Abortion-rights activists celebrated the overwhelming approval Tuesday of a ballot measure that adds reproductive rights to the state constitution, but woke up Wednesday to President-elect Donald Trump and fears that a Republican-controlled Congress could undermine Tuesday’s win. Even though Trump backed away from previous anti-abortion positions during this campaign, reproductive-freedom activists fear that abortion protections under the state’s new constitutional amendment would be undermined by a federal abortion ban, if one is enacted, and are working out next steps to take.

The largest Maryland county, Montgomery County, also has the biggest federal government workforce in the state. With about 95,980 federal employees calling the county their home, local officials are looking into how President-elect Donald Trump’s second term could impact the economy. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich told reporters Wednesday that while it’s no longer considered a “company town,” the county will be conducting an assessment to weigh the potential economic impacts of Trump’s plan to move government jobs out of the D.C. area.

As Henry Shippey walked to his job at a bar in Fells Point the day after the election the fact that everyone and everything seemed the same as always came in stark contrast to what was swirling inside his head. “I was filled with existential thoughts and dread,” the 22-year-old Bolton Hill resident said. He took Thursday off.

 

Though she voted for Vice President Kamala Harris and hoped the Democrat would come out on top, 20-year-old Morgan State University student Raegan Green said she “wasn’t at all surprised” by the outcome of Tuesday’s presidential election. “I checked my phone, saw the results and continued to eat my breakfast,” she said. “It didn’t faze me. I had tests to study for and a 9 a.m. class to get to.”

The Baltimore Department of Transportation could be breaking state and city law by failing to notify residents about towing and then auctioning their cars, according to a report from the city auditor’s office. “Letting people know we have their vehicle and are going to auction it off is a basic service,” Comptroller Bill Henry said in a Thursday news release announcing the results of a biennial performance audit that evaluated the Baltimore Police Department and the DOT since towing is managed by both agencies. “No excuses — we need to do better.”

The majority of Marylanders didn’t select Donald Trump as their next president, but his policies may alter their everyday lives, affect state income tax revenue and stable federal jobs, and sever sorely needed federal resources. The incoming Republican has already threatened to reverse hard-fought victories won by Maryland Democrats, like the relocation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters to Greenbelt and stripping future funding promised by President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and clean energy legislation.

One of Maryland’s largest cannabis companies is expanding into the beverage market by creating an alternative to alcoholic seltzers. Cecil County-based SunMed Growers launched a brand of cannabis-infused drinks last week called Sunnies Socials, which are available in 50 dispensaries across the state. Founder Jake Van Wingerden believes drinks are a natural next step for cannabis companies, since many people may feel uncomfortable smoking in front of non-smokers.

A Hunt Valley-based physical therapy company is opening in Under Armour Inc.’s new headquarters and has plans for two new clinics as demand for rehabilitative services grows. FX Physical Therapy will move an office into Under Armour’s new Baltimore Peninsula headquarters in December, exclusively for Under Armour employees, and will follow that up with new public clinics in Eldersburg and Waugh Chapel in Gambrills.

For retailers and consumers finally feeling some relief from inflation, President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs proposal introduces fresh uncertainty around how prices could change during his presidency, analysts said Wednesday. Trump, who NBC News projects won a second term in a decisive victory, said during his presidential campaign that he would impose a 10% to 20% tariff on all imports, including tariffs as high as 60% to 100% for goods from China.

 

Visit Harford Inc. is in line to receive county funding once again even as a legal battle between the county and the nonprofit tourism organization rages on. The Harford County Council passed a bill Tuesday that would more clearly establish Visit Harford as the county’s primary tourism organization and ensure it receives a portion of the county’s hotel occupancy tax.