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Oyster restoration effort in Maryland continues to generate optimism

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Oyster restoration effort in Maryland continues to generate optimism


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The mound of oyster shells rose 20 ft above the deck of a 72-foot barge Wednesday afternoon, able to plunge into the depths of the Severn River.

Because it positioned itself within the waters off Chinks Level, an oyster-planting barge named the “Robert Lee” opened its aspect rails and pumped a whole bunch of 1000’s of oyster shells lined in thousands and thousands of thumbprint-sized juvenile oysters into the river with a high-powered hose, a course of often known as “washing.” GPS trackers hooked up to a number of the shells guarantee they’re touchdown in the correct areas to take root on the reef under.

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That is the fourth consecutive yr that the Severn River Affiliation and the Oyster Restoration Partnership have partnered on the Operation Construct-a-Reef marketing campaign, an ongoing effort to repopulate the Severn River and different waterways resulting in the Chesapeake Bay with oysters. The infant oysters are planted in native sanctuaries such because the Severn River and are closed to harvesting to allow them to develop and multiply, enriching the ecosystem. By fostering younger oysters, they’re producing an abundance of aquatic life and cleaner bay waters.

“Severn River Affiliation’s objective is to plant no less than 25 million oysters every year. We need to do greater than that, although,” mentioned Jesse Iliff, government director for the Severn River Affiliation.

Operation Construct-a-Reef’s work to revive Maryland waterways has been a hard-fought battle because the venture began in 2018. After salinity issues that occurred after excessive rainfall in 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic interrupted operations two years in the past, it’s a aid to have issues operating easily, mentioned Ward Slacum, government director of the Oyster Restoration Partnership. Since 1993, Slacum’s group has planted greater than 9 billion oysters.

“One in every of our objectives is to revive the oyster right here in Maryland and we’re lucky to have the instruments and assets,” Slacum mentioned.

The planting effort is important to the continued progress of the oyster inhabitants within the Chesapeake Bay and, by extension, essential to the survival of different animals and organisms that inhabit the rivers and bay after a long time of overfishing precipitated precipitous declines in annual oyster hauls.

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Indicators that oyster planting could also be working have begun to emerge. Maryland watermen bought greater than half 1,000,000 bushels of untamed oysters final winter, greater than they’ve since 1987, based on preliminary state information. It’s a optimistic signal for a species identified for harmful inhabitants swings in current a long time. Organizers have mentioned survival charges for the oysters planted by the Operation Construct-a-Reef program have exceeded 80 %, lending proof that the trouble is aiding within the restoration.

Among the many attendees Wednesday had been Del. Dana Jones and state Sen. Sarah Okay. Elfreth, two Democrats who characterize Annapolis within the Normal Meeting. Each have efficiently overseen the passage of oyster-related laws, together with a invoice appropriating thousands and thousands in state funding aimed toward defending and bolstering the oyster inhabitants over the following 5 years.

“This previous legislative session was a banner yr, and we’re going to see the fruits of that banner yr proper right here on the Severn River,” Jones mentioned. “We handed the biggest funding into oyster restoration that the state has ever completed. We’re going to have more healthy water high quality, we’re going to see a cleaner bay, and it’s because of the nice work being completed in any respect ranges.”

The continued backing by state and native governments is crucial to the initiative, Iliff mentioned, however neighborhood help is required to complete the job.

Anne Arundel County Govt Steuart Pittman (D) was represented on the occasion by County Finances Officer Chris Trumbauer, who mentioned he was excited to be part of the efforts to fight environmental degradation, precipitated partially by local weather change.

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“We hear quite a bit within the environmental house about local weather change, about doom and gloom, about upcoming catastrophe, so it’s necessary to have days like at the moment the place we have fun success and optimism,” Trumbauer mentioned.

“With assist from these nice organizations and different state and native companions, we’re going to make this river a little bit bit higher, we’re going to make this bay higher, little by little, one step at a time. That’s how we’ll proceed this battle for the environment.”



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University of Maryland reverses decision to allow anti-Israel protest on October 7

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University of Maryland reverses decision to allow anti-Israel protest on October 7


The University of Maryland on Sunday reversed its decision to allow an anti-Israel protest on the first anniversary of the October 7 Massacre, following backlash from local Jewish groups. 

UMD Students for Justice in Palestine and UMD Jewish Voice for Peace had been set to hold their October 7 vigil for Gazans killed in the Israel-Hamas War at the campus’s Mckeldin Mall, but the University System of Maryland (USM) said in a statement that on the day of the Hamas-led pogrom it would limit campus events requiring permits or approval to those supporting “a university-sponsored Day of Dialogue.”

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“From the beginning of the war, we have come together as a University System to urge that we use this moment to encourage conversation, compassion, and civility; to engage with one another across our differences and draw on our shared humanity and our shared values to bridge what divides us,” said USM. “These dialogues aren’t new. Many of our universities have been hosting this kind of programming for several months. Reserving Oct. 7 gives us a chance to continue these urgent conversations and to mark this solemn anniversary in a way that gives students—all students—the time and space to share and to be heard.”

USM said that its intent was not to infringe of the free expression and speech of students, but to be sensitive to the needs of students as October 7 was a “day of enormous suffering and grief for many in our campus communities.”

UMD Jewish Student Union, Maryland Hillel, Terps for Israel, and Israeli American Council Mishelanu at Maryland welcomed the USM decision and thanked UMD leadership in a joint social media statement on Sunday.  

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The campus of the University of Maryland in College Park. (credit: Courtesy)

“October 7, the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, is a day of mourning for the Jewish and Israeli community,” said the UMD JSU. “We are relieved that SJP will no longer to be able to appropriate the suffering of our family and friends to fit their false and dangerous narrative.”

The Jewish groups said that it was distraught that the decision to only hold university-sponsored event had to be made at all, and wished to used the campus space to “grieve together as a community” to promote unity at the university. The unideal situation was necessary, according to the Jewish groups, to ensure the physical and psychological safety of students on the day of mourning. 

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UMD JVP and SJP attacked the decision to cancel the event, claiming that the vigil for Palestinians killed since the October 7 Massacre was attacked without familiarity of the content. The anti-Israel groups said that the discourse was “the continuation inherently racist, Islamophobic, and dehumanizing rhetoric surrounding Palestinians.” JVP and SJP said that the actions against their event were an attempt to paint “Muslim, Arab, and anti-Zionist Jewish students as barbaric.”

The anti-Israel groups asserted that their vigil for Palestinians who died in the war was no threat to the campus’s Jewish community, but conflation of Zionism and Judaism did threaten UMD and the Jewish community. 

“To claim that Palestinians cannot hold a day of remembrance in mourning one year of genocide, or lay claim to that date is an insult to every life lost in the Zionist entity’s genocidal campaign,” UMD SJP and JVP said on Instagram on Sunday. “The disproportionate scale of suffering experienced by the Palestinians over the past year necessitates their remembrance and our solidarity on this day. The suffering of all innocents killed must not be monopolized and necessitates a fair and just representation.”

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SJP and JVP demanded the right to organize and exercise their right to free speech, accusing Zionists of attempting to stifle Palestinian voices.

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The organizations indicated on their Sunday Instagram post that they still planned to hold their all-day event at Mckeldin Mall, and on Monday a link to register still active and listing the campus building as the rally location. 

UMD Jewish groups said that they would be holding their own event to memorialize the victims of the October 7 pogrom at the Maryland Hillel.





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Sunshine for your Labor Day in Maryland

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Sunshine for your Labor Day in Maryland


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Michigan State Has Several Things to Fix Before Heading to Maryland

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Michigan State Has Several Things to Fix Before Heading to Maryland


Michigan State’s football team emerged with a 16-10 win against Florida Atlantic, but it was far from a convincing victory. The Spartans struggled throughout the game, exhibiting a range of issues that need immediate attention if they hope to find more consistent success moving forward.

With less than a week to prepare for its next opponent, Michigan State has a critical opportunity to address these shortcomings and refine its game plan.

The win over FAU exposed several areas of concern for Michigan State, particularly on offense. The Spartans were plagued by poor execution and missed opportunities, with several drives stalling due to penalties and miscues. The offensive line, in particular, struggled to establish a rhythm, which led to limited success in both the running and passing games.

Quarterback play from Aidan Chiles was inconsistent, with errant throws and a lack of cohesion with the receiving corps contributing to the team’s inability to sustain drives and put the game away early.

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Defensively, Michigan State managed to hold FAU to just 10 points, but there were still some worrying signs. Despite the Spartans having multiple interceptions and a safety, they gave up several big plays, revealing potential vulnerabilities in the secondary and raising concerns about the unit’s ability to maintain discipline and focus throughout the game. Missed tackles and lapses in coverage could prove costly against more formidable opponents, making it imperative for the coaching staff to address these issues in the coming week.

Special teams were another area where Michigan State faltered. On multiple occasions, the Spartans gave up more punt return yards than they should have because of missed tackles.

With less than a week before its next game, Michigan State has a valuable window to regroup and make the necessary adjustments. The coaching staff will need to focus on tightening up execution across all phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams. This includes refining the game plan, improving communication and instilling a greater sense of urgency and discipline among the players.

The Spartans cannot afford to let the issues that plagued them against FAU carry over into their matchup against Maryland. If they hope to be competitive as the season progresses, the team must use this time to correct course and demonstrate growth in all facets of its game.

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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