Frederick County Public Schools officials on Wednesday presented Superintendent Cheryl Dyson’s recommended maps for a redistricting project that could see nearly 2,500 students switching schools. The project is referred to as the Crestwood Area Redistricting Study, because it’s being prompted by an upcoming addition to Crestwood Middle School that will boost capacity there by 300 seats.
The Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) is looking to fill yet another vacant seat in the Maryland General Assembly, this time in District 17 of the House of Delegates. This will be the fifth representative this legislative season who will be picked by the committee and not voters. Del. Kumar P. Barve (D-Dist. 17) announced last month that he is leaving his seat in the Maryland House of Delegates to join Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s administration as a member of the Maryland Public Service Commission.
The four of us spent the last three years immersed in collecting and reporting data on Covid-19 from every corner of the world, building one of the most trusted sources of information on cases and deaths available anywhere. But we stopped in March, not because the pandemic is over (it isn’t), but because much of the vital public health information we need is no longer available.
I would like to congratulate the citizens of Baltimore on a big win! We often hear that our vote does not matter and that government is too cumbersome to change. But last November, the vote of city resident did count and they changed government for the better: 86% of Baltimore voters cast their ballots in overwhelming support of Question I, which proposed to establish a new citizens-based advisory board to oversee the Office of the Inspector General.
Everybody, even progressive Democrats, loves a growing business community. It means more jobs, more income, more taxes. When the new governor and comptroller spoke to the Maryland Chamber of Commerce Feb. 28, they embraced the business community. Said Gov. Wes Moore, who had actually spent some time as an investment banker: “When Maryland’s businesses are strong, Maryland’s communities are strong. As governor, I am dedicated to doing everything in my power to make Maryland the business capital of the United States.”
Public comment at a public meeting is generally and widely permitted. Even though the state’s open meetings law does not mandate it, it’s a good practice for a public body to hear from the public whenever possible. But some members of the public have been abusing the privilege at county Board of Education meetings, disrupting and delaying meetings beyond all reason.
City council members are addressing the large number of leadership vacancies at city hall. This comes as Mayor Brandon Scott reportedly shakes up his own staff. Vacancies include key leadership positions at the Department of Public Works, Department of Transportation, and perhaps most notable, the chief of the Baltimore City Fire Department.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) officially announced his decision not to seek a fourth term at high noon on Monday. Two minutes later, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) released a statement on Twitter praising Cardin’s long career and policy achievements. “I know our friend Ben will continue to work tirelessly through the remainder of his term, and I’m grateful for the example he has set and the legacy he has established,” she said.
As Prince George’s County moves forward with its ambitious school construction plan, it is crucial to ensure that the benefits of these projects are extended to all members of the community, including Black workers, women, veterans and minority groups. One way is by incorporating project labor agreements into the construction plan.
Data from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows about 5.7% of physicians in the United States identify as Black or African American, even though Black individuals make up approximately 13.6% of the overall population. In Maryland, where 31.4% of our population is Black, only 12.3% of physicians identify as Black.