Commentary

A few weeks ago, I held a fashion show in my living room. Instead of swimwear and bridal, the categories were more “Does that have holes in it?” and “Can you just wear a belt?” and “Trousers that are now the same length as cut-off shorts.” Yes, it’s the annual back-to-school scramble, when families transition their emotions, schedules, wardrobes and wallets from relatively laid-back summer mode to sensible bed times, packed lunches and permission slips due today shoved in your face on the way out the door.\

Congratulations to Maryland State Police Trooper 3 for 50 years of lifesaving service to the citizens of Frederick County and surrounding areas. Serving as a Central Alarm dispatcher when Trooper 3 first went in service, I vividly recall the early days of medivac helicopters. Early Bell Jet Rangers were about the size of a Honda Accord. Patients were loaded lengthwise, lying beside both the paramedic and the pilot. It was interesting to see tall troopers such as Eric Smothers and Paul Crutchley squeeze themselves into extremely small aircraft.

Maryland’s constitution covers a lot of territory in its 47 articles. The right to a trial by jury is in there. So are the legislative and executive powers. It specifically makes clear that people have a right to participate in the legislative process, that courts can’t silence free speech, that “paupers” ought not be taxed to pay for government and, thanks to some more recent amendments, there’s even language permitting slot machines and legalizing adult use of cannabis.

Last weekend in Ocean City, Gov. Wes Moore had his big chance to command the undivided attention of elected officials at the county and municipal level from Friendsville to Crisfield at the annual Maryland Association of Counties’ summer conference. It’s considered a big spotlight moment for Maryland governors, particularly those like Moore facing his first full 90-day legislative session beginning Jan. 10, 2024. And what was the 44-year-old Democrat’s vision for the future?

As I return from a summer vacation with my family, I am always grateful for our time on the Chesapeake Bay. Yet, the sweltering temperatures and warmer than usual waters brought another reminder of our deepening climate crisis in the air and sea. In addition to warming water temperatures, coastal flooding and shoreline erosion, our U.S. seafood supply is in jeopardy.

Close to 600,000 people are expected to attend the Maryland State Fair that opens Thursday and runs for three consecutive weekends in Timonium wrapping up Sunday, Sept. 10. There will be the usual crowd-pleasing assortment of rides and games, musical acts, funnel cake and fried-pretty-much-everything. But as families flock to this traditional end-of-summer event, Maryland Agriculture Secretary Kevin M. Atticks hopes that many of these visitors, especially those who wouldn’t know a seed drill from a sprayer or a baler from a harrow, will take some time to learn about Maryland farming before they dash off to the Ferris wheel, the milk bottle toss or the All Time Low concert.

Over the next few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia high school students will return to classrooms ready to take over the world. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they work and how many tests they pass, some may feel blocked from the job of their dreams by the news that the University of Chicago paid $13.5 million to settle allegations that it conspired with other universities to limit the amount of financial aid it offered.