Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | Baltimore, MD
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Commentary

The Secret Service needs an overhaul

Based on 58 multi-hour interviews and more than 7,000 documents, the independent bipartisan panel President Joe Biden assigned to analyze the Secret Service after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump this summer issued a grim warning: Without fundamental reforms to the agency, what happened in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13 “can and will happen again.” These changes, even more than the specific events of the rally, ought to be the focus going forward.

Vote to create an inspector general’s office in Howard County

Howard County voters will have the opportunity to vote on ballot Question A this year. Question A summarizes a charter amendment approved by all five members of the County Council in July. Approving Question A would allow the County Council to create an independent Office of the Inspector General. Passage of Question A would enable the appointment of a citizen board by both the executive and legislative branches of the local government, ensure that the Office of the Inspector General is funded and authorize the office to access independent legal advice.

The Trail Episode 14: One day left!

There is only one day left until election day. In this week’s episode, Damian, Candace, Don give their final predictions for tomorrow. Also, Maryland Democratic Party Chair Ken Ulman returns to give his prediction, as well as talk about what the party is doing in the final days.

Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read.
A lesson to be learned from ugly school board races

Local school board elections have taken a nasty turn this year in some parts of Maryland as they have elsewhere across the country. No longer are the candidates chosen from the usual pool of school volunteers, retired educators and community activists — often running without opposition. Campaigns aren’t the amicable PTA-like chitchat about budgets or where to draw district lines or how to support teachers.

Read More: Ba
Maryland should hold ExxonMobil responsible for plastic recycling lies

Americans are being peddled misinformation about what happens to the plastic they buy and use in their daily lives, and Maryland taxpayers have an opportunity to fight back. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sued ExxonMobil for the fossil fuel company’s pollution and track record of misinformation — particularly around the recyclability of Americans’ plastics.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Larry Hogan crowns himself King Waffle and other lessons from indecisive voters

By not picking, voters like Jeremy Gosnell just might help pick the next president of the United States. The Oakland, Maryland, property manager calls himself a loyal Democrat. He’s never voted Republican, but he can’t get behind his party’s presidential candidate. “Kamala Harris is a tough sell for me,” Gosnell wrote during our email conversation about his dilemma.

Carved pumpkin as face
Let’s have some good — and safe — fun on Halloween

As much as we fret that the preferred costume this Halloween will either feature orange makeup and long red ties or tailored women’s pantsuits in neutral tones, we have to express our fondness for the child-oriented, secular holiday with its playful nature. When else, particularly in these politically fraught times, are we encouraged to knock on the doors of neighbors essentially requesting a handout that is usually granted?

Read More: Ba
Let’s not give the game away – teacher career ladders need a timeout

With the return of college football comes an easy agreement on what to watch while completing house chores. My husband and I enjoy college sports for slightly different reasons. He enjoys feats of athleticism. The educator in me is drawn to the coaching staff. I’m interested in how coaches make decisions to lead, support and develop the athletes in their care. In the strategic reflective moments of a timeout, coaches can refocus a team to accomplish a goal.

Maryland parents should be able to choose where to send their kids to school

As Americans, we take pride in the freedoms we enjoy every day. We wake up with the liberty to pursue happiness as we see fit. We decide what time to rise, what to eat for breakfast, and which path our day will take. We choose where we work, who we spend our time with, and how we spend our leisure time. Our lives are shaped by a series of choices that seem small, but in the grand scheme of things, reflect the essence of our freedom.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
group of urban farmers harvesting vegetables from an organic rooftop community garden
How this hospital is treating food as medicine

Clinicians know that their patients’ health is determined not just by the care they receive but also factors outside the confines of medicine — employment, financial stability, safe housing and access to nutritious food, to name a few. That can leave many health-care providers frustrated and disillusioned. They want to help their patients, but how can they recommend lifestyle changes that are often outside of their patients’ control?

The Morning Rundown

We’re staying up to the minute on the issues shaping the future. Join us on the newsletter of choice for Maryland politicos and business leaders. It’s always free to join and never a hassle to leave. See you on the inside.