Articles by Brian Witte

Maryland Lawmakers Send Bill Limiting Sexual Abuse Liabilities to Governor

Maryland lawmakers passed a measure Saturday to try to limit future liabilities from claims of sexual abuse at state and private institutions after thousands of people unexpectedly came forward with allegations of abuse, many of them in youth detention centers, …

Winter Storm Brings Heaviest Snowfall in a Decade to Central US

A blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures stirred up dangerous travel conditions in parts of the central U.S as a disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the heaviest snowfall in a decade to some areas. Snow and …

Maryland Lawmakers Approve Caps on High-Cost Prescription Drugs

A panel of Maryland lawmakers approved a plan on Tuesday to enable a state board to cap the price that state and local governments pay for certain high-cost prescription drugs for their employees — the latest step taken by a …

Maryland Approves $2.75 Million Settlement in State Police Discrimination Case

Maryland officials approved a $2.75 million settlement on Wednesday to resolve a federal investigation into discriminatory hiring practices affecting Black and female applicants to the Maryland State Police. The settlement, approved by the Maryland Board of Public Works, will include …

Maryland Supreme Court Hears Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit Arguments

The Supreme Court of Maryland heard arguments on Tuesday about the constitutionality of a 2023 law that ended the state’s statute of limitations for child sexual abuse lawsuits following a report that exposed widespread wrongdoing within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. …

Utility Investigated But Didn’t Find Gas Leak Before Fatal Maryland House Explosion

A technician responding to a power outage at a Maryland home and a neighbor both reported smelling gas the night before the residence exploded, killing two people, but a leak wasn’t initially found, according to a report released by national …

Federal Officials Investigating Natural Gas Explosion in Maryland That Killed 2

The National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over pipelines, is investigating a natural gas explosion at a home in Bel Air, Maryland, that killed two people, the agency said Monday. Meanwhile, state officials have identified the two people who …

House Explosion in Maryland Kills 2 and Damages Nearby Homes

Two people were killed and 12 families displaced after a Maryland house exploded Sunday amid reports of a possible gas leak, fire officials said. Neighbors described feeling and hearing the early morning blast that damaged a number of surrounding houses …

Maryland Civil Lawsuit Alleges Harassment, Sex for Rent Scheme by Landlord

Maryland’s attorney general filed a civil lawsuit on Friday against an Eastern Shore landlord and his company, alleging a pattern of gender-based housing discrimination involving sexual harassment and demands to exchange sex for rent. The lawsuit, which was filed in …

Maryland Governor Requires All State Agencies to Submit Climate Change Plans

State agencies in Maryland will be required to submit a plan to help address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, under an executive order signed by Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday. The plan calls for all state agencies to …