MOORE’s 4th of JULY SPEECH DEFINES PATRIOTISM VS NATIONALISM: Gov. Wes Moore delivered a Fourth of July speech Saturday from the Maryland State House. It was titled The Work of Patriotism. Moore says nationalism and patriotism are not interchangeable and are not related. “Patriotism is not simply pride in what America has been. … patriotism asks you to fight for values and an ideal; nationalism asks you to fight for a person or group.” Video/C-SPAN.
COMMENTARY: MOORE SPEECH A COUNTERPOINT TO TRUMP’s: On Independence Day, while President Trump staged his “Tribute to America” rally, Gov. Wes Moore delivered a speech that instantly became the de facto Democratic counterpoint. It wasn’t officially branded that way by the DNC — but the political reality was unmistakable. In a moment when Democrats needed a national voice, they turned to Moore. And Maryland, predictably, understood exactly why. Barry O’Connell/The Maryland Wire.
COLUMN: CONTRADICTIONS OF OUR FOUNDING FATHERS EMBODIED IN ONE MAN: In a private Catholic chapel at Doughoregan Manor in Ellicott City lies the body of Charles Carroll of Carrolton who died in 1832 at age 95. He was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence and its only Catholic. The chapel was built at a time before the revolution when it was illegal to hold public masses, and the law also forbade Catholics from holding public office. Len Lazarick/Maryland Reporter.
RASKIN CELEBRATES SUPREMES UPHOLDING CONSTITUTION: U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Takoma Park on Thursday celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision to affirm birthright citizenship while calling other recent opinions “profoundly objectionable.” The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee also said reforms — such as stricter ethics rules and limits on the use of the so-called “shadow docket” — are needed to address the “legitimacy crisis” on the nation’s highest court. Ceoli Jacoby/Bethesda Today.
BAY BLUE CRAB POPULATION SEES LONG-TERM DECLINE: A newly released assessment of the Chesapeake Bay blue crab population found the species has experienced significant long-term declines over the past two decades, raising concerns among fisheries managers and conservation groups about the health of the Bay’s signature species. Evelyn Lucado/Baltimore Fishbowl.
SCHOOLS MUST SET UP AI GUIDELINES FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS: Maryland schools have a summer homework assignment: Establish artificial intelligence policies for their classrooms. They do have a cheat sheet of sorts to go by — the Maryland State Department of Education’s recently released AI guidance. The department has been working on its guidelines since fall of 2025, said Richard Kincaid, assistant state superintendent for MSDE’s Division of College and Career Pathways. Mayah Nachman/Maryland Matters.
ARUNDEL PARENT SEEKS TO HALT MATH PILOT PROGRAM: An Anne Arundel County parent launched a petition Wednesday challenging the math class pilot program set to be implemented at three middle schools next school year. In the petition, Jessica Hunt of Lothian said cutting away class time from other subjects and the lack of transparency with parents were her main concerns. However, the school system says shortening other classes was the only feasible option to meet state regulations. It also said it was open with parents about the program. Tanisha Bhat/The Capital Gazette.
GOV WES MOORE IS ‘SURROUNDED:’ Gov. Wes Moore takes the hot seat in Jubilee’s Surrounded, in which he has defended certain positions against 20 people who don’t agree with him. In this case he defends the importance of voting. JUBILEE/YOUTUBE.
NAVAL COLLEGE MUM AT 50-YEAR MILESTONE OF WOMEN IN ACADEMY: The U.S. Naval Academy marked 30 years, then 40 years of enrolling women with celebrations and fanfare. But on Monday, its 50th anniversary of coeducation, the Annapolis military college is doing nothing. The silence irks some female graduates who believe it’s the latest sign of President Donald Trump’s influence on the armed forces. Ellie Wolfe and Matti Gellman/The Baltimore Banner.
MORE FROM MARYLAND’s FOURTH CELEBRATIONS & HISTORY
CITIZENSHIP CEREMONIES AND FIREWORKS! There are countless ways to celebrate the Fourth of July, especially during the 250th anniversary celebration — from fireworks and barbecues to trips to the National Mall. But Friday, around 100 people gathered in Annapolis for something weightier: A naturalization ceremony for 17 people from 11 different countries. Cody Boteler and Jessica Gallagher/The Baltimore Banner.
- Baltimore’s Inner Harbor had some fantastic fireworks. Here’s a photo gallery. Kenneth Lam/The Baltimore Sun.
BALTIMORE DOES HAVE A REVOLUTIONARY WAR HISTORY: Baltimore had only been around for about 45 years and had fewer than 10,000 residents when delegates gathered in Philadelphia to declare independence from Britain in July 1776. So, it’s easy for the city to fall under the radar when discussing the nation’s founding and the American Revolutionary War. Darreonna Davis/The Baltimore Banner.
CELEBRATING PRINCE GEORGE’S LONG HISTORY ON THE 250th: Across America’s 250-year history, Prince George’s has transformed from the Maryland county with the largest population of enslaved Africans to one of the nation’s wealthiest enclaves of Black people and more than two dozen municipalities. Prince George’s County sits at the nexus of early colonial American history, the tragic legacy of chattel slavery, and the development of groundbreaking African American communities. Richard Elliott and Tyler Wills/The Washington Informer.
TALBOT SPOTLIGHTS ITS ROLE IN THE REVOLUTION: Talbot Historical Society’s newest exhibit sheds light on the crucial roles Talbot County soldiers played in America’s inception. “We the People of Talbot County” immerses viewers into a world of local revolutionary heroes, artifacts and little-known history, fitting for America’s 250th anniversary. A scrolling list of the Talbot County men and women who served during the Revolutionary War sits at the front of the historical society’s building. Konner Metz/The Easton Star Democrat.
THUNDERSTORMS DELAY, CANCEL JULY 4th EVENTS: A powerful line of thunderstorms tore across Maryland on Saturday evening, capping a sweltering Fourth of July with flash flooding, water rescues, widespread power outages, downed trees and power lines, a four-alarm fire in Baltimore and the cancellation of holiday celebrations across the state. Sara Ruberg/The Baltimore Banner.
- Thousands of Marylanders flocked to Fourth of July parades, festivals, pools and waterfronts Saturday despite temperatures soaring to 102 degrees. Crowds lined the streets of Towson and Catonsville for annual parades, seeking shade, cooling stations and cold drinks before evening fireworks in Baltimore. Jerry Jackson and Eileen Holliday/The Baltimore Banner.
WHY THE MARYLAND FLAG IS SO DISTINCTIVE: The Maryland state flag’s standout design comes from the shield of Cecil Calvert’s coat of arms Cecil Calvert was the second Lord Baltimore, and he combined the black and gold of his father’s shield with the red and white of his grandmother’s Crossland shield, according to Zachary Gardiner, who published a paper on the flag’s history in the North American Vexillological Association journal. “It breaks a lot of the rules of good flag design,” he said. “But it’s distinctive, and that’s one of the things that allows you to design a good flag and not follow all the guidelines.” Elias Katz/The Baltimore Banner.
LEGION POST GIVES PROPER RESPECT TO AMERICAN FLAGS AT THEIR END: In two weeks, a host of worn and weathered U.S. flags — perhaps 700, or more — will arrive at Adams, Hanna, Moore Memorial American Legion Post 156 in Ellicott City to meet their end. It’s a dignified, if bittersweet, tradition. Four times a year, the torn and tattered flags, surrendered by Howard County residents, face retirement — but not before receiving kudos for their service. Mike Klingaman/The Baltimore Sun.
