BY MARIJKE FRIEDMAN AND NATALIE WEGER March 7, 2024 Behind The Blueprint is a series from the Local News Network at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. Pre-K in Maryland: Participation varies widely by county The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future aims to make pre-K much more widely available to every 3- and 4-year-old in the […]

ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 11, 2024) – Maryland Department of Agriculture The Maryland Department of Agriculture has taken a significant step in its ongoing efforts to control the invasive spotted lanternfly. The department has announced the expansion of its spotted lanternfly quarantine zone to include two new counties – Charles and Garrett – effective immediately. This […]

Behind The Blueprint is a series from the Local News Network at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism. BY KIERSTEN HACKER, CHRISTINA WALKER AND ELA JALIL, March 4th, 2024 ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland’s Democratic-led legislature passed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in 2021, vowing to pour billions of dollars into the state’s public schools to offer […]

By LYDIA HURLEY Capital News Service Feb 22, 2024 Annapolis, Md. – Some Democratic lawmakers in Maryland are proposing a set of income tax hikes this year, but even bill sponsors have admitted that getting their colleagues on board will likely be a long-haul effort. The lawmakers aim to address a looming state budget deficit […]

From Maryland Matters, marylandmatters.org By Bryan P. Sears February 23, 2024 The buck stops with Michael Higgs. That is the message from Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) when it comes to who is responsible for the State Department of Assessments and Taxation missing a mailing deadline for 107,000 properties. “To me, if you’re the head […]

By KIERSTEN HACKER Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Gov. Wes Moore delivered a State of the State address on Wednesday that candidly described some of the state’s most pressing challenges and called on lawmakers to join him in a spirit of “partnership” to tackle them all. One year into his administration, Moore laid out […]

By KIERSTEN HACKER, ANGELIQUE GINGRAS and TYRAH BURRIS Capital News Service ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Gov. Wes Moore and top lawmakers headed into the 2024 General Assembly session Wednesday with a looming budget deficit in mind, hoping to avoid tax hikes and dramatic cuts and focus, instead, on their important priorities. Moore and his fellow Democrats […]