I was not born Black. The birth certificate issued in Rockdale County, Georgia, more than 69 years ago, identified me as “colored,” as were my parents. But I didn’t “happen to turn Black,” the way Donald Trump seems to think is possible. Once upon a time, anything that smacked of Black, as the U.S. Supreme Court acknowledged the year before my birth, held negative connotations — especially where race was concerned in this country.

Former President Donald Trump is safe following what the FBI says “appears to be an attempted assassination” while playing golf two months after another attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania. Local authorities said the U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Trump fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle with a scope as Trump was playing on one of his Florida golf courses in West Palm Beach.

As the county executive, Johnny Olszewski is used to running things. But, when Baltimore County’s top official walked into the kitchen at Bykota Senior Center, he knew to let the assembly line of paper plates and diced carrots proceed without his signature. “I do not want to complicate what is already a well-oiled machine,” Olszewski said as he and his communications director, Erica Palmisano, wheeled a silver cart of chicken-and-gravy lunches to an adoring crowd this week for No Senior Eats Alone Day.

There’s a rarified air to the monthly board meetings of the Greater Washington Council of Governments (COG). Elected officials from across the region gather in a bright, airy meeting room on Capitol Hill, far nicer than the grimy government hearing rooms they’re accustomed to, to discuss governing concepts and policy priorities without getting too deep into the weeds most of the time.

In this week’s episode of Center Maryland’s The Trail, Damian, Candace & Don recap the first presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump.

A Maryland nonprofit is helping people with disabilities find jobs and other opportunities by hosting a boot camp in partnership with tech company Enabled Intelligence. For decades, Melwood has aimed to provide employment, training, and supportive and recreational services to people with disabilities. Employees at Enabled Intelligence input data that helps artificial intelligence systems, including those run by the federal government.

 

In November, Howard County voters will get the chance to amend the county charter to include an office of inspector general. The idea picked up steam last summer after a County Council member proposed it and many spoke in favor of the idea at a public hearing. Now the council is moving forward on two tracks, with the fall referendum and two pieces of legislation set to come before the council.

Baltimore City Council members, union leaders, religious groups and community organizations on Sunday called on voters to reject a ballot initiative to cut the number of council districts, asserting that the measure would weaken the democratic process. People for Elected Accountability and Civic Engagement, or PEACE, collected enough signatures to get the proposal on the ballot. Question H would decrease the number of council districts from 14 to eight.

My favorite facts about the Chesapeake Bay involve oysters: They were once so plentiful they could filter all bay waters (estimated at 19 trillion gallons) in less than a week; oyster reefs were once so large they constituted navigational hazards; and the competition for oysters was so fierce and violent in the 19th century that the Maryland legislature established an Oyster Navy to keep tongers and dredgers from killing each other. (Photo: Baltimore Sun)

Maryland’s alarming slide from 22nd to 31st place in CNBC’s 2024 Top States for Business rankings is more than a statistic — it’s a glaring warning sign about our state’s economic competitiveness. This significant drop demands immediate attention and decisive action from policymakers, business leaders and all stakeholders invested in Maryland’s economic future.