State House

Dozens of Baltimore teens and young adults packed a state Senate hearing Wednesday, urging lawmakers not to build a new Baltimore jail for juvenile offenders charged as adults and instead shift efforts to keeping youths from being locked up in the first place. The comments came as the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee met to take testimony on the $70 million, 120-bed proposal being pushed by the state as a way to improve conditions for youthful prisoners in the city. Opponents, such as 21-year-old activist Nicole Cheatom, told senators that the state should repurpose a women's prerelease unit closed three years ago instead of building a new facility.

What is the big deal about what is going on in Annapolis ("After breakdown, what?" April 11)? We all know what's going to happen. The ringmaster ( Gov.Martin O'Malley) will call the circus back to Annapolis. They will then pass new tax laws that will hurt the people of Maryland. The clowns will pat each other on the back and adjourn. They will go home and think how to do it again next year. Ed Forsht, Glen Burnie

A trio of Maryland colleges students were arrested today after sitting down by the State House entrance to protest lawmakers' failure so far to pass legislation boosting offshore wind development. The students, two from St. Mary's College and one from theUniversity of Maryland, College Park,  sat atop the steps with signs saying "Wind Works" for 20 minutes while police gathered and warned them they'd be arrested if they didn't move. Johanna Galat, a St. Mary's senior and the group's leader, said they chose civil disobedience as prospects for the bill fade.

Not everything in Tuesday's primary election came in by deadline for the print edition of The Sun . Here's a look at few races that didn't make today's story . - Republican Daniel Bongino beat Richard J. Douglas in the Senate primary by nearly 9,000 votes, unofficial results show. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent, got into the race early and ran an aggressive grassroots campaign. Douglas, a former Pentagon official with an impressive military and legislative background, was never really able to catch up in support or fundraising.

Maryland's governor picked sides in the hottest Democratic primary in the state Thursday, announcing that he plans to support Sen. Rob Garagiola for Congress in the Sixth Congressional District. "At this critically important time, when people are paying attention, I wanted to throw support, my personal support, behind Senator Garagiola," Gov. Martin O'Malley said at an afternoon news conference in front of the state house. The governor noted that that the two have "fought together" for environmental bills and for clean energy.

More than 300 protesters filled a courtyard in front of the State House in Annapolis on Monday evening, listening to ministers and chanting slogans in opposition to a same-sex marriage bill introduced by Gov. Martin O'Malley. "We ask the government to fix the problems we already have, not create new ones," said the Rev. Michael DeAscanis, a Roman Catholic priest in St. Agnes and St. William of York Parish in Baltimore. The crowd roared with approval and broke into a chant directed at state lawmakers: "Do your job!

The next two and a half months appear destined to provide a defining moment for Gov.Martin O'Malley's second term in office. If his agenda for the remainder of this General Assembly session doesn't match the intensity of his effort during 2007's special legislative session, when he successfully pushed for a package of tax increases, spending cuts and expanded gambling, it surely wins out in the breadth of what he is seeking to accomplish. He has promised to lead the charge on the defining social issue of the day, gay marriage.

Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School is very proud of their fifth grade art students. Fifteen students were recently honored to have their artwork selected to be hung and displayed as part of the holiday tree in the Maryland State House in Annapolis. A fun family outing over the holidays would be a visit to historic Annapolis, and while there, be sure to stop by the State House to view ornaments created by Maryland students, including the patriotic quilled ornaments created by the following Triadelphia Ridge students: Ethan Coates, Taylor Currie, Luke Gezelle, Katie Grimes, Ryan Hopkins, Erin Jeffery, Ian Kirn, Tommy Maloney, Chase McGeehan, Ayaka Ohara, Grant Owens, McKenna Rueter, Braden Simmons, Martayn VanDeWall and Adriana Zakel.

The last of the scaffolding that enclosed the dome of the State House since summer will come down Friday — leaving Annapolis with an uncluttered view of its most famous landmark just in time for Christmas. For all practical purposes, the $800,000 restoration job is over. "It was just a good job well done and worked out great," said Bart L. Thomas, who oversaw the project for the state Department of General Services. The golden acorn at the very top of the soaring wooden dome has been regilded.

Gov. Martin O'Malley will hold his first "tweetup" -- a gathering of users of the Twitter social media site -- on Jan. 12 at the State House. According to the governor's office, attendees will be selcected at random from people who fill out the online application form for the gathering, which will focus on the agenda for the 90-day legislative session that begins the day before. Takirra Winfield, O'Malley's deputy press secretary, said the exact time and place within the State House are undecided, though the likely location is the second-floor Reception Room.