Maryland
Maryland’s education mandate is a blueprint for disaster; dangers of tianeptine | READER COMMENTARY
Education mandate is blueprint for disaster
Recent polling indicates a broad-based endorsement of Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future, but beneath the surface, questions and concerns about this ambitious plan are mounting.
The Blueprint, designed to revamp Maryland’s education system, holds appeal in its promise to improve public education. The issue, however, isn’t with the idea of better education; who doesn’t want that? The real problem is with the Blueprint’s high cost and inadequate funding structure, leaving taxpayers and county governments grappling with how to foot the bill.
Gov. Larry Hogan’s initial veto of the Blueprint, which was overridden, foreshadowed the fiscal challenges we’re seeing today. With a Maryland General Assembly session that ended without substantial action to address these concerns, the looming question remains: How will we pay for the Blueprint? This is a question that state legislators and policymakers have yet to satisfactorily answer.
The Blueprint’s financial burden is being transferred to counties, which are forced to make cuts to crucial programs to meet the new mandates. In Harford County, this translates to reduced funding for safety and security, special education, magnet schools, class sizes, world languages, arts and music, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Harford County is not alone. Counties across Maryland are struggling to maintain these cherished education programs as limited resources are redirected to support Blueprint initiatives.
A fiscal briefing released in January by the state Department of Legislative Services paints a stark picture. It predicts that Maryland will confront a structural deficit commencing in fiscal 2025, which will skyrocket to nearly $2.93 billion by 2029. This aligns with the projected cost of implementing the Blueprint, which is set to surpass $4 billion by 2029. Maryland’s ranking of 46th in the 2023 State Business Tax Climate Index underscores the severe repercussions of raising taxes to meet these demands. Further tax hikes potentially could drive both businesses and residents out of the state, exacerbating the financial predicament.
The Blueprint is an unfunded mandate that strips local boards of education of their autonomy, imposing a one-size-fits-all approach to education that doesn’t consider the unique needs of different counties. It also risks bankrupting local governments and undercuts community-driven initiatives that could offer more tailored solutions to educational challenges.
As much as we all desire to enhance public education, the Blueprint in its current form is not the solution. It jeopardizes the very essence of local control and poses a significant financial threat to the state’s future. Maryland legislators must scrutinize this plan and strive to restore control to local boards of education. Otherwise, we will confront a much graver crisis in the future, with irreversible harm to both our education system and our economy. It’s high time for Annapolis to reevaluate and devise a blueprint that is sustainable, adaptable, and respects local governance.
— Aaron Poynton
Poynton is the president of the Harford County Board of Education. The opinions expressed here are personal and don’t necessarily represent the views of the board or Harford County Public Schools.
Dangers of tianeptine
“They’re selling that stuff at the smoke shop near us,” Bryan, my coworker said. “I’ve been told it’s highly addictive, causes seizures and many bad side effects, and overdoses, even death.”
Bryan taught me about tianeptine. Marketed as a dietary supplement and energy drink (which means the federal Food & Drug Administration can’t regulate its sales), it’s sold in smoke shops, convenience stores, gas stations, and online right here in Harford County. Brand names include Za Za, Neptune’s Fix, Pegasus, Tianna Red, White Magic, and at least a half dozen others. It’s sold in fancy flavors with appealing colors.
Outlawed in Florida, Ohio, Michigan and six other states, tianeptine pills and liquids are sold in Maryland. There’s no age restriction to purchase, no health warnings on the labels and no warning signs at stores where it’s sold — often in boxes of 12 bottles each.
The FDA has issued alerts and press releases warning about the dangers of tianeptine. Poison centers in many states report a dramatic increase in the number of calls from users and families about the life-threatening incidents of its use.
I purchased a 15-capsule bottle of Za Za in Aberdeen. It cost $32. A .338 fluid ounce of Neptune’s Fix costs $19. Like most addictive substances, the more a person uses, the more tolerance he develops and has to use more the next time.
The encouraging news is that two of our delegates — Teresa Reilly and Steve Johnson — co-sponsored H.B. 1230, the “Tianeptine Consumer Protection Act.” It passed the House and Senate and now awaits Gov. Wes Moore’s signature.
Our county and city councils, health departments, and all policymakers should consider immediate action to ban or restrict the sale of any tianeptine products.
— Don Mathis, Havre de Grace
Mathis is a certified peer recovery specialist at Voices of Hope in Aberdeen
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
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Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
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Maryland
Maryland police arrest alleged bank robber wielding stolen cat: ‘Tried to use her as an accessory’
Law enforcement agencies are accustomed to dealing with cat burglars – but now a Maryland police department is saying it grappled with a cat-wielding bank robber.
The Prince George’s county police department said its officers arrested a man suspected of stealing a cat and then taking the animal with him to a PNC bank branch in the local community of Beltsville to rob the establishment on Monday morning.
“The cat was returned” after the suspect was arrested, the police department said in a statement to the Guardian on Tuesday. The agency said no injuries were reported, and it declined to name the suspect or release additional details, saying the case – bound for a spot in the annals of bizarre reported US crimes – remained under investigation.
Nonetheless, a social media post from rescue shelter Beltsville Community Cats provided more information.
A Beltsville Community Cats Facebook page post on Monday identified the cat at the center of the alleged botched caper as Magnolia, a three-and-a-half-month-old tuxedo kitten. The shelter recounted how the suspect first snatched Magnolia from her “adoption habitat” at Beltsville’s Pet Supplies Plus store, took her across the parking lot to a PNC branch, and “tried to use her as an accessory in [an] attempted robbery”.
“He asked the bank manager to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed the note to a teller demanding all the cash,” the post continued. “Thankfully, the robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound in the bank manager’s office, where the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.”
Pet Supplies Plus store employees told the NBC affiliate in nearby Washington DC that Magnolia’s cat napper had come in daily for about two weeks and focused on the kitten each time.
Finally, on Monday, he managed to use a key to open a cat adoption area and whisked Magnolia away, store employees said to the outlet, WRC.
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski told WRC that Magnolia’s thief “came in and saw none of my team was nearby the front – and he just went right to her and ran right on out”.
According to WRC, Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats then received a call from a pet store employee who alerted her to Magnolia’s plight.
That prompted Stullich to run over to the store, where she said to WRC that she “immediately saw all of these police cars and … thought, ‘Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat’.”
“But then I realized they all were going down to the bank,” Stullich recalled to WRC. “They came back out a few minutes later and said, ‘Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.’”
Two days before her catnapping, Magnolia was the subject of a Beltsville Community Cats Facebook post inviting people to see her at Pet Supplies Plus and consider adopting her.
Magnolia as of Monday was still waiting to be adopted, Beltsville Community Cats said in its post detailing the bank robbery.
The non-profit organization offered members of the public the opportunity to apply to adopt Magnolia by emailing rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
Beltsville Community Cats’ post also joked that Magnolia’s “brief ‘life of crime’ is behind her” – except for undoubtedly “stealing” hearts, treats, toys and cuddles wherever her forever home may be.
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