Around Maryland

The city of Frederick began work last week on a stream restoration project at Monocacy Village Park. The project, which is expected to be completed in summer 2024 according to a city news release, is currently in its assessment stage. Contractors are surveying the area around the stream to determine how the plans for the stream’s design should proceed, said Jenny Willoughby, the city’s sustainability manager.

Maryland may be later than many other states in legalizing cannabis, but those who wrote the state’s laws hope they’ve avoided the problems that have plagued other states: Lack of product, lack of diversity in the industry, and taxes so high that people kept buying on the black market. Maryland Del. C.T. Wilson will be watching Saturday’s rollout of recreational sales closely.

Maryland’s state school superintendent hopes to move the academic needle this summer for low-performing schools. The majority of those failing schools are in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. That’s where the superintendent plans to direct his focus. “This is my administration’s responsibility and our chance to revamp school improvement,” said Mohammed Choudhury. At Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting, Choudhury suggested the obstacles to learning aren’t just about money.

Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury said he intends to stay in the role, and he gained a show of support from the Maryland State Board of Education president during the board’s Tuesday meeting. Choudhury told The Baltimore Sun that he is committed to staying in Maryland for a 10-year period. “I meant that,” he said. “I’ll fulfill my promise and commitment.”

More than one month after Baltimore City officials unveiled a plan to enforce a youth curfew, not a single child has been taken to what officials are calling a Youth Connection Center. Bryan Doherty, a spokesman for Mayor Brandon Scott’s office, said that shows that the city’s outreach efforts are working. But Doherty declined to say how many youth have been found in violation of the curfew or to specify how exactly officials are engaging with young people.

Maryland college programs do a poor job preparing new teachers with the necessary skills to teach their students to read, according to the findings of a review from research nonprofit the National Council on Teacher Quality. For the review, released June 13, the organization analyzed almost 700 college teaching programs across the country, looking at how well they did at educating prospective elementary school teachers on how to teach reading.

The City police department is planning on stepping up its efforts to slow the number of car thefts in Baltimore. Car thefts are up 95% in Baltimore since this time last year, with thefts of Kias and Hyundai making up 40% of all vehicle thefts. It’s part of a nationwide problem. Acting police commissioner Richard Worley said they are working to provide a steering wheel lock free to city residents to help prevent thefts.

Jason M. Stanek, chairman of the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC), Monday announced he will depart the commission at the end of his term on June 30. Chairman Stanek was appointed to the commission in July 2018 by former Gov. Larry Hogan. During his tenure, Stanek served as a member of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), including co-chair of the Joint Federal-State Task Force on Electric Transmission, vice chair of the Commission Chairs’ Council, and vice chair of the Electric Vehicle Working Group. He also served on the Board of Directors for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Keystone Energy Board.