A digest of Baltimore news from local sources.
From the Baltimore Sun: Stephanie Rawlings-Blake gavels in Democratic National Convention
"Baltimore Mayor Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake gaveled in the Democratic National Convention here on Monday -- taking over for the Democratic Party chairwoman who relinquished the role amid a scandal over internal party emails.
"Rawlings-Blake introduced herself to the crowd as 'mayor of the great city of Baltimore' and called it an 'honor and a pleasure' to kick off the convention.
"After calling the convention to order, Rawlings-Blake started walking off stage -- only to realize she hadn't actually struck the podium with a gavel. She hurried back and did so to applause.
"Rawlings-Blake has served as the secretary of the national Democratic Party since 2013.
"Party chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Florida congresswoman who had already announced she would resign from the party after the convention, said Monday that she also would not preside over the convention's opening ceremonies.
"The email controversy, in which the website WikiLeaks has published thousands of internal emails, has threatened the unified message Democrats are hoping to portray as they nominate Hillary Clinton.
"Rawlings-Blake is 'honored to participate in the historic Democratic National Convention as the party prepares to confirm its 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Rodham Clinton,' a statement released Monday by City Hall read."
From the AFRO-American: Rep. Elijah Cummings and Ben Jealous Take Opening Evening DNC Stage
“'I hail from the great state of Maryland, where Democrats have shown when we all come together as one, we win more, bigger and better victories faster,' Jealous told cheering delegates.
"That was after yet another prominent Maryland official, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, opened the convention, stepping in for the embattled chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.
"Cummings is chairman of the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee, and under his leadership, the committee has held numerous public hearings to craft what the party has called the most progressive platform in its history.
"A Baltimore resident, Cummings has represented Maryland’s 7th District since 1996. He has advocated for the rights of those facing foreclosure and is leading an effort to strengthen the curriculum at the Maritime Industries Academy in his home city.
"Hoyer, of Mechanicsville, represents Maryland’s 5th District. He is the second-most powerful Democrat in the House and has co-sponsored many bills to protect the Chesapeake Bay and been active on numerous pieces of environmental legislation.
"Jealous, a Baltimore native, was the youngest national leader of the NAACP for four years before stepping down in 2013. He has been a longtime advocate of black rights and marriage equality.
"Jealous originally supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, but is now endorsing Hillary Clinton.
"Hoyer was the first Maryland native to speak, contrasting the Republican and Democratic platforms.
"The Republican Party’s message to the American people was 'you’re on your own,' he said, whereas the Democratic Party’s message is 'we’re in this together.'
"Hoyer then encouraged voters to 'bind together as a country and elect Hillary the president of the United States of America.'
"Later on the stage, Cummings drew on his father’s words: 'The test of a man is not how much he helps himself, the true test is whether he helps those less fortunate.' The Democratic Party, he said, has passed this test.
"Cummings highlighted the Democratic Party’s platform on the Affordable Care Act, civil rights, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights.
“'Our party does not believe, but understands, that black lives matter,' he said to enthusiastic applause and chants of 'Black Lives Matter' from the crowd. 'But we also recognize that our communities and our law enforcement work best when they work together.'
"Throughout his speech, Cummings consistently mentioned 'our Democratic Party' to draw implicit comparisons to the Republican National Convention last week, which was marked by dissention after some 'Never Trump' delegates disrupted the convention calling for a roll call vote, and former candidate Ted Cruz failed to endorse the nominee in a high-profile convention speech.
“'Ours is a party of unity and not division,' he said.
"Cummings also gave a nod to Sanders’ platform by mentioning the wealthy 1 percent and the middle, working class. His statements could be heard over the crowd chanting “down with TPP” along with boos from Sanders supporters expressing their dissatisfaction with a Clinton nomination.
"Jealous, the last Marylander to take the stage, reminded his listeners about recent, progressive legislation in Maryland: abolishing the death penalty, passing marriage equality, decriminalizing low-level marijuana possession and passing gun safety reform.
"He urged voters to join the Democratic Party at the ballot box to make college more affordable, raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and move energy away from coal and gas toward wind and solar.
“'We will move America forward,' Jealous said, 'to become the most perfect example of the unity and dignity of the human family that the world has ever seen.'”
From the Baltimore Sun: Advocates call on state to offer buprenorphine to opioid addicts in jails, prisons
"As opioid addiction rises, public health advocates in Maryland are calling for more treatment where many addicts end up: in jails and prisons.
"In Maryland, only Baltimore and a few counties offer any treatment in their jails. The state-run jail in Baltimore offers only detoxification. The state offers some counseling in its prisons and continues detox for 21 days. But advocates and treatment professionals say it's not enough to keep addicts off the drugs over the long term.
"Addressing addiction more comprehensively, advocates say, with a wider variety of medications and continuing counseling, could not only cut addiction rates but reduce crime and the spread of infectious disease such as HIV and hepatitis.
"'The main reason people get incarcerated is they have a mental-health or substance-abuse issue that leads to criminal activity,' said Scott Nolan, director of the Drug Addiction Treatment Program at the Open Society Institute-Baltimore.
"'This is one of those things with government, you make an investment now to see improvements later,' he said. 'There would be financial savings, but citizens would also have a better quality of life.'
"The challenge isn't new, but the misuse of heroin, fentanyl and prescription painkillers has caused a spike in overdose deaths in the state. There were nearly 1,260 last year, nearly twice as many as in 2010.
"The Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, which runs the Baltimore city jail complex and state prisons, reports that 65 percent to 70 percent of offenders enter the system with a substance-abuse problem, from alcohol to heroin.
"Yet for opioids, only a limited amount of methadone is provided to wean those addicted to opioids, and only to those who can prove they are already on it.
"About 2,000 people enter the corrections system in the city each month, but only about 100 people are in the methadone program. Dr. Sharon Baucom, the medical director for the corrections department, said that's because detainees cycle through the jail quickly.
"Those who are allowed to use methadone in jail can continue on the drug for 21 days if they are convicted and transferred to prison. Counseling also ends in three weeks, and begins again only when prisoners are within two years of release, when addicts are considered vulnerable to relapse and overdose.
"That's far short of what is needed, says Kathleen Westcoat, president and CEO of Behavioral Health System Baltimore, which oversees mental-health and substance-abuse programs in the city.
"Westcoat said her organization has approached Gov. Larry Hogan's office about expanding services in the correctional system to mirror those available in the community. That includes a range of medications, continued beyond detoxification, and ongoing counseling.
"Anne Arundel County has provided methadone to its detainees, and Washington and Harford counties have offered naltrexone, an injection that helps prevent relapse but not withdrawal.
"Nationally, addiction specialists say, few correctional facilities provide much more. But as the number of people addicted to heroin and prescription painkillers surges, they say, it's time to expand access to counseling and medications for prisoners, because different treatments work for different individuals. Many say buprenorphine, another medication widely used to wean addicts from opioids, should be an option."