Maryland News & Current Events | Public News Service

One in seven hospitalized patients will need a blood transfusion. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Maryland needs more blood donors

This month is National Blood Donor Month, and blood donor groups are making sure people know the importance of giving blood. Blood can't be …

The CDC says Listeria is the third-leading cause of death from foodborne illness, with about 260 fatalities per year. (Adobe Stock)

Expert: Raw milk carries higher health risks

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaborat…

Parks across Maryland have received federal grants of $15 million to improve city parks. (Adobe Stock)

MD parks gain from Interior Department grant

The Department of the Interior recently announced the largest single investment in local parks in the communities across the country and two Maryland …

With a pending rule excluding medical debt from loan applications, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau predicted an uptick of 22,000 affordable mortgages approved every year because applicants will not have old medical bills upending their loan request.

Marylanders' medical debt off limits to banks, lenders

A new federal rule could ease some of the pressure when Marylanders apply for loans but may face challenges from the incoming Trump administration…

More than 420,000 Marylanders are members of the state's retirement and pension system. (Adobe Stock)

How to approach MD climate risks when saving for retirement

For workers or pension systems trying to keep support for the fossil-fuel industry to a minimum, one expert has some suggestions. Just last month…

Fellow mid-Atlantic states Virginia and Delaware come in third and second respectively for the worst wage theft rates, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Labor data by the Goat Academy. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Department wants MD workers to claim their wages

The U.S. Department of Labor is holding $6.8 million in unpaid wages for more than 5,000 Maryland workers, and said time is running out to claim the …

The Maryland Constitution requires the state budget to be balanced every year. (MDGovpics/Wikimedia Commons)<br />

What to expect in Maryland’s legislative session

On Wednesday, Maryland's legislative session begins in Annapolis - and state lawmakers are facing numerous challenges. Maryland expects pressure …

President Joe Biden made a campaign promise to deported veterans at an Iowa townhall in 2019 to

Deported veterans call for pardons from Biden

"Deported veterans" may sound like an oxymoron. But it is not, and those veterans are working to get pardons in the last days of President Joe …

Maryland has 12 news outlets dedicated to Black and Latino communities in the state. (Adobe Stock)

MD newsrooms experience slight dip in 2024

A new report finds Maryland has seen a small decline in the number of newspapers in the state this year. The report is from the Northwestern …

President-elect Donald Trump sought to reduce the Environmental Protection Agency's budget by up to 30% during his first administration and significantly altered or reversed nearly 100 environmental rules. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: MD Trump voters still want EPA protections

A majority of Republicans and Democrats oppose attempts to weaken the regulatory power of the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a new …

Bald eagles were taken off the federal endangered list in 1995 and the threatened list in 2007. (About to Launch/Wikimedia Commons)

Bald eagle officially becomes national bird, a conservation success

The United States has a national mammal, tree and flower but the status of America's most treasured bird was not always so clear officially or …

Despite service slowdowns and hikes in stamp prices, the U.S. Postal Service lost nearly $10 billion in 2024. (Adobe Stock)

Proposed post office ‘slowdown’ threatens rural Americans

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has made clear he wants the Postal Service to turn a profit. But advocates warn proposed changes would hurt rural …

Montgomery County, Maryland, is home to thousands of multifamily rental units, and many of those units already have air-conditioning. (Adobe Stock)

Lessons learned from an air conditioning law on rentals in MD

By Ysabelle Kempe for Smart Cities Dive.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-…

Among adults over the age of 65, 20% do not drive, according to one study on the transportation needs of seniors. (Adobe Stock)

Helping seniors through loneliness during the holidays

With Christmas less than a week away, experts are giving advice on how seniors and the community can fight against social isolation. A United Health …

A second Trump term leaves many questions about how he will use available legal levers to subpoena reporters and their sources. (Gage Skidmore/ Wikimedia Commons)

Bill in Congress could protect journalists, sources

In the last days of President Joe Biden's term, senators are tackling some of their highest priorities, like confirming judges. But that may also …

Graduation rates in behavioral health fields at Maryland's colleges and universities have experienced declines from pre-pandemic levels, according to a report from the Maryland Health Care Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MD must address behavioral health specialist shortages

Maryland is facing a significant shortage of behavioral health professionals and a new report from the Maryland Health Care Commission offered some su…

Only four Black women have been elected to the U.S. Senate, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Maryland Senator-elect Angela Alsobrooks, Connecticut Senator-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester and former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun. (Maryland GovPics/ Wikimedia Commons)

Maryland in top 10 for number of women state legislators

More than 2,400 women will serve in state legislatures across the U.S. in 2025. That's a new record, according to the Center for American Women and …

A bill to allow interim legislative appointments passed in the Maryland Senate last session, but died in a House of Delegates subcommittee on elections. (Adobe Stock)

New law seeks to change how state legislative vacancies are filled

Lawmakers in Annapolis plan to introduce a bill to require a special election if a lawmaker is appointed to a seat in the first half of their term…

Invertebrates include a variety of pollinators, such as bees, butterflies and moths. (Phillip Nalangan/ Wikimedia Commons)

MD expands wildlife protections to new species

Environmental advocates in Maryland are celebrating legislation that expands the definitions of wildlife in the state. The law also requires the …

Volunteers for the National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count are always needed, organizers said. (Adobe Stock)

MD birders prepare for count across the state

Christmas, it turns out, is for the birds, at least for those that will be counted this year in the National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count…

A poll from the Alliance for American Manufacturing poll found more than 80% of Americans would buy more American-made products if larger retailers sold them. (Adobe Stock)

The challenges and joys of printing holiday cards in MD

Americans purchase around 6.5 billion greeting cards each year, with around 20% of them bought for the holiday season. Sarah Hitchcock Burzio…

In a report on the lobbying transparency laws of each state, Colorado was the only state to receive an 'A' grade. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Maryland fossil fuel lobbyists fail to disclose activities

A new report says fossil-fuel lobbyists in two states with strong transparency and disclosure laws are not making full disclosures - including in Mary…

Parental separation, drug abuse in the home and physical abuse were some of the most common Adverse Childhood Experiences cited by people imprisoned as children. (Adobe Stock)

MD ranks among worst states for long-term incarceration

Maryland has one of the highest percentages in the nation of people in prison who began serving time when they were juveniles. A new report from …

President-elect Donald Trump's promise to slash the federal workforce is prompting concerns in Maryland, home to one of the highest concentrations of federal employees in the country. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Maryland's federal workers prepare to defend their jobs

It's no secret President-elect Donald Trump wants to fire thousands of federal workers. But in a state like Maryland - home to the fourth-highest …

A monarch butterfly can travel between 50 to 100 miles a day during its migration. (Derek Ramsey/Wikimedia Commons)

Are monarchs 'threatened enough?' Government soon decides

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to decide soon whether to list the monarch butterfly as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act…

The UMB program is self-paced and includes a two-day in-person simulation training. (Adobe Stock / AI)

Maryland trains more health workers to offer abortion care

By Sarah Varney for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for Maryland News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Servi…

New research says enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities is down 10% over the past 10 years. (Adobe Stock)

Report: It’s getting easier to get into college

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Maryland News Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News S…

The smoking rate among adults in Maryland is 9.6%, much lower than the national average of 12.9%. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Screenings for lung cancer a must

A new report on lung cancer by the American Lung Association showed Maryland has quite a bit of room to improve diagnoses and treatment but experts sa…

The Employment Navigation and Partnership Program first launched in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

How troops struggle, excel in civilian employment

By Victoria Lim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Zamone Perez for Keystone State News Connection reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Ser…

A report from the Maryland Public Interest Research Group anticipates future emissions reductions will come from the transportation and industrial sectors. (Adobe Stock / AI-generated)

Report: MD leads nation in greenhouse gas reduction

New research finds Maryland leading the nation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Environmental Protection Agency data show between 2005 and 2022…

Older kids have fewer options to find adoptive families

This coming Saturday is National Adoption Day, but kids who are older or have special needs face more difficulty in finding adoptive parents…

President-elect Donald Trump over performed in a number of traditionally Democratic cities and states, including Maryland. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Trump’s performance in Maryland keeps other races tight

Maryland voters swung toward Donald Trump for president by nearly seven points compared to 2020, making the margins in down-ballot races a little too …

School districts in 29 states banned books during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the latest PEN America report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Maryland ties for ninth in book bans

Book bans are on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from PEN America. The nonprofit that tracks issues of free expression says …

Maryland results canvassed before the election will be released after all polls are closed on Election Day. (Adobe Stock/AI)<br />

Experts: Election results may not be known for days

With concerns about election integrity in the air, experts are reminding Marylanders determining the outcome may take a while. Maryland will utilize …

The University of Maryland-Baltimore's Genetics of Latin American Diversity Database (GLADdb) includes genome-wide information from almost 54,000 Latin Americans representing 46 geographical regions. (AI-generated/Adobe Stock)

MD scientists create Latino genetic database for medical research

Genetic studies overwhelmingly are based on data from people of European descent. But University of Maryland, Baltimore scientists are working to …

Air-source heat pumps use two to three times less energy than electric resistance heating. (Adobe Stock/AI)<br />

MD adopting building energy use standards to meet climate goals

With President Joe Biden in Baltimore today to talk about infrastructure and the climate crisis, the state is in the process of finalizing a new set …

As of 2022 there were more than 800,000 Marylanders enrolled in Medicare. (Jim Vallee / Adobe Stock)

Marylanders encouraged to weigh options during open enrollment season

With open enrollment season getting underway, advocates are reminding Marylanders to consider their options before the window closes. Medicare's …

Maryland criminalized cyberbullying in 2013 and strengthened its law in 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Relational bullying highlighted during Bullying Prevention Month

October is National Bullying Prevention Month and a recent study showed teens bullied in high school tend to become pessimistic about life prospects…

Air pollution from livestock farms and feed production is estimated to cause 16,000 deaths per year. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Global veganism offers sustainable, nutritious alternative

As worldwide demand for meat and dairy continues to grow, so does evidence showing animal agriculture, as currently practiced, is harming the …

There were more than 70 substantial pesticide producers in the United States in the 1960s. (Adobe Stock / AI)

Report: Agribusiness monopolies harming farmers, consumers

A new report looking at agribusiness consolidation found decades of mergers have reduced competition, leading to higher costs for farmers and …

The menhaden catch limit in the Chesapeake Bay was set in 2006 and lowered to its current limit in 2017. (Bill Perry / Adobe Stock)

Group addressing menhaden decline in the upper Chesapeake Bay

Forage fish, a critical food source for other species, are in decline up and down the Eastern Seaboard but menhaden decline in Maryland waters has …

The federal minimum wage was raised to its current rate of $7.25 per hour in 2009. (Adobe Stock)

Study: Increasing minimum wage does not reduce jobs

A new report shows minimum wage increases have had little effect on the number of jobs in Maryland and nationwide. While the rhetoric around …

According to NOAA data, since 1980, the U.S. has sustained 376 weather and climate disasters with a cumulative cost of $2.6 trillion. (Adobe Stock / AI)

Van Hollen introduces federal 'climate superfund' legislation

New federal legislation would make polluters pay for the costs of climate change mitigation. On Thursday, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced …

A 2018 study estimated 33% of Baltimore City is a food desert. (Adobe Stock)

Baltimore food deserts highlighted during Hunger Action Month

September is Hunger Action Month and advocates in Baltimore City are calling attention to expanding food deserts. Over the summer the Giant Foods …

The recommended ratio of school counselors to students is 250 to 1. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Mental health in focus as MD kids head back to school

As kids head back to school, advocates are calling for expanded access to school-based mental health services in Maryland and nationwide. The …

Among all voters in Maryland, 79% rate their motivation to vote as 10 out of 10. (Fahad Ayub/Adobe Stock)

Poll: Hogan, Alsobrooks tied at 46% in Senate race

A new poll found the Maryland's U.S. Senate race is a dead heat and Marylanders 50 and older are highly motivated to vote. The bipartisan poll …

The Baltimore Tree Trust has planted nearly 17,000 trees around the city since 2008. (Andrew Kazmierski / Adobe Stock)

Community works to combat Baltimore heat island

With Baltimore City seeing record heat this summer, local groups are working to combat the effect of the city's urban heat island. Where …

The youth arrest rate peaked in 1996 at more than 8,000 per 100,000 young people. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Juvenile crime has been falling for decades, but disparities remain

A new report shows the rate of juvenile crime has been falling for years but disparities remain in Maryland and nationwide. The Sentencing Project …

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