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Maryland’s Slots Commission Pressures Anne Arundel County

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Gambling in Anne Arundel County seemed so close Thursday, but yet so far away.

The Video Lottery Facility Location Commission nearly voted Thursday on a motion to approve the proposal for a casino at the Arundel Mills shopping mall without zoning approval from the Anne Arundel County Council. The council has not approved a zoning change to allow the casino at the site because of concerns by some residents about having the facility at the mall.

“We’re looking to move on our own schedule,” said Commission Chairman Donald C. Fry.

The commission appeared to be putting pressure on the county council which, in the commission’s view, has dithered on the zoning issue.

“We have gotten to the point where we’re ready to make a decision, but for the zoning,” Fry said.

But Fry conceded that a vote to approve the proposal would mean nothing if the county council did not approve zoning for the casino.

“We’d have to come back and start over,” he said. “Absolutely, we’d have to start the whole bid process over again.”

– By Capital News Service’s Christopher M. Matthews.

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Committee Recommends Creation of Voluntary Landlord Registry

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

The creation of a voluntary registry of landlords willing to rent housing to people with mental illnesses who may also have criminal backgrounds was approved for recommendation to the General Assembly at a work session of the Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services Tuesday.

For people with mental illnesses, finding housing sometimes is about more than affordability. A second stumbling block occurs when landlords aren’t willing to rent to people with criminal records, said Lori Doyle, director of public policy at the Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland.

A lot of the individuals with mental illness who are served by the agencies that make up the Community Behavioral Health Association have a criminal background, said Doyle.

But even if the criminal record involves something minor that occurred years ago, it can be the basis for a denial of housing, and more and more landlords are doing background checks and becoming more stringent about who they accept as tenants, Doyle said.

Providers of mental health services currently use informal methods of finding housing, such as keeping lists of places where they’ve previously had success placing people, she said. Because tenants are supported by providers, who develop relationships with landlords, the results of such relationships are often positive.

“It’s just getting in the door,” Doyle said.

A state registry would be a valuable resource to providers and those they serve by making it easier to find suitable housing, “rather than having to knock on 20 doors” trying to find landlords who are open to working with them, Doyle said.

- By Capital News Service’s Megan E. Gustafson.

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Report: Two Million Pounds of Industrial Toxins Dumped into Bay in 2007

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Industrial facilities in Maryland dumped more than two million pounds of toxic chemicals into the Chesapeake Bay in 2007, according to a report released Wednesday by Environment Maryland, an advocacy group. It’s the first time in the last decade the amount of toxic chemicals has increased from one year to the next.

The report outlines possible adverse health effects from exposure to water or contaminated wildlife from the bay, ranging from reduced fertility to cancer. But Heath Kelsey, a scientist with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, said recently that bay water is only dangerous for 48 hours after a heavy rainstorm. Otherwise, the bacteria and pollutants are mostly harmless, he said.

Regardless of the safety aspect, the bay should have been free of toxic chemicals by 1985, according to the 1972 Clean Water Act. Tommy Landers, a field organizer with Environment Maryland said the goal now is to know exactly what is going into the bay and how it affects life in and around the waters. Most chemicals from facilities are untested and assumed harmless, he said.

“This clearly aggravates the already fragile state of the Chesapeake Bay,” said Landers. “Overall, we want to go from an innocent-until-proven-guilty mindset to a guilty-until-proven-innocent mindset.”

- By Capital News Service’s James B. Hale.

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Hoyer Holds Forth on War, Health Care, Guarantees

Thursday, October 15th, 2009

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Mechanicsville, reflected on his recent discussion with President Obama regarding Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s call for more troops during his weekly pen and pad briefing Wednesday.

“I think there was a general feeling around the room that whatever your particular view on what General McChrystal had recommended, the president had to grapple with this and come up with a policy that accomplishes the objectives the president thinks are critical,” Hoyer said.

“This is an issue that requires us to think very carefully … Afghanistan has not been a successful venue for many great powers in the past, I can’t think of any. I think we also need to have some great confidence that the government in Afghanistan is a viable government, with the confidence of its people.”

Switching gears to health care, Hoyer talked about reconciling the Senate’s bill with one that would pass in the House.

“I would be shocked if there was not a very robust conference where we would come to grips with differences between the House and the Senate. We’re not there yet in determining what the Senate bill is going to look like.”

When asked if he could guarantee the House would pass a health care bill before Christmas, Hoyer said: “Can I guarantee that? No. Do I think it will? Yes. I am way beyond guaranteeing what we’re going to do and when we’re going to do it.”

- By Capital News Service’s David Johnson

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O’Malley: Health Care Reform Necessary to Fix State Budget

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

The state’s ailing budget cannot be cured without first gaining control of rising health care costs, said Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley during a phone conference Thursday morning organized by the Democratic National Committee.

“[Health care costs are] the single largest part of our budget,” O’Malley said, and one that could “crowd everything else out of the picture.”

Maryland  has made $735 million in cuts to this year’s state budget and is searching for an additional $300 million to cut in order to balance the budget when the fiscal year ends in June.

O’Malley cited education and public safety as services that may be at risk if health care costs are not put in check soon.

Speaking Thursday in support of President Obama’s goals for health reform, O’Malley said the state’s health care costs grow at a rate of 7 or 8 percent every year and promise to continue to do so if no changes are made.

“If we do nothing it’s going to be nearly impossible for us to be able to keep up with those escalating costs,” he said.

Maryland Sen. Richard Colburn, R-Dorchester, agreed that health care might play a role in fixing Maryland’s budget, but said it shouldn’t be seen as a cure-all.

“There is a possibility that the health care plan will help Maryland’s budget, but our problems are deep and we’re going to have  to face some tough cuts in an election year 2010 session,” Colburn said. “We have to move ahead no matter what they do in Washington.”

O’Malley praised the federal government for stepping in to help the state at a time when it needs it, comparing the challenge Maryland faces with those of small business owners who also  must scramble to find a way to provide affordable health care to their employees.

“I think the key, the real key, is making sure everyone is covered,” O’Malley said.

- By Capital News Service’s Karen Anderson.

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Foundation Stays Suit on Chesapeake Cleanup

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation suspended its lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency filed in January over Chesapeake Bay cleanup, according to a CBF news release Wednesday.

The foundation said it will hold the suit while it monitors EPA action on bay cleanup mandated by President Obama’s Chesapeake Bay executive order, which required that plans be made and executed for bay restoration.

“Since then EPA has  begun to step up to the plate,” said CBF President William Baker in a written statement.

“As many actions that should be included in a final settlement may not be resolved until EPA  has completed the notice and comment process and issued the final strategy in May, a stay is appropriate,” Baker said. “If, during negotiations, we do not believe that EPA is making the necessary commitments, the stay order allows us to reinstate our suit and proceed with litigation.”

CBF will stay the lawsuit until June 30, 2010, according to John Surrick, director of media relations at CBF.

- By Capital News Service’s Aleksandra Robinson

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Sick Midshipmen Quarantined at Naval Academy

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

An outbreak of suspected H1N1 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis has led officials to quarantine infected students in an isolated area of the Bancroft Hall dorm. The first case of H1N1 was confirmed on Sept. 10, and since then, seven total cases have been confirmed, according to a statement from Deborah Goode, director of media relations at the Academy.

Since the outbreak began, the number of students with influenza-like illness quarantined in Bancroft Hall has been as high as 75, but now is decreasing, and as of Tuesday, 30 students remained isolated, Goode said.

In addition to educating midshipmen on flu prevention and good hygiene, Academy officials are asking midshipmen every morning if they’re experiencing flu-like symptoms, hand sanitizer is being made available at locations throughout the campus and common areas such as bathrooms and locker rooms are being cleaned more frequently in an effort to contain the spread of the virus, the statement said.

Midshipmen in isolation are receiving “continuous monitoring by staff and medical personnel,” as well as meals, fluids, and laundry and bed linen services, the statement said.

In a letter addressed to family and friends of midshipmen, Commandant of Midshipmen Capt. Matthew Klunder said the Academy is also in the process of providing e-mail access and DVD players to isolated midshipmen.

“I am most proud of them as they deal with this unfortunate situation, but we are all pitching in to make their stay as comfortable and pain free as possible,” the letter reads.

All midshipmen have now been vaccinated for seasonal influenza, and when the H1N1 vaccine is ready, the Academy will implement a plan to vaccinate midshipmen and military staff, the statement said.

- By Capital News Service’s Megan E. Gustafson.

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Business As Usual on Drug Control

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Radical proposals for fighting the spread of illegal drugs were few and far between at Gov. Martin O’Malley’s roundtable discussion Friday on drug control strategy. But, it was clear the emphasis is shifting toward drug treatment and prevention.

O’Malley met with President Obama’s “Drug Czar” Gil Kerlikowske, House Speaker Michael Busch, D-Anne Arundel, law enforcement officials, and community leaders at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County to discuss the subject.

Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said he had ended the “war on drugs” four months ago and was helping the president develop a new drug strategy. But, by and large, Busch, Kerlikowske, and O’Malley stuck to well-worn talking points in a question and answer session with reporters following the meeting.

“We know [successfully fighting drugs is] a combination of three things,” said O’Malley. “It’s not only better and more effective law enforcement, it’s better and more effective interventions in the lives of our most at-risk young people and it’s better and more effective drug treatment and drug prevention.”

When asked whether there was any discussion of legalizing drugs, Kerlikowske said, “The president has a very clear statement about that, and it’s that legalization is not in his vocabulary, and it’s certainly not in mine.”

“And it didn’t come up here,” O’Malley added quickly.

The most novel idea that seemed to come up in the meeting involved the use of alternative medicine.

“[There was some talk about], within the context of wellness, about the effectiveness of acupuncture,” said O’Malley. “I think the director of [Baltimore Substance Abuse Systems] said that ‘I can’t tell you the ins and outs and science of acupuncture, but I can tell you I have numbers that show, where it’s been employed, it’s proven that it’s a big help.’”

- By Capital News Service’s Christopher M. Matthews.

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Cardin, Mikulski Secure Funding for Bay Gateways

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Mikulski, both Maryland Democrats, secured $1 million in funding for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network in a Senate appropriations bill passed late Thursday night.

The Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network includes more than 160 parks, wildlife refuges and museums centered around the Chesapeake Bay, as well as 22 water trails.

“The gateways program will help record our history, protect our bay, reflect our values and renew our sense of pride and wonder,” Mikulski said in a statement. Mikulski is a member of the subcommittee that funds the program.

The funding will also support matching grants of up to $100,000 from the National Park Service for accessibility and stewardship, according to the statement.

Cardin said in the statement: “The bay is one of our nation’s most treasured resources and the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network helps visitors understand and appreciate the important role the bay has had in our region’s history and culture.”

- By Capital News Service’s Aleksandra Robinson

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A Primer on The Slots Process

Friday, September 25th, 2009

With Wednesday’s decision to grant a slots license to Ocean Downs on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, a months-long journey came to an end for one of the four qualified bidders for “video lottery terminals” in the state.

While some observers have expressed frustration with the length of this journey, Donald C. Fry, chairman of the Video Lottery Facility Location Commission, disagrees.

“It’s funny, people think it’s been a long process, but it took the legislature a long time to get to this point. I don’t think it necessarily took the commission a long time,” Fry said. “Although this was done in a very thorough and deliberative fashion, it was done in a fairly short period of time.”

But, to echo the words of the 80’s band Talking Heads, how did we get here? What must a bidder do to receive a license? Here’s an overview:

Bidders must have submitted a proposal to the slots commission in February along with the necessary fees — $3 million for every 500 machines requested — as well as present their proposal during a public hearing and site visit.

They also are subjected to a myriad of studies — including traffic, economic viability and potential tax revenue generated — and put through an independent background investigation looking into the personal character of the bidders, their financial stability and how successful they’ll be in running the casino.

If they pass the background investigation (the State Lottery Commission must sign off on a bidder before they move forward), the slots commission takes these studies into consideration and makes a decision. They do this based mostly on the projected financial success of the slots parlor (70 percent), with less weight given to jobs created (15 percent) and the positive/negative aspects of the location (15 percent).

There’s much more that goes into the process, but based on the volume of testimony and reports created by the Ocean Downs bid, a great deal of time and energy is being spent on these proposals. The commission’s next meeting is Oct. 7.

- By Capital News Service’s Bobby McMahon

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