Immigration Courts: Trump officials are rolling out “mega” master calendar hearings, packing many cases at once to speed deportations—critics say it’s chaos that ramps up removals, with Baltimore among the places seeing fast-tracked proceedings. ICE at School: Viral video and Baltimore City Schools’ response are fueling outrage after ICE arrests outside a Baltimore school during pre-K drop-off, with the district saying it didn’t coordinate with ICE and that enforcement shouldn’t happen around children. State Budget & Care Access: Maryland’s Medicaid work requirements are set to tighten next year, with new rules defining who may be exempt as “medically frail,” raising stakes for medically complex residents. Education & AI: Maryland is trying to catch up as AI use in K-12 grows—new state requirements call for AI coordinators, teacher training, and student AI literacy. Local Culture & Community: Baltimore Pride is here, while Piscataway-Conoy’s festival and pow wow returns to Cedarville this weekend, and Chesapeake Homelands launches Indigenous storytelling videos from the Eastern Shore. Arts & Craft: Woodcarver Carlton Rayfield Stiff brings home multiple awards from Ocean City’s wildfowl carving competition. Higher Ed Leadership: University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke will retire next year, as the school navigates major structural and enrollment challenges.