Commentary

As the old saying goes, 90% of success in life comes from just showing up. For proof, look no farther than the devastating effect of absenteeism in kindergarten and the early grades on a child’s chance to succeed in school. In fact, chronic absenteeism in all grades — usually defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason — is all over the news these days. Students of all ages are missing school at record rates, including in Maryland, where 31% of all students were chronically absent in 2023.

When Mélina Khansari moved from France to Maryland in 2017, she didn’t know any English but she spoke a common language: the desire to pursue a higher education degree that unlocks the potential for lifelong success. After learning English, graduating high school and earning her associate’s degree from Frederick Community College, she looked to transfer to an institution that prioritized her needs — such as the ability to balance work and school, and immediate connections to the business world.

It is black-letter Maryland law that procurement evaluations must be based only on those factors set forth in requests for proposals and that factors “not specified in the request for proposals may not be considered.” The recent decision of the Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals in Peek, LLC, MSBCA 3248 (Feb. 15, 2024), however, offers a cautionary tale to those submitting proposals to Maryland agencies that they should look past written minimum qualification requirements and look to other parts of requests for proposals when setting forth the offerors’ experience.

Would you be surprised if I told you that the number of electric vehicles (EVs) in Maryland increased by over 3,000% since 2013? EVs are continuing their upward trend in Maryland and around the U.S., marking a record 12% market share in December alone. But with all these new EVs in our state and country, how are we preparing our grid for the needed power? Let’s look at some recent data on how much electricity is needed in Maryland to handle the anticipated levels of just transportation electrification.

An astonishing number jumps out of a recent story about overcrowded schools in Frederick County. One of our elementary schools is operating at 176% of its capacity. That is a scandalous number. Almost twice as many students are jammed into Oakdale Elementary School in New Market as the school was designed to hold. At a recent community meeting on the problem, Leigh Warren, principal of the school, said the most challenging side effect of the school’s high enrollment is the heavily congested hallways during transition times.

Two of the biggest national supermarket companies — Kroger, which operates the chain Harris Teeter; and Albertsons, which owns Safeway — are seeking to become a single corporate giant. This proposed merger could have an enormous impact on Marylanders, affecting consumers, employees, farmers and small independent grocers. We want to protect fair competition, the rights of workers, our agricultural and small business sectors, and the interests of consumers.

For us, safety is non-negotiable. It is one of our core values at Washington Gas. Moreover, while Maryland certainly deserves a lower-carbon energy future, it is essential that we chart our course toward that future not ever losing sight of today’s safety considerations. Maryland residents (not just our customers) rely on natural gas for a significant portion of their energy needs. Natural gas fuels the kitchens of our restaurants, warms the water in our showers, and ensures back-up power for emergency situations.

If you want to see the future of cleanup efforts on the Chesapeake Bay, take a good look at Baltimore. Stop laughing. At first, you might see 92 square miles of aging urban space that few recognize as an environmental role model. Look closer, though, and you’ll find the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River, where Maryland lawmakers, state agency leaders and environmentalists see the best path to a healthier bay.