Carnival Cruise Lines says its Carnival Pride will leave the Port of Baltimore next year. Charges have been filed against the driver of the truck involved in May’s train derailment in Rosedale. Gas taxes and tolls are set to increase on Monday. Maryland’s legislative panel on prison corruption held its first meeting yesterday. Plus, the latest installments in our series “Rockets’ Red Glare” and “The Lines Between Us,” a look inside the Maryland Municipal League conference, casino news, and more.
Carnival Cruise Lines To Leave Baltimore’s Port: Carnival Cruise Lines is removing its ship “Pride” from Baltimore; the change comes because the Environmental Protection Agency hasn’t approved the cruise line’s plan to comply with new ship emissions rules. Currently, two cruise lines sail out of Baltimore -- Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Combined, they employ 220 people have an estimated 90-million-dollar annual economic impact on the city.Carnival tells the Baltimore Business Journal it may return to Baltimore in the future, and state officials tell the Baltimore Sun they’ll “fight to get them back.” The Maryland Port Administration also says it’s looking to find another cruise line to sail from Baltimore. More later today, on Midday with Dan Rodricks.
Charges Filed In Rosedale Train Derailment: Baltimore County police are charging the driver whose trash truck collided with a CSX freight train in Rosedale last month, leading to a derailment, fire, and explosion.According to the Baltimore Sun, Jon Alban Jr. is facing seven traffic citations – including negligent driving and failure to stop at a railroad crossing. All the charges are misdemeanors. Alban is also facing a 250-thousand-dollar lawsuit from CSX in relation to the May 28th incident, which is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Higher Gas Taxes, Tolls Kick In Monday: It’s going to cost more to fuel your car starting Monday of next week, when the first series of increases to the state’s gas tax kick in. The state comptrollers’ office tells the Washington Post the price at the pump will rise 3-and-a-half cents per gallon on July 1st… with the total state gas tax edging up to 27 cents per gallon. Additional gas tax hikes are in store for the coming years. Tolls are also going up on Monday, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority. On the Bay bridge, the standard toll will go from four-dollars to six-dollars. At the Key Bridge, Fort McHenry and Harbor Tunnels tolls will jump from three-dollars to four-dollars. If you are heading up I-95 to Delaware, be prepared to pay eight-dollars at the JFK Highway and Hatem Bridges, up from six-dollars.
Prison Corruption Panel Meets: Maryland's top corrections official is facing tough questions over the slow pace of the Baltimore jail corruption review. As the Baltimore Sun reports, Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Gary Maynard faced a legislative panel on prison corruption yesterday. It was the panel's first meeting since 13 corrections officers and 12 others were charged in a contraband smuggling ring at the Baltimore City Detention Center.
For Candidates, An Ocean City Stop To Garner Support: WYPR's Fraser Smith and Alexander Pyles of the Daily Record talk about this week's Maryland Municipal League conference, and how the various gubernatorial candidates used the event to bolster their campaigns. It’s today’s edition of Inside Maryland Politics.
Rockets’ Red Glare: During the War of 1812, fife and drum music keyed military maneuvers. Latter day fifers and drummers are keeping that music alive… and at Fort McHenry, they’re passing it along to a new generation.WYPR’s Joel McCord reports as part of our series “Rockets’ Red Glare: The War, The Song, and their Legacies.”
The Lines Between Us: Last year, the group Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle criticized a coalition rallying against a new youth jail, saying they ignored black-led grassroots activism. LBS member Dayvon Love shares a personal essay, in a preview of this week’s installment of “The Lines Between Us.”
Maxwell Goes To PG; AA Officials Plan To Find An Interim Replacement: Anne Arundel County School Superintendent Kevin Maxwell resigned from his post yesterday. Maxwell is leaving to take over as CEO of the Prince George's County school system. The Capital Gazette reports that the AA County School Board will meet on Saturday to discuss naming an interim replacement.
Casino News: A poker room at the Maryland Live! casino is set to open in late August. This, after the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission yesterday conditionally approved a two-story, 52-table room, which is scheduled for a dry run at the Arundel Mills site August 26th with the public opening planned for August 28th, according to the Baltimore Business Journal. The Lottery Commission yesterday also approved a change in licensing for the planned casino in Baltimore City; the Baltimore Sun reports that the move will allow the facility to operate 130 table games and 25-hundred slot machines when it opens next year.
Baltimore Baseball: The Orioles won last night’s game against the Cleveland Indians; the score was 7 to 3. The O’s kick of a three-game series with the New York Yankees tonight; the match starts at 7:05 at Camden Yards.