AGP Executive Report

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.

Local Health Tech: UMD researchers built a Diabetes Complication Risk Calculator that can forecast which complications a patient is most likely to face and update the risk month-by-month as health changes. Public Safety: A possible mercury spill in Lutherville sent six people to hospitals for evaluation and decontamination; officials say the spill was discovered during work on a home and the cause is under investigation. Education: Little Flower School in Bethesda welcomed back a new first grade teacher, Taylor Gerth, returning to the alma mater where she once learned to read. Sports (Maryland): The Ravens traded interior defensive lineman C.J. Okoye to the New York Giants, reuniting him with John Harbaugh. State Watch: Maryland’s striped bass fishing closure ends Aug. 31, lifting the ban and removing up to $2,000 fines for targeting the species. Traffic/Rescue: Two separate Piney Point construction incidents sent workers to trauma centers after a wall collapse and a bobcat struck a concrete wall.

Courts & Elections: A second Maryland judge blocked the state’s congressional redistricting ballot question for November, citing election-law problems and misleading language—setting up more appeals as lawmakers fight to keep it on the ballot. Public Safety: The Maryland AG released body-camera video from a deadly July 31 shooting at Fort Washington Park, where officers confronted a man with a gun; the IID is investigating. Housing & Planning: An ADU parking study is underway as an October deadline nears, with city leaders saying the state mandate leaves too many appeal paths. Crime: Two Hurlock men were charged in the fatal shooting of a 5-year-old in Linkwood, and a woman faces accessory-after-the-fact allegations. Health: New stroke-rehab guidelines aim to use blood samples and recovery tracking to move toward more personalized treatment. Agriculture: A spring cold snap is expected to limit Maryland apple picking, with some farms canceling events. Arts: Thea Canlas of Baltimore won the 2026 Janet and Walter Sondheim Art Prize for work exploring Philippine identity.

Redistricting Fight: A second Maryland judge blocked a Democratic-backed constitutional redistricting ballot question, with the Maryland Supreme Court set to have the final say after Sept. 3 arguments—another setback for Democrats trying to counter GOP mapmaking. Voting Rights in Court: Maryland AG Brown won a temporary order blocking USPS from enforcing a mail-voting rule that states say could disrupt ballots and disenfranchise voters. Public Safety & Health: Maryland Natural Resources Police enrolled in CALEA’s law enforcement accreditation program, starting a multi-year review to strengthen training and accountability. Local Roads: MDOT/State Highway Administration begins an overnight resurfacing project on MD 27 (Liberty St/Railroad Ave) between Tuc Rd and Bond St, with one lane closed and flagging for two-way traffic. Food Safety Alert: FDA upgraded a Taylor Farms de Mexico produce recall tied to a parasite causing severe diarrhea to the highest risk level, with Maryland among distribution states. Back-to-School Health: Gov. Wes Moore reminded families that Maryland’s vaccine requirements remain in place for the 2026-27 school year.

Education & Transit: Prince George’s County Public Schools Superintendent Shawn Joseph owned up to a “leadership failure” after a bus rollout that earned an “F,” with about 10,000 students starting without assigned routes and families still reporting late or missing buses. Public Safety & Courts: A judge kept quadruple amputee Dayton Webber jailed without bond until a February trial in the murder case of Bradrick Wells. State & Federal Legal Fight: The Justice Department sued Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington over in-state tuition for immigrants, adding to a growing federal challenge aimed at state policies that allow noncitizens to pay reduced rates. Maryland Economy/Tech: Maryland AG sued UnitedHealthcare and Optum over alleged Medicaid fraud tied to faulty systems. Aviation & Infrastructure: FAA chief Bryan Bedford helped open a Frederick facility producing digital ATC voice communications. Weather: Heavy rain triggered flash flooding in the Northeast, with severe-storm risk extending into the Baltimore/DC region. Local Business: Applied ABC leased 5,100 s/f in Woburn, with a center opening this fall; Maryland is among its existing service states. Sports: The PLL playoffs start Saturday with Maryland Whipsnakes facing Boston in the Eastern quarterfinal.

Data Center Oversight: Frederick County is inviting residents to two open houses (Sept. 2 and Sept. 9) to learn how local rules govern data center development and to ask questions of county and state environmental staff. EV Push: Maryland announced $28.5 million to cut transportation emissions—electrifying school buses, expanding EV charging, and supporting zero-emission trucks and infrastructure. Public Safety & Health: A Maryland father and son face fentanyl trafficking charges after federal agents seized large quantities of the drug, cash, and firearms. Housing Rights: A judge blocked a HUD overhaul of fair-housing grants, ordering the agency to return to an older grantmaking process. Elections: Calvert County is seeking election judges for the 2026 general election. Transportation: A water main break closed Route 170 near BWI, snarling airport traffic. Politics: An Anne Arundel judge ruled a congressional redistricting ballot question can’t go on the November ballot, with an appeal pending. Meta Settlement: Maryland is among states in a landmark multistate Meta deal requiring major child-safety changes on Instagram and Facebook.

Transportation & Accessibility: Baltimore’s free Harbor Connector is getting nearly $11 million in federal help to replace three diesel ferries with new hybrid vessels and add a fourth boat, with upgrades aimed at wheelchair and mobility-device riders. Politics & Voting Rights: A Maryland judge blocked a constitutional redistricting amendment from the November ballot, sending the fight to the Maryland Supreme Court and keeping Democrats from reshaping the congressional map before 2026. Economy & Courts: Maryland’s Tax Court struck down the state’s digital advertising gross revenues tax, ordering refunds with interest and dealing a blow to similar proposals elsewhere. Public Safety & Weather: Thursday is an “Alert Day” for scattered severe thunderstorms across the Baltimore area, with heavy rain and damaging winds possible. Immigration Enforcement: ICE says it arrested 1,328 people across Virginia and Maryland in a two-week “Operation Safe Community,” targeting people with serious criminal histories. Local Development: Howard County unveiled plans for the Charles C. Feaga Agricultural Center, a multi-use hub slated to begin construction in July 2027 and open in December 2029.

Redistricting Fight in Annapolis: A Maryland judge blocked a Democratic-backed constitutional amendment from appearing on the November ballot, with the state Supreme Court expected to have the final say—another twist in the fight over how congressional maps get drawn. Courts & Voting Rules: Separate legal action targets a USPS rule that would require states to overhaul vote-by-mail procedures on an impossible timeline, raising fears of voter confusion and disenfranchisement. Child Safety & Big Tech: Maryland is among states receiving major payouts from a landmark Meta settlement over child-safety claims, with sweeping platform changes aimed at Instagram and Facebook. Hate-Crimes Security Grants: Maryland awarded $10 million in Protection Against Hate Crimes grants to help nonprofits and faith groups harden security and prepare for emergencies. Energy & Data Centers: PJM filed proposals that could reshape how large data centers buy power, and Maryland energy stakeholders are split on the impact. Public Health: Maryland declared measles outbreaks in three counties, with new cases reported as students return to school. Local Safety: La Plata is moving to crack down on unregistered off-road vehicles, including holding families responsible for minors. Transportation: A scooter rider died after a crash in Curtis Bay when a vehicle turned into the scooter’s path.

Public Safety: A Bowie mother, Shawanda Alston, died days after police said she was shot during an argument with her boyfriend over school supplies, with the boyfriend arrested afterward. Courts & Privacy: In Montgomery County, a Bethesda woman agreed to donate $1,000 to police to resolve charges after using an AI-generated photo to fake a home invasion. Immigration: Migrant mothers detained earlier this year in Baltimore are rallying to have ICE ankle monitors removed, saying they’ve hurt job prospects and fueled discrimination. Health: Maryland health officials declared a measles outbreak in three counties after 14 new cases, bringing the total this year to 31. Environment & Wildlife: A petition is pushing for lower speed limits on Assateague Island roads after multiple horse deaths, including two killed in August. Civic Life: Harford County schools are forming a community book review committee after last year’s library controversy. Business/Tech: FedEx and Dexterity expanded a robot trailer-loading program at the FedEx Hagerstown hub, moving automation beyond a pilot site.

Key Bridge Rebuild: Maryland Transportation Authority opened bidding for the next Francis Scott Key Bridge contract, covering demolition and marine work, with work expected to start late 2026. Annapolis City Dock: City officials say the City Dock resiliency project is ahead of schedule, with major construction footprint shrinking and a March 2027 reopening of the boardwalk toward Susan Campbell Park, plus a full summer 2027 reopening target. Measles in Maryland: The Maryland Department of Health declared a measles outbreak in St. Mary’s, Carroll and Cecil counties, citing 14 new confirmed cases and 31 total cases statewide this year, with risk “low” for fully vaccinated residents. Public Safety & Courts: A federal judge sentenced a former serviceman to 15.5 years for child sexual exploitation tied to Snapchat messages. Local Politics: Arguments began in Anne Arundel County over a lawsuit challenging a ballot question on congressional redistricting procedures. Aviation/Foreign Affairs: CIA Director John Ratcliffe reportedly made an unannounced Moscow trip after a U.S. C-17 landed there, while the FAA said an antenna and procedure were changed after a Marine One safety incident near a departing jet. Business: McKesson agreed to buy Bethesda-based Precision Medicine Group for about $2.25 billion.

Measles Alert: Maryland health officials declared a measles outbreak in St. Mary’s, Carroll and Cecil counties after 14 new cases were identified among unvaccinated residents, bringing the state total to 31 this year, with leaders stressing overall risk stays low for people up to date on MMR. Public Safety & Health: Cunningham Falls State Park reopened parts of Hunting Creek Lake after monitoring found no rabid beavers following two attacks earlier this month. Immigration Enforcement: DHS says ICE arrested 1,328 people in Virginia and Maryland during a two-week “Operation Safe Community—Washington, D.C.” sweep, including nearly 400 with criminal convictions or pending charges. Local Justice: A judge cleared the way for Baltimore City’s inspector general to access subpoenaed records after denying the city’s bid to block the order. Crime & Courts: Jury selection began in Cecil County for a man charged in the 2025 death of 3-year-old Nola Dinkins. Community Events: A Beltsville back-to-school event delivered supplies, services and support for families as classes resume.

Police Accountability: Maryland AG Anthony Brown is releasing findings tied to deaths during police restraint, reviewing 41 cases from 2003-2019 after Gov. Wes Moore ordered a reexamination of medical examiner rulings in the George Floyd case. Local Business: A new Royal Farms opened on Eastern Avenue in Dundalk, touting 24/7 service and 25 jobs after a soft opening Aug. 19-20. Arts & Culture: Ballet Theatre of Maryland kicks off its 2026-27 season with Ballet in the Garden at Hammond-Harwood House (Sept. 19) and La Sylphide at Maryland Hall (Oct. 16-18). Education & Community: Ready Carroll registration is open for a free four-week fall session in Westminster starting Sept. 9, teaching everyday emergency response skills. Public Safety: Two brothers in Anne Arundel County pulled a survivor from an explosion-damaged home before first responders arrived; the victim later died. State Policy: Maryland begins enforcing a new out-of-state plate law Oct. 1, starting with warnings and escalating fines.