Actor Nicole Ari Parker and I grew up in Baltimore around the same time, but we never met. Because it’s Smalltimore, though, I knew people who were like, “Didn’t you go that party at the thing where she was that time?” or “Girl, I used to take dance lessons with her.” We didn’t run in the same circles — Parker went to Roland Park Country School, I was a public school kid — but I can now say she is, sort of, part of a group of old friends.
Some Republican state legislators have called for Gov. Wes Moore to convene a special session to address gun violence in the wake of the horrifying mass shooting in Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood earlier this month, in which 30 young people were shot, and two killed; many of the victims were teen-agers, some as young as 13.
Frederick County Councilman Mason Carter, a freshman Republican, has identified a significant problem with the county program that offers tax credits to businesses that create new jobs. Only two businesses are taking advantage of the program. That is a problem because the program was created to strengthen economic development.
What mixture of despair, desperation and thwarted pride would make one or more shooters fire wildly at dozens of innocent people — kids mostly — enjoying a holiday block party? How does an annual summer celebration go from pony rides and face painting to a mass shooting? In a chronically violent city, last week’s bloodshed in South Baltimore was unusually disturbing.
Montgomery County is one of the most diverse areas in the country. Recognizing this fact, the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has been working to create an educational environment that includes and embraces previously marginalized groups by reflecting their diversity in its curriculum, staffing, and culture. Students do best when they feel connected to their schools and know they belong.
Last year when Maryland voters faced Question 4, the amendment to the state constitution legalizing cannabis use by adults age 21 and over, opponents forecast a myriad of problems. There was, of course, the expectation that pot use would increase substantially, that some public places would be beset by frequent smoke from burning weed, that there would be an uptick in driving under the influence cases and perhaps other petty crimes, and that the public health would ultimately suffer.
Ask a Black person about reparations, and you might hear a story about the generational impact of slavery and racism. Ask a white person and you may hear some variation of, “Why should I pay for this? I didn’t own slaves.” There’s never been a consensus on reparations in Maryland — should we make them, what they might look like, who should qualify or how we pay for them.
The Port of Baltimore is a billion-dollar economic engine for the Maryland economy. Recent investments in dredging the harbor and expanding the infrastructure around the port mean that bigger ships can dock before being carried by truck and rail throughout the United States, delivering everything from automobiles to Amazon household products.
President Biden’s Executive Order on Increasing Access to High-Quality Care and Supporting Caregivers represents a significant step toward addressing the pressing needs of families and individuals across the nation. Inclusive of more than 50 directives to support child care, home-based care, family caregivers, and long-term care, the order makes clear there is need for accessible, affordable and quality care across generations.
Allow me to make 20 extremely random suggestions: 1. If you catch the aroma of Blacksauce Kitchen at a Baltimore farmers market, get in line and order the breakfast sandwich, specifically the biscuit with short ribs, egg and shallot jam. 2. In Baltimore County, take the trail along the Gunpowder River up to Prettyboy Reservoir, where you can feel the cool mist of the bottom-water release from the dam.
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