Commentary

“Mr. President, you can’t say Dallas doesn’t love you.” Nellie Connolly, the first lady of Texas, turned around and spoke those words to President John F. Kennedy. He was sitting behind her in the open-top 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, and he agreed: “No, you certainly can’t.” These were among his last words. Then as the car entered Dealey Plaza and passed the Texas Book Depository, three shots rang out. A bullet hit Kennedy, flung him back, then to the left, as he slumped into Jackie’s arms.

The Maryland Stadium Authority is an incredible organization doing great work for the citizens of Maryland. While most of its work is not fully understood by the public, its record of best-in-class management of the Camden Yards complex, capital projects management for Baltimore City and various counties across Maryland, and its recruitment of youth, amateur and professional sporting events statewide has been well appreciated by the Maryland legislature and by every governor from Harry Hughes to Larry Hogan.

At our Oct. 30 County Council Public Safety Committee briefing on juvenile justice and crime, I discussed a recent case in which a teenager allegedly stole vehicles on more than one occasion, was apprehended by County Police multiple times, and each time was released by the State’s Department of Juvenile Services back into the community. Too often when considering juveniles who are alleged to have committed a crime, we attempt to minimize the community impact of these incidents.

As a Morgan State University graduate with the spring class of 2023, I’ve asked myself whether the gun violence that occurred on or near campus in recent years ruined my student experience. I can’t truthfully say it did. I still successfully pursued my studies, made friends, made professional connections, found my place in the community and followed my passion in starting a journalism career.

On a nice fall day, the people of Frederick were going about their businesses as usual. All of a sudden, the news hit like a bolt from the blue: Hamas attacked Israel and killed 1,400 men women and children and took nearly 300 as hostages. It was alarming. The United States has been helping to stop aggression in Ukraine. Both Ukraine and Israel are democracies. Their leaders are voted in and out by their people, free to criticize their political leaders.

Tom Kerr was 30 years old in the spring of 1973 when the legendary William Donald Schaefer, then in his first term as mayor of Baltimore, called and told him he wanted Kerr to organize a Christmas parade. “And you didn’t say ‘no’ to Mayor Schaefer,” Kerr says, reminding me — not that I needed it — that WDS was a strong-willed and demanding mayor who could explode into shards of nasty if you crossed him.

In May 2019, Maryland became the first state to establish a board to set drug prices. But nearly five years later, the board still hasn’t determined which medicines deserve limits or how to apply them. Maryland was smart not to rush. There’s a distinct danger that cutting prices by government decree through a politically appointed Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) will do more harm than good. That’s certainly what Colorado is learning.