Sunday, April 7, 2013
Patch brings you weird news headlines from around the state of Maryland.
Lanham Woman Attempts Robbery, Bites Good Samaritans A Lanham woman is facing robbery and assault charges after attempting to steal a purse from an 80-year-old woman and then biting the victim's husband and a Good Samaritan, who foiled the robbery. Blog Post: Mike Miller Wouldn't Mind A Toke Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller wouldn't mind a toke right about now. Cicadas Return: 17-year Cicadas to Overtake East Coast by the Millions this Spring In May, cicadas in Maryland and along the Eastern seaboard will wake from their 17-year sleep. Jail for 76-Year-Old Ellicott City Man for Embezzlement, Tax Evasion A 76-year-old Ellicott City man was sentenced to more than a year in prison for tax evasion and embezzling more than $415,…
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Greater Greater Washington: Even with a tax increase, driving in Maryland is “a bargain.”
The Maryland House of Delegates passed a bill last week that would increase the state gas tax by more than 20 cents—to 43.7 cents—in July 2016. The news angered and frustrated Maryland residents—including commenters on Patch. One small business owner wrote that he fears the increase could hurt the growth of his business. While a 20-cents-per-gallon increase may seem enormous, a writer on the Greater Greater Washington blog claimed that overall, “The taxes the government collects on gas will still remain very near their historical low.” Between 1933 and 1973, the “inflation-adjusted” Maryland gas tax per mile was $0.03 per gallon or more, peaking at $0.04684 in the late 1930s, David C. wrote. Claims by Del. Justin Ready (R-Dist. 5A) of …
Patch brings you the top Weird News headlines in Maryland from the week.
Thieves Captured on Video Stealing Cooking Grease Two suspects stole cooking grease from an Oxon Hill restaurant and now police are trying to identify why. Pr. George's Woman Charged in Rental Car Theft Tilithea Diane Calliham, 44, is facing multiple charges including theft and driving a rental car without proper authorization. Police: Facebook Post Leads to Arrest in Stolen Credit Card Shopping Spree Pictures posted to the Howard County Police Department’s Facebook page led to the arrests of two people who police say stole credit cards and used them around town, according to a statement. Westminster Students to Show off Peeps on NBC Local students’ marshmallow machine will make an appearance on the national news this weekend. Why Did …
Saturday, March 30, 2013
A new report says a 3 percent cut in Social Security would take more than $300 million from the state economy.
How much do Social Security and Medicare programs affect Maryland businesses? More than you might think, according to a new report by the Main Street Alliance, a national network of small business coalitions. The report, called “Business is (Baby) Booming,” looked at how Social Security and Medicare can drive economic activity and strengthen the retirement security of small business owners across the country. The group’s efforts focused on small businesses—defined as a business with 100 or fewer employees. The report found that more than one-third of small business owners were at or near Social Security’s full benefit age of 66. The report also cited a U.S. Small Business Administration study that found business owners are “significantly …
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Here are some of Patch's top Local Voices posts across Maryland this week.
Bevins Critical of Proposal to Tighten County Car Rules: Baltimore County Councilwoman Cathy Bevins said a colleague is only calling for the changes because he was questioned by a reporter for breaking a campaign promise not to take a county vehicle if elected. Sequestration to Have Serious Local Impact: Baltimore City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young talks about what the impact of the sequestration's mandated federal budget cuts would be on city services. State of the River Address: The South River Report Card is discussed in this blog that details the health of one of the local waterways in Anne Arundel County. Anne Arundel 'School Hours Study' - Answers to the Questions: Blog reacts to a recent study as part of the ongoing …
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Maryland Live Casino plans to open 122 tables on April 11.
Arundel Mills’ Maryland Live! Casino will debut 122 tables of live action games on April 11, according to a Washington Post article. Last November, Maryland voters approved Question 7, allowing Maryland Live and two other gambling establishments to not only offer table games in 2013, but to stay open 24 hours a day. To make room for the table games, more than 400 slot machines are being removed. The initial live table games will include so-called “carnival” variations of poker such as Pai Gow, three-card and Mississippi stud, as well as blackjack and craps. According to the Post, casino officials plan to add a split-level poker room in Summer 2013. Dealers for the table games were required to take a 12-week course at the Maryland Live …
Friday, March 1, 2013
By Jeremy Barr, Capital News Sevice
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Friday, March 1
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to renew the Violence Against Women Act, passing a Senate-approved version of the bill rather than a Republican-offered alternative. The bill will now be sent to President Barack Obama, who has said he will sign it into law. The VAWA provides support and protection for victims of violence. It also funds training designed to better equip law enforcement to respond to instances of sexual and domestic violence. “The legislation passed today provides the broad and comprehensive protections victims and providers deserve,” Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Fort Washington, said in a statement. The bills include protections for same-sex couples and Native Americans, despite the reservations of some congressional …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Mandated budget cuts coming effective Friday could have an impact in Prince George's County.
First it was the "Fiscal Cliff"....Now "Sequestration" gets to take center stage. Gov. Martin O’Malley urged action in Washington Wednesday to avoid federal sequestration—a series of automatic cuts that threaten job creation and reduce vital services for families and children in Maryland and across the nation. The Washington Post published this handy guide on the sequestration. “These are job-killing cuts that are an economic threat to Maryland,” O'Malley said in a statement. “Too many moms and dads in our State will lose jobs, too many children will lose access to programs like Head Start, and too many of our most vulnerable Marylanders will lose assistance from the safety net we’ve worked so hard to protect." The mandated federal …
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Share with your neighbors and friends in the Maryland Love Project.
Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently announced the “Maryland Love Project,” an on-line portal where Maryland residents can express what they most appreciate about their state. Born of a partnership between the State of Maryland, the Baltimore Love Project, the Digital Harbor Foundation’s STEM Engine program and the Maryland State Arts Council, the Maryland Love Project is designed to “showcase all of the reasons why people love Maryland while shining a light on the important role that the arts and technology play in our communities,” O’Malley said in an annoucement. With the assistance of two mentors, four middle and high school students from the STEM Engine project created the portal--love.maryland.gov--during a seven-hour session at …
Legislators argue that legalizing marijuana would increase state revenue and relieve the financial burdan of prosecuting possession charges.
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Sunday, February 24
By Ethan Rosenberg, Capital News Service In the wake of votes to legalize marijuana in several states, a Maryland lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at decriminalizing pot, regulating sales to adults 21 and older and allowing home growing in limited quantity. Delegate Curt Anderson, D-Baltimore, who introduced HB 1453 on Thursday, sees the measure as a way to increase state revenue through means other than taxation. Decriminalizing marijuana, Anderson said, would relieve the financial burden on the criminal justice system from prosecuting possession charges and would save defendants from receiving criminal records. The state would collect a $50 excise tax per ounce of marijuana sold wholesale. Residents who wish to grow marijuana …
jesse
4:25 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2013
What is this gas tax increase for? To upgrade more transportation around DC---whether it be building more or repairing whats there. Washington, DC is 83 miles from my house--I don't want to pay higher prices so already overpaid government workers find travel more convenient. I guess I'll just have to buy my gas in Delaware more ›