Around Maryland

Deserved or not, Leakin Park has a reputation. Scores across the country know it as the site where Hae Min Lee was buried in a shallow grave, a case probed years later on the podcast “Serial.” Locals better know Leakin Park as the densely overgrown expanse in their backyards with a host of possibility but also insufficient staffing, illegal dumping and safety concerns. Recently, however, there has been movement to improve Leakin Park’s circumstances, making it more of an asset for the historically disinvested West Baltimore neighborhoods that surround it.

Baltimore’s government-subsidized public housing sites are failing federal inspections at a higher rate than the national average, a Banner analysis of inspection records found. The most recent round of Real Estate Assessment Center Inspections, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses to assess the quality and safety of housing, revealed a number of health and safety violations inside of Baltimore’s conventional public housing stock, including cockroaches, fire safety hazards and mold and mildew.

The state of Maryland has about a month to decide whether it will continue to do business with YesCare Corp., a correctional health care provider that has drawn a flurry of lawsuits from currently and formerly incarcerated people over alleged malpractice. Meanwhile, a cascading series of events over the last week in a related Texas bankruptcy case has thrown the viability of YesCare into question.

A state mapping project shows areas in Maryland that could be susceptible to sea level rise in the future. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources worked with George Mason University and The Nature Conservancy on the project, which shows viewers the areas that could become wetlands. By sharing which places could become affected by rising sea levels, DNR conservation resilience planner Sara Coleman hopes people will be able to adjust before it gets too late.

Ocean City's commercial harbor may be on the brink of a significant transformation as offshore wind company U.S. Wind sets its sights on establishing a presence in the resort town. The Federal Government has been informed of U.S. Wind's intentions to construct a new pier in the West Ocean City Harbor, stirring both anticipation and concerns among locals. The proposed project includes the development of a new pier, forming part of an operations and maintenance facility.

Maryland’s top lawyer announced Wednesday afternoon that the state had reached settlements with Walgreens, Walmart and two opioid manufacturers that are expected to add $238 million to its efforts to fight the opioid crisis over the course of 15 years. The settlements follow multi-year investigations of the roles of the opioid manufacturers and chain pharmacies in fueling Maryland’s opioid crisis, the Office of Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown said in a news release.

Baltimore’s government-subsidized public housing sites are failing federal inspections at a higher rate than the national average, a Banner analysis of inspection records found. The most recent round of Real Estate Assessment Center Inspections, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development uses to assess the quality and safety of housing, revealed a number of health and safety violations inside of Baltimore’s conventional public housing stock, including cockroaches, fire safety hazards and mold and mildew.

Baltimore County’s school board approved a $2.58 billion operational budget Tuesday for fiscal year 2025 with investments in teacher compensation and early education. The proposal also eliminates vacant positions and changes class sizes. The school board signed off on Superintendent Myriam Rogers’ budget in a 9-3 vote. Board members Rod McMillion, Julie Henn and Maggie Litz Domanowski voted against it over concerns about larger classes and teacher transfers. The Baltimore County Council will now review the plan before voting in May.

There won't be an early voting center in Hancock this year, but there will be one in Smithsburg. If you missed the Hancock early voting center saga, or if you've lost track, here's a recap: Last year, the Washington County Board of Elections recommended the board headquarters on Virginia Avenue and the Hancock Town Hall as its two required early voting center sites for this year's election. A third alternative, authorized by the county commissioners, was the American Legion in Boonsboro.