DALI OWNERS WILL PAY U.S. $102M FOR KEY BRIDGE DISASTER: The owners and operators of the ship that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, killing six workers and paralyzing the Port of Baltimore, will pay more than $100 million to the Justice Department to settle a federal lawsuit in the case. Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters
- The U.S. Justice Department said Thursday that the funds from Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, both Singapore-based corporations, will go to the Treasury and the budgets of federal agencies directly affected by the collision or involved in the response. Dylan Mullan/Baltimore Sun
EARLY VOTING BEGINS: Early voting began Thursday in Maryland, with some voters lining up before sunrise to cast their votes when the polls opened at 7 a.m. for president, Senate, House, ballot initiatives and various local races. In Montgomery County, early birds formed a line at dawn outside the Silver Spring Civic Building. Caley Fox Shannon, Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter
- People lined up early to cast their ballots at the Honeygo Run Community Center, and they were a clear mix of voters. Perry Hall serves as a microcosm of the national vote, wedged between the conservative east side of Baltimore County and the more liberal west.John Lee/WYPR
- Video of early voting in Baltimore County Kaisey Baylor/WJZ TV
BEN CARDIN IS NOT SLOWING DOWN: Ben Cardin hasn’t slowed down. Maryland’s senior U.S. senator turned 81 Oct. 5. Come Jan. 3, Cardin is retiring and will be out of elected public office for the first time in 58 years after winning 18 elections. “I know he hasn’t slowed down because I had tried to get a face-to-face interview since June. I finally got a half-hour Sept. 12. I could have used an hour or more, but it was foolish to ask,” writesLen Lazarick. “For every minute of the day,” explained Cardin, “there are 10 other requests that you turned down for that minute. … So, no, there’s no slowing down. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee [which he chairs] could take 500% of my time. Listening to community needs could take 500% of my time.” Len Lazarick/Maryland Reporter
BEN AND LEN: A CONVERSATION WITH RETIRING SEN. BEN CARDIN: In a transcript of an interview, Cardin covers some of his long career representing Maryland. He ‘s been heavily involved in international human rights issues, health care legislation, retirement income and many other issues. He’ll continue have plenty of opportunities to work on some of those issues after he leaves office. “I’m not looking for just a title. I want to do something that’s meaningful,” Cardin tells Len Lazarick in Maryland Reporter.
BLUEPRINT PLANS APPROVED FOR TWO RURAL COUNTIES:The board overseeing implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan approved the first two local school district plans Thursday, capping months of review of the districts’ progress.The Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) approved plans Thursday from Garrett and St. Mary’s counties public schools.William Ford/Maryland Matters
ALSOBROOKS OUTSPENDS HOGAN ON RADIO ADS: Maryland Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks spent 124% more on radio advertising than opponent Larry Hogan between March and October of this year, according to a Capital News Service analysis of data from the Federal Communications Commission. Shaela Foster, CNS/Maryland Reporter
ELECTIONS BOARD OKS RULE AGAINST COMMUNICATING WITH LITIGANTS: State elections board members unanimously approved a bylaw Thursday that restricts communication with groups in active litigation against election officials.The emergency change follows published reports that Jim Shalleck, the vice chair of the board, and Diane Butler exchanged emails with a plaintiff in a lawsuit that is the subject of an appeal before the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters
CONSERVATIVE PAC TARGETS MD. SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES: There’s a little-known conservative power player in the nation’s school board elections, and it has endorsed more candidates in Maryland than in any other state. The 1776 Project PAC, which says supports “reform-minded conservatives who oppose political indoctrination and believe in parental rights,” has endorsed 19 Maryland school board candidates in nine of the state’s 24 school districts. The endorsements come as the state’s Democratic Party announces strategic targeting of 24 “extreme” conservative candidates. Adam Hudacek, Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
SLOW PROGRESS FIXING PAROLE AGENCY PROBLEMS: Top corrections officials told lawmakers Thursday about a series of actions they have taken in the wake of the May 31 attack that killed Parole Agent Davis Martinez as he was making a call in Chevy Chase.Lawmakers were not impressed. “This hearing was woefully inadequate, and I think we can do better when we come back,” said Del. Ben Barnes, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, at the end of the three-hour hearing. “I hope that when we come back you’ll have plans for us, actual plans to make sure that this doesn’t happen again.” Steve Crane/Maryland Matters
MoCo SCHOOLS MISCALCULATE STATE AID TO BUILD HIGH SCHOOL: Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is facing a $39.3 million shortfall in funding for the ongoing construction of Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville due to its state aid calculation errors in 2021, but won’t lose out on state funding in the long run, district staff said Thursday. To close the funding gap, MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor is recommending to the school board that $17.7 million be reallocated from other district projects and also asking the County Council to provide an additional $21.6 million for the project. Ashlyn Campbell/MoCo360
CRUMMY CONDITIONS AT BALT. CITY BUILDING: Rodent infestation, exposed wires and more found at a Baltimore Recreation and Parks.facility. Continuing her close look at city government workplaces, Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming finds “unsafe and unsanitary conditions” at a maintenance building. Fern Shen/Baltimore Brew
BREW FEATURED IN N.Y.TIMES AD: Baltimore Brew’s reporting got a nod in the New York Times. The 15-year-old news website was featured today in a full-page ad by the Institute for Nonprofit News, which promotes news organizations that offer high-quality journalism as a public service. {Other local INN members include Maryland Reporter, Maryland Matters and the Baltimore Banner.) Fern Shen/Baltimore Brew
MORE SECURITY, COMMUNICATIONS AT HOWARD SCHOOLS AFTER INCIDENT: Howard County Public School Systems Superintendent Bill Barnes on Thursday outlined actions to enhance school security and communication around students with reportable offenses in response to the arrest of a teen at Howard High School with a loaded gun in his backpack. Kiersten Hacker/Baltimore Sun
OPINION: VATZ MAKES THE CASE FOR HOGAN: Conservative Rick Vatz, a retired professor of political persuasion, looks at some of Prince George’s County Executive Alsobrooks and Gov. Larry Hogan’s policy positions, ethics in advocacy and advertising, and their character. He makes the case for Hogan for U.S. Senate. Richard Vatz/Maryland Reporter.
OPINION: OPPOSING QUESTION 1 ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: A newly formed committee launched its campaign to oppose Maryland’s ‘Right to Reproductive Freedom’ ballot initiative, set to appear on November’s ballot. Deborah Brocato, a resident of Fallston, MD, founded the state ballot group “Health Not Harm MD” to challenge the proposed constitutional amendment.”As an African American resident of Baltimore, I believe the sponsors of this amendment are using abortion as a deceptive tool to erode parental rights, particularly in the Black community.” Chris Anderson/Baltimore Post-Examiner
WIFE OF FORMER U.S. SENATOR DIES: Judy L. Brewster, wife of the late Sen. Daniel B. Brewster, who, with her husband, owned and operated Windy Meadows Farm, died Oct. 11 at her home in Stuart, Florida. “Judy was truly a good person, mother and stepmother,” said former state Del. Gerry Brewster of Cockeysville. “She and my father fell in love, and it was the best thing that ever happened to either of them. They had 30 wonderful years and a farm life together.” Fred Rasmussen/Baltimore Sun
