Commentary

During this General Assembly session, a pivotal topic that warrants our collective attention is the significance of the 988 and 211 dialing codes. These numbers are more than just digits; they represent a lifeline, connecting Marylanders to crucial services in times of crisis. To meet the community’s growing needs, we need integrated and sustainable financial support. 988 and 211 are imperative for the well-being of our community.

The Supreme Court isn’t going to tolerate individual states choosing to kick Donald Trump off their ballots on the grounds that he engaged in insurrection. It’s not precisely clear what off-ramp, or ramps, the justices will choose to take to come to this conclusion. But the court’s destination is unmistakable: States, butt out.

In the final 20 minutes of Monday night’s Anne Arundel County Council meeting, a Democrat and three Republicans pushed through a change that might be tough for a casual observer to care about. Council Administrative Officer Laura Corby understood. She wiped away tears as the council inexorably moved toward a 4-3 vote on Resolution 4-24, telegraphed by the number of sponsors.

Individually, we adore and pamper our children. We shuttle them from soccer practice to music lessons and then organize their play dates with meticulous fanaticism. Yet collectively, we mistreat America’s children, especially by the standards of other wealthy countries. When we’re formulating policies for children as a whole rather than coddling our own little angels, we fall scandalously short. We prize children in the abstract but as a society tend to ignore their needs.

Quick, describe your local flag. Can’t do it, can you? Oh, Marylanders certainly know their state flag. Like it or not, that flag, with its centuries-old gold-and-black and red-and-white heraldic banners from the Calvert and Crossland families (first combined into a unified coat of arms by Cecil Calvert in the 17th century) stands out in a crowd. None of those difficult-to-tell-apart flags featuring nondescript state seals or local animals (crab silhouette?) floating in a sea of white for the Old Line State.