WHILE PORT REBOUNDS IN CARGO, IT MUST FIGHT GEORGIA TO GET CARS BACK: After last year’s bridge collapse paralyzed the Port of Baltimore, Jonathan Daniels said he spoke with port directors up and down the East Coast. He thanked them for handling Baltimore’s cargo in a moment of crisis before delivering a stern message. “We want our damn cargo back,” said Daniels, executive director of the Maryland Port Administration. Today, most of that cargo is back, however the Port of Brunswick in Georgia took the crown for handling the most cars. Giacomo Bologna and Hayes Gardner/The Baltimore Banner.
BILL TARGETS UNION BUSTING TACTIC: The Maryland House on Tuesday passed a bill that would ban an effective union-busting tactic, a first step toward codifying the worker-protection measure at the state level in the face of a threat from the Trump administration. “We need to be on the side of workers right now,” said Del. Joel Vogel. But critics said the bill, which prohibits employers from punishing workers who refuse to attend a mandatory meeting where political or religious matters are discussed, will just end up in court over the broadness of its definition of “political matters.” Jack Bowman/The Baltimore Banner.
SPEAKER JONES PUSHES FOR EQUITY DEPARTMENT IN STATE: Amid a national push by President Donald Trump to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, one of Maryland’s leading lawmakers is pushing in the other direction. House Speaker Adrienne Jones is sponsoring legislation to create a state Department of Social Equity that would assemble in one place several current state government programs that aim to help small and minority businesses and those from disadvantaged communities. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
AS POWER BILLS SOAR, STATE REGULATORS URGED TO CANCEL BGE’s RATE HIKES: Baltimore lawmakers and advocates are urging Maryland state regulators to cancel rate hikes that are part of a multiyear plan. BGE customers experiencing sticker shock have seen bills skyrocket this winter because of rate hikes — and more could be on the way. BGE is in the middle of a multiyear plan to increase rates. The Maryland Public Service Commission can put a stop to rate hikes by canceling the last year of increases in the plan. Kim Dacey/WBAL-TV News.
WHAT FRESH HELL? MARYLAND’s FEDERAL WORKERS SHARE THEIR STORIES: The Trump administration’s executive orders aimed at the federal workforce have rapidly transformed many lives. Government employees are questioning the long-held notions of stability and prestige that once defined civil service. With many colleagues being shown the door, they wonder if they’re next. Prachi Vashisht/The Baltimore Banner.
- The federal worker stared at his phone. “There it is,” he said, pointing to the blast email directing hundreds of thousands of U.S. government employees to detail what they accomplished on the job last week. “Should I even open it?” he said. Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun.
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Nearly 40 recently terminated federal workers walked from Senate office to Senate office Tuesday, hoping to share their stories with senators and their staffs. The visits were promoted through various channels, including a Signal group for terminated federal employees and the Fork Off Coalition, a grassroots group of current and former federal workers protesting the Trump administration’s recent firings of federal employees. Mennatalla Ibrahim, Daranee Balachandar, Colin McNamara, Sasha Allen and Emma Tufo of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
STATE RESOURCES TO AID MARYLANDERS FIRED BY TRUMP IN SHORT SUPPLY: Preparations for a possible federal government shutdown continue in Annapolis, but the leader of the Senate warned that state resources to help people affected by the federal budget battle could be in short supply. “We are in a very tight financial place, so I don’t think we have the vast sums of resources readily available to immediately deploy,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson. William Ford and Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
SSA FIRES, PUTS ON LEAVE 200 EMPLOYEES: The Social Security Administration in Woodlawn shuttered two offices, terminating or putting on leave nearly 200 federal employees. Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek called the closures of the Office of Transformation on Monday and the Office of Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity on Tuesday part of an effort to eliminate wasteful and duplicative offices. Bria Overs/The Baltimore Banner.
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVOCATES URGE MOORE TO RESTORE $116M IN CUTS: Maryland behavioral health advocates are urging Gov. Wes Moore and lawmakers to restore more than $116 million in proposed budget cuts to mental health services, warning that the reductions could hurt a wide swath of programs. Natalie Jones/The Baltimore Sun.
- Maryland mental health providers say proposed state budget cuts to the 988 suicide prevention line and school-based behavioral services will worsen current issues. Bri Hatch/WYPR-FM.
BWI MANAGER TO TAKE JOB AT ATLANTA AIRPORT: Ricky Smith, executive director and CEO of the Maryland Aviation Administration, is stepping down after about 10 years managing Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Martin State Airport, and will start April 2 as the general manager for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.
JUDGE IN MARYLAND BLOCKS ICE AGENTS FROM PLAINTIFFS’ CHURCHES: A federal judge in Maryland on Monday blocked immigration agents from conducting enforcement operations in houses of worship for Quakers, a Georgia network of Baptist churches and a Sikh temple in California. U.S. District Judge Theodore Chang found that the Trump administration policy could violate their religious freedom and should be blocked while a lawsuit challenging it plays out. The preliminary injunction only applies to the plaintiffs. Staff/The Associated Press.
POLL: MARYLANDERS OK WITH EXPANDING MOST TYPES OF ENERGY PRODUCTION: A majority of Maryland residents say they would approve of an expansion in solar energy, natural gas and wind energy production, according to part 2 of the UMBC poll. The poll revealed that nearly half of residents approve of adding nuclear energy plants. Tiffany Watson/WBFF-TV News.
BALTIMORE COUNTY COUNCIL EXPECTED TO LOOK MUCH DIFFERENT:When Baltimore County voters approved a charter amendment to expand the County Council from seven to nine members for 2026, it was widely understood that the next council would look much different. Now it’s becoming clear how different. Rona Kobell/The Baltimore Banner.
