DATA SHOWS PEACE ORDERS QUASHED FROM ‘LACK OF SERVICE:’ An analysis of monthly domestic violence data shows that more than 10,800 peace or protective order petitions have been quashed in Maryland since 2020 over a “lack of service,” an outcome that disproportionately affects Baltimore City and Baltimore County. While the jurisdictions saw about a quarter of all peace or protective orders filed in that time, they accounted for approximately a third of all service-based dismissals. About half of the roughly 243,000 petitions filed across Maryland eventually failed. Luke Parker/The Baltimore Sun.
LARGE MAJORITY OF MARYLANDER OPPOSE DATA CENTERS: A majority of Maryland voters are opposed to building data centers in the state and have a dim view of artificial intelligence, which they believe will have a negative impact on society, according to a new poll released Thursday by the Institute of Politics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
- Respondents also were randomly divided into two groups to test whether proximity would change their views. Among those asked about new data centers being built in Maryland, 78% opposed them, and 13% supported them. Among those asked about a new data center being built near their community, 77% opposed it, and 16% supported it. Tinashe Chingarande/The Baltimore Sun.
US WIND TO LEAVE SPARROWS POINT AFTER OC PROJECT FALTERS: US Wind, the company behind a proposed offshore wind development off the coast of Ocean City, no longer plans to develop components for wind turbines at Baltimore County’s Sparrows Point — at least not for now. The Baltimore-based company turned over its lease at the Tradepoint Atlantic site in Sparrows Point to Anduril Industries, the shipbuilding company whose arrival was heralded on Tuesday by a visit from President Donald Trump. Christine Condon/Maryland Matters.
BPW APPROVES $50,000 FOR MOORE DEFENSE AGAINST SMITH LAWSUIT: The Maryland Board of Public Works Wednesday approved a $50,000 contract to hire a powerhouse outside law firm to defend Gov. Wes Moore (D) against a defamation lawsuit filed by the owner of the Baltimore Sun. David Smith, who is also executive chairman of the Sinclair Broadcast Group, filed the lawsuit in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court in July, alleging defamation and false light invasion of privacy for comments made by Moore during a June interview on MSNOW. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
WORKPLACE SAFETY ISSUE HIT MARYLAND GOVERNMENTS: State regulators issued $125,150 in civil penalties to state, county and local governments over an eight-month period for failing to adhere to workplace safety requirements, lawmakers were told Wednesday. The penalties were issued by Maryland Occupational Safety and Health as part of the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act, which took effect Oct. 1, 2025. The act, named in honor of a slain parole agent, aims to toughen enforcement of safety rules for state and local government workers. William Ford/Maryland Matters.
Q&A WITH ESTHER WELLS, GOP CANDIDATE FOR MO CO EXEC: Esther Wells is the 39-year-old CPA from Montgomery Village running as a Republican to become Montgomery County’s next county executive. What are her views on issues facing the county and the region? Ceoli Jacoby/Bethesda Today.
COLUMN: PRESIDENT TRUMP, DID YOU SEE MY BALTIMORE? Thanks for visiting, President Trump! This wasn’t your first trip to Dundalk, where you appeared at Tradepoint Atlantic to promote a new submarine manufacturing facility expected to create over 3,000 jobs. It looks like you met some Ravens. You said some nice things about Lamar Jackson’s mother. Your White House also had Gov. Wes Moore barred from speaking at the event in his own state, which was not nice. Leslie Gray Streeter/The Baltimore Banner.
DEM LAWMAKERS SEEK $11M FOR CYBER COMMAND AFTER SUMMER SUICIDES: All nine Democratic members of Maryland’s congressional delegation urged leaders of the appropriations committees to affirm an $11 million increase in spending for U.S. Cyber Command, the cyber warfare agency that’s headquartered at Fort George G. Meade. The message comes after five personnel associated with the command at the Anne Arundel County base died by suicide within a five-week span this summer. Matti Gellman/The Baltimore Banner.
- The Defense Department could begin tracking suicides across its civilian workforce under a new legislative proposal on Capitol Hill. Maryland Rep. Sarah Elfreth is pushing to add a provision to the annual must-pass defense policy bill that would require the department to collect data on civilian suicides, as it already does for uniformed troops and their families. Rachel Cohen/Federal News Network.
HENDERSON TO BE GAITHERSBURG’s NEXT MAYOR IF ASHMAN MAKES MO CO COUNCIL: Gaithersburg City Councilmember Lisa Henderson will be the city’s next mayor if Jud Ashman is elected to represent District 3 on the Montgomery County Council next month. Henderson, a program director for the Montgomery County government, has been a member of the Gaithersburg City Council since 2021. She won re-election to a second term in November 2025 with Ashman’s endorsement. The council conditionally selected Henderson as interim mayor during an executive session on Monday. Ceoli Jacoby/Bethesda Today.
47-YEAR-OLD LAUREL MAN DIES IN ICE CUSTODY: Julián Curo-Churata, 47, lived in Laurel for about 17 years before he was detained in June by ICE agents. On Sept. 29, Curo-Churata, originally from Peru, died in ICE custody. He had volunteered to leave the country on his own, but a judge denied the request Sept. 18. ICE says he is the 37th person to die while in ICE detention in the past year. And he was one of thousands of immigrants living in Maryland sent to ICE detention facilities far from their homes. Ashley Clarke and Antonio Planas/The Baltimore Banner.
HIGH SCHOOL CANCELS JV FOOTBALL SEASON AFTER LOCKER ROOM INCIDENT: Nearly two weeks after members of the Howard High School junior varsity football team attempted to put one of their teammates in a locker room toilet, the school’s principal announced Wednesday that the team’s season is over. Jess Nocera/The Baltimore Banner.
