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February 19, 2026

Talbot Spy

Nonpartisan Education-based News for Talbot County Community

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Food Insecurity Remains a Growing Challenge in Talbot County

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Food insecurity in Talbot County remains one of the most urgent — and persistent — challenges facing our community. Over the past year, the Talbot Spy has closely monitored this issue, particularly as federal funding for food programs has come under pressure. What we are hearing now is sobering: the need is not easing. In many cases, it is growing.

In a recent conversation, Nancy Andrew of the Talbot Family Network and Andy Hollis of the Neighborhood Service Center offered a clear snapshot of where things stand. Local food pantries are seeing dramatic increases in demand, in some cases doubling the number of people walking through their doors. At the same time, grocery prices remain high, supplies from regional partners such as the Maryland Food Bank are tighter, and uncertainty persists around federal programs such as SNAP and Community Services Block Grants.

For families already living paycheck to paycheck — seniors, working parents, individuals with disabilities — even small increases in food, rent, or medicine can push them into crisis. Talbot County may appear prosperous on the surface, but as Andy noted, that prosperity has masked a growing population struggling to make ends meet.

The question now is how the community will respond — through financial support, volunteers, and sustained awareness — as this pressure shows no signs of slowing.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information and a listing of all Talbot County-based food pantries, please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Easton Council Highlights: Easton Utilities CEO Apologizes for Diesel Spill

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Easton Utilities President and CEO John Horner addressed the Easton Town Council last night and apologized for a diesel fuel spill that contaminated the Bay Street Ponds and killed seven waterfowl.

The incident, he said, was “far below our standards,” and accountability “starts with me.”

The spill occurred during a cold-weather power generation run in early February. A faulty valve on a generator fuel tank allowed an estimated 10 to 15 gallons of diesel to vent onto the ground. Easton Utilities believes that 5 to 10 gallons entered the stream feeding the ponds.

The volume was modest. The failure in communication was not.

Under the utility’s own Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures plan, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) was to be notified within two hours. That did not happen. Senior leadership, including Horner, only became aware of the situation after social media posts began circulating.

“This is not acceptable in any way, shape, or form,” Horner told the council.

An operator discovered the spill early Sunday morning during a routine check. Supervisors attempted to manage it internally, but MDE was not contacted. By Monday evening, residents were reporting a strong diesel odor around the ponds. On Tuesday morning, MDE contacted the utility.

Once leadership was fully engaged, remediation began. Oil-absorbent booms were placed in the stream and ponds. Contaminated soil was removed. BP Environmental was hired to manage the cleanup. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources recovered affected birds for rehabilitation; seven did not survive.

Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Colwell confirmed that diesel floats can appear more widespread than they are. He also stated the spill did not reach the Tred Avon River.

Cleanup continues under MDE oversight and will remain in place until the state provides written clearance.

Horner pledged upgrades to containment systems and internal reporting procedures, along with additional staff training. Council members expressed disappointment but largely supported Horner’s decision to address the matter directly.

“Transparency matters. Accuracy matters. Trust matters,” Horner said.

Our video highlight of 15 minutes is the full clip of Mr. Horner’s remarks. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Talbot Council Highlights: 1st Annual Report Documents a County Getting the Work Done

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The Spy rarely highlights organized, printed annual reports because most are more promotional rather than educational. But when Talbot County released what appears to be its first-ever annual report for the County Council, we thought it deserved attention.

At this week’s Council meeting, Communications Coordinator and Public Information Officer Sarah Kilmon introduced the new report, calling it a public-facing document designed to pull together “all the things the county has done over the last year. And they accomplished that goal.

What follows are highlights from Kilmon’s presentation—an “annual report at a glance”—offering residents a snapshot of where county government has been investing time, energy, and taxpayer dollars over the past year.

This video is approximately 12 minutes in length. Download a copy here.

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Oxford Pushes Back Hard against Housing Bills that Strip Local Authority

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The Oxford Town Commission last night took formal action to oppose two housing bills moving through the Maryland General Assembly that town officials believe would dramatically weaken local control over development.

Senate Bill 36 and House Bill 548 are part of a statewide push to increase housing production. But in a small, built-out waterfront town like Oxford, commissioners made clear they see the measures as a direct threat to home rule.

“This takes away home rule,” Commission President Katrina Greer said bluntly during the discussion. “It takes away our judgment.”

The legislation, as written, would preempt local governments from regulating certain lot sizes, setbacks, and lot coverage limits. In some cases, setbacks between neighboring homes could be capped at five feet. The bills would also require municipalities to permit townhouses where single-family homes are permitted and would allow property owners to subdivide existing single-family lots into up to three lots.

Town Attorney Lyndsey Ryan explained that while historic districts designated before July 2025 may be exempt, large portions of Oxford outside the historic district could still be affected. She also noted that House Bill 548 would significantly change vesting rules, allowing building permits to remain valid for up to five years rather than expiring if work does not begin within six months, as is currently the case in Oxford.

“That’s a pretty substantial change,” Ryan said.

Town Manager Holly Wahl outlined the practical implications. She told commissioners the bills could alter how Oxford regulates exterior dimensions, lot coverage, and setbacks, and potentially affect how the town applies critical area, floodplain, and shoreline protections.

Earlier in the day, the Planning Commission had met to review the legislation and expressed concern that the bills could conflict with Oxford’s comprehensive plan and its emphasis on resilience and flood mitigation.

Commissioner Norm Bell pointed to the setback language as particularly troubling. “Five feet,” he said, emphasizing how narrow that distance would be in an already tight town.

The broader state effort aims to add 100,000 housing units across Maryland. Under preliminary estimates, Oxford’s share could amount to roughly twenty units over five years.

Commissioners made it clear they are not opposed to housing in principle. But they object to mandates imposed from Annapolis that override local decision-making.

Commissioner Dave Donovan said the town should actively oppose the legislation. “I’d be happy to move in favor of doing whatever we can to stop this,” he said before making the motion. The vote to oppose the bills and begin lobbying efforts was unanimous.

Greer urged residents to contact their state representatives. “Chris Adams is on the committee hearing this,” she noted, encouraging citizens to call and express their views.

As Greer framed it, the question is simple: who decides how Oxford grows — Oxford, or Annapolis?

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Eastern Shore Ministers Witness Minneapolis ‘Truth and Freedom’ Protests

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Two Eastern Shore ministers—each sharing their experience as a “Faithful Witness at the Minneapolis Truth & Freedom Strike and Protest”—opened their Sunday afternoon presentation with a call and response: “What does democracy look like?” followed by, “This is what democracy looks like!”
The Reverends Chris Antal and Kathryn Adams of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Easton and the Unitarian Universalists of the Chester River, respectively, spoke on Sunday, Feb. 1, at the UUFE sanctuary about the Jan. 23 “Day of Truth and Freedom” nonviolent action in solidarity with residents of the Twin Cities metropolitan area. By the thousands, Minnesotans are protesting what they describe as a hostile occupation marked by unwarranted arrests and, in several cases captured on cellphone video, violent assaults—including at gunpoint—resulting twice in death by masked ICE or other federal agents.
Antal and Adams joined thousands of clergy from across the country at the urging of the Unitarian Universalist Association, along with other faith organizations, labor unionists, community leaders, and people of conscience.
They arrived two days early and found lodging in one of the hotels considered “safe” for protesters. Many other hotels were filled with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents or supporters of ICE. On their second day, Thursday, they attended training at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, which declares on its website that it “stands with our immigrant neighbors.” During the training, participants discussed the level of risk each was willing—or unwilling—to take regarding arrest, injury, or worse. “There was no shaming of people who chose lower levels of risk,” Antal said.
Taking the light rail to Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, Antal marched with picketers on the sidewalks after being warned that the airport is federal property, which could expose anyone arrested to federal charges. When a group of mostly local residents called out for clergy, Antal joined them in the street before being warned that police were approaching. He calmly returned to the sidewalk and watched as those blocking a lane of traffic were “gently, almost apologetically arrested” by unmasked local police, rather than federal agents. He recalled seeing an elderly woman begging an officer to “cuff me, cuff me” with plastic restraints so she could be escorted, booked, and released along with the others.

Antal opened Sunday’s “Faithful Witness” program in Easton by blowing a whistle like those used to summon help or warn neighbors of ICE movements. Its shrill sound echoed the alarms of a week earlier in Minneapolis: “We came with whistles. They came with guns,”  said Rebecca Good, the widow of Renee Good, shortly after her spouse was shot to death by an ICE agent identified as Jonathan Ross. Whistles can also be heard before and after the fatal shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, reportedly by Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez. The border those agents were assigned to patrol lies roughly 950 miles south.

Another item Antal brought back was a blue “North Star Rising” placard bearing a white clenched fist and the words “For Good,” evoking the name of the first person killed by gunfire after warning neighbors about ICE. Renee Good’s last intelligible words, captured on video as an ICE agent approached her car, were: “I’m not mad at you.”

At the Portland Avenue site where Good was killed, Antal encountered a retired man—“sort of an angel,” as he described himself—who appeared to be tending the spontaneous memorial, cleaning it and relighting candles. Antal left small flags and stones painted by UUFE members. Walking farther along Portland Avenue, he visited George Floyd Square and Say Their Names Cemetery, memorials honoring Black people killed by police, including Floyd, murdered in 2020 by former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin.

Adams, who stayed an extra day, visited the site of Pretti’s shooting. That Sunday morning, a makeshift memorial expanded rapidly after the area—cordoned off much of the previous day—was reopened. On Friday, the day before the shooting, the “Truth and Freedom” march drew an estimated 20,000 peaceful protesters to Commons Park. The hours-long procession took place in temperatures ranging from 12 to 15 degrees below zero.
While Antal traveled mostly on foot or by public transit, Adams, who missed getting a bus pass upon arrival, drove herself around the city. She noticed ICE or Border Patrol vehicles slowing nearby. “This very much felt like occupied territory,” she said.

Along a stretch of Portland Avenue in a largely Hispanic neighborhood, many businesses were closed. Others—mostly food markets—displayed signs reading “No ICE Agents Allowed.” White neighbors and out-of-state visitors shopped on behalf of residents too intimidated to leave their homes, delivering food and basic supplies.

“We were honored and proud to be supportive,” Adams said. Antal recalled a woman who “cried when we told her we had come all the way from Maryland” to witness what residents were experiencing.

On his way home, Antal took a 20-minute Uber ride to the airport. When he explained to the driver, a West African asylum seeker, why he had come to Minneapolis, the driver described an ICE agent banging on his car window, demanding entry so he could arrest a terrified Latina passenger in the back seat. Antal quoted the driver as saying, “If you’re after this woman, you’re going to have to kill me first.”

Thanks to that intervention, Antal said, “she made it to work safely.”

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Talbot Council Highlight: About 4,000 Talbot County Residents Receive SNAP Benefits

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Few people in Talbot County realize how many of their neighbors depend on public assistance, or how serious the need is in a community often seen as wealthy. But Linda Webb, director of the Talbot County Department of Social Services, presented the sobering data at last night’s meeting, which was held via Zoom due to weather. She reported that more than 10 percent of the county’s population receives help through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Each month, 2,282 households — nearly 4,000 individuals — receive more than $600,000 in food benefits.

“These are Talbot County residents,” Webb told the council, underscoring that the need is local and ongoing.

The department also provides food support to children during the summer months, when school meals are unavailable. Through the federal Sun Bucks program, Talbot County issued more than $388,000 last summer to over 3,000 children. Webb said she expects similar numbers this year. “It should look about the same,” she noted.

Food assistance is only one part of the department’s work. Social Services also administers temporary cash assistance, disability assistance, emergency help for families with children, and Medicaid, including long-term care for residents in nursing facilities.

Webb emphasized the department’s focus on helping people move toward stability. Programs such as work assistance and the Young Fathers Employment Program help participants find jobs and meet child support obligations. Last year, the county collected and distributed more than $2 million in child support payments.

“It’s amazing sometimes what you have to have in order to get a job,” Webb said, describing how the department helps people obtain birth certificates, IDs, transportation, and work clothing.

The department also manages the Citizens Emergency Fund, supported entirely by the County Council. The fund is used when no other government program applies. “We use these funds to meet needs that otherwise wouldn’t be met,” Webb said, citing help with rent, utilities, medical expenses, and even burial costs.

Council members repeatedly praised the department’s work. Webb closed by thanking them for their support. “We really appreciate your faith, your compliments, and your contributions,” she said.

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MD Senate Panel Advances Bills To Ban Agreements With Ice, Face Coverings For Law Enforcement

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The Maryland Senate could be taking up bills as early as this week to ban agreements between local police and federal immigration authorities and to prohibit masks on law enforcement agents, after the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee approved both Tuesday.

The committee vote came less than a week after hours of testimony on the two bills, and the same day that the House Judiciary Committee was holding its own combative hearing on a companion bill to do away with the so-called 287(g) agreements between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local sheriff’s departments. Nine Maryland counties have entered into such agreements, which require their jails to hold undocumented suspects for transfer to ICE for deportation proceedings.

Both the House and Senate committee hearings took place against the backdrop of increased scrutiny of aggressive immigration enforcement, after federal agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, 37, in Minnesota. That shooting came weeks after an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in Minneapolis.

Trump administration policies were never far from the discussion in Annapolis Tuesday.

“We need to just get out of this business right now,” said Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery), chair of Judicial Proceedings and lead sponsor of Senate Bill 245, which would ban 287(g) agreements.

The committee voted 8-3, along party lines, to approve the bill prohibiting local police or any “agent of the state” from entering into an agreement with the federal government to enforce civil immigration law.

The vote came after the committee rejected an amendment from Sen. Mary-Dulany James (D-Harford) that would not have banned the agreements but would have prohibited certain immigration enforcement activities by local police “unless an individual has been charged with or convicted of a felony.” Her amendment also would have required correctional facilities to report information to the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy.

“I have a sheriff who I have a lot of respect for who’s been running a 287(g) jail-based program, as have some other jurisdictions in Maryland,” James said. “I’m impressed with how it’s run. They [ICE agents] are nothing like the people that I’m seeing on the TV screen in the streets.”

Smith urged the committee to reject the amendment, citing how immigration enforcement is being handled by federal agents.

After about 30 minutes of debate, the committee rejected James’ amendment by a 7-4 vote, with all three committee Republicans — Sens. William G. Folden of Frederick County, Chris West of Baltimore and Carroll counties, and Mike McWay of Western Maryland — joining James in support.

During a briefing with reporters Tuesday morning, Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) defended Smith’s bill, calling the operations of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security under the Trump administration “unconstitutional and unlawful.”

“I’m very cognizant that we could see something happen in Maryland, and we want to make sure that we’re prepared as possible for whatever surge could happen,” Ferguson said. “The partnership with an organization that’s operating with the procedures that it has right now is undermining faith in law enforcement.”

If approved, Maryland would join several Democratic-led states, including Delaware, Illinois, and New Jersey, in banning such agreements. California lawmakers are also working to limit the agreements.

‘Storm troopers’

The Judicial Proceedings Committee spent about 70 minutes on face-covering legislation sponsored by Sen. Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince George’s) before voting 7-4 to move the bill to the full Senate, with James again joining the three Republicans.

Senate Bill 1 would prohibit face coverings on law enforcement officials working in the state, including ICE agents who are typically masked. The bill would ban items such as balaclavas, ski masks, or neck gaiters while officers are on duty. Exceptions would be allowed for undercover operations, motorcycle helmets, religious garments, or health-related reasons.

The committee approved amendments requiring the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to develop a uniform policy prohibiting face coverings, rather than a model policy. Violations would be civil offenses instead of criminal ones, with fines of up to $1,500 instead of potential jail time.

Even with those changes, opponents were not fully satisfied.

West said he agrees that officers should not resemble “storm troopers in Star Wars,” but warned of potential conflicts between state and federal law enforcement.

“The local officers are going to say, ‘You’re obstructing justice. I’m putting you under arrest,’” West said. “And the ICE officers are going to respond by saying, ‘You’re obstructing federal officers. I’m putting you under arrest.’ This is bad. It’s not going to end happily.”

Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D-Montgomery), vice chair of the committee, said the vote sent a message that federal actions conflict with Maryland values.

“We as a legislature have a duty to respond,” Waldstreicher said. “The committee had a legitimate debate, and we sent it to the Senate floor to continue that conversation.”

Ferguson said both measures could be debated on the Senate floor as early as Thursday.

287(g) in the House

About two hours before the Senate committee vote, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a House version of the 287(g) bill sponsored by Del. Nicole Williams (D-Prince George’s).

Williams said ICE does not improve public safety, even in Maryland jurisdictions that have signed agreements.

One day after Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano (R) testified against the Senate bill, she announced on social media that the county had signed a 287(g) agreement, becoming the ninth in Maryland to do so.

“Officials who signed these agreements claim they enhance public safety, but that’s false,” Williams said. “They drain taxpayer dollars from real law enforcement work and offer no reimbursement for staff or overtime.”

Del. Lauren Arikan (R-Harford) asked whether Williams was prepared for President Donald Trump to send ICE teams into the state if the agreements were eliminated.

“There will be blood on the hands of people that move this when folks die,” Arikan said.

“ICE shouldn’t be randomly engaging in shooting individuals,” Williams responded, noting ICE activity in her district despite no 287(g) agreement.

Del. Susan McComas (R-Harford) said jurisdictions should decide for themselves.

“If the community wants ICE, then let them have it,” she said.

When Del. Nino Mangione (R-Baltimore County) asked why legal immigrants would fear enforcement, several audience members laughed.

“I would say basically every news story for the past 12 months explains why,” Comptroller Brooke Lierman said. “Legal, documented immigrants also have a reasonable fear of interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”

By William J. Ford

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Grading Policy Draws Scrutiny at Talbot School Board Meeting

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A debate over a grading practice surfaced repeatedly at last week’s four-hour meeting of the Talbot County Board of Education, exposing some divisions over accountability, process, and how student performance should be measured going forward.

At issue is the use of a “50 percent floor,” a grading practice that gives students a minimum score of 50 percent even when assignments are missing or incomplete. Early in the meeting, board member Ann O’Connor moved to amend the agenda to add an action item titled “unauthorized grading practices,” arguing that the policy had been implemented without formal board approval, as required under existing board policy governing grading standards.

O’Connor then moved to immediately rescind the practice and revert to previous grading rules while a district grading committee continues its work. The motion was seconded but failed in a board vote, leaving the policy in place for the remainder of the semester.

Public concern followed. Talbot County Council member Dave Stepp, speaking as a private citizen, told the board he has heard widespread frustration from parents and educators across the county. “That’s a little disturbing,” Stepp said, adding that he was unsure how such a policy prepares students for college or the workforce.

The issue returned forcefully during board member remarks near the end of the meeting, when O’Connor framed her opposition as a matter of integrity and transparency. She described seeing a bumper sticker that read “Truth matters,” and said the phrase captured her concern that grades should reflect actual learning. “Grades are meant to be a mirror of learning, not a mask,” she said, arguing that awarding 50 percent for work never submitted misrepresents student performance.

Several board members voiced agreement with O’Connor’s concerns, even as they differed on timing and process. Amy Dodson said she did not disagree with O’Connor’s critique. Whelan-Cherry echoed the concern, saying the system risks “grading for failure.” Board President Emily Jackson said her silence earlier in the discussion was “not disagreement,” but reflected her desire to allow the grading committee to complete its review.

Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi reiterated that the grading practice remains under review by a district-wide committee of educators and administrators and will remain in place for this semester to avoid midterm disruption. She said clearer deadlines for student work are being reestablished and that recommendations are expected later this winter.

Talbot County’s debate mirrors disputes seen elsewhere. In recent years, districts in California’s Tri-Valley region and San Francisco have faced strong backlash over similar “minimum grade” or “grading for equity” proposals, with some plans slowed or abandoned amid concerns about lowered standards and public trust. National school leadership groups have warned that such policies can create unintended consequences if not paired with clear expectations and consistent enforcement.

No final decision was made last week, but the discussion made clear that the grading policy will return to the board agenda. For now, the 50 percent floor remains in place, and the debate over what grades should truly represent is far from settled.

Key moments are included in our highlight reel of that meeting.

This video is approximately ten minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Maryland House Take Congressional Redistricting Bill with Big Changes for 1st District

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House leaders are fast-tracking legislation to redraw the state’s eight congressional districts, drawing sharp criticism from Republicans who stand to lose the only seat the party holds in Maryland in the process.

The House on Friday introduced House Bill 488, a 40-page bill redrawing the state’s congressional districts for 2026 and then asking voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would keep the new districts for the 2028 and 2030 elections.

The bill is scheduled to be heard Monday afternoon by the House Rules Committee and could be back before the full House by the middle of the week.

The introduction of the bill comes just three days after a five-member gubernatorial advisory committee voted 3-2 to recommend a congressional redistricting plan that would heavily redraw the Eastern Shore–based 1st District.

Republicans were quick to challenge the process and express concerns that the public was not being given enough time to participate. They also raised concerns about how Monday’s hearing would be affected by an impending snowstorm.

“It is disappointing, and frankly unfair, that the House will be shoving this legislation on an accelerated timeline that provides no real opportunity for public input,” said House Minority Leader Jason Buckel (R-Allegany). He added that the storm could make it impossible to get to Annapolis to testify or knock out power, making virtual participation impossible.

“Moving this bill through so quickly in the middle of a giant weather event is a clear message that the Democratic majority has no interest in what the people think,” Buckel said.

HB 488 is sponsored by Del. C.T. Wilson (D-Charles), who served on the governor’s redistricting advisory commission, and is based on a “concept map” approved by that panel.

House Rules and Executive Nominations Chair Anne Healey (D-Prince George’s) said the committee would meet virtually in light of the winter storm that led Gov. Wes Moore (D) to declare a state of emergency.

The conservative, seven-member House Freedom Caucus called the governor’s redistricting commission “a sham” in a statement Friday.

“No Kings? Gov. Wes Moore is ramming through an unconstitutional congressional map to eliminate all Republican representation in D.C.,” said Del. Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore County), the caucus’ vice chair. “This is a rigged process.”

It’s possible the bill could clear the House by midweek and reach the Senate by next Friday. But it faces a tougher path there, where opponents — including Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) — have said it should not come up for a vote.

Ferguson, who also served on the governor’s redistricting panel, opposes mid-cycle redistricting, saying it could reopen litigation that resulted in the current map. He also warned the move could ultimately risk additional seats for Republicans.

Despite pressure from national Democrats who want Maryland to pursue a fully Democratic map, Ferguson has emphasized other priorities.

When asked to respond Friday, Ferguson said, “I appreciate their thoughts and advice,” but added that voters are more concerned about other issues.

“The world is uncertain, the world is crazy, and we have a limited amount of time and energy and focus, and we have to put it where it matters most,” Ferguson said.

“We’ve got to close a $1.4 billion budget shortfall. We’ve got to focus on affordability. We’ve got to find a way to grow our economy, and we’ve got to pass policies that truly and actually protect Marylanders against the Trump administration,” he said.

Ferguson appears to have the support of his caucus, which holds a supermajority in the Senate. He has said previously that the chamber does not take up bills lacking caucus support.

Ferguson and Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss, a Republican, were the two advisory commission members who voted against advancing the redistricting plan.

The concept map approved by the commission makes changes to all eight congressional districts, but the most dramatic changes affect the 1st District, currently held by Republican Rep. Andy Harris.

The district now includes the entire Eastern Shore before extending into Cecil and Harford counties and part of eastern Baltimore County. Under the new proposal, the district would lose part of the upper Shore and instead cross the Chesapeake Bay into Anne Arundel County, then extend north and west into Howard County to include part of Columbia.

Those changes would significantly increase the number of Democratic voters in the district, making it more difficult for a conservative Republican like Harris to retain the seat.

The original concept map had legal issues. None of the eight districts met the constitutional requirement that districts have nearly equal population, with differences exceeding 1,000 people between the largest and smallest districts.

Wilson said the bill introduced Friday corrects that problem by adjusting boundaries to “zero out” population discrepancies and bring the map into compliance with court rulings. An official analysis of the bill was not immediately available.

Szeliga raised concerns about the timing of the Department of Legislative Services’ fiscal analysis.

“This is for the public record, because should this proceed, there certainly will be a lawsuit,” Szeliga said on the House floor. “We need to know when the fiscal note will be available so people can read the bill along with it.”

Szeliga was the plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging the 2022 map. An Anne Arundel County judge struck down that map, leading to a quickly negotiated compromise that is currently in effect.

House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-Prince George’s and Anne Arundel) said the analysis would be available before the hearing.

By Bryan P. Sears

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Council Highlights: Town of Easton Hits the Brakes on Parking Plan

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Plans to change Easton’s parking policy hit a speed bump at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting, as noted in our highlight reel featuring comments from Mayor Megan Cook and Councilmembers Rev. Elmer Davis and Dr. David Montgomery as the town rethinks its approach to downtown parking.

Mayor Cook announced that the proposed parking ordinance has been withdrawn and that the concerns raised by residents during recent public hearings have been addressed. She said the goal now is to step back, correct misinformation, and get clear direction from the council on whether Easton should continue some form of paid parking or move to free parking.

Councilmember Davis said residents have been clear about wanting better enforcement of existing parking rules. He also suggested exploring transportation options to reduce the need for parking downtown.

Councilmember Montgomery discussed the challenge of balancing free parking with keeping spaces available for shoppers. He noted that enforcement and time limits may still be needed and that any parking decision will have budget and staffing impacts.

This video is approximately four minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.