Feature

Part-time lawmakers switch into full campaign mode

By Len Lazarick, MarylandReporter.com - For most purposes, the work of this term of the Maryland General Assembly wrapped up Thursday with the final bill signing before the election. “This is the end of a four-year term,” said House Speaker Michael Busch.

Online Exclusive: Q&A with Maryland Jockey Club President Tom Chuckas

Tom Chuckas

Pimlico Racetrack will represent the center of the horse racing world on Saturday when the 135th annual Preakness Stakes – the second leg of the sport’s “Triple Crown” – takes place. However, until an agreement was reached last month, the future of the prestigious race in Maryland was uncertain. Maryland Jockey Club President Tom Chuckas addressed the Preakness, along with the future of Pimlico and Laurel Park, slot machines in the state and other related issues with Corridor Inc. Executive Editor Ron Snyder.

Corridor credit unions,  bank celebrate  milestone anniversaries  amid uncertainty

By G. M. Corrigan - Struggling with the recent economic downturn, officials at the four-branch, $260 million-asset Patapsco Bank understand the public does not want to see financial institutions hosting lucurative parties.

That is why Patapsco Bank CEO Michael Dee is taking a low-key approach to the 10.4 percent, Tier 1 capital ratio community bank’s upcoming 100th birthday. The bank formed as a loan association in a Dundalk blacksmith shop on Oct. 22, 1910.

Reforms, networking, education keys to growing women-owned businesses

By Catherine Irwin - Early education reform, networking, and science, technology, engineering and math training will help women-owned businesses play a large role in expanding the US economy in the next decade, according to a new study.

The challenges involved in implementing these reforms and expanding women-owned business, along with other related issues were discussed at the 11th Annual Women in Business National Conference and Business Fair held at the Baltimore Convention Center this week.

Solar boost to become law

By Nick DiMarco, MarylandReporter.com - Maryland's utilities will have to step up the amount of solar power in the mix of energy they sell to customers, under a bill to be signed into law Thursday by Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Report: State should spend faster on efficiency

By Nick DiMarco , MarylandReporter.com - The state has been too slow in spending federal stimulus dollars put aside for weatherization, potentially hindering plans to make thousands of homes more energy efficient, according to a liberal-leaning state watchdog group.

Online Exclusive: Q&A with Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Since becoming the 49^th mayor of Baltimore City on Feb. 4, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has dealt with many pressing issues ranging from the blizzard that paralyzed the city the day after she took office to reducing an inherited $121 million budget deficit. Nearing completion of her first six months in office, Rawlings-Blake, 40, spoke with Corridor Inc. Executive Editor Ron Snyder about those issues and several others, ranging from pension reform for the police and fire departments to crime and the future of The Senator Theatre.

Qualified candidates flock to health care job openings

By Andrew Cannarsa - Working in hospital human resources for 30 years, Karen Robertson-Keck has maneuvered through several economic recessions. And while the challenges for medical institutions and health care professionals in the Baltimore-Washington corridor remain the same, there’s one significant difference Robertson-Keck has noticed this time around.

Stormwater management taking shape

By Nick DiMarco , MarylandReporter.com - Maryland's residential neighborhoods will begin to see some drastically different environmental features, as developers begin working under new environmental guidelines being put in place by local governments this year.

Public-private $215 million State Center revitalization gets go ahead

By Megan Poinski, MarylandReporter.com - The Board of Public Works on Wednesday unanimously green-lighted work to begin on the $215 million first phase of a massive public-private partnership designed to revitalize central Baltimore, improve government office space, and create jobs.

Maryland’s sales force debates state competitiveness

By Len Lazarick, MarylandReporter.com - The people who sell Maryland to the country and the world spent part of this week debating whether the Free State’s brand is competitive in today’s marketplace.

On the plus side, Maryland has a “great quality of life” and a highly educated workforce, said economist Anirban Basu. On the downside, it has high taxes and a perceived bad attitude toward business.

Local non-profit aids potential women business owners

By Ron Snyder – Camille Curro always knew she wanted to go into business for herself, but could never fully commit to the idea.

That changed a little more than two years ago when the IT consultant was laid off for the fourth time in her professional career.

“It was time I controlled my own destiny,” said Curro, an Annapolis resident. “Losing my job in was the best thing that ever could have happened to me.”

Middleton says legislature needs to tackle thorny health reform issues next year

By Barbara Pash, MarylandReporter.com - Medical malpractice and the scope of practice allowed health providers who are not physicians are thorny issues the next General Assembly needs to tackle as Maryland moves to implement federal health care reform, a key Senate leader said Thursday.

Primary will decide fate of six incumbent senators in Montgomery, PG

By Len Lazarick, MarylandReporter.com - (First of a series of seven articles) Four weeks from today, every major office in Montgomery and Prince George’s County – from sheriff to executive, from county council to state senate – will largely be decided in the Democratic primary.

The last two Republican office holders in Montgomery, the state’s most populous jurisdiction, were defeated four years ago, and four years before that the GOP went empty in Prince George’s, the second largest county.