Since the red sandstone “Castle” was completed in 1855, the Smithsonian has been a fixture on the National Mall. First envisioned by Pierre L’Enfant, the Mall has come to embody both the nation’s character and ideals. What started as a marshy lowland has become the most-visited place in the National Park System, inviting people from across the country and around the world to better understand American democracy, and to experience the history and culture of this richly diverse nation. The challenge ahead is to reimagine a Mall that tells the full American story.
Bunch: Yes, the museums honoring women and Latinos belong on the National Mall
John Waters at the BMA: ‘Infecting’ people with contemporary art for seven decades
Writer and filmmaker John Waters is sometimes introduced as “the one and only,” but he’s the first to say that’s not accurate. “My father would take difference to ‘one and only,’ because I’m a Junior,” he told Asma Naeem, the interim co-director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, after she introduced him that way this week. The occasion was a press preview for “Coming Attractions: The John Waters Collection,” an exhibition of 83 works of contemporary art from Waters’ personal collection. They were culled from a larger group of about 375 works that Waters, a Baltimore native and BMA trustee, has agreed to donate to the museum when he dies. The museum mounted the exhibit, which opens Sunday and runs until April 16, 2023, as a sign of “coming attractions.”
What does Moore’s victory mean for Baltimore? Officials hope to see more communication between City Hall and Annapolis
As Gov. Larry Hogan and Wes Moore prepare to swap places in the governor’s mansion, Baltimore officials and political analysts are gearing up for a leader they think will seek greater partnership with a city left in the lurch the past eight years. Moore, who will make history as Maryland’s first Black governor when he is inaugurated in January, sailed to victory in his race against Del. Dan Cox, a far-right Republican who trumpeted his endorsement from former President Donald Trump, in the race to succeed Hogan, who is term-limited.
Budget analyst: ‘Days of miracle and wonder’ have bolstered state’s fiscal standing
Maryland is well-equipped to survive a mild recession, fiscal analysts told state lawmakers Tuesday — thanks in part to all the federal largesse that has come the state’s way in recent years. The General Assembly’s Spending Affordability Committee and other fiscal panels held an online budget briefing Tuesday, digging into an array of statistics, revenue estimates and economic projections ahead of Spending Affordability’s annual meeting next month to set targeted spending levels for the upcoming fiscal year. Overall, the news was pretty good. David Romans, coordinator of fiscal and policy analysis at the Department of Legislative Services, conceded that while there were fears of the state taking huge financial hits during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal aid has bolstered the state budget along with stronger than projected tax revenues.
Eight Anne Arundel County charter amendments on track to pass
The eight amendments to Anne Arundel County’s governing documents are all on track to pass after two days of mail-in ballot canvassing finished Monday night. Many of the amendments were suggested by the county’s Charter Revision Commission, which reviews the County Charter every 10 years, and all but one have received widespread support as ballots are counted. They include Question A, which would extend County Council term limits to three consecutive four-year terms rather than two and Question B, codifying the county’s Veterans Affairs Commission. Those questions have received 78% and 85% support, respectively, according to returns published Tuesday.
Glenn Ivey enters the House determined to prevent democracy from crumbling
Glenn Ivey enters his first term as a congressman after a landslide victory against Republican challenger Jeff Warner. This was not his first time that Ivey, a Democrat, ran for the House. He ran in 2012 but dropped out before the primary due to fundraising issues. He tried again in 2016 but lost in the primary. Ivey said he wanted to make a difference in so many communities and now his perseverance has been rewarded. He will represent Maryland’s 4th District, a predominantly Black constituency, which contains parts of Prince George’s County and a sliver of Montgomery County. “There are major challenges that are being addressed one way or another in Congress, and I certainly want to be part of trying to help address those problems and find positive ways to move the country forward,” Ivey said in a recent interview.
Annapolis housing authority director calls on City Council to end ‘adversarial relationship’
The executive director of Annapolis’s housing authority pleaded with the City Council on Monday night to de-escalate their “adversarial relationship,” and called on the council to reform inspection procedures, provide more funding for upkeep and drop a lawsuit filed against the authority last month. Melissa Maddox-Evans, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, came before the council with the intent of presenting a quarterly report, but her testimony touched off nearly 90 minutes of impassioned discussion and traded accusations, marking the most public conversation about the legal, logistical and financial problems facing the housing authority in years.
As Baltimore County considers litigation against oil companies over climate change, some council members express doubts
Baltimore County’s law office wants to hire a legal firm to consider litigation against fossil fuels companies over climate change, which could mimic suits filed by Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County and jurisdictions across the country. But it will need the approval of the Baltimore County Council, and some members have concerns about the proposal. A contract with the law firm Sher Edling was brought before the council for the first time Tuesday evening. It won’t be voted on by the body until at least its next meeting, which is Monday evening. Sher Edling is litigating about 20 suits from cities and counties against oil and gas companies, alleging they should bear costs associated with climate change, in part because they hid information from the public about the harmful impacts of greenhouse gas emissions.
Villavicencio: Going back to ‘normal’ won’t work
National test results released in September 2022 show unprecedented losses in math and reading scores since the pandemic disrupted schooling for millions of children. In response, educational leaders and policymakers across the country are eager to reverse these trends and catch these students back up to where they would have been. But this renewed concern seems to overlook a crucial fact: Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools were failing to adequately serve children of color. As a scholar of racial equity in K-12 education, I see an opportunity to go beyond getting students caught up. Rather than focus only on trying to close pandemic-related gaps, schools could seek to more substantially improve the quality of education they offer, particularly for students of color, if they want to achieve equitable and sustainable results.
Leads for parental rights candidates shrink in tight Harford Board of Education race
As the Harford County Board of Elections continues canvassing, candidates endorsed by a national conservative political action group focused on parental rights in schools, are in the lead for two of the six seats up for grabs on the Harford Board of Education. Previous early voting and Election Day totals had four of the conservative group’s candidates in the lead, but mail-in ballots, which tend to trend Democratic, flipped the lead in districts B and E.