MARYLAND RANKS NO. 5 IN HEALTH CARE: Maryland’s health care system is better than that of the overwhelming majority of states in the nation, according to a Wallethub study, released on Monday. It said that Maryland is 5th best state for health care, reports Bryan Renbaum of Maryland Reporter. Massachusetts was ranked the best state for health care and Alabama was ranked the worst.
U.S. SENATORS HOPE TO REVIVE RED LINE: Six years after Gov. Larry Hogan killed the Red Line project, Maryland’s U.S. senators want to do more than eulogize the light rail project that they believe could have been a game changer for Baltimore’s economic fortunes. They want to try to revive it, Jeff Barker of the Sun reports.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT RENTAL EVICTION PROTECTION: There are roughly 129,000 households behind on rent in Maryland, according to the National Equity Atlas, and although the state has received hundreds of millions in rent relief, that funding has been slow to get to tenants as emergency protections expire. Bennett Leckrone of Maryland Matters writes about what you need to know about rental assistance and emergency renter protections in Maryland.
BA CO ADDS $19.5M TO EVICTION PROTECTION PROGRAM: Days after the country’s eviction moratorium expired, Baltimore County is adding $19.5 million to its eviction prevention program to help renters affected by the coronavirus pandemic stay in their apartments and pay utilities, Taylor DeVille reports for the Sun.
442 NEW COVID CASES MONDAY: Maryland reported 442 new COVID-19 cases and zero new deaths, according to state health department data released Monday morning. Doctors say the new cases are fueled by dangerous strains targeting the unvaccinated. While some cities have reinstated mask mandates, none in Maryland are doing so at the moment, WJZ-TV reports.
MILITARY BASES MOVE TO INDOOR MASKING: Almost all of Maryland’s military installations including the Naval Academy are now requiring indoor mask-wearing regardless of vaccination status, Heather Mongilio of the Capital Gazette reports. The new mask mandate comes as a result of the Department of Defense’s policy, which requires everyone to wear a mask indoors if the COVID-19 transmission rate is considered high or substantial.
ARUNDEL TO REINSTITUTE INDOOR MASKS AT COUNTY BUILDINGS: All those entering Anne Arundel County-owned buildings — including libraries, senior centers and office buildings — must wear masks, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, starting Thursday. County Executive Steuart Pittman announced Monday morning he was reimplementing the requirement, Sarah Kim reports for WYPR-FM.
- Effective on Sept. 13, Pittman announced, employees who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 will have to provide weekly negative test results, Bruce DePuyt reports in Maryland Matters.
DOOR-TO-DOOR COVID VAXX SURVEY IN PG APPEARS SUCCESSFUL: They knocked on more than 260,000 doors, sent 547,000 texts and made 1.3 million phone calls — all with the goal of getting Prince George’s County residents to get their COVID-19 vaccinations.There are some numbers that suggest the personal outreach efforts had an impact, Kate Ryan reports for WTOP-FM.
STATE HEALTH PROBES POSSIBLE CECIL FAIR COVID OUTBREAK: The Maryland Department of Health is investigating a possible COVID-19 outbreak linked to the Cecil County Fair, which ran from July 23 to July 31, Hallie Miller of the Sun is reporting.
HOW DACA HOLDERS ARE USING COVID RELIEF FUNDS: Maryland’s DACA holders are starting to receive COVID stimulus payments that others got months ago. What are they doing with the funds? Stephanie Garcia of the Sun finds out.
REDMER DENIES CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Maryland’s former insurance commissioner, sued by a former employee for wrongful termination, says he never had the conflict of interest described in the lawsuit. Al Redmer Jr. – a former state legislator, Republican candidate for Baltimore County executive and current executive director of the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund, the state’s car insurer of last resort – says he quit being a partner at Landmark Insurance and Financial Services in 2010, five years before he became the state’s insurance commissioner, writes Edward Ericson of Courthouse News in a story from June.
REPUBLICANS SEEK TO LIMIT ANNAPOLIS MAIL-IN VOTING: George Gallagher, an Annapolis City Council candidate, and Herb McMillan, who’s running for Anne Arundel County executive, both Republicans, have gone to court to keep the Annapolis city board of elections from sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters in this fall’s city elections. Their argument hinges on a quirk in the Annapolis city code, which allows voters to cast ballots in-person or by applying for an absentee ballot. But they have to pay the postage, Joel McCord of WYPR-FM reports.
I-270 PROJECT VIEWED DIFFERENTLY BY MO CO EXEC HOPEFULS, INCUMBENT: Steve Bohnel of Bethesda Beat writes about how the declared candidates for Montgomery County executive and incumbent Marc Elrich are viewing the situation surrounding Gov. Hogan’s I-270/495 expansion and 3P toll lanes project.
MOSBY MUM ON LEGAL DEFENSE FUND: Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby appears less than eager to discuss the legal defense fund which is now accepting contributions on her behalf. The fund was launched last month yet it is unclear how much has been raised, Jeff Abell of WBFF-TV reports.
FOUR ELLICOTT CITY BUILDINGS SLATED FOR RAZING: While some buildings on Main Street in Ellicott City have been saved, four buildings will be removed in the current flood mitigation plan. It could happen as early as springtime, Valerie Bonk reports for WTOP-FM.
