New Year's Eve Schedule Changes, PSC Chair Nazarian Goes To The Court Of Special Appeals, and A Potential Strike At The Port Of Baltimore Has Been Averted

Lots of schedule changes are in place on this New Year's Eve. The Baltimore Sun has an in-depth rundown here; a brief overview is as follows:

Public schools remain closed today. Courts are closed as well. And so are state government offices. Local government offices are closed in most jurisdictions -- but they're open here in Baltimore City as well as in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County (government offices are closed in Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Frederick Counties, among others). Most public libraries are open -- but they'll close a little early; here in Baltimore, the Enoch Pratt Free Library's branches close at 5 o'clock tonight. Libraries in Anne Arundel, Frederick, and Howard Counties also close at 5pm. In Baltimore County, libraries close at 5:30. And libraries are closed today in Harford County. There's no trash or recycling pickup today in Harford County today... but regular service continues as usual in most other jurisdictions. There's no pickup tomorrow around the state.

MARC trains are running on the Penn and Brunswick Lines only -- and they're on an "S" schedule: only trains with an “S” under their train number in the timetables will operate. Commuter buses are running, with a modified afternoon schedule. The Light Rail, Metro Subway, and local MTA buses are on their regular schedules... and there's extra service for the Light Rail and Metro Subway, which will both keep running one hour after Baltimore's downtown fireworks display (more here from the MTA).  

Baltimore's New Year's Eve Spectacular begins tonight at 9, with live musical entertainment. And the fireworks are set to go off over the Inner Harbor at just after midnight (more on the celebration here). 

On today's edition of Inside Maryland Politics, WYPR Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith talks to The Daily Record's Alexander Pyles about the involvement of organized labor and the building of gambling venues.

While talks to avert the so-called fiscal cliff continue in Washington... a strike at the Port of Baltimore has been averted, at least for now. On Friday, the International Longshoremen's Association agreed to continue talks through February 6th with the US Maritime Alliance, which represents shipping companies. The two sides have agreed to terms on the biggest sticking point -- container royalty payments, which the union wanted to continue, and the Maritime Alliance wanted to cap and restrict. The terms of that agreement won't be released until all talks are done (via the Baltimore Sun and the Daily Record).

The chairman of Maryland's Public Service Commission is on the way out. On Friday, Governor Martin O'Malley appointed Doug Nazarian to serve as a judge on the Court of Special Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. Nazarian has chaired the PSC since 2008; he'll be replaced at the top of the PSC by Kevin Hughes, who's been a PSC commissioner since 2011 (via the Baltimore Business Journal, the Baltimore Sun, and the Daily Record).

The General Assembly will be reviewing the state's law allowing speed enforcement cameras in their upcoming session (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

Just weeks after the Board of Regents decided not to renew the contract of Morgan State University's President - they have reversed course. Doctor David Wilson was told by the Regents on Friday he would be back on the job, for at least another year (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

In sports: the University of Maryland, Baltimore County chess team is finishing on top once again. The UMBC team tied with four other college teams for first place yesterday at the Pan-American Intercollegiate Team Chess Championship (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

And: the Ravens lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 23 to 17 in yesterday's final game of the regular season. The Ravens will host the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday in the first round of the playoffs.