The Washington Times on Jun 18, 2009 -
Gov. Martin O'Malley and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski have asked federal officials for permission to hold a cell-phone-jamming demonstration at a Maryland prison, saying unauthorized cell-phone use by inmates is posing a serious safety problem. Mr. O'Malley and Miss Mikulski, sent a letter Monday to the National Telecommunications Information Administration, asking that they be allowed to hold a 30-minute demonstration of the technology. The letter cited recent incidents in which inmates were able to use cell phones to engage in criminal activities - including arranging
contract killings - from their prison cells. "There is an urgent need to combat the use of illegal cell phones and other wireless devices in our country's prisons," the letter said. "Unfortunately, Maryland and other states currently are unable to deploy electronic technologies that may provide more reliable protection against unauthorized inmate communications."
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The Gazette on Jun 18, 2009 -
Maryland's Lieutenant Governor touted new laws aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and praised the Prince George's County Sheriff's Office for its efforts against domestic violence at a June 11 morning tour of the sheriff's office in Upper Marlboro. The two laws, both of which were signed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) on May 19, give judges the option of confiscating guns when they issue temporary protective orders against people suspected of domestic violence and require judges to confiscate guns when they issue final protective orders. Both laws will go into effect Oct. 1.
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Baltimore Sun on Jun 17, 2009 - Maryland public high schools offer the highest percentage of college-level courses in the nation, according to
Newsweek magazine's June 15 analysis in its annual "America's Top High Schools" issue. According to
Newsweek, Maryland ranks first with 29.5 percent of schools offering college-level courses - more than 5 percentage points higher than the second-place state, Virginia.
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The Daily Times on Jun 16, 2009 - In a recent meeting with managers and chairmen from the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, Gov. Martin O'Malley introduced an exciting, innovative and user-friendly Web site, www.baystat.maryland.gov. The governor's concern for the problems facing the Chesapeake Bay led to his involvement in the development and design of this Web site. The Governor is to be commended for bringing this new tool to fruition. The Soil Conservation Districts view it as money well spent. It is encouraging to see from BayStat's charts and graphs that 10 out of 13 agricultural conservation programs are making progress in approaching nitrogen, phosphorus and sedimentation goals.
Lee McDaniel is president of the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts.
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Washington Post on Jun 16, 2009 -
A state program, introduced by Governor O'Malley last year, that grows baby oysters in cages before planting them on reefs will be expanded this year to 11 more tributaries in Southern Maryland, Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore, state officials announced last week. The Marylanders Grow Oysters project, handled by the state Department of Natural Resources' shellfish program, now operates only on piers in the Tred Avon River in Talbot County. With the additional waterways, DNR staff will shift their workload to 13 local organizations. One DNR cage filled with spat about a half-inch to an inch in size can filter as much as 50 gallons of water an hour, Judy said. One adult oyster at three to four inches will filter 50 gallons of water a day, making the oysters the bay's natural filter.
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The Daily Record on Jun 16, 2009 -
The state on Monday announced two new planning areas for the military base realignment and closure process, or BRAC, bringing the statewide total to seven. The BRAC zones make it easier for developers to pay for infrastructure improvements for their projects, as Maryland looks to speed development related to job growth around Aberdeen Proving Ground in Harford County and Fort Meade in Anne Arundel County. In the zones, local governments can use special tax financing to allow developers to pay for things such as roads and water connections to get their projects online. The state is preparing for upward of 60,000 jobs to come to the areas around the two bases in the next several years.
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The Gazette on Jun 12, 2009 -
Five Prince George's high schools were named to the America's Top Public High Schools list by Newsweek magazine for 2009. The list, released Monday, named the 1,500 top schools nationwide. It included High Point High School in Beltsville, Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Charles Herbert Flowers High School in Springdale, Oxon Hill High School and Bowie High School. Schools were named to the list based on the number of Advanced Placement and other advanced tests taken by students divided by the total number of graduating seniors, called the "Challenge Index." Statewide, 83 public high schools were named to the list.
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WBAL on Jun 12, 2009 -
The Maryland Port Administration says 2008 was a record-breaking year for the Port of Baltimore's public marine terminals. "Last year was another strong year for the Port of Baltimore, even as the global economy began to struggle," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "Clearly, the Port is not immune to the economic downturn. However, with strong management and wise investments, we have been able to sign long-term contracts with major business partners that will help maintain stability at the Port in the days ahead. This is good news for thousands of workers and their families who depend on the Port of Baltimore for their livelihood." Activity at the Port of Baltimore generates about 16,500 direct jobs. The Port is responsible for $3.6 billion in personal wage and salary income. Activities at the Port of Baltimore generate $388 million in state and local taxes.
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The National Guard on Jun 11, 2009 -
The Governor and Brig. Gen. James A. Adkins, Adjutant General of Maryland and Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs, are in Normandy as guests of the 29th Infantry Division Association, which represents veterans who previously served in the historic division. The 29th Infantry Division was the only National Guard division to land on the Normandy beach on D-Day, and was comprised of units representing Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. "In a broader sense, Gov. O'Malley's trip to Normandy not only honors those Marylanders who participated in the D-Day landings, but also those men and women who have served and continue to serve our state and our nation in times of peace and war" said Adkins. "Of the more than 288,000 Maryland men and women who served in World War II, nearly 6,500 never made it home. They made the ultimate sacrifice, all in the name of preserving freedom for generations to come."
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Baltimore Sun on Jun 06, 2009 - More than six decades after the invasion that turned the tide of World War II, Normandy still beckons to the American soldiers who fought on its beaches, scaled its cliffs and battled to free its towns. Many D-Day veterans from Maryland feel that pull and have traveled repeatedly to France to pay homage to fallen comrades and to remember the valor that distinguished an era. The Maryland contingent will join a determined but dwindling band of veterans who will watch President Barack Obama participate today in the international commemoration. The group will also meet with Gov. Martin O'Malley, who accompanied a dozen veterans on the trip to France.
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The effects of the nation's economic hardship is hitting Maryland hard. We're fighting every day to protect Maryland’s families during these tough economic times. We’re also working every day to make sure that government and its programs work for people.
