MONKS BRING ‘WALK FOR PEACE’ TO STATE CAPITAL: After 110 days and almost 2,300 miles, nearly two dozen Theravada Buddhist Monks ended their ‘’Walk for Peace’’ Thursday at the Maryland State House. “I thought yesterday was our last day of Walk for Peace,” Venerable Bhikkhu Paññak?ra, the group’s spokesperson, told hundreds gathered in front of the State House. “But after receiving the invitation from Maryland, we are happy to be here with you all.” Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter
- After a more than 2,000-mile journey on foot from Texas to Washington, D.C., the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara lead a group of Buddhist monks on a walk for peace to the Maryland State House. Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, who is chair of the Governor’s Council on Interfaith Outreach, welcomed the monks to Maryland and said the state is honored by their presence. Cody Boteler/The Baltimore Banner.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY PASSES BAN ON ICE AGREEMENTS WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT: The Maryland General Assembly sent legislation prohibiting local formal agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to Gov. Wes Moore’s desk Thursday, the first bill to pass the legislature in the 2026 session. The legislation is an emergency bill, effective immediately if Moore signs it. Katharine Wilson/The Baltimore Sun.
RASKIN MAKES SURPRISE VISIT TO B’MORE ICE FACILITY: U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-District 8, made an unannounced visit to the federal building in Baltimore where ICE detainees are being held. Raskin said he was given a firsthand look at conditions inside the facility. Barry Simms/WBAL11.
BLACK CAUCUS LAYS OUT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2026 SESSION: The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland notched a victory on its expanded list of legislative priorities Thursday, the same day caucus members unveiled their agenda. William J. Ford/Maryland Matters.
REPUBLICANS URGE MOORE ADMINISTRATION TO SPEED UP POTOMAC SEWAGE SPILL RESPONSE: Maryland Senate Republicans are urging Gov. Wes Moore’s administration to escalate its response to a massive sewage spill that has sent hundreds of millions of gallons of untreated wastewater into the Potomac River and toward Southern Maryland. Brian Carlton/The Baltimore Sun.
GRIDLOCK OVER DHS FUNDING COULD LEAD TO PARTIAL SHUTDOWN: Former Maryland governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. said that intense partisan gridlock on Capitol Hill over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may lead to a brief shutdown of that agency-as funding is set to expire after midnight on Friday. Bryan Renbaum/Baltimore Post Examiner.
MOORE TOUCHES ON RELATIONSHIP WITH TRUMP ADMIN IN NEW TOWN HALL SERIES: CBS News is premiering a new series of town halls on Sunday, Feb. 15, with the first one being taped at The Packing House venue in Cambridge. Dennis Valera/CBS News.
OFFICIAL LEADING CRACKDOWN ON DRUG TREATMENT MEDICAID FRAUD STEPPING DOWN: The Maryland health official leading an overhaul of the state’s troubled system of drug addiction and mental health treatment programs is stepping down. It’s unclear what the departure of Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health Alyssa Lord means for the state’s ongoing reform efforts. Alissa Zhu/Baltimore Banner
B’MORE IG REVIEWS USE OF COVID RELIEF FUNDS FOR ARTSCAPE: Baltimore officials used federal funds to pay performers at last year’s Artscape festival but failed to get approval from the city’s spending board when they ran over budget, according to a report released Thursday by the city’s inspector general. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Banner.
LAWMAKERS FLOAT TAXING SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES OVER MENTAL HEALTH: Maryland lawmakers are considering taxing social media giants for their role in harming the mental health of children. A new bill would require social media companies with more than one million monthly users or $500 million in annual revenue to pay a tax to the state. That money would be put into a fund specified for children’s mental health. Scott Maucione/WYPR – 88.1 FM.
AUDIT OF DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP OF B’MORE RAISES ‘POTENTIAL FRAUD’ CONCERNS: A recent audit of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore is raising concerns about the organization’s financial management, with an auditor writing that lax protocols could have led to errors or even “potential fraud.” Brooke Conrad/Spotlight on Maryland/The Baltimore Sun.
