Politics

Maryland would fundamentally change its thoroughbred horse racing operating model and Pimlico Race Course, home of the annual Preakness Stakes, would receive much-needed upgrades under plans that state thoroughbred racetrack officials devised to keep the $2 billion-per-year industry alive and running in Maryland.

A panel of government officials is recommending that the state do more to streamline its hiring process as part of an effort to fill thousands of state jobs. The Task Force on the Modernization of the State Personnel Management System made nearly a dozen recommendations it said could make it easier to attract candidates and fill vacancies.

The Maryland Board of Elections has approved Frederick County’s polling place plan, which includes fewer Election Day polling places and more ballot drop-box locations compared to the 2022 gubernatorial election. The board’s approved plan includes 54 individual facilities designated as polling places for 66 precincts, down from 59 in 2022 for 83 precincts.

Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman visited four establishments in Queen Anne’s County on Dec. 20: the newly opened YMCA in Centreville, Everside Health Center also in Centreville, and two local businesses on Kent Island, both located in the Chesapeake Bay Business Park — Italberco, a growing sweet-tooth business working with the food industry providing dessert ingredients and Queen Anne’s County’s largest employer, Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

The City of Taneytown faced many changes in 2023, including electing a new mayor, Christopher Miller, in May. Miller said he would focus on promoting more transparency in city government and has faced criticism from other elected officials in the process. During the last several months, Miller has sparred with members of the City Council over some of his proposals and actions, including his firing of the city’s longtime attorney, Jack A. “Jay” Gullo Jr., in November.

Effective Jan. 1, through its Trans Health Equity Act, Maryland Medicaid coverage has expanded gender-affirming services and procedures. It has expanded from mental health services, hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery to include body contouring, vocal surgery and therapy, hair removal, puberty blockers, fertility preservation and various other cosmetic surgeries. It also covers the revision or reversal of prior gender-affirming procedures.

A former U.S. Capitol Police officer who bloodied his fists in hand-to-hand combat and endured pepper spray and racist vitriol defending the American seat of government against insurrectionists on Jan. 6, 2021, is now seeking to return to the building as an elected representative. Harry Dunn, 40, announced Friday morning that he is running for the Democratic nomination to replace Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), joining a growing field of candidates in what is expected to be a competitive primary.