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Maryland board OKs contract for Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass statues

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — A Maryland board has approved a contract to put bronze statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass in the historic Maryland State House.

The Board of Public Works voted 3-0 for the $575,000 contract Wednesday for the statues of the Maryland-born abolitionists. Both Tubman and Douglass were born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The board is comprised of Gov. Larry Hogan, Treasurer Nancy Kopp and Comptroller Peter Franchot.

The contract with The Christmas Company, of Sterling, Virginia, calls for completing the work within 390 days. Franchot voted for the contract, though he criticized the fact that the company and sculptor are not from Maryland.

In a letter, Del. Julian Ivey criticized the contract for not having any minority business participation.

The statues will stand in the Old House of Delegates Chamber.

1 tornado confirmed in Anne Arundel County during Tuesday’s storms

At least one tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, during Tuesday's storms in the D.C. region. An EF-1 tornado landed in Lake Shore near Patapsco Road at 6:15 p.m. NWS officials determined that the estimated peak winds of the tornado was 100 mph. The twister was on the ground for two minutes as it was around three-quarters of mile long and 160 yards wide.
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