.

In Wicomico County, bridge patching repairs are scheduled to begin Sunday night on the US 50 Business (Salisbury Parkway) bridge. The work is expected to require nighttime single-lane closures over approximately three weeks.

Motorists traveling through affected areas are encouraged to allow additional travel time and remain alert for changing traffic patterns and work crews.

The latest update does not list a new Montgomery County traffic alert. Last week’s statewide update included the ongoing MD 390 (16th Street) bicycle and pedestrian project in Silver Spring, where a northbound lane closure began October 5 and is expected to remain in place for approximately nine months.

One of the innovators of what has become known as “Maryland-style pizza” is celebrating 71 years in business while continuing its expansion into Delaware.

Ledo Pizza, which traces its roots to Prince George’s County, marked its 71st anniversary with the opening of a new location at 47A Rehoboth Ave. in Rehoboth Beach. The restaurant is located just off the boardwalk.“From our first pizza in 1955 to bringing our square pies to the beach in 2026, we couldn’t have done it without generations of amazing customers,” the company said in announcing the opening.

The new Rehoboth Beach restaurant adds to Ledo Pizza’s presence along the Delaware coast. According to the company’s website, there is also a Ledo Pizza Corner Shoppe inside the Giant Food outside Rehoboth Beach, along with two locations serving the Ocean View, Bethany Beach and Millville area – one near Fred Hudson Rd and another inside Giant Food.

For many Marylanders, Ledo Pizza is more than just another pizza restaurant. The brand traces its roots to 1955, when the original Ledo Restaurant opened in Adelphi in Prince George’s County. The family-run establishment developed a loyal following for its rectangular pizzas, flaky, biscuity crust, sweet tomato sauce and smoked provolone cheese – a combination that has become closely associated with the region’s distinctive style of pizza.

The chain’s signature rectangular shape was also born out of practicality. When Ledo opened in 1955, round pizza pans were not as widely available as they are today, so the founders used rectangular pans instead. The shape became part of Ledo’s identity and remains one of its most recognizable features more than seven decades later.

Montgomery County Public Schools has the No. 1 public middle school in Maryland, with 10 MCPS schools appearing among the state’s top 25 in Niche’s 2027 Best Public Middle Schools in Maryland rankings. The top 25 in the state can be seen below.

Thomas W. Pyle Middle School earned the No. 1 ranking statewide, ahead of Mount View Middle School and Burleigh Manor Middle School, both in Howard County. MCPS also placed three schools consecutively in the top six, with Robert Frost Middle School at No. 4, Herbert Hoover Middle School at No. 5, and Cabin John Middle School at No. 6.

The full top 25 public middle schools in Maryland, according to Niche, are:

1. Thomas W. Pyle Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
2. Mount View Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
3. Burleigh Manor Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
4. Robert Frost Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
5. Herbert Hoover Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
6. Cabin John Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
7. Stephen Decatur Middle School – Worcester County Public Schools
8. Clarksville Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
9. Ellicott Mills Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
10. Lime Kiln Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
11. Folly Quarter Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
12. North Bethesda Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
13. Hallie Wells Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
14. Patapsco Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
15. Glenwood Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
16. Westland Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
17. Berlin Intermediate School – Worcester County Public Schools
18. Snow Hill Middle School – Worcester County Public Schools
19. Hammond Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
20. John H. Poole Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
21. Urbana Middle School – Frederick County Public Schools
22. Takoma Park Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools
23. Frederick Classical Charter School – Frederick County Public Schools
24. Dunloggin Middle School – Howard County Public Schools
25. Rosa M. Parks Middle School – Montgomery County Public Schools

Montgomery County schools accounted for 10 of the top 25 schools in Maryland, including four of the top six. The MCPS schools on the list are Pyle (No. 1), Frost (No. 4), Hoover (No. 5), Cabin John (No. 6), North Bethesda (No. 12), Hallie Wells (No. 13), Westland (No. 16), John H. Poole (No. 20), Takoma Park (No. 22), and Rosa M. Parks (No. 25).

Howard County had 10 schools in the top 25 as well, while Worcester County had three and Frederick County had two. All 25 schools received an overall Niche grade of A.

According to Niche, its 2027 Best Public Middle Schools ranking is based on an analysis of statistics and reviews from students and parents, using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, student-teacher ratios, student diversity, teacher quality, middle school ratings, and the overall quality of the school district. The full list can be seen here.

Always Ice Cream Company is targeting a late November opening for its new shop at Pike & Rose in North Bethesda.

The shop will be located at 11802 Rockville Pike, next to Chipotle and Visionworks, in the space formerly occupied by PetWellClinic. An exact opening date has not yet been announced.

Known for its small-batch ice cream, Always Ice Cream offers more than 200 rotating flavors, along with soft serve, handcrafted sundaes, old-fashioned milkshakes, root beer floats, ice cream cakes, vegan and dairy-free options, and seasonal specialty creations.

The Pike & Rose location will be the company’s ninth Maryland shop. Co-owners Adam and Mark Cohen previously said the opening holds special meaning because many of their family members live in the surrounding communities.

“Opening our newest location is a dream come true. As our ninth Maryland shop, we are thrilled to join the vibrant Pike & Rose neighborhood,” Adam Cohen said.

Always Ice Cream has earned numerous accolades, including being named the No. 1 ice cream shop in the country by Fodor’s Travel. The company has also received “Best Ice Cream” and “Best Dessert” awards from publications including What’s Up Magazine, the Capital Gazette, the Baltimore Sun, and Severna Park Voice.