Maryland News & Current Events | Public News Service

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 325-thousand Marylanders are members of a union. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 17, 2025

Report: Unions surge as Trump admin takes aim at labor watchdog

Since 2021, union elections in Maryland and across the country have more than doubled - and union election wins are at a 15-year high. But …

State wages, salaries and benefits saw a nearly $1 billion increase in 2025, as Maryland lawmakers weigh major cuts to disability-assistance programs. (Adobe Stock)

Advocate: State budget proposals threaten disabled Marylanders

Maryland is facing a $3 billion budget deficit, and planned cuts in 2026 would include millions in disability assistance. But one advocate says those …

More than 70% of people who are imprisoned as a minor have experienced physical abuse growing up. (Adobe Stock)

Some MD youth in justice system traumatized by the experience

Maryland ranks second in the nation for charging children who have committed crimes as adults. But one expert says a more trauma-informed response in …

Faculty unionization in higher education has increased 7.5% from 2012 to 2024. (Adobe Stock)

MD bill may give faculty the right to unionize

Professors on college campuses across the country are unionizing at increasingly higher rates and a bill in the Maryland General Assembly may help the…

A policy from the Biden administration originally restricted federal immigration officers from conducting raids in

Higher ed leaders talk preparation for immigration officers on MD campuses

An executive order from President Donald Trump allows immigration officers to enter traditionally off-limits places, like houses of worship, schools …

Notably, one poll found nearly half of people who hold anti-abortion views are supportive of medical aid-in-dying legislation. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland medical aid-in-dying bill may pass after a decade

Advocates are urging Maryland lawmakers to support a bill that would approve medical aid in dying for people who are terminally ill. A poll last …

A sustainability diet developed by scientists emphasized eating more fish, fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts. Dollar stores provide little of them. (Adobe Stock)

How every Marylander can eat sustainably for the planet

By Dharna Noor of The Guardian for Sentient.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Serv…

The National Cancer Institute has found red and processed meat consumption is associated with higher cancer levels. (Wikimedia Commons)

Why are red food dyes – but not processed meats – banned?

By Jessica Scott-Reid for Sentient.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Sentient/Just and Climate-Friendly…

No data has been made available yet to show the effect of the legislation passed in 2024 to regulate industrial sludge in Maryland. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates await impacts of industrial sludge law a year later

Environmental advocates are waiting for results from legislation passed last year, regulating the use of industrial sludge from flowing into …

Chronic pain costs Americans billions of dollars in missed work and loss of productivity. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Marylanders suffering from chronic pain

Just a few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration approved Journavix, a new non-opioid painkiller. It's seen as good news for the nearly one …

Maryland consumes almost six times the amount of energy it produces. (Adobe Stock)

MD gas plant bill hurts economy and environment, advocate says

Energy costs in Maryland are higher than the national average and one proposal to address the issue is facing backlash from environmentalists…

In a recent study, women were more likely than men to say their mood declines during the wintertime. (Adobe Stock)

Expert: Connections, sunlight needed to fight wintertime blues in MD

A recent study found nearly four in 10 people suffer from wintertime blues but experts offer some ways people can combat feeling down during the winte…

One study finds that 63-percent of libraries are funded through a local city or county government. Twenty-nine percent are funded through an independent library district. (Adobe Stock)

MD Librarian: Show libraries some love this month

February is National Library Lovers Month and libraries across the state are encouraging their long-time and new patrons to celebrate. David Dahl…

The most identified bird in the United States in 2024 was the Northern Cardinal. (Adobe Stock)

Birders ready for count across Maryland

This weekend, birders across the world, including in Maryland, will participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. Thousands of birding enthusiasts …

The administration has begun work to break up the Department of Justice's Environment and Natural Resources Division. (Adobe Stock)

Climate advocate: Trump EPA office closure harms environment

The Trump administration has started dismantling the Environmental Protection Agency's office dealing with reducing environmental harms to minority an…

Researchers from the Center for a Livable Future at Maryland's Johns Hopkins University looked at fisheries in Alaska, Norway and Vietnam to explore sustainable practices for fish byproducts. (Adobe Stock)

Leftover fish parts could help keep industrial fishing waste low

About 20% of fish caught in the wild are not used to feed people across the world but a recent study found the unused portions of fish prepared for th…

Osprey, bluefish, red drum and cobia rely on menhaden populations for food. (Adobe Stock)

MD menhaden conservation may benefit from VA bill

Atlantic menhaden weigh less than a pound and measure little more than a foot long but the small fish has big consequences for the Chesapeake Bay ecos…

According to the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, 99% of renters face eviction proceedings without the assistance of a lawyer. (Adobe Stock)

Bill could protect MD tenants from ‘no cause’ evictions

A bill making its way through the Maryland General Assembly could protect renters from unjust evictions. House Bill 709 would create what is known …

Patients are nearly nine times more likely to go out of network to meet with a psychiatrist, according to research from the nonprofit RTI International. (Adobe Stock)

Insurance ‘clawbacks’ hurt MD mental health specialists

Some mental health care providers said a number of insurance company practices are driving them out of the insurance network, including the little-…

Delaware owed workers an average of $1,822 in wages, followed by Virginia with an average of $1,680. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland worst state for wage theft, study finds

An analysis of U.S. Labor Department data by financial education organization Goat Academy finds Maryland leads the nation in the average wages …

The COVID-19 pandemic increased backlogs in nursing home inspections and created further staffing shortages, according to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Adobe Stock)

Assisted living facility oversight major focus for MD senior advocates

A number of bills in the Maryland legislature are looking to increase the quality and accountability of the state's nursing homes and assisted living …

No current offshore oil and gas drilling leases were affected by outgoing President Joe Biden's order to restrict new drilling, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. (GuavaTrain/Wikimedia Commons)

Are MD coastline protections safe in the Trump era?

Days before the end of his term, President Joe Biden announced sweeping protections for the nation's coastlines. President Donald Trump has vowed …

Nearly 7% of students have major depression, according to the study of Maryland's youth mental health care. (Adobe Stock)

More mental-health specialists needed in MD schools

Advocates said the kids aren't all right and want to tackle the youth mental health crisis head on in schools. A study of Maryland's youth mental …

One in seven hospitalized patients will need a blood transfusion. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland needs more blood donors

This month is National Blood Donor Month, and blood donor groups are making sure people know the importance of giving blood. Blood can't be …

The CDC says Listeria is the third-leading cause of death from foodborne illness, with about 260 fatalities per year. (Adobe Stock)

Expert: Raw milk carries higher health risks

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

Parks across Maryland have received federal grants of $15 million to improve city parks. (Adobe Stock)

MD parks gain from Interior Department grant

The Department of the Interior recently announced the largest single investment in local parks in the communities across the country and two Maryland …

With a pending rule excluding medical debt from loan applications, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau predicted an uptick of 22,000 affordable mortgages approved every year because applicants will not have old medical bills upending their loan request.

Marylanders' medical debt off limits to banks, lenders

A new federal rule could ease some of the pressure when Marylanders apply for loans but may face challenges from the incoming Trump administration…

More than 420,000 Marylanders are members of the state's retirement and pension system. (Adobe Stock)

How to approach MD climate risks when saving for retirement

For workers or pension systems trying to keep support for the fossil-fuel industry to a minimum, one expert has some suggestions. Just last month…

Fellow mid-Atlantic states Virginia and Delaware come in third and second respectively for the worst wage theft rates, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data by the Goat Academy. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Department wants MD workers to claim their wages

The U.S. Department of Labor is holding $6.8 million in unpaid wages for more than 5,000 Maryland workers, and said time is running out to claim the …

The Maryland Constitution requires the state budget to be balanced every year. (MDGovpics/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

What to expect in Maryland’s legislative session

On Wednesday, Maryland's legislative session begins in Annapolis - and state lawmakers are facing numerous challenges. Maryland expects pressure …

President Joe Biden made a campaign promise to deported veterans at an Iowa townhall in 2019 to

Deported veterans call for pardons from Biden

"Deported veterans" may sound like an oxymoron. But it is not, and those veterans are working to get pardons in the last days of President Joe …

Maryland has 12 news outlets dedicated to Black and Latino communities in the state. (Adobe Stock)

MD newsrooms experience slight dip in 2024

A new report finds Maryland has seen a small decline in the number of newspapers in the state this year. The report is from the Northwestern …

President-elect Donald Trump sought to reduce the Environmental Protection Agency's budget by up to 30% during his first administration and significantly altered or reversed nearly 100 environmental rules. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: MD Trump voters still want EPA protections

A majority of Republicans and Democrats oppose attempts to weaken the regulatory power of the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new …

Bald eagles were taken off the federal endangered list in 1995 and the threatened list in 2007. (About to Launch/Wikimedia Commons)

Bald eagle officially becomes national bird, a conservation success

The United States has a national mammal, tree and flower but the status of America's most treasured bird was not always so clear officially or …

Despite service slowdowns and hikes in stamp prices, the U.S. Postal Service lost nearly $10 billion in 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed post office ‘slowdown’ threatens rural Americans

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has made clear he wants the Postal Service to turn a profit. But advocates warn proposed changes would hurt rural …

Montgomery County, Maryland, is home to thousands of multifamily rental units, and many of those units already have air-conditioning. (Adobe Stock)

Lessons learned from an air conditioning law on rentals in MD

By Ysabelle Kempe for Smart Cities Dive.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

Among adults over the age of 65, 20% do not drive, according to one study on the transportation needs of seniors. (Adobe Stock)

Helping seniors through loneliness during the holidays

With Christmas less than a week away, experts are giving advice on how seniors and the community can fight against social isolation. A United Health …

A second Trump term leaves many questions about how he will use available legal levers to subpoena reporters and their sources. (Gage Skidmore/ Wikimedia Commons)

Bill in Congress could protect journalists, sources

In the last days of President Joe Biden's term, senators are tackling some of their highest priorities, like confirming judges. But that may also …

Graduation rates in behavioral health fields at Maryland's colleges and universities have experienced declines from pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the Maryland Health Care Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MD must address behavioral health specialist shortages

Maryland is facing a significant shortage of behavioral health professionals and a new report from the Maryland Health Care Commission offered some su…

Only four Black women have been elected to the U.S. Senate, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Maryland Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks, Connecticut Senator-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester and former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun. (Maryland GovPics/ Wikimedia Commons)

Maryland in top 10 for number of women state legislators

More than 2,400 women will serve in state legislatures across the U.S. in 2025. That's a new record, according to the Center for American Women and …

A bill to allow interim legislative appointments passed in the Maryland Senate last session, but died in a House of Delegates subcommittee on elections. (Adobe Stock)

New law seeks to change how state legislative vacancies are filled

Lawmakers in Annapolis plan to introduce a bill to require a special election if a lawmaker is appointed to a seat in the first half of their term…

Invertebrates include a variety of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and moths. (Phillip Nalangan/ Wikimedia Commons)

MD expands wildlife protections to new species

Environmental advocates in Maryland are celebrating legislation that expands the definitions of wildlife in the state. The law also requires the …

Volunteers for the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count are always needed, organizers said. (Adobe Stock)

MD birders prepare for count across the state

Christmas, it turns out, is for the birds, at least for those that will be counted this year in the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count…

A poll from the Alliance for American Manufacturing poll found more than 80% of Americans would buy more American-made products if larger retailers sold them. (Adobe Stock)

The challenges and joys of printing holiday cards in MD

Americans purchase around 6.5 billion greeting cards each year, with around 20% of them bought for the holiday season. Sarah Hitchcock Burzio…

In a report on the lobbying transparency laws of each state, Colorado was the only state to receive an 'A' grade. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Maryland fossil fuel lobbyists fail to disclose activities

A new report says fossil-fuel lobbyists in two states with strong transparency and disclosure laws are not making full disclosures - including in Mary…

Parental separation, drug abuse in the home and physical abuse were some of the most common Adverse Childhood Experiences cited by people imprisoned as children. (Adobe Stock)

MD ranks among worst states for long-term incarceration

Maryland has one of the highest percentages in the nation of people in prison who began serving time when they were juveniles. A new report from …

President-elect Donald Trump's promise to slash the federal workforce is prompting concerns in Maryland, home to one of the highest concentrations of federal employees in the country. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Maryland's federal workers prepare to defend their jobs

It's no secret President-elect Donald Trump wants to fire thousands of federal workers. But in a state like Maryland - home to the fourth-highest …

A monarch butterfly can travel between 50 to 100 miles a day during its migration. (Derek Ramsey/Wikimedia Commons)

Are monarchs 'threatened enough?' Government soon decides

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to decide soon whether to list the monarch butterfly as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act…

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