COMPLAINT SAYS SUPER PAC BROKE RULES: A super PAC is violating campaign rules as it tries to help Republican Larry Hogan’s U.S. Senate candidacy, says a Montgomery County woman’s complaint to the Federal Election Commission. The problem, according to the complaint filed by Danielle Veith of Kensington, is rooted in a button for donations that appears on the website of “Maryland’s Future,” a super PAC launched a week after the former two-term governor entered the race in February to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin. Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun.
DEMOCRATS POURING IN RECORD CASH TO DEFEND SENATE: Democrats have poured record amounts of cash into defending Maryland’s once reliably blue Senate seat, investing to fend off an unprecedented GOP offensive behind former governor Larry Hogan’s bid to flip the seat. Erin Cox and Katie Shepherd/The Washington Post.
‘EXTREME CANDIDATES’ TARGETED BY DEMS IN SCHOOL BOARD RACE: The Maryland Democratic Party will spend “tens of thousands of dollars” targeting at least 18 school board candidates that it says are looking to bring a “hateful” and “right-wing agenda” to schools. It is a first for the party, which has never before involved itself in the nonpartisan races for local board of education seats. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.
BALLOT MEASURE WOULD SHIELD B’MORE COUNTY INSPECTOR GENERAL FROM INTERFERENCE: Kelly Madigan is Baltimore County’s first inspector general, a role she has held since 2020. The Nov. 5 ballot includes a question about whether the inspector general’s office should be enshrined in the Baltimore County Charter. Rona Kobell/The Baltimore Banner.
CONCERNED CITIZENS SEND LETTER TO GOV. MOORE ABOUT DJS SECRETARY SCHIRALDI: Continued crime committed by youth has led to renewed calls for the removal of Vincent Schiraldi, Maryland’s Secretary of Juvenile Services (DJS). This latest effort comes from a group of nine Baltimore neighborhood association leaders. They sent a letter to Gov. Wes Moore accusing Schiraldi of “committing malpractice by failing to detain and effectively supervise violent juvenile offenders who are committing violent acts.” Ryan Dickstein/WMAR-TV News.
CARROLL OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR LOCAL CONTROL OF PIEDMONT RELIABILITY PROJECT: Opposition to the controversial Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, coupled with the state’s ability to overturn Carroll County’s ban on the construction of solar farms on agricultural land, have created a frustrating scenario for the county. Sherry Greenfield/Carroll County Times.
DACA RECIPIENTS ELIGIBLE FOR FOR STATE HEALTH COVERAGE: Starting in November, the more than 7,000 people living in Maryland under DACA status will be able to buy insurance plans from the state’s insurance marketplace. DACA recipients operate in legal limbo. They are people who were brought to the United States as children and have received a high school degree or served in the military. While they are allowed to stay in the U.S. legally, they aren’t technically citizens. Scott Maucione/WYPR-FM.
COMMENTARY: THE FALSE PROMISE OF MD’S PRESCRIPTION AFFORDABILITY BOARD: Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which has the authority to negotiate prescription drug prices, was created five years ago and has to date spent more than $3 million in taxpayer funds. Yet patients have yet to save a cent. Just last month, the PDAB approved a plan to limit the price of some high-cost prescription drugs. But this plan — if implemented — could backfire. A. Mark Fendrick/Maryland Matters.
HO CO PRODUCE WHOLESALER CLOSING, OVER 400 TO LOSE JOBS: A Howard County-based produce wholesaler is closing its doors and potentially putting over 400 people out of work less than two weeks before the Christmas holiday. Lancaster Foods notified the Maryland Department of Labor this week that it will close its Jessup plant by Dec. 14 and lay off as many as 424 employees. Jess Nocera/The Baltimore Banner.
LOCAL BIZ OWNERS URGE SUPPORT OF VISIT HARFORD AT HEARING: As the Harford County government moves to cut ties with Visit Harford, numerous local business owners spoke Tuesday night in support of the organization and urged the County Council to pass legislation to fund the tourism nonprofit. Matt Hubbard/Aegis.
VOTE ‘F-NO’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO OPPOSE HARBORPLACE APARTMENTS: Opponents of plans to build apartment towers at Baltimore’s Harborplace renewed efforts Thursday to defeat a ballot question needed for the controversial redevelopment. A week before early voting starts in Maryland, a group of city residents launched the “Vote F-No” campaign, promising to spread the slogan on T-shirts and billboards and take their message to polling places. Lorraine Mirabella/The Baltimore Sun.
OBITUARY: DONALD ELLIOT, FORMER CARROLL COUNTY DELEGATE AND PHARMACIST, DIES: Donald B. Elliott, a pharmacist and former Carroll County Republican delegate, died Oct. 7 of bladder cancer at Citizens Care Center in Frederick. The New Windsor resident was 92. Frederick Rasmussen/The Baltimore Sun.
THE ARTS FIGHT: BOPA VS. BALTIMORE: After years of escalating tensions between city leaders and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Mayor Brandon Scott dealt a significant blow to the embattled arts organization Wednesday evening, announcing a plan to dissolve ties with the group by early next year. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Banner.
