PANEL RECOMMENDS DEL. DAVIS AS STATE TREASURER: A panel of Maryland state lawmakers voted Monday to recommend Del. Dereck Davis to become the state’s next treasurer. The Special Joint Legislative Committee to Select the State Treasurer voted 10-0 for Davis, a Prince George’s County Democrat who has been the House Economic Matters chairman. The Associated Press.
- Davis told the panel Monday that he began asking himself why he might want to step into a role that oversees the state’s investments, bonds and holds one of three seats on the Board of Public Works. “I can’t tell you it’s been a lifelong dream,” said Davis. “I won’t say that, but public service has been.” Bryan Sears/The Daily Record.
JOBLESS MARYLANDERS SUE STATE OVER BENEFITS PROBLEMS: A group of unemployed Marylanders has filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against state Labor Secretary Tiffany Robinson, claiming that the problems they faced in receiving jobless benefits violate federal law. The group is also seeking an injunction that would force Maryland’s Department of Labor to speed up its handling of unemployment claims. Madeleine O’Neill/The Daily Record.
GANSLER: SUPREMES TO WEAKEN OR JETTISON ABORTION RIGHTS: Former state attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler predicted that the U.S. Supreme Court will likely weaken or possibly even eliminate federal abortion rights when it renders a decision in a high-profile case challenging the 1973 landmark Roe. v. Wade decision. Bryan Renbaum/MarylandReporter.com.
ENVIROMENTALISTS SEE HOPE IN UPCOMING SESSION: Environmental advocates are confident that a state constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to a healthy environment will receive renewed attention and vigor in the next legislative session. Del. Wanika Fisher (D-Prince George’s) sponsored a bill last legislative session, which would have placed the right to a healthy environment under constitutional protection. She is planning to reintroduce the measure come January. Elizabeth Shwe/Maryland Matters.
DEL. PENDERGRASS WON’T SEEK RE-ELECTION: More dramatic turnover is on the way in the General Assembly: Del. Shane E. Pendergrass (D-Howard), the chair of the House Health and Government Operations Committee, announced Monday that she won’t seek an eighth term in 2022. The 71-year-old lawmaker also spent eight years on the Howard County Council. Josh Kurtz/Maryland Matters.
LONG-AWAITED CSX TUNNEL EXPANSION TO GET UNDER WAY: The long-awaited Howard Street Tunnel expansion, which will allow for double-stacked rail travel to and from the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore, broke ground Monday afternoon after years of delays and setbacks. “This is an absolute game changer, not just for Maryland, for the entire region,” said Gov. Larry Hogan, standing on the tracks at the historic Mount Royal Station. Johanna Alonso/The Daily Record.
- Under the agreement for the tunnel expansion, Maryland will supply $202.5 million, $125 million will come from a federal grant, CSX will put up $113 million, and $22.5 million will come from Pennsylvania. Bruce DePuyt/Maryland Matters.
OPINION: McGRATH SAYS HOGAN MISREPRESENTED FACTS: In a column for the Sun, embattled former Hogan administration aide Roy McGrath criticizes his former boss, Gov. Larry Hogan, opining that, Hogan “seems to have a problem correctly remembering facts related to my tireless work for him and Maryland. Worse, his thanks to me for years of loyal support and service has been to join with far-left Democrats in publicly maligning me. Over the course of more than a year, I have watched, largely in silence, as my friend and three-time boss misrepresented important facts about my departure — calculatedly shifting his explanation until finally washing his hands of me, like a modern-day Roman governor.”
WITH NEW COVID VARIANT, FREDERICK OFFICIALS EMPHASIZE PROTOCOLS: As concern mounts across the world regarding the new omicron variant of the coronavirus, the Frederick County Health Department said the best methods for suppressing the spread of the virus remain the same: testing, vaccination, isolation for those ill or infected and quarantine for those exposed. Angela Roberts/The Frederick News Post.
WA CO COVID CASES UP ALMOST 12% IN WEEK: Washington County reported 452 new cases of COVID-19 and three related deaths in the week ending Sunday. That represented an 11.9% increase in new cases compared to a week earlier, when the county reported 404 cases and two deaths. During the pandemic, Washington County has reported a total of 21,415 cases and 423 deaths. Mike Stutka/USA Today Network.
COURT: DEBT COLLECTORS MUST PROBE DEBTOR’s CLAIM: Law firms engaged in debt collection have a duty under Maryland consumer protection laws to investigate a debtor’s claim that the money is not owed before pursuing collection efforts, Maryland’s second highest court ruled last week in enabling a widow who was threatened with foreclosure to pursue her lawsuit against the law firm that acted as a substitute trustee for the bank. Steve Lash/The Daily Record.
MO CO TAKING IN MORE UNACCOMPANIED MINORS THAN EXPECTED: Montgomery County has received more than 1,200 unaccompanied children this year, as the entire region takes in more minors than expected. The latest figures were shared Monday during a joint meeting of county and school district representatives. Steve Bohnel/Bethesda Beat.
FREDERICK RESIDENTS TO GIVE INPUT ON COUNCIL REDISTRICTING: Frederick County residents will have an opportunity Tuesday to comment on a redistricting proposal that would shift County Council precincts in Libertytown and Unionville, though council members expect little to no input. Jack Hogan/The Frederick News-Post.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, second from right, named Gregory Der, center, as the new police chief Monday. At the announcement, from left, were Sheriff Marcus Harris, State’s Attorney Rich Gibson, Der, Ball, and retiring chief Lisa Myers. Howard County government photo
HOWARD’s NEW POLICE CHIEF ITS FIRST OF ASIAN-AMERICAN DESCENT: Howard County Executive Calvin Ball on Monday announced Gregory Der as the new Howard County Police Department chief. Der currently serves as chief deputy in the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s office and will begin the position on Jan. 1. He will be Howard County’s first police chief of Asian American descent. Allana Haynes/The Baltimore Sun Media Group.
BA CO RESIDENTS GIVE INPUT ON ARPA FUND SPENDING: Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. on Monday sought community input on how to spend part of the $160.7 million allocated from the pandemic relief bill enacted by Congress earlier this year to ease the economic pain and societal turmoil caused by the public health disaster. Margaret Chadbourn/WBFF-TV.
