Commentary

Finally, a glimmer of hope in Baltimore County. John “Johnny O.” Olszewski, Jr., who’s entering his sixth year as county executive and recently announced plans to run for Congress, has introduced his first bill aimed at bringing the county’s notoriously dysfunctional laws on planning, zoning and development into the 21st century. Bill 3-24 creates a mixed-use zoning designation that overlays other zoning districts, making it easier to develop mixed-use projects in underutilized manufacturing and business districts with access to transportation.

It’s a parent’s nightmare. In November, students at a Baltimore high school ended up in a hospital emergency department. After students reacted to consuming edibles, medical staff stabilized their symptoms and then sent them home — but the story could have ended much differently. Maryland legalized cannabis for adult use in 2023, joining other states. The legalization of cannabis is one of many ways that drug culture has changed in recent decades.

Crack open a Boh. We could be in for a city holiday. The Banner is reporting that the Angelos family is on the cusp of selling the franchise to a group of big-money owners led by Baltimore native David Rubenstein. It would put a period on a 31-year era of Angelos ownership, which has seen just six playoff appearances and a lot of forgettable seasons. While the franchise just had its best season in years in 2023, the shadow of John Angelos — who raised blood pressure by dragging out a stadium lease process and perhaps being a little too frank in an interview with the New York Times — has loomed over the team’s future.

The commentary by Dr. Alex Pavlak on Maryland’s climate strategy emphasizes the importance of defining goals and measuring progress in greenhouse gas reduction. While his points are valid, a critical aspect that the commentary overlooks is the reluctance of climate advocacy groups, such as CCAN, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and Environment Maryland, to consider new nuclear energy as a viable solution to climate change.

In the past year, there has been a rise in the brazenness with which our young people commit crimes. How can you tell? You can’t. The Maryland General Assembly essentially legalized crime last year by passing a law that prevents children under the age of 13 from being “charged with a crime” unless the offense was violent. This must be reversed. The legislature also made it difficult or even unlawful for law enforcement officials to conduct interviews with children who were accused of committing crimes by “prohibiting the interrogation of a child by a law enforcement officer until the child has consulted with a certain attorney and a notice has been provided to the child’s parents, guardian, or custodian” when a child has been taken into custody — yet another way in which lawmakers restricted the authority of law enforcement. It too, must be changed.

There are other differentiations. Elfreth, in her second term in the state Senate, is the most prolific legislator. As a lawmaker from a politically divided county, she considers herself a pragmatist who works across the aisle. That may provide a boost in Anne Arundel, but not as much in Howard, where the most dedicated Democrats can be expected to turn out. What may prove most challenging for these candidates is getting out across the district while meeting the demands of the 90-day legislative session in Annapolis.