Maryland
Annapolis rally aims to stop cuts to Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Administration
Families and caregivers who rely on Maryland’s self-directed disability services program rallied at the State House on Tuesday, warning proposed budget cuts could threaten care for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents.
Parents and advocates said the proposed reductions to Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Administration, included in Gov. Wes Moore’s fiscal year 2027 budget plan, could have devastating consequences for families who depend on self-directed services to care for loved ones at home.
The self-directed model allows people with developmental disabilities and their families to hire and manage caregivers directly, often giving them more flexibility to keep loved ones at home and involved in the community.
“Catastrophic for families”
Christine Fifer, a parent who attended Tuesday’s rally at Lawyers Mall, said the proposed changes could push some families to the brink.
“Now that they are trying to take away the funding for the staff wages, I’m going to be forced to either put him in an institution now, and I’m pretty much filing for bankruptcy as we speak because of this situation,” Fifer said.
Fifer said her son, Eddie, requires round-the-clock care. She said she already took a major pay cut to stay home with him and worries the proposed cuts could make that arrangement impossible to maintain.
“It’s going to be catastrophic for families and most definitely for the participants,” she said.
Impact on caregivers and those needing care
Caregivers, parents, and advocates gathered in Annapolis to urge lawmakers to reconsider the proposed reductions, which they said would hit the self-directed program especially hard.
Baltimore Orioles Hall of Famer B.J. Surhoff, whose son participates in the program, joined the rally and spoke about what self-direction has meant for families like his.
“It’s the difference between surviving and thriving,” Surhoff said.
Surhoff said people in the program should not be viewed simply as budget items.
“They’re not just a line item, they’re real people. We’re real families, and these are lives that are affected every single day,” he said.
Michelle Guy, a caregiver from Anne Arundel County, said those wage reductions would not just affect workers, but the people who depend on them.
“When you cut my wages, you’re not just cutting my paycheck, you’re cutting someone else’s access to the community, you’re cutting their independence,” Guy said.
Families at the rally said that without changes to the budget, some could lose workers, lose income or struggle to continue caring for loved ones at home.
Advocating for proposed cuts
Advocates said the proposed cuts to the Developmental Disabilities Administration total more than $126 million and could reduce wages for home-based caregivers.
Families and advocates said they want lawmakers to restore the funding before the budget is finalized. House and Senate lawmakers must agree on a final spending plan before the legislative session ends April 6.
Maryland
Gas prices surge in Maryland, provoking debate on what to do about it
Author Stephanie Fowler talks about her new book, ‘Into the Night’
Author Stephanie Fowler has released her third book “Into the Night”. It’s a true crime work on the 1968 double homicide at the Wicomico County jail.
Gas prices are surging in Maryland, and state officials are beginning to weigh in on a potential gas tax suspension.
The price jump occured after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran beginning on Feb. 28, 2026.
Average gasoline prices in Maryland have risen 25.2 cents per gallon within the last week, now averaging $3.86/g, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 2,167 stations in the state.
Prices in Maryland are 87.7 cents per gallon higher than one month ago, and stand 85.1 cents per gallon higher than one year ago, GasBuddy shared.
As of March 25, gas prices in Salisbury are between $3.73/g and $3.99/g. The current lowest reported cost, $3.73/g, was found at Sam’s Club at 2700 North Salisbury Boulevard.
“Gas prices continued to rise nationwide over the last week as seasonal factors, combined with ongoing supply concerns tied to the continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, pushed both gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said.
“It now appears increasingly likely that the national average price of gasoline will reach the $4-per-gallon mark — potentially as early as this week — for the first time since 2022, while diesel prices are surging to multi-year highs, with some markets nearing record territory,” De Haan continued.
Gas price averages in Maryland over the last five years
Here’s a closer look at the historical gasoline prices in Maryland and the national average within the last five years, according to GasBuddy:
- March 23, 2025: $3.00/g (U.S. Average: $3.08/g)
- March 23, 2024: $3.56/g (U.S. Average: $3.53/g)
- March 23, 2023: $3.26/g (U.S. Average: $3.42/g)
- March 23, 2022: $3.79/g (U.S. Average: $4.23/g)
- March 23, 2021: $2.84/g (U.S. Average: $2.86/g)
Will Maryland suspend its gas tax? Officials weigh in
Ammar Moussa, a spokesperson for Maryland Govenor Wes Moore, weighed in on the state’s potential gas tax suspension:
“Marylanders need real relief, not a 30-day gas tax suspension that would blow a $100 million hole in our transportation budget at the same time we’re working to close Maryland’s budget shortfall. If Maryland Republicans are serious about lowering costs, they should pick up the phone and call Donald Trump and tell him to end this missionless war — instead of asking Maryland taxpayers to help pay for it.
“This war is costing more than a billion dollars a day and driving up the price of oil, fuel, and everyday goods. The best way to bring prices down is to address the source of the pain, not shift the cost of Donald Trump’s war onto Maryland families.”
Nicole Beus Harris, Chairwoman of the Maryland Republican Party, shared her thoughts next with Delmarva Now:
“We know Wes Moore thinks about the White House 24/7, but his responsibility, just like Republicans in the General Assembly, is to make state policy. A temporary pause of the state gas tax is a commonsense solution to this temporary crisis, but we’ll never see meaningful tax relief under this Governor.”
Are other states suspending their gas tax to cut prices?
As of March 2026, Georgia has become the first and only state to temporarily suspend its gas tax.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, suspended the state’s motor fuel tax for 60 days on March 20. The excise tax on gasoline is currently 33.3 cents per gallon, and a few cents higher on diesel, USA Today reported.
Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. Contact her with tips and story ideas at ominzola@delmarvanow.com.
Maryland
Rachel Morin’s mother criticizes Gov. Moore for opposing ICE detention center in Maryland
MARYLAND (WBFF) — A legal fight is underway in Washington County over plans to convert a warehouse into an immigration detention center, with Gov. Wes Moore opposing the project and securing a temporary pause in construction.
The Trump administration wants to convert the warehouse into an immigration detention center. Moore has taken the issue to court and obtained a temporary halt. In a public service announcement, Moore called the center “concerning.”
“This is being done without transparency, without public input or accountability. And it’s raising serious concerns from Marylanders, all across our state,” Moore said.
ALSO READ | What’s next for the planned immigration detention center near Hagerstown?
Not all Marylanders agree. Patty Morin criticized Moore on social media and said he is out of touch, also speaking with FOX45 News about her concerns.
“First off, I was just really angry because he is misrepresenting the people of Maryland,” Morin said.
“Last time I looked, statistics said 1.3 million immigrants in Maryland. And you know that some of those are here illegally,” Morin said.
Morin’s daughter, Rachel Morin, a mother of five, was killed by an illegal immigrant in Harford County in August of 2023.
Moore said his administration is prioritizing residents’ concerns as the federal government moves forward.
“While the Trump administration is moving forward without any consideration for Marylanders, we’re putting your concerns front and center,” Moore said.
ALSO READ | Emergency order seeks to stop Washington County ICE detention facility construction
Morin said Moore is not listening to residents and argued the detention center is about enforcing the law, not targeting a specific group.
“He is totally politics over people. He genuinely does not care about the people of Maryland or the constituents that he represents. I all the time, Marylanders are like, what is the matter with this governor? Why is he doing this? It’s ludicrous,” Morin said.
“The very word itself, illegal means against the law or not lawful. And they have broken a federal law. Federal law supersedes state law,” Morin said.
It’s not rocket science.”
Morin also said Moore should consider all Marylanders when making decisions about the proposed facility.
“Marylanders that are here want ICE, want law enforcement to protect us. That’s what we’re paying our taxpayer dollars for. Not for a Governor Moore to go to the courts and fight this imaginary battle because he’s trying to, I don’t know, maybe make points with the Democrat party or something. He’s completely out of touch with Marylanders and it’s just, it’s very upsetting,” Morin said.
The court-ordered pause remains in effect until mid-April. Federal officials will announce next steps after the pause is lifted.
Maryland
‘Mattresses all over the place’: Maryland begins yearly operation to clean state highways – WTOP News
In 2025, Maryland spent $16.5 million on litter pickup and debris removal, Charlie Gischlar of the Maryland State Highway Administration said, calling the trash problem “an immense problem.”
This week, the Maryland State Highway Administration is rolling out its yearly “Operation Clean Sweep,” a weeklong program aimed at cleaning up state highways.
The program runs through Friday.
Charlie Gischlar, the deputy director of communications for MDOT SHA, told WTOP, “It’s all hands on deck.”
“It’s going to be SHA crews, contractors and the Department of Corrections folks as well,” Gischlar said. “We do this before the start of the mowing season.”
Gischlar said the program was started a couple of years ago in an effort to deal with “the immense litter problem that we have in the state on the state highway system.”
“We spent last year, in calendar year 2025, more than $16.5 million on litter pickup and debris removal,” Gischlar said. “We’ve gotten about five million pounds of litter and debris last year.”
Crews are picking up more than just fast food bags and water bottles; Gischlar said they found 32 tires and a wooden kitchen table in Howard County.
Along with toys, dolls and sofas, Gischlar pointed out another item that might surprise you: “Bedroom mattresses all over the place.”
“So, you can see that’s an immense problem,” he added.
The state also cleans the state’s highways before big holiday weekends, including Memorial Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
“We bring everybody together to beautify the roadsides,” Gischlar said.
If you are driving and see the work crews, Gischlar asks you to “move over when (you) see our crews and slow down.”
“Every year when we see our folks out there picking litter from the side of the road, somebody’s not paying attention or they’re going too fast, and one of our attenuator trucks always gets hit,” he said.
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