By Steve Crane | Editor-in-chief
“It's probably the issue in certain sections of the county, like in Jefferson and Middletown, and here in Point of Rocks and Adamstown. Yeah, it is a huge issue. But, you know, maybe somewhere else they might think naively, 'That's their problem.' But like I said, the tentacles — this is far-reaching.” - Frank Hollewa, Republican nominee for Frederick County Council, on the impact of data centers on this year’s elections.
Welcome to Thursday, and our damned if you do, damned if you don’t edition of the Maryland Matters Memo.
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater is facing an unexpectedly tough reelection bid, in large part due to voter anger over data centers. Fitzwater says county moves to restrict centers to one part of the county will actually curb development, but that message is not being heard, particularly by residents of Adamstown, where the centers will be concentrated. Christine Condon and Bryan P. Sears have that story.
Anne Arundel County agreed to revise its policy on gender identity for students just as school was starting in August, in the face of threatened legal action from federal officials. Apparently that wasn’t enough for Justice Department officials, who sued the county this week for “facilitating the secret 'transitioning' of children’s 'gender identity' at school without their parents’ knowledge or consent,” as William J. Ford reports.
Those stories and more headlines from the week — and don’t forget to enter our election contest — are below for your Thursday. Enjoy!
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater speaks to a resident while campaigning in the Hillcrest neighborhood outside the city of Frederick in late October. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters)
By Christine Condon and Bryan P. Sears
With just days left in the campaign, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater (D) finds herself in an unlikely dogfight with an underfunded GOP challenger who is now the subject of attack ads produced by a super PAC.
Voter anger over data centers may, at least in part, be responsible.
Fitzwater is running in a year when Democrats are predicting a “blue wave” over voter disapproval of President Donald Trump (R), in a county where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 11,500 voters. She has outraised her Republican challenger, former Frederick Mayor Jeff Holtzinger, 32-1 and outspent him by nearly 40-1. But voter anger over a data center campus, particularly in the Adamstown area, has give Holtzinger an opening.
"Without the data center issue, she would be cruising to an easy, guaranteed, no-doubt-about-it reelection,” said Kai Hagen, a Democrat and former Frederick County Councilmember who lost to Fitzwater in the 2022 primary.
Two months after Anne Arundel County schools amended a gender policy after a threat from the federal government, the Justice Department sued anyway, claiming schools facilitated the "secret transitioning" of children without telling parents. (Photo by Unai Huizi Photography/Getty stock images)
By William J. Ford
Slightly more than two months after Anne Arundel County public schools amended a gender policy in response to a threat from the federal government, the school district got sued anyway.
In a 31-page complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Maryland, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division charges the county’s Board of Education with “facilitating the secret 'transitioning' of children’s 'gender identity' at school without their parents’ knowledge or consent.” It seeks to not only prevent Anne Arundel schools from enforcing its “Safe and Inclusive Environments for LGBTQ+ Students” policy, but also to allow parents to review and challenge any errors in their child’s educational records. The suit represents two parents, identified as John and Jane Doe, practicing Christians whose high school senior daughter was being referred to with a male name at her request, by school staff, concealed the fact from the parents, the suit says.
The county’s schools had been working with the Justice Department to resolve issues over the policy, said a school district spokesperson, who called it “regrettable that the Department chose to pursue litigation rather than continuing constructive dialogue.”
IN OTHER NEWS
Latino Republicans fret over election: President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are troubling some of Maryland’s Latino Republican voters, who worry other Latinos who helped Trump to victory two years ago will vote Democratic or stay home.
OPM puts the ‘leave’ in paid leave: Paying federal employees not to work after they agree to leave their jobs in a RIF, as the White House did to eliminate tens of thousands of federal jobs, is now an acceptable use of paid administrative leave, OPM says.
Costs of family caregiving: Costs are soaring for people who care for older parents and other family members, a new study says, with families paying an average of $11,508 a year out of pocket. Average cost in the South Atlantic, which includes Maryland, is $13,634.
MATTERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
District 30 heats up: Sen. Shaneka Henson is looking to make history by becoming the first Black senator elected to represent Anne Arundel County. And state Democrats are spending heavily to make sure that happens, in the face of a surprising GOP challenge.
Early voting surging: Early voting is surging in Maryland, with turnout 67% higher than at the same time four years ago. election officials say. Every county and both parties are seeing increases -- although Democratic turnout is particularly strong.
Federal monitors to watch polls: The Justice Department will send election monitors to every state for Election Day, expanding a long-standing practice. But it's being met this year with concern after Trump administration attempts to exert control over elections.
Sphere cleared: The Prince George’s County Council gave final approval Tuesday to a deal committing the county to financing up to $215 million to help bring the proposed $1.4 billion Sphere entertainment venue to National Harbor.
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