Around Maryland

The Novel Refuge, a newly established used bookstore in Laurel, is using books as a way to support refugees in the region. The nonprofit organization’s mission is to support local asylum seekers and refugees by selling books, games, puzzles and other literary-related items, and sending profits to an organization who can assist them.

Ed Leicht came to William Faber’s Holly Neck Road boarding house for the same reason everyone else did — he was out of options. The 76-year-old retired musician had been living with his wife at her sister’s home nearby. Last year, around Christmas, his wife died, and his sister-in-law immediately sold the house. The Leichts had funneled most of their savings into fixing up that house.

For Brittany Harvin and her daughter, housing instability ended Monday. That’s when she and a dozen other families moved into new 440-square-foot homes as part of an innovative housing initiative called Hope Village. Located at the intersection of Holbrook and East Hoffman streets, the colorful and tiny houses have been constructed in what was an old alleyway in Baltimore’s Oliver community.

Even with this year’s elections dominated by presidential politics and national storylines, Maryland voters made significant changes to their local governments Tuesday — though they weren’t as extensive as they could have been. In Montgomery County, voters overwhelmingly embraced a two-term limit for their county executive — meaning the incumbent, Marc Elrich (D), will be out of a job in two years.

One of the Facebook posts featured Gov. Wes Moore with a clown nose. Another showed three monkeys and sharp criticism of public financing for the redevelopment of Harborplace. The monkey post came from the account of former City Council member Anthony J. Ambridge and appeared on a private Facebook group with 1,200 followers.

Starting Monday in Baltimore County, drivers who pass a stopped school bus with red flashing lights will face a $250 ticket. “It’s a much-needed program so that we can protect our students when you consider the number of kids struck by motorists,” Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said. School buses in the county are equipped with four cameras that capture video and photos of license plates, allowing authorities to identify violators.

The Maryland Energy Administration Monday announced the opening of the new Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Commercial Solar Grant Program, which offers major incentives to Maryland businesses and organizations to help pay the costs of solar energy systems that benefit Maryland’s low-to-moderate income, overburdened and underserved communities.