State Roundup, April 28, 2011

FINAL FAREWELL: Jean Marbella of the Sun writes about the funeral service celebrating William Donald Schaefer’s life. The church was filled with leaders in Maryland politics, business and community life: Gov. Martin O’Malley, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the state’s congressional delegation and Baltimore City Council members.

Melody Simmons of the Daily Record offers a nice wrap up of the funeral service, including humorous remembrances from Kweisi Mfume.

Brian Witte of the Associated Press writes, in the Salisbury Daily Times, about Schaefer’s love of the Eastern Shore. He quotes a number of Shore politicians attending the funeral.

Deborah Weiner and Jayne Miller of WBAL-TV recap the day in video.

WBFF-TV also reports on the funeral.

John Wagner and Ann Marimow select tidbits leading up to and during Schaefer’s funeral.

Laura Vozella of the Sun writes of the other person – besides Lainy LeBow-Sachs – who became closest to Schaefer in his final years. Ross Freistat was his driver. Read further for two more stories from the day, including one about a former Schaefer aide who embodied the mayor’s “Do it now” ethic.

Click here to read her blog about a gift given to Schaefer’s closest aides.

Schaefer will be remembered for his dedication to Maryland, writes Paul Foer in his Annapolis Capital column.

And the Sun posted a PDF of the funeral service program.

PHOTOS, VIDEOS: The Sun offers up a pretty extensive photo gallery taken at Old St. Paul’s Church, where the services for the former mayor, governor and comptroller were held. Lots of Maryland politicians, current and former, are shown.

Here’s Sun video showing Schaefer’s flag-draped casket at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

RACE FOR GOVERNOR: The 2014 race for governor seems to be shaping up as Comptroller Peter Franchot and Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler raise funds, issues, and their profiles, writes Len Lazarick of MarylandReporter.com.

MD DREAM ACT: Jennifer Gilbert of WBFF-TV reports on the debate over instate tuition for illegal immigrants, including the argument that offering illegals an education so that they can get better jobs goes against federal law since it is illegal to employ illegal aliens.

2010 CAMPAIGN FINANCE: A new study from the University of Maryland’s Center for American Politics and Citizenship says that the 2010 gubernatorial election was the first governor’s election in two decades to see a decrease in campaign dollars, but O’Malley still raised more money than challenger and former gov Bob Ehrlich, reports Megan Poinski of MarylandReporter.com.

CITY SLOTS BIDDING: Spurned developer Michael Moldenhauer is attempting to throw up an 11th-hour obstacle to the state’s efforts to find new candidates to build and run Baltimore’s casino, the Sun’s Julie Scharper reports.

In his Second Opinion column for the Sun, Andy Green writes that the way the city and state are going about the bidding this time is much smarter. While there are no guarantees, the prospects for robust bidding and a good deal for the taxpayers are much better than they were when the license for the city’s slots site were first put out for bid.

COLLINS JOINS JACOBS: WJZ reporter Suzanne Collins is leaving the station after 27 years to become chief of staff for state Sen. Nancy Jacobs, of Harford County. Jacobs is also minority leader, blogs David Zurawik for the Sun.

FREDERICK GOVERNMENT: As Frederick County slowly moves toward changing its form of government, the editorial board of the Frederick News Post says the position of county executive should be elected, not appointed.

PRAY: As Frederick County commissioners seek legal guidance on offering a prayer during government meetings, News Post columnist Elizabeth Marsh Cupino says pray.

LOTTERY LAUNDER: Federal prosecutors have accused a man they say is one of Baltimore’s most notorious drug dealers of laundering the profits of his heroin-selling operation through the Maryland State Lottery, among other places, reports Yeganeh June Torbati for the Sun.

BAY HEALTH DECLINES: Polluted rain water draining into the Chesapeake Bay caused the health of the state’s largest estuary to decline in 2010, blogs Meredith Cohn for the Sun.

CSX FACILITY PANNED: In an attempt to collect feedback from residents on a proposed Elkridge location for the CSX Corp. intermodal railroad facility, the Maryland Department of Transportation and CSX held an informational workshop last night, reports Kevin Rector for the Columbia Flyer. And the 200 residents who attended the meeting were more than willing to provide that feedback — all of it negative.

The proposed $150 million train cargo transfer facility the state considers vital to Baltimore’s port won’t be built in Elkridge, says Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. But, writes Larry Carson for the Sun, Gov. Martin O’Malley is resisting calls from residents to remove Elkridge from a list of four possible sites.