Maryland

Maryland Gov. Moore issues cannabis pardons, announces homeownership program

Published

9 months ago

June 19, 2025

Maryland Gov. Moore issues cannabis pardons, announces homeownership program

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore will pardon thousands of cases of cannabis possession in the state, he announced Thursday.

The governor made the announcement at a Juneteenth event and also announced a new program to increase race-based equity.

In an interview with News4 earlier this week, Moore called these initiatives part of the “work of repair” he said is necessary to address ways communities of color have suffered from the systemic impacts of racism.

Moore announced he’s directing more than $400 million toward historically underserved neighborhoods in Maryland – an effort he said is designed to raise appraisal values and increase homeownership in disenfranchised communities.

Under the JUST Communities program, 419 Census tracts will receive special consideration when competing for state funding.

According to Moore’s office, qualifying communities must have histories of redlining, impacts from highway projects, high state imprisonment rates or unequal exposure to environmental or health hazards. In Montgomery County, 36 communities will receive the designation. In Prince George’s County, 89 will receive it.

Moore is issuing nearly 7,000 new pardons for misdemeanor cannabis convictions. Last year, he signed a clemency order pardoning 175,000 people whose cannabis charges he said posed an unjust barrier to employment.

“This is one of the most aggressive home-ownership pushes for the Black community that we have seen in our state’s history,” he told News4 earlier this week.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore sits down with News4’s Shawn Yancy to discuss his future as a politician, including whether or not he intends to run for president in 2028.

“It’s about access. It’s about inclusion. And it’s about wealth. Because that is the issue that we’ve got to address when it comes to this work of repair,” he continued. “What are we doing to address wealth and the wealth gap? And I’m really excited that Maryland again is moving more aggressively on this issue of ending the racial wealth gap than any other state in the country.”

The governor has been heavily criticized for vetoing a bill that would have created a commission to study the harms caused by slavery. He said these efforts are designed to help those communities now.

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Maryland

SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned

Published

30 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

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SUN: Dozens of vehicles moved to planned Maryland ICE facility; advocates concerned

Advocacy groups are raising concerns over a warehouse in Washington County that is slated to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility after dozens of black SUVs were moved to the warehouse’s parking lot on Sunday.

“When federal enforcement vehicles begin lining the warehouse lot, it sends a clear message about what’s taking shape in our community,” said the organizer of Hagerstown Rapid Response, Claire Connor. “We refuse to let ICE quietly plant roots in Washington County without transparency, accountability and community consent.”

The 825,620-square-foot warehouse is located at 16220 Wright Road in Williamsport. Access to the facility was blocked by orange traffic barriers and signs outlining regulations and “governing conduct on federal property” with the Department of Homeland Security emblem at the top of the page.

In late January, Washington County issued a news release stating that on Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent a letter to the county’s historic district commission and department of planning and zoning regarding the property.

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Read the full story on the Baltimore Sun’s website.

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Maryland

Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia

Published

13 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Howard County police investigate fatal officer-involved shooting in Columbia

COLUMBIA, Md. (WBFF) — An adult man was killed in a police-involved shooting in Columbia early Sunday, prompting an investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division.

Howard County police said officers were called on March 1, at about 12:09 a.m., to an apartment building in the 6400 block of Freetown Road for a report that involved an adult male threatening to harm himself.

According to police, at about 12:22 a.m., officers encountered the man outside the building. The man approached officers while holding a knife and ignored commands to drop the weapon, police said. Officers then shot the man.

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Officers attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Officersrecovered a knife near the man.

No officers were injured, and the officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.

The Independent Investigations Division is investigating.

Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576–7070 or by email atIID@oag.maryland.gov.

The IID willgenerally releasethe name of the decedent and any involved officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary,pursuant toIID protocol.

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TheIID willgenerally releasebody-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.

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