FOSTER CARE OFFICIALS URGED TO SPEED FINDING CHILDREN HOMES, TREATMENT: Maryland foster care officials were urged Wednesday to speed up finding homes or treatment facilities for children who have been allowed to languish in hospitals for months after they’re cleared for discharge, worsening the mental health challenges that landed some of them there in the first place. Jean Marbella/The Baltimore Sun.
- Officials who oversee Maryland’s foster care and out-of-home youth placements say they’ve made significant progress reducing the number of children placed in improper living situations – after months of backlash for kids living in hotels, hospitals and office buildings. Webster Ye, chief of staff for the Maryland Department of Human Services, told members of the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday that there are “no DHS youth in hotels or other unlicensed sites.” Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
HOUSE PANEL TURNS ICE AGREEMENT BAN INTO EMERGENCY LEGISLATION: The House Judiciary Committee pushed through a bill Wednesday to ban agreements between local police and federal immigration authorities, amending it in the process to make it emergency legislation that would take effect immediately on signing by the governor. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
HOUSE TO TAKE UP CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING PLAN: The fast-tracked redistricting plan pushed by Gov. Wes Moore faces its first big political test on Thursday as the House of Delegates takes up a vote to advance it. Erin Cox and Michael Brice-Saddler/The Washington Post.
INMATE’s DEATH MARKS 7th in TWO MONTHS: Nine days after a 38-year-old incarcerated man was found dead at the Jessup Correctional Institution, Maryland State Police are investigating another inmate’s death at the state facility. Joseph Harrell, 33, was pronounced dead at the prison Monday, police said. His death marks the state’s seventh inmate death in two months. Maggie Travato/The Baltimore Sun.
UTILITIES FIGHT BILL TO REGULATE EMPLOYEE BONUSES: Pretty much everyone agrees that a bill prohibiting the use of ratepayer funds for utility employee bonuses would only be a drop in the bucket when it comes to reducing electricity bills in Maryland. But it still got plenty of discussion Wednesday in the House Environment and Transportation Committee. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.
DEL CULLISON WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION; SEN ROSAPEPE IS STAFFLESS: Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery) announced in an emotional floor speech Wednesday that she will not seek reelection this fall for a fifth term in the House of Delegates. Visitors to Sen. Jim Rosapepe’s office in the James Senate Building might notice something is just a bit off. Rosapepe has no staff. William Ford and Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
MOORE CAMPAIGN RETURNS DONATION FROM STATE CONTRACT BIDDER: Gov. Wes Moore’s campaign accepted, then returned, contributions from a donor and political ally who co-hosted a fundraiser for Moore while linked to a bidder seeking a large state contract. The donor, Terry Speigner, is a former chair of the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and president and CEO of NGEN, an IT services company that works with state and federal agencies. Jeff Barker/The Baltimore Sun.
MOORE IGNORES QUESTIONS ON SNAP PROBE: Gov. Wes Moore is avoiding questions posed to him directly this week regarding an investigation into the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps. Brooke Conrad/The Baltimore Sun.
ICE DETENTION FACILITY IN HAGERSTOWN LIKELY TO GO THROUGH: A sprawling new immigration detention facility is planned for Western Maryland, and there appears to be little local officials can do to block it. “It is Washington County’s position that decisions about land use are best made locally,” Washington County government said in a post to social media on Wednesday. “However, the legal reality when property is owned by the federal government is clear.” Ben Conarck, Antonio Planas and John-John Williams/The Baltimore Banner.
- Maryland congressional members are outraged by the Department of Homeland Security’s purchase of a warehouse to possibly serve as an immigrant detention center in Hagerstown. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D), who represents western Maryland, says she is working with the governor’s office and local leaders to demand answers from DHS. Scott Maucione/WYPR-FM.
BA CO COUNCIL PENSION BILL STIRS UP COUNTY EXEC’s RACE: A pension bill the Baltimore County Council passed 15 months ago that could double their retirement payouts is heating up the competitive four-way race for county executive. The bill, approved by all the council members save one, tied their pensions to the salary increases of future members. While current council members earn $69,000 a year, future ones could make as much as $140,000, if the council approves a county board’s recent salary recommendation. That would double their annual pensions, too — from around $40,000 a year to above $80,000. Rona Kobell/The Baltimore Banner.
CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN B’MORE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY: The number of Hispanic residents grew in almost every Baltimore community over the last decade, even as the city lost thousands of Black and white residents, according to newly released census estimates. Sahana Jayaraman and Daniel Zawodny/The Baltimore Banner.
- Estimates collected from 2005 to 2009 found that about 8,700 Montgomery County residents were born in Ethiopia. According to the new figures, collected from 2020 to 2024, about 22,000 people from the East African nation call the county home. Ginny Bixby and Allan James Vestal/The Baltimore Banner.
HOW MUCH HAVE HARFORD CANDIDATES RAISED? Harford County Council candidates received more than $90,000 in campaign contributions in the past year, ahead of an election set to shake up the county’s leadership. On the ballot are two appointed council members who face competition to keep the seats they filled after their predecessors were removed from office, along with a handful candidates for the open council president and District C seats. Incumbents in two other districts have yet to file for reelection. Shaela Foster and Matt Hubbard/The Aegis.
- Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly leads his 2026 Republican challenger, Patrick Vincenti, by almost $98,000 in campaign contributions, according to the most recent campaign finance report submitted to the state. Matt Hubbard/The Aegis.
SYKESVILLE OK’s $450,000 MORE FOR RESTAURANT IN HISTORIC TRAIN STATION: The Sykesville Town Council unanimously approved on Monday giving $450,000 more in public funds to the Lib’s Grill project, a restaurant planned inside Baldwin’s Station, the historic train station owned by the town. This brings the total amount of public funds promised to the project to $800,000, and the council said it will give no more. Marissa Yelenik/The Carroll County Times.
We demand answers as to why the Gov’t bought property for ICE detention!….. Like what?! What stupid ass pandering is this? The Fed gov’t is allowed to buy property and use it to execute their Federal Powers. So these elected officials are going to be like what are you doing? And she is going to Get a Forrest Gump Drill Sargent answer of We Bought property to detain Illegal Immigrants. End of discussion. Like WTF drugs are these officials on? I want what they are having. ALL while our elected officials are complaining about the Overcrowded ICE Facilities. So You don’t want overcrowded facilities and you don’t want them to fix the problem either. The DEMS call this leadership? This stupid shit makes my brain hurt. I just can’t anymore with this shitty logic.