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Go Big or Go Home: The Baltimore Banner Readies for Launch

The Baltimore Banner’s much-anticipated debut is going to be different than those of other nonprofit journalism experiments, not least because it has ample funding from the start. As many as 50 staffers will be on-hand for the office ribbon-cutting in early April, and the space has room for at least 50 more, reflecting ambitious expectations for growth. The Banner is the brainchild of hotel magnate Stewart W. Bainum Jr., a former Maryland politician determined to boost local journalism in a famously competitive news town. Money has been no object, so far, and in an interview with the Local News Initiative on March 17, Bainum repeated his pledge to donate or raise $50 million over four years for the project.

The Well-Funded ‘Baltimore Banner’ Will Rival ‘The Sun.’ Can it Prove Sustainable?

Stewart Bainum, the Takoma Park philanthropist behind the soon-to-be launched The Baltimore Banner, the new city digital newspaper, has shared this story before, but it bears repeating. When he served in the General Assembly from 1979 to 1986, reporters from big-city papers like The Baltimore Sun, The Evening Sun, The Baltimore News-American, The Washington Post, and The Washington Star—as well as The Capital and smaller Maryland newspapers–swarmed the General Assembly like bees to a honeypot.

Maryland companies top list of fastest-growing in mid-Atlantic

From a company that manufactures natural supplements for pets to a coworking space with locations throughout the Baltimore-Washington metro area, 34 Maryland companies landed on Inc. Magazine’s list of fastest-growing companies in the mid-Atlantic region this year, including four in the top 10. Starting in 1982 as the Inc. 500, Inc. Magazine expanded its list to encompass the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America in 2007.

‘Am I ever going to find a home?’ How Realtors are helping homebuyers navigate a tight market

Attention residents of Pikesville’s Pumpkin Hill Court, Hambleton Court and Hurlingham Court — Regina Trakhtman wants to sell your home. More specifically, the Realtor wants to find her client a single-family home within walking distance of her family’s synagogue and school, and those streets fit the bill. Trakhtman, an agent with the Home Access Group of Monument Sotheby’s International Realty, has sent out emails, postcards and even knocked on doors looking for Pikesville homeowners who might consider a sale.

Atlas Restaurant Group will reopen Harbor East’s James Joyce Irish Pub

James Joyce Irish Pub & Restaurant is headed for a revival under the ownership of the Atlas Restaurant Group. The Baltimore-based hospitality company recently leased the Harbor East Irish pub, one of several restaurants in the upscale waterfront neighborhood that closed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Atlas CEO Alex Smith said James Joyce will keep its name as well as some of its original furnishings, including a bartop imported from Ireland.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit aims to help leaders realign core values

For Nakeia Drummond, creating a diverse and equitable workplace is not about which practices to put in place; it’s about leaders realigning core values. As the founder and CEO of equity-centered management consulting firm NLD Strategic, Drummond said in the past year or year and a half she had seen leaders of some major, big-name organizations step up and challenge themselves. But even then, she said, they are only taking the first steps of a long journey.

Pappas Seafood soon to open Perry Hall crabcake shipping hub

Following a green light from the Baltimore County Council, Pappas Seafood Co. will soon open a 7,500-square-foot crabcake distribution hub in Perry Hall. The council voted Monday night to approve a zoning change allowing the facility to open at 8801 Belair Road. Pappas staffers could move into the space within a few months, said managing partner and CFO Karen Zimmerer. Every year, Pappas ships some 3.5 million orders of its crabcakes, a noted favorite of Oprah Winfrey, Zimmerer said.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Margaritaville Project Gains Approvals

After a pair of marathon hearings, the proposed Margaritaville project moved two big steps closer to becoming a reality this week. The Mayor and Council on Monday had before them two separate issues related to the Margaritaville Hotel and Conference Center, which would encompass an entire city block downtown on the oceanside facing the Boardwalk between 13th Street and 14th Street.

28. Faith-based Care with Ed Lovern

In episode 28 of The Lobby, Damian speaks with Ascension St. Agnes President and CEO Ed Lovern about his path to Ascension and what drew him to Maryland. Join us for a discussion on what makes the Maryland medical system unique, and what Ascension St. Agnes brings to the equation. Then, stick around for a special Catonsville shoutout. We hope to see you soon in the Lobby.

Observing samples under the microscope
Maryland Tech Council secures federal funding for life sciences companies

The Maryland Tech Council just got millions in federal dollars that it said will further speed up innovation for the state’s life sciences companies, many of which have already seen a burst of pandemic-driven energy. The trade association said Monday it has received $2.45 million from the federal government’s omnibus budget bill for fiscal year 2022.

The Morning Rundown

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