STATE ROUNDUP: $130 MILLION IN CLIMATE FUNDING; MOORE MAKES FIRST APPOINTMENT TO HIGHEST COURT; MD ATHLETES HEAD TO PARIS.

STATE ROUNDUP: $130 MILLION IN CLIMATE FUNDING; MOORE MAKES FIRST APPOINTMENT TO HIGHEST COURT; MD ATHLETES HEAD TO PARIS.

Maryland's Supreme Court. From left: Justice Steven B. Gould, Justice Brynja M. Booth, Justice Shirley M. Watts, Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader, Justice Michele D. Hotten, Justice Jonathan Biran, Justice Angela M. Eaves. Having reched the mandatory retirement age of 70, Hotten is being replaced by Judge Peter Killough. Supreme Court official photo

$130 MILLION FOR MD CLIMATE FUNDING FROM FEDS: Gov. Wes Moore’s administration hailed the news this week that Maryland had won $130 million in federal funding for various climate initiatives. As the state scrambles for the billions of dollars it will need to meet its ambitious climate mandates, state officials and environmental groups cast the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants as good news — and a momentum-builder as the state seeks to develop a clean energy economy. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters. 

Peter Killough. LinkedIn photo

MOORE NOMINATES FIRST STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday made his first appointment to Maryland’s highest court, nominating a Prince George’s County Circuit Court judge to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court of Maryland. Moore tapped Peter K. Killough to fill the Supreme Court’s 4th Appellate Judicial Circuit seat, based in Prince George’s County. He was chosen over three other Prince George’s County judges. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.

MAJOR BWI CARRIER SOUTHWEST TO ASSIGN SEATS: Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, will start assigning seats and selling premium seating in a break from its more than 50-year tradition of open seating.  Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun. 

RAMP METERING FOR BMORE AREA CONSIDERED: Maryland transportation officials are considering ramp metering (traffic lights on highway entrance ramps) to address congestion caused by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Months after the bridge collapse, residents, commuters and truckers are still expressing frustration that a solution — even a partial fix — is not in place. David Collins/WBAL-TV.

STATE HOUSE COMPLETE, TREASURY BUILDING UP NEXT: Construction on the Maryland State House is reaching the final stages as work on the main building wraps up and focus shifts to the Old Treasury Building and other projects. Crews are working on areas of the building below the dome, making improvements to the grounds and restoring the Old Treasury Building. Bridget Byrne/The Baltimore Sun. 

DRIVERS LICENSE SUSPENSIONS FOR UNPAID CHILD SUPPORT CALLED UNFAIR: Maryland Legal Aid, asserts that the state is relying on a broken automated system and routinely suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid child support without due process and in cases in which it is not permitted to do so under the law. Dylan Segelbaum/The Baltimore Banner. 

LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS HOLDS FIRST-EVER TOWN HALL IN HARFORD CO: The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland made history Thursday when it met for the first time in Harford County to host a town hall and to recap this year’s 90-day legislative session. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters. 

REOPENED SHIPPING CHANNEL BRINGS NEW LEADERSHIP FOR US ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS: Weeks after the Port of Baltimore’s shipping channel was fully reopened, in the wake of the March 26 collapse of the Key Bridge, leadership has changed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Neil Augenstein/ WTOP News Radio 

MONTGOMERY PARKS ISSUES ALGAE WARNING: Potentially high levels of blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, in Lake Needwood and Lake Frank in Rockville have Montgomery Parks officials warning residents and dog owners to avoid contact with the two bodies of water in Rock Creek Regional Park. Elia Griffin/MoCo360. 

STATE THREATENS LEGAL ACTION ON HAMPSTEAD ASPEN LAKE DAM: A 900-foot man-made lake that is home to turtles, fish and migrating geese in Carroll County has become the center of a dispute between state officials and a handful of nearby homeowners. The Maryland Department of the Environment has determined that the Aspen Lake Dam and Reservoir, just west of Hampstead, is deteriorating and needs repair. Sherry Greenfield/The Baltimore Sun/Carroll County Times. 

ANOTHER DEAD DOLPHIN IN ANNAPOLIS LAKE: A dolphin was found dead in Heron Lake in Annapolis, the second deceased dolphin to be discovered in Annapolis waters in the last two weeks. Dave Bastian said he was kayaking in Heron Lake Tuesday morning when he came across the dolphin floating in the northern part of the lake. The dolphin appeared to have been dead for some time. Natalie Jones/The Baltimore Sun. 

KEY BRIDGE HIGHWAY SIGNS HAUNT US: The bridge is gone, but the highway signs lead there. Follow them. Take the beltway south past I-95 and Rt. 40 to the split for Essex. A sign for the Key Bridge leads right. The traffic lightens. The speed limit’s 55. Cross above the marshy Back River. The inner loop bends around this elbow of land.  Tim Prudente/The Baltimore Banner. 

OLYMPICS 2024: THESE MD ATHLETES HEAD TO PARIS: Thousands of Olympic athletes will fill national delegation boats for a first-of-its kind nearly 4-mile parade signaling the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Games. That will usher in 16 days of competition. Here’s every Maryland athlete competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics:. Sam Cohn/The Baltimore Sun. 

TUNNEL RESTRICTIONS UNDERWAY: The I-95 Fort McHenry Tunnel and I-895 Harbor Tunnel both have hazardous material and width & height restrictions. Vehicles carrying hazardous or explosive materials, including bottled propane gas in U.S. DOT approved containers larger than 10 pounds are prohibited from using both tunnels. It does not matter whether or not the bottles are turned on or off. This is the case for personal and business usage. Maryland Transportation Authority.

COMMENTARY: ORPHANS COURT UGLINESS IS A SIGN IT’S TIME TO ABOLISH IT: Two years ago, Howard County voted to abolish its orphans court. There were problems with the way it decided wills and estates, sometimes taking weeks to simply sign off on a personal representative or settlement. The three-judge panel’s decisions were regularly appealed. Rick Hutzell/The Baltimore Banner. 

 

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