Maryland is set to regulate earned wage access services, making them more accessible to residents, after Gov. Wes Moore said this week in a letter to House Speaker Adrienne Jones that he will allow a bill the General Assembly passed to become law without his signature. But in the same letter, Moore also warned that the…
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A selection of my published stories
A national outlier, Maryland’s jails fail to protect young inmates
An updated version of this story aired on NPR’s Morning Edition on June 5, 2025. In adult jails across Maryland, minors spend up to 23 hours a day in isolation, go without schooling, and in some cases avoid showering for the fear of being raped. Some are also forced to spend more than a year…
Continue ReadingUnion says Maryland is cutting night shift for home detention monitoring due to staffing issues
When a Maryland court sentences someone to home detention, the state Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services’ home detention unit is responsible for monitoring them. However, the unit is so short staffed, that the agency is eliminating the division’s night shift, which operates from midnight to 8 a.m. The change is slated to take…
Continue ReadingDetention center for Maryland teens charged as adults overcapacity for months
When Lamar arrived at the Youth Detention Center, the state-run facility in Baltimore for teens charged as adults, there were no available beds in the housing units or even in the medical unit, which typically functions as overflow when the detention center is full. Lamar was directed to the gym, where he estimates he slept…
Continue ReadingMaryland’s governor pardons tens of thousands of cannabis-related misdemeanors
Read the transcript of this interview, which aired on NPR’s All Things Considered.
Continue ReadingJudges use ‘arbitrary,’ ‘horrendous’ reasons to keep teens in adult court
Maryland automatically charges more teens as adults than almost any other state. An analysis of recent decisions found that some judges rely on what juvenile justice advocates say is unfair reasoning to keep those young people in adult court. Read and listen to the story on WYPR.org. This story was produced in partnership with APM…
Continue ReadingMissed Shots: COVID-19 Vaccine Resistance in Garrett County
Garrett County is one of the least vaccinated in Maryland. This three-part series explores what’s behind the trend. Part 1: In Garrett County, Health Officials Fight Mistrust, Misinformation To Vaccinate Residents Part 2: Fertility Concerns And Breakthrough Infections: Debunking Common Myths About COVID Vaccines Part 3: No Love For COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic At Garrett County Fair
Continue ReadingVaccinating An Often Overlooked Population — Homeless Marylanders
Sixty-eight-year-old Melvin King was visibly elated. As the sticker on his chest declared, he had just received his COVID-19 vaccine. “My second one, as a matter of fact,” he said. “I’ve been looking forward to it, you know, and I think, you know, that this is very important to everyone, not just to myself.” King’s…
Continue ReadingGovernor Told State Workers To Telework, But Workers Say They’re Not Allowed
Last week, in response to the alarming rise of COVID-19 cases, Gov. Larry Hogan ordered all state employees who can telework to do so. “Effective immediately all state employees who are approved to telework must again begin a period of mandatory telework except for essential direct public facing services and other essential personnel,” Hogan said…
Continue ReadingOutbreak At MVA Grows As Union Cites Unsafe Conditions
The number of COVID-19 cases among employees of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration continues to grow, with more than a dozen workers out across multiple locations as of Thursday. However, the union that represents those workers says the agency is doing little to prevent the virus from continuing to spread. On Sunday, Oct. 18, Kim…
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