MARYLAND LEADERS SPEAK AGAINST TRUMP’s SANCTUARY CITY CLAIMS: Some of Maryland’s Democratic leaders are standing firm in the face of the Trump administration’s latest attempt to strong-arm state and local governments into helping carry out the president’s mass deportation agenda. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich scoffed at the notion they were doing something wrong or that they could be intimidated into following Trump’s orders. Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Banner.
- Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) is defending the county’s immigration policies and compliance with federal law after the county was listed as a sanctuary jurisdiction by President Donald Trump – which could lead to a loss of federal funding. “We are not in violation of federal law, and we will not be making changes based on political headlines,” he said. Ginny Bixby/Bethesda Today.
IN S.C., MOORE SAYS HE ISN’T RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT, BUT HE ACTS LIKE HE IS: A backyard meet-and-greet on Saturday — hosted by former advisers to Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden at a private residence and attended by about 70 Democratic officials, operatives and business leaders — was among several events Gov. Wes Moore headlined over two days in South Carolina that further fueled speculation about his potential national ambitions. Sam Janesch/The Baltimore Sun.
- Gov. Wes Moore urged Democrats in this pivotal early presidential primary state of South Carolina to become “the party of ‘yes’ and ‘now’” during a hopeful speech Friday, where he challenged his party to advance its values with the same ruthless efficiency that has driven President Donald Trump’s agenda. Erin Cox and Sabrina Rodriguez/The Washington Post.
- “I know I’m not running,” Moore told reporters Friday. “But the thing I’m also very clear about is that anyone who’s talking about 2028 is not taking 2025 very seriously.” Moore and Kamala Harris’s runningmate Gov. Tim Walz, as well as Rep. Jim Clyburn’s (D-S.C.) and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison of Columbia, emphasized the importance of focusing on what’s happening now in Washington, D.C. Shaun Chornobroff/Maryland Matters.
- During Friday night’s public events, crowds that swelled into the hundreds gave Moore an enthusiastic reception. When asked by a reporter about 2028, he said: “I know I’m not running.” But he’s making moves that look like someone with a political future in mind. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
- “Urgency is the instrument of change. And do you know who understands that really well? Donald Trump!” Moore said, to a few groans from the audience. “I want to be clear: We can — and we must — condemn Donald Trump’s reckless actions. But we will be foolish not to learn from his impatience.” Trump, he said, isn’t interested in studies or white papers before taking action, whether it’s engaging in “arbitrary” trade wars or making efforts to “dismantle” democracy. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
NEW LAWS LIMIT ABUSE DAMAGES FROM STATE, DELAY IN PAID FAMILY, MED LEAVE: When you woke up on Sunday, it became harder to collect damages from the state for child sexual abuse and easier to find relief at a pick-your-own farm, new rules will start the long process of slowing utility rate increases and a new law will again delay the start of a paid family and medical leave program. And chromite will be the official state mineral, a fact you can toast with the new official state cocktail, the orange crush. Bryan P. Sears, Christine Condon, Danielle J. Brown and William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.
IN-PERSON CLASSES TO RESTART AT NATIONAL FIRE ACADEMY IN EMMITSBURG: The National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg will begin holding in-person classes again today, three months after it was temporarily shut down by FEMA to ensure compliance with the Trump administration and its Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk. The NFA is the only academy in the nation that offers advanced training to high-level fire officers. Nathanael Miller/WYPR-FM.
NEW TRANSCRIPT FROM DALI CRASH REVEALS FRANTIC SCENE: At 1:25 a.m. on March 26, alarms aboard the Dali interrupted basic navigational talk and casual chatter. The 100,000-ton vessel, headed toward an essential Key Bridge support, had suddenly lost power. During four frantic minutes, the pilots shouted futile, last-gasp directives as light music continued to play. They asked a dispatcher to close the bridge to traffic. Handsets slammed. The senior pilot shouted in vain for emergency use of a bow thruster, a device that helps ships maneuver laterally when docking. “No. It’s not working,” the second officer replied. Those were among the final words uttered before the collision. Hayes Gardner/The Baltimore Banner.
TRUMP TARIFFS SPUR INSECURITY, GROWTH FOR CSA FARMS: Farm owners throughout Maryland say they are seeing an uptick in people buying subscriptions for their fruits and vegetables through their Community Supported Agriculture programs. One farmer said the last few months have been a public “wake-up call” — from a nationwide egg shortage to funding cuts over food safety — that is revealing the fragility of the country’s food system and making consumers think local. Matti Gellman/The Baltimore Banner.
OTHER FARMERS HAVE AVOIDED FINANCIAL IMPACT OF TARIFFS SO FAR: President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs caused concern among Maryland’s agricultural industry when first announced. Many feared the repercussions of a trade war would land on farmers, as happened in 2018. But while many remain concerned about the future impact of tariffs, some in the industry say their operations have so far avoided a financial sting. Ben Mause/The Baltimore Sun.
FEDERAL JUDGE SLAMS TRUMP OVER FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH RETURN ORDERS: A federal judge in Maryland slammed the Trump administration Friday for its “blatant lack of effort to comply” with her order earlier this month to report steps taken to facilitate the return of a second wrongly deported man to a notorious mega-prison in El Salvador. Ariana Figueroa/Maryland Matters.
PROBE FINDS FREDERICK ED BOARD MEMBER’s COMMENTS ‘RAISE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS:’ An independent investigation of a Frederick County Board of Education member’s comments found that while there was no violation of federal law, the comments “raise significant concerns under Title IX.” School board member Colt Black’s comments about transgender students in January could “contribute to a hostile educational environment,” the investigation found. Esther Frances/The Frederick News Post.
MO CO TRASH INCINERATOR MAY GET $57M IN MAINTENANCE INSTEAD OF BEING SHUT: Montgomery County may need to spend more than $57 million over four years on maintenance for the county’s trash incinerator in Dickerson despite County Executive Marc Elrich promising years ago to close it. Dana Munro/The Washington Post.
IG MADIGAN SEEKS CLARITY ON WHY SHE CAN’T BE REAPPOINTED: Baltimore County Inspector General Kelly Madigan said the county attorney should offer guidance on whether County Executive Kathy Klausmeier can reappoint her. This comes following Klausmeier’s decision to not reappoint Madigan to a second term. In an interview on WYPR’s Midday on Friday, Madigan took issue with Klausmeier’s reading of the county code that she can’t be reappointed and instead it must be opened up to other applicants. John Lee/WYPR-FM.
STAFFING CHANGES AT MARYLAND REPORTER: Susan Boswell is the new publisher and executive editor of MarylandReporter.com. She replaces Timothy Maier, who is the new Senior Content Editor for investigations and enterprise stories at the Baltimore Sun. Boswell has more than 30 years of journalism experience managing all facets of communications and marketing for associations and government contracting companies.
Len Lazarick, founding editor and publisher, continues as the president and chairman of the nonprofit news site. He handles all the administrative functions and does some writing and editing as well.
Cynthia Prairie continues as the longtime chief editor of State Roundup and the daily newsletter, assisted on some days by Leslie Hunt. See the staff page for full bios.
