The plan for Maryland’s state government to take over ownership of Baltimore’s historic Pimlico Race Course cleared its first hurdle in Annapolis on Wednesday. A House of Delegates committee voted — with a few Republican dissenters — to advance the plan to the full House for a vote. Lawmakers must approve legislation for the complex racetrack deal to move forward.

As recovery efforts slow down and long-term investigations begin into how a large cargo ship crashed into a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday, officials are evaluating how they can remove the cargo ship and debris from the downed section of the bridge. Maryland State Police said they will continue to search for the remains of the construction workers who fell into the Patapsco River when the bridge collapsed after dangerous debris from the bridge has been cleared.

Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., urged federal and state officials Wednesday to take a fresh look at environmental requirements that he said could slow down reconstruction of a new Francis Scott Key Bridge. Harris said a new round of environmental studies related to a new span of the bridge could add years to its development.

Limiting the number of terms that Frederick officials serve could broaden the pool of people who run for office, but could also mean less experience and expertise in running city affairs, Frederick’s aldermen said Wednesday. The aldermen discussed two recommendations from a committee appointed to consider changes to the city’s charter: Age and residency requirements for the mayor and members of the City Council (a name recommended in place of the current Board of Aldermen), Limiting mayors to two four-year terms, consecutive or not, and members of the City Council to three four-year terms.

The Montgomery County Council will be holding multiple public hearings and forums in April to gather residents’ input on County Executive Marc Elrich’s (D) proposed $7.1 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2025, which begins July 1. The council, which is tasked with reviewing and finalizing the budget proposal, will hold four public hearings during both regular daytime council meetings and at night to hear from the public on all aspects of the proposed budget.

Soon after the container ship Dali struck and toppled the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, Paul Brashier was among many in the shipping industry who shifted into overdrive. From Texas, Brashier turned his attention to the cargo — tires, dog food, home goods, cookware — packed into containers on ships headed to the Port of Baltimore and handled by his logistics company.

The six construction workers who fell to their death when Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed were all Latino immigrants ranging from ages 26 to 49. They were described as hardworking, humble men, dedicated to their spouses, children and families in their homelands. Foreign embassies have confirmed the men to be from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico.

Two Democratic state senators are trying to secure funding for reproductive health clinics that provide abortion services before time runs out in the 2024 legislative session. And the success of one bill may help with the financial support of the other. The landscape for abortion access has changed drastically across the United States following the overturning of federal abortion protections in 2022.

As recovery begins following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, General Assembly leadership said they will introduce emergency legislation to provide economic relief to small businesses and displaced workers at the Port of Baltimore and triage trade loss to other ports. The announcement came at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday through a post Senate President Bill Ferguson, a South Baltimore Democrat and sponsor of the emergency bill, made on X.

Meeting up with friends before an Orioles game at Camden Yards? If you want to avoid the long lines and sky-high prices of food and drink inside the ballpark, you’ll need to plan accordingly. Fortunately, the neighborhoods surrounding the Yard offer breweries, pubs, restaurants and cafés where fans can grab a quick bite or a pint.