MD NAACP CHIEF BLASTS HOGAN PARDON OF LYNCHING VICTIMS: The head of Maryland’s NAACP on Sunday lambasted Gov. Larry Hogan’s posthumous pardon of lynching victims as “political posturing,” criticizing the Republican governor for issuing a blanket pardon of dozens of the state’s Black victims even though many were never convicted of any crimes, but merely charged or accused of wrongdoing before they were killed, Chandelis Duster of CNN reports.
STEELE: DON’T DEFUND, RE-EVALUATE THE POLICE: Former Lt. Gov. and former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele, who is considering a run for governor, addressed the ‘defund the police’ idea in an interview Monday with Bryan Renbaum of Maryland Reporter. He said the idea “is not realistic. … But there has to be some level of re-evaluation of how we are policing, particularly in communities of color. And not just where we are seeing top-level problems, but also more systemic problems.”
INTERNAL POLL: PG RESIDENTS SUPPORT MAGLEV: A new poll commissioned by the firm that hopes to build a new high-speed maglev line between Baltimore and Washington found broad support for it among residents of Prince George’s County, Bruce DePuyt of Maryland Matters reports. Among survey respondents who said they were aware of the proposed “super-conducting maglev” train, more than two thirds — 68% — supported it; 19% were opposed.
NEW COVID CASES LOWEST SINCE SUMMER: Maryland reported the fewest newly confirmed coronavirus cases since last summer on Monday, the second straight day the state’s daily case count has been below 500, Colin Campbell of the Sun reports. With nearly four in 10 Marylanders fully vaccinated, the state’s positivity rate is the lowest it has been since the fall, and the number of hospitalizations in the state continue to drop, the state health department reported.
HEALTH DEPT CAMPAIGN URGES CAUTION DESPITE VAXX: As the number of vaccinated Marylanders increases daily, a Maryland Department of Health marketing campaign wants to remind you that even if you are vaccinated, it’s important to continue following other COVID-19 guidance, Johanna Alonso reports for the Daily Record.
MARYLAND TO GET $3.7B IN NEW FED AID: States, cities and counties can begin to tap their share of the $350 billion in federal funds intended to spur a national recovery from the economic toll of the COVID-19 pandemic, White House officials announced Monday. Laura Olsen of Maryland Matters writes that Maryland state government is expected to receive more than $3.7 billion. Counties will receive more than $1.1 billion. Cities in the state with more than 50,000 residents will split $619 million, and smaller cities and towns will share nearly $529 million.
HO CO OFFERS $2M TO EATERIES, HOTELS STILL STRUGGLING: Nearly $2 million in new aid is being made available to Howard County restaurants and hotels still struggling to regain their footing from the COVID-19 pandemic, Bryan Sears reports in the Daily Record. Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said the latest wave of aid is aimed at ensuring that some of the hardest hit businesses are still around as the county and state gradually lift restrictions that kept customers away.
TECH ENTREPRENEUR JUMPS INTO DEM RACE FOR GOV: A Baltimore entrepreneur who has spent his career working to help people get jobs by improving how companies hire is making a surprise entrance into Maryland’s 2022 race for governor. Mike Rosenbaum, a Democrat, said he is starting his campaign focused how to rebuild a post-pandemic economy that affords better opportunities to all Marylanders, Pamela Wood of the Sun reports.
- Rosenbaum, 49, is founder and chief executive at Arena, one of three businesses he launched from a research project he did during a fellowship at Harvard. The project used algorithms and other data to predict a job candidate’s performance in a specific position or company, Ovetta Wiggins reports in the Post.
- In an interview Monday with Josh Kurtz of Maryland Matters, Rosenbaum said of all the candidates, he is best equipped to prepare Maryland for the post-pandemic recovery. “I think that we in Maryland are going to be looking for someone who can build an economy on the other side of COVID,” he said.
GOP DELEGATES QUESTION WESTMINSTER ELECTION INTEGRITY: A letter from Republican Dels. Reid Novotny and Haven Shoemaker questioning the integrity of the Westminster municipal election was sent to city representatives Monday morning. The city responded with a statement saying those concerns have no merit, Kristen Griffith of the Carroll County Times reports. The polls opened at 7 this morning.
DEMS NOMINATE REPLACEMENT TO STATE ELECTIONS BOARD: With Democratic state elections board member Patrick J. Hogan’s term set to expire at the end of June, the Maryland Democratic Party has nominated Baltimore attorney Justin A. Williams to replace him, Bennett Leckrone reports for Maryland Matters. He also happens to be the nephew of Maryland House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County).
CANNABIS FIRM BUYS HANCOCK BUSINESS: A multibillion-dollar deal involving Harvest Health and Recreation is not expected to alter the marijuana company’s course in Hancock, reports Mike Lewis for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. “As far as I’m aware right now, there aren’t going to be any changes,” Hancock Mayor Tim Smith said Monday. “Everything’s going the same way and same speed as it has been.”
- Harvest is proceeding with plans to expand its Hancock medical marijuana operation, according to a building permit issued by Washington County officials, Mike Lewis reports for the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.
