Commentary

Baltimore County has had 14 county executives since the post was established in 1956. They’ve included Republicans and Democrats, the notorious former Vice President Spiro Agnew and the lesser-known Fred Homan, a longtime county administrator who held the post for just 19 days following the death of Kevin Kamenetz in 2018. But the position has never been held by a person of color.

Baltimore’s National Aquarium has a long and distinguished history of projects to enhance and preserve wetlands and waterways in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and elsewhere. None has been so visible, accessible and, hopefully, inspirational as the Harbor Wetland that opened last week in the Inner Harbor. Years in the making and the product of countless hours of innovative work by aquarium staff, the Harbor Wetland is an exhibit open to all at no charge.

The world is still basking in the warm afterglow of a successful 2024 Paris Olympics. In addition to extraordinary feats on the track and in the pool, or beautiful photos of the Eiffel Tower adorned with the Olympic rings, this Olympiad should be remembered for the diversity of those who medaled. Five teams won gold, silver or bronze for the first time, extending a longer-term trend toward a more competitively balanced Olympics.

People living with serious mental illness face unique challenges, but they have the same desires and needs in life as everyone else. We must continue to work to bring attention to the importance of mental health and wellness in our lives and reduce the stigma that so many people face. While medication and therapy play a crucial role in recovery, a sustainable approach includes what Dr. Thomas Insel described in his book “Healing: Our Path from Mental Illness to Mental Health” as the “three P’s”: People, Place and Purpose.