Section: GOV

Political Notes: Two apply for Reilly's County Council seat

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00

With four days left until the deadline, only two people have applied to fill a vacant County Council seat.

Thomas Angelis, a former school teacher and unsuccessful candidate for county executive, and Michael McNelly, a retired police officer and former member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, have both submitted applications. County Administrator Judy Holmes said she is expecting about eight more applications by the Monday deadli...

Previous Shropshire complaints surface

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00

A 21-year-old midshipman who filed recent sexual-assault allegations against city Alderman Sam Shropshire was not the first to question his behavior with young men.

An Annapolis-area woman filed a complaint with city police in 2001 alleging that Shropshire, D-Ward 7, sexually assaulted her 25-year-old mentally unstable son while he volunteered at the mayoral candidate's now-defunct AIDS charity.

Police never brought charges, b...

Court rulings loom on campaign funds, civil rights

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will have a new look — and perhaps a new member — but the same right-of-center tilt when the justices return in late summer to deal with unfinished business about money in campaigns. Some justices will change seats with the retirement of Justice David Souter, with the more senior justices closer to the center of the bench. But the conservatives still should be able to muster majorities in the ...

MdTA's new E-ZPass charges begin today

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00

Starting today, the Maryland Transportation Authority will impose a surcharge on E-ZPass accounts as part of an effort to collect $60 million.

In January, the authority announced a proposal that would increase tolls and add fees to E-ZPass as a way to raise revenue. In May, tolls for three-axle vehicles increased at state facilities, including the Bay Bridge.

And now, E-ZPass users will have to pay a $1.50 charge each month to use the se...

New state laws will take effect tomorrow

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00

Businesses that violate liquor laws will face steeper penalties and the local tourism bureau will be on track for a funding boost under new state laws set to take effect tomorrow.

Both laws were the product of contentious local debate during the General Assembly session, with particularly strong disagreements over whether to increase the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau's share of the hotel tax.

New E-ZPass fee kicks in July 1

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Maryland Transportation Authority is going to start charging E-ZPass customers a monthly fee to use the service. The authority will start charging customers $1.50 per month on Wednesday.

As part cost-recovery initiative approved in January by the authority's governing body, E-ZPass customers will also pay $21 to $40 for new and replacement transponders. New customers will also pay a $25 prepaid deposit.

An a...

Discrimination case raises questions for Sotomayor

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — Foes of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor celebrated the high court's reversal of her decision in a reverse discrimination case. The 5-4 ruling Monday, backing of reverse discrimination claims by white firefighters, is unlikely to derail Sotomayor's nomination — and it may not even sway a vote. Reaction to the decision fell almost purely along partisan lines, with Republicans cheering the decision and say...

Maryland, D.C., Virginia ranked on use of stimulus funds

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — The District and Maryland have been ranked higher than Virginia on a scale that studied how states decided to spend federal stimulus dollars intended for transportation. Virginia ranked 39th among the 50 states and D.C. According to Smart Growth America, Virginia got high marks for investing in rail. But, the coalition said, the state has not dealt with the maintenance backlog for transportation projects.

Smart Growth Am...

Navy begins reviews of 2 old county sites

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00

The Navy is reviewing the environmental health of two of its former sites in the county, including what is now a park and a private industrial complex.

Although the former Bay Head Road Annex and David Taylor Research Center are no longer used by the Navy, it is still responsible for examining the sites' environmental liability every five years under federal law.

But the reviews will be far from invasive.

David Steckler,...

Lawmaker eyes mall parking lot cameras

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00

Citing a recent robbery and the perception that Arundel Mills mall is unsafe, County Councilman Daryl Jones is considering introducing a bill that would require all malls to install security cameras in their parking lots.

Jones, D-Severn, said he doesn't feel the mall is unsafe, but that perception exists, especially in light of Tuesday's robbery of a woman in the early evening.

Police said the 24-year-old woman was walkin...

Federal engineers questioned Bay Bridge bolts' integrity

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00

Some federal transportation engineers questioned the integrity of the bolts holding Jersey barriers onto the eastbound span of the Bay Bridge in the aftermath of last year's fatal crash, according to Federal Highway Administration documents obtained by The Capital under the Freedom of Information Act.

Two engineers discussed in e-mails whether the internal U-bolts - some of which were found to be corroded after a tractor-tr...

Hitler comparison leads to call for GOP leader's resignation

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 00:00:00

Leaders of the Republican Women of Anne Arundel County have pulled out of a Fourth of July parade and asked their president to resign over comments she made comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler.

Threats have arrived in the women's e-mail inboxes after the comments Joyce Thomann posted on the group's Web site gained national attention from prominent blogs and cable television pundits, the group's Vice President Ca...

Meade picked for new cyber security command

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00

The Pentagon wants Fort George G. Meade to be the new home of a new military command devoted to protecting the nation's computer networks, a move that would further cement the Army post's reputation as a technology epicenter.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates this week announced the formation of a new U.S. Cyber Command to defend the nation's computer-related communications and attack enemy nations' systems.

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New death-penalty regulations

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00

The state has issued new lethal injection regulations, potentially beginning an end to a de facto death penalty moratorium that has angered some prosecutors and lawmakers.

The regulations finished yesterday will be sent to the General Assembly's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review for review and approval.

"It has always been the duty of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Servi...

Panel urges Bay Bridge inspection manual

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00

The Maryland Transportation Authority needs to create a separate inspection manual for the Bay Bridge and hire staffers to oversee the inspection process of its bridges and tunnels, according to a report released yesterday.

The eight members of the MdTA Bridge and Tunnel Inspection Review Panel released a study of the state's inspection procedures nine months after a fatal wreck on the Bay Bridge.

In the 97-page document, the ...

Political Notes: Republican women's group compares Obama to Hitler

unknown@hometownannapolis.com (Unknown) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00

A letter posted on a local Republican Web site comparing President Barack Obama and his policies to Adolf Hitler has riled up the blogosphere.

Joyce Thomann, president of the Republican Women of Anne Arundel County, recently posted a letter she wrote that criticizes Obama's health care plan and urges fellow Republicans to bombard politicians with protests to the plan.

The letter says in part, "Obama and Hitler have a great deal ...