By Christine Condon | Reporter
“It’s particularly offensive that Moore seeks to boost his national profile by slamming the Trump administration’s unconstitutional attempts to ban disfavored media outlets from the White House when he’s engaged in such similar antics himself,” — Seth Stern, Freedom of the Press Foundation chief of advocacy, on Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) recent responses to inquiries from Sinclair and Baltimore Sun journalists.
It’s Wednesday, and somehow it’s supposed to be over 80 degrees again. That’s Maryland weather for you!
In other news, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) is facing criticism in a letter from leading press freedom and civil liberties groups, who argue that his administration is flouting the First Amendment by funneling inquiries from Sinclair and Baltimore Sun journalists into a legal review, rather than responding. The administration called the letter misleading.
Moore, meanwhile, issued a directive on Tuesday for his agencies to implement a pilot program targeting car thefts by young people in Baltimore City and Montgomery County, William J. Ford reports. It comes after a fatal crash in Baltimore involving a motorcyclist and stolen car driven by a 12-year-old.
And the Chesapeake Bay notched its best score yet on a report card by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, which has been issuing the annual studies of the bay’s water quality and other health indicators since 2006. Still, the score is a C+, and the states surrounding the Chesapeake failed to reach a set of numerical pollution reduction goals by 2025, as previously promised. Shannon Heckt of the Virginia Mercury reported that story from Woodbridge, Virginia.
Read on for this morning’s headlines. Plus, head to the website for Danielle Brown’s coverage of Tuesday evening’s debate between longtime Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st) and his challenger Dan Schwartz on the Eastern Shore.
Gov. Wes Moore (D) speaks to reporters after his debate with Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Cox on Oct. 6, 2026, at Maryland Public Television. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)
By Maryland Matters Staff
Several national press freedom groups are condemning a practice used by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore’s administration in response to inquiries from news outlets affiliated with Sinclair and The Baltimore Sun.
In a letter to Moore’s administration, the organizations — including the Freedom of the Press Foundation and the Committee to Protect Journalists — took issue with Moore’s office sending “routine” inquiries from those outlets for legal review, as Moore faces a defamation lawsuit filed by David Smith, the executive chairman of Sinclair and principal owner of The Baltimore Sun.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's latest directive targets car thefts among youth in Montgomery County and Baltimore City. (Photo by WTOP)
By William J. Ford
Gov. Wes Moore (D) issued a directive Tuesday for the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services to immediately implement a pilot program for youth-involved car thefts in Baltimore City and Montgomery County, areas that have had an increase in motor vehicle thefts in the past year.
Moore’s directive, which will remain in effect until further notice, comes after a crash involving a motorcyclist and stolen car driven by a 12-year-old. The motorcyclist, 69, later died.
“Public safety is my top priority and I am concerned by the recent frequency of motor vehicle thefts involving youth and young children,” Moore said in a statement.
Heath Kelsey with the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science presents the 2026 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Report Card in Woodbridge, Virginia. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury)
By Shannon Heckt
The Chesapeake Bay earned a C+ on the annual report card that calculates improvements or losses in key indicators of health and conditions in the estuary and surrounding areas. This is the highest the Bay has ever scored since the record-keeping began in 2006.
At the announcement in Woodbridge, Virginia, on Tuesday, leaders said the score reflects the impact continuous clean up efforts have in the Bay, however slow the progress may be.
“This type of water quality data does take a long time to improve, and especially with the population pressure, development pressure that we have in our region, with large cities, large population centers, and also agriculture, and other types of pressures on the system like tourism,” said Alexandra Fries, program manager for the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, which produces the report card.
IN OTHER NEWS
Voter veto: The Trump administration’s sprawling project to send sensitive personal information on millions of voters to the Department of Homeland Security has been declared illegal by a federal judge.
Doctors discouraged: As the nation’s physician shortage worsens, some fear the Trump administration’s immigration policies will dissuade or prevent doctors who earned their medical degrees in foreign countries from practicing in the United States.
MATTERS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Dyed diesel: Maryland is allowing farmers and loggers to use tax-exempt diesel fuel in their on-road trucks, amid high fuel prices during the United States’ war with Iran.
Campaign climb: Republican candidate for Maryland attorney general James Rutledge faces a difficult battle to unseat incumbent Democrat Anthony Brown, in a race that isn’t generating much buzz.
Decisive data centers: Frustrations about hyperscalers are likely to sway November’s midterm elections, polls show. Some candidates are changing their stance.
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