Around Maryland

Superintendent Mark Bedell informed the Board of Education recently that early release days for elementary schools will not have recess built into the schedule, to the frustration of some board members. “When we talk about recess, we are talking about something essential to a child’s growth, like food,” District 3 representative Corine Frank said at a Board of Education workshop Oct. 7.

There’s a miniature Windsor Mill Road structure that looks like it belongs to elves — or maybe a good witch or Harry Potter wizard. Officially, it’s the gatehouse to the University of Maryland Rehabilitation & Orthopaedic Institute, known for decades as Kernan Hospital. The gatehouse comes with one of those delightful Baltimore tales. James Kernan, a successful theater owner, ruled the northern part of Howard Street in downtown Baltimore with his “Million Dollar Enterprise.”

Some runners rounded the corner of Hopkins Place and hit the homestretch on Pratt Street with a head of steam. They practically glided across the Baltimore Running Festival finish line Saturday. Marathon winners Willy Fink and Sara Kenefick were a part of that group. Heck, so was Baltimore Banner reporter Adam Willis, who finished 20th overall in the half-marathon.

After Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced Wednesday that the city would cut ties with the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, the news reverberated throughout the local art world. Turbulence over BOPA’s financial troubles had come to a head in recent weeks, but the announcement still appeared to be a surprise to some.

This summer, around 150 people jumped into the Inner Harbor for the first Harbor Splash. The Waterfront Partnership's Healthy Harbor report shows many areas of the harbor are safe for swimming. A majority of sites have good or improving bacteria scores. The report found the Inner Harbor is safe for swimming 80% of the time.

The city of Baltimore will seek to terminate its contractual relationship with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, the mayor's office announced Wednesday evening. BOPA is the organizer of some of the city's largest events, including Artscape and the New Year's Eve fireworks. In a letter to BOPA leadership, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced the city's severing its ties with the organization based on its "current financial situation and operational challenges."

In the future, Maryland consumers in Montgomery County could forget about plastic bags at the grocery store. Those will be banned — with some exceptions — if a new bill passes the council this week. Under the “Bring Your Own Bag” bill, if customers want a paper bag, they’ll pay 10 cents per bag — double the rate they now pay if they don’t opt to bring their own reusable bags to the store.

The Baltimore County Council is poised to pass a resolution opposing a proposed $424 million, 70-mile energy transmission line. The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project would cut through Baltimore, Carroll and Frederick counties. All seven members of the council voiced support for the resolution during a public hearing Tuesday.