Around Maryland

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona highlighted a national shortage of college counselors in an appearance with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday morning in downtown Baltimore. At the National Association of College Admission Counseling’s annual meeting, which brought more than 7,000 attendees to the Baltimore Convention Center, Moore and Cardona spoke in a moderated conversation on a wide range of education issues to an audience of mostly high school and college staff from across the country.

The Biden administration announced Wednesday that they would provide $600 million in funding for new COVID-19 tests. Additionally, they are resurrecting the government website to order those free tests. It’s an effort to prevent possible future shortages as the winter months come and the rise of coronavirus cases — as well as flu and RSV — are expected.

Morgan State University has received a $3 million National Science Foundation grant that it plans to use to train future scientists. The federal dollars have been earmarked to help support research at the school related to climate change. Research is already taking place on the first floor of Spencer Hall. Students are training hands-on using water samples collected from local waterways and plants.

The University of Maryland Wednesday announced the grand opening of the National Quantum Laboratory (QLab), a groundbreaking quantum research center developed in partnership with IonQ), a College Park-based quantum computing firm. The QLab enables users to develop and design quantum technologies on one of the world’s most powerful quantum computers while working alongside leading experts in the field, in an effort to address the most complex challenges of our time.

The Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission (MSCRC) Wednesday announced grant awards totaling approximately $4 million dedicated to fostering innovative research that will propel advancements in stem cell treatments and technologies across Maryland. Twelve scientists from Maryland-based research institutions and companies have been selected as recipients of these prestigious grants.

The Baltimore City Fire Department is making some progress on a variety of efforts to dig out from under the burdens of abnormally high call volumes, a staffing crunch and public health challenges such as the opioid epidemic. In a series of updates given to City Council’s public safety committee Wednesday, fire department leaders pointed to signs of slight improvement, particularly around restoring the depleted vehicle fleet and the ongoing challenge of long wait times that medics routinely face when dropping patients off at area hospitals.

A popular streetery created during the pandemic in Bethesda, Maryland, not only appears to be here to stay, it may get some improvements. The Norfolk Avenue streetery, which has turned two blocks of the street into an open eatery and seating area with just a few small tables and folding chairs, may be raised up to sidewalk level, have the intersections nearby raised to slow down traffic and be enhanced to deal with standing water issues.

Baltimore City Council members are planning a hearing with city school officials over the system’s recent problems with late payments to vendors. Councilmembers Robert Stokes and John Bullock proposed the hearing during Monday’s City Council meeting, which followed reports by vendors who say Baltimore City Public Schools hasn’t paid them for their contracted services, some of which have amounted to thousands of dollars. Other vendors were paid late.