As the Baltimore City Council prepares to begin budget hearings on Monday, some city council members are acknowledging community members’ calls for cuts to the Baltimore Police Department’s budget and encouraging them to contact Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young.

Starting Monday, Baltimore City will lift the remaining coronavirus-related restrictions included in phase one of the state’s recovery plan, but the city is waiting until key metrics improve further to enter phase two, Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young announced Friday.

Black people continue to have the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases out of any racial or ethnic group in Maryland, and a disproportionate percentage of black Marylanders have died due to COVID-19, state data show.

At least 56,770 Marylanders have tested positive for COVID-19, while 290,956 have tested negative as of Friday morning, according to the Maryland Department of Health’s COVID-19 Case Map Dashboard.

As protests against police brutality and racial injustice continue across the United States, Anne Arundel County officials are pushing to fund body-worn cameras for police officers.

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman on Thursday announced that he is submitting amendments to the county’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year to fund body-worn cameras for the Anne Arundel County Police Department.

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. on Thursday announced the county would enter phase two of the state’s recovery plan, allowing an array of non-essential businesses to reopen at 5 p.m. on Friday.

Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced that Maryland was ready to enter the second part of the three-phase “Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery” plan.

As was the case with phase one of the state’s recovery plan, Hogan said local jurisdictions would be able to begin phase two at their own discretion.

The number of Marylanders hospitalized for coronavirus, the number of patients in intensive care, and the state’s seven-day rate of positive tests all continue to decline, state data show.

Citing decreases in those metrics, Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced that Maryland is ready to begin the phase two of its recovery plan, allowing an array of nonessential businesses to reopen starting at 5 p.m. on Friday.

Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced that Maryland will allow nail and tanning salons, various office buildings, and other non-essential businesses to reopen effective 5 p.m. on Friday as the state enters phase two of its recovery plan.

State government offices, including the Motor Vehicle Administration and other agencies that work directly with customers will reopen on an appointment-only basis starting Monday, June 8.

Hogan said the state is ready to begin phase two of the three-phase “Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery” plan after seeing 14-day declines in the seven-day rate of positive tests, the number of hospitalizations due to coronavirus, and the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units–key metrics that officials have been monitoring as they determine when and how to ease restrictions.

Baltimore County residents can now schedule a free COVID-19 testing appointment by visiting the county’s website.

The county is currently offering appointments for June 4 through June 9 at walk-up and drive-through sites, and new dates will be added every Wednesday, according to a news release.