WASHINGTON – Maryland’s abortion rate rose in the 1990s at the same time that the national rate was declining, according to numbers from the Census Bureau and a leading research group on reproductive health

WASHINGTON – Melinda Pearl spent a busy week, meeting with leading policymakers and journalists, engaging in a mock presidential election and enjoying a cruise on the Potomac River

WASHINGTON – President Bush’s second inauguration is not expected to create the skyrocketing demand for hotel rooms of his first swearing-in four years ago, but Maryland hotels said they still expect better-than-normal business this week

WASHINGTON – Maryland earned a grade of “A-“for its gun-safety laws in a report by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence that gave grades of “D” or “F” to 31 other states

ANNAPOLIS – A property tax increase is the least desirable money-making option for localities to offset dwindling state funds, said county officials and taxpayer associations

ANNAPOLIS – Construction contractors working for the state can keep more of their income and save on legal fees, while more minority-owned businesses will be able to qualify for state contract set-asides beginning today when new laws passed last spring take effect

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland is losing at least $162 million per year through 28 tax breaks for the state’s wealthiest corporations, according to a report by the Progressive Maryland Education Fund

ANNAPOLIS – Allegany and Garrett counties are reversing historically high unemployment rates, according to statistics released Wednesday by the state’s labor department

ANNAPOLIS – Small businesses will gain greater access to state contracting dollars when two bills passed in the General Assembly last spring take effect Oct

ANNAPOLIS – Noreen Parry said she was ecstatic to lunch with actor George Clooney, along with his cast and crew, who spent a day this week filming scenes in Annapolis for a new CIA drama, “Syriana