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  • Howard Co. revokes building permit, introduces legislation to block proposed ICE detention center – WTOP News

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    After an inspection and the publication of leasing advertisements for the proposed detention center in Elkridge, Howard County determined that the building would be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and revoked the building permit.

    Howard County, Maryland, has revoked the building permit for a private detention center that County Executive Calvin Ball said was going to be used by U.S. Immigration and Customs. And the county council has introduced emergency legislation to stop the project.

    After a recent inspection and leasing advertisements for the proposed detention center, located at 6522 Meadowridge Road in Elkridge, the county determined “this privately owned building is intended for occupancy by ICE,” said Ball in a Monday news conference.

    “The retrofitting of a private office buildings for detention use without transparency, without input, without clear oversight, is deeply troubling,” Ball said. “In this case, the proposed detention center sits in an existing office park in close proximity to health care providers, schools, parks and neighborhoods.”

    According to Ball, the county wasn’t aware of specific lease agreements or contracts between the building owner and any federal agency.

    The county’s director of inspections, licenses and permits and permits revoked the building permit, Ball said.

    Later, Monday, the Howard County Council introduced two pieces of emergency legislation aimed at preventing private entities, rather than government agencies, from operating detention centers in the county.

    The council voted to hold an emergency public hearing Wednesday, which could stretch into Thursday, followed by a vote on the bills by the five-person council.

    “Since there are four cosponsors on the bill, it is about 99.99% likely to pass,” Council Chair Opel Jones told the audience, which responded with a standing ovation.

    Jones asked audience members to “pack the house” for the public hearing, before encouraging participants to be concise in their statements, “so we can get right to the point, and vote this bill in.”

    Howard County’s actions comes several days after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security purchased a warehouse near Hagerstown, Maryland, raising concerns that it would be retrofitted as an ICE detention center.

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    Neal Augenstein

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  • Atterbeary to enter race for Howard County executive – WTOP News

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    The chair of the House Ways and Means Committee said she will forgo a run for reelection — and a potential shot at speaker of the House — to make a bid for Howard County executive in 2026.

    This article was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.

    The chair of the House Ways and Means Committee said she will forgo a run for reelection — and a potential shot at speaker of the House — to make a bid for Howard County executive in 2026.

    Del. Vanessa E. Atterbeary (D-Howard), in an interview Friday, said she came to the decision this summer after a tough budget session and a milestone birthday — she turned 50 in June. Atterbeary is expected to make a formal announcement at an Oct. 15 event.

    “I really love being in Annapolis. I really enjoy making policy.” Atterbeary said. “But at the end of this past session, I just started to think about what I wanted my future to look like.”

    Atterbeary joins Howard County Council person Deb Jung and Del. Jessica Feldmark (D-Howard) in a race to succeed County Executive Calvin Ball. The two-term Democrat is term limited and cannot run again. Both Atterbeary and Feldmark serve on the House Way and Means Committee. Feldmark has chaired the revenue subcommittee since 2023.

    Atterbeary was named to lead the House Ways and Means Committee in 2022 by House Speaker Adrienne Jones. She was considered a potential candidate to become the next speaker should Jones, who turns 71 in November, decide not to seek an eighth full term in the House.

    Jones filed for re-election in June.

    “I’m sure the expectation from a lot of people and from myself, frankly, was to stay and try to be the next speaker, whenever Speaker Jones decided to retire,” Atterbeary said.  “A group of folks over well over a year ago approached me about running for county executive. I just put it out of my mind, because, as you know, we were dealing the past couple sessions with some very serious budget issues, and I was just primarily focused on that.”

    But Atterbeary revisited the idea after the 2025 session and her 50th birthday in June.

    “The more I thought about it, the more I just felt like my time there has come to an end,” she said. “Over the years, I have brought people together and worked really hard on what I felt passionate about. So I feel that there are issues here in the county that need to be worked on, and need to be worked on by a strong, proven leader who has the ability to bring people together.

    “And when I looked at who was in the field, there wasn’t just anyone in the field that I felt could do that. And so I decided that this is where I want to focus my effort and my energy and put my name in the race,” Atterbeary said.

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    Abigail Constantino

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