PARTIES LINED UP TO SEEK DAMAGES AFTER 6 MONTHS AFTER DEADLY DALI DISASTER: Six months after the massive Dali cargo ship destroyed Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, the scope of what many experts say will probably be the most expensive maritime disaster in history has become more clear as a parade of wounded parties lined up this week to seek damages. There are the families of the six men who died, plus the two who survived, the residents of Dundalk, whose port community at the base of the Key Bridge has been transformed by the missing span, the governments — of Baltimore City, Baltimore County, the state of Maryland and the United States. And there are the thousands of longshoreman who lost work and wages. Katie Mettler and Michael Laris/The Washington Post.
- It has been six months since Baltimore lost its iconic bridge. The 47-year-old span toppled in seconds after the Dali cargo ship lost power and struck a support pier. This week also was the deadline to file responses to the Dali operators’ petition to limit their liability in the disaster. There’s a lot to catch up on. Daniel Zawodny and Lee O. Sanderlin/The Baltimore Banner.
HEALTH DEPT, KAISER PERMANENTE STRIKE MEDICAID DEAL: The Maryland Department of Health and Kaiser Permanente struck a deal Wednesday that will keep more than 100,000 Marylanders on Medicaid from having to change providers next year. Last week, the MDH said it may have to drop Kaiser as a Medicaid managed care organization due to a breakdown in contract negotiations. Now, Kaiser will join eight other MCOs, including Aetna Better Health and Carefirst Community Care, to provide coverage to Marylanders on Medicaid. Scott Maucione/WYPR-FM.
- In a joint statement Wednesday, the department and the company said their agreement will increase “accountability and responsibility” among the state’s providers while focusing on the state’s “efforts to achieve health equity and improve health outcomes for Marylanders.” Danielle Brown/Maryland Matters.
KING OF JORDAN, GOV. MOORE, BUSINESS EXECS MEET BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Gov. Wes Moore hosted the king of Jordan Wednesday for what he said was the first visit by a foreign head of state to the Maryland State House. Although the excitement over the historic visit was palpable from both sides, it was not immediately clear why Abdullah’s annual visit to the United Nations General Assembly in New York included a detour to Annapolis. Jack Bowman, Steven Jacobs Jr. and Robert Stewart of Capital News Service/MarylandReporter.com.
- The governor and the king met for about 90 minutes with roughly two dozen government, business and education leaders from across the state. The group included executives from companies such as McCormick & Co., Marriott International, Lockheed Martin and T. Rowe Price; leaders from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland Medical System; Jordan’s ambassador to the United States and members of Moore’s cabinet. The meeting was closed to the press. Rachel Baye/WYPR-FM.
- But one of the attendees, University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Valerie Sheares Ashby, called the meeting “extraordinary.” Sheares Ashby said Abdullah began his comments talking about education. Danielle Brown and William Ford/Maryland Matters.
CHESAPEAKE CLEANER, BUT STILL MISSING 2025 TARGETS: The Chesapeake Bay is cleaner than it used to be but is falling short of 2025 targets for reducing pollution, federal and state officials and most of Maryland’s congressional delegation said on Wednesday. “The short version is that it’s going in the right direction. The longer story is that we’re still behind,” Adam Ortiz, administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Mid-Atlantic region, said at a Capitol Hill press conference. Mennatalla Ibrahim and Andrea Durán of Capital News Service/MarylandReporter.com.
IS THE TAWES POLITICAL CRAB FEAST BEGINNING TO CRACK? Former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) flocked with their entourages to the southernmost town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore Wednesday for a cherished ritual of state politics, the J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake in Crisfield. Crowds were down, and some say the vibe was off. Protesters followed Hogan around. But is it too soon to write a political obituary for the crab feast? Josh Kurtz and Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
CANNABIS TAX RECEIPTS HIT NEW HIGH: A new report shows the state of Maryland collected more than $22.3 million in cannabis sales tax revenue between April and June – a 52 percent increase over receipts of the prior three months. Steven Jacobs Jr./Capital News Service.
MARYLAND WOMAN GETS 18 YEARS FOR CONSPIRING TO DESTROY POWER STATIONS: A 36-year-old Maryland woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison Wednesday for conspiring to shoot up power substations around Baltimore as part of a white-supremacist-inspired plot to sow societal chaos. Dan Morse/The Washington Post.
- Sarah Beth Clendaniel had held Nazi beliefs since she was 13 and, as an adult, in failing health and believing she had less than a year to live, decided she wanted to put her thoughts into action. Conspiring with a neo-Nazi leader, she put together a plan to take out power substations around the Baltimore region. Even after pleading guilty to charges related to the foiled plot, federal prosecutors say the 36-year-old remained in contact with leaders of the so-called Terrorgram Collective while behind bars. Justin Fenton/The Baltimore Banner.
ARUNDEL COUNTY LIBRARY BECOMES SANCTUARY FOR BANNED BOOKS: In honor of Banned Books Week, Anne Arundel County announced the first book sanctuary in the state. The public library joins 12 other library systems across North America, offering access to banned materials. The Anne Arundel County Public Library hopes that by doing this, it ensures all stories and perspectives are protected. Lisa Robinson/WBAL-TV.
FLURRY OF THREATS MADE TO HARFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS: The Harford Sheriff’s Office has investigated about a dozen threats made by students in the county’s public schools in the last week, according to a Wednesday news release, and Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler says he is frustrated about state laws that prohibit police from informing the public about charges. “In accordance with Maryland law, we are not able to release to the public or the school the name of the student charged with this crime,” the news release says. “We do our best to keep you informed within the confines of juvenile privacy laws and will continue to do our best. We ask you to help us.” Matt Hubbard/The Aegis.
