Maryland

Bill To Prevent Federal Grab of Tobacco Funds Nears Passage

ANNAPOLIS – After a slam dunk vote in a key House committee Friday, a bill telling the federal government to keep its hands off Maryland’s tobacco settlement money could see a final vote on the House floor as early as Monday

State Restores College Programs for Inmates at Seven Prisons

JESSUP – Maryland has reinstated college classes for inmates at seven state prisons, replacing federally funded programs that were eliminated in 1995

Children’s Advocates Fear New Law Could Hurt Poor Kids, Mothers

ANNAPOLIS – Maryland children’s advocates fear a new law that takes effect July 1, will hurt a successful health program for the state’s poor children and pregnant women and force many of them to go without coverage

Spring Chickens,671

ANNAPOLIS – There don’t seem to be as many spring chickens on Maryland farms these days

NRC Says Relicensing Calvert Cliffs Poses Little Environmental Risk

WASHINGTON – The relicensing of the Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant will have minimal environmental impact and should be allowed to proceed, according to a draft statement from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Lottery Sales Skyrocket as $160 Million Big Game Jackpot Approaches

WASHINGTON – Maryland lottery agents could be selling as many as 300 tickets a second in the minutes leading up to Friday night’s drawing for a $160 million Big Game jackpot, lottery officials predicted Thursday

Growers Grouse,697

UPPER MARLBORO – If the farming community ever needed a favor from the state government, it’s now, farm representatives said Thursday

Baltimore Contractors Charged with Illegally Stripping, Dumping Lead Paint

WASHINGTON – State officials have charged five home-improvement contractors with criminal water pollution for “power washing” operations that stripped lead paint from Baltimore buildings and let it run off into storm drains

Number of Maryland Children Living in Poverty Rose Sharply, Report Says

WASHINGTON – The number of Maryland children living in poverty grew by 34 percent between 1989 and 1995, rising to 171,746 children, according to a report released Thursday

Bill Gives Sales Tax Break For POW Flags

ANNAPOLIS — A bill exempting purchases of prisoner-of-war flags from Maryland’s 5 percent sales tax will be debated in a Senate hearing Thursday