Around Maryland

As hundreds of protesters rallied outside school board headquarters for the third time this summer to protest the school district’s no-opt-out policy on reading LGBTQ+ inclusive storybooks, organizers made it clear some groups were more welcome than others. An upcoming decision by a federal judge will determine whether the opt-out will be reinstated until the legal dispute is resolved.

A year ago, a new three-digit phone line launched nationwide, making it easier for people facing a mental health crisis and other issues to find resources and support. Since then, national data show that more people are reaching out to what’s called the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Yet call counselors and call center managers in Maryland want more people to be aware of the line and how it can help.

Kenny Noel is relatively new to his home off West North Avenue, but with some investment — and teamwork — he thinks his new neighborhood has a lot of promise. It wouldn’t hurt, for instance, to be able to walk to a grocery store. Unbeknownst to Noel, an effort is already taking place in West Baltimore. The West North Avenue Development Authority was created by legislators in 2021 and tasked with the responsibility of redeveloping and revitalizing areas along the road between North Hilton Street and Interstate 83.

Baltimore County police will have a new tool when it comes to responding to shootings. County police on Tuesday announced it has partnered with ShotSpotter to use its gunshot-detection technology in the Wilkens and Essex precincts. County police said the technology uses acoustic sensors that triangulates the sound of gunfire, pinpointing the number of shots fired and location. The technology is currently being used in Baltimore City.

The Baltimore City Board of Estimates unanimously approved a contract for the University of Baltimore on Wednesday to create and deliver a violence intervention certificate program for Safe Streets employees. The $134,433 contract is partially funded by a grant from the Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance and the general fund of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, known as MONSE. The contract will cover program development as well as pre-launch promotion.

If you read The Banner’s data work, you know the Black Butterfly — the majority Black area of Baltimore. You may not know, though, that it’s gotten smaller. The landmass known as the Black Butterfly shrunk, just slightly, for the first time in 2020, while becoming more prominent in Baltimore County. We’ve written a fair bit about the Black Butterfly here at The Banner. It’s appeared repeatedly in our data stories, and we recently published a roundup of different datasets where we’ve found it.

The Frederick County government invited people with disabilities to Walkersville on Wednesday for a day of play. This was the first time the county honored Disability Pride Month, said Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. Disability Pride Month commemorates the July 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which outlaws discrimination on the basis of ability.

The Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry (NMD) and the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) Department of Dental Public Health received a five year, $1.28 million Science Education Partnership Award grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to design innovative online tools that will redefine how young learners are taught about oral health across the country.

An arts program held in cooperation with summer academy is expanding the reach of the Worcester County Arts Council. With the help of the Worcester County Arts Council (WCAC), summer academy programs in local schools feature “Summer Arts Camp.” The program gives summer school students the chance to work with artists on a variety of projects linked to the academy theme.