Around Maryland

A squeegee worker’s defense attorneys called this month’s high-profile killing of a bat-wielding man an act of self-defense for a “14-year-old child paralyzed by fear.” The 48-year-old Hampden man who was killed instigated the confrontation, the attorneys said, when he parked his car, got out with a baseball bat and crossed several lanes of traffic near the Inner Harbor to confront a group of squeegee workers.

The City of Annapolis is implementing new security measures at City Hall. Starting Friday, all visitors will be required to pass through a “100% security checkpoint” at the entrance to the seat of city government at 160 Duke of Gloucester St. Annapolis police officers will conduct the new procedures on all visitors who can either pass through a magnetometer or submit to a wand screening. The equipment is being supplied by the police department.

Jessica Haire maintained her lead over Herb McMillan in the primary race for the Republican nomination for Anne Arundel county executive Thursday following a daylong canvass of mail-in ballots. Haire, an Edgewater Council Council member, received 864 votes and McMillan, a former Annapolis alderman and delegate, received 651 of the more than 2,000 Republican ballots counted. Haire has 13,185 votes (43.4%) compared with McMillan’s 12,108 (39.9%).

All early voting returns have been counted and all 118 election day precincts have reported in Howard County for the 2022 primary. Based on unofficial returns so far, Dan Newberger of Columbia is in the lead in the race for two at-large seats on the Howard County Board of Education, with 12,338 votes (18.49%). Close behind is Jacky McCoy of Columbia, with 11,708 votes (17.55%). In third place so far is Linfeng Chen of North Laurel with 10,235 votes (15.34%), and in fourth is Tudy Adler of Clarksville, with 9,670 (14.49%).

Councilwoman Jessica Fitzwater appears to have secured the Democratic nomination for Frederick County executive, as County Councilman Kai Hagen conceded defeat late Tuesday. Fitzwater would face Maryland Sen. Michael Hough in the Nov. 8 general election for county executive. Hough ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Baltimore County is awaiting results in highly competitive primary races that could shake up the county’s political landscape, and days of counting mail-in ballots are still ahead. With Tuesday’s returns counted, Democratic State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger was narrowly behind progressive challenger Robbie Leonard in his first primary competition since Shellenberger was elected the county’s top prosecutor in 2006.

Dan Cox’s loyalists chanted “USA! USA!” as the Republican gubernatorial nominee claimed victory and began thanking, in order, Jesus Christ, his family and Donald Trump. Inside the fire and rescue station hall in Frederick County on Tuesday night was a poster of Cox with “Trump endorsed” in block lettering. On the wall to his left was an oversized, red, white and blue banner reading “Trump 2024.”

With all precincts reported, just 15 votes separated two Democrats vying to represent central Baltimore County’s 6th District on the County Council. First-time candidate Shafiyq Hinton, who is backed by County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., held the nominal lead over longtime Towson activist Mike Ertel Monday — with more than 35,000 ballots left to go.