{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Maryland Now","title":"Downy Ocean: Inside MACo Week with Maryland's Power Players","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/a8aa0a05\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":5570,"description":"Maryland Now — brought to you by Blended Public Affairs\n\nThis episode, Maryland Now hits the road. Hosts Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz, and David Nitkin traveled to Ocean City for the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) conference — the annual gathering where most of Maryland's state and local government establishment spends a few days mixing official business with a packed circuit of evening receptions. Rather than one long-form interview, this episode features brief interviews with elected officials, agency heads, and the private-sector players navigating Maryland's biggest policy fights, all tied together with Dori, Josh, and David's own reporting and reactions from the ground.\n \nWe cover everything from Maryland's energy challenges with PSC Chair Kumar Barve and State Sen. J.B. Jennings, to the state's fiscal picture with Budget Secretary Jake Weissman and Comptroller Brooke Lierman, and the major reduction in violent crime in Baltimore City with Mayor Brandon Scott…and more.\n \nIn this episode:\nPSC Chair Kumar Barve on Maryland's role in a 13-state regional power grid, and why data centers need to \"bring their own new generation\"\nState Sen. J.B. Jennings on what's really driving Maryland's high electric bills, and why he's skeptical the legislature will fix it this session\nBudget Secretary Jake Weissman on formulating next year's budget amid a structural deficit\nComptroller Brooke Lierman on why she calls Maryland's housing regulations \"the Smith Island Cake effect\"\nBaltimore Mayor Brandon Scott on six years of falling homicide rates, the group violence reduction strategy behind it, and $7 billion in new downtown investment\nCFG Bank Arena GM Frank Remesch on turning Baltimore into a top touring market – including the story of the night SZA and Queen swapped 57 trucks in and out in under an hour\nConversations with Howard County executive nominee Vanessa Atterbeary, Baltimore County CAO D'Andrea Walker, and Reps. Johnny Olszewski and April Delaney on...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/cWPrI2HtFRFi4-cEgG9AilW5PwDl7N2ksf_B2iAK6ck/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mMjlm/MWRkNGZkYjQxNzZh/ZjI0NTRjNmVmNTg2/NjBjMC5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}