Around Maryland

The D.C. law firm that Mayor Brandon Scott hired to investigate safety practices after a sanitation worker died of heat stroke specializes in representing companies involved in mining, oil and gas, chemical manufacturing and other areas as they try to avoid running afoul of workplace safety laws. Conn Maciel Carey LLP touts its “unique relationships with the key regulators” as its team of lawyers – “the deepest bench in the country” – assists companies as they navigate legal issues around employee safety.

School bus drivers are getting ready for the new school year in Prince George’s County, where schedules have been streamlined, bus stop locations have been updated, and families are being supplied with information on apps dedicated to helping them get ready to get to school. There were three community information sessions in August ahead of the first day of school to help parents understand the latest transportation information.

“I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe,” Charles Hahn, 37, told doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in June. A scan revealed cancerous nodules in his lungs, said his wife, Heather Hahn. Tumors had returned to his liver too. The next time he went to the hospital for heavy nose bleeding, the cancer had metastasized to his brain.

Last Monday, Sen. Paul Corderman, R-Washington/Frederick, hosted a meeting of local officials and representatives from law enforcement agencies, the business community, the Washington County Health Department and others. Its purpose was to discuss issues of crime and other behaviors he had recently outlined in an open letter to the Hagerstown City Council.

Buying or selling real estate is perhaps the most complex transaction you’ll ever make. That’s the cautionary adage some Maryland realtors tell prospective buyers and sellers. Hire us, they say, and we’ll advocate for you until the keys change hands. How agents are compensated for that time and effort is the central focus of several changes coming Saturday to the National Association of Realtors.

With a new chief of security for schools and the beginning of classes a week away, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor is slated to introduce several new safety and security changes for the district at Tuesday’s county school board meeting, according to board documents. The scheduled update included in Tuesday’s meeting agenda follows Taylor’s comments at an Aug. 7 press briefing where he said the district had work to do when addressing safety.

Earlier this year, the Hagerstown City Council voted to annex two properties near the Interstate 70 interchange on the Sharpsburg Pike south of town. Now there’s a dispute in the Washington County Circuit Court between the city government and the county government over whether one of those annexations was conducted legally.

A heads up for people who live in the Camp Springs area of southern Prince George’s County. WSCC Water is asking customers to limit their water usage to help avoid a Boil Water Advisory and preserve water in case of a fire. WSCC says crews are currently working to restore water flow to the Camp Springs water tank. The advisory impacts nearly 1,400 customers.