🏛️ The Maryland Wire
Daily Intelligence & Statehouse Analysis
Friday, October 23, 2026
🆓 ANNAPOLIS WIRE NOTES & MEDIA ROUNDUP
Quick reads, lateral moves, and verified news from around the Free State.
Board of Public Works Agenda Finalized: The Board of Public Works (BPW) meets next Thursday, October 29, at 9:00 AM in the State House to review DGS Job Order Contracting (JOC) modifications and $441k in Maryland Agricultural Cost-Share (MACS) capital grant disbursements [Maryland BPW Agenda Release].
Local Media Ad Spend Compliance: State agency marketing buyers and prime advertising contractors continue updating media-buying workflows following Governor Wes Moore’s Executive Order mandating state public awareness ad dollars be directed to Maryland-owned, community news organizations [Maryland Office of the Governor].
Defense Tech Award Execution: Following last week’s $332.8M Air Force award to Columbia-based Enlighten IT Consulting under the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, regional defense and cloud vendors are tracking sub-tier analytics requirements [War.gov Defense Contract Release].
Stadium Authority Meeting Schedule: The Maryland Stadium Authority (MSA) reminds vendors that its Ad Hoc Board of Directors meeting will convene on Wednesday, October 28 at 1:00 PM at The Warehouse at Camden Yards, preceding open eMMA facility maintenance contract reviews [Maryland Stadium Authority Portal].
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Matt James and the Trooper 4 joyride
Ocean City Council President and mayoral candidate Matt James is at the center of a mounting controversy over his use of Trooper 4 — a full-time Maryland State Police medevac helicopter based in Salisbury (tail number N381MD) — for an aerial tour of coastal storm damage. The questions exploded after campaign ads in the OC Today-Dispatch featured photos of the helicopter, thanking the MSP Aviation Command for facilitating his “aerial assessment of the damage.” Barry’s piece lays out the issues: as Council President, James lacks the executive representative authority the Ocean City town charter reserves for the mayor; the flight appears to have bypassed standard emergency channels like the Maryland Department of Emergency Management; and plastering a state police aircraft across campaign material raises potential problems under Maryland election law and State Ethics Commission standards. Operating the Leonardo AW139 runs $2,500–$4,000 an hour in direct costs, paid for by the EMS Operations Fund.
Source: The Maryland Wire (via The Maryland Wire)
Moore’s procurement order for local media, and what it means for agency buyers
Governor Wes Moore has signed an executive order directing Maryland executive-branch agencies to prioritize local, community-based Maryland media outlets for their advertising spend, with an aspirational target of 50% of agency ad budgets — the same figure as the Local News for Maryland Communities Act the governor vetoed in May after it passed with bipartisan support. Barry’s paid-tier analysis takes it past the headlines and into the procurement plumbing: reporting mandates for the Department of General Services and the Department of Budget and Management, new compliance tracking for prime marketing contractors on the statewide outreach master contracts, and how Maryland-based publishers and media firms can position for direct agency ad allocations through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). The Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association’s Rebecca Snyder calls it a recognition that local news is essential infrastructure — paid for, notably, by redirecting existing dollars, not new money.
Source: The Maryland Wire (via The Maryland Wire)
Moore signs executive order creating the Maryland Maritime Task Force
Governor Wes Moore has signed another executive order — this one creating the Maryland Maritime Task Force to chase national and international maritime-related federal and commercial growth opportunities. The task force will work to secure a Maritime Prosperity Zone designation for Maryland once Congress creates the program, develop a plan to advance and diversify the state’s maritime economy, and coordinate state and federal advocacy on workforce training, grants, and international engagement. “Maryland’s infrastructure is perfectly suited to lead the nation’s maritime industry, from building in-demand ships to creating positions for welders, mechanics, and engineers,” Moore said. Shipbuilding and port-side industry is one of the state’s clearest federal-dollars plays — worth watching for whoever lands the advisory seats.
Source: EIN Presswire
DHCD closes $49.3 million for Perkins Homes phases 5A and 5B
Governor Wes Moore announced that the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development has closed financing on 150 new affordable apartments at Perkins Homes in Baltimore City — more than $49.3 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, bond financing, and state Rental Housing Works funds for Phases 5A and 5B of the East Baltimore redevelopment, in partnership with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City. The Perkins-Somerset-Oldtown Transformation Plan continues to be one of the administration’s biggest housing bets: the Moore-Miller administration says DHCD has now administered nearly $292 million across the Perkins Homes and Somerset Homes redevelopment through bonds, LIHTC equity, and Rental Housing Works.
Source: EIN Presswire
PSC hearings on BGE’s $156.1 million rate request begin Monday
The Maryland Public Service Commission holds its first virtual public hearing on Baltimore Gas and Electric’s electric base-rate request at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26, with additional hearings November 4 and November 18 as part of Case No. 9888. BGE filed in July seeking an additional $156.1 million in annual electric base-rate revenue — a proposal the commission says could add about $8 a month to the average customer’s electric bill. Registration to speak at Monday’s hearing closed at noon yesterday (via administrative officer Kimberly Schock); written comments are accepted through December 23 through the commission’s Public Comment Dropbox, referencing Case No. 9888 to Executive Secretary Andrew S. Johnston. The commission’s decision is expected in January 2027 — and the regulated-utility crowd will live in this docket all winter.
Source: The Sentinel
MDEM’s Strickland rolls out the Disaster Assistance Center playbook
The Maryland Department of Emergency Management announced the completion of its Disaster Assistance Center workshop — a full-day session in Hagerstown validating and refining the new DAC/Disaster Recovery Center playbook, with local, state, federal, and nonprofit partners running through activation procedures, staffing models, logistics, and survivor-support processes. “This workshop allowed us to bring all of our partners together to strengthen how we support Marylanders during disasters,” said MDEM Secretary Russ Strickland, who framed the exercise around making sure recovery operations stay survivor-focused and operationally sound. Not the sexiest announcement of the week, but playbooks get written precisely because the next disaster is the test everyone remembers.
Source: EIN Presswire
MoCo OIG misconduct probes hit the audit committee today
Montgomery County’s Audit Committee meets today to review reports from the county Office of Inspector General on two alleged-misconduct investigations at the Office of the County Attorney — an OCA employee (the individual is UNVERIFIED; the reports name the office, not the employee) accused of instructing a police executive to use the Signal messaging app for county business to avoid Maryland Public Information Act requirements, and of a motor-vehicle accident while potentially under the influence of alcohol that was not properly reported. Both investigations stem from anonymous complaints; the committee will review the OIG’s findings and recommendations today. MPIA-avoidance allegations inside a county attorney’s office are the kind of thing that tends to get legislators’ attention in Annapolis.
Source: Mocofeed
Only one Howard County Council race is still contested
Republican Ryan O’Connor and Democrat Cat Carter are the only two names left standing for any contested Howard County Council seat this November — every other district was settled in the spring primary. They are vying in District 5, the county’s westernmost district, to replace Republican David Yungmann, who is leaving office at year’s end to focus on his real estate career. Carter is a former teacher and cybersecurity small-business owner; O’Connor has a background in energy finance and, notably, says he models his politics on former Republican Governor Larry Hogan — a self-described moderate in a county where Democrats hold a roughly two-to-one registration edge. The Banner’s Pamela Wood reports both candidates are courting cross-party and independent voters, and the seat matters: when the four Democrats split, the rural west’s councilperson casts the tie-breaking vote.
Source: Baltimore Banner
Abena Affum‑McAllister
Maryland Wire — Feature
Abena Affum‑McAllister: The Justice Reform Leader Reshaping Maryland’s Future
CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — In communities across Southern Maryland, few names carry the weight, respect, and momentum of Abena Affum‑McAllister, a justice reform leader, public policy strategist, and candidate for the Maryland House of Delegates in District 28. Her work blends lived experience, legislative insight, and a decade‑long record of community service — making her one of the most influential voices in Maryland’s emerging generation of public leaders.
Abena’s story is not one of political ambition, but of service — shaped by caregiving, community organizing, and a relentless commitment to equity. Her leadership is rooted in the belief that Maryland’s families deserve policy shaped not in isolation, but by people who have lived the challenges themselves.
A Legacy of Leadership in Maryland’s Democratic Party
Abena’s rise in Maryland politics began long before her candidacy. In 2017, she made county history when she was unanimously elected Chairwoman of the Charles County Democratic Central Committee, becoming the second Black woman and youngest person ever to lead the organization. Under her leadership, Charles County saw a 43% increase in voter turnout during the pivotal 2018 election — a surge that reshaped the county’s political landscape.
Her impact extended statewide when she was elected Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Democratic Party, becoming the first person from Charles County to hold an executive officer position within the party.
Transforming Justice Through Early Intervention
Today, Abena serves as the Director of Criminal Justice Reform Initiatives for the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she leads countywide strategies focused on youth engagement, early intervention, and community‑centered justice.
Her initiatives include two groundbreaking programs:
Chronic Absenteeism Termination (CAT) Program — designed to reduce chronic absenteeism through mentorship and early support.
Future Legal Minds — a pipeline program connecting Charles County Public Schools students with legal mentorship and career exploration.
These programs reflect her belief that true public safety comes from preventing harm before it begins, not simply responding after the fact.
A Career Built on Community Advocacy
Abena’s work extends far beyond government. She is the founder or co‑founder of several major community organizations, including:
Women of Action Maryland / Women of Action Charles County
Charles County Juneteenth Foundation, Inc.
Charles County African Connection
Her organizations have supported local schools, expanded civic engagement, organized food distribution efforts, and created leadership pathways for women across Southern Maryland.
Her earlier advocacy also included drafting and lobbying for the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator Requirements Act of 2013, establishing CPR/AED programs in D.C. public schools — a policy that continues to save lives.
Policy Priorities Rooted in Lived Experience
Abena’s legislative platform is shaped by deeply personal experiences: caring for her mother during a battle with pancreatic cancer and navigating Maryland’s healthcare system as an autism mom.
Her priorities include:
Protecting Medicaid funding — what she calls the “Medicaid Fortress,” ensuring Maryland families remain shielded from federal cuts.
Fully implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future — expanding mental‑health resources, school psychologists, and vocational pathways for autistic youth.
Addressing diagnostic backlogs — including the two‑year waitlists many Maryland families face.
Justice reform centered on rehabilitation — expanding programs that keep youth out of courtrooms and in their communities.
Her platform is not theoretical — it is lived. As she says, “I know the frustration of the two‑year waitlist… our families deserve a leader who feels these challenges at their own kitchen table.”
A Community‑Rooted Candidate Ready for Annapolis
Abena’s campaign for the Maryland House of Delegates is grounded in partnership, not politics. She emphasizes that she is not running to be a “savior,” but a partner to the families of District 28 — bringing her policy expertise, community‑building experience, and lived understanding of Maryland’s healthcare and education systems directly into legislative work.
Her supporters describe her as a leader who “builds where others wait,” a strategist who “turns lived experience into policy,” and a neighbor who “never forgets the human side of public service
Conclusion
Abena Affum‑McAllister represents a new chapter for Maryland — one defined by empathy, evidence‑based policy, and community‑centered leadership. Her record is clear: when she steps into a space, she builds infrastructure, expands opportunity, and strengthens the systems families rely on.
In a moment when Maryland is seeking leaders who understand both policy and people, Abena stands out as one of the most compelling voices shaping the state’s future.