Breezy and cloudy today, with highs in the upper 80s and a slight chance of rain or a thunderstorm. It’ll be humid and rainy this weekend, with a system of storms moving in tomorrow afternoon and into Sunday.
The Maryland Transit Authority recently announced that weekly MARC train passes between DC and Baltimore would rise from $52.50 to $80. Commuters freaked out. So, MTA will launch a new weekday commuter pass that costs $60.The fare changes, which also include $1 hikes on one-way tickets and $.10 increases on MTA buses, light rail, and metro, were required by a 2013 Maryland law that tied transit fares to automatic increases in the state’s gas tax.
A panel of state lawmakers tasked with proposing new police reforms is considering whether Maryland should better define when police can use deadly force. A new Amnesty International report shares that MD is only one of nine states without specific laws on when officers can use lethal force.
The state’s gambling regulators approved a change that would allow blackjack dealers to hit on a soft 17, giving a slightly higher advantage to the house. Maryland’s General Assembly still has to approve the change. Casinos are also requesting to lower the minimum overall payout for slot machines, from 90% to 85% of the amount gamblers bet.The potential changes come while Baltimore’s Horseshoe Casino struggles to meet revenue estimates, and revenue is down at other Maryland casinos.
House of Cards has been filming in Hampden this week.Meanwhile, HBO’s VEEP just made it official that it won’t return to Maryland for its next season, picking California for a massive tax rebate instead.
Parts & Labor’s DadBod sandwich (pit beef, ham, and sausage), Pile of Craft, and the African American festival headline Baltimore magazine’s weekend roundup. Even more options, like the Pawject Runway fundraiser, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and the food truck Gathering, over at SouthBmore.com