Thousands of shipping containers on the Dali, the 984-foot cargo vessel that struck and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge more than a month ago, face an uncertain fate. About 180 of the 4,700 containers have been removed from the ship and taken to a CSX rail yard in Curtis Bay, while the rest, both full and empty, remain stacked on board as the vessel owner, shipping line and cargo customers negotiate who ultimately will cover the costs of the salvaging operation.

Thousands of migrant children are coming to Maryland every year. One ZIP code in Southeast Baltimore saw an influx of nearly 1,800 migrant children from 2015 to 2023, among the most in the country over that time. ZIP code 21224, home to parts of Canton, Brewers Hill and Greektown, saw more children from other countries — most of them in South America — than all but 13 other ZIP codes in the United States.

After taking heat for declining to send any of Baltimore’s windfall in federal pandemic aid to the city’s strapped fire department, Mayor Brandon Scott on Wednesday announced that he was setting $10 million aside for the agency. The funding, which comes out of Baltimore’s $641 million pool of American Rescue Plan Act funding, will go towards a variety of facility improvements, roof repairs and emergency-aid equipment, Scott and his Fire Chief James Wallace said at a news conference.

Under a deal up for approval next month, two power plants in Anne Arundel County would continue to burn coal at least three years longer than planned — potentially costing Marylanders $250 million or more every year. PJM Interconnection, the region’s power grid operator, has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue an order approving its deal with power plant operator Talen Energy by June 18, according to a tariff filing last month.

 

The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit focusing on patient safety, released its spring hospital safety grades. The grades reflect how well hospitals prevent medical errors, accidents and infections. In the Baltimore area, three hospitals received “A” grades, including MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital, MedStar Harbor Hospital and the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center.

According to former Baltimore mayor and current mayoral candidate Sheila Dixon, the 2024 election cycle is her last hurrah. “This is it. I made it very clear,” said Dixon, 70, who, once again, is campaigning for the Democratic nomination to serve as Baltimore’s mayor. “Three times is the charm — or three strikes, I’m out.”

 

Bethesda hotel giant Marriott International Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) lifted its full-year profit guidance on Wednesday on strong international room revenue growth. The company posted an 11% increase in revenue per available room — a key industry metric — for its international hotels. It recorded a nearly 17% year-over-year increase in room revenue in the Asia Pacific region excluding China.

The Baltimore Ravens are introducing field-level seats to M&T Bank Stadium this year as part of a major renovation plan. The team said 138 plush seats will flank each side of the northwest and southwest corners of the field. The new spots are “Permanent Seat Licenses,” a one-time purchase that allows guaranteed rights to buy season tickets every year for your location, as well as the opportunity to sell or transfer that license.

 

In a recent letter to Maryland’s higher education secretary, state legislators walked back their approval of a right of first refusal for certain academic programs beginning July 1, writing that a “misunderstanding” led to its passage last month. Under a bill that Gov. Wes Moore is expected to sign into law in the coming weeks, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the state’s four historically Black institutions — the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Bowie State University, Coppin State University and Morgan State University — will have a right of first refusal for new graduate programs focused on emerging workforce needs.

State and federal officials are warning commuters about a scam involving the E-ZPass toll payment method. The Maryland Transportation Authority and the FBI local field office said there’s a text messaging swindle taking place at tolling booths across the state asking customers to enter their personal data and financial information into a fake website, where it is accessed by cybercriminals.