JUDGE ORDERS RELEASE OF 43 REDACTED NAMES IN CHURCH ABUSE REPORT: A judge has ordered the release of most of the names redacted in an attorney general’s report on the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s history of child sexual abuse, according to court records unsealed Tuesday. Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Sun.
- The ruling by Baltimore City Circuit Court Associate Judge Robert K. Taylor Jr. also affects clergy who have held prominent positions in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and allegedly helped enable abusers or covered up abuse claims, and other people whose names surfaced in the investigation but were not accused of abuse. Frederick Kunkle/The Washington Post.
- Stating that interests including transparency, justice and accountability outweighed secrecy, the judge has authorized the Maryland attorney general to remove the redactions of all but three names. The identities of 46 people — including five archdiocesan leaders and 10 alleged abusers — were blacked out in the report. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner.
NEW DATABASE OFFERS CLEARER PICTURE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT CONTRACTS: Billions of local, state, and federal tax dollars go to funding Maryland’s public schools every year — and now, it will be easier for you to find out how your local school district spent that money. That’s because the Local News Network at the University of Maryland has published an easily searchable database where you can look up your school district’s vendor payments over the past four years. Local News Network at Capital News Service/MarylandReporter.com.
BALTIMORE CO. LEADS STATE IN TRANSPARENCY IN SCHOOL SPENDING: If you want to know exactly why school districts spend what they spend, you’re out of luck — that is, unless you’re interested in data from Baltimore County. Thanks to what appear to be two random acts of legislation that took place eight years apart, the General Assembly requires every public school district in the state to report every contract expenditure of more than $25,000, but only requires Baltimore County Public Schools to list a purpose for each payment. Kara Thompson of the Capital News Service/MarylandReporter.com.
ENGLISH TEST SCORES IMPROVE; MATH SCORES DON’T: English proficiency in Maryland schools is rising, with aptitude among third graders at the highest rate in nine years, according to the latest batch of state standardized test results. Math scores remain relatively low however, with fewer than 5% of Baltimore City’s and Baltimore County’s eighth graders deemed proficient, the lowest rates in the state. Sabrina LeBoeuf and Annie Jennemann/The Baltimore Sun.
- The math results don’t exceed test scores from the 2018-19 school year, or pre-pandemic. A shortened version of the test was administered two years ago to assess how students fared during online instruction. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
POLITICAL NOTES: SEN. WEST WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION; SUPER PAC FOR ALSOBROOKS: Three terms in the Maryland General Assembly are enough for Baltimore County Republican Sen. Chris West. He won’t seek re-election after his term ends in 2026. One potential candidate to succeed West is Del. Antonio D. “Nino” Mangione (R-Baltimore County). Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, who is seeking a seat in the U.S. Senate, now has a super PAC associated with her effort. Her rival, U.S. Rep. David Trone (D-6th), announced that 27 congressional colleagues have endorsed his bid, but none are Maryland members. Bryan Sears and Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
MOORE WARNS VIOLENT REPEAT OFFENDERS: During an interview with political commentator Armstrong Williams at the Maryland State House, Gov. Wes Moore said people need to be held accountable for their actions, and specifically talked about going after repeat violent offenders. Moore said, “When you have a person who is a repeat violent offender, I’m sorry, I’m coming after you.” Mikenzie Frost/WBFF-TV News.
***If you like the idea of learning about China today, now is the time to sign up for a six-week seminar by Maryland Reporter’s Len Lazarick at Howard Community College. The small two-hour class runs every two weeks starting Thursday Sept. 7 and ending Nov. 16. Click here to learn more and register for the course.***
BA CO DEVELOPERS AVOID PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE FEES: In the last two years, Baltimore County developers received almost 1,000 exemptions from having to pay fees that would have gone toward building public infrastructure, generating far less money than the county expected to recoup. Lia Russell/The Baltimore Sun.
RECORD NUMBER OF NEW TEACHERS HIRED IN B’MORE SCHOOLS: With less than a week until the first day of school, Baltimore City Public School System has hired a record number of new teachers, a win in light of a persisting, nationwide teacher shortage. Sabrina LeBoeuf/The Baltimore Sun.
HOWARD SCHOOLS SAYS BUS CONTRACT ISSUES RESOLVED: The Howard County Public School System said it has come to an “amicable resolution” of contract issues raised in a lawsuit filed last fall — and later withdrawn — by owners of transportation companies that provide school bus service. Thomas Goodwin Smith/Baltimore Sun Media.
B’MORE MAN SENTENCED IN JAN. 6 INSURRECTION: A Baltimore man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, including grabbing a police officer’s riot shield and dragging him down stairs. He was ordered to serve 36 months of supervised release and pay $2,000 restitution. Narayana Rheiner, 42, pleaded guilty last year to one count of interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder. Prosecutors had asked that Rheiner serve 21 months. Justin Fenton/The Baltimore Banner.
