Friday, March 29, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
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Around Maryland

Moore administration halts Hogan attempt to scale back state’s vehicle emissions testing

As former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) was heading out the door a few weeks ago, his administration attempted to push through changes to the state’s vehicle emissions inspection (VEIP) program — over the objections of environmentalists and a legislative panel that examines proposed state regulations. But now the new regulation — and an accompanying procurement process designed to execute the Hogan administration’s plan to scale back emissions inspections — has been put on hold.

Downtown Baltimore on the Harbor
Baltimore lawmakers push public safety proposals

Maryland lawmakers from East Baltimore are promoting a series of proposals that they say would address causes of crime, help solve crimes and reduce recidivism. Del. Caylin Young and Del. Jackie Addison, both first-year lawmakers from East Baltimore, unveiled a package of bills on Wednesday that they hope to pass this General Assembly session. “There’s a sense of urgency that we need to be mindful of,” Young said after reeling off a list of shootings and killings in his community.

Harris, OC Call For Moratorium On Offshore Wind

Two more whale strandings reported in recent weeks, including one in New Jersey and one near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, had federal lawmakers again calling for a moratorium on offshore wind energy development projects. Over the span of a couple of weeks last month, deceased whales of various sizes and species stranded on the beaches across the mid-Atlantic, largely in New Jersey and New York, but also on Assateague. There, a nearly 34-foot humpback washed up on the beach in the over-sand vehicle (OSV) area.

Virginia, Maryland leaders make public pitches to land new FBI headquarters, an economic development win of a generation

The selection process for a new suburban FBI headquarters campus appears to be in its final stretch, and Virginia and Maryland lawmakers are making their final pitches for the massive project. As required by the federal 2023 omnibus spending bill, the General Services Administration will hold “separate and detailed consultations” with representatives from both states in late February and early March as it determines the best location for a new consolidated FBI headquarters, a multibillion-dollar development that could house as many as 7,500 employees. This could be the final set of reviews before the feds make a decision on what promises to be a titanic economic development win.

Harford County Circuit Court rules against Jacob Bennett in dispute over County Council eligibility

A Harford County Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday morning that County Council member Jacob Bennett may not serve on the council while employed as a Harford County Public Schools teacher. Judge Richard Bernhardt delivered the ruling following a Tuesday hearing in which he stated a quick decision was needed on the matter. Before delivering the ruling, Bernhardt said no matter the outcome, “No doubt, there’ll be future review.”

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Four infant deaths have Baltimore County health officials ‘sounding an alarm’

Four infants have died in Baltimore County in the past two months due to unsafe sleeping conditions, according to the county health officer, who called on health care providers to step up safe-sleep education efforts for new parents and other caregivers. “Over the last two months, we have seen four preliminary findings of sleep-related deaths in infants. While one such death is cause for sounding an alarm, four is what we normally see over the course of an entire year,” said Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, the health officer, in a statement.

Montgomery Co. handing out 10,000 more free laptops

Officials in Montgomery County, Maryland, are handing out 10,000 more free laptops to low-income county residents over the next three months. The laptops will be handed out, while supplies last, at distribution events hosted by the county. The next event is Feb. 16 at the Executive Office Building cafeteria in Rockville from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The county has already handed out more than 40,000 free laptops, mostly to low-income households, officials said.

Read More: WTOP
Former home of enslaved people found near Harriet Tubman birthplace

Maryland officials announced Tuesday the discovery of a home where enslaved people lived on the Eastern Shore farm where abolitionist Harriet Tubman was born. Gov. Wes Moore joined local, state and federal officials at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Dorchester County to announce the find. The governor’s office said the home is believed to be that of an enslaved overseer, possibly Jerry Manokey. It follows the April 2021 announcement of the discovery of the home of Ben Ross, Tubman’s father. “Harriet Tubman’s birthplace is sacred ground, and this discovery is part of our ongoing commitment to preserve the legacy of those who lived here,” Moore said in a news release.

Baltimore’s homeless youth eligible for thousands of dollars each through new program

Baltimore youth experiencing homelessness will be eligible to receive thousands of dollars each through a new program. GreenLight Fund Baltimore, the local arm of a national nonprofit that focuses on inclusive initiatives, invested in youth homelessness nonprofit Point Source Youth to scale its Direct Cash Transfer program to Charm City. Young Baltimoreans will get a one-time $3,000 cash transfer, as well as $1,000 monthly over the course of two years. “As leaders and members of our community, it is our responsibility to support the young people who are the future of our city. By demonstrating that their struggles are our own, we can provide the guidance and resources needed to ensure their success,” said Mayor Brandon Scott in a news release.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Baltimore County schools propose cutting 162 vacant teacher positions

The Baltimore County Public Schools system is proposing to cut over 160 vacant teaching positions to save millions. Staff from the budget office say it’s to match declining enrollment numbers, but union leaders and the school board chair still find it concerning. The proposed cuts were explained in a 62-page document in which district staff answered dozens of board members’ questions about the district’s budget for fiscal year 2024. The answers revealed ways the system aims to save money in a spending plan the county executive called “unrealistic,” but also points to areas where they may invest more, such as all-day pre-K.

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