Politics

In the wake of a mass shooting at a block party at a South Baltimore public housing complex, the city’s housing authority is imposing a new rule on its more than 40,000 residents that would make it easier to evict them for hosting events without permission. The agency’s five-person board voted unanimously July 18 to impose a new rule on residents’ use of utilities for parties, a response to the use of electricity during what agency officials have called the “unsanctioned” annual Brooklyn Day celebration at Brooklyn Homes

After months of rule rewrites, public comments and amendments, Maryland’s state board tasked with controlling the costs of prescription drugs has finalized a framework to evaluate which medications may be eligible for price reductions. The Prescription Drug Affordability Board approved new regulations Monday to establish a process for how the panel will determine which prescription drugs are difficult for Marylanders to afford and would be included in the board’s work to lowering those costs.

Turns out Will Jawando is raising money on Martha’s Vineyard, too. The Montgomery County councilmember, who is competing for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th), has a fundraiser scheduled in the wealthy Massachusetts enclave on Aug. 14 — one day before Alsobrooks is set to raise money there.

The Baltimore County Police Department keeps things close to the vest. Under a county executive administration that bills itself the “most transparent” in Baltimore County’s history, Police Department officials have closed ranks around public information. The police communications office often fails or declines to make the department’s top brass, like new Police Chief Robert McCollough and commanders, available for public comment.

Programs that assist Baltimore City’s homeless population are running out of financial resources. Hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money were set aside to help house the homeless in Baltimore City. Local advocate, Minister Christina Flowers, questioned the city’s ability to tap into that federal funding. “We are looking at a repeated issue of mismanagement of homeless money,” Flowers said. “In 2015, we had to deal with $9.8 million and gave $3.7 million back.

The contentious, months-long political fight ended in applause as Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) signed into law a bill limiting rent increases, surrounded by cheering officials and housing activists. It was a hard-fought victory for renter protections that tenant rights advocates had sought for years, including Elrich, who twice tried and failed to force the issue as a county council member.

Mayor Brandon Scott announced Wednesday morning that he has tapped James Wallace to lead the Baltimore City Fire Department, after eight months of a series of rotating interim leaders. The 33-year veteran of the department will begin serving as acting chief effective immediately. Wallace has served as the director of the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, an office within the fire department tasked with everything from pandemic response to creating and implementing citywide plans during hazardous weather, since 2020.