MARYLAND LEADERS ON ALERT OVER UPCOMING MIFEPRISTONE DECISION: Maryland leaders are on high alert for a pending decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on whether it will continue to allow telehealth appointments as a way to prescribe the abortion medication mifepristone. Sarah Petrowich/WYPR-FM.
HISTORICAL MARKER DEDICATED AT TRAGIC CHELTENHAM SCHOOL SITE: Gov. Wes Moore was struck by the original ledger from the old House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, a segregated reform school for boys that operated in southern Prince George’s County beginning in the 1870s. “If you look at the ledger, it has entry points and no exit points. This is where they came to die,” Moore said to the dozens of state and county officials gathered Wednesday at the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center to dedicate a historical marker at the site. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
MARYLAND, NORTHEAST GROUND ZERO FOR TICK BITES: Across the country, emergency department visits for tick bites are up more than 25% from last year, according to federal data. Maryland and other northeastern states are looking like ground zero. Local doctors and public health officials are preparing for more cases of Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, including one that can cause a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to red meat. Meredith Cohn/The Baltimore Banner.
LEGISLATIVE PANEL PAUSES LAUREL PARK PURCHASE: A legislative panel is delaying the proposed purchase of Laurel Park by the Maryland Stadium Authority, asking for a cost-benefit review of the $48.5 million deal that was announced suddenly just over two weeks ago. The Legislative Policy Committee, in a May 4 letter to the authority, also imposed a 45-day delay while it reviews the proposed purchase of the track, which is supposed to be transformed into a state-of-the-art training facility. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
PENSION BOARD SEEKS PUBLIC TRUSTEES: The Board of Trustees for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) is seeking two trustees, one each from Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. Public Trustees serve a three-year term, from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2029. The Board holds fiduciary oversight of the ERS for the sole benefit of members and beneficiaries. County residents interested in serving must submit a statement of qualifications and resume, by 5:00 p.m. on May 27, 2026 to [email protected]. For more information, contact [email protected] or (301) 454-1415 or
visit us at ers.mncppc.org.
BPW DELAYS DEAL TO SHUTTER BA CO LANDFILL FOR PARKLAND: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources thought it had inked a deal that would shutter a Baltimore County landfill by the end of 2029, paving the way for the acreage to be added to the adjacent Gunpowder Falls State Park about three years later. But the deal hit a speed bump Wednesday at the Board of Public Works, which must approve the agreement, as questions swirled from environmental groups. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.
SEN. ELLIS DOESN’T HOLD BACK ON SENATE PRES FERGUSON: Outgoing state Sen. Arthur Ellis said his chamber should be doing rushing to redraw their congressional maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Ellis made his frustration with Senate President Bill Ferguson plainly apparent during this year’s legislative session, and those feelings haven’t changed. “He’s a traitor to the Democratic Party,” said Ellis, who is now in the crowded field of candidates seeking to replace Rep. Steny Hoyer in Congress. John Domen/WTOP-FM.
B’MORE TO SPEND $153M IN NO-BID CONTRACT REPLACING POLICE EQUIPMENT: Baltimore will spend $153 million to replace the city Police Department’s fleet of Tasers and to add a new complement of body-worn cameras with artificial intelligence capabilities. The city’s spending board on Wednesday approved a no-bid, 10-year contract with Axon Enterprises, a company that outfits law enforcement agencies with various technologies, to continue supplying the Baltimore Police Department with body cameras, stun guns and data management software. Alex Mann and Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Banner.
CAN A REFERENDUM PROTECT IG’s ACCESS TO RECORDS? Legislation that would ask Baltimore voters to solidify the inspector general’s access to records is “fundamentally at odds” with state law, attorneys who work for Mayor Brandon Scott argued Wednesday. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Banner.
‘CLASSIC LEARNING TEST’ GETS A FOLLOWING: Founded in 2015 by a pair of Marylanders, the Classic Learning Test has become popular among Christian schools and homeschooling families across the U.S. and has logged more than 500,000 test-takers. Its founder and CEO asserts that the test is neither politically affiliated nor religious. But it has been embraced by conservative leaders, a sign that the college admissions process remains an ideological battleground. Ellie Wolfe/The Baltimore Banner.
‘WHOLE BLOOD GRANT’ HAS SOMERSET WORRIED ABOUT FUTURE COSTS: A grant-funded plan to put whole blood on Somerset County ambulances has run into local resistance, with county officials warning it could become another state-backed program that leaves local taxpayers holding the bag when the grant runs out. Josh Davis/The Baltimore Sun.
