Cynthia Prairie, Author at MarylandReporter.com

Lax enforcement by state of background checks on child care workers, auditors find

The State Department of Education hasn’t been doing enough to make sure Maryland daycare workers have the required criminal background checks, and sometimes missed following up on criminal alerts for those workers, state auditors found. The department disputed some of the findings, but the auditors held their ground.

Audit finds multiple money problems at Md. education agency

The Maryland State Department of Education kept more than $12 million of federal reimbursements for its own programs rather than return it to the state as required by state law, state auditors found in a report citing multiple problems with the department’s financial dealings..

The Office of Legislative Auditor’s report released Tuesday raised issues across the agency including improper handling of checks, spending that didn’t follow procurement guidelines, faults the business office for improperly handling funds and checks; and states MSDE neglected to report possible criminal or unethical activity of its employees for possible prosecution.

State Roundup, June 30, 2016

Gov. Hogan joins with Delaware Gov. Markell to fight federal electricity rate hikes from offshore nuclear power plant; heads of 11 of 12 UM schools to get pay hikes; Arundel leads the state as overdose deaths rise in Maryland, while Washington County see a drop; state’s Democratic members of Congress rally to cut gun violence; new chief takes over Montgomery County schools; and state OKs closing of three schools in Carroll.

Opinion: Brexit spells opportunity for Maryland, which should recruit British CEOs

Britons voted to leave the European Union (EU) last week. The United Kingdom’s (UK) departure from the EU could spell opportunity for Maryland. Nervous UK investors seeking new homes for their capital should find one in Maryland.

State Roundup, June 29, 2016

Gov. Larry Hogan is urging local elected officials to join him to fight Dem legislature on transportation projects; state medical marijuana regulators OK new plan on checking financial histories of license applicants; anti-fracking faction protests; U.S. Rep. Hoyer pushes his ‘Working Families’ agenda; Montgomery Council considers revising sick leave policy; state Del. McDonough calls for Baltimore State’s Attorney Mosby to resign; and Arundel’s Schuh considers disbanding county pension panel.

Horton: It’s hard to see the forest when counting trees for harvest

If you walked alone and untutored through the tall pines, century-old oaks, big beeches and sweet gums of the forest, near where the Eastern Shore’s Wicomico River carves a bend known as Pirates Wharf, I’m pretty sure the need to begin cutting it down as the best way to protect its health wouldn’t leap to mind, writes Tom Horton.

State Roundup, June 28, 2016

Two Eastern Shore watermen banned for life from striped bass fishery after mega-poaching haul over several years; several new laws — including hike in minimum wage — to take place July 1; Joe Getty sworn in as judge of state’s highest court; former Rep. Helen Bentley, 92, sends a message: I’m not done yet; Open Meetings complaint against Howard school board; and term limits petition hits Montgomery.

Getty in red earns bipartisan praise

Gov. Larry Hogan swore in his chief legislative officer, Joe Getty, to the Court of Appeals at the State House Monday, with a big heaping of bipartisan praise. Getty brings an unusual range of experience to Maryland’s highest court, having served as a Republican delegate and senator from Carroll County and chief legislative officer to both Hogan and Gov. Bob Ehrlich, in addition to his private law practice. He offers “an invaluable and unique perspective,” said Hogan.

State Roundup, June 27, 2016

State workers who may have short-changed on pay are flooding government hotline; some sentenced to life as juveniles may now be able to do work-release; as state mulls medical marijuana industry, those lining up to join the business include ex-law officers, state lawmakers, sports figures; but Maryland remains slow to join the medical marijuana market; a new bout of the fracking fight expected in legislature; David Craig leaves Hogan cabinet; DOD to repeal ban to allow transgender military to serve; and Anne Arundel considers housing illegal aliens during processing.

Rascovar: Judge Williams applied the law, not emotion

If there is a bright spot in the widespread damage done to Baltimore and Maryland by the Freddie Gray conflagration and its aftermath, it is the sterling performance of Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry G. Williams. While Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby placed politics and placating the city’s riotous crowd above her duties to pursue prosecutions based on rigorously impartial and complete investigations, Williams did the opposite.

Cynthia Prairie

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