Commentary

Last week an excessive heat warning and heat advisory were issued for the Northeast region of the country, including Maryland. Meteorologists expected temperatures to reach the upper 90s and feel like the low 100s. The Maryland Department of Preparedness and Response has stated “extreme heat can lead to serious health issues.

If you have lived in Frederick County for more than a few years, you might think that all of those yellow school buses trundling down our roads were equipped with cameras, to catch anyone speeding past a bus loading or unloading students. You would be wrong. True, the county was the first in Maryland to equip some school buses with such cameras, all the way back in 2012. Cameras were installed on more than 30 buses.

When it comes to a public restroom, all you want — all you need — is a clean, well-lighted place. Alas, that isn’t always available. In my experience, public restrooms have gotten a lot better over the years, but I’m still scarred by some truly horrific encounters. Picture it: You’re far from the interstate, away from any state-funded rest stop.

Whether this is the “Barbie,” the barbecuing, or the beach phase of summer for you, there’s a good chance that what happened at Brooklyn Homes the first weekend of July is not a top concern unless you have a direct connection to the people of that part of South Baltimore. That’s the way it goes. What is being called the largest mass shooting in the city’s history dominates headlines and city chatter for days and then fades from view as the next thing comes along, whether frivolous or tragic.

The matter of squeegee workers on Baltimore street corners blew up these last few years — with fear, resentment and sometimes hostility between those trying to earn a few bucks cleaning windshields and the drivers behind them. Anyone could have predicted tragedy. Many did. “Someone’s going to get killed” became mantra in the debate, and a year ago, in the heat of summer, we had the worst case, at East Conway and Light streets, across from Harborplace.

Politics in the 6th Congressional District have been warped for a dozen years now because we’ve been represented by two multi-millionaires — first John Delaney, now David Trone — who were willing to spend their millions to bring home victory. Trone spent nearly $20 million in the 2018 race; he spent about $10 million in 2022. These guys were willing to do whatever was necessary to represent their constituents — except actually reside in the same district. (They both live in Potomac outside the 6th District’s boundaries.)

For those who might have missed the latest battleground in the culture war — the “Try That in a Small Town” country music video — the performer responsible for this mess is set to appear Thursday at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia. That’s right: The amphitheater on the grounds of an estate that was once home to the Oakland Manor plantation, where Black people were enslaved, is set to host Jason Aldean, the singer who released “Try That” in May, but only recently saw it vault up the charts after Country Music Television banned the video version.