Victor is the kind of student it’s easy to lose track of. Maybe it’s his long, wispy frame. Or his chill, no-drama demeanor. Whatever it is, he has a knack for slipping away, unnoticed. Victor became a 12th grader this year, and he got off to a shaky start. Absent. Late. In. Out. Gone. Other days, he was on it — sharp and task-oriented. When a unit assessment asked students to write about a “contemporary issue” that needs a solution, Victor wrote about Baltimore’s lousy roads.

Lt. Kevin Krauss stood on the other side of the police tape, his black Annapolis Police Department uniform blending into the shadows. “Hi, Rick,” he said, recognizing me before I could pick out his face in the dark. “Hi, LT. Sorry to see you here.” “You, too.” In a small city like Annapolis, homicides can be intimate affairs. The cops know most of the reporters, and journalists like me know a lot of the cops.

The Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) voted unanimously Tuesday to demolish the remnants of the historic Hendler Creamery following a heated debate. The creamery on East Baltimore Street in the Jonestown Historic District, east of downtown, was partially demolished and marked for redevelopment many years ago, leaving it exposed to weathering elements.

Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks visited Catoctin Mountain Orchard near Thurmont on Monday as part of a broader initiative to tour farms across the state and gather feedback and concerns from local farmers. Atticks said he has prior experience in Frederick County, but wanted to familiarize members of his team with farmers in the county and show the diversity of what’s being grown.

 

Gaithersburg City Councilmember Ryan Spiegel got his ticket punched to Annapolis on Tuesday evening, winning a recommendation from the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee that he be chosen to replace former Del. Kumar P. Barve (D) in the House of Delegates. The central committee’s nomination of Spiegel will be forwarded to Gov. Wes Moore (D), who officially makes the appointment.

A United States District judge put a temporary restraining order on hold Monday as both sides of an insurance discrimination case work on a resolution. Judge Julie Rebecca Rubin ruled that Erie Insurance and the Maryland Insurance Administration have up to 60 days to come to a resolution following the administration’s finding in May that the Pennsylvania-based insurance company used discriminatory practices against Black Baltimore-area brokers, and thus its residents.

Morgan State University’s marching band is headed to the White House to celebrate Juneteenth and Black Music Month. The Magnificent Marching Machine, composed of 152 students, will perform on the South Lawn on Tuesday evening for the White House’s Juneteenth Concert. The concert announcement came after President Joe Biden proclaimed June as Black Music Month in May.

Drivers of electric vehicles, and some plug-in hybrid vehicles, in Maryland can once again use HOV lanes on Interstate 270 and Route 50, as long as they get and display a Maryland HOV permit. Because of legislation passed in Annapolis in the last session of the Maryland General Assembly, owners of electric vehicles who display their permits can begin using HOV lanes even when driving by themselves.

An overwhelming majority of Marylanders say they favor increased penalties for those convicted of possession of a stolen firearm. A poll released Tuesday by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media Service found that strong, broad-based support for stiffer penalties exists across a wide spectrum of state voters. “What really surprised me the most is just the unanimity across the board of intense agreement,” said pollster Patrick Gonzales.

County Councilmember Kristin Mink (D-Dist. 5) released an apology Sunday, for comments she made about Muslim families and students who testified at a school board meeting against Montgomery County Public School’s policy on LGBTQ+ inclusive storybooks. “I regret that although my remarks were focused on promoting inclusion, they created an opportunity for misunderstanding and mischaracterization.