PRINCE GEORGE’S BIZ OUTLOOK: Prince George’s businesses are looking forward to the economic promise of a new casino resort now that state voters have authorized the county for a license, Lindsey Robbins reports in the Gazette.
TABLE GAMES COMING: Erin Cox of the Sun reports that the state’s largest casino plans to hire hundreds of dealers and install 150 table games, with some taking wagers of up to $10,000, Maryland Live! officials said yesterday in the first detailed announcement since voters legalized such games last week.
DEALER SCHOOL: Maryland Live! plans to teach 1,000 people to deal poker and blackjack and to spin the roulette wheel. The Hanover casino is opening a free dealer school. Graduation doesn’t guarantee a job, just an interview. But Maryland Live! plans to hire 800 dealers by spring. Salaries are expected to exceed $50,000 a year, including tips, writes Tim Prudente of the Capital-Gazette.
BALTIMORE CITY CASINO: South Baltimore residents expressed concern at a meeting last night that the city was moving too fast with plans for a Caesars Horseshoe casino, but officials signaled that they want to step on the gas, Mark Reutter writes for Baltimore Brew.
LEGAL CHANGES: Brian Shane of the Salisbury Daily Times interviews Eastern Shore gay couples about the legal changes they will see when gay marriage becomes legal on Jan. 1.
VOTING CONCERNS: After some pre-election hype, the Maryland Democratic Party and Election Integrity Maryland (EIM) agreed, Election Day concerns over voter suppression efforts and voter fraud occurrences really didn’t materialize to the extent either side expected, Glynis Kazanjian writes in MarylandReporter.com.
DIGESTING THE VOTE: Danny Jacobs and Alexander Pyles of the Daily Record, in the Eye on Annapolis podcast, look at the winners (Gov. Martin O’Malley) and losers (Penn National) from the election, as well as the next steps for expanding gambling and what impact the election results will have on the General Assembly’s agenda when it reconvenes in January.
SECEDING MARYLAND: WBFF-TV reports that Maryland is now one of the 49 states that have started online petitions to secede from the United States in response to the re-election of President Barack Obama.
COUNTY-BAY TUSSLE: Pamela Wood of the Capital-Gazette writes that Gov. Martin O’Malley’s staff is not thrilled with a growing movement of county governments interested in challenging Chesapeake Bay cleanup programs. Raquel Guillory, O’Malley’s director of communications, published a blog post on on the governor’s website on Tuesday saying the effort “threatens to undermine our collective actions to restore the health of the bay.”
Frederick County commissioners last week decided to link arms with the coalition of local governments to protest what they argue are overly costly water improvement plans, reports Bethany Rodgers of the Frederick News-Post.
ALSTON MEETS WITH O’MALLEY: It seems that Tiffany Alston, the former Prince George’s County delegate, is choosing diplomacy over litigation — at least for now — in her quest to get her old job back in Annapolis. Alston, who was removed from state office last month, met privately yesterday with Gov. Martin O’Malley to press her case that she should be reinstated, writes Ann Marimow and John Wagner of the Post.
LEOPOLD IMMUNE? Lawyers for Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold are arguing he has immunity from a federal discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by his former spokeswoman. In a motion filed in U.S. District Court, two attorneys contend the county executive is shielded under federal laws that recognize a public official’s need to maintain a loyal, efficient staff in order to work for the common good, reports the Allison Bourg for the Capital-Gazette.
GAMING AGENCY HIRES: The Maryland Board of Public Works approved the creation of 44 gambling regulation jobs within the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency that are directly associated with the passage of Question 7 for expanded gambling in last week’s election, Sam Smith writes in MarylandReporter.com. The board also approved hiring a consulting service to help update procurement practices for state agencies.
COUNCIL PRAYER CHALLENGE: A civil liberties group is getting ready to take legal action against the town of Brentwood, MD, for reciting the Lord’s Prayer in council meetings — a practice the group says is unconstitutional, reports Shivan Sarna of the Washington Times. A Washington-based group said the invocation violates the First Amendment by giving Christianity preference over other religions. But Brentwood’s mayor said that the prayer is a time-honored tradition in his town of roughly 3,000 people. You can view the Lord’s Prayer as part of the April agenda here.
Mr.Rudder, Mayor of Brentwood, MD, should be reminding one and all that we Christians are also citizens, the First Amendment also covers our rights. Christians reciting the Lords Prayer is not being given preference over any religion. As Christian American citizens, it is also OUR Constitutional right to worship anywhere, place or time we choose. No one is forced to join in, we abide by others practicing their religion and they will have to abide by our rights. It is insulting to God to limit anyone from praising and showing their love for Him. The name of Americans United is misleading and wrong. It implies all Americans agree with their position, which we do not! For any court, local, state or Federal to forbide Christians from demonstrating their love and belief of God where ever they choose goes against the First Amendant and is UNCONSTITUTIONAL. This includes the Supreme Court. The First Amendment plainly states: Congress shall make NO LAW respecting an establishment of RELIGION, or prohibiting the FREE EXERCISE thereof. Webster’s devines: FREE as: not under control or power of another: able to act or think without arbitrary restriction; having liberty, independent, existing under a government that does not impose arbitrary restrictions on the right to speak, assemble, petition, vote, etc. EXERCISE as: active use, develope mind, use or employ or practice! ALL COURTS IN AMERICA rule according to the laws of THIS LAND, not any other! If they are using other than American Law, it is against our Constitution and Illegal.