POLL: MOST MARYLANDERS OPPOSE ENDING SALES OF GAS VEHICLES: A new poll shows left-leaning Maryland is deeply averse to one of Gov. Wes Moore’s largest environmental initiatives to cut carbon emissions, with 61 percent of those surveyed saying they oppose plans to end sales of gas-powered cars by 2035. Erin Cox/The Washington Post.
- Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced this year that the state would recommit to aggressive climate goals involving the sales of electric vehicles. But the poll released by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media Service found a majority of voters oppose the plan even if it meant significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. The opposition increases when those surveyed were asked to factor in the higher cost of purchasing an electric vehicle. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
WIDE MAJORITY FAVORS STIFF PENALTIES FOR STOLEN FIREARMS: An overwhelming majority of Marylanders say they favor increased penalties for those convicted of possession of a stolen firearm. A poll released Tuesday by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media Service found that strong, broad-based support for stiffer penalties exists across a wide spectrum of state voters. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
76,000 MARYLANDERS RE-ENROLL IN MEDICAID PROGRAM: Following an informational campaign urging thousands of Marylanders to re-enroll in Medicaid, the Maryland Department of Health released data showing that more than 76,000 people were able to continue federal health care coverage, while 34,600 were disenrolled in the program, during a process referred to as “Medicaid unwinding.” Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
CARDIN SAYS HE WON’T BE RETIRING: U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland doesn’t want anyone to think that just because he isn’t seeking re-election he will be retiring. Cardin’s unbroken streak in elected office makes him one of the longest-serving such officials in U.S. history, let alone that of his home state. “Next year, God willing, will be my 58th consecutive year in legislative office,” Cardin mused Thursday evening. “And I don’t plan to retire, from the point of view of not being actively engaged in our community.” Louis Peck/MoCo 360.
MARYLAND AG SECTY VISITS FREDERICK FARMS: Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks visited Catoctin Mountain Orchard near Thurmont on Monday as part of a broader initiative to tour farms across the state and gather feedback and concerns from local farmers. Atticks said he has prior experience in Frederick County, but wanted to familiarize members of his team with farmers in the county and show the diversity of what’s being grown. Gabrielle Lewis/The Frederick News Post.
STATE OFFICE BUILDINGS LOCKED DOWN AFTER NEARBY GUNFIRE: State office buildings in Annapolis were briefly placed on lockdown Monday evening after shots were fired nearby. The downtown state capitol complex offices were on lockdown from about 6:30 to 7 p.m. Dan Belson/The Baltimore Sun.
MORGAN STATE PROBES PROF’s PROPOSAL TO JEFFREY EPSTEIN: A Morgan State University math professor offered Jeffrey Epstein a chance to improve his reputation in the Black community for $5 million in 2019. The university said it did not participate in the solicitation and is investigating the matter. Sabrina LeBeouf/The Baltimore Sun.
Former Del. John Wood
FORMER DEL. JOHNNY WOOD DIES AT 87. John (Johnny) Francis Wood Jr., who for 28 years served in the Maryland House of Delegates, died at his Mechanicsville home surrounded by his family, on June 9, 2023. He was 87.
