Politics

Nearly two years after state environmental regulators intervened in operations of Baltimore’s troubled Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant, city officials plan to outsource core parts of the facility’s operation to a private contractor. The $50 million agreement with the Colorado-based Operations Management International, Inc., was authorized by Department of Public Works officials on an emergency basis in September but wasn’t scheduled to go before the city’s spending board until Wednesday.

A new bill that would create a commission to determine how funds raised through cannabis taxes would be distributed to communities most impacted by cannabis prohibition is under consideration by the Montgomery County Council. In November 2022, Maryland voters overwhelmingly supported legalization of cannabis—more than 67% of voters were in favor.

Jewish members of the Maryland House of Delegates are seeking to pass legislation to remove the representative of a Muslim advocacy organization from the attorney general’s hate crimes commission following her suspension for online comments about the Israel-Hamas war. “A group that espouses vitriol and hatred for the Jewish community does not belong on a commission that has been established to respond to and prevent hate,” Deborah Miller, a representative of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said during a tense hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

Gov. Wes Moore, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates vowed during a forum Monday night to hold juvenile offenders accountable while promising to pursue expanded services for young people in trouble, with the governor reiterating plans to spend more and hire more staff to address problems in juvenile services.

Maryland might soon allow local liquor stores to contract with companies like DoorDash and Instacart for delivery services, though public health organizations have raised concerns about how the policy might exacerbate mental health and substance-use issues. The state’s local liquor boards have the authority to permit liquor stores to deliver to customers, though only using their own employees.

Frederick’s police department can move forward with plans to refurbish a mobile command unit for its use during emergencies and community events, after approval from the city’s aldermen last week. The aldermen voted unanimously Thursday night to approve a work order for $165,898 to the Pennsylvania-based company 911 Rapid Response to begin upgrading the Freightliner command vehicle.

Latecomers found themselves stuck in the hallway or sitting on the floor Thursday night as constituents packed Poolesville Town Hall for the Maryland 6th Congressional District Republican Candidates Forum. The event was the first of this election cycle attended by candidates Dan Cox, the 2022 GOP gubernatorial nominee, and Neil Parrott, a former state delegate who ran unsuccessfully for the 6th District seat in 2020 and 2022.