Death Penalty Repeal, Table Games Come To MD, An Audit Of Baltimore's Phone System, and "No"-Quester

Yesterday's so-called "snowquester"? More of a "no"-quester in Baltimore yesterday... while forecasters had been expecting at least half a foot of the white stuff, a front of warm air gave the city a mix of rain and slush -- mostly rain. And with warmer weather on the horizon, forecasters now say it's unlikely that Baltimore will see more than five-inches of snow for all of winter 2013. That's about a foot less than average.

In Annapolis yesterday, the State Senate signed off on a bill that would repeal the death penalty in Maryland. Senators voted 27-to 20 in favor of the capital punishment ban, with 2 Republicans joining a majority of Democrats. A House of Delegates committee is expected to vote on the legislation as soon as this week (with reporting from WYPR's Karen Hosler; more here from the Washington Post, here from the Baltimore Sun, and here from the Gazette). 

When the people who live at the homeless encampment under Baltimore’s Jones Fall Expressway got word of the impending eviction, they got a postponement, they went to City Hall. Now, they’re getting a roof over their heads thanks to two locals who took the matter into their own hands. WYPR’s Mary Rose Madden has more. And there's more on this story here from the Baltimore Sun.

WYPR Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith says the Anne Arundel County Council isn't known for making fast, efficient, and smart decisions. So he says the Council surprised everyone when it quickly chose a political unknown to be county executive. Fraser comments in his weekly essay.

A new audit of Baltimore's municipal phone system found that the city is wasting almost one-million dollars a year (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

The Baltimore city school system is expecting a 2014 budget reduction of almost nine-percent at the district's central office. It will be the fifth consecutive year for cuts at the central office (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

The Frederick County Board of Education is calling on the County's Board of Commissioners not to approve a 15-million dollar funding cut that's part of a plan the Commissoners are considering (via the Gazette).

And: Hollywood Casino Perryville became the first casino in Maryland yesterday to debut table games. The casino yesterday debuted 12 tables, including blackjack, craps, roulette and poker (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).