FAMILY OF SLAIN TEEN LOBBIES FOR SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WHO KILL: The family of a Baltimore teen shot and killed by a 9-year-old boy has been working for more than a year to force the state to help children who have committed acts of violence. Since Nykayla Strawder’s death in August 2022, her family members have lobbied lawmakers in Annapolis to pass a bill that would mandate services for young children whose actions resulted in someone’s death. But that journey to make one small change in the law has proved harder and more complicated than they’d ever imagined. Brenda Wintrode/The Baltimore Banner.
1,700+ APPLY FOR CANNABIS ‘SOCIAL EQUITY’ LICENSE: Just over 1,700 people applied for a cannabis license in Maryland’s first round designed to foster social equity, which lawmakers championed as an argument for legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. Only 179 of those admitted to a state-run lottery will ultimately receive a coveted license or micro-license in this round. Katie Shepherd/The Washington Post.
POLL: NO TO 1-CENT TAX HIKE; MOORE GETS HIGH MARKS: A majority of Maryland voters will not support a 1-cent increase in the sales tax dedicated to transportation projects around the state, according to a poll released Tuesday. The results are part of the latest survey released by Annapolis-based Gonzales Research & Media. That survey also includes new data on the performance of Gov. Wes Moore (D) in office, and gauges support for strengthening penalties for firearm theft and fentanyl distribution as well as medical aid-in-dying legislation and abortion rights. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
- Moore has positive ratings among Democrats (74% approval) and unaffiliated voters (52% approval), while he’s not viewed as favorably among Republicans, who offered 57% disapproval of how the Democratic governor his doing his job. Moore’s support is particularly strong among Black voters who were polled (70%) and women (62%). Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
AG’s INVESTIGATOR INTO POLICE KILLINGS RESIGNS: The Maryland Attorney General’s Office needs a new leader for its investigations into police killings after the former division head resigned earlier this month. Dana Mulhauser, the first leader of the attorney general’s Independent Investigations Division, left the agency Feb. 2 to take a job with the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety, ending a 2 1/2-year tenure that saw Mulhauser clash with law enforcement officers as part of her duties. Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Banner.
MOORE TOUTS ANTI-POVERTY LEGISLATION ON EASTERN SHORE: Gov. Wes Moore visited a childcare site at Delmarva Community Services in Cambridge on Monday, pitched a piece of anti-poverty legislation at a news conference afterwards, then listened to community members whose support he aims to enlist. Dwight Weingarten/The Salisbury Daily Times.
BILL WOULD ASSESS DATA SHARING IN STATE’s ATTORNEY’s OFFICES: A state senator is looking to create a statewide uniform policy to collect data that would assess the policies and procedures of Maryland’s 24 state’s attorney’s offices. Senate Bill 617, sponsored by Sen. Charles E. Sydnor III (D-Baltimore County), builds on several recommendations from a task force that met last year to discuss the performance of the state’s local prosecutors. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
ALSOBROOKS OFFERS UP FIRST TV AD OF SENATE CAMPAIGN: Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), who has seen her principal opponent in the Democratic Senate primary, U.S. Rep. David Trone, dominate the airwaves for several months, went up with her first TV ad of the campaign Monday. It’s partially a biographical spot with a few not-so-subtle digs. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
LATE FILERS JOIN 6th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT RACE: While former Gov. Larry Hogan’s (R) Senate bid announcement dominated local news on Friday, he wasn’t the only candidate to enter a race shortly before the 9 p.m. deadline. Joining the 6th Congressional District race are Neil Parrott, Peter Choharis and Mohammad Mozumder among others. Ginny Bixby/MoCo 360.
COMMENTARY: HOGAN HAS TO OVERCOME DISLIKE BY REPUBLICANS: Larry Hogan, who is enormously confident in his political acumen, must overcome constraints created by ego and ambition. Perhaps the biggest liability is turning off a political base of conservative voters to get mainstream media attention as he jockeyed for position as a No Labels candidate. It’s one thing to be against Trump, as Hogan has been since 2016, but he alienated additional conservatives by criticizing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Jim Pettit/Red State.
COMMENTARY: FROM ‘SAFE DEMOCRATIC’ TO ‘LIKELY DEMOCRATIC:’ Last week’s announcement by former Gov. Larry Hogan that he is running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin triggered immediate and widespread speculation on whether he will be the first Maryland Republican to be elected to the Senate since 1980. Larry Sabato, veteran political observer at the University of Virginia, has shown caution in his reaction to this news. For now, Sabato has shifted his rating on the race to replace Cardin from Safe Democratic to Likely Democratic. David Reel/The Duckpin.
T. ROWE PRICE ALMOST BOUGHT NAMING RIGHTS TO CAMDEN YARDS: The Baltimore Orioles had a deal with global investment management firm T. Rowe Price to change the name of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The future of the agreement became uncertain when T. Rowe Price was notified that Orioles chairman and CEO John Angelos planned to sell a controlling stake to a group led by billionaire David Rubenstein. One source said the deal was for 10 years, with the park being renamed T. Rowe Price Park at Camden Yards. Danielle Allentuck and Hallie Miller/The Baltimore Banner.
