Christopher B. Shank

The Correctional Officers’ Bill of Rights, which was sponsored by a former Washington County senator and signed into law in 2010, is getting fresh scrutiny in the aftermath of a scandal at the Baltimore City Detention Center, where 13 female...

Washington County state lawmakers gathered Thursday night at a public forum to discuss the recently concluded session of the Maryland General Assembly and answer questions from the public. About 60 people showed up Thursday evening at the Hagerstown...

Some Washington County lawmakers are calling for another look at the state prison system and how the prisons are run after federal charges were filed against 13 female corrections officers, seven inmates and five others with alleged gang ties last week at...

A cabal of corrupt corrections officers and members of the Black Guerrilla Family gang enjoyed nearly free rein inside the Baltimore City Detention Center, federal authorities allege, smuggling drugs and cellphones into the jail and having sexual...

Washington County’s state legislators said that the 2013 session of the Maryland General Assembly was a productive one for the county, with many delegation bills being approved. The county also got a $1.55 million share of a wealth-based grant...

Minutes after the Maryland General Assembly adjourned for the final time in 2013 last week, two Washington County delegates headed out the door, even as many of their colleagues readied for the late-night parties in Annapolis that typically follow the end...

When it comes to figuring out who should get credit for bringing Washington County a share of a wealth-based grant called the disparity grant, it depends on whom you ask. House Speaker Michael E. Busch, D-Anne Arundel, credits John Donoghue, D-...

Legislators in Annapolis spent a marathon day Monday in sessions spread throughout the day and the evening as they addressed business one last time before the Maryland General Assembly adjourned at midnight. Republican lawmakers from Washington County...

Seasoned legislators in Annapolis know a lot can happen in the last week of a session in the Maryland General Assembly. Money can show up for capital projects after fierce lobbying. Bills with momentum can stall as other issues take precedence. For...

In a long-sought victory for Baltimore, the Maryland Senate approved a $1 billion financing plan Friday for an unprecedented systemwide drive to rebuild and renovate the city's crumbling school buildings. The measure passed easily on a bipartisan vote of...

The Maryland Senate voted by the narrowest of margins this week to send a bill that aimed to address rental housing discrimination back to committee, effectively ending its chances of passing this year. Sen. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, who...

Every year, police in Baltimore City respond to thousands of calls related to domestic violence. Officers arrest and charge abusive partners, judges issue protective orders to women who fear for their lives, and domestic violence counselors struggle to...