Proposed Anne Arundel budget raises fees, increases police and schools funding

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman on Wednesday proposed a $2.31 billion budget for fiscal year 2025 that increases spending, boosts the starting pay of police officers and provides funds to staff three new schools. The spending plan represents an 8.2% increase from the $2.14 billion budget approved for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Local school systems updating the state on Blueprint plans

As Maryland public school leaders continue to work on the massive Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan, documents from local school systems that are being turned in this week must provide data to show how officials are putting it in place. That information is based on the Blueprint’s five priorities — early childhood education, hiring and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, preparing students for college and technical careers, providing additional resources for students in need and governance and accountability.

In national TV interview, Marilyn Mosby says she’s seeking a presidential pardon. What does that mean?

Former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby wants President Joe Biden to intervene ahead of her federal sentencing on perjury and mortgage fraud charges. In an interview Wednesday night on “The ReidOut,” Joy Reid’s MSNBC weeknight show, Mosby said she has done “absolutely nothing wrong, nothing illegal, nothing criminal” — and said she thinks it would be appropriate for Biden to pardon her.

Thiru Vignarajah drops out of mayor’s race, endorses Sheila Dixon

Thiru Vignarajah has dropped out of the Baltimore mayor’s race and endorsed former Mayor Sheila Dixon, a move that could dramatically reshape the May 14 Democratic primary. The attorney announced his decision at a Wednesday afternoon news conference in Fells Point. He has consistently placed third in polls measuring support for candidates.

New maps show how fragmented our regional politics was, even at the dawn of colonialism

There was a time when the Potomac River was a political fault line dividing two great powers. Shifting alliances, political maneuvers, betrayals, and turnarounds – this was not the Civil War but the time of the Powhatan and Piscataway paramountcies and the tribes loyal (or not) to them. It was a time of kings and emperors, ambition and downfall.

Early voting begins Thursday: Here’s how and where to do it

Early voting in Maryland’s May 14 primary begins Thursday and will last a week. It’s one of three ways Maryland voters can cast ballots in this year’s primary.vMarylanders will be voting in party primaries for president, U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives and in an array of local elections, which include races for mayor of Baltimore and for Cecil County executive.

How a Maryland woman turned her passion for sunglasses into a thriving Annapolis business

Shades of the Bay, a store that specializes in sunglasses and flip-flops in Annapolis, Maryland, is located on Main Street right by the water. It’s the perfect spot to draw in people who are spending the day outside on a sunny afternoon, whether they are walking, fishing or boating. “I believe putting money back into my community is extremely important and I believe hiring people in my community is extremely important,” said Linda Mann, the owner of the business.

State aid now reaching longshoremen affected by Key Bridge collapse

State funds are now being distributed to longshoremen affected by the March 26 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, but it’s only filling a fraction of what the workers typically earn. WBAL-TV 11 News got a rare insider’s look Tuesday at the pipeline of state aid to longshoremen. More than 1,800 union workers stop by the International Longshoremen’s Association Local No. 333 on a weekly basis to fill out paperwork necessary for certification and to seek advice to ensure their documents are in order.

Angela Alsobrooks spent decades building a resume — and a network — for a Senate run

Angela Alsobrooks says she has spent the last 27 years preparing for this moment. A Democrat in her second term leading Maryland’s second-largest county, Alsobrooks — the first woman and Black woman elected to the position — said her life’s work has culminated in this: a bid for the state’s open U.S. Senate seat. Dozens of Democrats have lined up to endorse her, including the state party’s leader, Gov. Wes Moore. (Photo: Kirk McKoy/The Baltimore Banner)

Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates releases city’s ‘first-ever strategic plan’ for prosecution

When I campaigned for the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, I made three major promises to the residents of this city: to focus on illegal firearm possession that plagues our communities; to address quality of life offenses that infringe daily upon the residents’ enjoyment of their neighborhoods; and to rebuild the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, restoring it to its place of prominence, not only in Maryland but across our country.