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Author: joel@joellevtov.com
All Frederick County employees must undergo DEI training, Fitzwater says
First published Tuesday, June 4, 2024 in the Frederick News-Post. Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said she wants the county to encourage and nurture diversity. She announced on Monday, that starting this year, all Frederick County employees — including her — must undergo diversity, equity and inclusion training, so they can understand themselves and the…
Restrictions on chalking implemented to ‘beautify’ campus, UMD says
First published Jan. 23, 2024 in Stories Beneath the Shell. University of Maryland President Darryll Pines announced a new policy for chalking on Nov. 27. Overnight, students at the University of Maryland were prohibited from chalking in all but two places on campus: In front of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union and at Hornbake…
FACT CHECK: Were antisemitic slogans shouted at a UMD pro-Palestine event?
First published Friday, Nov. 10, 2023 in Stories Beneath the Shell. CLAIM: Protesters at a pro-Palestine protest on Nov. 9 shouted antisemitic slogans and chalked messages calling for a second Holocaust. SBS ASSESSMENT: Partially true. Two eyewitnesses confirmed that students shouted slogans calling for revolution and event organizers confirmed that someone chalked a message reading…
Hundreds gather to mourn UMD student’s death
Reported with Kiersten Hacker. First published Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023 in Stories Beneath the Shell. Content warning: This article mentions death and loss. Resources for the University of Maryland community are listed at the end of this article. Flowers. Candles. Hugs. Singing. Offerings. A comfort dog. All these were on display as about 200 University…
Sarah McBride ‘not running to be the trans representative in Congress’
First published Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 in the Washington Blade. Sarah McBride is running for Delaware’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. If you ask her what the most important issues are for voters, she’ll tick off several things: The cost of education, prescription drugs, housing, fear of gun violence, fear of the…
Questions remain after Rehoboth Beach marijuana ban
First published on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2024 in the Washington Blade. Want to light up in Rehoboth Beach, Del.? If you want to smoke a joint, you’re out of luck.Rehoboth Beach’s mayor and Board of Commissioners voted last week to ban the smoking of cannabis on public property within the city’s 1.6-square-mile limits – despite…
Trevor Project in crisis amid financial woes, staff dissension, ‘union busting’: sources
First published Thursday, Aug. 10, 2023 in the Washington Blade. (Editor’s note: This article contains references to suicide and self-harm. If you are having thoughts of suicide or are in crisis, call 988 to talk to a counselor or 911 for medical attention.) He was cutting himself and his mother was worried. Whom should she…
Delaware poised to become 17th state to ban LGBTQ panic defense
First published Friday, June 30, 2023 in the Washington Blade. It was an extraordinary week in the Delaware Senate, as a bill to ban the LGBTQ+ panic defense, in which a defendant claims they panicked and killed or injured a victim upon finding out the person was gay or transgender and receive a lesser sentence…
Sarah McBride announces run for Congress
First published Monday, June 26, 2023 in the Washington Blade. After months of speculation and anticipation, Delaware state Sen. Sarah McBride has announced her run for Congress. If elected, she would be the first and only transgender person in Congress. No other trans people have announced their run for Congress, according to the LGBTQ+ Victory…