LeGendre: Keeping an eye and ear on social media trends
June 17, 2021 -

Summer 2021 is a great time for marketing organizations to review, renew or revise their somewhat costly (in terms of time and/or dollars) social media strategies. There are almost too many to count emerging social media platforms, so anticipate that this process will be a necessary, ongoing, and time-consuming challenge. There are several emerging platforms to literally keep an eye and ear on. Let’s begin with TikTok.

Read More: The Daily Record
Sutherland and Mannion: Anne Arundel councilman’s budget analysis was just wrong
June 17, 2021 -

Councilman Nathan Volke began his recent guest column with, “You can fool all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time” (The Capital, Jan. 12). But as the former county auditor and former assistant county auditor with, collectively, more than 60 years of government budget and accounting experience, the quote that comes to mind when reading Volke’s column is H.L. Mencken’s: “For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”

Read More: Capital Gazette
If Society Values Redemption, Then Changes to Sentencing Rule Are Necessary
June 17, 2021 -

Opportunity for parole should be based on two factors: meeting terms of punishment and rehabilitation. The Court of Appeals is considering amending Maryland Rule 4-345 to provide a reasonable path to release for those who were convicted of crimes committed when they were younger than 25, when science tells us they had not reached the level of culpability that we ascribe to adult decision-making.

Read More: Maryland Matters
Kurtz: Political Potpourri
June 16, 2021 -

It should come as a surprise to nobody, but Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) is really leaning into her role as Prince George’s County executive now that she has publicly declared that she isn’t going to run for governor in 2022. In fact, ironically, Alsobrooks’ State of the County address last week had all the trappings of a gubernatorial address, including an enthusiastic, live prime-time audience. It also happened to be chock-full of substance.

Read More: Maryland Matters
Caminiti: Anne Arundel school board members hijack “All Means All” in debate of LGBTQ+ policy
June 16, 2021 -

On April 21, our Board of Education began discussing the proposed policy on “Safe and Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ+ students.” Unfortunately, since that time, many board members have made comments that demonstrate their lack of understanding about what this policy means to the LGBTQ+ community. At the meeting Board member Corine Frank said: “I heard in public testimony a lot of comments on bullying … To my mind, we already have a significant amount of policy addressing bullying … So, I would like to ask what we think another policy is going to do?”

Read More: Capital Gazette
One year, three months and 10 days
June 16, 2021 -

One year, three months and 10 days. That’s how long we’ve been under a state of emergency, a step Gov. Larry Hogan took back in March 2020 once the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in Maryland. Since then, 9,472 lives around the state have been lost to the virus — including 331 in Frederick County. The number of confirmed cases has reached 461,392, with 19,814 right here in the county.

Read More: Frederick News Post
As Republians snooze, drama is building in Annapolis Democratic primaries
June 15, 2021 -

Democrats have had a majority on the City Council in Annapolis for decades. Five of the last seven mayors have been Democrats. With little more than a month to go until the filing deadline for the September primary, there are signs that this trend may continue. Chief among them is the number of Republicans actively running so far. Only one has stepped forward to run for a council seat — the one being vacated by the lone Republican alderman now on the council.

Read More: Capital Gazette
Jessie Dunleavy: Hogan’s veto of bill decriminalizing drug paraphernalia was about politics, not health care
June 15, 2021 -

Paraphernalia decriminalization — a bill repealing the prohibition of items associated with drug use — passed in both houses of the Maryland General Assembly. Knowing It wasn’t easy to win enough favorable votes, this triumph evoked pride in our legislative process. Thoroughly researched and well-presented, the persuasive facts carried the day. My spirits soared — the greater good had prevailed! Until that is, Gov. Larry Hogan, despite the support of our legislators and the Maryland State Medical Society, vetoed the bill.

Read More: Capital Gazette
Fining hosts of unruly parties works; ‘social host ordinance’ needed throughout Baltimore County
June 15, 2021 -

Imagine living in what you think is a quiet, residential neighborhood — and then suddenly your peace is interrupted by loud, late-night parties with excessive drinking that attract large crowds and lead to public drunkenness. In the morning, you may be greeted with vandalism or a young person passed out on the lawn. You can try talking to your neighbor, or, more likely, you can call the police.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Wes Moore enjoys a strong media launch week in his bid to be Maryland governor
June 14, 2021 -

Writing about gubernatorial candidates in terms of their media styles got a lot more interesting with the entry of author and former nonprofit CEO Wes Moore in the race on Monday. Moore is a smooth and polished media presence who has a relaxed and easygoing engagement with the camera. But he can also communicate a sense of intense intellectual focus once he starts talking. And he clearly knows how to stay on his talking points.

Read More: Baltimore Sun