The Ravens' Victory Celebration, Gun Control And Mental Illness, and A Proposed Surcharge To Pay For Natural Gas Pipeline Replacement

Last week, a raucous crowd jammed the Inner Harbor to send Baltimore's Ravens off to the Super Bowl. Yesterday, an even bigger, even louder crowd took over City Hall Plaza and lined downtown streets to welcome home the champions. WYPR's Joel McCord was among the fans... and brings us this report.

Many of the folks attending yesterday's victory celebrations were students; the Baltimore Sun reports that area schools reported unusually high absence rates yesterday.

President Obama called Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome yesterday to congratulate them for their Super Bowl win. The President says he's hoping the Ravens will come to the White House so that he can congratulate the team in person (via the Baltimore Sun).

And yesterday's celebratory mood was darkend by the news of a triple stabbing, not far from the victory parade. Baltimore police say one teen died, and two others were injured -- and that the victims knew their attackers. Police say surveillance cameras are being used in the investigation (via our wire service; more here from the Baltimore Sun).

Most headlines in the post-Newtown gun control debate have been focused on banning certain weapons. But the more meaningful quest may be keeping guns away from people so mentally troubled that they present a clear and present danger. WYPR’s Karen Hosler reports on Maryland proposals.

Maryland utilities could soon be allowed to charge their customers up to $2 more per month, under legislation moving through the General Assembly. The surcharge would be used to hasten the replacement of aging gas pipelines -- some of which are a century old. The legislation appears on track to pass by the end of the week (via the Baltimore Sun).

Maryland college students could soon get tax breaks on their textbooks. Lawmakers in Annapolis are considering legislation that would provide tax exemptions for students who buy their books in Maryland -- they hope the move would increase local textbook sales, and prevent folks from going to the web to buy their books (via marylandreporter.com).

Lawmakers are also considering a bill that would remove the state Comptroller's Office's authority to regulate sales of alcohol, tobacco, and motor fuel -- and shift those duties to the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation. Comptroller Peter Franchot is reportedly livid at the idea -- he tells the Baltimore Sun that the proposal is "political payback," and claims it's aimed at retaliating him for speaking out against the recent expansion of Maryland's casino gambling program. The legislation was introduced by Prince George's County Delegate Dereck Davis, who backed the casino expansion. Delegate Davis says the idea has nothing to do with payback, and everything to do with cost effectivness of Government.

On today's edition of Inside Maryland Politics, WYPR's Fraser Smith talks with Alexander Pyles of the Daily Record about State Senate President Mike Miller's transportation proposal, and why he is frustrated with the lack of movement on transit funding.

The Morgan State University Board of Regents has voted to remove its chairman Dallas Evans. In December, Evans led a charge to remove school President David Wilson, a move that was later reversed by a 14 to one vote of the board, with Evans casting the only dissenting vote. The initial vote to remove Wilson drew outrage among the student body, but Evans continues to defend his position on the issue. Evans has served on the board for two decades, and his term was set to expire in 2015 (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

The Baltimore County Board of Education has again agreed to allow a new elementary school go up at Mays Chapel Park (via the Baltimore Sun).