State rally: OK lawmakers hide mandate for public school students, staff; Talbot Boys statue to be moved to Virginia

MANDATORY MASKS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS, STAFF: Masks will be required for all students and staff at all public schools in Maryland after a Tuesday afternoon on emergency regulation by a panel of state lawmakers, Bryan Renbaum reports for the Maryland Reporter.

• The approval came following a lengthy public video hearing that oscillated between accusations that a mask was warranting represents government overbreadth calls from parents to protect their students from the coronavirus, reports Pamela Wood of the Sun.
• The 10-7 vote of the Joint Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review Commission of the General Assembly puts the emergency regulations in force up to 180 days. The Maryland State Board of Education approved the settlement last month in an 11-1 vote, Brian Witte reports for the AP.
• Senator Sarah Elfreth, D-Anne Arundel and committee co-chair, said the panel has an obligation to act for the common good of children, especially those who cannot be vaccinated, reports Bryan Sears of the Daily Record.

THE TALBOT BOYS STATUE WILL MOVE TO VIRGINIA PARK: Talbot County Council passed an immediate resolution Tuesday night to move the Confederates Statue of Talbot Boys from outsideBetween the courthouse and a private park in Virginia, reports McKenna Oxenden of The Sun. It is believed to be the only Confederate statue remaining on public land in Maryland.

• Pressure from a lawsuit that claims the statue’s placement on the courthouse lawn violates the US Constitution and is racist, calls from elected officials from all over the state for the statue to be removed and the protests all preceded a resolution to move the monument, Bennett Leckrone reports for Maryland Matters.

WHAT LEADED TO THE DEATH OF THE JUDGE: Before their son left on his first hunting trip with Caroline County Judge Jonathan Newell, his parents sat him down and found a safety note. Justin Fenton of The Sun Tells How Newell befriended the family and this led to it’s up to him to be put on leave, then kill himself as the FBI tried to arrest him on Friday.

NOTICE: “RADICAL EXPERIENCE” IN RESPONSIBILITY EDUCATION: In a comment for the Sun, former Kirwan Commission member Kalman Hettleman said: “A bomb, with uncertain strength, is about to land on school reform in Maryland. This is the start in the coming weeks of the Accountability and Implementation Council created under the Blueprint for the Future of Maryland. More than any other part of the master plan, the IYB is a radical experiment in school governance – untested anywhere in the United States – with virtually unlimited authority to make or break school reform for generations to come.

NOTICE: BLAME FROSH FOR LAW FIRM BILL: In a column for Maryland Matters, David Plymyer believes that criticizing Gov. Larry “Hogan for trying to end federally funded expanded unemployment benefits quickly is fair.” Blame him for the cargo of taxpayer money spent on a private right the company’s unsuccessful attempt to defend its decision in court is not. Responsibility for these expenses rests solely with the Attorney General of Maryland, Brian Frosh. “

PG DEM PANEL TAPS CHAIR FOR DELEGATE SEAT: Prince George County Democratic Central Committee selects Central Committee Chair Cheryl Summers Landis will represent District 23B for the next 16 months. It succeeds the headquarters of the old Del. Ronald L. Watson, who was appointed to the seat of the State Senate from Douglas JJ Peters, who was appointed to the Board of Regents of the Maryland University System.

STEELE MUST DISCLOSE DATA ON THE EXPLORATORY CAMPAIGN: Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland who is considering running for governor, must disclose information about its exploratory campaign to show that he is not breaking campaign finance laws, Pamela Wood reports in The Sun.

Climate-focused solutions, strategies and policies: This session provides an overview of the potential pathways and possible impacts associated with climate-focused policies. The strategically targeted investments needed to maximize desirable results and achieve impactful results faster will also be discussed during this FREE webinar September 21^st.

PG COLLEGE REMOVES $ 2.87M IN STUDENT DEBT: Prince George Community College has cleared any unpaid balance for current students who were also enrolled between March 13, 2020 and August 20, 2021, said Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Tyson Beale. Justin Hinton of WJLA News7 reports. Beale says that in total, more than $ 2.87 million in debt has been repaid by the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Fund, benefiting approximately 4,000 students.

B’MORE WILL END THE YEAR WITH A SURPLUS OF $ 8.9M: After a year of terrible warnings over the state of Baltimore’s budget amid the coronavirus pandemic, city officials said on Tuesday that Baltimore would end fiscal 2021 year with $ 8.9 million surplus due in large part to an injection of federal funding, writes Emily Opilo for The Sun.

MO CO SCHOOLS CHANGES COURSES ON THE QUARANTINE: Less than two weeks after announcing stricter quarantine guidelines for unvaccinated students potentially exposed to COVID-19, public school officials in Montgomery County backtracked on Tuesday, announcing that they will no longer need “close contacts” quarantine pending test results, reports Caitlynn Peetz for Bethesda Beat.

MO CO BOARD MEMBERS WANT A VAXX MANDATE FOR COUNTY WORKERS: Two members of Montgomery County Council ask for a vaccination mandate for all county employees, Steve Bohnel is reporting for Bethesda Beat.

FREDERICK COUNCIL REVIEWS THE EQUITY BILL: Frederick County Council on Tuesday conducted another assessment of the legislation to identify and correct inequalities in county government. Supporters of the bill said it was a vital step in ensuring that the government pressure for fairness persists regardless of the administration at the head of the county, Jack Hogan reports for the Frederick News-Post.

THE CATHOLIC PROTEST GROUP PURSUING B’MORE, LAWYER SHEA: A group denied the use of the MECU pavilion for a protest at the meeting of the United States Catholic Bishops’ Conference this fall sued Baltimore City and attorney Jim Shea arguing his right to freedom of expression and religion among others were raped, reports Emily Opilo for the Sun.

• St. Michael’s Media Inc. claims Shea recounted events in town agent to cancel a contract this would have enabled the group to protest at the MECU pavilion, directly opposite the Bishop’s fall general meeting at the Waterfront Marriott hotel scheduled for Nov. 15-18, Steve Lash reports for the Daily Record.

FORMER DBED SECRETARY JAMES T. BRADY DIES AT 81: James T. Brady, former chairman of the board of regents at the University System of Maryland who resigned in 2018 following the controversy surrounding the death of University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair and previously served as secretary of the State Department of Business and Economic Development, died Friday at the Adler Center in Aldie, Va., of a stroke. Frederick’s resident, who had previously lived on Charlcote Place in Baltimore and Timonium, was 81 years old. Fred Rasmussen writes the Sun obituary.