By Office of the Maryland Comptroller Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman today announced that Chief of Staff Rianna Matthews-Brown will depart the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland on April 30, concluding her tenure as a senior leader in the agency during a period of significant transformation and growth. Matthews-Brown was the first African-American person to […]
Category: Maryland News
An open letter to the descendants of the Charles Ridgely family
By Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III Dear Ridgely Family of Baltimore County, The land remembers what people sometimes try to forget. I was reminded of that 10 years ago while on a field trip to the Ridgely family estate at the Hampton National Historic Site. At the time, I was accompanied by youth from Orita’s […]
Maryland Delegates advance bill on historic Cheltenham youth facility
Maryland delegates passed HB 552 in a 129–1 vote, creating a commission to study the historic Cheltenham youth facility, including its operations, abuses, and deaths, after recognition of an unmarked burial site of Black children.
McDaniel College surprises Baltimore City high school seniors with full-tuition scholarships
McDaniel College has awarded five Baltimore City high school seniors with full-tuition scholarships, valued at approximately $200,000 each, as part of the incoming Class of 2030.
Two years later: Maryland rebuilds after Key Bridge collapseÂ
Two years after a container ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, sending a massive section into the Patapsco River and claiming six lives, Maryland’s rebuild is moving faster than any project of its size in the U.S. Demolition is complete, foundation piles are being installed, and officials say the new bridge—set to reopen in late 2030—will be the state’s first cable-stayed span over 2 miles long with 230 feet of clearance for modern shipping.
Braveboy unveils FY2027 budget for Prince George’s County
By Dr. Deborah BaileyAFRO Contributing Editor Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy announced a $5.92 billion budget for fiscal year (FY) 2027 that addresses a $170-million structural deficit while protecting core government services. Braveboy said the FY 2027 budget will address needs that county residents depend on government to provide while positioning the county for […]
Caucuses push priority legislation in Maryland
Lawmakers from Maryland’s legislative caucuses gathered March 24 in Annapolis to advance shared priorities as the session nears its end, highlighting bills on youth justice, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant protections, and educational equity. Unity and collaboration remain central to their push for measurable results before Sine Die.
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks joins leaders from the Black Women’s Roundtable to champion voting rights
U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) and leaders from the Black Women’s Roundtable convened at the U.S. Capitol to denounce the SAVE America Act, arguing that its strict citizenship documentation requirements would disenfranchise millions of eligible voters. The group is pivoting toward a national mobilization effort to counter these restrictive measures while demanding that Congress instead prioritize the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to safeguard ballot access ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Lawmakers, community members rally in Maryland for immigrant protections
Lawmakers and community members rallied in Annapolis, Md., for We Are Casa’s Black Lobby Day, urging the state legislature to pass bills limiting federal immigration enforcement and ensuring humane standards for immigrant detention facilities.
Maryland advances LEAD Act to protect youth who wander or elope
Maryland’s LEAD Act aims to protect youth prone to elopement by improving first responder training, coordination, and public safety measures. Senate Bill 745 mandates law enforcement training for autism, dementia and wandering behaviors.
Montgomery County Council faces pressure over clean energy mandate for proposed data center
Environmental leaders are calling on Montgomery County to ensure the proposed Dickerson data center runs on 100 percent clean energy, citing risks to public health and the county’s climate goals. Without a clean energy commitment, the facility could emit the equivalent of 200,000 cars’ worth of carbon dioxide each year.
Maryland delegation in Congress backs effort to regulate energy use by AI companies
By Katelynn WinebrennerCapital News Service As power costs surge across Maryland, the state’s congressional delegation is taking a bipartisan stance in support of legislation that would regulate energy use by AI companies. The Power for the People Act would require AI companies to bear the costs of increased power demand and any possible infrastructure changes […]

