The new school year brings energy, hope, and fingers crossed. Some educators even foresee turning the COVID adversity to advantage because of lessons learned, like those on tutoring and online instruction. On the other hand, the reality is not rosy. Learning loss is much deeper than realized. Student behavior and emotional problems are worse than ever. Teacher vacancies are extraordinarily high. An unprecedented one-third of all Maryland’s local school districts will have new permanent superintendents this year. Federal COVID funds could enable progress. But that assumes the funds are well spent, which generally hasn’t happened so far in Maryland and nationally.

Former WBAL-TV reporter Omar Jimenez will co-anchor the CNN show Early Start beginning Monday, Jimenez announced Sunday on Twitter. Early Start begins at 5 a.m. on weekdays. Jimenez will be joined by co-anchor Christine Romans in his first time anchoring for CNN. Jimenez was a reporter at WBAL-TV, Baltimore’s NBC affiliate, from 2015 to 2017, according to the station’s website. At WBAL-TV, he received an individual Emmy nomination for his general assignment coverage and covered the trials of the police officers charged with Freddie Gray’s death, according to CNN’s website. Jimenez joined CNN affiliate Newsource in 2017 and became a CNN correspondent in 2019.

The most heavily attended Maryland Association of Counties summer conference in history concluded Saturday with presentations from five of the six major-party candidates for statewide office. The contenders for governor, attorney general and comptroller did not appear onstage together, but offered opening and closing statements and answered three questions apiece that had been developed by MACo leaders. Wes Moore, the Democratic nominee for governor who attended numerous MACo events in Ocean City this week, was the only no-show, due to a scheduling conflict. All three major offices are open this year — a rarity in recent Maryland political history — and all the candidates, to one degree or another, pledged to boost cooperation between state and local government.

Despite what you may have heard, the deal negotiated to win the support of coal baron Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), is not a big victory for the climate. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law last week, epitomizes the egregious legislative compromises that plague climate action — and offers key lessons for Maryland legislators. We can celebrate the IRA’s investments in renewable energy while also being clear-eyed about the alarming trade-offs it took to get here. Democratic leadership has achieved green investment at the expense of decades of new pollution. Loopholes in the act encourage “carbon capture,” an unproven, unrealistic technology scheme with a failing track record; fossil fuel-backed hydrogen production; and expanded fossil fuel drilling and fracking on public lands and waters.

Andrew “Drew” Vetter, Esq. has joined Annapolis law and lobbying firm Schwartz, Metz, Wise & Kauffman. Vetter served as deputy administrative officer in the Office of Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski Jr. from 2018 until July 2022. In that role, he was responsible for oversight of a portfolio of operational departments of county government, including in the areas of policing and public safety, as well as economic development and land use. Vetter also served as the administration’s lead on labor negotiations and labor relations issues.

State and local leaders are keeping a watchful eye on economic indicators that could hint at a looming recession. Mixed economic signals including high inflation and job growth linger as the state, nation and the world try to right themselves during a pandemic. Maryland’s treasurer said some caution might be warranted. “I don’t want us to get to comfortable that we’re ok because we still don’t know where it’s going to go and we have to continue to be vigilant on how we spend the money,” said Treasurer Dereck Davis. “What we don’t want to do is unnecessarily raise taxes or cut programs.”

 

Recently, The Baltimore Sun Editorial Board asked the question, “What can be done about Baltimore’s unreliable transit?” (Aug. 11). This week, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council appointed a diverse work group of regional leaders and transportation experts to address a long-standing issue at the heart of that question. The Baltimore region is one of the few large metropolitan areas in the country in which local elected officials are voiceless in the operation or planning of the transit system. The Sun’s editorial rightly framed Baltimore’s transit challenges as the result of state planning and funding decisions. The editorial board is also correct in its assertion that addressing Baltimore’s transit challenges cannot wait for the next governor to take office in 2023.

Maryland’s unemployment rate dipped below 4% last month for the first time since the start of the pandemic as a strong labor market helped quell fears of an impending recession. New figures released by the U.S. Department of Labor on Friday show Maryland’s unemployment rate was at 3.9% in July, a slight drop after holding steady at 4% in May and June. The state’s unemployment rate has now dropped 1.5 percentage points since January but remains above the national rate of 3.5% and higher than Maryland’s pre-pandemic mark of 3.3% in February 2020. Maryland is one of 10 states and D.C. that have unemployment rates higher than the national rate.

Baltimore County announced plans Friday to acquire the former Sears property at Security Square Mall as part of an effort to revitalize the 40-year-old Woodlawn center. Under the $10 million contract with property owner TF Baltimore MD LLC, Baltimore County will acquire about 18 acres of land that includes a 202,653 square-foot building directly connected to the mall, according to a Friday news release from Baltimore County. “The Security Square Mall site is a critical anchor for the communities on the west side of Baltimore County, and our administration is committed to revitalizing the area and making sure it will serve as a vibrant community hub for years to come,” County Executive Johnny Olszewski said in a news release.