WBAL.com

Officials say inmates in three prisons near Hagerstown will have access to satellite television.

Jon Galley is assistant commissioner of the Division of Correction’s Western Region. He says officials hope to have the system installed by the end of November.

He says the service will be paid for with money raised through commissary sales and telephone in the prison. It will be available to all inmates who have televisions in their cells.

Galley says inmates prefer to stay in their cells when there is a variety of television programming available. He says this reduces the likelihood of gang activity and violence.

Corrections spokesman Mark Vernarelli says the main issue is improved security. With inmates choosing to stay in their cells, officers will have fewer inmates to watch.

WBAL.com

Some Maryland residents are fighting for their right to dry their laundry outdoors.

They say it saves energy and money, but many homeowner groups ban the practice.

Wei Wang lives in Montgomery County. She claims her homeowners association said if she didn’t stop drying her clothes outside they’d take legal action.

Wang has sought advice from a New England-based nonprofit called Project Laundry List, which advocates for use of clotheslines.

Patricia Wigginton is on the board of directors of the Maryland Homeowners’ Association — an all-volunteer, nonprofit that advocates for good government in condo and HOAs. She’d like legislation passed that would prevent the banning of clotheslines in Maryland and planned to bring the issue up with board at the next meeting.