Thanksgiving Travel Projections, Baltimore's Automated Speed Camera Program, and The Latest on Tiffany Alston's Fight To Remain In The General Assembly

Maryland's roadways are going to be busy this Thanksgiving holiday. AAA Mid-Atlantic is predicting that just over 800-thousand Marylanders will drive more than 50 miles from their homes over the holiday period -- which the auto club as running from Wednesday through Sunday. That's about the same number as last year (via AAA MidAtlantic). And, as usual, the Maryland drivers will be joined on the roads by lots of folks from out of state -- The Maryland Transportation Authority expects some 2.7 million travelers to use the state's toll facilities during its holiday period, which it defines as starting tomorrow and running through Sunday. The MDTA says the highest volume on the roads is likely to be on Wednesday (via the MDTA). AAA says that around 80-thousand additional Marylanders will travel by air, bus, or train this holiday season (with additional reporting from our wire service). 

Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott is calling for a hearing on the city's automated speed camera program, after a recent investigation from the Baltimore Sun indicated that the cameras can be inaccurate and the process can be unfair. The program issued than 680-thousand tickets during the last fiscal year. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake tells the Sun that a task force has already been appointed "to review virtually every issue raised in the (Sun's) article." The Mayor also notes that the majority of folks who got tickets were NOT from Baltimore. Some 57 percent of the tickets went to people who live outside the city, with about 40-thousand of those tickets going to out-of-state drivers. Rawlings-Blake says those statistics show that drivers who do not live in the city are not heeding the message to slow down in enforcement areas and school zones.

Governor Martin O'Malley has asked the state attorney general to rule on whether Tiffany Alston is still a state delegate. Prince George's County Democrats nominated businessman Greg Hall to replace Alston in the legislature, after Alston was sentenced last month for stealing 800-dollars from the General Assembly to pay an employee of her law firm. But a judge later changed her suspended, one-year jail term to "probation before judgement." And now the governor is asking Prince George's County Democrats to withdraw Hall's nomination. O'Malley's office says time is needed for the review and the request is not a reflection on the nominee (via our wire service and the Washington Post). 

On today's edition of Inside Maryland Politics, WYPR Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith talks to The Sun's Andy Green about Baltimore's growing infrastructure problems.

Baltimore Gas and Electric says its residential gas customers can expect their second-lowest total winter gas bills in a decade, thanks to lower gas prices. However, officials say customers will likely see an increase in their bills. That's because last winter was particularly mild... and unless it's as warm this season (which it's not expected to be), folks are expected to use use more gas, and thus pay more for the service (via our wire service and the Baltimore Business Journal).

A Cornell student from Howard County is one of 32 men and women elected as American Rhodes Scholars this year. Christopher B. Dobyns of Highland is also a Udall Scholar who plans to take a Masters degree in refugee studies (via our wire service and the Baltimore Sun).

The Baltimore American Indian Center held its 38th Annual Pow Wow this weekend (via our wire service).

The environmental advocacy group Friends of Frederick County is urging county residents to help clean up the county's polluted streams and creeks (via the Frederick News Post).

In sports news this morning: The University of Maryland is considering a move from the Atlantic Coast Conference to the Big Ten. The Board of Regents is expected to meet and discuss the proposed change today (via our wire service and the Washington Post).

And: the Ravens won yesterday, taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers 13 to 10. This coming Sunday, the Ravens will be in San Diego, for a game against the Chargers.