Maryland Archives - Page 334 of 395

Governor Hogan Welcomes Governor-Elect Wes Moore to Government House

Published December 16, 2022 at 9:15PM

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan today welcomed Governor-Elect Wes Moore, Mrs. Dawn Moore, and their children to Government House in Annapolis.

“The First Lady and I were delighted to welcome the Moore family to historic Government House this afternoon and show them around what will soon be their new home,” said Governor Hogan. “The First Lady and I have been so grateful to serve as temporary residents of Government House, and we will cherish the memories our family has made here over the last eight years.”

Governor Hogan Declares December 23 a State Holiday, Maryland State Government Will be Closed

By Patrick Herron

Published December 16, 2022 at 12:21PM

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan has declared that Maryland state government agencies and offices will be closed on Friday, December 23, 2022.“This year, I am declaring December 23 as a holiday so that our hard-working employees can spend more time enjoying the holidays with their loved ones,” said Governor Hogan. “This is just another way to show our appreciation to our dedicated state workers who have worked tirelessly to serve their fellow Marylanders and help us to truly change Maryland for the better.”

Under this declaration, December 23, 2022 will be treated like any other state-employee holiday.

Governor Hogan Announces Preliminary Recommendations for Fiscal Year 2024

By Patrick Herron

Published December 16, 2022 at 8:46AM

Governor Larry Hogan today announced preliminary recommendations for the state’s Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget, a plan that supports continued economic growth and community revitalization, strong fiscal responsibility and budget sustainability, and key investments in critical areas—including expanding access to health care for rural and vulnerable communities.

“I pledged to bring fiscal responsibility and common sense to our state capitol,” said Governor Hogan. “I know this doesn’t usually happen in politics, but we then did exactly what we said we would do. We inherited the worst fiscal situation ever, and we are not just leaving the state’s finances in better shape than we found them, but leaving it in the best fiscal position than the state has ever been in history.”

Maryland Public Schools Officially Permit High School Athletes to Monetize Their NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness)

By Damon Anderson

Published December 15, 2022 at 8:33AM

On Tuesday, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association officially permitted high school athletes to monetize their NIL and maintain their eligibility. Under the new policy, it is permissible for student-athletes to financially gain from the use of their own NIL in commercial endorsements, promotional activities, social media presence, product or service advertisements or NFTs. Student-athletes must keep their NIL activities and participation in interscholastic activities separate.

The guidance prohibits high school student athletes from doing NIL deals to promote video games. The MPSSAA also prohibits the formation of collectives – groups of boosters that support schools through NIL activities – by employees, contractors and vendors of member schools. MPSSAA Guidance for Name, Image, and Likeness Related To Interscholastic Athletics:

Maryland State Highway Administration Prepares for Statewide Winter Storm

By Patrick Herron

Published December 14, 2022 at 3:19PM

The storm is expected to begin as a wintry mix for points north and west of the I-95 corridor. Garrett and Allegany counties are expecting icing conditions, so motorists are encouraged to keep updated with forecasts and delay travel in the event of icing. The application of salt brine is used to prevent precipitation from initially bonding to the pavement. Motorists are encouraged to remain home and off the roads so crews can effectively and efficiently treat the roads.

“We’re asking for motorists’ patience while our crews are out doing their jobs, clearing paths for drivers,” MDOT SHA Administrator Tim Smith said. “While we encourage everyone to stay home if travel becomes hazardous, those who must go out should remember that the safest spot for people that have to drive is safely behind our equipment.”

Beyond MoCo: Governor Hogan Announces 114 Economic Development Projects For Rural Communities

By Patrick Herron

Published December 14, 2022 at 11:49AM

View the full list of Rural Maryland Economic Development Fund projects.

“Back in 2014, when I was first running for governor, I said that if I was elected the war on Rural Maryland would be over, and that communities that had been ignored and neglected would no longer be forgotten,” said Governor Hogan. “We have made good on that promise, delivering unprecedented investments to our rural communities. These grants and the dozens of projects they support will have a lasting and transformative impact, helping to make these areas more attractive for tourism, jobs, and economic development. This is another shining example of how we are truly changing Rural Maryland for the better.”

Maryland and Japan Renew Memorandum of Cooperation to Bolster Economic and Trade Relations

By Patrick Herron

Published December 13, 2022 at 8:41AM

Per the State of Maryland: Governor Larry Hogan today welcomed Japanese Ambassador to the United States Koji Tomita to the State House, where they renewed the Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) between the State of Maryland and the Government of Japan to further bolster economic and trade relations.

The agreement will bring more Japanese investment to Maryland, and expand collaboration in a range of critical industries—including energy, high-speed rail development and passenger rail services, life sciences and biotechnology, and digital innovation such as quantum and artificial intelligence technologies.

$186 Million Wagered Over First Nine Days of Mobile Sports Betting in Maryland

By MCS Staff

Published December 13, 2022 at 8:12AM

Per MD Gaming: With the launch of seven mobile platforms and a new retail location, Maryland’s combined mobile and retail sports wagering handle during November 2022 totaled $219,071,374, and sportsbooks generated $704,728 for the state. Each sports wagering licensee contributes 15% of its taxable win to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund, which supports public education programs.

Maryland’s first seven mobile sportsbooks held eight hours of controlled demonstration wagering on November 21, and launched at 9 a.m. on November 23. In nine days of operations during November, mobile sports wagering handle was $186,084,496. That amount included $63,835,319 in free promotional play, which is provided to customers by sportsbooks and is deducted from the taxable win. As a result, mobile wagering accounted for $4,262 in contributions to the state in its first nine days.

Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces the Seizure of 55 Domain Names that Violated Copyrights by Illegally Live Streaming the World Cup

By MCS Staff

Published December 13, 2022 at 8:03AM

Per the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has announced the seizure of 55 separate websites for allegedly live streaming the World Cup games, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, FIFA is the international governing body of association football and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being hosted in multiple cities in Qatar. Beginning in September 2022, HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying several sites being used to distribute and transmit copyright-infringing content, without FIFA’s authorization. HSI Agents in Maryland reviewed World Cup games accessible from each of the subject domain names, in violation of FIFA’s copyright.

Governor Hogan Announces Awards For 376 Businesses to Revitalize Downtowns and Main Streets; 80% of Awards For Minority-Owned Businesses

By Patrick Herron

Published December 7, 2022 at 12:38PM

“Project Restore has been an incredible success in advancing our mission to make Maryland Open For Business, and today’s awards extend that impact even further in downtowns and on Main Streets across the state,” said Governor Hogan. “We’re now able to extend the initiative’s impact even further across the state—with just over 80% of this round of grants going to minority-owned businesses—supporting jobs and economic recovery for years to come.”

Project Restore was launched by the governor last year, and is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Through Project Restore, the department offers property assistance and operational grants to support startup and expansion costs and incentivize private investment in vacant spaces. In total, more than 725 businesses have now been awarded grants through Project Restore.

Maryland Included in Agreement of Over $434.5 Million with Juul Labs That Resolves Investigation of its Marketing/Sales Practices

By MCS Staff

Published December 7, 2022 at 8:28AM | Updated December 12, 2022 at 10:20AM

Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh today announced an agreement of over $434.5 million between JUUL Labs and 33 states and territories that resolves an investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices. In addition to the financial terms, the settlement forces JUUL to comply with a series of injunctive terms restricting its marketing and sales practices. Maryland is to receive at least $13 million from the settlement.

“JUUL’s marketing practices were aimed directly at children, setting them up for a lifetime of addiction,” said Attorney General Frosh. “This settlement will prohibit JUUL from using flavors, cartoons and other marketing tactics that target kids.” JUUL was, until recently, the dominant player in the vaping market. The attorneys general contend that JUUL rose to this position by willfully engaging in an advertising campaign that appealed to youth, even though its e-cigarettes are both illegal for them to purchase and are unhealthy for youth to use. The attorneys general allege that JUUL relentlessly marketed to underage users with launch parties, advertisements using young and trendy-looking models, social media posts, and free samples. It sold its product in flavors known to be appealing to underage users. The attorneys general further allege that, to preserve its young customer base, JUUL relied on age verification techniques that it knew were ineffective.