Maryland held its first (likely annual) statewide "Gun Turn-In Day" over the weekend. Three bids have come in to run a casino in Prince George's County. The Baltimore City Council is likely to vote today on a "local hiring mandate;" the bill would require businesses that get big city contracts hire at least 51% of their new workers from within the city. Also: Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown is now officially running for the state's top job in 2014, President Obama plans to visit Baltimore on Friday, the Preakness Stakes takes place on Saturday, and more.
Gun Turn-In Day: Maryland held its first statewide "Gun Turn-In Day" over the weekend; Attorney general Doug Gansler says the program was designed to get unused and unwanted guns off the streets. Gansler tells WJZ that he plans to make his Gun Turn-In Day an annual event. Event leaders say they'll be making a donation for each gun turned in to the University of Maryland's Shock Trauma Center.
Local Hiring Mandate: The Baltimore City Council is set to vote today on what's been dubbed a "local hiring mandate." The legislation would require businesses that get big city contracts hire at least 51% of their new workers from within the city. City Council President "Jack" Young tells the Baltimore Sun that the local hiring mandate could reduce the city's chronically high unemployment rate... and while the measure is likely to pass, the city's law department says the measure is unconstitutional.
PG Casino Bids: Three groups are now in the running for the right to build and operate a casino in Prince George's County. The first bid -- submitted on Thursday of last week -- was from MGM Resorts International; it was for the National Harbor location often discussed last year in the run-up to the vote that permits the casino to go up. But bids have been made for two other locations; the Baltimore Sun reports that Penn National Gaming wants a casino at Rosecroft Raceway, which it company already owns. And the Baltimore Business Journal reports that Greenwood Racing bid to build a casino at another location off Indian Head Highway.
24-7 Gambling At Ocean Downs: In other casino news: round-the-clock gambling begins this week at the Casino at Ocean Downs, near Ocean City. The Daily Times reports that the facility will begin running 'round the clock on Friday, and not shut its doors again until the end of September. The casino's owner says that liquor sales will shut down for four hours every day -- from 4am through 8am.
Brown In The Governor's Race: Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown officially entered the 2014 governor's race on Friday of last week. And on Saturday, the Washington Post tells us that he got the endorsement of the man who currently holds that position -- Governor Martin O'Malley.
Prison Corruption Case: WYPR's Fraser Smith and John Wagner of the Washington Post take today's Inside Maryland Politics segment to talk about Governor O'Malley's response to the scandal at Baltimore City Detention Center, including a controversial proposal to increase the punishment for cell phone smuggling.
Dwyer To Speak: Anne Arundel Delegate Don Dwyer has scheduled a news conference today... the day before he's set to go on trial on charges of drunken and negligent boating. Delegate Dwyer tells the Capital Gazette that he plans to talk about the accident last August on the Magothy River where he and seven others were injured in a boat collision. Police say Dwyer's blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit.
National Blue Alert Act: This week is "National Police Week," -- and Senator Ben Cardin is taking the occasion to urge lawmakers to pass a bill he's sponsored that deals with attacks on police. The National Blue Alert Act would be similar to Amber Alerts; it would expand communications when a police officer is killed or seriously hurt in the line of duty and the suspect is at-large, creating a national communications network to help coordinate federal, state and local response.
Obama To Baltimore: President Barack Obama is coming to Baltimore this week. The Commander in Chief will be in the city on Friday to discuss his jobs agenda and economic proposals; the Baltimore Sun notes that the exact details of his visit have not yet been announced.
Baltimore Baseball: The Orioles won 6 to zero yesterday's game over the Minnesota Twins . The O's have today off; tomorrow, they've got a home game scheduled against the San Diego Padres.
Preakness Week: It's officially Preakness Week in Baltimore. The 138th Preakness Stakes will be held Saturday at Pimlico. Fourth-place Kentucky Derby finisher Normandy Invasion pulled out over the weekend, leaving eight horses left in the field including Derby winner Orb. The draw for post position will take place Wednesday.