VIDEO: WGMD News Week in Review 4/11/2019

WATCH: Milton-based Dogfish Head Brewery is set for a merger, positive news for Maryland’s crabbing industry and the Woodland Ferry is set to be out of commission longer than expected. Plus, huge congratulations are in order for our own *newlywed* Mike Bradley! Join WGMD’s Hunter Landon for a look back at the week’s top stories!

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Grants to Fund Full Day Pre-K Expansion in Maryland

The Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Education says it has awarded 50 grants valued at 26.6 million dollars aimed at serving four year olds in high quality Pre-Kindergarten classrooms across the state. 19 school systems including nearly all districts on the Eastern Shore will receive the funding, as well as 31…

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Study Finds Maryland Blue Crab Population Up 60 Percent

The State of Maryland has shared encouraging news for the seafood industry. The 2019 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey has found a substantial 60 percent increase in the Chesapeake Bay-wide blue crab population. The rise in adult abundance of blue crabs was reported higher than anticipated, following a poor showing for juveniles in 2017 and…

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Adrienne Jones Elected Maryland’s Next House Speaker

Delegate Adrienne Jones has won the special election for Speaker of the House of Delegates, making her the first woman and first African-American to hold the position. Jones had previously dropped out of the Speaker race, making it a two-way race between Delegate Maggie McIntosh of Baltimore City and Delegate Dereck Davis of Prince George’s…

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Governor Hogan Signs 174 Bills, Including OC Convention Center Renovation

Following the end of the 2019 legislative session, Governor Larry Hogan has signed 174 bills into law, ranging across a variety of issues. The Governor signed House Bill 178/Senate Bill 177, which fulfills the Governor’s pledge to seek funding for the renovation and expansion of the Ocean City Convention Center. The Governor’s Office says the…

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Maryland General Assembly Overrides Governor Hogan’s Oyster Sanctuary Bill Veto

oysters-halfshell

In the final day of Maryland’s 2019 legislative session, the House of Delegates and Senate have overridden Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of a bill creating oyster sanctuaries in the Chesapeake Bay and it’s estuaries. Specifically, the legislation would create five permanent oyster sanctuaries pursuant to Department of Natural Resources recommendations under the large-scale restoration efforts…

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Governors Hogan, Carney and Others Urge Federal Lawmakers to Restore Chesapeake Bay Funding

In a letter addressed to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House Appropriations Committees, a number of leaders with interest in the Chesapeake Bay requested further funding, and millions were slashed by the Trump administration. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission Tawanna Gaines, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf,…

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Maryland Seafood Industry Will Recieve H2-B Workers This Season

crabs

—————————————————————-The Trump administration is set to allocate an additional 30,000 H-2B visas this year, positive news for Maryland’s seafood industry. Waterman and seafood companies depend on seasonal migrant workers who legally, temporarily visit the United States to pick crab meat, and then return home to Central and South American countries. Maryland U.S. Senator Chris Van…

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Governor Hogan Vetoes $15 Minimum Wage Bill

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican has vetoed two notable pieces of legislation advanced by the Democratic controlled state legislature in both the House and Senate. The Governor previously criticized the $15 minimum wage legislation, saying it would hurt “mom and pop businesses” and lead to the “elimination of 9,000 jobs for the very people…

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Maryland Senate Passes “Fight for 15” Minimum Wage Bill

MD Senate Chamber

On Wednesday, the Maryland State Senate passed legislation that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour by 2025, in a 32-13 vote along party lines. The bill, which has already passed in the House of Delegates calls for a gradual, incremental increase in the State’s minimum wage over the next six…

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Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Denies Rehearing on Artificial Island Costs

A rehearing request on the cost allocation of the $278-million Artificial Island transmission line project has been denied by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  A fair allocation has been established for the FERC that will greatly reduce future costs for businesses and residential electric ratepayers on Delmarva.  Initial calculations would have had Delaware and Maryland…

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Maryland Governor Hogan Championing Clean Cars Act

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, a Republican, gave presentation at the State House in Annapolis on Thursday regarding the “Clean Cars Act”, legislation that highlights the importance of converting to more environmentally-sound technology. With his wife, First Lady Yumi Hogan alongside him, the Governor test drove several fuel-cell technology cars. He did so to highlight the…

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MD Board of Elections Vendor found with Financial Ties to Russian National

Maryland Election officials last week learned that one of the vendors that provides a number of services – including voter registration infrastructure – had been acquired by a parent company with financial ties to a Russian national.  Governor Larry Hogan says that the information they have does not indicate any wrongdoing or criminal acts, but…

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Gov. Carney offers up a snow job during Blizzard of 2018

The blizzard of 2018. The bomb cyclone. The bombogenesis. ‘That #@$%! snow.’ Whatever you called the epic storm that roared through the southern portions of the peninsula in early January, you are probably sick of hearing about it. However, the timeline of the storm deserves a review. Keep in mind the following chart while reading…

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