Politics

The Baltimore County Council voted against a bill that advocates said would have watered down a forthcoming law banning the sale of plastic bags. On Tuesday evening, the Baltimore County Council voted 6-1 to table a bill that would have amended the “Bring Your Own Bag Act,” which passed in February and is set to take effect in November, to allow exceptions for liquor stores and food service facilities to sell customers plastic bags.

Immigrants’ rights activists rallied outside of Baltimore City Hall Thursday morning, calling on President Joe Biden to extend temporary protected status for people who fled their home nations to escape political persecution and destruction caused by natural disasters. “Baltimore is a welcoming city,” said Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos, a Democrat representing District 14.

Flu shots in time for flu season. Uniforms for new police officers. A monitoring system to get in step with federal oversight of the Police Department. Funds to prevent the collapse of a West Baltimore building. Each of these were among the more than $9 million in spending items that were either rushed before Baltimore’s spending board Wednesday, or which received retroactive approval because agencies had to act swiftly to resolve urgent matters without approval from the five-member board.

After months on the fringes of the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, running an exploratory campaign, Anne Arundel County businessperson Juan Dominguez plans to become a full-blown candidate on Wednesday. Dominguez will announce his candidacy at an early evening gathering at the American Legion Post 175 in Severna Park, offering supporters “fun, food and entertainment,” according to an invitation for the event.

Baltimore County Council members voted 6-1 to table a bill that would have gotten rid of the forthcoming 5-cent charge for reusable carryout bags in businesses such as grocery stores and restaurants, and would have exempted liquor stores altogether. Councilman Patrick “Pat” Young motioned to table the bill Tuesday evening, saying he wanted a chance to weigh in on amending “issues contained and not contained” in the law banning single-use plastic bags at many businesses, and requiring customers to pay 5 cents for a reusable or paper bag.

With about four months left until the Maryland General Assembly convenes in Annapolis for its 90-day legislative session, attendees at an all-day conference in Baltimore will discuss and provide policy recommendations to improve the state’s correctional system. The forum on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the University of Baltimore School of Law is scheduled to include breakout sessions on reforming state prison and parole policies, enhancing educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals and expanding innovative approaches such as restorative justice.

Federal authorities linked the mysterious author who published a pair of e-books about Roy McGrath, while the former Maryland gubernatorial aide was on the run, to the late fugitive himself, according to search warrants unsealed Tuesday. Scheduled to stand trial in Baltimore on federal corruption charges stemming from when he took over as chief of staff to then-Gov. Larry Hogan, McGrath never showed up for his March court date.

The city’s Board of Estimates voted Wednesday to restore $581,334 to the beleaguered Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts two weeks before the scheduled relaunch of the city’s marquee public celebration, Artscape. Without discussion, the Board of Estimates approved what amounts to funding for the second quarter the 2023-24 fiscal year, which began July 1. The board is expected to meet again in December to consider releasing the third-quarter installment.