AGP Executive Report

Maryland Politics: Rep. Jamie Raskin says the U.S. Supreme Court is “stacked” and “gerrymandered,” as Maryland’s redistricting fight keeps heating up. Election Law: The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to revive mail-ballot restrictions before the midterms, after a federal judge blocked the plan. Redistricting Ballot: Maryland’s Supreme Court cleared a redistricting amendment for the November ballot, setting up Question 3. Local Safety: A van crash on the Beltway near I-70 in Woodlawn left 11 people injured. Fatal Crash: In Jessup, a hit-and-run involving a parked Howard County police cruiser killed one man; the state’s independent investigators took over. Crime/Police Accountability: Baltimore police allegedly held the wrong person at gunpoint and didn’t read Miranda rights, according to reports. Health & Aging: Johns Hopkins neurologists point to eating changes as possible early dementia warning signs. Sports: Maryland opened football with a 62-0 rout of Hampton, while UConn crushed Lafayette 56-7.

Maryland Football: The Terps opened the season with a 62-0 shutout of Hampton in College Park, piling up 646 total yards and six rushing touchdowns as DeJuan Williams went 94 yards for a score and Malik Washington threw a TD. Public Safety: A multi-vehicle crash on Suitland Parkway near Branch Avenue left two people critically injured and eight others sent to hospitals for evaluation. Health Watch: First responders in Gaithersburg transported 12 residents after carbon monoxide was detected in three apartment buildings; officials say the source was a stove and residents were allowed back. Air Travel Incident: An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a disruptive passenger allegedly used racist and homophobic slurs and became violent; witnesses say he was restrained with duct tape and zip ties. Policy & Rights: A national debate over noncitizen voting continues as states and Congress weigh how to handle local ballots and proof of citizenship.

Immigration & Public Safety: Federal immigration agents clashed with protesters in Frederick, with officials saying agents used vehicles to clear sidewalks and dragged people from a porch during a long stakeout. Air Travel Incident: An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a passenger was restrained with duct tape and zip ties; witnesses and officials allege racial slurs and assault, and the FBI is involved. Local Fire: A Lexington Park man was held without bond after a Comfort Inn fire that investigators say caused major damage, with arson and other charges filed. Elections: Maryland election officials certified a handful of third-party candidates for the Nov. 3 ballot, including a Green Party contender for Congress. Health: TidalHealth announced free drive-thru flu clinics across Maryland counties in September and October. Weather & Recovery: Pepco reported thousands of customers still without power after severe storms, with restoration focused on smaller outages. Policy & Housing: Maryland updated income rules for free and reduced-price school meals, expanding who qualifies.

Immigration & Courts: DHS widened a pathway for certain US-born children of foreign government employees to register as lawful permanent residents, but the change is limited by a federal court injunction affecting how it can be implemented in Maryland. Public Safety: A wrong-way DUI crash on I-270 in Montgomery County killed a mother and daughter and injured two others; ICE lodged a detainer for the charged suspect. Housing & Homeownership: Gov. Wes Moore announced a new Maryland Mortgage Program product for first responders and teachers, with lower rates and down-payment/closing-cost help. Weather: Severe storms hit the DC region with 70 mph gusts, downed trees, and power outages that also pushed into Maryland. Local Justice: Baltimore’s Fells Point ID checkpoints are set to end after Labor Day weekend. Sports: No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer survived a late scare to beat Delaware 4-3; Adley Rutschman returned to Camden Yards as the Red Sox edged the Orioles 6-5. Business/Community: The Maryland State Fair’s dairy shake-off crowned local TV staff with a Maryland-flavor creation.

Baltimore City Tree: Baltimore has named the tuliptree (liriodendron tulipifera) as its new official City Tree, replacing the Chanticleer pear after 50 years, as part of a TreeBaltimore push for a more climate-resilient, native urban forest. St. Mary’s County Planning: A Chesapeake Bay passenger ferry idea is back in the county’s 2050 comprehensive plan language after being removed earlier, though commissioners still flag major unknowns. Health & Safety: Maryland reported a record 59 heat-related deaths this summer, and a large tree crash in Reisterstown sent five people to hospitals with minor injuries. Courts & Politics: A federal judge temporarily blocked Trump “birth tourism” measures, calling parts “almost certainly unconstitutional,” while Maryland’s Supreme Court fight over redistricting continues to shape the November ballot. State Services: Comptroller Brooke Lierman discussed the new Maryland Tax Connect portal, replacing decades-old systems. Environment: The Maryland AG charged a Wicomico County septic worker accused of illegal sewage dumping in woods near homes.

Maryland Politics: Maryland’s top court cleared a Democratic-backed congressional redistricting amendment for the November ballot, but ordered changes to the wording—another twist in a fast-moving legal fight over how districts are drawn. State Government & Public Safety: Prince George’s County Public Schools leaders faced renewed backlash over bus routing problems, with families reporting delays and missed assignments even after the district said it cleared an early backlog. Courts & Schools: A lawsuit alleges the Montgomery County Board of Education failed to protect a former student from teacher Daniel J. Picca despite years of complaints. Economy & Cost of Living: AAA says Labor Day gas prices are poised to set a record at the pump, driven by crude oil staying near $90 a barrel. Community & Education: Governor Wes Moore highlighted Asian American leadership in his administration at an Indian American fundraiser, praising Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller and other senior officials. Local Infrastructure: Maryland’s MARC rail service is expanding with a new run-through train linking Montgomery County and Baltimore.

Transportation & Infrastructure: MDOT released its $21.9B draft six-year transportation plan (FY27-32), highlighting major work tied to the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild and upgrades at Martin State Airport. Public Transit: MARC is adding direct “run-through” weekday service linking Montgomery and Frederick counties to Baltimore, reducing the need to transfer. Local Development: Gov. Wes Moore expanded the Maryland Community Compass, an AI-powered, free platform meant to streamline zoning and funding data for entrepreneurs and community builders. Workplace Policy: Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) employer registration is now open, with payroll deductions starting Jan. 1, 2027. Safety & Crime: A former Prince George’s K-9 handler was arrested in an Anne Arundel explosive-device investigation. Courts: A federal judge in Maryland blocked Trump’s latest birthright citizenship order. Health & Community: Maryland Judiciary’s annual bookmark contest is open, asking K-8 students to design art about peacemaking and conflict resolution. Traffic/Crash: Prince Frederick Road in Hughesville was closed after a serious head-on crash involving three vehicles.

Birthright Citizenship Fight: A Maryland federal judge blocked President Trump’s latest executive order limiting birthright citizenship, saying it’s “almost certainly unconstitutional” and that the Supreme Court already ruled children in the certified class are citizens at birth. MARC Expansion: MARC will add a new weekday connection between Montgomery County and Baltimore starting Sept. 28, cutting some commute times roughly in half. Cybersecurity in Maryland: Luminis Health and Anne Arundel Medical Center were hit by a cyberattack, disrupting systems and rerouting patients. Maryland Weather: Hotter conditions return with a chance of severe storms around Baltimore, including damaging wind gusts. Protective Orders Up: A WBAL-TV investigation finds protective order filings in Maryland rising sharply in some months compared with 2015. Local Business: Korean coffee chain Twosome Place plans its first U.S. store in Alexandria in October, with more locations in the DMV area.

Cybersecurity & Health Care: Luminis Health says it’s responding to a cybersecurity incident that has left some systems unavailable, urging patients with upcoming appointments to call ahead. Public Safety & Courts: A former Baltimore County soccer coach, Roberto Garcia, has been indicted on additional child sex abuse charges. Infrastructure: Maryland Transportation Authority leaders say the Key Bridge rebuild is still targeting a 2030 completion, with timing dependent on contractor proposals. Environment & Fisheries: Public hearings are set on curbing Bay menhaden harvest, with a final decision expected in November. State Politics: Gov. Wes Moore appointed Kendra Young Ausby to the Appellate Court of Maryland. Local Economy & Jobs: Stanley Black & Decker plans to close its Hampstead tool factory, with layoffs starting in October. Food & Consumer Safety: A tofu recall tied to possible ink contamination has been reported in multiple states, including California. Weather: A First Alert Weather Day warns of strong to severe storms across Maryland.

Storm Watch for Maryland: Humidity and isolated storms are expected to keep severe-weather risk in play through the week, with damaging winds possible. Union Deal in Higher Ed: AFSCME dropped its unfair labor practice suit after Maryland’s university system agreed to pay negotiated raises, including $13.8 million this fiscal year. Passport Rule Push: The U.S. State Department is proposing that parents prove their citizenship or immigration status when applying for children’s passports, tied to Trump’s August 6 birthright citizenship crackdown. Navy Families’ Belongings: U.S. Navy leaders say plans are underway to return household goods left behind by sailors and dependents evacuated from Bahrain. Maryland Hunting Seasons: DNR set 2026-27 migratory game bird dates, with dove and early resident Canada goose seasons starting Sept. 1. Local Safety: A serious two-vehicle crash in Waldorf shut down Route 228 while crews responded to a vehicle fire and reported electrical hazards.

Paid Family Leave Rollout: Maryland’s employer registration for the new paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program is live, with payroll deductions starting in January 2027 and benefits beginning in January 2028—up to 12 weeks of job-protected paid leave, including for serious health needs and caregiving. Redistricting Fight: A key push by Gov. Wes Moore to change Maryland’s congressional map protections is hitting legal roadblocks, with courts blocking the ballot effort and leaving the state Supreme Court as the likely final stop. Utility Refund Dispute: The state’s ratepayer advocate is pushing for refunds after BGE and Delmarva over-collected more than $32 million, but the utilities argue changes in law block the remedy—now headed to a Public Service Commission hearing. Horse Racing Integrity: Churchill Downs is asking federal regulators to investigate HISA over concerns tied to Fair Hill Training Center betting and access to confidential horse health records. Amazon Ad Lawsuit: The FTC and 22 states, including Maryland, sued Amazon over claims it secretly inflated ad prices for years. Public Safety & Crime: Police are investigating a body found at Patapsco Valley State Park in Halethorpe, and Anne Arundel County authorities charged a veteran police sergeant with rape and child sex abuse.

Key Bridge Lawsuit: A federal judge largely tossed Baltimore and private economic-loss claims tied to the Key Bridge collapse, saying plaintiffs can’t recover losses from physical damage to the bridge unless they had a proprietary interest. Amazon Ad Pricing: Maryland is among states and the FTC suing Amazon over alleged “secret ad surcharge” schemes that inflate ad prices for advertisers. Public Safety—Crash: A Charles County police chase ended in a multi-vehicle crash in Prince George’s County that killed 33-year-old Alexis Cummings; investigators are reviewing the officer-involved fatality. Public Safety—Pedestrian Death: In Gaithersburg, 61-year-old barbershop owner and go-go musician Craig Budd Sr. was killed in a pedestrian crash; police say the driver stayed and is cooperating. Health & Overdose Response: Baltimore is expanding harm-reduction efforts with free hygiene and safer-use kits as part of its overdose prevention push. Transportation Funding: Pew reports Maryland faces a $1.17 billion road maintenance gap between identified needs and planned spending. Courts—Election Rules: A judge blocked new USPS mail-in ballot requirements for two weeks as the legal fight continues ahead of November. Local Economy/Community: A packed town hall in Salisbury highlighted staffing concerns at Wicomico Nursing Home.

Wrong-Way Crash Tragedy: Maryland State Police say a wrong-way driver on I-270 in Bethesda killed a mother and daughter and charged the 32-year-old driver with impaired-related homicide counts; an 8-year-old and a 62-year-old man were hospitalized. Weekend Road Toll: State police report seven deaths across four Maryland crashes over the weekend, including a Finksburg crash where impairment is suspected. Labor Day Safety Push: MDOT and Maryland State Police are stepping up impaired-driving enforcement during the “100 Deadliest Days” stretch, citing thousands of suspected impaired arrests so far this year. Election Mail Woes: A new analysis finds late-arriving mail ballots are driving a growing share of rejections in multiple states, including Maryland, raising USPS reliability concerns ahead of the midterms. Family Planning Lawsuit: Delaware’s attorney general joined a multistate case in Maryland federal court aiming to block new Title X family planning funding conditions. Science & Local Industry: NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, assembled in Maryland, to map dark energy and dark matter. Community & Sports: Defenders’ Day returns Sept. 5-6 at Fort Howard Park, and Maryland’s MPSSAA has recognized girls’ flag football as a state sport.

Local Preservation Fight: Baltimore’s Poppleton residents say the city razed the historic Boss Kelly House and two adjoining pre-Civil War structures just days after a Save Our Block rally, as neighbors push for emergency landmark protections and accuse officials of targeting them. Public Health Alert: North Carolina warned that visitors to a mobile petting zoo may have been exposed to rabies after baby goats tested positive, urging anyone with close contact to seek a risk assessment. State Oversight in Nursing Homes: Wicomico County officials and community members debated concerns around Wicomico Nursing Home, with the county executive backing oversight but arguing proposed legislation must stay within the charter. Maryland Energy/Cost Pressure: Maryland officials announced a 20-year solar deal expected to save $300 million, while regulators also moved to cut Pepco’s requested rate increase by more than half. Space & Science: NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Florida, with telemetry received by teams at Goddard in Greenbelt, aiming to map dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets. Business/Deals: Samsung Biologics published the prospectus for its PolyPeptide tender offer, offering CHF 44.31 per share with the main offer period expected Sept. 15–Oct. 12. Policy & Data Governance: A report on the new federal Workforce Pell program says states must build the governance and data systems to track short-term training outcomes—Maryland is among the states studied.

Space Science: NASA launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy from Florida, with Maryland’s Goddard Space Flight Center receiving telemetry early on; the roughly $4.3 billion mission heads to Lagrange Point 2 and is expected to deliver first high-resolution images in early 2027, aiming to map dark energy and dark matter and directly image exoplanets. Public Safety: A 13-year-old boy was flown to Children’s National Hospital after a serious electric dirt bike crash in Prince Frederick, according to Maryland State Police. Crash Investigation: Two women died in a wrong-way I-270 head-on crash in Bethesda; the suspected drunk driver, Jose Caballero Nolasco, faces multiple homicide-by-motor-vehicle charges. Local Health/Spending: New federal data show Medicaid dental billing in Glen Burnie totaled $1,122,070 in 2024, and other Maryland Medicaid categories also saw notable shifts. Community & Sports: The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs hosted a United Way night at Regency Furniture Stadium, and the Ravens waived rookie DT Rayshaun Benny.

USPS Voting Fight: A federal judge temporarily blocked a new USPS rule that would have forced states to get federal approval for vote-by-mail ballot and return-envelope designs and use a new USPS portal—ruling compliance before the Nov. 3 midterms was “practically impossible” and posed a risk of disenfranchisement. Public Health: Maryland reported measles outbreaks in three counties, with health officials urging vaccination as cases continue to rise. Road Safety: Two people died in a wrong-way crash on I-270 in Montgomery County when a Ford Mustang hit a Toyota head-on; lanes were closed as police investigated. Local Governance: Woodsboro is moving to detect possible leaks in town water lines after capacity concerns, while the town council also reviewed charter changes including commissioner pay. Energy & Cost of Living: The national gas average dipped to about $4.09 as crude oil stays volatile amid Strait of Hormuz concerns. Sports (Maryland): No. 4 Maryland men’s soccer edged No. 9 High Point 1-0 on a late goal by Rodrigo Neri.