State Roundup: On the November ballot: Recreational marijuana and future of the Howard Orphans’ Court

State Roundup: On the November ballot: Recreational marijuana and future of the Howard Orphans’ Court

The recreational marijuana industry has begun its campaign to win November voters for legalization. Also on the ballot will be changes to how Howard County's Orphans' Courts operate. Photo by 'Dad Grass' for Pixabay.

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POT LEGALIZATION CAMPAIGN KICKS IN: An industry-backed campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Maryland launched Thursday, urging voters to pick “yes on 4,” the November ballot question about legalizing pot possession for adults 21 and over. Karina Elwood/The Washington Post.

CHANGES TO HOWARD’s ORPHANS’ COURT PROPOSED: Maryland’s Orphans’ Courts, which handle the administration of probate or the distribution of assets from someone’s estate after a death, are established by a part of the Maryland Constitution. Now, Howard County is looking to follow the example of Harford and Montgomery counties by amending the state Constitution to repeal the election of Orphans’ Court judges and allow Circuit Court judges to decide Orphans’ Court cases. Dwight Weingarten/The Herald Mail.

APPLICATIONS, COMMENTS OPEN ON MOBILE SPORTS BETTING: As the application process got under way this week for business owners to enter the mobile sports betting industry in Maryland, state regulators are accepting public comments on proposed regulations to guide licensure. The Sports Wagering Application Review Commission held a 30-minute public hearing Friday but heard from mainly one person: Arthur Robinson, the CEO of Full Circle Solutions in Baltimore. William Ford/Maryland Matters.

AFTER 2-YEAR HALT, PURPLE LINE WORK BACK ON TRACK: Two years after work on the Purple Line ground to a halt when the prime subcontractor on the New Carrollton-to-Bethesda transit project quit following a lengthy contract dispute with the state, workers are back on the job under the auspices of a newly formed conglomerate, Maryland Transit Solutions. The return to work is a significant moment for a project that transit advocates have pined for for decades. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters.

MOORE FACES BUSY FUND-RAISING SCHEDULE: As the heavy favorite over the GOP nominee, Del. Dan Cox (R-Frederick), Democrat Wes Moore has a breakneck schedule of fundraising events planned. According to viewed invitations, Moore has no less than 28 fundraising events scheduled in Maryland or Washington, D.C., between Sept. 11 and Oct. 14, and he’s due to headline at least two fundraisers for other Maryland Democrats over the next five weeks as well. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

MOST PG STUDENTS TEST BELOW GRADE LEVEL: Academic data released this week from Prince George’s County Public Schools showed most students in the county are testing below grade level and not meeting expectations in math and English/language arts. Nicole Asbury/The Washington Post.

ALSOBROOKS CRITICIZED FOR TEEN CURFEW: Public defenders are criticizing a 30-day youth curfew going into effect tonight in Prince George’s County intended to curb rising crime in the county. August was the deadliest month in over three decades, the county’s chief of police, Malik Aziz, said at a Labor Day news conference, with 24 homicides occurring in the county. Carjackings, armed robberies and other crimes have also been up, she said. Johanna Alonso/The Daily Record.

  • “While there are some who disagree with a 30-day curfew, I am responding to the residents of Prince George’s County who have asked what more can be done to protect their children,” Alsobrooks said. “The residents of our community deserve both freedom and justice…” William Ford/Maryland Matters.

HOUGH LOOKS TO SLOW FREDERICK GOV’T, DEVELOPMENT: State Sen. Michael Hough, the Republican nominee to be the next Frederick County executive, would look to slow growth in the county government and limit development to certain areas if elected in November. Jack Hogan/The Frederick News Post.

GUN CHARGES WITH LESSER PENALTIES REFILED AGAINST IMPALLARIA: Baltimore County prosecutors have refiled weapons-related charges against outgoing Republican Del. Rick Impallaria. Three misdemeanor charges filed last week against Impallaria, R-Baltimore and Harford counties, were withdrawn Thursday. Replacing them are three similar misdemeanor charges that carry lesser penalties. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record.

BA CO IG OFFICE TO EXPAND: Baltimore County Inspector General Kelly Madigan’s small staff works from a windowless basement office beneath the historic Towson courthouse, fielding complaints, conducting interviews and writing investigative reports. Now the two-year-old office, which has sparked controversy, is set to double in size to six employees. Alison Knezevich/The Baltimore Sun.

MTA UNVEILS POSSIBLE NORTH-SOUTH TRANSIT PROJECTS FOR B’MORE: Two years after the launch of a major push to improve bus and rail service throughout the state, the Maryland Transit Administration has unveiled a list of potential north-south projects in the Baltimore region. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters.

ETHICS PANEL NIXES GOFUNDME CAMPAIGNS FOR JUDICIAL APPOINTEES: Judicial appointees may not be beneficiaries of GoFundMe donation drives to defray their medical expenses because public confidence in the judiciary is harmed when the “prestige” of office could be used for financial gain via a widespread social media solicitation, the Maryland Judicial Ethics Committee stated this month. In its reported opinion, the committee said appointees may seek contributions from family members, friends and those who would certainly not appear before them. Steve Lash/The Daily Record.

About The Author

Cynthia Prairie

cynthiaprairie@gmail.com
https://www.chestertelegraph.org/

Contributing Editor Cynthia Prairie has been a newspaper editor since 1979, when she began working at The Raleigh Times. Since then, she has worked for The Baltimore News American, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Prince George’s Journal and Baltimore County newspapers in the Patuxent Publishing chain, including overseeing The Jeffersonian when it was a two-day a week business publication. Cynthia has won numerous state awards, including the Maryland State Bar Association’s Gavel Award. Besides compiling and editing the daily State Roundup, she runs her own online newspaper, The Chester Telegraph. If you have additional questions or comments contact Cynthia at: cynthiaprairie@gmail.com

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