At an anti-bullying presentation March 14 at Westport Academy, former NFL player Joel Gamble and children’s book author Stephen McGill read from their respective books: “The Justice Duo” and “The Electrifying Adventures of Mr. Powers.” Students were asked to use characters from the books to identify signs of bullying and learned what their “superpowers” were, such as speaking with a school liaison.

There’s not much work left to do for thousands of port workers in Baltimore, Maryland, as the main shipping channel has now been blocked for more than two weeks due to the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. According to Scott Cowan, president of the local chapter of the International Longshoremen’s Association at the Port of Baltimore, more than 2,000 people are currently out of work because of the blocked channel.

 

Maryland has an open seat in the U.S. Senate up for election this year that’s drawing national attention, with control of the chamber hanging in the balance. That means there’s plenty of polling, as the candidates and other interested parties search for indications of which way voters will go. The Democratic front-runners are Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone.

Parts of the mid-shore, including Dorchester and Talbot counties, were inundated overnight as flooding covered streets in low-lying areas. Residents in Oxford accustomed to periodic flooding found themselves grappling with what they described as increasingly frequent occurrences. Dave Carroll, who resides in Oxford, recounted the challenges of navigating the high waters, even having to carry his dog through his flooded property.

A bill that just barely crossed the finish line in the Maryland General Assembly will allow the Attorney General’s Office to more effectively pursue damages in the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster. Passed shortly before the legislature adjourned Sine Die Monday night, Senate Bill 680 will permit the proportionate distribution of liability among parties believed to bear responsibility for the bridge collapse.

Gov. Wes Moore referenced lessons he learned as a U.S. Army soldier and talked of distinction between battle and war. Understanding the difference is key in the fight for freedoms, including women’s rights, he said in his keynote address at the 20th Annual Western Maryland Democratic Summit on Saturday at Rocky Gap Casino Resort.

In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued this blistering assessment: “If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war.” The report was a wakeup call for El Paso, Texas, which a few years later launched the El Paso Collaborative for Academic Excellence (EPCAE).

The Prince George’s County Council passed new restrictions aimed at limiting where cannabis dispensaries can operate. But one state lawmaker from a neighboring jurisdiction is unhappy with the new ordinance and the council that passed it. The county law might not stand for very long anyway.

In a recent article referencing a West Baltimore “clubhouse” where young people accused of crimes were said to congregate, these young people are positioned as solely responsible for their alleged criminal behavior. In a news conference, Mayor Brandon Scott drastically oversimplified the issue and disregarded social and economic impacts driving risky behavior in youth.

Gov. Wes Moore was quick to declare victory on key legislation as the General Assembly adjourned its 2024 session this month amid a last-minute legislative frenzy. But, for advocates and environmentalists, the session was at best mediocre for the state’s lofty climate aspirations. Some fear late backroom interventions and compromises could upend the state’s ability to meet its statutory emissions-reduction and clean-energy targets.