A host of medical organizations have filed a brief in support of an Anne Arundel County law that requires informational literature regarding suicide prevention and conflict de-escalation be included during the sales of firearms as the policy is challenged in a federal appeals court. Nationwide organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association, as well as statewide groups such as The Maryland Psychiatric Society and MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society, jointly filed the legal brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, urging the court to side with Anne Arundel County and allow the informational literature requirement to continue.

 

As Sheila Dixon begins her third run for Baltimore City mayor since she resigned from office in 2010, the landscape looks markedly different than it did in the past two cycles. For now, she and Mayor Brandon Scott are the sole major candidates in the Democratic primary, which is tantamount to winning the general election. Other viable candidates have declined to throw their names in the ring, unlike the crowded primary of 2020.

The four-day workweek has gained another champion — this time, it’s the United Auto Workers union. UAW President Shawn Fain laid out a 32-hour workweek as one of the many proposals for a new contract with the largest three American auto manufacturers, as well as a 40% increase in pay, boosted pensions and other items. The union already authorized a strike, and the contract runs out Sept. 14.

Frederick should expand the size of its legislative body, according to early recommendations before a committee considering changes to the city’s charter. But how that body is structured between districts and at-large members could be left up to voters. A subgroup of members of the city’s Ad Hoc Charter Review Committee presented potential recommendations for changes to the city’s governing structure to the full committee at a meeting Thursday.

Baltimore’s liquor board approved a new liquor license in Keswick on Thursday despite the impassioned objections of some residents and a city councilwoman. Several locals opposed the license for the former Evergreen Cafe on West Cold Spring Lane on the grounds that after a year of negotiations, owner Binod “Milo” Uprety had not signed a memorandum of understanding with local groups, whereby businesses agree to certain restrictions.

Howard County public school students will continue getting rides next week from bus drivers flown in from other states, while dozens of local drivers work their way through a hiring pipeline. Superintendent Michael Martirano told a board of education meeting that leadership for the Zūm transportation company assured him Thursday that its out-of-state drivers will remain in Maryland over the weekend to help staff the jurisdiction’s strained bus system.

The fragmented state of U.S. health care data has been shaped by technological, legal, and financial factors. In the early 20th century, medical records were on paper and stored in paper filing systems. As technology evolved, electronic health records replaced paper records, but the lack of a national standard for data exchange hampered their introduction.

 

Baltimore Police will soon track officer behaviors, such as uses of force or arrests, to look for red flags in need of correction or assistance. The so-called early intervention system will alert supervisors and command staff about potentially problematic performance — allowing the department to then intervene with non-disciplinary steps including training, supervisor actions or connection to the Officer Safety and Wellness section.

Dear Baltimore, Some of you may recall that I started my public service journey both as an educator and as a member of the Baltimore City Council representing my neighbors in West Baltimore. I was blessed that my record as a strong voice for the community led to me being elected the first African-American woman to hold the seat of City Council president and later Baltimore’s first woman mayor.

On Sunday, the Washington Commanders take the field for the first regular season home game under their new owners, a group led by Greater Washington natives Josh Harris and Mitch Rales. On Wednesday night, Harris and Rales made their debut before the region’s business community — and, as you can imagine, it was something of a home crowd.