Maryland News & Current Events | Public News Service

Meta has until Aug. 1 to respond to the Federal Trade Commission's blanket prohibition on monetizing data from children under 18. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, June 5, 2023

Unions Taking on Meta at Annual Shareholder Meeting

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, held its annual meeting last week amid new scrutiny from the federal government and multiple …

The FTC reports scammers will attempt to manipulate a victim's emotions by creating a sense of urgency, and then stressing that only they can help. (Adobe Stock)

AI-Powered Phone Scams Target Seniors

Phone scammers are now using artificial intelligence to steal money from victims with realistic-sounding facsimiles of loved ones. Scammers take …

Researchers found cities with the highest ParkScore rankings are healthier places to live based on the metrics of physical inactivity and mental health. (Adobe Stock)

ParkScore Rankings Name Washington D.C. Nation’s Best

The nonprofit Trust for Public Land has published its annual ParkScore rankings, and some area cities are high on the list. Washington, D.C.…

The Pentagon is currently considering alternatives to firefighting foam containing PFAS. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Analysis: Pentagon PFAS Cleanup Backlog Growing Faster than Funding

A new analysis from the nonprofit Environmental Working Group said the Department of Defense is not doing enough to clean up contaminated military ins…

Placements in foster care group homes have decreased by 13% nationwide since 2006. (Adobe Stock)

Foster Care Report Shows Fewer in System, But Achievement Gaps Remain

A new report covering foster care trends among older children in the U.S. shows some improvements but critical achievement gaps remain. The …

More than 129,000 Marylanders are employed as retail salespersons or cashiers, and more than 40% of those have incomes below a survival-level budget. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nearly 900,000 MD Households Economically Insecure

A new report found tens of thousands of Maryland households were made financially insecure by the pandemic. The report puts the number of …

Nationally, more than one in three Americans live in counties that had unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. (Adobe Stock)

State of the Air Report Shows Mixed Results for Air Quality in Maryland

A new report found a mix of good and bad findings for air quality in Maryland. The American Lung Association recently released its annual State of …

One method of tracking migrating monarch population size is measuring the amount of acreage on which they overwinter in Mexico. (Adobe Stock)

Monarch Week Highlights Butterfly Population Decline

This is Monarch Week, and environmental advocates are calling attention to the plight of the monarch butterfly. Monarchs are considered essential …

A tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours to transmit the Lyme bacteria. (Adobe Stock)

Increasing Cases of Lyme Disease in Dogs Highlighted During April

April is Prevent Lyme disease in Dogs Month, and animal health experts are getting the word out about tick borne diseases in pets. Over the past two …

Estimates indicate Maryland will lose $69 million of federal funds per month. (Piman Khrutmuang/Adobe Stock)

MD SNAP Benefit Reductions Will Total Nearly $700 Million in 2023

With the end of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) emergency allotments, hunger advocates are sounding the alarm over food insecurity …

The number of children in the U.S. as a share of its total population has fallen from 35% in 1960 to 22% in 2020. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Report: U.S. Child Population On the Decline

A new look at the most recent census data shows the child population in America has declined - and predicts ripple effects for the job market and educ…

The Inflation Reduction Act extended the $7,500-per-vehicle tax credit through 2032. (Adobe Stock)

Could Churches be Prime Locations for EV Charging Stations?

By Amethyst Holmes for Religion News Service.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Net…

A report from Generation Hope about child-care access for student parents finds 78% of student parents surveyed wished their college or university campus supported their child-care needs better. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Eliminating Child-Care Barriers for Student Parents

A new report highlights the need for better access to child care for college level student parents. The report, from Generation Hope, finds 92% of …

A new EPA rule will limit inhalable particles with diameters of 10 micrometers and smaller. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Finalizing New Air Quality Rule

The Environmental Protection Agency is in the process of finalizing a new rule to improve air quality in America. The proposal will lower the amount …

The Williams Institute estimates that 1.3 million U.S. adults identify as transgender. (Adobe Stock)

MD House and Senate Approve Trans Health Equity Act

Both chambers of the Maryland legislature have passed a bill that would require the state's Medicaid program to cover gender affirming care. While …

Estimates indicate 8.6% of children in Maryland will be bereaved by age 18, which is higher than the national average of 7.7%. (Adobe Stock)

Conference in Baltimore to Focus on Childhood Grief

Knowing how to hold space for the grief of children can be complex, but learning how to do it is vital for their well-being. A death in the family …

If enacted, the pilot program would begin on July 1. (Adobe Stock)

MD Legislature Considers Four-Day Workweek Pilot Program

A bill in the Maryland Legislature would create a pilot program to study the impact of a four-day workweek. The pilot program would create a tax …

In addition to helping capture carbon in the soil, no-till farming practices with seasonal cover crops help preserve soil nutrients and prevent erosion. (Margaret Burlingham / Adobe Stock)

U.S. Carbon Farming Takes Root, but Do Economics Add Up?

By Carey L. Biron for Context.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Context/Solutions Journalism Network/…

Maryland's Broadband Expansion Incentive Act has 74 cosponsors, including a dozen House Republicans. (Adobe Stock)

MD Legislature Considers Broadband Expansion

The Maryland Legislature is looking at ways to expand broadband access in the state and advocates are weighing in. Gov. Wes Moore's broadband …

Pollsters found support increased to 74% when people polled were informed 10 other states and Washington, D.C., have legalized the practice. (Adobe Stock)

Record Percentage of MD Voters Support End-of-Life Option Legislation

The Maryland Legislature this session will again take up the issue of medical aid in dying, and prospects for its passage look favorable. New …

People who experience fatigue from long duration screen use can consider blue light reading glasses that filter blue light and reduce glare. (Adobe Stock)

Blue Light From Screens Could Impact Sleep

With the rise in digital device use, more people are expressing concern about exposure to blue light. While blue light is around us daily as part of …

A new report states home repairs and electrification offer enormous local job growth opportunities. (Charles Taylor/Adobe Stock)

Study: MD Needs to Repair Thousands of Homes to Meet Climate Goals

A new report found Maryland will need to repair hundreds of thousands of homes occupied by low and middle-income people in order to meet its climate g…

One in three Black college students is also a parent, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. (Adobe Stock)

Bowie State University to Boost Support for Student Parents

Students who are also parents face more challenges getting through college, but support for these students is getting an upgrade at Bowie State …

Both drafty and well-sealed homes can have a radon problem. (Adobe Stock)

Marylanders Encouraged to Test for Radon

January is National Radon Action Month and officials are encouraging Marylanders to test their homes. Radon is a radioactive gas produced by the …

Last year saw the certification of LEED projects pass 100,000 globally. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Maryland Improves on Green Building Ranking

Maryland ranks fifth in the nation on a new report on green building in the U.S. The U.S. Green Building Council released its annual rankings of …

Experts say school-based grief groups are a good way for grieving students to learn coping skills. (Adobe Stock)

Supporting Students Through the Grief Process

Knowing how to approach the grief of others can be difficult, although things can get more complicated when addressing the grief of students in …

Maryland's nursing shortage is anticipated to grow to over 13,000 RNs by 2035. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland Hospital Capacity Strained: High Demand, Staffing Challenges

Maryland's health officials are appealing to the public to take precautions as the state's hospital bed availability is once again strained. Many …

Oregon was the first state to legalize medical aid in dying. Its

MD Gov.-Elect Expresses Support for Medical Aid in Dying

Advocates of medical aid in dying are cheering recent statements by Gov.-Elect Wes Moore in support of patients having the option. The governor-…

Baltimore City rents have increased 19% since the start of the pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

The Grassroots Fight for Housing Justice in Baltimore

By Jaisal Noor for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for Maryland News Connection reporting for the Yes! Media-Public News Service …

The Communications Workers of America Union represents hundreds of thousands of workers in tech, media and telecom, as well as other industries. (Adobe Stock)

Quality Assurance Workers at MD-Based ZeniMax Vote to Unionize

Employees at Microsoft's ZeniMax Online Studios have voted to form a union and begin collective bargaining with the tech giant. The ZeniMax quality …

The eye pressure at which glaucoma develops is not consistent, some people with glaucoma have average range eye pressure. (Adobe Stock)

Preventable Vision Loss Highlighted During Glaucoma Awareness Month

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, and with no symptoms, experts say it is important for Marylanders to get regular eye exams. Glaucoma is the …

60 days notice when the decision is made to terminate or allow the current public health emergency to expire. (Adobe Stock)">

Food Insecurity Looms Amid Inflation, End of COVID Era Supports

The issue of charity around meals is a common theme during the holidays, though this year the prospect of a sudden drop-off in federal benefits has …

5.2 million older Americans were considered food-insecure in 2020, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. That's about one in 15 people. (Adobe Stock)">

AARP Maryland Sets 2023 Legislative Priorities

AARP Maryland has just released its legislative priority list for the coming year, with health and consumer protection issues topping the list…

The Maryland Family Network says parents should ask providers about their teaching philosophies when researching child care.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Study: Kids in Child Care Not More Likely to Exhibit Problematic Behaviors

New research shows kids in child care aren't more likely to exhibit behavior problems than other children. The study, published in the journal …

The NLRB is responsible for administering and enforcing the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. (Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Increase NLRB Funding During Lame-Duck Congress

With a wave of unionization sweeping across America, the agency that oversees labor relations is struggling to keep up. The National Labor Relations …

Tishman Speyer has been annually donating the milled lumber from the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree to Habitat for Humanity since 2007.(Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna)

Rockefeller Tree Lumber to be Used in MD Habitat for Humanity Homes

One of the more famous Christmas trees in the world will be coming home to Maryland as milled lumber. In 2021 a family in Cecil County was …

Industrial mine waste contains toxins such as heavy metals, sulfides and, at times, radioactive materials. (Adobe Stock)

Canadian Mining Expansion Threatens Watersheds in the Northwest

Representatives from multiple indigenous tribes in the Northwestern United States are traveling to Washington, D.C., this week to discuss an issue of …

The greatest number of cases eligible for the Juvenile Restoration Act have come from Baltimore. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Juvenile Restoration Act Results Suggest Further Reforms

Maryland's Juvenile Restoration Act has been in effect for more than a year now and its impact has people talking about additional reforms. The act …

Nearly 1,000 Small Business Development Centers operate nationwide. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Small Business Saturday Highlights Local Economies

Holiday shoppers this week have no shortage of options with Small Business Saturday being observed on Nov. 26. Sandwiched between Black Friday and …

Current funding for the State Wildlife Grants Program is $65 million per year. (Adobe Stock)

Wild Turkey Restoration in MD a Blueprint for Future Conservation Efforts

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, many may not realize a century ago, wild turkeys were on the brink of extinction. Conservation groups are …

As part of a settlement, Experian will be required to improve its vetting and oversight of third parties that access consumer information. (Anthony Brown/Adobe Stock)

Maryland Reaches Settlements with Experian over Data Breaches

The state of Maryland has entered into multiple settlements with Experian over data breaches. The Maryland Attorney General's Office along with …

The Appalachian Regional Commission POWER Initiative is estimated to have created or retained more than 39,000 jobs since 2015.(Adobe Stock)

Garrett County, MD Wins Grant for Broadband Expansion

The Appalachian Regional Commission has announced its 2022 POWER grant awards, and Garrett County Maryland is on the list. The POWER program focuses …

Maryland to Build Automated Weather Station Network

The state of Maryland is building an automated network of weather stations to help with forecasting and emergency alerts. The state and the …

Maryland's voting system produces a voter-verifiable paper record. (Lisa F. Young/Adobe Stock)

Advocates Call Machine Counting of Ballots Faster, More Accurate

With the likelihood of a long wait for election results nationwide, Maryland's decision to pre-process mail-in ballots may pay dividends in the …

A new report showed fully funding the pollution-reduction efforts needed to restore the bay would add $655 million annually to the regional economy. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Maryland Could See Economic Benefit from Farm Conservation Practices

A new study out this week reports Maryland could realize economic benefits from agricultural conservation efforts in the Chesapeake Bay region…

Research suggests observing bullying also can lead to adverse mental-health outcomes. (Waseem Ali Khan/Adobe Stock)

Bullying Prevention Month Brings Awareness to Victims, Perpetrators

October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and experts are reminding Marylanders to be aware of the patterns within bullying. The …

The eviction rate in Baltimore is almost 2.5 times the national average. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

Baltimore Pilot Program to Provide Tenants Legal Representation

Most tenants facing eviction do not have legal representation, but a pilot program in Baltimore seeks to change that. The cost of eviction to the …

A 2017 Learning Policy Institute survey found teachers' dissatisfaction with standardized testing pressures was the most frequently listed reason for leaving the profession. (Adobe Stock)

Maryland School Districts Navigate Teacher Shortage

Maryland is part of the national trend of school districts struggling to meet student needs with a teacher shortage made worse by COVID. More than 5…

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