Journalism Grad Student
Archive for January, 2010
Maryland May Be Too Blue for Republican Surge
Jan 30th
Posted by Graham Moomaw in Published Stories
A wave of voter anger and frustration sweeping the nation may make for a more interesting election year in strongly Democratic Maryland, conservative activists and candidates say.
That anger — attributed to frustration over the health care reform bill and the stumbling economy — boiled over in dramatic fashion in Massachusetts when Republican Scott Brown upset Democrat Martha Coakley in a special election Jan. 19 to fill the Senate seat of the late Ted Kennedy. That result has led to speculation that more Democrats could be headed toward similar upsets in the fall.
Gov. Martin O’Malley, Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., and all eight of Maryland’s representatives in the House are up for re-election this November. Every incumbent except for one, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Frederick, is a Democrat.
Most of the races look somewhat tame in the early stages of the election cycle, but one is already shaping up to be a sure bet for political drama.
Navy hospital ship Comfort prepares to aid Haitian quake victims
Jan 16th
Posted by Graham Moomaw in Published Stories
The flurry of activity on Pier 11 in Baltimore began Thursday, as the USNS Comfort prepared for its latest mission — to aid in the relief effort following Tuesday’s massive earthquake in Haiti.
The 894-foot-long ship, described as a “floating hospital,” holds a trauma facility equipped to treat up to 1,000 patients at a time. Haitian patients are expected to be transported aboard by helicopter.