Among the students attending class in Maryland this year will be thousands of the immigrant children from Central America who’ve crossed the US/Mexico border in recent months. The top gubernatorial candidates take their messages to the TV airwaves. Montgomery County’s police chief calls for cops to be outfitted with cameras. Plus: the politics of retirement, sewage spills, the National Park Service turns 98, and more.
MD Schools Open Doors To Immigrant Students: It’s the first day of school for kids in Baltimore City. Classes at Baltimore County’s schools get underway on Wednesday. Most other school systems in Maryland also hold their first classes this week. Among the students hitting the books this year will be thousands of the immigrant children from Central America who’ve crossed the US/Mexico border in recent months. Federal officials tell the Baltimore Sun that our state’s schools took in more than 28-hundred such students from January through July this year. That’s more per-capita than any other state. And Maryland officials say two to three-thousand more immigrant students could enter state schools before the year is over. Schools in Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s Counties have received the most students… but some have come to Baltimore City and County as well. The influx has prompted the region’s schools to hire more teachers trained to work with foreign students, and find additional health and counseling services.
Brown Camp Put Out Negative TV Ad; Hogan Camp Calls On Stations Not To Air It: The political ads are hitting the TV airwaves as Maryland’s general election approaches. Republican gubernatorial nominee Larry Hogan’s campaign tells the Baltimore Sun it’ll start airing a positive, biographical ad today. On Friday, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Anthony Brown’s first ad of the general election season started broadcasting in the Baltimore market – and it takes a negative tone. The spot goes on the offense, saying that Hogan would “take Maryland families backwards” if elected, and alleging that the Republican “supported massive college tuition increases.” Tuition rates at some of Maryland’s public universities did go by more than 40 percent under the tenure of former governor Bob Ehrlich – for whom Hogan served as appointments secretary. But Hogan tells the Washington Post that his job had nothing to do with setting college tuition rates, and is calling on the TV stations that are airing the ad to stop – saying the ad’s claims are “patently and demonstrably false.” The Brown camp says it stands behind the ad.
The Politics Of Retirement: Maryland Edition WYPR's Fraser Smith and Bryan Sears of the Daily Record talk about the governor's new task force that's looking into how to increase private sector retirement savings and why one gubernatorial candidate thinks it's a bad idea. It’s this morning’s edition of Inside Maryland Politics.
Anne Arundel Police Chief Will Not Donate To Wilson Defense Fund: Anne Arundel County’s police chief says he will not join his officers in donating to the defense fund of the officer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, Missouri. Chief Kevin Davis says that while he embraces the need for due process and the importance of the Fraternal Order of Police, this is an occasion where he agrees to disagree with the union president. The FOP lodge that represents Anne Arundel County officers has donated more than $1000 to the defense fund for Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson. The Washington Post has more.
Montgomery Police Chief Calls For Cameras On Cops: The chief of the Montgomery County Police Department is urging police around the nation to create better ties with their communities – and said that outfitting officers with cameras could help. Chief Thomas Manger made his comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” yesterday. Manger said he’s in favor of having cameras on officers’ lapels so that citizens can determine justifications for those officers’ actions.
MD Housing Secretary Skinner Announces Retirement: Maryland’s Secretary of Housing and Community Development is stepping down. Raymond Skinner has served in that post throughout Governor Martin O’Malley’s tenure, starting in 2007. He previously held the same job under Governor Parris Glendening. Skinner announced late last week that he’ll retire at the end of the month. Deputy Secretary Clarence Snuggs will take over as acting Housing Secretary on September 1st. The Baltimore Sun has more.
Baltimore Officials Prepare For Tomorrow’s Casino Opening: The $442-million Horseshoe Casino Baltimore opens its doors tomorrow on Russell Street. And Baltimore officials say that gamblers – and anyone trying to get around downtown – should expect traffic problems. The city says that it’s putting police officers to work directing traffic around the facility during its first four months of operation. The city’s also putting up message boards to suggest alternative routes. And Baltimore officials have some suggestions for casino goers – don’t drive there. They urge gamblers to park downtown and take the Charm City Circulator to the casino’s front door. The Baltimore Sun has more on the casino here.
Baltimore Community Foundation Announces Grants: More than 30 community projects are set to benefit from nearly 123-thousand dollars in grants from the Baltimore Community Foundation. The grants range from 15-hundred to five-thousand dollars. They are being awarded to projects focused on things like litter cleanup, community vegetable gardens, and bringing middle school students together with police and firefighters for a six-week flag football program. The Baltimore Sun has more.
Rains Dump 12-Million Gallons Of Sewage In Region’s Waterways: The record rains of August 12th had an even greater impact on the region than had previously been thought. Late last week, Baltimore’s Department of Public Works said that more than 12-million gallons of sewage poured into area waterways during the downpour and its aftermath. The DPW had earlier said only 3 million gallons of sewage had spilled. The Baltimore Sun says the updated total of 12-million-plus gallons represents more than the annual sewage overflow in each of the last 7 years.
National Park Service Turns 98: Today is the 98th anniversary of the National Park Service… and to celebrate, admission will be free at all national parks. The Baltimore Sun notes that only about a third of National Parks charge admission anyway – but it’s a deal at those. In Maryland, the National Park Service takes care of 28 parks, historic sites, parkways, and trails – including Fort McHenry in Baltimore and Assateague Island National Seashore.
Baltimore Baseball: The Orioles fell 2 to 1 to the Chicago Cubs in yesterday’s game. Tonight, the O’s start a 4-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays here in Baltimore; first pitch is set for 7:05pm.
Washington Baseball: The Washington Nationals beat the San Francisco Giants in yesterday's game; the score there was 14 to 6.
