Sequestration, An Infant Cured Of HIV, and The Planned Eviction Of The Homeless Encampment Near The JFX

With the federal spending cuts known as sequestration going into effect, the garrison commander of Fort Meade says about one-thousand civilian employees will get furlough notices. The furloughs will be staggered with workers being released one day a week (via our wire service; more here from the Baltimore Sun, and more here from NPR).  

Baltimore city officials say they're planning to remove the large homeless encampment along the Jones Falls Expressway on Friday of this week. The small strip of land has been used by the homeless for the past five years; about 20 people currently live there. But they may not, by the end of the week... City officials have posted a sign saying that anything left on the site Friday will be removed and discarded. City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke says she's introducing legislation today that would either move back the eviction date by three months, or put all the people who currently live there into temporary transitional housing (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

Lawmakers in Annapolis are looking at Maryland's eviction law... particularly, as it pertains to what are called "self-help evictions." Those occur when property owners lock out tenants without court orders and without the help of sheriff's deputies. The state's highest court recently ruled that the practice was legal, but some legislators want to change that. This week, they'll examine a bill that would call for new eviction standards between landlords and tenants, homeowners in foreclosure situations, and mobile home residents and park owners (via the Baltimore Sun).

The first account of an infant being cured of HIV is getting worldwide attention. A baby girl in Mississippi who was born with HIV has been cured after treatment with standard drug therapy; doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore says this gives hope for other young kids (via our wire service, NPR, and the Baltimore Sun).

On today's edition of Inside Maryland Politics, WYPR's Fraser Smith and Andy Green of the Baltimore Sun talk about Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake's ten-year fiscal forecast and her proposals for changes in city spending.

Table games are coming to one Maryland casino later this week. The Hollywood Casino Perryville plans to start offering 20 of the games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette, this Thursday. The state's largest casino -- Maryland Live!, in Anne Arundel County -- will offer table games in April (via our wire service; more here from the Gazette). 

Lawmakers in Annapolis are considering changes to the state's petition process. The bill's backers say the changes are aimed at preventing fraud. But opponents say those changes are designed to make it harder to petition a law to referendum (via marylandreporter.com).

Lawmakers are also considering legislation that would let Howard County restaurant-goers buy wine, to go, in refillable containers (via the Baltimore Sun).

Maryland farmers are optimistic that they won't be beset by a scourge of brown marmorated stink bugs this year. Scientists say that the newest generations of the pungent beetles don't appear to be as fertile as past generations. And they say that the relatively mild winter we've had this year may also be cutting into the stink bugs' life span (via the Frederick News Post).

In Western Maryland, more than 900 people braved freezing temperatures over the weekend to plunge into the waters of Lake Habeeb. The ninth annual Hooley Plunge was held Saturday at Rocky Gap State Park (via our wire service and the Washington Post).

In sports: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is expected to sign his new contract today. The 120-million-dollar-plus deal makes the Super Bowl M-V-P the highest-paid player in football history.

And: the Orioles took down the Philadelphia Phillies in yesterday's Grapefruit League game; the score was 12 to 3. The O's take today off; tomorrow, they take on the Toronto Blue Jays.