MD’s unemployment rate fell from 6.7% in October to 6.4% in November. The license to build and operate a casino in Prince George’s County has been awarded to MGM. A report on mental health care. A profile of a fist-year Baltimore middle school teacher. Plus: Harbor Point, 2014 election news, and more.
MD Unemployment Rate Falls: Maryland picked up 89-hundred jobs in November, according to data released Friday by the U.S. Labor Department. The Baltimore Sun reports that the gains dropped the state’s unemployment rate from 6.7 percent in October to 6.4 percent last month. The national unemployment rate was 7 percent in November. The Daily Record notes that Maryland has picked up some 33,500 jobs since November 2012, a year-over-year increase of one-point-three percent.
MGM Wins License To Build Prince George’s County Casino: Maryland's sixth and final casino is set to go up at National Harbor in Prince George's County. On Friday, state gaming officials announced that MGM had won the license to build and operate a casino-resort at National Harbor. MGM beat out Greenwood and Penn National Gaming, which also submitted proposals. The Baltimore Sun reports that the $925-million project is not expected to be completed for two years at least; the casino’s expected to have some 36-hundred slot machines and 140 table games, such as blackjack and roulette.
Mental Health Care...For Free? Know anyone who’s asking Santa for therapy this year? More than half of psychiatrists don’t accept insurance and often their rates are too high for many people to pay out of pocket. WYPR’s Mary Rose Madden has the story for one group in the Baltimore area that brings mental health services to the neediest – for free.
Ms. Miller's Class: Established 2013, Part 2 When Baltimore City schools opened back in August, WYPR’s Gwendolyn Glenn shadowed first-year, seventh-grade, science teacher Danielle Miller. Now that the Holabird Middle School teacher has reached the first milestone—the Christmas break—Glenn checks back in to see how Miller’s doing.
Why Harbor Point Developer--Not The EPA--Tests For Air Pollution: WYPR's Fraser Smith and Tim Wheeler of the Baltimore Sun talk about the air monitoring plan for the Harbor Point project and why regulators told the developer to revise their first proposal. It’s this morning’s edition of Inside Maryland Politics.
Police Lodge Endorses Brown: A statewide organization of State Police troopers has endorsed Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown's bid to become governor. The Maryland State Police Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 69 announced its support Friday for Brown and his running mate, Howard County Executive Ken Ulman. The Lodge tells the Washington Post that Brown and Ulman have strong records of fighting for Maryland’s public safety officers. Brown will face off with Attorney General Doug Gansler and Delegate Heather Mizeur in the Democratic primary… which is about 6 months away, on June 24th.
Gansler Expands Campaign Staff: State Attorney General Doug Gansler is expanding the staff for his gubernatorial campaign. On Friday, Gansler announced that his long-time advisor Antigone Davis will be his new campaign manager – she’s the third person to fill that role since Gansler’s bid for the state’s top job began. The Baltimore Sun reports that Gansler has also hired a new political strategist, a new political researcher, a new policy aide, and a press secretary. The Washington Post has more.
League Of Conservation Voters Endorses Frosh: State Senator Brian Frosh’s bid to be Maryland’s next Attorney General picked up the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters on Friday. As the Washington Post reports, the environmental group called Frosh a “long-time environmental champion” in announcing its support. Frosh faces three Democrats in the primary: Delegates Aisha Braveboy, Jon Cardin and Bill Frick. No Republicans have entered the Attorney General’s race as of yet. The Baltimore Sun has more.
Baltimore Parking Violations: Baltimore City brought in about $13.5-million in the last fiscal year – for parking violations. The Baltimore Sun reports that nearly 310-thousand citations were issued. About a third of them were for breaking parking meter rules. The city has 78 parking enforcement agents; 10 of them work for its recently reinstated overnight parking enforcement program, which operates between 10pm and 6am.
Proposed Tuition Rates For Carroll, Harford Community Colleges: Tuition rates are likely to go up $5 per credit hour next year at Carroll Community College and $12 per credit hour next year Harford Community College. The Baltimore Sun reports that tuitions at both institutions have been rising since 2010.
Baltimore’s Lion Cubs Named Luke, Leia: The first ever lions to be born at the Baltimore Zoo now have names. On Friday, the zoo announced that the 10-week old lion cubs will be called Luke and Leia – in an homage to the Star Wars characters. The Baltimore Sun notes that the lions’ mother died after their birth, but the two cubs are reported to be in good health, and now eating solid foods.
Baltimore Football: The Ravens fell 41 to 7 to the New England Patriots yesterday. This coming Sunday, the Ravens end the regular season with a game against the Cincinnati Bengals – and to make the playoffs, they’ll have to win it. Not only that, either the Chargers or the Dolphins will have to lose their last game of the season. The Ravens have made it to the postseason five years in a row – it’s the longest current playoff streak in the NFL.
