Governors issue joint letter against proposal to disrupt state marketplaces, limit access to health insurance

BALTIMORE, MD—Five governors are urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to withdraw a proposed rule they say would disrupt state health insurance marketplaces and limit access to coverage. In a joint letter, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said the […]

Maryland House approves reparations commission bill, heads to Governor Moore’s desk

ANNAPOLIS, MD—The Maryland House of Delegates gave final approval Wednesday to a bill establishing a commission to study reparations for the descendants of enslaved people, sending the measure to Governor Wes Moore amid ongoing questions about his stance on the proposal. The 101-36 party-line vote positions Maryland to join a small group of states examining racial inequities stemming from slavery […]

Maryland man pleads guilty in $1 million unemployment fraud scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A Maryland man has pleaded guilty to his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $1 million in unemployment benefits, authorities say. Mervyn Fombe Abiko, 35, of Prince George’s County, was involved in a conspiracy to impersonate victims and submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims from February 2020 through February 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Abiko […]

Governor Moore urges regional grid operator to protect Marylanders from hikes in energy prices

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Maryland Governor Wes Moore has joined Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in urging regional grid operator PJM Interconnection LLC to make changes to its capacity market rules in order to safeguard Maryland ratepayers from potential electricity cost spikes. In a letter (PDF) sent to the PJM Board of Managers last week, Moore reiterated concerns about rising energy costs for Maryland […]

Governor Wes Moore joins 20 states to announce ‘Reproductive Freedom Alliance’

ANNAPOLIS, MD—On Tuesday, Governor Wes Moore joined California Governor Gavin Newsom, Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Delaware Governor John Carney, Hawai’i Governor Josh Green, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, Maine Governor Janet Mills, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, New York […]

Rep. Elijah Cummings dies at 68, local leaders pay tribute

BALTIMORE, MD—U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Baltimore died of a long-standing illness early Thursday morning according to his office.  He was 68 years old. A spokesman for the key Democrat said that he passed away at Johns Hopkins Hospital at around 2:45 a.m. Cummings had recently been embroiled in a Twitter battle with President Donald Trump over the conditions within […]

Joppa woman cleans up during Md. Lottery ‘Warehouse Dash’ in Chicago

NOTTINGHAM, MD – The “City of Big Shoulders” was also the city of big winning as four Maryland Lottery winners (including one Joppa woman) jetted off to Chicago to take part in this year’s Warehouse Dash. The second-chance prize, awarded last winter, gave each of the lucky Lottery players a 90-second shopping spree through the My Lottery Rewards fulfillment warehouse. […]