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Hurricane Arthur, Independence Day Schedule Changes, and Brown Proposes Debate Schedule

A lovely 4th of July forecast for Central Maryland… but a wet one on the Eastern Shore, which’ll feel the effects of Hurricane Arthur today. We round up today’s Independence Day schedule changes, with information about the fireworks displays set for this evening. Plus: Brown proposes gubernatorial debate schedule, an APG team readies to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons, and MD cab companies sue Uber.Hurricane Arthur: The effects ofHurricane Arthur are being felt on the Delmarva Peninsula. Forecasters say thunderstorms and wind gusts are likely through the afternoon on the Lower Shore as the Hurricane approaches. Maryland’s beaches could see wind gusts between 30 and 40 miles per hour today and dangerous rip currents are also expected.

4th Of July Schedule Changes: Lots of schedule changes are in effect on this Fourth of July holiday. The Baltimore Sun has a roundup here; a few are as follows: federal, state, and local government offices are closed. Also closed are courts, banks, and public libraries. There's no regular mail delivery from the post office – but express mail is still going out. There’s also no regular trash or recycling pickup today – folks who live in Baltimore City get a makeup day on Saturday. And while it’s a parking meter holiday around much of the state, but the Sun reports that you’ll have to feed the meters in Annapolis.

MTA Schedules: There’s no MARC train service on the Camden and Brunswick lines. Penn line trains are running, but they’re on a holiday schedule. Most MTA commuter buses are not operating today; the exception is route 201, which is on a holiday schedule. The Metro Subway and local MTA Buses are also on holiday schedules. And the Light Rail’s on a holiday schedule, too… but with a slight adjustment; the light rail will continue to operate a full hour after Baltimore’s downtown fireworks display. The MTA has more here.

Baltimore’s Fireworks: About 200-thousand people are expected to visit the Inner Harbor for today’s Independence Day festivities. The festivities run from 4pm through 10pm… with the fireworks show set to start at 9:30.

Other Fireworks: Lots of other fireworks displays around the region – in Annapolis, andBaltimore County, and Frederick, just to name a few. Additional MD fireworks locations are listed here.

Police Efforts On Independence Day: Baltimore City police leaders say their teams will be out in full force as Baltimoreans -- and others -- enjoy the Fourth of July festivities at the Inner Harbor. There will be a full contingent of officers in both patrol cruisers and on horseback. And there also will be more patrols in city neighborhoods. The city police department has canceled leave so that officers will all be able to work the holiday. And around the state, officers from other law enforcement agencies are increasing patrols to enforce drunk driving laws. The Baltimore Sun has more.

Why Maryland May Have A Competitive Governor's Race: WYPR's Fraser Smith and Karen Hosler talk about why they think that despite Democrats' significant voter registration advantage, this year's campaign for governor may be a real race. It’s this morning’s edition of Inside Maryland Politics.

Brown Proposes Gubernatorial Debates: Democratic gubernatorial nominee – and Lt. Governor -- Anthony Brown is proposing a series of three debates with Republican gubernatorial nominee Larry Hogan. Brown is calling for two televised debates and one radio debate… as well as a separate debate for running mates. Election watchers say Brown released a public proposal without consulting Hogan. The Hogan campaign didn't immediately agree to all the debates, but a Hogan spokesperson tells the Baltimore Sun that the campaign wants as many as possible to take place, with some in areas of the state that he says have been ignored. The General Election will take place on November 4th.

APG Team To Dispose Of Syrian Chemical Weapons: a team from Aberdeen Proving Ground is getting ready to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons. The Pentagon tells the Baltimore Sun that the group of 64 civilian chemists and engineers will destroy the Syrian stocks at an undisclosed location in international waters. The work is expected to take between 60 and 120 days. This will mark the first time that such chemical weapons will be destroyed aboard a ship on the open sea.

Cab Companies Sue User: More than 30 Maryland cab companies are filing a lawsuit against the Uber ride sharing company. The companies allege that Uber is violating the state's antitrust laws because its surge-pricing model is like price-fixing. The cabbies say Uber has created an unfair marketplace that has interfered with the taxi business. No specific damage amount has been mentioned in the case. The Baltimore Sun has more.

Baltimore Baseball: the Orioles beat the Texas Rangers for a fourth time in a row yesterday; the score in last night’s game was 5 to 2. The O’s head to Boston today, for a game against the Red Sox.

WYPR's Morning Edition news anchor Ashley Sterner serves up the latest Maryland news and weather every weekday morning, delightfully interspersed with the occasional snarky comment.