A Supreme Court appeal over power lines, a Moore staff shuffle

Landowners "never imagined that protecting their homes, farms, and communities would lead them to petition the United States Supreme Court. Their determination has been extraordinary, and this is an important milestone in their fight for property rights.” - Joanne Frederick, head of Stop MPRP, on the petition by landowners in the path of a proposed power line who are trying go get the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case.

The fight over the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project doesn’t stop, and the post-election shuffling of Gov. Moore’s aides and Cabinet secretaries is just beginning. Welcome to Friday, finally.

Landowners in the path of a proposed power line that would cut from Pennsylvania across northern Maryland have gone to court twice to try to keep project surveyors off their property. And they’ve lost twice. But they’re not giving up, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their appeal, as Christine Condon reports.

Just two days after he was elected to a second term, Moore announced Thursday that his chief of staff, Lester Davis, is leaving for a job at TEDCO. Davis was replaced, effective Thursday, by deputy chief of staff Manny Welsh, who has been with the Moore administration since Day One. Bryan P. Sears has the story on those changes, which are not likely to be the last.

Meanwhile, the GOP gerrymandering gambit did not pay off — and may have backfired — nationwide on Election Day, and plans for new Bay Bridge spans took an important step forward this week. Those stories, plus commentary and headlines from the week, are below as you wrap up this tiring week. Relax, and enjoy! 

Gerrymandering backfires on GOP: The GOP project to gerrymander congressional districts across the country failed to deliver significant wins for the party — and, in North Carolina at least, worked against it — amid a national blue tsunami and voter backlash.

New Bay Bridge plan moves forward: The Maryland Transportation Authority got final federal environmental approval for a new Bay Bridge, settling on two new four-lane bridges with full shoulders that would follow the path of current bridge.

Former Clippinger campaign worker charged: Prosecutors on Thursday charged Melissa Ann Smith, a former campaign treasurer for Del. Luke Clippinger, the House speaker pro tem, with stealing more than $87,000 from his campaign account.

Pennsylvania records sixth measles death: Pennsylvania recorded its sixth measles death of the year this week, as the number of confirmed infections this year approached 1,500 people, all but five of whom were unvaccinated, state health officials said.

Closing Montgomery County's resource recovery facility and sending county trash to an out-of-state landfill may seem attractive, write Kit Gage, Virginia Thomson and Dani Wilches Venegasclos, but it has higher costs, health and environmental justice impacts.

Moore wants redistricting maps: Gov. Wes Moore (D) said Wednesday that he wants to see new congressional maps for Maryland after the General Assembly convenes in January and that he is "ready to engage" with lawmakers on the subject of redistricting.

Harford County in Supreme Court: Aaron Penman's days as Harford County councilman are numbered, but that isn't stopping the county from asking the Supreme Court of Maryland to reverse the ruling that restored Penman to the council this year.

Maryland Democrats eye agenda after blue tsunami: Rep. Jamie Raskin, poised to become Judiciary Committee chair, says it will investigate President Donald Trump and his administration, just one of the ways Democrats will flex their newfound muscle.