STATE CONTINUES TO HOLD INMATES AFTER COURT-ORDER RELEASE DATES: Maryland public safety officials have continued to jail people beyond their court-ordered release dates at Baltimore’s Booking and Intake Center even after the state faces a federal lawsuit alleging the state violated the constitutional rights of thousands of inmates after they were ordered to be set free, according to defense lawyers and a detainee. Ruben Casteneda/The Baltimore Sun.
STATE FIRM ON $5.2B COST OF KEY BRIDGE REBUILD DESPITE SOME ESTIMATES: State transportation officials are holding firm on a projected cost of $5.2 billion to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge, despite reports of some estimates nearly twice that amount. Maryland will part ways later this year with the current contractor, Nebraska-based Kiewit Infrastructure, after failing to reach agreement on a final project cost. State officials have refused to disclose the amount sought by Kiewit, citing confidential negotiations, but some estimates have placed Kiewit’s asking price as high as $9 billion. Bryan Sears/Maryland Matters.
B’MORE HOMICIDES DROP 23% OVER LAST YEAR: As of Monday, Baltimore has recorded 40 homicides and 120 non-deadly shootings this year, marking a 23% decline compared to last year, according to Mayor Brandon Scott. Scott also shared on social media that May ended with eight homicides, which he said is the city’s first single-digit homicide total in over five decades. Khiree Stewart/WBAL-TV News.
- The reductions extend a yearslong downward trend in lethal violence that city officials say has produced some of Baltimore’s lowest homicide totals in decades. “We still see too many people turning to guns to solve conflicts, and one life lost to violence in our city is one too many,” Mayor Brandon Scott said. “In the months and years to come, we will continue to invest in these strategies, strengthen our partnerships, and maintain our focus on saving lives.” Chevall Pryce/The Baltimore Sun.
JUNE 23 GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRIMARIES LOOM; SO DOES TRUMP: President Donald Trump stands at the center of everything in Washington these days — and as voters prepare to vote in Maryland’s June 23 General Assembly primaries, he seems to be at the center there, too. Katelynn Winebrenner of Capital News Service/Maryland Reporter.
MOORE VETOS BILL THAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN STATE ADS TO LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS: A promising idea to support local news has been dealt a major setback in Maryland, where Gov. Wes Moore has vetoed a bill that would direct state agencies to place at least 50% of their advertising in local news outlets. Dan Kennedy/Media Nation.
STATE CASH INFUSION SAVES OYSTER HATCHERY ANOTHER YEAR: Last year, after NOAA unexpectedly pulled support for operations at Maryland’s Horn Point oyster hatchery, officials worried about its future. They thought they might have to lay off half their employees, substantially curtailing output from a facility that has played a central role in a recent resurgence of oysters in the Chesapeake Bay. But lab director Mike Sieracki said he was surprised to learn this spring that Maryland lawmakers had slipped $400,000 into the state budget bill for the hatchery. Adam Willis/The Baltimore Banner.
BALTIMORE COUNTY IN A DILEMMA OVER YEARS OLD RAPE DNA TESTS: A disagreement over how to notify survivors of sexual assault about decades-old DNA could cost Baltimore County $5.3 million in state funding. The issue involves 1,400 pieces of sexual assault evidence collected by the Greater Baltimore Medical Center from 1977 to 1997. Céilí Doyle and Rona Kobell/The Baltimore Banner.
JUDGE DENIES CITY MOTION TO SEAL PARTS OF IG LAWSUIT: Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Pamela J. White today denied the city’s motion to seal parts of the inspector general’s lawsuit seeking judicial enforcement of its subpoenas, marking another legal setback for Mayor Brandon Scott. Mark Reutter/Baltimore Brew.
JAWANDO’s HI-PROFILE SUPPORTERS; MANGIONE LEAVES HOUSE; NEW LAWS: Montgomery County executive candidate Will Jawando’s campaign event was highlighted by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), who was joined by dozens of Jawando supporters, including three council members, state Treasurer Dereck Davis (D) and outgoing County Executive Marc Elrich. Del. Nino Mangione resigned his seat in the Maryland House Monday and was sworn in Monday evening to his new Baltimore County Council seat — just in time for the council to go on its summer recess. And several news laws took effect on June 1. William Ford and Steve Crane/Maryland Matters.
BA CO COUNCIL HONORS HOMETOWN ASTRONAUT REID WISEMAN: The Baltimore County Council celebrated hometown astronaut Reid Wiseman Monday night, honoring the Cockeysville native two months after he led Artemis II’s historic trip around the moon. Sapna Bansil/The Baltimore Banner.
ELRICH SIGNS FOUR IMMIGRATION RELATED BILLS, REITERATES SUPPORT: During a ceremonial bill signing Monday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D) reiterated his support for four immigration-related bills that the County Council passed earlier this year, with councilmembers saying they will continue to advance additional proposals after returning from recess next week. Ceoli Jacoby/Bethesda Today.
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