FREE PRESCHOOL GETTING MORE ATTENTION AS MOORE TRANSITIONS TO GOVERNOR: A big focus of incoming governor Wes Moore is to provide free pre-kindergarten for all of Maryland’s three- and four- year olds in need, something he says needs to happen faster than the state’s current plan of 10 years from now. Shannon Clark/Capital News Service in MarylandReporter.com
BLUEPRINT BOARD SENDS OUT MASSIVE EDUCATION PLAN: A $3.8 billion education plan was adopted unanimously Thursday, but there’s still more work ahead for the board that approved it to ensure that school officials implement it. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB), established by state law to administer the 10-year plan, will send a 185-page document to the governor, General Assembly and all 24 school systems. William Ford/Maryland Matters
REPORT SHOWS HIGH LEVEL OF CONTAMINATION IN MARYLAND WATERWAYS: A recent report from the Waterkeeper Alliance revealed U.S. states’ pollution levels of certain chemicals in their waterways — and Maryland’s samples revealed high levels of contamination. Waterways were tested for tested them for specific chemicals called per- and polyflouroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Gabrielle Lewis/Capital News Service in MarylandReporter.com
ELLICOTT CITY PLAN IGNITES CONCERN OVER HoCo DEVELOPMENT: Distrust of development after flooding in Ellicott City is being targeted toward a new proposal. While the science employed by the Department of Planning and Zoning indicates that Taylor Highlands will not worsen flood conditions in Ellicott City, because of the distrust the project has found itself at the center of a larger debate around the future of growth and development in Howard County. Krishna Sharma/Baltimore Banner
BALTIMORE SETTLING WITH MEN WHO HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF ASSAULTING OFFICER: Baltimore City will pay $750,000 to two men who were loudly condemned and arrested for assaulting a police officer until new video evidence emerged showing that the officer had provoked the fight and then lied about it. Mark Reutter/Baltimore Brew
KRAMER DRAFTING BILLS ABOUT MONTGOMERY PLANNING BOARD: Ongoing drama involving Montgomery County’s Planning Board and other county officials took another turn this week, thanks to a few state bills sponsored by State Sen. Ben Kramer (D-District 19). Kramer has drafted bills that impact aspects of how the executive and legislative branches interact with the county’s Planning Board, including the appointment process for commissioners. Steve Bohnel/Bethesda Beat
OPINION: FORMER MAYOR HAS BEEN CALLING FOR END TO WAR ON DRUGS SINCE THE 1980s: We should recognize that there are no final victories in the war on drugs. But the direction that Maryland has charted, carefully considering regulations in a legalized setting, will enhance the chance of success and reduce the extent of societal harm. Kurt Schmoke/Baltimore Banner
TWO NEW APPLICANTS ENTER MOBILE SPORTS WAGERING SCENE: State gaming regulators Thursday qualified two more applicants for mobile sports wagering licenses – Bally’s Corporation and WynnBet, a subsidiary of Wynn Interactive. The approvals by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission set the stage for final approvals by a second panel later this month. Bryan Sears/The Daily Record
OPINION: EMERGE PROGRAM MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Thirty-three graduates of Emerge, a training program for women Democratic candidates, ran in the 2022 Maryland general election, and all but three won their races, a 91% win rate. Kathleen Matthews/Maryland Matters
WASHINGTON COUNTY STILL IMPACTED BY CYBER INCIDENT, DELAYING CRIMINAL CASES: Washington County Circuit Court is postponing some cases because prosecutors can’t access their files after a Thanksgiving cybersecurity incident impacting several county services. Julie Greene/Hagerstown Herald-Mail
SCOTT COMMENTS ON PENSION BILL VETO: Mayor Brandon Scott cited public trust as the reason he vetoed the city council pension bill in a radio interview, and said, “I couldn’t in good conscience sign that bill into law.” C4 and Bryan Nehman/WBAL AM
ST. MARY’S FACING SUIT OVER SEWAGE SPILLS: The Maryland Attorney General’s office filed suit Thursday against the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission — the county’s sewer authority — over continued sewage spills, requesting a financial penalty and a court order requiring sewer system upgrades. Christine Condon/Baltimore Sun
