Legislation that passed in the Maryland Senate would establish statewide an initiative to provide therapy dogs to child witnesses in circuit court hearings and proceedings. Children who have to appear in court can feel anxious and overwhelmed, especially when recounting tragic events or similar instances, proponents said. A handler would accompany each dog, under...
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Helmets would no longer be mandatory for most motorcycle riders in Maryland under a bill expected to be heard in a state Senate committee Tuesday. Senate bill 237 would make motorcyclists and their passengers exempt from wearing a helmet if the motorcycle operator is 21 or older, has at least two years of riding...
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On January 24, 2020, Charles County obtained an order to enforce the injunction that prohibits X4B, an adult entertainment establishment, from opening for business this weekend. The establishment had been promoting itself as a nightclub with live entertainment in its online advertising through social media. Charles County Attorney Wes Adams presented evidence that the...
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The Hogan administration today announced that the state has completed negotiations and reached agreements with state employee unions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The Maryland Professional Employees Council, the American Federation of Teachers, the Baltimore Washington International Professional Firefighters Local 1742, and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have all reached...
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To the Editor, The following comments are addressed very specifically to St. Mary’s County Commissioners Hewitt, Guy, and Morgan. From 2006 to 2016 I was a Deputy Sheriff with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. I held assignments in Patrol, Investigations, and Special Operations as well as a number of collateral duties. I often...
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Governor Larry Hogan today announced the following judicial appointments: Jonathan Biran for the Court of Appeals Richard Trunnell for Anne Arundel County Circuit Court James Lee Tanavage for St. Mary’s County District Court “The appointment of these qualified individuals to serve across our state’s justice system is paramount to upholding our responsibilities to the...
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Two facilities recently passed inspection by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ voluntary Clean Marina program, earning the Maryland Clean Marina Award. Solomons Landing Marina and Kent Narrows Boatel met the award criteria, bringing the total number of Clean Marinas and Clean Marina Partners to 147. This is roughly a quarter of the marinas...
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Kathryn M. Rowe, Assistant Attorney form the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland sent the following letter to Brian M. Crosby. Dear Delegate Crosby: You have asked for advice concerning a Drag Queen Stories event at the Lexington Park Library in St. Mary’s County (“the library”). Specifically, you have asked about the First...
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Hundreds of Maryland laws are going into effect today, Tuesday, October 1, 2019, spanning subjects from criminal justice reform to election law to medical cannabis. A generous number of the bills fall under the subjects of criminal justice and health. Senate Bill 707, which passed in the 2018 legislative session but is going into...
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Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed September as International Underground Railroad Month, which recognizes Maryland as the most powerful destination for authentic Underground Railroad history. It also commemorates all those involved in the Underground Railroad, including Maryland’s courageous Harriet Tubman, the brilliant orator Frederick Douglass, and thousands of freedom seekers. “Maryland has the most documented successful...
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The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County will hold a joint meeting with members of the St. Mary’s County Legislative Delegation on October 1, 2019 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the commissioners meeting room inside the Chesapeake Building, 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown. The purpose of the meeting is to consider...
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Governor Larry Hogan and the heads of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) announced the launch of the “Maryland Transparency Portal,” a new web-based application that will empower citizens to become better informed about the details of the state budget with a user-friendly and easy-to-navigate interface....
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Governor Larry Hogan today announced the appointment of Diane Croghan to serve as deputy chief of staff in the Office of the Governor for labor, housing, education, human services, and health matters. Croghan succeeds Tiffany Robinson, whom the governor recently appointed to be Maryland’s next secretary of Labor. “Diane is an invaluable asset to...
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The Hogan Administration announces that Opportunity MDOT, a first-of-its-kind Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) program to empower businesses throughout the state, will host a kickoff workshop Thursday, August 1, at the University of Maryland, College Park. Opportunity MDOT is designed to help connect small-, minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses with new opportunities related to...
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The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County have approved the $253,113,474 fiscal year 2020 General Fund budget. The figure represents a 10 percent increase over fiscal 2019, including other financing sources. Funding for education, county departments and elected officials, along with public safety, accounts for nearly 82 percent of the General Fund budget. The adopted...
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Governor Larry Hogan signed a number of critical health care and crime prevention measures, including legislation that will add more Marylanders to the health insurance rolls, and raise the minimum age tobacco can be sold to 21 amid an epidemic of teen vaping. The governor also signed Laura and Reid’s Law, which introduces tougher...
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The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #7 for St. Mary’s County submitted the following letter to the editor: Dear Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #7 for St. Mary’s County is writing you this letter to address the issue of the pay disparity between our agency, the Maryland State...
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Comptroller Peter Franchot will visit small businesses throughout Maryland next week in recognition of Small Business Appreciation Week, which runs from May 5-11. “From Oakland to Ocean City, small businesses are the beating heart of our state’s economy,” said Comptroller Franchot. “These companies create jobs, provide necessary services, invest in local communities, drive innovation...
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Governor Larry Hogan signed into law several important measures to improve public safety. These are among 195 bills the governor signed today alongside Senate President Thomas V. “Mike” Miller and Speaker Pro Tem Adrienne Jones. “We are very proud to enact these critical public safety measures to continue to make our state safer,” said...
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The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) announces the county has, for the fourth consecutive year, received AAA credit ratings from three independent credit rating agencies. Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Services and S&P Global Ratings assigned Calvert County their highest ratings due to the county’s strong economy, robust revenues and sound financial management....
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Ricarra Jones of Maryland’s Fight for $15 Coalition released the following statement on behalf of the Coalition after the Maryland General Assembly voted to override Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of the minimum wage bill: “We are thrilled the Maryland General Assembly did what was needed in Maryland and overrode Governor Hogan’s veto today to...
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Governor Larry Hogan today vetoed Senate Bill 280 and House Bill 166 – Labor and Employment – Payment of Wages – Minimum Wage, saying it “could cost us jobs, negatively impact our economic competitiveness, and devastate our state’s economy.” Read the governor’s veto letter, which emphasizes three key points: This measure would cost Maryland more...
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Every day more than 16,000 Maryland law enforcement officers say goodbye to their families and head out to protect and serve their communities. As a police officer, both you and your family know the risks of the job when you’re sworn in to wear the badge – impaired drivers, weapons, domestic incidents gone wrong,...
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Out-of-state drivers have racked up $102 million in unpaid video tolls and fines in Maryland, and lawmakers pushing a bill through the General Assembly want them to pay up. HB105, debated in the House of Delegates Wednesday, would enable the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) to hire an outside debt collection agency to collect the...
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Governor Larry Hogan today announced Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio as the Secretary of Natural Resources. Haddaway-Riccio currently serves as a Deputy Chief of Staff in the governor’s office, where she advises on environmental-related issues. “Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio has been a strong member of my executive team since day one and has a proven track record of working to...
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