MD news
- 2:22 a.m. at 12705 Laurel-Bowie Road, Laurel
- 3:25 a.m. at Konterra Drive & Sweitzer Lane, Laurel
- Aug 5 in Germantown from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Aug 13 in Rockville from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Aug 29 in Silver Spring from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Maryland Police Task Force busts 11 illegal car rallies
Over the weekend, members of the Maryland State Police Car Rally Task Force broke up 11 illegal car meetups and made seven arrests. Included among the 11 locations were two in Laurel:
The task force has been focused on investigating “exhibition driving events,” also know as “takeovers.” This often involves blocking off roads to perform stunts, disrupting traffic, causing property damage and posing risks to the public.
This has been in part made possible by new state legislation passed by Maryland General Assembly in May, sponsored by Delegate Mary Lehman from our District 21. The law increases penalties from $500 to $1,000 and prohibits actions like skidding, squealing, burning or smoking tires, swerving, or swaying while skidding/ drifting, purposefully revving engines and grinding gears.
I know this has been a start/ stop issue that’s just been growing in recent years (having heard it from my own house in the middle of the night multiple times), and happy to see the state stepping up enforcement. The City’s ability to enforce is partially hampered by the fact that the affected roads are often governed by the State or County and just outside the city limits, so this is good news indeed. And I’ll continue to look forward to quieter and safer nights ahead. 💤
(via Baltimore Sun)
Back-to-school clothing Tax Free from Aug 11-17
Getting geared up for back-to-school is fun, but expensive. 💸 The State of Maryland will help shave off at least a little of that bite if you’re purchasing clothing or backpacks next week during its annual Tax Free Week.
The gist is there’s no 6% Maryland sales tax on clothing under $100 and on the first $40 of any backpack purchase. Check out the graphic below for some common examples and here’s Maryland’s Tax Free Week FAQ for all the details.
Maryland Funds for Maryland Businesses
The MD Comptroller’s Office is hosting a series of lunch-and-learns in August to share with business owners about the tax credits, grants, programs, and funds available to help businesses expand in Maryland. The series is being co-hosted by Montgomery County at locations in Germantown, Rockville, and Silver Spring, but is applicable to all MD-based business and not too far away for those coming from the Laurel area.
Registration is free but limited seated available, so if sounds of any interest to you, be sure to check out:
Maryland Wastewater Showing Spike in Viral Activity
You may have noticed anecdotally that a lot of friends, family, neighbors, and kids seem to be cropping up with variants of fever, body aches, vomiting, and diarrhea – and you wouldn’t be wrong. As of last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control was showing that Maryland wastewater was showing double the national average of viral activity. And hospitalizations have more than doubled in the past month, from 60 to 135. Thankfully, most activity is not to the level requiring hospitalization, but it is something to be aware of out there and to help take care of yourselves and others.
(via Baltimore Sun)
Gov. Moore proposes cutting state budget $150 million
This week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore proposed further cutting the state budget by $150 million in what he described as “targeted and strategic spending cuts”. According to the Baltimore Sun,
It also comes as Maryland faces looming multibillion-dollar financial shortfalls, putting at risk the future of government services and expensive, decadeslong plans such as the Red Line transit project in Baltimore and the education-focused Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
Moore has routinely said he has a “very high bar” for raising taxes as a way to solve deficits. His proposal earlier this year for the current 2025 fiscal year budget was focused on pulling from the state’s “rainy day” fund, borrowing more than usual and cutting back some areas that have grown in recent years, like higher education.
The cuts still need to be approved by the state Board of Public Works, and in Laurel, we’ll be continuing to monitor how the shifts in state spending will affect, if at all, some of our City’s programs. But it is good to be mindful of even resident of the state of Maryland.