Local news will soon be delivered directly to Laurel households and businesses with the launch of the Laurel Independent, a monthly newspaper powered by former Laurel Leader editors and a group of citizens dedicated to bringing local community news back to Laurel. Beginning in July, the 16-page newspaper will be mailed for free each month to all households and businesses […]
Business News
Posted inEconomy
May: Howard buyers continue to drive prices
Despite slower sales activity, buyers continue to drive up home prices in Howard County as supply remains low, according to the Howard County Association of Realtors and the Bright Multiple Listing Service. The median sales price for homes in Howard County during the month of May 2022, was $556,000, representing an increase of 8.6 percent […]
Posted inEducation
MEA announces $1.7M in for offshore wind grants
The Maryland Energy Administration has announced $1.7 million in grant awards to six businesses and/or training centers under the fiscal 2022 Maryland Offshore Wind Capital Expenditure Grant Program and the Maryland Offshore Wind Workforce Training Grant Program. The purpose of the programs is to establish an offshore wind supply chain in Maryland by helping workforce training centers and emerging […]
Posted inHealth
CareFirst broadens footprint in Howard
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the largest nonprofit health plan in the mid-Atlantic, announced plans to develop 80,000 square feet of office space in the heart of Columbia. CareFirst worked with The Howard Hughes Corp. to secure the new space and expects to move in by the first quarter of 2024. The decision to stay in Columbia […]
Posted inBusiness News
BGE grants $2M to 100 small businesses
BGE awarded $2,000,000 to 100 small businesses located in central Maryland during the fourth round of BGE’s Energizing Small Business Grants program. This program is part of BGE’s $15 million pledge to assist small businesses with COVID-19 relief and recovery and is a multi-year commitment expected to run through at least 2023. “Small businesses are […]
Posted inAnne Arundel County
Bill passed to fund veterans, Maryland military facilities
The House Appropriations Committee passed legislation funding veterans programs and improvements at military facilities, including $7.6 million for a new test fabrication facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground championed by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. In all, the $314 billion Military Construction-Veterans Affairs funding bill for fiscal year 2023 provides $601 million for improvements at Maryland installations. […]
Posted inEnvironment
Howard signs Camp Ilchester purchase agreement
Howard County has completed the purchase agreement for Camp Ilchester. In May, the Howard County Council approved the County Executive Calvin Ball’s proposal to include $6 million in the budget to acquire the 21-acre property from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. Howard County intends to preserve Camp Ilchester as green space, keeping up to 105 housing units out of the development pipeline […]
Posted inDiversity
Maryland black-owned restaurants celebrate Juneteenth
Sunday, June 19, marked the annual Juneteenth holiday, when the country gathered to celebrate joy, empowerment, and healing in honor of this important day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. As restaurants continue to come back from the pandemic, Juneteenth offers an opportunity for Maryland residents to both support and revel in the […]
Posted inAnne Arundel County
Bipartisan Council majority passes Arundel’s fiscal ’23 budget
The Anne Arundel County Council passed County Executive Steuart Pittman’s fiscal 2023 budget in a bipartisan 6-1 vote. Voting in favor were Chair Lisa Rodvien, and Councilmembers Andrew Pruski, Sarah Lacey, Allison Pickard, Nathan Volke and Amanda Fiedler. The budget includes a tax cut that lowers the income tax rate on the first $50,000 of […]
Posted inEducation
MEA partners with X-energy, Frostburg State
The Maryland Energy Administration announced a partnership to determine the potential for siting an Advanced Small Modular Reactor with Maryland-based X-energy and Frostburg State University through a collaborative study. Depending on these findings, this research will provide information on available clean energy opportunities to the state. A Maryland fossil fuel site will be examined for […]