STAFF VACANCIES WORSEN CONDITIONS AT B’MORE JUVIE CENTER: The Baltimore Juvenile Justice Center is experiencing a high number of assaults among its youth inmate population. The Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, which runs the facility, is dealing with “higher than usual vacancies” that have worsened “chaotic” conditions and depleted programming, a report has found. Staffing issues such as low morale, burnout and turnover are “not being acknowledged or adequately addressed by DJS leadership,” according to the report. Ben Conarck/The Baltimore Banner.
McGRATH SEEKS TO HAVE STATE CHARGES KEPT FROM FEDERAL TRIAL: An attorney for Roy McGrath is asking a federal judge to preclude introduction of state charges and a related report by the Maryland General Assembly when the former top aide to Gov. Larry Hogan is tried on federal charges of wire fraud and theft. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record.
STATEWIDE CANDIDATE FORUMS: Please join us for online virtual forums for the candidates for comptroller (Oct. 6), attorney general (posted later) and governor (Oct. 13) Here’s the flyer. Register there to see the comptroller and governor forums live. All the candidates on the ballot except Democrat Wes Moore chose to participate. The League of Women Voters is the lead sponsor along with MarylandReporter.com, MarylandMatters.org, Maryland Nonprofits, Maryland Latinos Unidos and the University of Baltimore’s Schaefer Center for Public Policy, the online host.
Pat McDonough in 2016
McDONOUGH SEEKS ‘REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE’ IN BA CO: The Republican nominee vying to become Baltimore County’s next county executive promised voters a ‘revolutionary change in government’ if elected this November. Former Del. Pat McDonough said he would fire the county police chief, sever ties with Baltimore City, and regain control over the school system curriculum. John Lee/WYPR-FM.
PG COUNCIL TO HEAR FROM POLICE BOARD HOPEFULS: The Prince George’s County Council will hold a virtual listening session Tuesday for candidates willing to serve on the jurisdiction’s new police accountability board. The 11-member body is mandated through legislation state lawmakers approved last year. The council plans to approve five members to the board and County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) will name the other five, along with the board chair. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
CARROLL COMMISSIONERS TO UPDATE ETHICS ORDINANCE: The Board of Carroll County Commissioners will soon update the county’s ethics ordinance to reflect changes in state law prohibiting retaliation against whistleblowers and restricting gifts or financial gain for county officials or employees from certain organizations. Sherry Greenfield/The Carroll County Times.
POLITICAL NOTES: MIZEUR MONEY; CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CONFERENCE IN PERSON: Heather Mizeur is in her old stomping grounds to raise money in her race against U.S. Rep. Andy Harris. The Maryland members of the Congressional Black Conference Foundation will have active roles in this year’s CBC, held in person for the first time in three years and expected to attract 10,000. Wes Moore declined to appear with gubernatorial opponent Del. Dan Cox, the Republican nominee, at a proposed candidate forum tonight at Morgan State University. Instead, Moore said he’ll visit all four of Maryland’s HBCU campuses during the campaign, including Morgan. Josh Kurtz and William Ford/Maryland Matters.
- Wes Moore and his fundraising team have proven to be adept at bringing in money for his campaign. Now Moore’s lending his name to help candidates in other states. In a passionate confrontation Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee member Sen. Ben Kramer, along with two other senators, repeatedly questioned Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Lourdes Padilla as to why Maryland can’t use state funds to reimburse families who have been victims of food benefits fraud. Pamela Wood, Brenda Wintrode, Emily Sullivan and Adam Willis/The Baltimore Banner.
EEOC SUES SINCLAIR OVER EMPLOYEE FIRING: The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Sinclair Broadcast Group in federal court, alleging that the company fired a help desk technician after learning she had been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Madeleine O’Neill/The Daily Record.
DNA TEST TO DETERMINE IF MOSBY DROPS CHARGES AGAINST SYED: At trial more than two decades ago, DNA analysis didn’t help Baltimore prosecutors convince a jury to find Adnan Syed guilty in the killing of his ex-girlfriend, Hae Min Lee. Twenty-two years later, the results of new DNA analysis on evidence collected in the 1999 homicide could be the last bit of information Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby needs to drop Syed’s charges. Alex Mann/The Baltimore Sun.
BAINUM ON THE BALTIMORE BANNER: Stewart Bainum Jr., chairman of the board of Rockville-based Choice Hotels International, is looking inward, contemplating a future for his startup Baltimore Banner newspaper, for which there is no blueprint. His energy and intellect have been focused on Baltimore, where he hopes the Banner can become a model for how to revive vanishing local news coverage. Mike Unger/Bethesda Beat.
