July 17, 2023

Ready Report: Parental Rights, Honoring Local Veteran & More…

I hope you and your family are enjoying your summer. Stay safe and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Parental Rights Update – Call to Action – Federal Level

President Biden’s administration is proposing regulations under the U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) passed many years ago that threaten to supersede parental rights in public education services.

Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona has expressed the desire to amend regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Specifically, his proposal seeks to REMOVE the current requirement for public schools to obtain parental consent prior to assessing for the first time a child’s public benefits or insurance (Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, ect.). This would provide public schools with a license to defraud taxpayers, and vulnerable students and their families, all without parental consent.

You can voice opposition to this proposal by clicking here and posting a comment on or before August 1st.

Example: “The current regulation should NOT be amended. Informed consent and parental rights must be upheld.”

Recognizing Sgt. George Keeney of New Windsor

George Thomas Keeney, 76, or New Windsor served in the Vietnam War, part of a helicopter flight crew that flew dozens of combat missions. Sgt. Keeney was awarded his Air Medal from the U.S. Army on November 6, 1966, shortly before his return home and eventual honorable discharge. However, his medal never showed up and he went over 50 years without receiving what he had earned.

Thanks to the work of several dedicated volunteers and the staff of Carroll Veterans Independence Project, the medal was secured and it was a great honor of mine – just a few weeks ago – to pin this medal on Sgt. Keeney. This honor was obviously long overdue. Sadly, Vietnam Veterans were not treated as they should have been when they returned because of the controversy surrounding the war – none of which was their fault or doing. We should do all we can to right that wrong and ensure it doesn’t ever happen again to future returning warriors.

Maryland Comptroller Announces Faster Online Process to Claim Unclaimed Property

The Maryland State Comptroller’s office has announced that those who find their name on the Unclaimed Property list can now file a claim form digitally via Maryland OneStop, the central hub for Maryland State licenses, forms, certificates, permits, applications, and registrations.

In Maryland, unclaimed money found in old investment accounts, stocks, bonds and forgotten safety deposit boxes eventually makes its way to the Office of the Comptroller. From there, the Comptroller’s Unclaimed Property Division works to reunite Marylanders with their money via the Unclaimed Property Claim Program. In recent weeks, that list was distributed via newspapers throughout the state and can be searched online via a newly updated website.

If a claimant doesn’t have access to Maryland OneStop, they can create an account by doing the following:

  1. Create a OneStop Account
    You must register an account with Maryland OneStop in order to access and submit this form. If you have previously created a OneStop account for a different Maryland government program, you may login to that same account.
  2. Make sure to include the Claim Number
    All Unclaimed Property is assigned a Claim Number by the Comptroller of Maryland. You must include the appropriate Claim Number from the Online Unclaimed Property Search Tool for your submission to be considered by the agency.
  3. Upload all necessary documents
    You will be required to upload scanned copies of your driver’s license or government-issued ID as well as your Social Security Card or another identification that shows your social security number. You may also wish to upload additional documents to support your claim. Please make sure to have these documents readily available to include with your submission.
  4. Submit form
    Complete all required fields of information on the form and submit for review by the Comptroller of Maryland. If you have any questions about the program or your submission, you may contact [email protected] or 410-767-1700.

Support our Local Volunteer Fire Department Carnivals This Summer – Schedule:

Carnivals hosted by local fire departments provide a great opportunity for the community to support their fire halls. Some carnivals in Carroll County have already concluded, however there are still several more coming up. Here is the schedule for the remaining carnivals:

7/17 – 7/22    Reese Fire Company
7/31 – 8/05    Mount Airy Fire Company
8/07 – 8/12    Hampstead Fire Company

Big Thanks – We Hit Our Goal:

In late June, I had reached out to people asking for help with hitting our mid-year fundraising goal. We needed to raise about $3,300 to do so – and I’m so proud and thankful to say that we did just that with the help of so many of the folks on this email list who gave. We broke over that barrier with just a couple hours to spare before midnight, June 30th.

I know that with the inflation and difficult circumstances many are facing thanks to Bideneconomics and other factors, this is a tough time. If you were able to donate, thank you so much but to all of you who’ve been so supportive in the past as well as the folks who sent encouraging messages and have been volunteering to support our campaign efforts – thank you very much!

Return To News >