Bryson Hudson, 16, once carried a gun out of fear and was shot for the first time in December on his way home from squeegeeing car windshields in the Inner Harbor. Last week, he was shot again, fatally this time. His funeral will be soon and there are some other things his family would like the city to know about him. As a kid, Bryson played football. He could play the piano. He was a rapper, stage name of LorB, with a music video. He liked to dance and joke and smiled often.

Maryland’s cannabis industry is less than two months old and lawmakers and regulators are already contemplating tweaks in the coming General Assembly session. Since July, the new recreational adult use industry has recorded sales of almost $90 million. The expectation is that sales will surpass $1 billion. Will Tilburg, acting director of the Maryland Cannabis Administration, said the new law — which runs roughly 100 pages — was an attempt to learn from the mistakes of other states that legalized recreational use before Maryland.

 

The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents almost 43,000 employees of the Social Security Administration across the country, announced Thursday it has endorsed President Biden’s nomination of former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley to be the next SSA commissioner. The AFGE SSA General Committee voted unanimously Wednesday to endorse O’Malley’s nomination.

Companies are struggling to get workers to return to the office, and those choosing the most heavy-handed return policies are seeing an impact on retention. That’s one of the big takeaways from a new survey by The Conference Board, which found about 73% of organizations reported challenges getting workers to return to the office. Another takeaway? Hybrid setups still represent a critical tool for businesses looking to balance their desire for in-office work with turnover concerns.

The recent news regarding retired Baltimore Ravens star and Hollywood melodrama subject Michael Oher is distressing in a number of ways. The protagonist of the Oscar-winning film “The Blind Side,” based on a book by Michael Lewis of the same name, Oher has long been at the center of a number of compelling themes related to sports, class, and race in America. While many have encountered his story as a rags-to-riches narrative seen through the lens of a white family’s benefaction and love, Oher’s new allegations of financial exploitation suggest a darker side to the story — and speak to a history of the exploitation of Black bodies for white financial gain.

President Biden is not shy about his feelings toward living in the White House. “It’s a little like a gilded cage,” he said early in his presidency, adding, “I find myself extremely self-conscious.” But, about 62 miles north, the president has become deeply fond of the other presidential residence. Here at Camp David, the rustic presidential retreat nestled in Catoctin Mountain Park, Biden loves the quiet and the vast outdoors that he can explore unencumbered by the hulking entourage that usually follows him around, according to aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the president’s personal time.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen visited Berlin Friday to highlight $400,000 in grant funding the Berlin Fire Company received. Van Hollen, joined by Eric Smothers of the Maryland State Firemen’s Association, spoke at the Berlin Fire Company’s Main Street station Friday morning about the need for support for emergency responders. Van Hollen said $400,000 in federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program funding would help the Berlin Fire Company (BFC) replace outdated gear.

Backpacks embellished with camouflage, leopard print, dinosaurs, rainbows and daisies went the quickest. The solid-colored bags were in high demand, too, as hundreds of Baltimore children and their families swarmed the booths offering free school supplies at the city’s annual back-to-school rally in front of City Hall on Saturday.

The faculty at Frederick Community College has voted to form a union and will file official paperwork at a rally on Monday, the Maryland affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers announced Friday. In a news release from AFT-Maryland, Greg Coldren, a math professor at the college, said that “the solidarity and power we are creating with our union will ensure our protection.”

 

Poolesville High School parents are approaching the new school year with trepidation after construction on a lengthy campus renovation project caused health concerns last semester. Montgomery County Public School officials say the most invasive part of the project—roof tarring—will be completed before students return on Aug. 28 and have committed to a “frequent communication and feedback loop” to address any ongoing concerns about the $60.2 million project.