This story is republished with permission from The Business Monthly serving Howard and Anne Arundel counties.

By George Berkheimer

The Business Monthly

Hundreds of federal workers from throughout the central Maryland region crammed the Smith Theater at Howard Community College on Feb. 4, invited there by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball to discuss uncertainty regarding their jobs and financial security in the wake of an unprecedented and allegedly unlawful buyout offered by the Trump administration.

Most of the speakers did not give their names, and the vast majority did not identify the office or agency which employed them. The comments expressed by 28 of the evening’s anonymous speakers follow below, edited for brevity.

“I have a suggestion: create some kind of liaison that could match federal employees’ job descriptions to open positions within the county, because my job is not going to translate 100% to a county position. For the representatives, we feel alone. We are not being supported. A video is not saving my job.”

“Within the last hour, all of the USAID employees have been put on administrative leave. In effect, USAID has been dissolved, and if you think this is the only agency that’s going to be dissolved, representing less than 1% of the U.S. government total budget, we are in for a huge surprise.”

“There needs to be some sort of recovery, some fix for everybody who has lost their jobs or taken this game show offer that’s been put in front of us because it’s coercion. In essence, if you sign this, you waive your right to whatever. It’s not right, people who are going to take it are people that don’t trust their future anymore.”

“To me, it looks like a test case for what can be done to other agencies. We are looking at thousands and thousands of layoffs and it’s not just USAID, not just the agencies in our government, [this action will extend to] normal Americans who also wanted to do good things, they are going to experience additional layoffs because of what’s happening here. I think there’s a misperception that USAID serves [those who are] not the American people, but I would say that is exactly what we do. USAID is intended to prevent threats from reaching American shores. We track viruses. We give vaccines. We stop spreads of outbreaks like Ebola, like bird flu. We work on humanitarian crises … and create goodwill around the world so that more countries want to work and partner with us, and their adversaries won’t be able to step into those gaps. Right now we’re opening up a lot of gaps, and there’s a lot of potential for our adversaries to step in and take a bigger stage.”

“It’s unconscionable that an entire agency is dissolved overnight and all those people are now unemployed. Now you have to think about the effect on housing, on food. What, if anything, is the county going to do in order to avoid increased homelessness? What is the county going to do to help people during this transition seeking employment other places, and what if anything can be done to ensure that we retain our federal careers that we’ve dedicated ourselves to, to provide for ourselves and our family and ensure that the public remains safe? I have a heightened level of anxiety. I was in 9/11 in New York, and I feel like I did when I made it home that day.”

“I’m going to beg all of you to get better at messaging. This is a national security issue, why isn’t that on the front page or the NBC Nightly News? If we don’t provide this aid to countries, China will step in and provide it for us, and they will ask them for a base in that country in return for that aid. We need to hire PR firms. We need to hire Hollywood writers. We need to get better at messaging.”

“I reached the minimum age for retirement, and this is what I am probably going to end up doing because none of us trusts this administration and their buyout. I’m still up against some problems, I can’t take anything out of my Thrift Savings Plan until I reach the age of 59 and a half. I need that money right now, and it’s locked up for another year and a half. If there were some way that law could be amended, we need that. I have a nice home, but I pay $7,000 a year in property taxes. Is there any way the county would consider giving those of us who are in this situation some kind of a break on that? I’m thinking about moving to Delaware where it’s cheaper. I’m not wild about it, but I’ll do it if I have to, for my own financial security. How do we know where all of this is going to end? Donald Trump and Elon Musk … could target the clergy next, people who are whatever they don’t like. We are living in a world like North Korea, like it or not, you don’t know what’s going to get into their minds. How do we live in a society like that, where we have to be so afraid?”

“I recently got into the federal space, just five months in, and it’s devastating. I quit my good job in the private sector because I thought I would have some kind of job security and insurance. One of my family members is not very well and needs surgery in the next couple of months. I’ve been crying and thinking about so many things like how will I pay my mortgage, how will I maintain health insurance. At this point I have to resign because I need the insurance and the job, so it will at least cover me until September, but I’m on probation and I have no idea if I’m eligible to resign and still get the benefits until the end of September, nobody at the agency is helping with that or giving me answers. I just want to work again and have a salary and health insurance until end of September and after that find another job.”

“Today they sent us letters saying, actually, we can neither confirm nor deny that you are still employed, so that’s hilarious. Some talking points you can use, 60 to 70 cents on the dollar of USAID spending actually comes back to American companies. Let’s make sure people hear that, because maybe those who were voting for this administration don’t necessarily know that, they think that money moves offshore. We’re about to have about 60 countries worth of expatriates from USAID repatriated by this Saturday. The administration is asking all our foreign service officers to come back. They will be bringing them back to the DC region, which means Maryland will be impacted. [These workers] have no families here, no homes. They live and work in the countries that they are posted to. So will the federal government support them so that the state and local governments don’t have to take that burden? Third, we get security briefings every morning. About two weeks ago those briefings were maybe one to two pages. This past week, they have been seven pages plus. There are things that are brewing out in the world that will be coming here. Will there be any tax relief for anyone who’s affected?”

“We received our admin leave letters with less than 30 minutes to be able to reply to it. They requested for us to send our personal email to them, and then we have no longer access to our [government] emails. I don’t know how we’re supposed to do that, especially when that was done after work hours.”

“We have been trying to keep in touch with federal employment lawyers to get some of these questions answered, but they are obviously busy, and a lot of the questions, I’m assuming, are very repetitive. If you can make any sort of resource available for the federal employment lawyers, specific questions or things that apply more generally across the board, and if that could be available tomorrow, I think that would help a lot of people make a much more informed decision and give us a little more understanding about the situation that we’re in.

“This is not just happening to USAID, but also the Department of State, there’s significant foreign assistance funds. All the contractors received stop orders, they have stopped working. And for federal employees like us, we were asked to provide our last performance review and our date of entry. It sounds alarming. What do they plan to do with that information? We are working on the prevention of trafficking in persons, prevention of conflicts in the world. This is very important work that we’re doing for the American people. I was not born in the U.S., and seeing the amount of illegal things that are happening right now is really scary and brings back memories of growing up in places with dictatorship. I want to urge you to treat it as the national emergency that this is because they are starting right now with civil servants. It started with USAID, and they will continue with the Department of State. They will continue with the Department of Education. This whole country will collapse. We are at a critical moment where we need you to put everything forward right now.”

“I have a child who is an elementary school student in a Title I school. Title I is taken care of this year, but I am concerned for the following year. I have [another] child with special needs who is getting extra care through the state, I don’t know if some of those funds intertwine with federal grants.”

“I hope that everyone who’s representing someone here from the government thinks it’s real now. This is a big deal. This has been a flood of things, it’s been overwhelming. And now that we’re hearing about the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) getting access to federal payment systems and OPM information, how much danger are we in with regard to our identities? I remember when the OPM had the breach from the Chinese. Remember how weird taxes got that year? You guys gotta step in and step up.”

“The defunding of Department of Education that’s coming, that they’re talking about, is really scary for parents here in our county. A lot of us are trying to figure out how to deal with our multiple children and still be able to face these challenges day in and day out.”

“I want strong people [fighting for me]. Maryland has such a huge population of federal workers, we need to be a very, very loud voice, because we are going to be deeply impacted. I work for Indian Country, and with the ICE raids that are currently happening, they’re targeting Native Americans. That isn’t our land, and that is ridiculous. We need strong people in federal government, and state government, for Maryland county government to stand up, speak up and raise their voice for us. Tell us what we need to do if we need to organize. Put contact numbers for our various representatives on [the County government] website and we will gladly flood those phone lines.”

“Communication seems to be what we need to do. This administration responds to poll numbers. The quick messaging that we could see on social media, on podcasts, I’ve seen none of it. This isn’t just federal workers, this is an assault on our democratic process, and I think that message needs to be seen a lot.”

“Federal workers are being required to go back to the office five days a week. MARC just shortened commuter lines two weeks ago, they took away a large number of buses on the routes, they’re coming more infrequently. It’s extending the workday [for commuters] by hours. It’s also a question of having actual physical space to work in their department. Some workers are hoteling. How can they be supported practically?”

“We’d like more vocalization to see our Maryland representatives our there on the news telling people do not take this resignation, call your union rep if you have one, or join the union. They have your back and we’re there for you.”

“The first emails said you’re all eligible for deferred resignation, then later they said no, we’re going to exclude people who work front line, the public-facing people. The problem is that those who are not public facing do things like updating systems that public-facing people use to process cases and help the public. I imagine this is probably happening in other agencies, excluding public-facing people so the public doesn’t cry out too much.”

“[Elon] Musk should probably be arrested. I am not allowed to install a thumb drive into a computer, but he attached a server and exported a bunch of personal information about a whole lot of people. Who knows what he’s doing with that stuff and how he might hold it over our heads? Resign, or else I will give all of your personal information to the Dark Web. And I wonder about what happens if you don’t take the resign offer. Is there some avenue for getting a class-action suit going for unlawful termination?”

“For some of us, this is also about personal security [in addition to job security]. This afternoon, some group released a DEI watch list for a series of agencies … that included names and photographs of individual federal employees. I need you to understand that there are people in this state, in your districts, in this county, who are on that list, and we are worried about whether or not we are safe, whether or not our children are safe in their beds tonight. One of the things we need is resources for where people can call if they are on that list and they are concerned. You have a lot of health care related agencies here and a lot of [those employees] are worried about physical personal safety tonight.”

“I’m a wealth manager, and I represent a fair amount of federal employees. What I hear tonight is so much worse than I ever could have imagined – [the] insult that you can go to the private sector and do something more productive, you have potentially an opportunity to receive income through September but it’s only funded through March, you’re not actually quitting, it’s so big and so ridiculous the way it’s written, this is obviously a dismantling of the federal government. The danger is now. People are being asked to make a decision in the next 48 hours, if they don’t make it they don’t know what the future will hold, and if they do make it they’re talking about legal recourse and a class-action suit in the future. Who’s going to hear that class action suit? Our redefined Supreme Court? I just have to know that there is some legal process, something that would suggest that we can take some action now, the equivalent to a cease and desist. At what level is that decided, and who do we communicate with immediately so we can take action tomorrow? I also am concerned that it’s not in the media. You guys hear it because you’re in the middle of it. If I talk to my neighbors, if they’re not federal government, they have no clue.”

“I’m not a federal employee, but I have worked in international development. My company is Maryland-based and has furloughed or laid off, at this point, about 75% of our staff. I am one of the lucky ones, I was furloughed last Thursday, my colleagues are being laid off. I am not at all confident that my company can survive this. I’m not at all confident that I will get my job back. I don’t know how we’re going to pay for our mortgage. It is estimated that because of the dismantling of USAID, 52,000 American jobs will be lost in 39 states, and rising. I know I can pivot to another industry, but so do the 52,000 other people in my situation and I don’t think the workforce can absorb all of us.”

“I don’t think all these people who voted the way they did were voting for Elon Musk and they weren’t voting for what’s happening now. If they were made aware of what is actually happening to their personal information and their benefits and their rights and all of the things that they are due as citizens of the United States, they would align with us, unite with us, and understand where we’re coming from and fight for us. We’re voting in these nominees that aren’t qualified, people who are doing things and getting confirmed for positions, and if I did that, I would lose my job yesterday.”

“I was one of the military people that got all of my information leaked at OPM, my social security number, my personal email, my work email, my affiliation, my security clearance, all of that. I never thought that I would see it again done from our own government. It is disgusting. This is people’s personal information, the things you need in order to get a passport or get a loan or qualify for your benefits. These people have our information for our payment. They have our information for our identities. I would never have thought that I would survive to see something that was considered an unprecedented data leak happening now. It’s disgusting, and the messaging needs to change, and it needs to be driven home that this is our lives on the line.”

“Our offer expires at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s going to happen at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, that’s when we can probably expect to see the next wave of administrative leave happen. One of my worst fears is that as the Department of Health and Human Services is disassembled … the state and local government are going to have to step in to fulfill the obligations to public health. You need to be thinking about that and planning for that when [HHS] is not here to provide that support to our residents, because public health touches everyone in our community.”

“My colleagues should not feel inferior or intimidated. Be sure that you print out your Standard Form 50, all of your pertinent information in your electronic personnel file, it may disappear at any moment, it may be scrubbed, you may not find this documentation later. If you have access to it, do it now.”

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Diana Waterman, who chaired the Maryland Republican Party during its most successful election a decade ago, died Oct. 17 after losing a long fight with cancer. She was 63.

“Under her leadership, the 2014 election saw historic victories for Republicans,” recalled former delegate Joe Cluster, whom she hired as executive director of the state party. “Larry Hogan was elected governor, two additional Republicans were elected to the state Senate, seven to the House of Delegates, and over 50 Republicans won local offices,” including county executives in Anner Arundel and Howard counties.

‘It was one of the most successful elections for the GOP in modern Maryland history,” Cluster said in a letter to The Sun. That election brought the largest number of elected Republicans at the State House.

When Waterman took over as chair of the party in February 2013, the party was in financial straits, with $150,000 in debt and just $10,000 in cash. By the end of her tenure in 2017, the party had $250,000 in cash and no debt.

“Diana was a force in Maryland politics and an indomitable woman,” said the Maryland Republican Party on X. “She rebuilt our organization and lead us to historic election victories in 2014. In her time as president of the Maryland Federation of Republican Women, she served as a mentor to countless conservatives who will be the next generation of Maryland Republican leaders.”

Her early death brought sadness and praise from many Republicans, who called her “an unflappable leader” and “a trailblazer.”

“When you think of political powerhouses in Maryland, you can’t not think of Diana Waterman, but she wasn’t typical,” said Kelly Schulz, a former cabinet secretary in the Hogan administration. “She was an amazing human who built a reputation for strong ethics and integrity. She had a mission that she took very seriously and succeeded in being the calm, sensible voice in the room. She was the best kind of friend – honest and strong!”

Diana was the chief financial officer for Waterman Realty on Kent Island. She grew up in Virginia Beach. She met her husband, Barry, while getting her bachelor’s degree in math and physics at Sweet Briar College in Amherst, Virginia. They were married in 1985 and have two children – Kevin and Caty.
Together they grew the real estate company started by Barry’s father.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 2-4 and 6-8 at the Fellows, Helfenbein & Newman funeral home in Centreville. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. at Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church in Centreville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Diana Waterman Scholarship Fund. The fund will offer an annual scholarship to a college bound young woman from Queen Anne’s County planning to study political science, with the intent to bring people together for the greater good.
The address is the Diana Waterman Scholarship, c/o Chesapeake Charities, 101 Log Canoe Circle, Ste O, Stevensville, MD? 21666
[https://ccharities.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=2155]

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MD DEMS SAY HOGAN’S WORDS ON TRUMP DON’T MATCH RECORD: Former Gov. Larry Hogan paints himself as one of a few Republicans who never backed down to ex-President Donald Trump, but the Democratic attorney general who served during Hogan’s two terms disagrees. Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.

NEW WATCHDOG FOR PG CO SCHOOLS: Prince George’s County Public Schools has a new office of Integrity and Compliance. But while school offices are in Upper Marlboro, the new I&C officer Frank Turner’s office is in Largo, an indication of the independence he intends to show as he digs into waste, fraud and abuse within a school system that’s been plagued by scandals and corruption. John Domen/WTOP. 

POLITICAL REFORM GROUP REPORT CARD ON CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION: Seven members of Maryland’s congressional delegation received perfect scores from Common Cause, the national political reform organization, for their votes during the 118th Congress. U.S. Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st), took the “wrong” position, in Common Cause’s view, on all 13 House measures that the organization scored during this Congress. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

18-year-olds READY TO CAST A VOTE: Nearly two-thirds of Maryland’s roughly 78,000 18-year-old residents are registered to vote, according to data published Tuesday from the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement at the University of Maryland, College Park, outpacing registration rates in battleground states and providing a potentially decisive group of new voters. Hallie Miller/The Baltimore Banner. 

FROSTBURG LOST $680,000 ON ABANDONED FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM: Frostburg State University officials did not comply with procurement policies and procedures when they acquired a new financial aid system, then walked away from the system resulting in a net loss of $680,00, according to a state audit released Monday. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters. 

NONPROFIT SECOND CHANCE HAS NEW LAWSUIT: Baltimore’s architectural salvage store Second Chance, its founder and its subcontractors have committed wage theft against dozens of workers, a new federal lawsuit alleges. Lillian Reed/The Baltimore Banner. 

WORKERS AND WORKPLACE PLAN IN FREDERICK: Outreach meetings for a new planning initiative that will focus on commercial and employment hubs in Frederick County are scheduled to begin this week. Earlier this year, the Livable Frederick Planning & Design Office and the Frederick County Division of Economic Opportunity started gathering information to inform the Investing in Workers and Workplaces Plan. Ceoli Jacoby/Frederick News Post.

BALTIMORE SETTLES OPIOID CASE: The city of Baltimore settled its case with Johnson & Johnson over claims that the company fraudulently and recklessly marketed opioids. The settlement comes on the day that the case was supposed to go to trial. The details of the settlement have not yet been released.Scott Maucione/WYPR.

• Baltimore settled with Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals that the city accused of aggressively marketing the drugs and pumping them into pharmacies here. Alex Mann/The Baltimore Sun. 

PAYING FOR PIMLICO PROJECT STILL A CONCERN: Questions were raised anew Monday about the ability of lottery funds to cover costs for the planned renovation of Pimlico Racetrack, which will be competing for funding with several other Maryland Stadium Authority projects. Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.

STATE HEARING SET FOR SYKESVILLE SOLAR FARM PROPOSAL: The Maryland Public Service Commission will hold a public hearing next week on a proposal to build a solar facility on farmland in Sykesville. Spring Valley Solar 1 LLC intends to build a 2.25-megawatt solar farm on 14 acres of an 80-acre property. Sherry Greenfield/Carroll County Times. 

BROWN TAPS ANOTHER MUSLIM MEMBER FOR HATE CRIME PANEL: Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) on Monday nominated Adileh Sharieff to the Maryland Commission on Hate Crime Response and Prevention, the latest chapter in the controversy over the makeup of the panel in the wake of the war in Gaza. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

LANTERNFLY HERE UNTIL FIRST FREEZE: Maryland residents are dealing with an increasing number of invasive lanternflies, which experts say will persist until the first freeze. “They get on my nerves like you can’t even believe,” said Jake Boone, a resident. Jessica Boyles, the coordinator for the Spotted Lanternfly Program at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, reports a rise in lanternfly populations. Lisa Robinson/WBAL-TV. 

HARBORPLACE REDEVELOPMENT OFF THE BALLOT: Critics of a ballot question needed for a waterfront apartment project to be built at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Park were ecstatic today when a judge invalidated it, saying that the question violates the Maryland Constitution and that its wording is unclear. Fern Shen/Baltimore Brew. 

IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE SAYS MO CO OFFICIALS: With the Nov. 5 general election less than two months away, Montgomery County Board of Elections officials say it’s not too early to make a plan to vote. Voters who intend to vote by mail and request their ballots by Sept. 23 will receive ballots as part of the first batch to be sent out, elections director Boris Brajkovic said during Monday’s board meeting. Voters can request mail-in ballots until Oct. 29 and web-delivered ballots until Nov. 1. Ginny Bixby/MoCo 360. 

GRANT FUNDING TO BE USED FOR PUBLIC HOUSING, NOT PRIVATE LANDLORDS: The Annapolis City Council is considering a resolution that would take a $500,000 grant that was to go to private landlords and use it to rehabilitate some public housing instead. If passed, the resolution would give the money to the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, which has been experiencing a multiyear financial crisis due to unpaid rent. Megan Loock/The Baltimore Sun. 

SYRINGES, HYGIENE PRODUCTS AMONG MEDICAL WASTE ON MD BEACHES: Public officials said Monday that medical waste and debris continued to wash ashore on the state’s beaches, though less than the amount that led authorities from Maryland, as well as Delaware and Virginia, to close beaches to swimming and wading on Sunday. Meredith Cohn/The Baltimore Banner. 

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MOORE RAISING BIG BUCKS TO DEFEAT HOGAN: Gov. Wes Moore, waging a “war” on behalf of Democrat Angela Alsobrooks’ U.S. Senate bid, is raising funds for a new super PAC focused on defeating her opponent, Republican Larry Hogan, whom Moore succeeded as governor. Moore’s involvement with the PAC underscores the significant extent to which he has tied himself to the campaign of Alsobrooks, 53, the Prince George’s County executive. Jeff Barker/Baltimore Sun

PROGRESSIVE MD. RUNS AGGRESSIVE ALSOBROOKS CAMPAIGN: A year ago, the annual dinner of the group Progressive Maryland turned into an impromptu pep rally for U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-8th), who was the keynote speaker. Raskin had already said he wasn’t going to run for Senate in 2024, but many of the activists at the dinner tried to persuade him to change his mind, with chants of “Run, Jamie, Run!” Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

NEW SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE AT JOPPATOWNE HS: Joppatowne High School reopened Thursday for the first time since Friday’s school shooting that resulted in the death of 15-year-old Warren Grant. The first day back was a difficult one for many students. Tenth and 12th-grade students returned to new safety measures in place amid a call for more. Kate Amara/ WBAL-TV News. 

• About half of the student body returned to Joppatowne High School on Thursday, with a shortened school day and increased security measures, following a fatal shooting there on Sept. 6. Tony Roberts and Matt Hubbard/The Baltimore Sun.

LOOSE CABLE COULD HAVE TRIGGERED BLACKOUT BEFORE KEY BRIDGE DESTRUCTION:  Engineers examining the Dali found a loose electric cable that could have triggered the blackout preceding the destruction of the Key Bridge. Dillon Mullan/The Baltimore Sun.

MD RENTERS COST BURDEN ROSE IN 2023: There were 21 states where a majority of tenant households spent 30% or more of their incomes on rent and utilities last year, compared with just seven states in 2019. The percentage of “cost-burdened” renters in Maryland rose from 49.9% in 2019 to 53.3% in 2023, the ninth-highest share among states for that year, the census numbers show. Tim Henderson/Maryland Matters.

COVID GLOVE FACTORY MADE NO GLOVES, DIDN’T PAY RENT IN B’MORE CO: The landlord of a federally subsidized Baltimore County glove factory that never opened is trying to recoup $1.3 million, according to recent court filings. Tradepoint Atlantic filed a lien against United Safety Technology last month, court records show. It followed up with a complaint alleging the proposed glove manufacturer has not been paying rent. Giacomo Bologna/The Baltimore Banner. 

PERRYMAN HORSE FACILITY DEVELOPERS MAY PULL PLAN: Developers of a proposed horse training facility in Perryman are threatening to pull out of the project if Harford County leadership does not amend the zoning code to allow for an additional 800,000 square-foot freight terminal. The site of the project — owned by the Mitchell Company — is on the Perryman Peninsula and is zoned light industrial. Matt Hubbard/The Baltimore Sun.

VAN HOLLEN JOINS ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS ON POLLUTERS PAYING FOR CLIMATE DAMAGE: Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen joined other lawmakers and environmental organizations Thursday to introduce legislation that would hold the nation’s largest polluters financially responsible for the costs of the climate crisis. Andrea Duran and Mennatalla Ibrahim/Capital News Service.

MCPS TEST SCORES SHOW MARGINAL GAINS: Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students scored higher than the state average on annual standardized tests, but the district’s data showed marginal improvements in reading and math proficiencies and decreases in science, according to scores from the spring testing. Ashlyn Campbell/MoCo360.

BROWN, OTHERS AGS WANT SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING LABEL ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joined a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in a letter urging Congress to require warning labels on social media sites, saying that the addictive nature of endless scrolling and content algorithms pose mental health risks to adolescents. Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.

SUN REPORTER FIRED FOR QUESTIONING NEWS COVERAGE: Baltimore Sun management fired federal courts reporter Madeleine O’Neill on Monday, citing comments she made internally criticizing management’s approach to news coverage under its new owners. Fern Shen/Baltimore Brew.

$1.5 MILLION FROM ORIOLES OWNER TO JEWISH MUSEUM OF MARYLAND: Orioles owner David Rubenstein announced Thursday a $1.5 million donation to the Jewish Museum of Maryland in Baltimore, aimed at helping the museum complete significant renovations. Penelope Blackwell/The Baltimore Banner. 

BALTIMORE LOSES MILLIONS IN MD TRANSIT BUDGET: State officials will visit with leaders and the public in Baltimore City and Maryland’s 23 counties to field questions and solicit feedback on the roughly $19 billion Consolidated Transportation Program, a roadmap for capital spending through fiscal year 2030. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.

$16M IN GRANTS FOR MD BIKE, PEDESTRIAN INFRASTRUCTURE: Maryland is set to receive $16 million in grants which will be used for bicycle, pedestrian and trail projects across the state, Gov. Wes Moore announced Thursday. Jeanne Tyler Moodee Lockman/WBFF -TV News.

TWO BALTIMORE NAACP LEADERS SUSPENDED BY NATIONAL NAACP: Two top local leaders have been suspended by the national NAACP, one of the nation’s most storied civil rights organizations. Rev. Kobi Little, the president of the Baltimore NAACP who also leads the NAACP Maryland State Conference, and Joshua Harris, vice president of the Baltimore NAACP and treasurer for the NAACP Maryland State Conference, were both suspended this week by the national organization. John-John Williams IV/The Baltimore Banner. 

HOPKINS VIOLATED ADA DURING PANDEMIC SAYS FEDS: The U.S. Justice Department filed a complaint Thursday alleging Johns Hopkins Health System violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it denied people with dementia, hearing issues and other disabilities assistance from a family member or aide during a hospital visit. Meredith Cohn/The Baltimore Banner. 

RESIDENTS WANT B’MORE COUNCIL TO SLOW AMTRAK’S TUNNEL PROJECT: Buildings have been demolished, the design for a new train station has been released — Amtrak’s future Frederick Douglass Tunnel project is already making West Baltimore look different. But residents are urging city leaders to do what they can to pump the brakes on it until a civil rights investigation plays out. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.

OSPREY STARVATION SPURS RENEWED DEBATE ON FISH HARVEST: The Owl Moon Raptor Center in Boyds in Montgomery County usually takes in about 50 ospreys a year for a mix of reasons, such as fishing line entanglements. But this year more than 80 of the birds were admitted, most of them young and battling starvation. Christine Condon/The Baltimore Sun. 

FIREARMS CONTINUE AS LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS: For the third straight year gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions. The report found that 2,526 children died from firearms through accidents, homicide or suicide. Scott Maucione/WYPR.

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GOV. MOORE ON THE BRONZE STAR HE NEVER RECEIVED: When Wes Moore ran for governor of Maryland in 2022, questions about whether he had claimed to have been awarded a Bronze Star for his Army service in Afghanistan hovered over his campaign. Reid J. Epstein/The New York Times. 

• Gov. Wes Moore claimed in a 2006 document that he earned a Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan,  a medal that he never received, according to a report Thursday in The New York Times. Danielle J. Brown and William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.
• Gov. Wes Moore responded to a report from The New York Times on Thursday regarding his military record and the Bronze Star Medal he never received. Moore made the claim that he received the medal on an application for a White House fellowship in 2006, according to a copy of the document obtained by The New York Times. WBAL- News Radio

‘FOREVER CHEMICALS’ FOUND IN 34 SCHOOL WATER FOUNTAINS: Bottled water has become a familiar sight in some schools in Maryland, where officials have found the drinking water tainted with lead, known to cause brain damage in children. Meredith Cohn/Baltimore Banner

CONTRACT AWARDED FOR KEY BRIDGE REPLACEMENT: Construction firm Kiewit is now responsible for designing the future replacement of the Francis Scott Key Bridge alongside the state’s transportation department, making the firm a key player in the years-long rebuild after one of the most impactful Maryland tragedies in decades. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner. 

B’MORE TAX CUT, BABY BONUS BALLOT QUESTIONS VIOLATED STATE CONSTITUTION: Two proposed ballot questions, one that would reduce Baltimore’s taxes and another that would offer payments to new city parents, were struck down Thursday by Maryland’s highest court, which found in separate rulings that both violated the state constitution. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Sun.

NEW RESCUE BOAT NEEDED FOR KEY BRIDGE RESPONSE: A volunteer fire department in Baltimore County says it needs $1.2 million for a new boat so it can continue responding to emergencies along the Chesapeake Bay. Kelsey Kushner/WJZ-TV News. 

STATE AND PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION PARTNER ON MATH AND TUTORING: The state and a private nonprofit are jointly investing $20 million to fund tutoring and math programs in schools in Baltimore City and Charles and Baltimore counties, the organizations announced Thursday. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.

B’MORE TO GET HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS FROM OPIOD LITIGATION: Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott outlined plans Thursday morning — including the creation of an advisory board and two new leadership roles in his office — for how the city will manage and determine how to spend money received from settlements with major opioid manufacturers and distributors. Angela Roberts/The Baltimore Sun. 

• Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is setting up a robust governance structure to decide how the city will allocate the nearly quarter of a billion dollars it received in opioid settlements and hundreds of millions more that it will likely reap from further settlements. Scott Maucione/WYPR-FM.

DATA CENTER CONFERENCE CAUGHT UP IN POWER LINE CONTROVERSY: Dozens of noisy protesters greeted the business leaders, elected officials, union members and other interested parties who were gathered at Frederick Community College Thursday for a conference on data centers in Maryland. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

CURTIS BAY COAL PIERS OPERATION TO CONTINUE WITH TENTATIVE PERMIT: The Maryland Department of the Environment has issued a draft of a permit that would allow CSX Transportation to continue operating a controversial coal terminal in Curtis Bay — but only if the railway giant agrees to make changes to the site that would reduce the amount of coal dust it generates. Jonathan M. Pitts/The Baltimore Sun. 

NOW EIGHT LISTERIA CASES IN MD: You may want to think twice before unwrapping that deli meat in your fridge. A nationwide listeria outbreak is impacting Maryland with eight reported cases, according to the CDC. The CDC is advising families to not eat Boar’s Head products after they were contaminated with listeria. Alexus Davila/WJZ- TV NEWS.

ENROLLMENT DECLINES IN B’MORE WHILE SALARIES STAY HEFTY: Student enrollment in Baltimore City is steadily declining, but the school system is hiring more administrators who earn six-figure salaries. Chris Papst/FOX45 News.

HARFORD SCHOOL SYSTEM SEEKS COUNTY FUNDS FOR CONTAMINATED WELLS: Part of Harford County Public Schools’ upcoming capital budget request to the county will include money for remediation of PFAS-contaminated school wells. Most of Harford County’s public schools are supplied water from their wells.  Matt Hubbard/The Aegis.

MCPS TO TRACK SERIOUS INCIDENT REPORTING: Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is looking to evaluate how serious incidents are reported after only 130 fights were reported in the 2023-2024 school year–a decrease from the year before but a number that doesn’t encompass all fights, according to MCPS staff. Ashlyn Campbell/MoCo360.

CATONSVILLE LIBRARY REOPENS AFTER $7 MILLION IMPROVEMENTS: After a year and a half of anticipation, Catonsville residents got their first glimpse of the newly renovated public library on Wednesday. The $7 m/illion renovation features dedicated children and teen spaces and the library’s first recording booths. The remodeled facility also has new sprinkler and electrical systems. Wambui Kamau/WYPR-FM. 

BOTCHED FAFSA FORM SNARLED COLLEGE ENROLLMENT PLANS: After a long summer of technical glitches, most of America’s prospective college students finally applied for federal financial aid — an annual process upended by a redesign-gone-bad . The number of high school seniors who have completed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid is down 9% compared with this time last year, according to the National College Attainment Network. Associated Press/ WBAL- News Radio. 

BWI AIRPORT IS SECOND LEAST RELIABLE IN THE COUNTRY: A recent review of federal transportation data by an analytics company found that BWI had a higher rate of delayed flights than almost any other airport in the country, behind only Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida. Giacomo Bologna/The Baltimore Banner. 

The post GOV. MOORE RESPONSE TO NO BRONZE Star; KEY BRIDGE CONTRACTOR AWARDED; HIGH COURT SAYS NO TO B’MORE TAX CUT, BABY BONUS; CONTAMINATED WELLS IN HARFORD CO.; CONTAMINATED WATER IN 34 MD SCHOOLS. appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

In the race to replace Sen. Ben Cardin in the U.S. Senate, former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks are tied in a dead heat, 46% – 46%, with 8% of voters undecided, according to a poll released Tuesday by AARP, the senior citizen lobby.

Among the key 50+ voter demographic, which has higher turnout than younger voters. Hogan has a slim 47% – 45% lead over Alsobrooks.

In the presidential race in Maryland, as expected, Vice President Kamala Harris beats former President Donald Trump by 30 percentage point, 59% to 29%.

The poll of 600 likely voters statewide, plus an oversample of older voters, was conducted Aug. 14-20. It has a margin of error of 4%.

The poll was done by the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) & Impact Research (D). Here is a link to the full results of the poll.

Overall, 20% of Maryland voters and 16% of 50+ voters are independents. Independents give Hogan a 23-point lead in the Senate race, but also favor Harris by 14 points in the presidential race.

Among older voters, 16% are swing voters – voters who split their votes among candidates of both parties.

Among swing voters, economic issues lead the way, with personal economic issues like inflation, Social Security, jobs and taxes being the top issues they care about.

Swing voters are more likely to be family caregivers: one-third of swing voters 50+ are family caregivers. To these important swing voters, issues like Social Security and Medicare price negotiation stand out as disproportionately important.

Views on Senate candidates

Both Senate candidates have stronger images among voters 50+ than among voters 18-49. A majority of voters in each demographic group regardless of age, party, gender, race, and education have a favorable image of Hogan.

He is remarkably not polarized on his image with only a +35 rating (favorable compared to unfavorable) with his fellow Republicans but managing a +28 rating with Democrats.

One negative sign for Hogan is the only group who view him unfavorably are the Senate undecideds, among whom Alsobrooks is largely unknown. Alsobrooks is best known among her fellow Democrats, with a majority of Independents not holding an opinion of her.

The pollsters interviewed 1,258 likely voters, which includes a statewide representative sample of 600 likely voters, an oversample of 482 likely voters aged 50 and older, and an additional oversample of 176 Black likely voters age 50 and older.

The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on landline (25%) and cellphone (35%), as well as SMS-to-web (40%). The sample was randomly drawn from the Maryland voter list.

The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 600 statewide sample is ±4.0%; for the 800 total sample of voters 50+ is ±3.5%; for the 400 total sample of Black voters 50+ is ±4.9%.

The post In Senate race, Hogan and Alsobrooks are tied in dead heat, poll finds appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

BIDEN, HARRIS IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY: President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, touting their efforts to lower prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients, hosted their first joint appearance since Biden ended his reelection bid, a policy event that quickly took on the tone and feel of a campaign rally.Yasmeen Abutaleb and Cleve R. Wootson Jr./The Washington Post

• Five takeaways from Biden, Harris visit. They picked Prince George’s County for their first public appearance together since the president ended his re-election bid. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
• Here’s C-Span’s full coverage of the event in Prince George’s County .

MPOX DECLARED GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY: The World Health Organization this week declared mpox a global health emergency. While Maryland health officials encourage people to remain vigilant, they have not issued health advisories related to the virus. Maryland reported its last positive case of mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, about a month ago. Penelope Blackwell/The Baltimore Banner.

SEVEN-ROUTE FERRY SYSTEM COULD BOLSTER TOURISM:  A ferry system connecting communities along the Chesapeake Bay is feasible, according to a new study released by a consortium championing the idea. The release of the study Thursday is the next step in an effort that began in 2022.. Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CONSIDER AI FOR CYBER SECURITY: As state and local governments grapple with a shifting digital and computer landscape in the form of artificial intelligence, counties have an “obligation” to learn how to incorporate artificial intelligence into cybersecurity efforts, officials said. Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.

TRACKING WHERE AND WHEN BIG SHIPS HAVE TROUBLE IN MD WATERS: Since the Dali cargo ship lost power and crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to collapse, on March 26, at least seven more incidents have occurred where a large vessel experienced a loss or reduction of propulsion, power, steering or maneuverability in Maryland waters. Annie Jennemann/The Baltimore Sun.

NO BROAD BASED TAX INCREASES EXPECTED: Ongoing budget pressures — and how to address them — have been top of mind for leaders gathered in Ocean City this week for the annual Maryland Association of Counties summer conference. But the leader of the Maryland Senate said he is unlikely to consider broad-based tax increases to address looming budget deficits. Bryan P. Sears, William J. Ford and Elijah Pittman/Maryland Matters. 

OSPREY REPRODUCTION PROBLEMS FOUND AROUND CHESAPEAKE BAY: Perched on a nest atop a green navigation marker in Harris Creek, the osprey glared, spread its wings and started hopping as a boatload of people drew near. “That’s a pretty big nestling standing up,” said Barnett Rattner, a veteran scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Eastern Ecological Science Center. “Last week, there were two.” Timothy B. Wheeler/Chesapeak Bay Journal. 

$250 ANNUAL INCREASE FOR BGE CUSTOMERS: Electric customers in Baltimore Gas and Electric’s area can expect average increases of $21 per month, or about $250 a year, on their bills starting next June, on top of previously announced rate hikes and transmission line costs, a state agency that represents ratepayers is warning. Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun. 

NEW OFFSHORE WIND AREA EAST OF O.C. WILL BE LEASED TO NORWEGIAN CO: Another company is set to lease an offshore wind area off Maryland’s coast after winning a federal auction Wednesday. Equinor, a Norwegian energy firm, was provisionally awarded the lease Wednesday to an area in the Atlantic Ocean, alongside northern Ocean City and the Delaware beaches, according to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which ran the auction. Christine Condon/The Baltimore Sun. 

WICOMICO CO GETS $21 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS FROM MD DEPT.: The Aug. 13 visit to Wicomico County was the 14th stop of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Day’s statewide “Day Trip,” a series of events in which he and members of his staff meet with business owners, local officials and residents to listen to the needs of each community in the state he visits. Richard Caines/Daily State News. 

CONTENTIOUS LUTHERVILLE LAND COULD BE DEVELOPED UNDER NEW PLAN: For years, developer Mark Renbaum has argued with skeptical Baltimore County residents that building new apartments alongside office, retail and green space at Lutherville Station would give new life to one of Maryland’s most divisive, and consequential, pieces of land. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.

BALTIMORE’S LAWSUIT AGAINST OPIOID COMPANIES CAN PROCEED TO TRIAL: Baltimore’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors over the overdose crisis that has killed people at rates higher than in any other major American city can go to trial, a judge ruled Thursday. Dylan Segelbaum, Alissa Zhu and Nick Thieme/The Baltimore Banner. 

NEW 911 SYSTEM BREAKS LANGUAGE BARRIERS ON SHORE: The 911 centers for all nine of Maryland’s Eastern Shore counties and Convey911 have joined forces to eliminate language barriers in emergency communications. With Convey911’s language translation and communication platform named ConveyCommunicator, the Eastern Shore now provides all residents and visitors with access to emergency and non-emergency assistance, regardless of their spoken language. Dorchester County Communications Division/Salisbury Independent. 

MORE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION ON BAY CLEANUP CALLED FOR BY FEDS & STATES: A leading regional environmental group is using the federal government’s latest study on the health of the Chesapeake Bay to push for more aggressive action in 2025 and beyond. The EPA has already acknowledged that many of the states in the Bay watershed, including Maryland, are going to fall short of their targeted goals by the 2025 deadlines prescribed in a 2010 agreement with the federal government. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

AACO SCHOOLS UP PENALTIES FOR LATE ASSIGNMENTS, CHRONIC ABSENCES: Anne Arundel County Public Schools are changing parts of the grading process for the coming academic year, Superintendent Mark Bedell said Thursday. The changes are designed to increase student responsibility and provide more time for teachers to focus on instruction, he said in a statement. Brian Jeffries/The Baltimore Sun.

The post STATE ROUNDUP: BIDEN & HARRIS VISIT PG; TRACKING BIG SHIPS IN MD WATERS; BAY FERRY SYSTEM OFFERS TOURISM BOOST; BGE RATE INCREASE appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

TROPICAL DEPRESSION DEBBY IMPACTS MD WEATHER: As tropical depression Debby impacts Maryland, thunderstorms are expected in the Baltimore area with some of them can be severe. The National Weather Service predicted that the Baltimore area would see the impact of Debby through early Saturday. Potential impacts include flooding due to heavy rainfall, tidal flooding and gale-force winds over the waters. Tony Roberts and Kiersten Hacker/The Baltimore Sun.

• The city of Annapolis is bracing for the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. “We’re very versed in dealing with flooding here in the city,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. The first step with big rain in the forecast is sandbagging. The city gave out hundreds to residents and business owners Thursday morning. WBAL TV.

$19 MILLION PUBLIC SAFETY GRANTS FOR 36 STATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: Three weeks after the Board of Public Works approved nearly $150 million in budget reductions for this year, Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced Thursday that 36 colleges and universities will share nearly $19 million in grants for campus safety projects. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.

TRUMP’S PLAN TO RELOCATE FEDERAL WORKFORCE COULD IMPACT DMV ECONOMY: Trump’s vow to eliminate, overhaul or relocate big chunks of the federal bureaucracy could have a significant economic impact in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. Laura Vozzella and Gregory S. Schneider/The Washington Post. 

ELECTION BOARD ASKS FED APPEALS COURT TO UPHOLD LOWER COURT RULING: The Maryland State Board of Elections is asking a federal appeals court to uphold a lower court decision dismissing a lawsuit intended to stall the 2024 elections in the state. Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.

SPY TOOL WON’T BE USED AGAINST NEO NAZI IN MD POWER GRID PLOT: Federal prosecutors do not plan to use evidence at trial that investigators got through a controversial foreign surveillance tool against a neo-Nazi leader who’s accused of plotting to attack the power grid in Maryland, a judge reported on Wednesday. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner. 

YOUTH WITH SEVERE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS SENT TO DETENTION CENTERS: Young Marylanders with severe mental health needs are being “inappropriately” sent to detention settings that are struggling to help them, according to the state’s Juvenile Justice Monitoring Unit. Darcy Costello/The Baltimore Sun.

DEMS GET BOOST FROM HARRIS/WALZ TICKET: Since Vice-President Kamala Harris began running for president, the Democratic Party has enjoyed a jumpstart of enthusiasm. Democratic candidates in Maryland say they are feeling it too. WYPR-FM.

WORKPLACE HEAT RULES ARE IN FINAL STRETCH: After nearly four years of discussion, and a week after a Baltimore sanitation worker died of heat-related causes, proposed state regulations to protect workers from heat stress are nearing the final stages of review. Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters. 

CRISFIELD GETS FUNDING ON SEA LEVEL RISE/FLOODING: A small town threatened by sea level rise on Maryland’s Eastern Shore is getting a big boost from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its fight against flooding. Jeremy Cox/Bay Journal.

NANCY PELOSI VISITS PRATT LIBRARY: Baltimore-born Nancy Pelosi came to the Central Enoch Pratt Free Library on Thursday night for what was described as a book tour, but she ended up holding what amounted to a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. Mary Carol McCauley/The Baltimore Sun.

FORMER HOGAN OFFICIAL OPENS LOBBYING SHOP: A senior official under former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is starting a lobbying and consulting firm. Jeanne Haddaway-Riccio is joining forces with Robert Rauch to form R & R Solutions, a lobbying and consulting firm. The new firm will be led by four principals including Haddaway-Riccio, Rauch, Ryan Snow and Jennifer Williams. Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters.

EX-UMBC ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SUES OVER DISMISSAL: A former University of Maryland, Baltimore County athletic director said he was the first person to hold Chad Cradock, then a swim head coach and senior staff member, accountable about sexual assault and harassment accusations. Clara Longo de Freitas/The Baltimore Banner. 

ANNAPOLIS POLICE UNION ISSUES NO CONFIDENCE VOTE ON CHIEF: Members of the Annapolis Police union issued a vote of no confidence Thursday night against Chief Ed Jackson, creating further distance between the five-year commander and his rank-and-file. Luke Parker/The Baltimore Sun. 

RUTHERFORD SLAMS BUREAUCRACY FOR SHUTTING DOWN SUMMER TRADE PROGRAM: Maryland is ramping up education spending, and as that happens many people are asking why a program to teach students a trade in Baltimore City didn’t continue. The program was deemed a success by some, but it lasted just one summer. Former Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, who advocated for the program, is frustrated. Fox45 News.

BALLOT MEASURE TO HALVE BALTIMORE PROPERTY TAXES GETS TO COURTROOM: Debate over a proposed Baltimore ballot measure that, if approved by voters, would slash the city’s property tax rate entered a courtroom in city Circuit Court on Thursday, bringing the legal case closer to its expected final destination of Maryland’s highest court. Alex Mann/The Baltimore Sun.

MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES SUMMER CONFERENCE AUG 14-17: The Summer Conference is held at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Worcester County. The annual conference draws nearly 2,000 local, state, and federal government official attendees and their families. Approximately 30 continuing education sessions will be offered at the conference, featuring more than 80 speakers from the public and private sectors. Maryland Association of Counties.

INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR ELECTED OFFICE IN ANNAPOLIS?: The Office of Annapolis has opened the Municipal Election Office ahead of the City’s November 4, 2025 General Election. Positions for municipal elections include Mayor and all eight City Council seats for four-year terms. The Election Office is administered by the City Clerk’s office. The City of Annapolis Board of Supervisors of Elections and the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections manage all election operations within City limits. Eye On Annapolis. 

SOLVING THE LOVEBUG YACHT MYSTERY IN ANNAPOLIS: Archimedes figured out how buoyancy makes a boat float 2,300 years ago. It’s up to the Maryland Natural Resources Police and federal investigators to sort out why the Lovebug, 104 feet of floating opulence and high-tech nautical equipment, did not. Rick Hutzell/The Baltimore Banner. 

The post STATE ROUNDUP: STORM DEBBY IMPACTS STATE; $19 MILLION IN PUBLIC SAFETY GRANTS; TRUMP PLAN TO RELOCATE FED WORKFORCE; PELOSI VISITS BMORE; EX ATHLETIC DIRECTOR SUES UMBC. appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

U.S. AND RUSSIA COMPLETE HISTORIC PRISONER SWAP: The United States and Russia completed their biggest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history on Thursday, with Moscow releasing journalist Evan Gershkovich and fellow American Paul Whelan, along with dissidents including Vladimir Kara-Murza, in a multinational deal that set two dozen people free, the White House said. WBAL-TV/ Eric Tucker, Dasha Litvinova and Matthew Lee/Associated Press.

MDE HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING HELD BEFORE KEY BRIDGE DEMOLITION STARTS: The Maryland Department of the Environment held a public hearing Thursday along with the Maryland Transportation Authority regarding demolition work at the site of the Key Bridge collapse. The hearing and public commenting period are part of the MDE review process of an application, submitted by MTDA, to allow the demolition work. Tori Yorgey/WBAL-NEWS.

• The Maryland Transportation Authority is applying for permits to blow up what is left of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Residents in earshot are concerned about ongoing damage to their community’s infrastructure and homes. Dillon Mullan/The Baltimore Sun.

GOP CALLS ON OLSZEWSKI TO RESIGN: The head of the Maryland Republican Party publicly called Thursday for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. to resign from office and withdraw from the race for the 2nd Congressional District, citing reporting from The Baltimore Sun. Liam Russell/Baltimore Sun

MOORE SAYS ADJUSTMENTS NEEDED TO SCHOOL BLUEPRINT: The multi-billion-dollar education spending plan that Maryland lawmakers overrode a veto to get through is underway, yet many leaders in jurisdictions across the state have raised concerns about footing the bill as Gov. Wes Moore signaled adjustments will have to be made. Mikenzie Frost, Fox45 in The Baltimore Sun

STATE TEACHERS UNION GETS NEW LEADERSHIP: The Maryland State Education Association is under new management. Beginning Thursday, the powerful teachers’ union has a new president, Paul Lemle, and a new vice president, Nikki Woodward. They replace Cheryl Bost, who had been union president for the past six years, and Theresa Mitchell Dudley, whom Lemle defeated in a statewide vote for the presidency earlier this year. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

70-MILE TRANSMISSION LINE QUESTIONED, NOT MANY ANSWERS: Many homeowners in Baltimore, Frederick and Carroll counties are worried that a New Jersey company’s plan to build a 70-mile transmission line through their land by 2027 is going to harm their property values. Rona Kobell/The Baltimore Banner.

HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS COULD BE GAINING FIREPOWER IN ANNAPOLIS: A small but vocal band of conservative Republicans in the Maryland House of Delegates are about to gain some firepower — which they hope to use to increase their visibility and influence in upcoming legislative sessions and, perhaps, on the campaign trail. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

LEADERS OF BLACK CATHOLIC CHURCH SEEK TO BUY BUILDING: Members of a predominantly Black Catholic church in East Baltimore have asked the Archdiocese of Baltimore for permission to buy the building — and keep their historic parish going — rather than have it shuttered as part of the archdiocese’s sweeping plan to consolidate its operations in the city. Jonathan M. Pitts/The Baltimore Sun. 

HEAT RELATED ER VISITS AT SIX YEAR HIGH: Nearly 1,000 Marylanders have ended up in the emergency room for heat-related illnesses so far this summer and 14 people have died, as brutal temperatures lead to dangerous heat exhaustion, heat stroke and death. Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters.

A STEP FORWARD FOR PROPOSED WIND FARM TO BE SITUATED OFF O.C. COAST: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a final environmental impact statement this week on a proposed wind farm off the Delmarva coast, moving the 80,000-acre project one step closer to reality. Plans call for the almost 940-foot-tall turbines to be situated 11 miles off the coast of Ocean City at their closest point to the shore, and be connected to power substations near Indian River in Delaware for distribution. Maryland Matters Staff/Maryland Matters. 

KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE: POLICE BODY CAM FOOTAGE RELEASED: The officers, bewildered after receiving the initial call for a water rescue, were looking at the scene millions would wake up to that morning — the main span of the Francis Scott Key Bridge had fallen into the Patapsco River. Dan Belson/The Baltimore Sun. 

BAY BRIDGE CLOSED FOR SIX MINUTES YESTERDAY: A 946-foot vessel named the Denebola lost “steerage” near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Thursday afternoon, prompting closure of the dual-span structure for approximately six minutes, according to the Coast Guard. The ship regained steering ability, safely transited under the bridge and moored south of Annapolis, awaiting Coast Guard inspection. Hayes Gardner/The Baltimore Sun.

AACPS STAFFING LEVELS BETTER THAN LAST YEAR: As the start of the school year approaches, Anne Arundel school leaders say the system is in a “great place” with staffing with fewer teacher vacancies than they had at this point last year and all bus driver positions filled. Brian Jeffries/The Baltimore Sun.

ISLAMIC GROUP DIRECTOR DIDN’T APPLY TO HATE CRIME COMMISSION: The director of a Muslim civil rights organization said she decided not to apply for a seat on a state hate crime commission months after lawmakers dropped her nonprofit group as a named representative. Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner. 

MD’S NEW LICENSE PLATES INCLUDE COASTAL BAYS: Inclusiveness is a growing priority in many parts of society… but how about an inclusive Bay license plate? Maryland’s well-known “Bay Plates”, which have featured a great blue heron or a crab over the years, has just been reworked to include not just the Chesapeake Bay, but the state’s Coastal Bays on the Atlantic side of the state. Bay Bulletin/Chesapeake Bay Magazine.

THOUSANDS OF SNAKEHEADS AND OTHER SPECIES CAUGHT BY CONOWINGO DAM FISH LIFT: Nearly 3,000 fish that don’t belong in Chesapeake Bay waters have been intercepted and turned into dinner, thanks to a team at the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River. Conowingo Dam owner Constellation Energy operates a fish lift each spring that is designed to help migrating fish, like American shad, make it past the dam and to their spawning habitat upstream. Described as “a water-filled elevator”, the lift collects anadromous fish species during their spawning run and transports them to their traditional spawning areas in the upper Susquehanna. Meg Walburn Vivianoe/Chesapeake Bay Magazine. 

GOV. MOORE BECOMES A Uof M TERRAPIN FOR A DAY: The University of Maryland football team had a surprise guest at the first day of fall training camp: Maryland’s own Gov. Wes Moore. Moore didn’t merely visit. He actually suited up in a Terrapins helmet, pads and uniform and participated in team drills Wednesday in College Park. Terik King/WTOP News Radio.

The post HISTORIC PRISONER SWAP; KEY BRIDGE DEMOLITION CONCERNS; GOP SAYS OLSZEWSKI SHOULD RESIGN; MOORE SAYS CHANGES NEEDED IN SCHOOL BLUEPRINT appeared first on MarylandReporter.com.

$130 MILLION FOR MD CLIMATE FUNDING FROM FEDS: Gov. Wes Moore’s administration hailed the news this week that Maryland had won $130 million in federal funding for various climate initiatives. As the state scrambles for the billions of dollars it will need to meet its ambitious climate mandates, state officials and environmental groups cast the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants as good news — and a momentum-builder as the state seeks to develop a clean energy economy. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

Peter Killough. LinkedIn photo

MOORE NOMINATES FIRST STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday made his first appointment to Maryland’s highest court, nominating a Prince George’s County Circuit Court judge to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Maryland. Moore tapped Peter K. Killough to fill the Supreme Court’s 4th Appellate Judicial Circuit seat, based in Prince George’s County. He was chosen over three other Prince George’s County judges. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

MAJOR BWI CARRIER SOUTHWEST TO ASSIGN SEATS: Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, will start assigning seats and selling premium seating in a break from its more than 50-year tradition of open seating.  Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun. 

RAMP METERING FOR BMORE AREA CONSIDERED: Maryland transportation officials are considering ramp metering (traffic lights on highway entrance ramps) to address congestion caused by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Months after the bridge collapse, residents, commuters and truckers are still expressing frustration that a solution — even a partial fix — is not in place. David Collins/WBAL-TV.

STATE HOUSE COMPLETE, TREASURY BUILDING UP NEXT: Construction on the Maryland State House is reaching the final stages as work on the main building wraps up and focus shifts to the Old Treasury Building and other projects. Crews are working on areas of the building below the dome, making improvements to the grounds and restoring the Old Treasury Building. Bridget Byrne/The Baltimore Sun. 

DRIVERS LICENSE SUSPENSIONS FOR UNPAID CHILD SUPPORT CALLED UNFAIR: Maryland Legal Aid, asserts that the state is relying on a broken automated system and routinely suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid child support without due process and in cases in which it is not permitted to do so under the law. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner. 

LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS HOLDS FIRST-EVER TOWN HALL IN HARFORD CO: The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland made history Thursday when it met for the first time in Harford County to host a town hall and to recap this year’s 90-day legislative session. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters. 

REOPENED SHIPPING CHANNEL BRINGS NEW LEADERSHIP FOR US ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS: Weeks after the Port of Baltimore’s shipping channel was fully reopened, in the wake of the March 26 collapse of the Key Bridge, leadership has changed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Neil Augenstein/ WTOP News Radio 

MONTGOMERY PARKS ISSUES ALGAE WARNING: Potentially high levels of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, in Lake Needwood and Lake Frank in Rockville have Montgomery Parks officials warning residents and dog owners to avoid contact with the two bodies of water in Rock Creek Regional Park. Elia Griffin/MoCo360. 

STATE THREATENS LEGAL ACTION ON HAMPSTEAD ASPEN LAKE DAM: A 900-foot man-made lake that is home to turtles, fish and migrating geese in Carroll County has become the center of a dispute between state officials and a handful of nearby homeowners. The Maryland Department of the Environment has determined that the Aspen Lake Dam and Reservoir, just west of Hampstead, is deteriorating and needs repair. Sherry Greenfield/The Baltimore Sun/Carroll County Times. 

ANOTHER DEAD DOLPHIN IN ANNAPOLIS LAKE: A dolphin was found dead in Heron Lake in Annapolis, the second deceased dolphin to be discovered in Annapolis waters in the last two weeks. Dave Bastian said he was kayaking in Heron Lake Tuesday morning when he came across the dolphin floating in the northern part of the lake. The dolphin appeared to have been dead for some time. Natalie Jones/The Baltimore Sun. 

KEY BRIDGE HIGHWAY SIGNS HAUNT US: The bridge is gone, but the highway signs lead there. Follow them. Take the beltway south past I-95 and Rt. 40 to the split for Essex. A sign for the Key Bridge leads right. The traffic lightens. The speed limit’s 55. Cross above the marshy Back River. The inner loop bends around this elbow of land.  Tim Prudente/The Baltimore Banner. 

OLYMPICS 2024: THESE MD ATHLETES HEAD TO PARIS: Thousands of Olympic athletes will fill national delegation boats for a first-of-its kind nearly 4-mile parade signaling the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Games. That will usher in 16 days of competition. Here’s every Maryland athlete competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics:. Sam Cohn/The Baltimore Sun. 

TUNNEL RESTRICTIONS UNDERWAY: The I-95 Fort McHenry Tunnel and I-895 Harbor Tunnel both have hazardous material and width & height restrictions. Vehicles carrying hazardous or explosive materials, including bottled propane gas in U.S. DOT approved containers larger than 10 pounds are prohibited from using both tunnels. It does not matter whether or not the bottles are turned on or off. This is the case for personal and business usage. Maryland Transportation Authority.

COMMENTARY: ORPHANS COURT UGLINESS IS A SIGN IT’S TIME TO ABOLISH IT: Two years ago, Howard County voted to abolish its orphans court. There were problems with the way it decided wills and estates, sometimes taking weeks to simply sign off on a personal representative or settlement. The three-judge panel’s decisions were regularly appealed. Rick Hutzell/The Baltimore Banner. 

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