An effort by some counties to use zoning to limit if not prevent the opening of cannabis dispensaries has drawn the ire of the chair of a House committee. House and Senate committees are considering legislation that would make it tougher for local governments to restrict where cannabis dispensaries can locate. House Economic Matters Committee Chair Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles) said counties are trying to countermand the newly legalized cannabis market and the state’s efforts to limit if not end illegal sales.

A sweeping proposal to increase taxes on Maryland’s highest earners and corporations received a lukewarm response from lawmakers in back-to-back days of hearings this week — exposing the continuing divide in Annapolis over how to solve the state’s looming financial problems. Proponents of the legislation, known as the Fair Share for Maryland Act, say it would raise $1.6 billion at a time when officials are warning of future budget deficits while also promising to complete ambitious policy goals.

State parks are more than just beautiful places; they provide recreational, economic and cultural benefits to their host communities. Baltimore City is one of just two jurisdictions in Maryland without the advantages of a state park. But we can change this, elevating both the city and the region, thanks to a special opportunity under Maryland law. Our legislation, House Bill 1358, establishes an innovative state-city partnership for the support and management of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore’s largest park.

Ravens fervor is ebbing after the team led the NFL in wins, and the Orioles’ fan base is stirring again — jolted awake by a promising spring training and a forthcoming sale. So I was struck by Mayor Brandon Scott’s boldness when he told me, “Baltimore is a basketball town above everything else.” Scott and I spoke last week, ahead of the city hosting the CIAA tournament, an NCAA Division II men’s and women’s hoops event that brings 13 schools to CFG Arena, which finished a $250 million renovation last year.

There is not much we agree on as a nation anymore. But we do agree that our politics is broken and that our country is headed in the wrong direction. Yes, the two parties come to that conclusion from vastly different perspectives, but agree they do. Since the traditional Republican Party has gone the way of the Whigs, let’s focus on the two parties that now dominate our political discourse: the MAGA and Democratic parties.

Two years ago, in a heartfelt conversation with my father in his final days, we talked about his lifelong commitment to democracy, and he voiced his dismay about what he believed is the undemocratic nature of Maryland’s appointment process. My dad, Ezekiel (Zeke) Smith, said, “Things have changed for the best in Virginia but not Maryland. Those people in Maryland are stealing the vote from the people, and you can’t allow people to steal your vote.” He told me to fight like hell.

Marylanders might soon be able to order a six-pack or a bottle of wine using delivery services like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart if a new bill under consideration by the General Assembly passes this session. The measure, Senate Bill 456, would allow third-party delivery companies to contract with alcohol retailers to bring beer, wine and liquor to consumers’ doorsteps. The move would make it easier for liquor stores to keep up in a post-COVID landscape that favors convenience, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Alonzo Washington, said.

On any other Wednesday, Fred Taylor would probably be working in an office in Baltimore as managing director of an information technology company. But last Wednesday, the 62-year-old West Baltimore native and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute graduate was folding a few hundred green Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts for distribution to volunteers such as himself who will help the league run the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments that begin this week in the city.

Planning on traveling through downtown this upcoming week? Make sure you plan ahead because traffic is expected to be much heavier due to the CIAA tournament at the CFG Bank Arena. The tournament will be held Monday, February 26 through Sunday, March 3. Games will take place at various times each day, so if you’re traveling downtown you should prepare for possible traffic congestion and delays.

Many Maryland colleges have adjusted their enrollment deadlines because of issues around delayed financial aid notifications. For affected students, the excitement of being accepted into their first-choice college is being tempered this year by a troublesome uncertainty over whether they’ll get the financial aid they need to attend. The financial aid decisions that usually go out with acceptance letters are being delayed because of a later-than-expected rollout of a revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the form commonly known as FAFSA that schools use to compute financial aid.