Commentary

Frederick County Councilman Mason Carter, a freshman Republican, has identified a significant problem with the county program that offers tax credits to businesses that create new jobs. Only two businesses are taking advantage of the program. That is a problem because the program was created to strengthen economic development.

What mixture of despair, desperation and thwarted pride would make one or more shooters fire wildly at dozens of innocent people — kids mostly — enjoying a holiday block party? How does an annual summer celebration go from pony rides and face painting to a mass shooting? In a chronically violent city, last week’s bloodshed in South Baltimore was unusually disturbing.

Montgomery County is one of the most diverse areas in the country. Recognizing this fact, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has been working to create an educational environment that includes and embraces previously marginalized groups by reflecting their diversity in its curriculum, staffing, and culture. Students do best when they feel connected to their schools and know they belong.

Ask a Black person about reparations, and you might hear a story about the generational impact of slavery and racism. Ask a white person and you may hear some variation of, “Why should I pay for this? I didn’t own slaves.” There’s never been a consensus on reparations in Maryland — should we make them, what they might look like, who should qualify or how we pay for them.

The Port of Baltimore is a billion-dollar economic engine for the Maryland economy. Recent investments in dredging the harbor and expanding the infrastructure around the port mean that bigger ships can dock before being carried by truck and rail throughout the United States, delivering everything from automobiles to Amazon household products.

Allow me to make 20 extremely random suggestions: 1. If you catch the aroma of Blacksauce Kitchen at a Baltimore farmers market, get in line and order the breakfast sandwich, specifically the biscuit with short ribs, egg and shallot jam. 2. In Baltimore County, take the trail along the Gunpowder River up to Prettyboy Reservoir, where you can feel the cool mist of the bottom-water release from the dam.

Last month in Denver, an estimated 10,000 scientists, clinicians, CEOs and entrepreneurs convened for the Psychedelic Science 2023 conference — the most visible symbol yet of the “psychedelic renaissance.” Scientific research is demonstrating the potential of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) to treat a range of mental health conditions, including addiction, major depressive disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

A debate has arisen over the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on the construction of six new schools in Prince George’s County. But PLAs, which require union construction crews, are not the solution for Prince George’s County. PLAs are government mandates that exist exclusively as a method for public officials to steer tax dollars to organized labor.