Politics

A package of housing bills that would have eased the mounting cost burden on Howard County residents failed to advance through the County Council, effectively ending the county executive’s campaign for rent control and more affordability in one of Maryland's most expensive areas.

Critics of a law that requires minors in custody to talk with a lawyer say it hurts police investigations. Defenders say it’s critical to ensuring that youths understand their constitutional rights before they potentially waive them.

Developers of a reimagined Harborplace must ensure accessibility for people with disabilities, says Lydia Moro, who works for a disability-led advocacy group.

Six days after Meghan Riley Lewis was shot dead, South Main Street in her hometown of Bel Air remained decorated in holiday lights. Diners filled the Tower Italian restaurant, the Buontempo Brothers pizza parlor, and Sean Bolan’s Irish Pub.

Baltimore County Councilman Izzy Patoka was elected 6-0 to lead the council this year, taking over from former Chair Julian Jones.

More high-tech cameras have been installed to help catch, and prosecute, those who dump in Baltimore.

A 2.3 magnitude earthquake registered in Montgomery County early Tuesday morning.

Manufacturers must be held accountable for risks from "forever chemicals," says an attorney who represents individuals in environmental pollution cases across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Here’s the open secret about the plastic bag ban that took effect New Year’s Day in Anne Arundel County. It’s not a ban.

The violence capped off a year that saw fewer deaths and gunshot victims overall but still recorded one of the highest homicide rates in the nation.

Communities in South Baltimore neighborhoods along the Patapsco River can thrive alongside the industrial facilities there, Brad Rogers, executive director of the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, says.

A new minimum wage, fewer telephone spam calls and updates to health insurance coverage are coming to Maryland with the start of the new year.

Maryland’s underfunding of its Office of the Public Defender has left hundreds of positions unfilled, making it harder for the office to provide clients with the services they need, says Marci Tarrant Johnson, president of the Maryland Defenders Union.

YesCare will keep providing medical care to incarcerated people while the state reviews bids for a new contract.

Welch was among a group of Black women who followed the path of Victorine Adams, the first Black woman to serve on the council.

Maryland’s combined medical and recreational cannabis market could hit $1.1 billion in sales over the first 12 months, according to the state’s top regulator.

The Banner's political reporters and editors weigh in on the year's biggest stories.

Since the 2021 reassessment, residential values increased on average by 25.6% and commercial properties saw an average jump of 17.6%, according to state data released Friday.

Maryland officials on Thursday released a plan for reducing greenhouse emissions. Recommendations include promoting cleaner ways to produce electricity, putting more electric vehicles on the road and making buildings more efficient.

In this time of resolutions and promises, all I can do is set some personal intentions, both small and lofty, for the world I want to see and to help prevent the one I don’t.