MARYLAND RELEASES ITS OWN VACCINE SCHEDULE: Maryland has released its first ever state-level childhood and adult vaccine schedule in defiance of new immunization recommendations from the Trump administration. Sarah Petrowich/WYPR-FM.
SUPREMES BLOCK TRUMP MAIL-IN BALLOT PLAN: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday kept in place a lower court’s order blocking President Donald Trump’s embattled plan to place new restrictions on mail ballots for this year’s midterm elections. The unsigned, one-paragraph order upheld a Massachusetts federal court’s injunction on a U.S. Postal Service rule until after Nov. 3 and did not decide whether the rule itself was lawful. But a majority of the court said the Democratic state officials and voting rights groups challenging the rule were likely to succeed. Jacob Fischler/Maryland Matters.
2 HARFORD HOMEOWNERS CREATE ANTI-DATA CENTER JUGGERNAUT: Bryan Cornell and Krissy Flatau never considered themselves to be politically engaged. Then came word of plans to build a hyperscale data center campus next to their Harford County homes. Cornell and Flatau started a movement, dubbed “Our Land. Our Home. Our Harford.” They organized meetings, mobilized thousands and distributed lawn signs. By June, the anti-data center uprising produced one of its biggest victories when Harford became the state’s first county to permanently ban data centers. Sapna Bansil/The Baltimore Banner.
VIDEO CONTRADICTS SEN MUSE’s EXPLANATION OF SIDEWALK PARKING: State Sen. Anthony Muse told Annapolis police that his driver had parked his Land Rover on a sidewalk and against a tree during last month’s special legislative session — an account contradicted by surveillance video showing Muse behind the wheel before he got out and walked away alone. Gary Collins/The Baltimore Sun.
COLUMN: ANDY HARRIS HELPED MAKE US SICK: You can blame U.S. Rep. Andy Harris when contaminated food makes Americans sick again. Maryland’s only Republican in Congress didn’t harvest cyclospora-tainted lettuce. But as chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee that controls FDA funding, he helped delay a rule that could have helped trace the contamination quickly. Instead, thousands of people got sick across 48 other states, including more than 100 in Maryland. Rick Hutzell/The Baltimore Banner.
NEW COMMISSION SEEKS TO FIX PROBLEMS WITH LICENSING BOARDS: When Marylanders go to the doctor or see a nurse, they expect the professionals treating them have been properly vetted by state officials, and their facilities meet health and safety standards. But after state audits reported inadequate response times by some licensing boards to complaints about licensees, and other boards that were behind on annual inspections of healthcare facilities, lawmakers responded with a new commission to iron out the challenges contributing to those oversight issues. Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
PEOPLE’S COUNSEL QUESTIONS PROJECTS THAT HIKE CONSUMER COSTS: The power transmission upgrade meant to serve real estate development at Port Covington on the Baltimore Peninsula ballooned from a $105 million estimate in 2019 to more than $407 million by the time prime developer Under Armour pulled out of the project in December, putting the utility project on hold. The Office of the People’s Counsel is questioning the need for such a costly project, saying Maryland ratepayers ultimately foot the bill. Karl Hille/The Baltimore Sun.
FREDERICK SCHOOLS CONSIDERS BANNING AI GRADING, OTHER REGULATIONS: The Frederick County school board is exploring banning AI use for grading student assignments and regulating which grade levels can use the technology. The board voted Wednesday to move its proposed AI policy to second review at its next meeting, with several amendments. Sarah Rubinstein/The Frederick News Post.
RUBENSTEIN CONSIDERS REDEVELOPING AREA AROUND CAMDEN YARDS: Three years ago, Orioles ownership and Maryland officials discussed the possibility of developing land around Camden Yards. That topic was tabled as the Orioles were sold and new owner David Rubenstein focused on building the club. But now it’s back. Hayes Gardner/The Baltimore Banner.
ANNAPOLIS COUNCIL CONSIDERS FINE HIKE FOR STR OFFENSE: The Annapolis City Council is considering a major hike to the maximum fine associated with operating a short-term rental without an annual city license. The proposed legislation would increase the fine to at most $5,000 for both the initial offense and repeated violations of operating a short-term rental without a license to “create a strong financial disincentive that ensures compliance.” Katharine Wilson/The Capital Gazette.
