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Maryland Governor Wes Moore Announces $1.36 Million in Grants to Combat Gun Violence

Maryland Governor Wes Moore Announces $1.36 Million in Grants to Combat Gun Violence

Governor Wes Moore and the Maryland Department of Health have announced $1.36 million in grant funding distributed across 17 organizations to address gun violence in Maryland. These grants, awarded through the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, aim to support community groups, local health departments, and law enforcement agencies in their efforts to prevent and reduce gun violence. The initiatives funded include firearm safety education, the distribution of safety devices like gun locks to prevent suicides and accidental shootings, expansion of services for victims, and increased awareness about suicide prevention related to firearms. The Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, established in 2024, operates with a public health approach to reduce firearm violence and misuse by partnering with various agencies and affected communities. In its first two years, the Center has awarded a total of $1.71 million to expand gun violence intervention programs and improve prote...

Maryland Governor Wes Moore Directs State Agencies to Increase Use of Maryland-Grown Wood in Public Construction

Maryland Governor Wes Moore Directs State Agencies to Increase Use of Maryland-Grown Wood in Public Construction

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has issued an executive order mandating state agencies to prioritize the use of Maryland-grown and harvested wood in publicly funded construction projects. This directive applies when wood is a required, preferred, or appropriate building material. The order aims to bolster local markets, support sustainable forestry practices, create rural jobs, and ensure the long-term conservation of Maryland's working forests. The Maryland Department of General Services, in collaboration with the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Natural Resources, is tasked with reviewing current procurement practices. Their goal is to identify and implement strategies that will increase the utilization of locally sourced wood in state construction. This initiative also seeks to address existing barriers in processing, marketing, and distribution that hinder the movement of Maryland's timber into construction and consumer markets, even though the state's forests produce more wood than is currently h...

Maryland Commission Addresses Challenges in Health Licensing Boards

Maryland Commission Addresses Challenges in Health Licensing Boards

A new commission in Maryland has been established to tackle administrative challenges faced by the state's 20 health occupational boards. Co-chaired by Del. Anne R. Kaiser (D-Montgomery), the Maryland Health Centralization Commission held a virtual meeting to discuss information technology issues, which are a significant impediment to efficient licensing approvals and other operations. This initiative follows state audits that highlighted inadequate response times to complaints against licensees and backlogs in annual inspections of healthcare facilities. The commission is tasked with improving the 'efficiency, transparency and accountability' of these boards and is expected to submit its first report by December 1. Executive directors from various health boards, including the Board of Nursing and the Board of Physicians, have voiced concerns regarding IT communication challenges, staffing levels, and the need for increased funding to upgrade antiquated computer systems. The commission aims to identify com...

Representative Don Beyer Calls for Complete Elimination of ICE Amidst Growing Concerns Over Detention Patterns

Representative Don Beyer Calls for Complete Elimination of ICE Amidst Growing Concerns Over Detention Patterns

Representative Don Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia's 8th District, has publicly advocated for the complete closure of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing the agency's 'irreparable' culture. This stance was articulated during a congressional candidate forum in Arlington on September 8, where Beyer participated alongside Republican Tony Sabio, Libertarian Shelly Arnoldi, and independent Tim Sharman. Beyer's call for ICE's elimination marks an escalation of his previous position in July, when he suggested the agency's culture was 'deeply broken' and needed to be rebuilt from scratch. The discussion comes amidst increasing scrutiny over immigration detention patterns in the region, including a lawsuit in Maryland alleging that 93% of ICE arrests targeted Latino individuals. The 8th District of Virginia, which Beyer seeks to represent for re-election, encompasses areas with significant immigrant populations, such as Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church, where local governments provide financial...

Reps. Raskin, Huffman, and Ivey Demand Documents on Trump Administration's East Potomac Golf Course Contracts

Reps. Raskin, Huffman, and Ivey Demand Documents on Trump Administration's East Potomac Golf Course Contracts

Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee, including Maryland Reps. Jamie Raskin and Glenn Ivey, along with California Rep. Jared Huffman, District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Virginia Rep. Don Beyer, have sent a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and acting National Park Service Director Jessica Bowron. The letter demands all documents, communications, and records related to the Trump administration's contracts for the East Potomac Golf Links. This action follows the quiet awarding of contracts by the National Park Service to begin work on President Trump's planned takeover of the historic public golf course. Rep. Huffman revealed during a committee hearing that a civil engineering firm was hired without public announcement or congressional notification. A lawsuit challenging the plan argues that the redevelopment would violate the congressional act that established the park over a century ago. The lawmakers assert that East Potomac Park belongs to the American people, not P...

House approves sweeping Russia sanctions bill, sending it to Trump

House approves sweeping Russia sanctions bill, sending it to Trump

The House has passed a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of its economy as lawmakers look to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources needed to wage the war against Ukraine

Man accused of ties to bin Laden and tortured after 9/11 has 20-year Guantanamo detention reviewed

Man accused of ties to bin Laden and tortured after 9/11 has 20-year Guantanamo detention reviewed

A man initially accused of being a high-profile al-Qaida figure and who was tortured in CIA custody has appeared at a hearing to review his detention

Maryland Regulators Confront Rising Utility Rate Hike Requests Despite New Reform Legislation

Maryland Regulators Confront Rising Utility Rate Hike Requests Despite New Reform Legislation

Maryland energy regulators are actively pushing back against significant rate increase requests from major utility companies, even after the implementation of the Utility RELIEF Act. The Public Service Commission (PSC) recently reduced Pepco's proposed rate hike from over $119 million to $50.9 million, which will still result in a monthly increase of less than $4 for ratepayers in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, a substantial reduction from the initially requested $10.24. Similarly, a requested $82.5 million increase from Washington Gas was cut to $38 million. Currently, the PSC is reviewing a $156.1 million rate increase request from Baltimore Gas & Electric and a $52.8 million request from Potomac Edison. Niki Wiggins, director of legislative affairs and policy adviser for the Maryland Public Service Commission, emphasized that rate increases must be 'fair and justified,' and the commission meticulously scrutinizes all proposals to ensure only reasonable and necessary costs are approved. These e...

Maryland Senator C. Anthony Muse's Account of SUV Incident Contradicted by Surveillance and Body-Camera Footage

Maryland Senator C. Anthony Muse's Account of SUV Incident Contradicted by Surveillance and Body-Camera Footage

Maryland Senator C. Anthony Muse's account of an August 3 incident involving his Land Rover Defender has been contradicted by newly obtained surveillance video and police body-camera footage. Muse initially told Annapolis police that his driver had parked his SUV on a sidewalk and against a tree after hitting another parked vehicle. However, surveillance video shows Muse himself behind the wheel before he exited the vehicle alone. Body-camera footage also reveals Muse telling officers that the governor or government would 'take care of it.' Parking enforcement officers had reportedly taken Muse's keys after observing him enter the SUV and questioning his ability to drive. While police initially prepared to tow the vehicle, it was ultimately removed by another driver. The incident occurred during a special legislative session in Annapolis, and Muse has not responded to questions regarding whether he had been drinking, though he claimed to have had only one drink and declined sobriety testing.

Maryland Reparations Commission Nears Launch After Veto Override and Appointment Delays

Maryland Reparations Commission Nears Launch After Veto Override and Appointment Delays

Maryland's Reparations Commission is on the verge of commencing its work, years after its initial proposal and 17 months following its passage by lawmakers. The commission's launch was delayed by a gubernatorial veto, which was subsequently overridden by the General Assembly. Most of the 23 members of the all-volunteer commission have now been appointed. Del. Aletheia McCaskill (D-Baltimore County), a key advocate for the commission, expressed optimism about its impending start. The commission is tasked with examining the historical and modern impacts of slavery and racial discrimination in Maryland, specifically assessing the effects of federal, state, and local policies from 1877 to 1965. Its mandate includes recommending appropriate reparations, which could range from a statement of apology to monetary compensation or social service assistance. The State Archives office will provide staffing support for the commission's operations. The creation of this commission makes Maryland one of the few states wit...

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris Delays Food Traceability Rule, Impacting Food Safety

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris Delays Food Traceability Rule, Impacting Food Safety

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, the only Republican member of Congress from Maryland and chair of the U.S. House Freedom Caucus, has been instrumental in delaying a crucial food traceability rule. This rule, part of the Food Safety Modernization Act signed in 2011, mandates that approximately 323,000 food-handling businesses digitally track food using lot codes. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was initially tasked with finalizing this rule by 2013, but it was only completed in 2022 after a judicial order. Industry groups subsequently pushed for a delay in compliance until January 2026, citing the rule's complexity and cost. When President Trump returned to office, his administration further postponed the rule until June 2028. Harris's House Appropriations subcommittee, which controls FDA funding, incorporated this delay into spending bills, effectively writing the new compliance date into the FDA budget and requiring the agency to develop a more flexible rule. This action has drawn criticism, particularly in...

This Day in History: Khrushchev Began His Unusual 1959 U.S. Visit

This Day in History: Khrushchev Began His Unusual 1959 U.S. Visit

In September 1959, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev embarked on a state visit to the United States, an event that marked a significant moment in Col...