Live Baltimore is a nonprofit group that encourages people to buy homes in Baltimore’s neighborhoods. And while it offers tours and promotes the city’s residential communities, it also tracks real estate activity in Baltimore, neighborhood by neighborhood. Its annual report took a look at 2023 and came up with some facts about neighborhood pricing, sales volume and popularity based upon days on the market.

Baltimore dropped more than 40 spots on a highly regarded ranking released Tuesday that measures U.S. metro areas on economic performance. Baltimore fell from No. 131 to No. 174 on the list put together by California-based nonprofit think tank Milken Institute. It’s the lowest rank for Baltimore since 2012, according to Maggie Switek, senior director of the nonprofit’s research department and co-author of the report. It’s the second consecutive steep drop for the city, which fell from No. 106 to No. 131 in last year’s report.

This month, Maryland’s comptroller released a concerning report which found that, despite our state leading the country in several economic indicators, our economy has not grown since 2017. Although Maryland’s economy may feel strong today, especially with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, the lack of economic development during a seven-year span should concern us all. Fortunately, our state has a promising path forward using one of the most significant drivers of economic growth: innovation.

In Maryland, we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads where we must balance accountability and responsibility to reform the juvenile justice system — all within the 90-day timeframe set for the state’s 2024 legislative session. In pursuing a just and equitable legal system as state’s attorneys in Baltimore City and Prince George’s County, our legislative agenda focuses on necessary changes to existing juvenile laws, and innovative measures that reflect our commitment to progress and prioritizing victims’ rights.

 

Growing up in the Los Angeles area, the coastal allure was an integral part of my childhood. Then adulthood led me to Maryland, and my new coastal haven is along the Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, the region faces an imminent threat: devastation from flooding and climate change that can destroy native habitats and wildlife and displace families. By now, it is well known and documented that, as polar ice melts due to increased air temperatures, the sea level rises.

 

When Mark and Monika Bauman became lab partners at Anne Arundel Community College in 1987, the pre-nursing program was tough, and they were focused on making the grade. She was fresh out of high school. He was working on a second career. “He came up and he just said, ‘I’m Mark. Do you happen to have a partner yet?’” she said. “I said, ‘No, I don’t. Have a seat.’ And we just connected very well.”

 

Allegany and Garrett counties have partnered to launch a marketing campaign to help in attracting lifestyle manufacturing companies to Western Maryland. The regional business and workforce attraction initiative, announced in a joint press release this week, is titled “Make it. In the Mountains.” The effort includes a newly created website, MakeItInTheMountains.com. Officials in the tourism departments of both counties have been pursuing plans that would capitalize on the outdoor features in Western Maryland, which include mountain vistas, numerous trails, state parks, lakes and rivers offering year-round outdoor activities.

 

Johns Hopkins researchers say they’re getting closer to developing a blood test that would identify changes in the brain associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders — an advancement that could enable doctors to detect the early signs of mental health emergencies. In a study published last month in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers focused on the potential of particles called extracellular vesicles to provide a window into what’s happening inside a person’s brain.

On a small dealership lot northeast of downtown Baltimore, dozens of used cars await new owners. Just around the corner, a banner on the side of a building promotes “VIRGINIA TAGS” and lists a phone number. This sign isn’t the only one making such an offer. The promotion for “Virginia tags” can be found on signs around the city and on social media posts, with some even offering delivery.

 

As Maryland lawmakers take on criticism for a proposed juvenile justice reform bill, House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) testified Thursday in its support. Jones, who rarely appears at bill hearings, spoke first before a packed Judiciary Committee room on House Bill 814 – Juvenile Law Reform. She expressed some frustration at how the legislation has been characterized by critics.