Maryland s 7.700 victims of COVID-19 were remembered at a State House ceremony Friday, March 5. In front of the illuminated steps were, from left, House Speaker Adrienne Jones, Senate President Bill Ferguson, Rev. Johnny Calhoun, Gov. Larry Hogan at podium, first lady Yumi Hogan and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford. Governor s Office photo
‘ADJUDICATION PURGATORY’ YEAR LATER IN JOBLESS SYSTEMS: It has been a year since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic and the state has made significant improvements to its unemployment call centers-such as beefing up staff and expanding hours of operation but substantial problems remain as many Marylanders have been waiting months to receive their benefits and some are even unable to get a claims representative on the phone, Bryan Renbaum of Maryland Reporter writes.
State Roundup: Hogan announces vaccine equity plan with community partnerships
The Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability and other groups demonstrated Thursday outside the State House, supporting stronger police reforms than passed by the State Senate Wednesday. From its Facebook video.
HOGAN ANNOUNCES EQUITY PLAN, BALTIMORE CITY MAYOR DEFENDS CITY EFFORTS: Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday that the state has launched a concerted first in the nation “equity operations plan” aimed at increasing access to coronavirus vaccines in Maryland’s most vulnerable communities, Bryan Renbaum reports for Maryland Reporter.
The plan, which largely relies on churches and community groups requesting clinics in their neighborhoods, is intended to be a way to improve the pace of getting coronavirus vaccine shots into the arms of Marylanders who are not white, Pamela Wood and Hallie Miller report for the Sun.
State Roundup: Republicans revive violent crime measures as police reforms pass Senate
MarylandReporter file photo
REPUBLICANS REVIVE VIOLENT CRIME PACKAGE: House and Senate Republican leaders unveiled a series of bills Wednesday aimed at addressing violent crime in the state, Bryan Renbaum reports for Maryland Reporter. The proposals include measures that would increase penalties for those who use a firearm during the commission of a crime, classify the theft of a firearm as a felony, increase the amount of jail time that prisoners must serve before they are eligible for parole, and establish a special unit within the Office of Attorney General to prosecute violent crimes in Baltimore City.
State Roundup: Hogan defends vaccine rollout, despite CDC report and local criticism; taps former CDC chief Redfield as Covid adviser
The Maryland seal in the carpet of the Governor s Reception Room at the State House. Len Lazarick photo
HOGAN DEFENDS VAXX ROLLOUT: Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday that while the state’s rollout of coronavirus vaccines has not been perfect he is nevertheless confident that all that can be done to improve the situation is in fact being done, reports Bryan Renbaum for Maryland Reporter. Maryland ranks 42 out 50 among states with regard to vaccine administration, according to the CDC.
Hogan also doubled down Tuesday on his comment last week that Baltimore received more COVID-19 vaccines than it was “entitled to,” though data released this week by his administration shows the majority of immunizations directed to providers in the city have been shot into the arms of people from other jurisdictions, Alex Mann and Sanya Kamidi of the Sun report.
State Roundup: City field hospital to host pilot vaccine program targeting the underserved marylandreporter.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from marylandreporter.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.