Working in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland State Arts Council, First Lady Yumi Hogan presented a selection of artworks by Maryland students during the spring student show in the First Lady’s Art Gallery. Mrs. Hogan, who is an accomplished artist and a professor at Maryland Institute College of Art, is an active supporter of the arts throughout Maryland and a powerful advocate for arts programs in schools across Maryland. In keeping with Mrs. Hogan’s dedication to supporting arts education, the First Lady’s Art Gallery, which is located in the House of Delegates Office Building in Annapolis, will continue the student art program with bi-annual shows held every fall and spring.

The show features the works of student artists from more than 20 Maryland school systems. During the March 4 spring reception, first-place awards were presented to artists in the elementary school, middle school and high school categories.

Pictured: (from left) First Lady Yumi Hogan with first-place winners: middle school winner Amira Allen, Howard County; elementary school winner Kaelyn Shannon, Anne Arundel County; and high school winner Dominique Ramsey, Wicomico County.

“Best is the standard here at the Maryland Department of Commerce. Those words drive everything we do. And that simple promise is the foundation of our new strategic plan to drive Maryland’s economy to the heights we all know it can — and should — reach,” said Commerce Secretary Mike Gill while rolling out the department’s new strategic plan during an all-staff meeting held on March 1 at Baltimore’s World Trade Center.

Created by the Maryland Economic Development Commission, the new plan includes the state’s economic forecast, cites achievements made over the past year, and outlines a roadmap for Commerce to continue driving Maryland’s economic engine forward. “Every company we help start or grow,” said Secretary Gill, “every job we help create means more and better opportunities for our friends, family and neighbors. It means better jobs for our children and theirs.” To learn more about Commerce’s new direction, read the full plan here.

On March 1, the Maryland Film Office began accepting Applications for Initial Tax Credit Certification on a first-come, first-served basis and will continue accepting applications through March 31. The applications are for incentives that may become available in FY2018. For a complete list of requirements and a detailed rundown of the application process, please visit the Incentives page at www.marylandfilm.org. Television and film production in Maryland is an important economic driver with House of Cards and VEEP generating more than $600 million in projected economic impact from FY 2012-FY 2016.

Maryland Day commemorates the 382nd anniversary of the arrival of the Ark and Dove and the landing of the first European settlers in what would become the great state of Maryland. Those first settlers sought to create a colony dedicated to the ideals of religious freedom and tolerance, and since that time, Maryland Day has been a time to celebrate the best of our state’s heritage and traditions. Though the original landing was on March 25, this year’s celebrations will be held March 18-20, and will include 38 events held by 20 partners. For a complete listing of events, visit www.marylandday.org and www.hsmcdigshistory.org.

BWI/Thurgood Marshall Airport continued to show strong gains, posting an increase of 9.0 and 35.6 percent in total and international arrivals respectively; gaming revenue climbed 12.2 percent over last year to $562 million through December 31; employment in the Leisure and Hospitality sector grew 3.6 percent compared to last year; and tourism-related tax codes increased 10.5 percent -- ahead of the overall sales tax growth of 3.4 percent – representing a gain of $21 million over last year. OTD’s communications efforts also showed positive movement with press outreach generating $7,564,272 in ad equivalency through December, and OTD’s social media programs surged with a growth in Facebook and Twitter followers of 17.9 and 27.3 percent respectively. To read the complete December Tourism Monitor, click here.

Each week, the Maryland Minute provides highlights and insights on this weekend’s events around the state. Maryland Minute is featured on CBS radio stations in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and on Baltimore’s WBAL-AM 1090.