Immigrant Children Could Still Be Housed In MD, The Tawes Crab Feast, & Recount Results

WYPR - 88.1 FM Baltimore | By Nathan Sterner

Published July 17, 2014 at 7:56 AM EDT

Maryland is still under consideration to hold a temporary shelter for some of the Central American children who’ve been caught crossing the US/Mexico border. Hundreds of people turned out yesterday in Crisfield to pick crabs, eat clams, drink beer and to rub elbows at the 38th annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake. Recount results are in for two close primary races; they confirm that the candidates who appeared to win their June elections actually did. Plus: DC marijuana decriminalization, the Red Line, Artscape, speed cameras in College Park, and more.

Immigrant Children Could Still Be Housed In MD: Maryland is still under consideration to hold a temporary shelter for some of the Central American children who’ve been caught crossing the US/Mexico border. An aide to Governor Martin O’Malley tells the Baltimore Sun that says another potential Maryland shelter site is now under consideration… but the location of that site, or the number of children it would house, has not been disclosed. State health officials say they’re also the process of soliciting licensed care providers for the children, should they eventually come to Maryland. Four different sites for housing them have already been considered and dismissed – most recently, a former Army Reserve Center in Westminster. Governor O’Malley had opposed that site… and he’s been criticized by the Obama administration for doing so while at the same time questioning the White House’s proposal to hasten deportations for some of the children. O'Malley defended his position, saying he thought the Westminster site was not a suitable shelter. The Sun has more here.

Tawes Crab Feast: Hundreds of people turned out yesterday in Crisfield to pick crabs, eat clams, drink beer and to rub elbows at the 38th annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake. , the food at this Maryland summertime institution is served up with a huge heaping of politicians. There’s more on the event here from the Daily Times, here from the Daily Record, and here from the Baltimore Sun.

Hogan Proposes Elimination Of State Income Tax On Military Pensions: Republican gubernatorial nominee Larry Hogan says that if he’s elected, he'll get rid of the state income tax on military pensions. Speaking at the state American Legion convention in Ocean City yesterday, Hogan said the tax is not only bad economic policy… but also unfair to the men and women who have served the state and the nation. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Anthony Brown, a colonel in the Army Reserve, has also proposed a more limited cut to the tax, eliminating it on pensions up to $150-thousand. The Baltimore Sun has more.

Recounts Complete: Recount results are in for two close primary races – and they confirm that the candidates who appeared to win their June elections actually did. In the Republican race for the Baltimore County Executive’s nomination, George Harman is the confirmed victor – by a margin of 20 votes. The recount was the first in Baltimore County in nearly 30 years. Harman will face incumbent County Executive Kevin Kamenetz in the November general election. The Baltimore Sun has more. And in the Democratic race for a Prince George’s County Council seat, a recount has confirmed Deni Taveras’s narrow 6-vote victory over Delegate Doyle Niemann. Taveras doesn’t face any opposition in the general election. The Washington Post has more.

DC Marijuana Decriminalization: A law that decriminalizes the possession of small amounts of marijuana in Washington DC has gone into effect. What had been a crime punishable by jail time now rates just a $25 fine for adult violators. A similar law decriminalizing marijuana possession in Maryland will take effect in October, but the minimum fine is four times as high -- $100. Meanwhile, a measure proposed by a Maryland lawmaker that would block DC’s decriminalization moved forward in the House of Representatives yesterday. The measure was introduced by 1^st District Congressman Andy Harris; it would forbid the District from using local funds to carry out its policy. The Republican controlled House passed the spending bill that contains Harris’s proposal yesterday… but it’s not likely to make it through the majority-Democrat Senate. And even if it does, President Obama has said he’ll veto the measure. The Daily Times has more.

Kamenetz Proposal On Red Line Lacks Vision: Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz recently announced support of a plan that would reduce county funding for the proposed east-west mass transit project known as the Red Line. WYPR Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith wonders what’s at stake in his weekly essay.

Speed Cameras To Operate 24/7: The College Park City Council has approved the use of speed cameras round-the-clock along Route 1 near the University of Maryland. Until now, the cameras have only been operational between 6am and 8pm. At least one camera is expected to be in 24/7 use by the time that students return to campus for the fall semester. The action comes in coordination with the Maryland State Highway Administration's efforts to improve safety in the corridor which has seen three pedestrians struck and killed by vehicles this year. The Washington Post has more.

Artscape Starts Tomorrow:Artscape is just around the corner… starting tomorrow. More than 350-thousand people are expected to pour into Baltimore for “America’s largest free arts festival.” Some street closures are already in effect. More take place today. And for a change, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be too hot. Last year, highs were in the 90s for all the three days of the festival. Temperatures look to stay in the lower 80s through the weekend.

Ravens Listed 19^th Most Valuable Team In The World:The Baltimore Ravens are the 19^th most valuable sports team in the world, according to a newly released ranking by Forbes; the list says that the Ravens are worth more than $1.2-billion… that’s 6% more than the team’s value last year, when it was also ranked 19. The Washington Redskins are listed as the 9^th most valuable team in world, down from #8 last year. The Baltimore Business Journal has more.