A digest of Baltimore news from local sources.
From the Baltimore Sun: Morgan State University designated a ‘National Treasure’
"The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Morgan State University a National Treasure on Tuesday, a designation given to only one other historically black college in the country.
"The designation will mean Morgan and the National Trust will partner to develop a roadmap for preserving the university's historic buildings, which mostly are a mix of Collegiate Revival and Brutalist architectural styles. That roadmap will later be used as a template for preserving historic buildings on historically black college campuses, or HBCUs, around the country, said Dale Green, a professor of architecture and historic preservation at Morgan who is working with the National Trust.
"'They have significant rich legacies in that most people are unaware of," Green said. "They're more than black schools... They are the only institutions that never barred other races. They very much reflect the American story.'
"Morgan was founded in 1867 and settled on its Northeast Baltimore campus in 1917. The 20 structures included in the designation are Classical, Italianate and Modern styles, as well as Collegiate Revival and Brutalist.
"Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, said in a statement that the National Trust wanted to highlight the importance of historically black colleges. Howard University in Washington, D.C. is the only other HBCU with the designation.
"'We are proud to partner with Morgan State University -- a nationally-recognized innovator and education leader -- to demonstrate how the preservation of their remarkable older buildings can be a springboard for growth, rejuvenation, and revitalization,' Meeks said.
"The designation will include a $110,000 grant from the National Trust to develop the preservation roadmap, Green said."
From the Baltimore Sun: Maryland seeks federal OK to speed ex-inmates’ Medicaid access
"Seeking to slash the red tape that prevents former prisoners with chronic health ailments, mental illness or drug addiction from getting health coverage, Maryland has proposed giving thousands of newly released inmates temporary Medicaid membership, with few questions asked.
"The measure, described as the first of its kind in the nation, would help close a care gap that arises when sick inmates leave jail or prison care but have trouble getting coverage and treatment after they get out, advocates say.
"Maryland expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, making nearly all former prisoners eligible for the state and federal health insurance program for low-income people. But enrollment bottlenecks have kept Maryland and other states from signing up more than a fraction of the people leaving incarceration.
"The state wants the federal government to approve a streamlined sign-up process that would give two months of Medicaid membership to released inmates who declare basic information such as residency and citizenship status. After two months, they would need to fully enroll, providing proof of identity and demonstrating income eligibility.
"The goal, as expressed in a draft application to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, is to reduce recidivism and the number of expensive emergency-room visits by linking former prisoners to mental health treatment and other community care. Details would be worked out through a process of public comment and negotiations with HHS."
From the Baltimore Sun: Supermarkets aim to reduce food waste
"Every week, some meat in Giant supermarkets goes unsold. In years past, it was thrown away, but it won't go to waste anymore.
"Now refrigerated trucks from the Maryland Food Bank stop several times a week at Giant stores, where workers load them with frozen steak, hamburger, chicken and pork to be delivered to food pantries throughout the state.
"Giant's 'Meat the Needs' initiative, which offers high-protein foods to the needy while diverting food waste from landfills, has grown from four stores in the state to 52, and last year donated 400,000 pounds of meat, or 20 million servings.
"The Landover-based unit of Ahold USA is among a growing number of grocers, restaurants and food makers looking for new ways to tackle the huge amount of waste in the food industry. As much as 40 percent of the food produced in the United States ends up in landfills, where food ranks as the biggest category of waste, according to the Food Waste Reduction Alliance. The groups says waste is generated all along the supply chain, from farms and manufacturers to retailers, restaurants and consumers at home.
"In 2010, nearly 40 million tons of food ended up in landfills.
"The alliance, which includes manufacturers, food retailers and restaurants, took on the issue in 2012, hoping to reduce food waste, increase the amount of food being donated and recycle more of the unavoidable food waste — such as plate scraps at restaurants and trim from food preparation."