by William Hughes
On June 23, 2010, a press conference by supporters of the Maryland film industry was held at Renegade Studios in Hunt Valley. Its purpose was to have the Maryland General Assembly “revisit the state’s film incentive program to attract film productions to Maryland.” The press conference was moderated by Ms. Pat Moran, casting director for Pat Moran & Associates, and featured former Maryland Governor, Robert Ehrlich; Kate Greene, wife of construction coordinator for films Michael E. Davis; Bunnie Gleiman, former director of marketing for the film industry at Bond Lumber; Michael Styer, former president of the Maryland Film Office; William H. "B.J." Spencer Jr., owner of VIP Security Unlimited; Brook Yeaton, actor and prop guy; Murdoch Campbell, owner of The Source; and Kirk Penberthy, actor and former DC-Baltimore SAG Branch Council President. Those interested in supporting the online petition, “Support MD Film Incentives Now,” can go to: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/md-film-incentives-now.html

by William Hughes
On Tuesday morning, June 22, 2010, David Swanson of WarIsACrime.org and Washington Director of Democrats.com held an impromptu press conference in front of Union Station in Washington, D.C. He was sharply critical of Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) on the issue of “off the books” military spending. Meanwhile, Hoyer, who is the Democratic majority leader in the House, was giving a speech inside Union Station in the Columbus Room. Swanson was interviewed by Stephanie Condon, Washington correspondent for CBS Interactive, and Dina Gusovsky, Washington, D.C. correspondent for RT.com (formerly known as Russia Today). Swanson is a journalist himself and the author of Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union.

by William Hughes
On Thursday morning, March 4, 2010, a spirited protest action was held in front of the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center, on North Gay Street, not far from the City Hall. The demonstrators -- students, teachers and community activists -- demanded "$100 million [in Maryland's state budget] be converted from youth jails to youth jobs and education," according to their press release. About 13 of the protesters made their way into the lobby of the building where they engaged in civil disobedience.

"The police didn't arrest them when they did a sit-in, so ... they are picketing around, blocking the metal detectors and the doors," said Abeni Nazeer, a spokesperson for the protesters.

As I left the event to cover another assignment, the students in front of the building were continuing to chant, "Arrest O'Malley!" A flyer, picturing Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, read, "Wanted for Incarcerating Youth!" It appeared the police were prepared to simply wait out the protesters inside the building. Updates on the action are to be posted at the website of one of the groups that sponsored the event: BailOutPeople.org.

by William Hughes
On the evening of Sept. 16, 2009, a protest was staged at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, just north of Baltimore City, on the appearance of Karl Rove on campus as a guest speaker. Rove was a senior advisor, 2001-2007, to former President George W. Bush. Just as Rove was being introduced, at least three activists stood up in the audience and denounced him. They were quickly escorted out of the auditorium by the police and instructed not to return. As far as this observer knows, the police took down their names, but the protesters were not arrested. According to the protest announcement on the ANSWER Coalition website, Rove "should be on trial for carrying out a war of aggression in Iraq, and implementing a system of torture, secret prisons, racial and religious profiling, and massive spying on the people of this country."more...

by William Hughes
On Aug. 30, 2009, Delegate Karen Montgomery (D-Montgomery County), a vigorous advocate of a single-payer healthcare system, spoke at a picnic event in Wheaton, Maryland sponsored by the Progressive Democrats of Montgomery County. Del. Montgomery described a new law, HB 487, a.k.a. "The Stealth Bill," recently enacted in Maryland, that she said will reveal to the citizens some shocking details about the hidden costs of the current healthcare scheme.more...

by William Hughes
On Monday evening, April 6, 2009, anti-electricity-rate-hike activists staged a candlelight march and demonstration. It ended up at the residence in north Baltimore of Mayo Shattuck, CEO of Constellation Energy, the parent company of BGE. The activists are demanding the reregulation and "roll back of gas and electric rates" in Maryland and a halt to any planned shut-offs by BGE of electric utilities to about "84,000 households." The protest action was cosponsored by the Bailout the People Movement and Maryland Coalition for BGE Reregulation.

A hearing in the Maryland House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2009 on a bill that threatens public access television stations throughout the state.more...

In a letter dated Monday, Jan. 26, 2009, Max Obuszewski, of the group Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore, and 35 other activists called on Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley to instruct the state police to release all documents relating to the surveillance of peace groups and activists. They also requested a meeting with the governor.more...

At its Tuesday, September 23, 2008 monthly meeting, the Baltimore City Branch of the NAACP held a speak-out against Question 2, the referendum on the November 4, 2008 general election ballot that would bring slot machine gambling to Maryland.more...

Representatives of citizen activist groups held a press conference Tuesday, August 12, 2008 at the Maryland State Police Headquarters announcing a letter they are sending to Governor Martin O'Malley that details specific demands on the investigation his administration is undertaking of the police surveillance and infiltration of their groups.more...

Eddie Boyd, the 2006 Green Party candidate for Governor of Maryland, died early Monday morning at Good Samaritan Hospital from cancer. Boyd, 46, was the first African-American candidate to run for governor in a general election in the state's history as well as the first gubernatorial candidate of the Maryland Green Party. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Update 8/16/08: Two memorial services are scheduled for Eddie Boyd: (1) Monday, August 18, 2008, 1:00 p.m. at J. B. Jenkins Funeral Home, 7474 Landover Rd., Landover, MD and (2) Sunday, August 24, 2008, 4:00 p.m. at the Maryland War Memorial Building, 500 E. Fayette St., Baltimore, MD (this second service is a potluck event and is being held on what would have been Eddie's 47th birthday).

Watch a video of the speech Boyd gave Oct. 28, 2006 at the Maryland State NAACP Conference forum for statewide candidates:

On Thursday, July 24, 2008, activists against the death penalty held an event to discuss the surveillance and infiltration of their groups by Maryland State Police that was revealed July 17, 2008 when the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland publicized documents they received through a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) lawsuit. The panelists included Max Obuszewski (Baltimore Campaign to End the Death Penalty, Baltimore Pledge of Resistance), Mike Stark (Campaign to End the Death Penalty (CEDP) board member), Terry Fitzgerald (Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty), Dave Zirin (political sports columnist and Campaign to End the Death Penalty member), David Rocah (staff attorney, ACLU of Maryland), and Amy Fusting (Maryland Citizens Against State Executions). The event took place at 2640, a cooperatively-run events and community space project at 2640 St. Paul St., Baltimore, Maryland.

This week's TV show of the Baltimore City Branch of the NAACP, hosted by Marvin "Doc" Cheatham, deals with home foreclosures and predatory lending practices. Panelists for the discussion, which took place at Union Baptist Church on Tuesday, March 25, 2008, were Angela Ciccolo (Interim General Counsel to the NAACP), Arlene DuBose (Manager, Century 21 Home Specialists), Suzanne Sangree (Chief Solicitor, City of Baltimore Law Department), Paul Graziano (Baltimore City Housing Commissioner), Mike Reza (President & Co-owner, Breeze Mortgage), Deizshel Setzer (Mortgage Planner, Priority Financial Services), Robert Strupp, Esq. (Director of Research & Policy, Community Law Center), Joe Fox (Maryland ACORN), Herman Randolph (a victim of predatory lending practices), Diane Cipollone (Special Project Attorney, National Fair Housing Alliance), Dan Pontious (Acting Executive Director, Citizens Planning and Housing Association) and Arlene Fisher (West Baltimore Coalition). Part two covers the second hour of the panel discussion as panelists answer questions from the audience.

A YouTube video titled "CSI: Annapolis" created by David Sloan, artist in residence with Baltimore Algebra Project, shows the Feb. 6, 2008 action where 26 of several hundred mostly student protesters were arrested trying to improve conditions for Baltimore City schools.

Watch the video:

The current episode of "NAACP Report," the hour-long television show of the Baltimore City branch of the NAACP, features a panel of speakers discussing the pros and cons of reintroducing slot machine gambling to Maryland. The Oct. 23, 2007 event at Union Baptist Church was hosted by branch president Marvin "Doc" Cheatham and broadcast on Baltimore City's public access channel, Ch. 75 on Comcast cable.

Speaking in favor of slots were Ernie Greco, President, Baltimore AFL-CIO; David Dunphy, lobbyist for UFCW Local 27 and Harry Manley Servicing Director, UFCW Local 27. The panelists opposing slots were Aaron Meisner of Stop Slots Maryland; Del. Curt Anderson; Dr. Tyrone Powers of Children 1st and Peter Franchot, the Comptroller of Maryland. Jeff Hooke of Maryland Tax Education Foundation and Michael Johnson, of Black United Fund of Maryland focused their comments on making sure if slots do happen in Maryland citizens get the best possible deal. Stephen Janis of The Baltimore Examiner provided a historical perspective. Governor Martin O'Malley did not send a representative of his administration's position.

Baltimore Grassroots Media produces the video for the NAACP Report. This episode was first broadcast Oct. 26, 2007 on Ch. 75 on Comcast cable in Baltimore City.

On July 2, after years of struggle and strife, activists from the coalition Maryland Got Democracy held a press conference to publicize the Voting Registration Protection Act of 2007 that restores voting rights to 52,000 state ex-offenders—before seven of these newly eligible citizens entered the Baltimore City Board of Elections and registered to vote.more...

This Tuesday, Feb. 27, there will be a legislative hearing on a resolution to protect a free and open Internet. House Bill 1069, introduced by Del. Herman L. Taylor, Jr., Dem., Dist. 14, Montgomery Co., is threatened by opposition from Comcast and Verizon. For more information, see www.savetheinternet.com and watch this video:
more...

Video of the statewide candidates forum at the 66th Annual Convention of the Maryland State NAACP Conference, produced by Baltimore Grassroots Media for NAACP Report, a weekly TV show hosted by Baltimore City NAACP branch president, Marvin "Doc" Cheatham, will be broadcast in the city on public access cable Channel 75. The forum, videotaped on October 28, 2006 at the Radisson Plaza Lord Baltimore hotel, includes candidates for Governor: Ed Boyd (Green), Christopher A. Driscoll (Populist), Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R) and Martin O'Malley (D) and U.S. Senate candidates: Benjamin L. Cardin (D), Michael S. Steele (R), Lih Young (D, write-in) and Kevin Zeese (Green; also nominated by Libertarian and Populist parties).more...

With its 6 p.m. broadcast on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 Baltimore City's public access Channel 75 became the first—and so far only—TV channel to televise any debate among the candidates for Maryland's next U.S. Senator: Benjamin L. Cardin, Michael S. Steele and Kevin Zeese.

The debate, which took place October 3, 2006, was hosted by Greater Baltimore Urban League and conducted by Charles Robinson of Maryland Public Television and Doni Glover of BMORENEWS.com. The broadcast was produced by Baltimore Grassroots Media. Click below on "Read more..." to watch the video.more...

The candidates for U.S. Senate in Maryland (from right to left) Ben Cardin (D), Michael Steele (R) and Kevin Zeese (G)

Baltimore Grassroots Media (BGM) will be videotaping the first Maryland U.S. Senate candidate debate since the September 12th primary. The town hall forum will include the nominee of the emergent Green Party as well as those of the Democratic and Republican parties.more...