U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy declared gun violence a public health crisis Tuesday and called on the nation to address it with the same vigor used to reduce deaths and injuries from tobacco and motor vehicle crashes. The surgeon general’s advisory marked the first time the nation’s leading voice on public health — the same office that in the 1960s highlighted the lethal consequences of cigarette smoking — had issued an urgent pronouncement on deaths related to firearms.

 

The Frederick Police Department started reporting crime using a new system in mid-2022, making crime rates incomparable to previous years. But even with the change, some of the 2023 numbers could indicate an upward trend in certain types of crime. FPD switched to the National Incident-Based Reporting System in September 2022, which collects more detailed crime information, according to the FBI.

A Baltimore County consulting company is preparing for rapid growth over the next few years after inking a partnership with an international firm. Think Consulting, a 150-person Timonium-based firm that provides consulting around hiring, project management, government contracting and other areas, is ready to go global after partnering with Valtus Alliance.

A Maryland woman embarked on a 24-mile swim starting at Sandy Point State Park near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, aiming to reach Harborplace Amphitheater in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor along the Patapsco River on Tuesday. Katie Pumphrey, an artist and ultramarathon swimmer, called the swim a love letter to Baltimore.

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) stood in Ritchie Coliseum at the University of Maryland, College Park underneath a blue banner that said “Trust WOMEN” in large white text. Just underneath, in significantly smaller text, was a disclaimer: “Paid for by Biden for President.” At the Monday campaign event doubling as an abortion rights rally, supporters held hundreds of “Biden-Harris” or “reproductive freedom” signs.

A work zone along a section of Interstate 695 has remained mostly untouched since a high-speed crash claimed the lives of six people working there last March. Starting next month, a crew will begin preparing to resume work. Motorists should expect overnight delays along the northwest section of I-695, the Baltimore Beltway, starting the week of July 8, the State Highway Administration said in a news release.

Growing up in Ocean City, I was cool-adjacent. I ran a beach stand but was never a lifeguard. I drove a city bus but was never a summer police officer. So I was saddened when a colleague told me that Ocean City will end its summer police program. The final 21 temporary officers will turn in their guns and badges after Labor Day.

Maryland’s Senate race is one of a handful of federal races poised to decide which political party wins control over Congress. That means there’s plenty of polling, as the candidates and other interested parties search for indications of which way voters will go. Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan and Democrat and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks are vying for the open seat, along with Libertarian Party candidate Mike Scott and independent candidate Emmanuel O. Osuchukwu.

Baltimore City Council members will consider whether to increase the minimum wage for tipped workers, a proposal that follows action by Maryland leaders last year that raised the floor pay for most other workers. The bill, introduced Monday by Councilman John Bullock, also comes after a failed attempt to enshrine a higher base-level pay for service workers — such as bartenders and restaurant servers — at the state level during the most recent General Assembly session.

Independence Day is almost here, and that means fireworks and safety using them are timelier than ever. As firework sellers prepare for the holiday rush, here are the latest Maryland regulations on what can be purchased, plus vital safety tips. What kinds of fireworks can the public purchase in Maryland?
While state officials urge the public to merely view professional fireworks at designated sites, they also reminded them only gold-labeled sparklers, novelty items (i.e. party poppers, snap pops, snakes) and ground-basedsparkler devices are permitted for use in the state of Maryland.