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| 2024 MD districts |
State House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk says there is still enough time to redraw congressional district lines — which Democrats believe could win them a new seat — but that the Feb. 24 candidate filing deadline may need to be delayed to accommodate a new map.
“It’s just a matter of making it a priority, and the House did,” Peña-Melnyk said in an exclusive interview with The Baltimore Sun. Delaying the filing deadline is not as dramatic as pushing back the primary election itself — and there is no talk of that — but Republicans say it would disrupt election planning and leave candidates with questions about where they’ll run.
The timing around the election season was also a concern of Senate President Bill Ferguson, who has been a staunch opponent of mid-cycle redistricting. “The length of those delays is very dependent on how quickly the local boards of election could implement a new map after all legal challenges are settled, which almost certainly means additional weeks of a delay, if not months,” Ferguson said in a letter to his colleagues last October. An aide of Ferguson’s reiterated his position on Wednesday. The Senate president has called the new map “objectively unconstitutional,” saying it “breaks apart more neighborhoods and communities” than the existing district lines.
The candidate filing deadline is a specific date for anyone who wants to appear on the 2026 primary ballot. Delays could mean voters have less time to learn about their candidates. Moving back filing deadlines can also be problematic for candidates because they may not know which voters to target in their campaigns.
The map must be locked in by the deadline so district boundaries can be implemented and candidates can learn about their districts. When talking to The Sun, Peña-Melnyk referenced an emergency bill she supports by Del. Kris Fair, a Frederick County Democrat, that would push the filing deadline to March 20. The bill is pending.
The House of Delegates on Feb. 2 approved a redrawing of the boundaries of the state’s eight U.S. House districts. But the map — supported by Gov. Wes Moore and opposed by state Republicans — may stall because Ferguson is resisting the redistricting push, saying it could “backfire in our courts” and hurt Democrats.
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| Proposed 2026 MD district map |
While tattoo-associated uveitis was thought to be extremely rare, research published in the journal Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology has documented 40 new cases of the condition in Australia — doubling the number of published cases detected around the world since 2010. The research, undertaken by a team of Australians, suggests this complication, while still rare given the number of people who get tattoos, may be more common than we thought. Experts are calling for more research to understand and try to limit the vision-threatening disease.Now, that is scary.
. . .
But in recent years, Dr Richards has seen a rise in cases of uveitis caused by injected tattoo ink — sometimes long after the tattoo was done. Doctors can tell the uveitis is caused by a tattoo because it can look slightly raised and inflamed. "I only became aware of it about four or five years ago, and then once I was aware of it, I had all these patients all of a sudden," she said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is seeking the identities of black-clad rioters accused of breaching and causing significant damage to the federal building in Eugene, Oregon. The incident occurred on January 30 during a large-scale anti-ICE riot, resulting in President Donald Trump threatening military action.When you catch 'em, give 'em the full J6 treatment. No bail, truck 'em to states far away, put them in the hole for perceived infractions.
The FBI is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the subjects' arrests and convictions. Video surveillance was released to aid the investigation. A swarm of violent rioters can be observed attempting to break into the facility before several entered.
According to the FBI, approximately 400 to 500 anti-ICE protesters gathered outside the Eugene federal building, which houses an ICE office. "The protest turned into a riot in which the individuals broke windows, spray-painted federal property, and threw rocks at law enforcement officers," the agency said.
The FBI released a flyer of a wanted subject seen in the area that night. The individual is described as a white male with brown hair, wearing all dark clothing, a black mask, and white shoes.
Eugene, Ore. (Jan. 30) — Antifa and far-left rioters who surrounded the federal building are dispersed with pepper gas. The university city is infected with radical leftist politics that regularly turns into political violence. pic.twitter.com/B1S9n8zZF0
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 31, 2026
An estimated 7,700 gallons of jet fuel spilled into the James River on Friday afternoon near Newport News Shipbuilding, according to officials.
The spill happened during a refueling operation involving the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy, which is nearing completion at the shipyard, according to a release from the city of Newport News.
Residents of Newport News and Hampton complained Sunday about a strong fuel odor coming off the James.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, local drinking water and tap water remain safe, and there is no impact to public water systems, the Newport News release said. But there is no broader health threat.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality is leading the environmental response in coordination with the Coast Guard, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia Department of Health, and the cities of Newport News and Hampton.
The responsible party — which wasn’t named — activated an oil spill response company to begin oil containment and recovery operations, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, including deploying containment boom, conducting boat-based recovery, and using a vacuum truck to remove captured product. The cause of the spill remains under investigation.
I know when you play with big toys you make big mistakes, but how the hell do you lose track of tanker trucks worth of jet fuel? But as much as that is, I presume it spread out pretty quickly, and a lot of it dissolved into the waters. Them oysters is gonna taste weird for a while.
At RedState, Bob Hoge claims It's Done: Bondi Tells Congress She's Released All the Epstein Files, No More Coming. Now all Democrats and Tom Massey can complain about are the redactions, which were mandated by the law they demanded. Of course, with 3 million pages, some redactions will have been made that needn't have been, and some redactions weren't made that should have been. The tight deadline they demanded guarantees that. News Wax notes DOJ Releases List of 'Politically Exposed Persons' in Epstein Files. Sundance at CTH, Sunday Talks: Thomas Massie Gives Update on His Epstein File Mission, whines about Pam Bondi. Karol Markowicz @karol, "Self-important jackasses destroying the lives of random people with no connection to Epstein at all." Tim O'Brien at PJM reports Reid Hoffman Funded Suit Against Trump Alleging Rape. Epstein Files Mention Him 2,658 Times. MAZE @mazemoore, "2023. Reid Hoffman explains why he funded E. Jean Carroll's lawsuit against Trump. Hoffman, the walking embodiment of perversion, a man who stayed at Epstein's ranch, island, and NYC home and sent Epstein gifts for "the girls," claims he funded the lawsuit to help Carroll get justice for the "torture" and sexual abuse she endured. Hoffman just wanted to help a woman stand up to a rich and powerful man. What a sick, duplicitous, evil person." Torpedos continue to circle: from the College Fix, U. Arizona cancels major conference after speakers named in Epstein files. From Tierney's Real News, Trump exonerated on Epstein.
From NYPo, Witkoff and Kushner reportedly tell Trump nuclear deal with Iran ‘difficult to impossible’. From the Guardian, No water or electricity, and children begging in streets filled with rubbish – but this is why I won’t leave Cuba.
WESA Pittsburgh, Fetterman lone Democrat to support Homeland Security funding bill, as DHS shutdown looms. It's here. Can't you tell? News Wax reports from the IRS: Average Refund Up 10.9 Percent in Early Filing. Fox, Gas prices fall in January, giving Americans a break at the pump, "Lower gas prices provided consumer relief while electricity and utility gas service prices surged higher." Batya Ungar-Sargon says The Latest Jobs Report Proves Trump's Theory of the Economy: Tariffs and Deportations Put Money in the Pockets of Working-Class Americans, "Economists and Liberal Media Hardest Hit." Scott McLallen at Town Hall, 'We Send Billions to Dead People': Kennedy Stuns in NewsNation Interview. At ET, Whistleblowers Exposing Fraud Can Receive Up to 30 Percent of Fine Amounts: Bessent, "Individuals may become eligible for awards if the information leads to successful enforcement resulting in monetary fines exceeding $1 million."
ET, EPA Rescinds Obama-Era Finding That Served as Basis for Climate Regulation "The Trump administration eliminated a 2009 finding that six greenhouse gases are a danger to public health." Matt Vespa likes how Keith Olbermann Just Got Wrecked...by a Meteorologist? Chris Martz @ChrisMartzWX, "Keith, I am a meteorologist. That means I study the atmosphere. We don’t just point at a green screen and say “It gonna rain.” You, on the other hand, are a washed-up, irrelevant sports “journalist” who has been fired from nearly every job you ever had because of your unprofessionalism. I am a young, vibrant 23-year-old and I have my whole life ahead of me. You, on the other hand, are a 67-year-old, single, childless, miserable old man that nobody wants to be around, and nobody will remember 50 years from now." Quote Keith Olbermann @KeithOlbermann, Replying to @ChrisMartzWX, "So let's see. You do the weather and you think you're an expert on how the atmosphere changes over thousands of years. Or dozens You're an imbecile. STFU, child, and remember that if we listen to you, when you're "Granpa" you'll get to watch your grandchildren suffocate"
Cynical Publius @CynicalPublius, "I get angry a lot when I hear Democrats lie, but I'm not sure I've ever been angrier than over the below video clip. No one in the history of the USA has purposely caused more hateful division in America than Barack Obama. For Frankfurt School Marxists, hate and division is THE necessary element of power. A true Frankfurt School disciple, Obama's singular purpose was to create hate and division along demographic lines. Racism was on life support when Obama took office. He gave it life once again, deliberately. Virtually all of the hate and division we experience in the USA today is directly attributable to Barack Obama. Other than Woodrow Wilson, Obama is the most objectively evil man ever to sit in the Oval Office. Shut up Obama. Everything you are bemoaning was created by YOU, you lying narcissistic Marxist filth." Quote Brandon Straka #WalkAway @BrandonStraka "OBAMA: “The other side does the mean, angry, exclusive, us/them, divisive politics. That's their home court. Our court is coming together.”" The Drunk Republican @DrunkRepub, "My favorite Obama “coming together” moment was when him and Hillary financed a phony dossier to sabotage the rightfully elected President." RBe @RBPundit, "Motherfucker literally sued nuns to try to force them to pay for contraception and abortions. Fuck outta here." Quote Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen, ".@BarackObama: "When I was president, I suppose I could have simply unilaterally ordered the military to go into some red state and harass and intimidate a governor there or cut off funding for states that didn't vote for me... but that is contrary to how I think our democracy is supposed to work." BL Hahn at Da Fed notes Democrats Openly Fantasize About Anti-White Revolution While GOP Grovels Over A Race Hoax. At TownHall Larry Elder sees the irony as Jeffries And Schumer Denounce Trump's 'Racist' Video -- But Who Are They to Complain?
Balmer Sun, Sheriffs vow to keep working with ICE even after Moore signs bill banning 287(g)
Even after Gov. Wes Moore signs a bill banning official agreements between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across Maryland, as he’s expected to do, many local sheriffs say they will continue to work with ICE in whatever informal, legal capacity they can. “No politician or legislative body is going to tell me that I can’t communicate with another law enforcement agency on matters of public safety in my community,” Carroll County Sheriff James T. “Jim” DeWees said. “I’m not going to stop.”
The bill banning 287(g) agreements, passed by the Maryland General Assembly Thursday, is set to take effect immediately after Moore signs it. Sheriffs in the nine jurisdictions with 287(g) agreements said they would comply with the bill and end their agreements, but emphasized they would continue to communicate and work with ICE in a legal capacity, and also explore legal challenges to the bill.
“This is all political,” said Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins. “You can put any lipstick you want on it; it’s all political. The Democrats don’t want any cooperation with ICE. They don’t want any enforcement whatsoever.” Jenkins and DeWees are both Republicans; Moore is a Democrat. All three are running for reelection this year.
The 287(g) agreements give ICE authority over state and local law enforcement to perform immigration enforcement duties. Nine Maryland counties have agreements with ICE: Frederick, Allegany, Carroll, Cecil, Frederick, Garrett, St. Mary’s, Washington and Wicomico.
Cecil, Frederick and Harford operate under a “jail model,” which authorizes correctional officers to screen detainees for immigration status and contact ICE. The other six counties use the “warrant model,” under which officers cooperate with ICE only when there is an active Department of Homeland Security warrant.
The sheriffs warn that once ICE agreements are ended, an increased ICE presence in communities and street apprehensions will become the norm.
Jenkins, who said he has the longest-running 287(g) program in the country, said he expects more “criminal elements” to enter and operate in Maryland as a result of this bill’s approval. “There will be protections here for them, so I think you’re going to see an influx of criminals, people with criminal intent, maybe criminal gangs, transnational criminal gangs,” Jenkins said.
DeWees, who entered into a 287(g) agreement about a year ago, said no deputy or police officer in Carroll County “runs around and helps with immigration enforcement.” County policy prohibits it. Once the agreement is void, he predicts “public safety chaos, like we’re seeing in Minneapolis.” “ICE is going to be up here searching for them in the community,” DeWees said.
Notable here is that the counties mentioned are all in the more rural pink areas of Maryland. I'm a bit surprised (and disappointed) that Calvert County, also pink, is not mentioned. The blue urban counties, Balmer, Monkey and PG, are all content to allow illegal aliens to commit crimes against their legal residents.
At Hat Hair, Steve Moore calls Dow 50,000: A Supply-Side Miracle. Roger Kimball at The Spec notes Trumponomics is working. Daniel Baldwin @baldwin_daniel_, "On days like today, I like calling back to this headline from June 2024: "Trump would make America’s inflation crisis worse, 16 Nobel economists warn" CPI is at 2.4% YoY in January as gasoline declined 7.5%. The "Nobel economists" were dead wrong." Funny that a working businessman understands the economy better than a bunch of college professors. The I&I ed board thinks the Latest Jobs Report Explains Why Dems Hate Trump So Much. "In January, the economy added 172,000 private sector jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which was better than economists had expected (which seems to be a running theme in the Trump administration). And the unemployment rate ticked down to 4.3%. So, what’s the bad news for Democrats? The number of federal government jobs shrank by 32,000. Worse still, this is on top of a string of monthly government job losses since President Donald Trump took office."
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