FOUR MARYLAND FRESHMEN – 3 OF THEM WOMEN – JOIN 119th CONGRESS: The 119th Congress that was sworn in Friday included four freshmen in Maryland’s 10-member delegation, three in the House and one in the Senate. The newcomers boosted the number of Maryland women in Congress from zero to three — there hasn’t been a woman in the delegation in eight years, and there haven’t been three in more than 30 — and included the state’s first Black senator. Steven Crane/Maryland Matters.
- Before Maryland’s freshman class in the U.S. House of Representatives could officially celebrate their first day, the majority party needed to settle on its leadership: Who would be speaker of the House? All of Maryland’s incoming House class, including Johnny Olszewski Jr., April McClain Delaney and Sarah Elfreth, are Democrats who believe they can bridge the gap between Republicans. Danny Nguyen/The Baltimore Banner.
ALSOBROOKS HELPS CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS MAKE HISTORY: One of two newly minted senators, Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), drew some of the biggest applause when she walked on stage to join the other 61 Congressional Black Caucus members – the largest in history – at a ceremonial swearing-in at the Anthem theater on the Washington waterfront. Hours later, Alsobrooks was still marveling at the historic nature of the election. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
BEN CARDIN ON 58 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Maryland) retired Friday after 58 years in public office, a tenure that began with him working as a Baltimore City delegate to Annapolis and culminated with him serving as chair of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Erin Cox/The Washington Post.
SPEAKER JONES SAYS BUDGET DEFICIT NOT ONLY ISSUE TO TACKLE: As she begins her sixth legislative session leading the House on Wednesday, Speaker Adrienne Jones (D-Baltimore County) admits that a projected $2.7 billion deficit will be the dominant issue for lawmakers — but she doesn’t believe it has to be the only one. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
GOV. MOORE FACES MULTIPLE CHALLENGES IN 2025: Gov. Wes Moore enters 2025 in an unenviable position: He’s staring down a multi-billion-dollar budget deficit, has an ambitious public education plan to pay for and does not yet know what a second Donald Trump presidency will mean for the state. This trifecta of tests presents challenges for the Democratic governor, who will have to make tough governing decisions as he eyes re-election in 2026 and a potential national political future. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
BA CO ADMIN OFFICER WALKER BECOMES ACTING COUNTY EXEC: Baltimore County’s administrative officer, D’Andrea L. Walker, is now the acting county executive, following the resignation of former Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., who was sworn into Congress on Friday. Walker will serve in the role until the Baltimore County Council selects an interim county executive to fulfill the remaining two years of Olszewski’s term and that individual is sworn into office. Marcus Dieterle/Baltimore Fishbowl.
CARROLL ANNAPOLIS DELEGATION FOCUSES ON LOCAL BILLS, STATE DEFICIT: When the Carroll County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly heads to Annapolis Wednesday for the start of the 90-day legislative session, a projected $2.9 billion state deficit will hang over the two chambers like a dark cloud. As the all-Republican delegation, which includes two senators and four delegates, file their own legislation, finding ways to eliminate the hefty budget deficit will be a priority. Sherry Greenfield/The Carroll County Times.
CARROLL LAWMAKERS TO SUPPORT MEASURES TO HAMPER POWER LINE PROJECT: Carroll lawmakers plan to support bills that would support alternative energy solutions and restrict government-granted eminent domain powers, amid the pending approval of the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a 70-mile power line that would run through Carroll, Frederick and Baltimore counties. Thomas Goodwin Smith/The Carroll County Times.
DEL. HENSON TAPPED TO REPLACE FORMER STATE SEN. ELFRETH: An Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee voted Saturday to recommend Del. Shaneka Henson (D) for the county’s vacant District 30 state Senate seat. Henson prevailed over her fellow District 30A delegate, Dana Jones (D), and her name will be forwarded to Gov. Wes Moore (D), who gets to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Sarah K. Elfreth’s election to Congress. If appointed, Henson would become the first Black woman to represent Anne Arundel County in the state Senate. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
- Henson was favored by the committee over District 30A Del. Dana Jones for the position. Henson was appointed as a delegate representing District 30A in 2019 following the death of House Speaker Michael Busch. In 2022, Henson was elected to a four-year term. Matt Hubbard/The Baltimore Sun.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS RISE 21.1%: For 2025, the average statewide value for residential properties increased by 21.1%, while the average for all reassessed commercial properties rose by 16.4%. State assessment data shows that Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore saw the highest increases in property assessments. In Central Maryland, Baltimore County experienced the most significant rise in residential property values, increasing by 22.6%. Gary Collins/The Baltimore Sun.
BGE PLANNING RATE HIKES: The new year brings a double whammy to Marylanders’ wallets. Below-average temperatures and an impending winter storm are colliding with planned Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. rate hikes. Tim Prudente and Hayes Gardner/The Baltimore Banner.
MARYLAND CAR RALLY TASK FORCE ARRESTS THREE IN CRACK DOWN: Three people have been arrested as the Maryland Car Rally Task Force cracked down on car rallies across the state. The task force said members of the Maryland Car Rally Task Force “coordinated efforts in response to a planned large-scale illegal car rally on New Year’s Eve expected to draw participants from Maryland and neighboring states.” Matt Small/WTOP-FM.
EX-HARFORD COUNCILMAN FAILS TO GET SEAT BACK: A Harford County Circuit Court judge on Friday rejected a former county council member’s request to block his former colleagues’ attempt to fill the seat they say he vacated when he entered a plea in a theft case last year. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
- The Harford County Council convened last Monday to meet with three nominees for the vacant District A council seat after the November removal of former member Dion Guthrie. The nominees, Nolanda Robert, Heather Cantos and Zack Frink, had three minutes each to speak before the council before answering questions posed primarily by council member Jacob Bennett, a Democrat who represents District F. Matt Hubbard/The Baltimore Sun.
O’s OWNER RUBENSTEIN HONORED WITH MEDAL OF FREEDOM: In the East Room of the White House on a particularly frigid Saturday afternoon, President Joe Biden bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 of the most famous names in politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy and science, including Orioles owner David Rubenstein. Fatima Hussein/The Associated Press.
MO CO SUPER HAS A BIT OF FUN ANNOUNCING SNOW DAY: When Thomas Taylor became superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools last summer, some families had what might seem like an unusual question for him: Would he drop another snow day single? Nicole Asbury/The Washington Post. You can view the video here.
