Commentary

I had been looking forward to news about the possible replacements for Harborplace — the 43-year-old former jewel in the Baltimore tourism crown — with the same fevered anticipation with which I await each new “Dancing With The Stars” cast. Which is to say I’ve been giddy. Seriously psyched. If you didn’t grow up here, those old, faded green buildings at Pratt and Light streets might seem useless, an empty shell of yesteryear.

This past weekend, Congressman David Trone (D-6th) met with constituents to discuss the findings of a new survey of residents of Maryland’s 6th district on how the federal government should address substance use disorders. This has been a major issue in the state. Maryland has the highest overdose death rate among all deaths, with 4.68% of annual deaths attributed to drug overdoses. The impacts of this crisis have hit every part of the state, in particular rural communities in Western Maryland.

Having attended the funeral of Rodney Pitts and reflecting on this, another tragic loss related to a Baltimore vacant rowhouse fire, from my perspective as a lifelong Baltimore resident and person who works professionally in the nonprofit sector on housing development and renovation of vacant homes, I can only say that we have to do better so that this doesn’t happen again (”Firefighter death in Baltimore renews questions about safety, vacant homes,” Oct. 24).

The Baltimore Orioles had a glorious 2023 season. But are the Orioles really ours? Despite hundreds of millions of public dollars already spent on the team (not including lots of fan dollars) and $600 million offered by the state of Maryland to get a new lease, Orioles President John Angelos has not yet signed a new lease. According to news media reports, he’s demanding the elimination of rent payments and the right to commercially develop parking lots around the stadium with a 99-year ground rent.

“I can’t breathe.” It’s brutally ironic that these three desperate words were among the last utterances of at least three Black men — that we know of — who died after encounters with police: Eric Garner in 2014, George Floyd in 2020 and Freddie Gray here in Baltimore in 2015. Only Garner is featured in Atlanta-based composer Joel Thompson’s 2015 moving work, “Seven Last Words Of The Unarmed,” but the fact that Gray, Floyd and so many others have died similarly since then is not lost on Baltimore Choral Arts Society music director Anthony Blake Clark.

Imagine you are an adult over the age of 21 looking to buy a bottled alcoholic beverage in Baltimore County. For many of us, this scenario is not exactly unknown. You will need transportation of some kind to the liquor store, as well as proper attire (no shoes, no shirt, no service and all that), cash or card to cover your expenses and an accepted photo ID to prove your age.

The city of Frederick is getting ready to further develop Westside Regional Park, and the money behind the planning is coming from a familiar angel: the Ausherman Family Foundation. The Board of Aldermen voted unanimously last week to allow the foundation to develop the park plan. While they are at it, the city should give thanks to the foundation for all of the money, time and effort it has provided to improve the Frederick community since it was founded in 2001 by Marvin E. Ausherman, a home builder and developer.