Walking into a brand new restaurant always fills us with a sense of excitement and curiosity. I hope the food is good. I wonder if we’ll get a good waiter. I hope the check isn’t too steep at the end of the night.Thoughts start to flood your brain as your stomach growls and you make your way to the table.

My husband and I find our seats at a communal table with a group of strangers and are greeted by the smiling face of 18-year-old Cee-Cee. “Welcome to The Bowl,” she says, holding a mini-clipboard dressed in a Washington Redskins jersey. We quickly learn that this is a Super Bowl-themed restaurant and all the wait staff, considerably younger than your average restaurant workers, are dressed in jerseys and referee-style shirts.

The one-room dining hall is packed and it’s not just because of the great food. This restaurant is a hot spot in the Carrollton neighborhood of Baltimore because of its unique format. Only open on the last Sunday of the month, the menus and themes are always rotating—and it’s totally free. Not to mention, the menu items—like buffalo cauliflower bites, potato skins, mac n’cheese, and fried chicken—are all created and prepared by the children bustling around at the restaurant.

No, this is not your ordinary downtown dining experience. What began as a small group of people going out weekly into the poorest zip code in Maryland to feed the community has evolved into a program that helps to bring culinary skills, job opportunities, food resources, and mentorship to the youth of Southwest Baltimore. This monthly restaurant is just one way they make it all happen.

Housed in the the former Samuel F. B. Morse Elementary School is The Food Project, a subsidiary of local nonprofit UEmpower of Maryland that brings resources to underserved communities. The Food Project’s co-founder and director Michelle Suazo, together with her business partner chef Tom Koukoulis of Cafe Mezzanotte and other culinary professionals, set out to create a safe space for youth ages 8-18 to learn how to make healthy food and empower themselves at the same time.

With an idea in mind, along with willing volunteers, The Food Project was ready to get started in December 2016, but had no place to settle or call their own. That is until former councilwoman Rikki Spector came into the picture.

Right around that same time, Spector had been assaulted and carjacked by two young boys when she got a call from Suazo, asking if she would be willing to help the boys who robbed her. Suazo told Spector that she and her team had been trying for months to get help for the kids in the neighborhood where her assailants are from, but no one would listen. To anyone else, this would seem like a bold thing to ask of an 80-year-old woman who was just attacked, but lucky for Suazo, Spector was willing to step in.

“Apparently, they had been working with those boys for two years,” Spector said of UEmpower. “So we went to juvenile court to speak on their behalf. It didn’t take long to realize that the juvenile system is failing these kids and failing us.”

The median household income in the Carrollton Ridge neighborhood is less than $25,000. Nearly half of families live below the poverty line. Lead paint violations are more than three times the city average, and the children are nearly twice as likely to be murdered as anywhere else in Baltimore. Suazo found that, given the choice, the kids she encounters would prefer to be off the street and find other ways to make money. She just needed get them resources.

Spector, who is still well-connected in the city, remembered that when she was on the city council, Baltimore received a million-dollar tax bond to bring city schools “into the 21st century.” During this process, the city had 29 schools that were being declared surplus, and Samuel F.B. Morse was one of them.

“They were going to close this school and the rec center attached. That would have been a huge mistake,” Spector said. “I got my hands up in front of the mayor and the city council and said, ‘No, let us recycle this.’”

Suazo was able to get the space rent-free for the first year, complete with a kitchen, and a cafeteria. The rest of the building is home to the nonprofit “I’m Still Standing” that helps homeless veterans. After a major facelift with some fresh paint along with furniture and supplies donated by The Baltimore Sun, The Food Project now had a place to call home.

“Once we got the space, everything started to come together,” Suazo said. “It was really exciting to get all the kids together to help make this place their own.”

One of the first projects to come from their newly acquired kitchen was Seedy Nutty, a healthy snack made of peanuts, pecans, and pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds. Seedy Nutty’s founder, Rosanne Skirble, discovered this treat during Passover visiting a cousin in Israel and, after marketing and selling herself for a few years, gifted the business to The Food Project to help with social enterprising for the children.

“My journey to retirement had left me with a business that turns out is a lot of hard work,” Skirble said. “I have sown the seeds for another entrepreneur who can take Seedy Nutty from its sweet spot among locals to a broader market looking for a healthier way to snack.”

This business is more than just the production of a snack. Suazo says the kids are learning about food safety, working on a team, marketing, and branding. The children do it all—they bake the snack, package it, and deliver it for resale. They even revamped the logo on the packaging making it unique, eye-catching, and a bit whimsical. Since moving under The Food Project, Seedy Nutty has grown and can be found at Whole Foods in Silver Spring, Center Stage, and Under Armour Brand House in Harbor East. But that is just the tip of iceberg.

“We also share a space with BeMoreGreen social enterprises, Healthy Juice People, Alkaline Bodies, and City Weeds who are teaching the kids how to make fresh-pressed juice, prepare meals, and grow microgreens,” Suazo said. “The idea is that the more social enterprises we can build out of the kitchen, the more jobs we can create for the community.”

When Suazo initially envisioned this program, she thought of food as a common ground that every person shared, no matter class or social status. With the help of volunteers, she provides not only a free meal each month, but also a weekly after-school educational enrichment for the attendees and also social services for the adults in the area.

“This program is unbelievable, if they had one of these in every corner of the city, it would make such a huge difference,” said Vicki Hannah, one of the volunteers at The Food Project. “This is a safe haven for the kids. There’s never been a place for these kids to gather and this fills that void.”

Each day, there is a different type of programming that explores a new aspect of the culinary industry. Mondays are reserved for learning about restaurant development and financial literacy, Tuesdays they host a guest chef like Catina Smith of Just Call Me Chef or Mente Lawson of Blackwall Hitch.

Wednesdays are a special treat for the children because they get to Be A Chef For A Day with chef Monica Lapenta, making pasta and sauces from scratch. This is also the day that behavioral therapist Jerel Wilson of the nonprofit “For My Kidz” comes to mentor the children with his weekly “Table Talks.”

“I help the kids stay engaged in something positive like workshops and also check up on their grades,” Wilson explained. “I mentor them and intervene on the negative stuff and try to help them through whatever issues that may arise. Living in this area can be really tough for these kids.”

Later in the week, local urban farmer and founder of City Weeds and #BeMoreGreen Dominic Nell, better known as Farmer Nell, comes and talks about the importance of nutrition and healthy living. Each week he brings in different fruits and vegetables and teaches kids about urban farming methods.

“Jerel and Farmer Nell are heaven-sent,” Suazo said. “The kids love them and they are also so good with them. They are great positive role models for the youth in this community who are typically used to seeing black men in a negative light.”

Fifteen-year-old Kalik Wise is one of those young men. His story is no different from the rest of the children that attend the program daily: he lives in a crime-ridden neighborhood with no real outlets except being outside or playing basketball. But he began coming to the program back in November and found that it was a great place to escape the troubles that he encounters in his neighborhood.

“I live in Southwest Baltimore and it’s just a lot of drama—shootings, drugs, people on drugs, all that stuff,” Wise said. “I keep coming back [to The Food Project] because it’s fun and we are learning cool stuff. If this wasn’t here, me and my friends would always be in trouble.”

Similarly, “Cee-Cee” Ward, our friendly server, began coming to the program just a month ago and has already been reaping the benefits. Every week, the volunteers help her with resume building and job searching. (She landed two job interviews as of press time.)

“I didn’t think I would like it when I first heard about it,” she said. “I had some friends that came and decided to check it out. It’s been a really big help for me. It’s also nice to get work experience so that, when I get a real job, I have the upperhand.”

Wise working at the restaurant. —E. Brady Robinson

Ward poses with her clipboard. —E. Brady Robinson

Ward, along with the nearly 30 other students in The Food Project, will get an opportunity to gain more experience with the next monthly restaurant on February 24. This month’s theme is called “Black Love,” in honor of Black History Month. As with previous restaurants, the children will use what they’ve learned in the program to create a menu and branding for their next group of patrons.

“It’s a gift that keeps on giving,” said Spector, who still works with her two assailants at The Food Project. “It’s been a journey. But this is what happens when you have resources for the kids in this neighborhood and allow them to take ownership.”

The minute I enter the studio tucked away on a secluded road near Govans for my first-ever boudoir shoot, I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake. With lingerie that I purchased from a cheap overseas website and my fiancé’s black and red football jersey in hand, I contemplate running back to my car, but it’s too late, as boudoir photographer Candice Kemp has seen me. In fact, she’ll soon be seeing much more of me.

“Come on in,” coaxes Kemp of Candice Michelle Boudoir. “Relax, we’re going to have a good time.” Of course, she won’t be the one who will soon be nearly nude in front of a camera. I try to convince myself that my fiancé will love these photos of me as a wedding gift, but I’m definitely having second thoughts. This whole photoshoot was my best friend’s suggestion, and I had somehow agreed it was a good idea. I’ve always considered myself a bit of an exhibitionist, but lately things have changed.

Growing up, I was always the thinnest person in the room, maxing out at just over 120 pounds. I loved my body and, yes, how much everyone envied my slim stature. But that was before I gained more than 50 pounds over a span of three years. After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism, an under-active thyroid condition that caused me to put on the weight so rapidly, I started to feel differently about my body. For the first time in my life, I have a belly that I can’t quite get used to and more thighs than I can handle—and I hate it. If I had decided to do this five years ago, I wouldn’t have been so reluctant. But that was then. This is now.

As the studio door shuts with a gentle click, I’m escorted to a makeup chair where a friendly face greets me with a simple smile and words of encouragement. “You’ll do fine,” says hair and makeup stylist Javon Harris. “Once you get started, your nerves will fade away.”

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and prepare myself for what is about to come.

“More and more women are taking it upon themselves to redefine what it means to be sexy.”

During the 1920s, the art of boudoir photography began to really take off. At that time, it was illegal to have nudity in photographs, but American photographer Albert Arthur Allen pushed the envelope by posing nude women, typically more on the curvy side, against romantic backdrops. He wanted to show that sex appeal was “human appeal” by thrusting it into the public eye.

Fast-forward to the 1950s, when the focus shifted to pin-up girls—shapely starlets like Marilyn Monroe and Dorothy Dandridge who appeared in Esquire magazine and were considered the ideal. These pin-up girls wore stockings, corsets, men’s ties and hats, and were among the first to use props in their photos.

Once magazines like Playboy came about, that form of photography became less fashionable, but it’s recently seen a resurgence. Over the last decade, boudoir photography has established itself as a successful add-on for wedding photographers as gifts for brides to give their grooms. And because of its emphasis on curvy physiques, it has also become a feminist declaration, a way for women to boost their own self-esteem and celebrate their bodies no matter what their size. “More and more women are taking it upon themselves to redefine what it means to be sexy,” says Kemp. “Here in Baltimore, women with all different sorts of backgrounds are inquiring about shoots and are deciding to show off their photos in more than just an album.”

In Maryland, buoyed by social media, there are dozens of boudoir photographers, both amateur and professional, jumping onto the scene almost daily. Many women like to mark special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, divorce, and even body-altering surgeries through these photos. Sharing them on social sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest has only fueled the movement. Kemp says that her clientele grew exponentially after she shared her work on Instagram. “Once I built my portfolio and had enough images to share online, I did,” she says. “People began emailing and calling left and right because it was something they really wanted to try.”

Most sessions are typically an hour-and-a-half to two hours long and cost anywhere from $100 to $1,500, with packages including everything from digital prints to photo albums to wall-sized canvases. For photographers like Lisa Mathews of Hunt Valley-based Lisa Robin Photography, boudoir is simply an added benefit to her already booming wedding photography business. “Boudoir is something for me to do during the week to sprinkle in my schedule, but I love it,” she says. “There’s no set demographic for this, you don’t have to lose weight to do it—you just have to be confident.”

Mathews and Kemp have seen women of all sizes, shapes, and ages in front of their cameras. Kemp says that her clientele are women who simply want to feel good about themselves. “It’s all about getting out of your own head,” she says. “As women, we need to remember what we can look like when we drop the ponytails or lose the sweatpants—you forget that you are a sexy woman and you want to feel sexy.”

There’s no right or wrong way to shoot boudoir, experts say, and each photographer has a distinct style. Photographers like Mathews tend to lean toward more editorial and high-fashion styles of images, while Kemp likes to toe the line between risqué and classic. “My brand is more sexy, glamorous, along the lines of Playboy,” Kemp says. “That line is easily crossed with just a change of the head or hips. I feel like my clients tend to want to walk that line without crossing it.”

Former Playboy model Joanna Tiger knows a thing or two about posing for seductive photos. Building on what she learned working for the men’s magazine for eight years, she began her boudoir business, Three Boudoir, in 2009. Although Tiger isn’t a photographer, she plays an integral role in the styling, posing, and training of her shoot stylists.

“I never thought I would use my Playboy experience for anything,” she says. “I mean never. I have degrees in biology and chemistry, who would’ve thought that it would ever come into play?”

Now with six locations across the U.S.—the first studio was in Annapolis—Tiger says that her company does more than just capture risqué images, they’re also promoting self-love. “Maybe they’re celebrating a divorce, or something like a double mastectomy or lumpectomy, or getting them before [the surgery] and then they come see us after they’re healed and ready to start a different journey with their body,” she says. “We also work with a lot of women who are victims of sexual assault or sexual abuse and they’re looking to reclaim their sexual agency.”

Capturing these images is only half the battle. Many women arrive feeling self-conscious and nervous. It’s the photographer’s job to create a sense of ease for every client they shoot. “This is an abnormal experience for people, the best thing I can do is be normal,” says Mathews. “The misconception is that these women are ultra-scandalous and used to this.” She typically dresses casually with no makeup to make the women feel less pressured to be flawless and has them create a playlist that will help them relax while they’re being photographed.

Takia Hansley, a 37-year-old Baltimore-based life coach, is what Kemp calls a “repeat offender” when it comes to boudoir photos. She has sat for three different sessions over the past two years. What began as an anniversary gift for her husband grew to mean so much more. “It’s a confidence booster,” she says. “After the first time I was like, ‘I need to do this like once every month.’ I felt so grown and sexy, like I could do anything. It’s like going out with your girls, it’s good for your soul.”

One thing that all photographers agree on is that women should always wear something they feel comfortable in. “You can always tell when a woman isn’t comfortable in what they chose to wear—it shows up in the pictures,” Mathews explains. The photographers do not provide clothing and it is up to the client to choose. Because every client is different, it’s also up to them to determine how much nudity will be involved. Some prefer a slight show of cleavage, while others may be willing to be completely nude.

“I never know what I want to wear,” Hansley admits. “I have such a good time doing the shoots that the clothes are always a secondary thought. I usually just peruse the internet until the very last minute and buy something that I hope will look sexy.”

Many photographers use beds, chaises, couches, fur rugs, and bathtubs to create various scenes for the shoot. And, of course, posing is also key. Over the years, certain positions—arched back, arms across the chest, body draped across the couch—have evolved as the go-to poses. In fact, this genre wouldn’t be boudoir without them.

“Everything we as photographers do is to accentuate what you like and minimize what you don’t,” explains Kemp, who often poses women lying on their sides to play up their curves. “Photoshop is a no-no. I don’t manipulate anybody’s body because I want you to walk out of here feeling confident, but I need you to be confident because you see you and not an idealized version.”

“I look in the mirror and there’s an audible gasp . . .‘Wow, I look amazing,’ I say to no one in particular.”

My hair and makeup are finished. I look in the mirror and there’s an audible gasp. It came from me. “Wow, I look amazing,” I say to no one in particular.

With my voluminous hair and sultry, vampy makeup, I slowly approach a leather bench in front of a beautifully made, queen-sized bed covered in satin sheets wearing nothing but my fiancé’s football jersey and black lace panties. “Take a deep inhale and let it out,” Kemp advises. I do as I’m told, and the camera begins to click with every move I make.

With each new pose I feel sexier, more confident, and definitely more in love with a body that I usually hate. I find myself not caring about my less-than-flat stomach or the stretch marks on my thighs. I realize that as long as I love the way I feel in my own skin, that’s all that matters. I emerge from Kemp’s studio two hours later feeling like a better version of myself—a self that I could love no matter what.

Nestled between Station North and Remington, the historic neighborhood of Old Goucher is on the brink of a renaissance. In recent years, it’s seen a lot of action—a bid for Amazon HQ2, Sophomore Coffee, Co_Lab Books, and Lane Harlan’s new beer garden. But there’s one 12,000-square-foot building on the corner of 23rd and St. Paul that has been trying to make a name for itself in this rising community.

The James E. Hooper House was erected in 1886 for its namesake when he was the president and general manager of William E. Hooper and Sons, one of the largest cotton mills in Baltimore. Hooper House, as it’s affectionately known, has been on the National Historic Register since 1982 and is now a hub of creativity.

Besides the character that comes from the antique architecture of the building—it still has some of the original molding, staircases, and floors—this hub is currently home to 12 tenants including a cartographer, bike repairman, and a host of other artists and musicians.

Though it’s thriving today, the catalyst for creative minds started back in 2001 when David Andler of Morphius Records, a local music producer and musician, purchased the building and began to map out his vision to provide a place for artists of all types to have a cooperative arts workspace. He set up a recording studio in the bottom floor and began to seek out tenants who shared his vision.

“It’s the most central place in the city,” Andler said of Hooper House. “The building is five blocks away from the heart of the city. We felt like our customers—everyone from punk rock kids coming in from the suburbs to hip-hop and Baltimore club artist who live in West Baltimore—appreciate the location because it is perfect and central to everyone.”

Andler, who is still a tenant, sold the building to Matt Oppenheim and his business partner Mick Mier in July 2018, hoping that the essence of the space remained the same once it changed hands.

“When Matt came in to look at the building, he had a really radical vision of what he wanted to do and I liked it,” Andler said. “I felt that it was really consistent with what we were trying to do.”

Oppenheim, who has a degree in architecture and a few businesses in Washington, D.C., fell in love with the Hooper House and Old Goucher’s charm. He said that he wanted to create something unique and that this was the perfect place to do it.

“This is my second project in Baltimore, and I can’t do something like this in D.C.,” he said. “Down there, a lot of the projects we do, you can only make it work one way because it’s so expensive, whereas Hooper House offered the opportunity to work with local creatives and really build a community and do the whole urban archeology process.”

Hooper House tenant Tommy Barse of Cutlass Velo bike shop was just a bike messenger who frequented the building when Oppenheim approached him about housing his business there. Barse creates custom wheels, handles bike repairs, and offers a wheel building class in his newly acquired space.

“The atmosphere is really motivational when we start discussing our vision and work ethic applied to our businesses,” he said. “I work alone so a little personal interaction can help refresh me if I’m between service, wheel builds, or answering emails.”

The location was also a big motivator in Barse’s decision. He says the close proximity to the center of the city, highways, and parks make the Old Goucher neighborhood perfect for his business.

“The idea of being around other small businesses in a cool space was appealing as well as being able to create a small space that works well for me,” he said. “The neighborhood is pretty cool and is gaining traction. It helps having Brown Rice a stone’s throw away too.”

Kelly Cross, the president of the Old Goucher Community Association, believes that the growth of Hooper House will help push Old Goucher to the forefront of the city’s creative hubs.

“We began an initiative three years ago to become a center for art, restaurants, and small independent business,” Cross said. “We will see over 30 new restaurants, bars, and small independent businesses opening in Old Goucher by the end of 2020. We are definitely on the rise.”

What began as a film about arts education in the country being under-appreciated and under-funded turned into a documentary about a Baltimore native with a remarkable story. As a child living on the streets in West Baltimore, Richard Antoine White defied the odds and became the first African American to earn a doctorate in music for tuba performance.

Local filmmakers David Larson and Darren Durlach, of the Baltimore-based production company Early Light Media, found White during research for their original film and felt that White’s story was just too good to not share. R.A.W. Tuba is a documentary detailing White’s life will be screening it at the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA) on February 8.

“During the first minute of conversation, we knew Richard was special,” Durlach recalled. “The very simple, non-nuanced story about Richard is his educational journey. That’s what initially drew us in. When you hear that a kid was basically eating out of trash cans in Sandtown and has gone on to become a professor at a university and is well-respected in a symphony orchestra, there’s something there.”

White’s story begins like most young, black men in Baltimore—he grew up in poverty with a parent that suffered with addiction and was had to survive a life unsuitable for a small child. He was found at the tender age of four, shivering in the vestibule of an apartment building and was taken his grandparents. After that day, he took hold of his destiny and did all he could to make sure that he succeeded in life. But his dreams weren’t exactly what he planned.

“I was planning to go to Carver Vo-tech and to be a carpenter and a football player,” he said. “I broke my hip, so that was the end of Carver and being a carpenter. I thought, well I have this tuba, so I picked up the sousaphone and went to the school for the arts—I had no research and no knowledge.”

Chris Ford, a teacher at the time and is now the director of BSA, recalls a big kid on crutches with a plastic tuba coming into the school demanding to audition on the wrong day.

“He was not the normal sort of person to walk in the door,” Ford recalled. “My reaction was, ‘What is this story here?’ I’m glad I took the time to find out because look what happened. I’m really grateful that he had that insight. It showed that he really wanted it.”

The thing that really attracted Ford to White was his determination—it was like none he’d ever seen. After learning more about White’s background, he knew that the transition to BSA would not be an easy one, but was very impressed by the student’s will to succeed.

“When he got here, he was actually behind the curve on a number of levels,” Ford said. “The thing that was remarkable about Richard was that he was able to say, ‘Here I am, here’s where I want to go, tell me how to get there, and I’ll do the work.’ He threw himself into the work in a really remarkable way.”

That drive propelled White to earn a scholarship to the Peabody Institute and later pursue his doctorate and join the New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra as a principal tuba player. The documentary goes into the ups and downs of White’s journey, even allowing viewers to catch a glimpse of him revisiting his childhood memories in West Baltimore..

“I was remembering where people lived, I saw a fountain that I used to bathe in, and what stores used to be there,” he said. “We randomly see this lady and she says, ‘How do you know that’s a shoe store? That hasn’t been a shoe store in 30 years, who are you?’ I told her who I was and she verified everything that I remembered as a child growing up on the streets.”

Durlach says that this film is not just about White’s specific journey as a tuba player, but it emphasizes the importance of mentorship and cultivation.

“There were moments that he wanted to quit,” he said. “And at each of those moments, he had a mentor that would not give up on him, and it pushed him. I think the real story here is not necessarily that through sheer will and determination this kid forcibly changes his life circumstances, I think it’s really a perfect case study of ‘it takes a village.’”

Although marijuana is illegal in the state of Maryland, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced on Tuesday that her office will no longer prosecute marijuana possession cases within Baltimore City limits, regardless of amounts or criminal history. Mosby is also seeking to vacate nearly 5,000 prior convictions following a nationwide trend of prosecutors minimizing manpower used on marijuana prosecutions.

“We need to get serious about prioritizing what actually makes us safe,” Mosby said in a statement. “And no one who is serious about public safety can honestly say that spending resources to jail people for marijuana use is a smart way to use our limited time and money.”

Mosby cited the trends of disproportionate marijuana enforcement—between 2015 and 2017, 90-percent of citations were black residents—as her reason for making such a “monumental shift.”

“The effects of these failed policies have been especially dire for cities like Baltimore where for decades we have criminalized what is now nationally considered a public health crisis,” she said. “The statistics are damning when it comes to the disproportionate impact the war on drugs has had on communities of color.”

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), a Washington, D.C.-based organization for marijuana reform, applauded Mosby for her decision and is hopeful that the rest of the state will follow her lead. Currently, district attorneys in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Albany County, and Philadelphia have adopted similar policies, not to mention the 10 states and D.C. that have legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older.

“Nationwide support for legalizing marijuana for adult-use is higher than ever,” Olivia Naugle, legislative coordinator for MPP, told Baltimore. “State’s Attorney Mosby made the fair and just decision to no longer prosecute marijuana possession, and has set an example for the rest of the state of Maryland to consider a safer and more just approach.”

Mosby believes that jailing people for marijuana possession is a misuse of the city’s already limited resources that should be used for prosecuting violent offenses that are a threat to public safety. In the past three years, homicides have increased while homicide arrests have decreased to 30 percent—much lower than the national average of 60 percent. Mosby says that her plan is a “common sense move” to solve this problem.

“Ask any mother who has lost a son to gun violence whether she wants us to spend more time solving and prosecuting her son’s killer or to spend time on marijuana possession,” she said. “It’s not a close question.”

Under Mosby’s new rules, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute will be prosecuted if sufficient evidence is presented, and all first-time offenders will be referred to a diversion program to assist with securing a job. The completion of the program will also result in the expungement of the record and legislation is even being proposed that would allow prosecutors to vacate prior convictions.

The state’s attorney is also calling for support from law enforcement to help with her vision for the city, but interim commissioner Gary Tuggle says that he will still instruct his officers to make arrests for possession of marijuana “unless and until the state legislature changes the law regarding marijuana possession.”

“We need leaders here in Baltimore who are actively working toward a vision of safety that makes all of us more secure in our great city,” Mosby said. “That can’t happen when we’re focused on marijuana possession cases instead of solving and prosecuting more murders.”

Mayor Catherine Pugh released a statement showing support for Mosby’s decision, but also believes that more needs to be done about drug prosecution. She urges the state legislature to analyze the issues and come to an agreement with the state’s attorney’s office for best practices in an effort to help the community.

“We need to commit our full efforts and resources to get violent criminals off our streets,” Pugh said. “It’s important that we look at common sense approaches to laws governing personal possession of marijuana . . . But at the same time, we also need to understand that those who deal illegal substances fuel criminality in our neighborhoods, which leads to violence.”

Talk about the ultimate come up. From street performing with snare drums in downtown Baltimore to making appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Timothy Fletcher and Malik Perry have been living the dream.

Today life got even sweeter for the pair when DeGeneres announced that Fletcher and Perry, alongside construction cousins John Colaneri and Anthony Carrino from HGTV, would be the feature of her new web series The Build Up.

The six-part series will follow Fletcher and Perry, better known as A1 Chops, as they work to rebuild parts of Baltimore. In the nearly minute-and-a-half trailer, the group can be seen putting up a community mural, updating the music room in their old high school, and performing at M&T Bank Stadium at a Ravens game.

“This is so sweet that you do this,” Degeneres says in the promo. “You back to your high school to an after school program to help kids. Because you guys give back so much, this is what this show is about.”

The duo began drumming in high school and decided to take their talents to the streets of Baltimore performing songs with complex drum tricks and popular dance moves. Ever since their performance of singer Ciara’s “Level Up” challenge went viral and landed them on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, A1 Chops has been trying to give back to the community they credit for their success.

“I love the community so much,” Fletcher said. “I want to do anything I can to give back—it sends chills through my body, I just cannot wait.”

The web series will debut on ellentube and YouTube on January 30.

Imagine being asked to work for the next month without pay and no set date for when it would come. This is the reality for 800,000 federal workers in the country during the partial government shutdown, which is now the longest in history at 24 days.

Nearly 172,000 Marylanders have been furloughed and are struggling to pay mortgages, rent, and utility bills. Mayor Catherine Pugh has taken action, calling for all major utility providers to waive late fees and allow more time for payment of bills for all furloughed federal employees in Baltimore City.

“I am continuing to reach to our financial institutions to urge their cooperation and accommodation for city residents affected by the prolonged furlough,” Pugh said in a statement on Monday. “It is unacceptable that federal employees have become pawns in what is clearly a political game. I urge the administration and members of Congress to get our government back to work for the citizens of Baltimore, the State of Maryland, and our entire nation.”

For residents like Treesa Gaither in Gwynn Oak, who works for the Internal Revenue Service and survived the last shutdown in 2013, Pugh’s statements don’t put her at ease. Gaither, who’s worked for the IRS for 10 years, learned that she would not be returning back to work on Friday, December 21, and has no way of accessing the documents she needs to benefit from the mayor’s help. She says that many of the lenders require a furlough letter that was sent to her work email that she can not access during the shutdown.

“What they fail to realize is that the actual companies and banks and financial institutions are making it difficult,” she said. “It doesn’t matter that the mayor says that, it doesn’t matter that OPM [Office of Personnel Management] has issued on their website a template that we could use. These companies are still not accepting a lot of these things—they’re not willing to help.”

Gaither has been selling crocheted hats and scarves to supplement her income. Similarly, Maryland residents Jaqi Wright and Nikki Howard have decided to turn their misfortune around—in the form of cheesecake. The sisters, who work for the Department of Justice and the FDA, respectively, created The Furlough Cheesecake after they learned that they were going to be unemployed during the government shutdown.

“We don’t know when this is going to end. We don’t have a clue,” said Howard. “But instead of dwelling on that and feeling the depression that tends to come with these kinds of situations, we’re making a decision to do something else.”

The idea came about during a New Year’s holiday party when the pair’s mother was so impressed their cheesecake baking skills. Wright and Howard began selling whole cheesecakes—original and sweet potato—for $29.98 each to provide for their families during this hard time. Both women have husbands who are unable to work due to disabilities, so they are the sole breadwinners in their families.

Gaither is also her family’s sole breadwinner and, while many federal employees are eligible for unemployment, she says that they aren’t expecting to receive the first checks until the end of the month. She’s been spending the majority of her days arguing and pleading with lenders and creditors to apply some flexibility to her accounts, but it has not been easy.

“One of the federal credit unions that we use told me that they couldn’t waive this month’s payment for us, but instead suggested that we take out another loan to pay it,” she said. “Can you believe that? They want us to take out another loan to pay a loan, that makes no sense at all.”

Thanks to her husband’s overtime pay, Gaither has been able to stay afloat, but that’s only a temporary fix. She is expecting to return to work on January 28 for the beginning of tax filing season, but with no pay in the foreseeable future—although she is hopeful that she will be paid retroactively for the hours worked during filing season.

“No matter who the president is, at the end of the day they are my commander in chief, that’s just what it is,” Gaither explained. “But when you’re telling 800,000 employees to work and not get paid or not get paid at all because of this one thing that you want, that’s a real problem. It’s pretty much a smack in the face to us.”

On Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan announced that he will be implementing several new initiatives to target violent crime in Baltimore City, citing the increasing violence as “completely unacceptable.” Hogan plans to open a Violent Crime Joint Operations Center in the city that will have 200 “strike force” officers from 16 federal and local agencies to fight crime and gangs.

“Citizens across the state are outraged by the daily headlines of this rampant gang violence,” Hogan said at the press conference. “They don’t feel safe in their own neighborhoods . . . They’re crying out for somebody to do something to stop these killings.”

For the last four years, the city has exceeded more than 300 homicides. Hogan said that “enough is enough” and that he will use every resource available to curb the amount of violence in Baltimore, including providing additional funding to the Baltimore Police Department for signing bonuses to attract more recruits, as well as $50 million to fund every request received from victim service providers across the state.

“All of these efforts won’t be enough if we can’t keep these repeat offenders off the streets,” he said. “According to the BPD, 60 percent of those convicted of gun crimes in Baltimore City do not serve any real time and are released back onto the streets to commit violent felonies again and again. This is completely unacceptable.”

The governor will fund the expansion of Project Exile, a federal program that targets repeat offenders and have them charged under federal laws and courts that may lead to longer sentences. Hogan also said he would introduce legislation at Maryland’s General Assembly session, which begins today, that would increase the mandatory minimum sentence for repeat gun offenders.

“The federal mandatory sentences are 10 years. If we can process them on federal gun crimes and federal courts, we can put them in jail rather than a slap on the wrist with Baltimore City judges and without mandatory sentences with prosecutions here in the city,” Hogan said. “They are not enough prosecutors to handle all these cases, and we ask them, ‘How could they do more of them,’ and they said they need more manpower, so we’re paying for them.”

Hogan believes that there has been too much focus on the misconduct of the BPD and not enough on the violent criminals plaguing the city, pointing the finger at the consent decree that was implemented in 2017.

He also said that permanent leadership is vital to make this all work expressing his frustration at the vacancy of the position for the past seven months. This comes just one day after Mayor Catherine Pugh announced New Orleans Superintendent Michael Harrison as commissioner-designate.

“There’s been a whole lot of focus on the consent decree, that’s all people have been talking about,” Hogan said. “I think it’s out of balance. We’re going to focus on getting the criminals off the street.”

Just one day after Baltimore Police Commissioner nominee Joel Fitzgerald stepped away from the position, Mayor Catherine Pugh has already found his replacement. New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison will be the new commissioner-designate for the BPD. After serving 27 years on the New Orleans Police force, and leading them since 2014, Harrison says that he’s honored to be selected and is looking forward to engaging with the residents.

“My first priority will be to drive meaningful cultural change within the department such that not only is there a renewed sense of purpose and mission among those sworn to protect and serve, but that citizens’ trust is restored to a new level that enables true collaboration and confidence,” Harrison said in a statement. “Only then can we make sustained progress in reducing violence in close partnership with those who have the most at stake.”

Mayor Pugh says that her decision was made based on his experiences and assistance with crime reduction in New Orleans—a city that is similar to Baltimore demographically and in terms of homicide rates. Since joining the New Orleans Police Department in 1991 as a patrol officer, Harrison has worked as a major case narcotics detective, lieutenant of the Public Integrity Bureau, and a commander for special investigations. In these roles, he has implemented a consent decree similar to the one in Baltimore enforcing new-aged constitutional policing while increasing recruitment numbers.

“He will bring not only significant and relevant experience to addressing the challenges of Baltimore, but the insight and sensitivity needed to reestablish essential trust and confidence of citizens in their police officers,” said Mayor Pugh in a statement.

The transition from New Orleans to Baltimore should be fairly seamless for Harrison on January 8 when he begins his new role and here’s why:

Like New Orleans, Baltimore is operating under a federal consent decree.
While New Orleans is further along—the Louisiana city’s consent decree was implemented in 2013—both cities struggle similarly with exorbitant homicide rates. During the federal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, like Baltimore, New Orleans also experienced longstanding patterns of racial profiling and excessive force within the city’s police force.

Both cities are top five in the country for highest murder rates.
Baltimore sits at number two while New Orleans holds the fourth spot. Under Harrison’s leadership, the city saw a 7-percent reduction in the number of murders and a 28-percent reduction in the number in non-fatal shootings in 2018. The reduction in violent crime was due in large part to Harrison’s deployment of policing strategies like the Tactical Intelligence Gathering and Enforcement Response (TIGER) that focuses on those who are repeat offenders rather than targeting specific areas.

BPD recruitment numbers have decreased just like in New Orleans.
Baltimore saw a significant increase in officer departures in 2015 following the unrest and death of Freddie Gray in police custody. That year, the BPD experienced a net loss of 158 officers and, according to a report earlier this year, the department has 500 fewer sworn officers in 2018 than it did in 2012. Similarly, prior to 2014 in New Orleans, the city experienced this downward trend in retaining police officers.

Harrison combated this by increasing the number of academy classes, completely overhauling the recruitment process, and increasing the number of resources dedicated to recruit more officers, which lead to a 60 percent increase in 2017 from the prior year.

Baltimore residents just want to feel safe.
Harrison’s experience with a federal consent decree is ideal for Baltimore’s next police commissioner. In a survey conducted by the New Orleans Crime Coalition, 83 percent of residents said they feel safe in their own neighborhoods—a vast improvement due to the implementation of the strategies in the consent decree. Here in Baltimore, we all want that.

Although Brian Oliver graduated from Towson University with a degree in political science, he knew that a career in law was not in his future. He wanted to do more than just read over documents and sit in courtrooms all day.

He was always interested in traveling the world but he found himself constantly waiting for his friends to jump on board. Oliver got to a point where he realized that if he sat around waiting for other people, he would never go.

“I decided to just take that leap,” he said of his first trip to London. “Once I ended up going alone that first time, I was like, oh I’m good. I can do this.”

Since that realization, Oliver has traveled to 48 countries, 25 states, and has shown no signs of slowing down. His goal is to live a very full, and well-traveled, life while helping others in Baltimore to do the same.

To fund his travels, the 33-year-old has a pretty unorthodox day job working at the family business, Howell Funeral Home, in West Baltimore.

“I live the way I do because I’m surrounded by death every day,” he said. “You want to live. You read people’s obituaries and they never did anything. I really want to live my life to the fullest.”

Around Thanksgiving of 2015, as he was en route back to his Ashburton home from Thailand, Oliver started thinking about how he could expand upon his travels by helping other people. He says while sitting on the airplane, the thought just hit him.

“The word beyond came to me out of nowhere and I started really thinking of the meaning,” he recalled. “A typical person from Baltimore, especially a black man, carries so many stereotypes. I started thinking about going beyond what people think of you and what people expect of you. When you travel, you go beyond your neighborhood, your city, and your state—both mentally and physically.”

And thus birthed Beyond Bmore, an online platform to document his travels and share with the rest of the world how to make it happen for themselves. Through this initiative, he also hopes to help foster a love of new cultures and experiences for the youth in Baltimore and help children in the countries he visits. For example, he’s volunteered at a Kenyan school on his many visits to the country and is currently working on a fundraiser to help them rebuild their school.

“If people can go outside of where you live, it can change your outlook and your mentality of everything,” he said. “I tell people all the time, ‘Every time I go somewhere, I appreciate home so much more.’ We have issues here but I’ve seen some real issues traveling, especially when it comes to poverty, lack of resources. It puts it all into perspective.”

While many of the places Oliver has visited may appear on your bucket list—France, Japan, Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania, Portugal, Hungary, Denmark, Switzerland, Bahrain, and UAE, to name a few—he says that it’s not as difficult to travel to them as we think. By using credit card points, airline miles, and various websites he manages to secure these trips for less than $800 and is very public about how to attain it.

“People ask me for tips and advice, which I don’t mind giving because I want to see all of us travel to different places,” he said. “I go to Secret Flying, The Flight Deal, and Airfare Spot and also follow them on social media so I can stay up to date on their deals. Yesterday, a flight to Nigeria was $600 from D.C. It’s a game changer.”

During his travels he has eaten a scorpion in Thailand, been mistaken for rapper 50 Cent in Egypt, been called a “stolen child” in Kenya—that experience shook him to the core—and has taken a tour of black history in Amsterdam.

“Some of the experiences are so surreal I can’t put it into words,” he said. “I go to these places and when I get back into my room in the evening I’ll just sit there for a minute trying to take it all in.”

Oliver’s travels are taking him to Nigeria in two weeks to participate in a day of service in Lagos and in the new year he plans to travel back to Africa to trace his ancestral roots in Cameroon, Mali, and Benin. He says that his travels have helped him to grow as a person and have changed his life for the better.

“I hope that my experiences will show people that there’s so much more to life than the city you are from,” he said. “Just do it. Get out and see the world. It will change you forever.”

Shopping for a home can be a challenge, but selling one in this economic climate is just as daunting. With so many homes on the market, they all begin to look the same (if you’ve seen one master bath picture, you’ve seen them all). The Dudley Frank Home Team in Hampden enlisted the help of some fictional, and mythical, characters to spruce up their online listings.

When Christina Dudley and her partner Michael Frank came across a dinosaur in a listing for a house in the Midwest, their interest was piqued. Dudley says she found herself going through the images to see what the dinosaur was going to do next.

“We thought that it would fit in really well with Baltimore,” Dudley said. “I mean Baltimore is a quirky city, and within Baltimore City you have Hampden, which is even more quirky. It fits right in.”

A home in the “quirky” Hampden neighborhood at 3508 Elm Avenue was the guinea pig. Instead of a dinosaur, the team went with the magical lure of a blow-up pink and white unicorn. The unicorn, which is portrayed by one of their team members, can be found throughout the home trying out the shower in the master suite, walking dogs in front of the house, and playing a lonely game of Twister in the basement.

“It’s a lot more fun and enjoyable for everyone to look at photos like that than your standard listing photos,” Dudley quips. “But it’s totally based on the seller if we do this.”

After great success with the “unicorn house” listing—which sold in just one day—Dudley says her team received more listings due to this unique approach. So far, notorious Christmas sourpuss The Grinch can be found in another Hampden home relaxing on a bed and doing laundry in the basement. Plus, the team put our favorite spandexed superhero, Spider-Man, in a Canton home scaling the walls and cooking in the kitchen.

Another agent had the Canton home on the market for a few months, sans Spider-Man, but once Dudley and her team acquired the listing, they added the superhero and it only stayed on the market for a week.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “I mean, obviously no one is going to buy a house because The Grinch is in the house, but it definitely gets it a lot of exposure.”

This trend has been successful for Dudley and her team but she thinks, just like any fad, it will soon pass. In the meantime, the team has several more listings coming up in the next few months that they plan to spruce up with some creative marketing.

“People think that we’re crazy, but it gets talked about and shared and gets the house in front of more eyes than the standard marketing would,” she said. “We have a hippo costume that we would like to use, so stayed tuned.”

President Donald Trump was scheduled to make the short trip up the Baltimore-Washington Parkway on Wednesday at the invitation of Rev. Donté Hickman of Southern Baptist Church in East Baltimore. But, according to a spokesman from Rep. Elijah Cummings office, the meeting that was scheduled to take place at the church will now happen at the White House—whose officials say the cancellation was due to a scheduling conflict.

“The president will still meet with a number of stakeholders, including several from Baltimore,” reads a statement issued by the White House on Monday morning. “And provide remarks on the opportunity zone and urban revitalization initiative, highlighting the administration’s agenda to expand the economic boom to all Americans, especially those in distressed communities—both rural and urban.”

Trump was supposed to be meeting with Hickman, as well as other clergy members and elected officials, in Baltimore to discuss federal funding to revitalize the suffering communities in the city. Hickman, who has been working to redevelop East Baltimore for the past decade, says that his master plan entered its third phase earlier this year. The plan includes the rebuild of the $16 million Mary Harvin Transformation Center with senior housing and workforce training, which was a target of arson in the Baltimore Uprising in 2015.

“It is time that we realize that we cannot continue to normalize violence, poverty and murder,” Hickman said in a Facebook post Sunday afternoon. “We cannot wait for the administration we like or elect to take bold faith steps together towards investment opportunities. If we fail, we will fail trying and God will bless our faithfulness. Whatever vitriol we have for this presidential administration should be manifested in our determination to do what we can to restore our broken city.”

Hickman’s hope for the visit was to encourage Trump to initiate the opportunity zone investment—a Republican-backed tax initiative that will place investment capital into struggling communities by offering a substantial tax break—in East Baltimore neighborhoods. The U.S. Treasury estimates that this opportunity zone program will inject $100 billion in private capital in areas where the poverty rate averages 32 percent.

Critics believe the costs will outweigh the benefits and force poor people from their neighborhoods. But Hickman has stated publicly that this initiative is a way to jumpstart the development of affordable housing, grocery stores, and improve public safety and education in the area. To date, 42 zones in Baltimore City including Port Covington, Poppleton, Perkins Homes, and Park Heights are already scheduled to receive assistance for redevelopment through the opportunity zone initiative.

“Focus on what really matters for our city going forward,” Hickman said in a Facebook post. “Faith-based institutions can lead the effort and partner with other institutions to obtain the public and private dollars necessary to revitalize our city through restoring people and rebuilding properties. I know it’s difficult for many, but don’t get distracted. It’s our communities and we have the power to maintain and sustain them.”

In recent years, the popularity of Airbnb-style rentals has surged in Baltimore—especially in places like Fells Point, Canton, and Federal Hill due to their waterfront amenities. Since the emergence of these temporary rental properties, some residents and hotel chains have had varying issues with the influx of traffic to the neighborhoods. Residents have complained about increases in vandalism, crime, and noise, while hotels complain that the renters are getting away with paying less in taxes for the same amenities.

Councilman Eric Costello of the city’s 11th district heard those complaints and decided to take action by proposing a bill that would require hosts of those properties to register with the city and impose a 9.5-percent hotel tax on all stays. The ban also would prevent hosts from renting other properties besides their primary homes. The bill passed on Thursday night.

“It gives the city a swift and decisive mechanism to revoke problem operators licenses,” Costello said in a statement. “Number two, it captures the hotel tax which the city was missing out on. Number three, it prevents neighborhoods from becoming overly transient.”

In addition, Costello introduced an amendment to the bill earlier this week that would make sure that residents from outside the city can take advantage of the grandfather clause that allows existing hosts to rent their primary properties plus on additional property.

Local Airbnb “superhost” Natalia Cruz, who frequently hosts guests at her Inner Harbor apartment, has no problem with the bill saying it’s a fair move that will help grow the city’s economy.

“The majority of my guests are business travelers who coming to Baltimore for conventions and corporate work,” she explains. “Part of these taxes will go to Visit Baltimore that brings most of the conventions to the city. So why should I be opposed to it? As much as I want to keep more money to myself, I like to be fair. As an Airbnb host, I am taking a fair share from other hotels who pay taxes and other fees. If they start closing, it would be good for Airbnb hosts, but what about the city?”

Baltimore is not the first city to impose these types of rules and taxes on short-term rentals. As companies like Airbnb and HomeAway gain popularity, cities across the country have begun levying taxes on these properties. Montgomery County currently charges 7 percent of the listing price including any cleaning fee and guest fee for reservations 30 nights and shorter.

Beginning in 2019, Seattle will begin collecting taxes of $14 per night for short-term home rentals and $8 for short-term room rentals. The money collected from the tax will support community-initiated development projects and creating affordable housing. Hosts are also required to obtain a special license and can only operate on rental at a time.

Similarly, two years ago, Airbnb guests in Loveland, Colorado began paying the city’s 3-percent lodging tax as part of a direct partnership between Airbnb and the city.

In Baltimore, the 9.5-percent hotel tax will be effective at the end of 2018 and is forecasted to raise nearly $1 million per year. The other restrictions—including renting one property at a time—will take effect at the end of 2019.

Today is the first day that thousands of motorists’ commutes will be disrupted as the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) begins construction on I-895 to replace the bridge north of the Baltimore Harbor tunnel. The MDTA plans to limit that part of the expressway to one lane in each direction for the $189-million project to replace the 60-year-old bridge. The expected completion date is summer 2021. MDTA chairman Pete Rahn advises drivers to get ready for delays.

“This is going to have a significant impact on people’s travel,” he said. “People are going to notice. There is no way to underestimate the impact it will have on the driving public that is currently using 895.”

Never fret—we have compiled everything you need to know to help make your commute a little easier over the next couple of years.

Road closures
Beginning today, northbound I-895 and exit 10 at Holabird Avenue will be completely closed. Two-way traffic will operate on southbound I-895 with one lane going in each direction.

Additionally, the northbound Harbor Tunnel will be closed for 60 days in spring 2019.

In spring 2020, southbound I-895 will be closed. Two-way traffic will operate on northbound I-895 with one lane going in each direction. The southbound Harbor Tunnel will be closed for 60 days during this time.

“This I-895 Bridge is the MDTA’s only remaining structurally deficient bridge,” said MDTA executive director Kevin C. Reigrut in a statement. “We ask our customers to be patient as we deliver this long-overdue project and remind motorists to drive safely through work zones.”

Alternate Routes
“To avoid sitting in traffic, motorists should plan on using I-695 or I-95 as alternate routes,” Rahn said. “They will definitely be sitting in traffic if they do not.”

Unless you need to reach one of the exits on I-895, the state is suggesting drivers use alternate routes. The Holabird Avenue exit ramp from the bridge is also being replaced and will be closed during the entire project, so do plan accordingly. Rahn says that unless 40 percent of the 79,000 drivers take different routes, “we’re going to see a lot of unhappy people.”

Speed Cameras
On Monday, speed cameras went into effect on I-895 between the Baltimore Harbor tunnel and Lombard Street to keep drivers from speeding in the construction zone. The state has also placed warning signs to caution motorists about the cameras.

The speed limit in the work zone is 50 mph. MDTA Police will begin issuing $40 fines starting December 17 after a 21-day warning period.

Stay Informed
Rahn says that due to the major traffic impacts and different stages of the project, the MDTA will be in constant communication with the public regarding the progress and changes, including a project website.

It may not seem like closing one lane in each direction for three years is the best option, but Rahn said that it was necessary to allow the project to be completed more quickly and he’s asking for patience from the drivers for the duration.

“The approach we have taken on this is designed to get the work done absolutely as quickly as we can,” he said. “We’re going to be out of the public’s way two years faster than it would have been if we had done it with a traditional approach.”

Imagine living in a house where a famous movie or television show was filmed. Or sleeping under the same roof that a Duchess or former president once stayed. There are two Guilford homes that fit the bill, and they’re up for auction next month.

The first house is located at 4001 Greenway and is used in the final season of the Netflix series House of Cards where the show spent 10 months filming. The tudor-style house has a total of 52 rooms including seven bedrooms with six-and-a-half bathrooms.

“It’s an awesome house, but it takes a long time to show it,” jokes realtor Noah Mumaw of Monument Sotheby’s Realty. “I think it’s pretty cool to say you live in a house where House of Cards filmed their final season.”

The starting bid for the home that was also formerly the A.S. Abell Estate and home to the founder of The Baltimore Sun in the 1850s is $900,000. The original property was 300 acres that was eventually broken up into what is now the town of Guilford.

“This was back in the day when this was considered the county, which is kind of funny,” Mumaw said. “The house is in really good shape—the original moldings are still in tact. It’s so awesome that such a prominent family used to live here.”

Just a few blocks away is another house that fell into Mumaw’s lap that has a unique history. “The cool thing about this house is the different owners that lived here,” he said. The colonial house at 4105 Underwood Road sits on more than one-acre of land—which is a lot for Guilford—and has had everyone from inventors to the son of a U.S. president live here.

This home was originally built in 1922 for Otto Dieffenbach, who invented the drinking straw. The home was then sold to the Taliaferro family who founded the American Can Company. From there, it was sold to Clarence Miles, the founding partner of the law firm Miles & Stockbridge, who brought the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore and named them the Baltimore Orioles. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor also frequently visited the home as they were close friends of the Miles family.

Bruce Livie was next on the long list of famous owners of this house. Livie was one of the founders of the Baltimore Colts and brought them to Memorial Stadium that was once located on 33rd Street (makes sense because the house was walking distance from the stadium).

The Underwood house is up for auction, as well, and the opening bid starts at $450,000. Aside from its famous owners, it has seven bedrooms, six-and-half bathrooms, six working fireplaces, and a black-bottom pool in the backyard.

“I think that’s the coolest thing about this house is all the unique owners who found their way to this house over the course of history,” Mumaw said. “It’s crazy how it keeps going on and on. For one house to have one of these owners would be very special, but to have four or five of these unique owners, I’ve never seen anything like it before. This would be comparable to winning the Mega Millions.”

Move over New Mexico and South Carolina, Maryland is coming for your top spots when it comes to best-looking license plates in the country. Maryland’s newest specialty plate features Sandy Point State Park with a blue crab and the Bay Bridge in the distance—we got artsy with it—to raise awareness for the Chesapeake Bay Trust.

It’s been 28 years since the foundation debuted the very first bay license plate and 14 years since it’s had an updated design. With the help of Tina Cardosi, president of TM Designs and the plate’s designer, the trust was able to unveil the most recent design at Sandy Point State Park last month.

“A lot of folks thought that it was time for a new design,” said Jana Davis, executive director for Chesapeake Bay Trust. “We have a lot of new technologies now—both in the art realm and design technology—so we know wanted to give people something new and fresh.”

After more than a year of scouting and reviewing 250 designs from all over the state, Cardosi’s TM Designs had the winning combination. (Even Pennsylvania is envious of our latest plates!)

“One of the first things that came into my head is I really wanted to do something that had an underwater theme to it,” Cardosi says. “That was one of the concepts that we proposed from the very beginning.”

The new plate not only features an eye-catching design, but also an updated catchphrase to accompany it. The older plates read “Treasure the Chesapeake” with the newest version urging residents to “Protect the Chesapeake”—in case you needed a firm reminder that we need to keep it clean.

“By choosing these bay plates, drivers help to get kids outside on field trips and trees and gardens planted across our communities,” Davis said. “All of which helps the bay and its contributing rivers and streams.”

This specific plate is popular among Maryland motorists with more than 330,000 bay plates on the road to date. Drivers can now purchase the most recent ones for $20 from the MVA, the Trust website, car dealerships, or tag and title agencies. The funds will go to support K-12 outdoor education, environmental restoration projects, and community engagement in natural resources. So, it’s aesthetically pleasing and benefits a great cause.

Hopefully with this new design—along with the basic Maryland flag plates and the orange and yellow agriculture plates—we can climb a little higher on Thrillist’s list of license plates where we are currently ranked at 50. We can’t blame them, we’ve had some pretty bland designs over the years.

See what we mean?

The superhero of Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, passed away on Monday at the age of 95. The editor and publisher of the famed comic book franchise made being different just like having a super power.

Lee, who developed the catchphrase, “Excelsior!” will be forever memorialized through his thousands of pages of stories of the underdog with special abilities and through the numerous cameos in every Marvel film to date. An outpouring of love and memories have been flooding the internet since the announcement of this death and locals are mourning the loss of the comic book king as well.

“He basically taught me in ways, that I can’t conceive consciously, basic themes of morality, ethics, and what a hero is,” said local writer, publisher, and pop culture enthusiast Arnold T. Blumberg. “He also taught me how it’s important to have empathy for your fellow human beings. All these things came through in his characters.”

Blumberg, who formerly worked for Geppi’s Entertainment Museum, also remembers an opportunity of a lifetime to interview Lee—something that is very rare—but the conditions were what is most memorable about the meeting.

“He said, ‘I’ll do it only if you have Spider-Man interview me,’” he recalls. “So, I got to be Spider-Man for Stan Lee and got to ask him questions. It still one of the most beautiful and heartfelt things that came out of all of that. It was such a joy and an honor to do.”

Lee, who began in the comic book business in 1939, created countless characters who became household names like Spider-Man, Black Panther, X-Men, the Mighty Thor, the Incredible Hulk, and Captain America. In 2009, The Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, and most of the top-grossing superhero films of all time—led by Avengers: Infinity War‘s $2.05 billion worldwide take earlier this year—have featured Marvel characters.

Under him, Marvel transformed the comic book world by developing characters with self-doubt and the mental state of average people, often including trends and social causes of the time while injecting his sense of humor.

By humanizing his heroes giving them flaws and insecurities that disguise their super powers, Lee tried “to make them real flesh-and-blood characters with personality,” he told The Washington Post in 1992. Although Lee was very bombastic and had a cartoonish public figure, his storytelling was very rhythmic and followed certain patterns that made it easy for readers to become lost in the characters’ stories.

“His characters were very consistent in tone,” Blumberg said. “You recognized a Stan Lee story when you read it. You knew what characters were coming out of his brain.”

Beyond his characters, Lee was an inspiration to misfits all over the world, including Bryan Levy, manager of Collectors Corner on Charles Street. Levy says that Lee’s Spider-Man comics were the first he’d ever read and is the reason he’s working in comics now.

“Part of the genius of Stan’s work is that, for a long time, the comic world and the pop culture world has been moving on without him, but his legacy lives on,” Levy said. “The characters and the comics he created are bigger than him.”

When Lee decided to step away from actually writing the comics, he found other ways to keep himself relevant by making cameos in various Marvel films and television shows. Those blink-of-an-eye features over the years—beginning with the 2000 release of X-Men—made him one of the highest paid actors of all time grossing $24 billion.

It’s too soon to know yet whether we will still be able to spot Lee in any upcoming Marvel films, but his presence will be felt even if he’s not making a cameo as a snarky bus driver or DJ in a club. Blumberg has heard rumors of Lee having body scans done, so we may see him in our favorite Marvel films.

“He was really one of the last representatives of a certain time and place and there’s no replacing that,” Blumberg said. “The fact that the movie series based on the characters he co-created has become a mainstream blockbuster success is a testament to how his work is now globally loved and will definitely stand the test of time. We won’t have a person like him again.”

The day after Thanksgiving most people have two things on their minds: recovering from a food coma and Black Friday shopping. But, this year, the Four Seasons Baltimore is hoping that you’ll work off that turkey tummy at their brand new rooftop skating rink opening on November 23.

The fifth floor Harbor Terrace at the luxury Harbor East hotel will transform into a 1,560-square-foot synthetic ice rink. The rink will be open to hotel guests as well as the public on Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 8 p.m. until January 6.

“The hotel really wanted to have something special that the community and our guests could enjoy,” said Beverly Magee, general manager of the Four Seasons Baltimore. “We also thought about the fact that our pool area on the fourth floor is one of the things that our guests really rave about, so we wanted to utilize that in the winter months to really make it something special.”

With panoramic views of the Inner Harbor, visitors will have the chance to test their skills while enjoying spiked coffee drinks, house-made hot cocoa, spiced apple cider, and stove-roasted chestnuts. Admission for the non-hotel guests is $25 for adults and $15 for children with skate rental for $5 for 45-minute sessions. While entry is complimentary for guests of the hotel, the prices for skating is discounted at $15 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

Ice skating options in Baltimore have come and gone over the years. The beloved Northwest Ice Rink in Mt. Washington filed bankruptcy and closed in 2011, and mainstays Dominic “Mimi” DiPietro Family Skating Center in Patterson Park and the Mount Pleasant Ice Rink in East Baltimore have stood the test of time. In 2014, the glitzy new outdoor Pandora Ice Rink opened and brought new life to the Inner Harbor.

“Over the years, it’s become a fun place for friends, families and coworkers to gather and celebrate,” said Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership. “We see folks taking a spin during their lunch break, teaching their children how to skate, enjoying date nights and more—it’s a really great place to celebrate the season.”

One thing that sets the Four Seasons new ice rink apart from the others is not only the exclusivity of it all, but that Magee says that the hotel is planning to donate a portion of the sales to cancer research.

“I think we’ll give people a real sense of the Harbor East environment, beautiful views of the harbor, and a feel good component with the philanthropic element,” she says.

This rooftop ice rink will also be available for private event rentals during the days that it’s not open to the public. Although plans and pricing are still being worked out, guests can expect to have customized menus and bars to add to the “holiday magic.”

“During the holidays, people come to this area to take advantage of the shopping and restaurants, so this can be another thing they can add to their holiday agenda,” Magee said. “We hope our skating rink will become a memorable family tradition for years to come.”

For the last several months, we’ve all become accustomed to televised debates and campaign commercials in preparation for November 6. In addition, promotional material has been handed out, and signs with smiling faces of candidates have been strategically placed on lawns and at busy intersections. Now, Election Day is finally here.

Early voting wrapped up in Maryland on October 31—which was also the last day to register to vote in the general election—where more than 660,000 votes were cast. Tuesday’s turnout is also expected to have record numbers.

We’ve compiled an Election Day cheat sheet to break down everything you need to know, and make your visit to the polls on Tuesday a little bit easier.

Polling Places
All polls are open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. In order to vote, you have to know where you need to go. By simply checking in to the Maryland Board of Elections site with your home address, you will find your exact polling location and times. You will also find out more about the candidates within your specific district.

If you moved more than three weeks ago, go to the polling place for your new address where you will be given a provisional ballot. As long as you complete and sign the provisional ballot application, all of your votes will count.

If you moved less than three weeks before the election, you may vote at the polling place for your old address or vote with a provisional ballot at your new address.

What to Bring
Now that you know where you have to be, you want to make sure you are prepared when walking through the door. In most instances you won’t need anything, but be sure to bring your state-issued ID card just in case.

If you’re unsure if you are registered to vote, searching here will let you know.

Races to Watch
Things are heating up on both sides—especially for the gubernatorial race. Current Republican governor Larry Hogan is hoping to keep his position as he goes up against former NAACP president and Democratic candidate Ben Jealous, who is trailing significantly in terms of the polling.

In the attorney general race, incumbent Brian Frosh is being challenged by Republican Craig Wolf.

In the Baltimore County Executive race, Democrat John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr. is competing with Republican Al Redmer Jr. to replace Kevin Kamenetz—who served two terms and passed away while competing in Democratic primary for governor earlier this year.

Congressional, state delegate, and state senate seats are also up for grabs across the state, along with a plethora of other locally elected positions. Sample ballots are available for residents to review prior to voting to learn more about the candidates, and to minimize the amount of time spent in the booth.

Partisan Parties

There will be plenty of opportunities around Baltimore to watch the election results, but here are a few partisan parties to check out:

Baltimore City Get Out the Vote Rally with Lt. Gov Boyd Rutherford: Join Gov. Larry Hogan and Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford on November 5th for a Get Out the Vote Rally with in Baltimore City at Ryleigh’s Oyster Bar. Doors open at 6 p.m. with free appetizers for the first hundred people. There will also be $1 soda specials and happy drink specials during the event. 26 E. Cross St.

Ben Jealous Election Night Watch Party: Come out to celebrate on Election Night with Ben Jealous at the Hippodrome Theatre. Doors open at 7 p.m. RSVP here.

Baltimore City Green Party: Gather your Green Party group and check out this election night watch party. The event runs from 7-10 p.m. with a light fare and plenty of drinks. 131 West N. Ave., 410-685-0039

Al Redmer Election Night Party: Join Team Redmer at 8 p.m. for an election night at Columbus Gardens. Enjoy food, refreshments, and good music. 4301 Kiosterman Ave., 410-256-2737

Election Night Party hosted by Libertarian Party of Maryland: Supporters of Shawn Quinn for Governor will gather at the Savage Fire Hall for a night full of food, drinks, and dancing. 8521 Corridor Rd., 443-684-0924

Joe Hooe’s Election Night Celebration: Joe Hooes’s supporters will join up at The New Lansdowne Inn at 8:30 p.m. to celebrate Hooe’s accomplishments thus far. The event will feature a cash bar, great conversation, and a speech by Hooe himself. 2710 Hammonds Ferry Rd., 410-247-1163

HoCo Dems Election Night Watch Party: Join the Howard County Democrats for Election Night festivities at Kahler Hall. The event starts at 8 p.m., and there will be free food and fun activities for everyone. 5440 Old Tucker Row, 410-730-0770

It’s hard to miss the large, bright, swirling mural at Union Collective when traveling southbound on the JFX. The vibrant colors on the wall pop, almost looking animated. That was the idea that the Baltimore-based art duo Jessie Unterhalter and Katey Truhn had in mind when they were commissioned to create what is now the ID tag of the newest space in Hampden.

Although they are both originally from New York, the MICA graduates have made Baltimore their home. They have become known for transforming public spaces into vibrant experiences both locally and internationally. Their most recent work, a multimedia mural at MICA’s newDolphin Design Center, was one that they were most excited to complete as it brought them back to the place where they met.

We caught up with the duo to find out what inspires their work, new projects, and what it’s like to work as a team.

How did you two get to this point after meeting at MICA nearly 20 years ago?
Jessie Untherhalter: We were 18 when we met and we hit it off. We were best friends and started making work alongside each other at MICA. We were both pretty inspired by the city of Baltimore.

Katey Truhn: Both of us had other jobs, and we knew we really wanted to get back into art. Making public work seemed to make sense because we were always really inspired by the environment we were in. We really wanted to do something that involved other people and affected other people outside of the art world.

What was your first project together outside of school?
JU: I guess the first actual project, that we got funding for, was an open call through BOPA [Baltimore Office of Promotion and Arts]—it was a mural on Harford Road. By the time the open call came around, we had made the decision that we wanted to go for this career move and we scoured the internet for open calls and applied for every single one.

Visual art is traditionally very independent. How do you make it work together?
KT: It’s actually so great. Basically having someone to work with and bounce stuff off of and come up with new ideas is amazing. Just for logistics of painting huge walls like Union and MICA, doing that by yourself would be really hard—it’s already challenging with two people, like holy shit. It’s really nice. I think being an artist is a pretty solitary career in a way, so it’s really nice to have someone to do it with.

Has there ever been an instance where it seems like there are “too many cooks in the kitchen?”
JU: We’re collaborative every step of the way. Usually we are really hands on so we draw everything first and draw out the buildings to scale on a piece of paper. We usually have a bunch of different designs going for one space and we just pass the paper back and forth. We keep revising it and then we pick which one we like and use Photoshop to color it in.

When we’re designing, we always account for every window, every door and try to play with all the elements that are in the space because that kind of informs our design. It’s a challenge every time that makes it a little more exciting.

How much flexibility do you have in coming up with the designs?
JU: It depends on who’s commissioning it. With Union, they really wanted us to use our style to tell the beer story. But with MICA, they were really open to whatever we designed.

KT: I think that if you’re working with a company that is selling a brand or product, you have to work within their product lines. But if you’re just making art for art’s sake, we get to do whatever we want.

How long, start to finish, did it take for you to complete the mural at Union Collective?
JU: It was like three weeks for the first part and then two weeks for the second part.

KT: Yea, that was a really big wall [laughs]. The bricks were super old and I guess had never been painted before—they absorbed so much paint. It was very hard to work on that surface, which was really surprising to us, but we used so much paint. We had a couple of assistants here and there, but for the most part, it was just the two of us. It was really crazy, our bodies were rock hard after [laughs].

What was it like to work on the mural at your alma mater?
JU: We actually just finished yesterday, woo hoo! We thought it would be fun doing a project at MICA since we went there, reflecting on that time it was really experimental for our growth as artist.

It was a great opportunity to explore this new incorporation of materials that we’ve been wanting to do. It’s cool because you can see it from so far down the block and it’s already really high in the air so it’s something that people can experience from far away. I think we wanted to make it really loud in a way—the recycled cans catch the light and they reflect so it’s really bright and at some points in the day it looks like lights on the wall. And the recycled colored bags that we used wave and you can see that from a distance so it becomes this sort of live action. We just wanted to try something wacky and new and figured Baltimore would appreciate that.

Do you feel like the bright, bold murals is your signature style?
JU: I didn’t think the MICA mural was that similar to the Union one, but so many people have come up to us asking if we did the Union one also. So I guess so, our signature style is in there somewhere.

KT: You want these murals to be big celebratory statements that you want people to enjoy, so it just makes the most sense for us because that’s what we are drawn to. Bright colors, excitement, and high contrast—it really draws people in.

Of all the places in the country you have done murals, why did you decide to stay in Baltimore?
KT: We both really like it here and I think for now this feels like home—we have roots here.

JU: It’s also been a really great community that has fostered our art-making. It’s one of those places where you can experiment and it’s totally accepted. I feel like before we started working together, we were involved in so many community projects—whether it was big theater projects or painting for friends—there was a lot of collaboration in the city and that makes you think you can do and try anything and you’ve got the support behind you. That is empowering as an artist and it makes you think you can go for it with no judgment.

Police responded to the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday during morning services following reports of an active shooter. The shooter has been identified as Robert Bowers, who walked into the synagogue with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and three pistols and began shooting, killing 11 and injuring six more.

Bowers is being charged with 29 federal counts, including several hate crimes.

“They’re committing genocide to my people,” he told a SWAT officer after being shot and captured, according to a federal criminal complaint released ­Sunday. “I just want to kill Jews.”

The Anti-Defamation League, an international Jewish organization that fights anti-semitism and bigotry, says that this shooting is the the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in America.

The names of the victims were released on Sunday, the oldest being 97-year-old Rose Mallinger, who lived in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood and was a faithful member of the Tree of Life temple. Bernice Simon, 84, and her husband, Sylvan, 86, were married at the Tree of Life synagogue in December 1956, and died together there on Saturday along with brothers Cecil and David Rosenthal.

This tragedy has sparked worldwide outrage with local officials and clergy speaking out about the horrific loss.

The Baltimore Hebrew Congregation held a special service on Sunday morning to mourn with the families who lost their loved ones in the shooting. Rabbi Elissa Sachs-Kohen addressed the congregation detailing how devastated she is at the loss of life in the Jewish community.

“My heart is so heavy this morning,” she said to the congregation. “And my heart is heavy with fear. Not fear that I, or someone I love will be the next target, though that is real. My heart is heavy with fear that we will send our thoughts and prayers; that we will go on Facebook and Instagram and with a tear on the face of a yellow emoji express our sadness and that we will think that is enough. That is not enough.”

Senator Ben Cardin, who attended the service on Sunday, took to social media to express his outrage about the act of hate.

“Heartbroken and horrified by the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue,” he said in a tweet. “Just appalling. I’m thinking of and praying for the entire Squirrel Hill community today. And I’m grateful as ever for our first responders. We cannot—we WILL NOT—accept this as normal. I refuse.”

Governor Larry Hogan also expressed his grief on Twitter, even reaching out to the Governor of Pennsylvania to offer assistance “to help our neighbors.”

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the horrific shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh,” he wrote. “Our prayers are with the victims and those were were injured.”

Senator Chris Van Hollen took to Twitter to plead for a stop to gun violence.

“Horror strikes again,” he wrote. “My heart goes out to Pittsburgh. We must end the hate. We must stop the gun violence. We have it in our power to save lives. Hate, silence, and failure to act have deadly consequences.”

Last night, the afterschool program at UA House at Fayette, operated by Living Classrooms, hosted a Youth Talent Showcase to spotlight the talent of young Baltimore City residents. This event was one of more than 8,000 events across the country as part of Lights On Afterschool, an annual nationwide celebration of youth-based programs organized by the Afterschool Alliance.

Children ages 6-20 were invited to perform musical numbers, dances, poetry, and spoken word pieces in front of an audience of their peers, family, and friends for a chance to win the top prize at the end of the night—a $100 cash prize. Jasmine Campbell, director of programming at UA House, says that the kids were looking forward to this from the moment it was announced.

“One of the things about our afterschool program is we are striving to create opportunities for students to explore their talents,” Campbell said. “The goal of the program is to give them the confidence and the tools to learn the things they are interested in.”

The idea for this showcase stemmed from an open mic night that the music director for UA House, Christina Campbell (no relation), hosts each month called Showcase You. All of the kids that participate in the afterschool program through Living Classrooms—and youth in the surrounding community—were able to audition to be a part of this talent show.

“I think part of why we do this also is because it’s an avenue for them to perform their gifts,” Christina said. “We try to engage the community as much as possible, and building awareness around the work that we do. Seeing them all so excited, preparing for it, the confidence from it all—it’s such an amazing thing to witness.”

Lights on Afterschool created the grant that made this showcase possible to highlight the benefits of afterschool programs in a city like Baltimore. This nationwide event is meant to urge lawmakers to support to funding of this type of programming to help disrupt the cycle of violence and poverty.

In keeping with that theme, the planning committee for the event wanted to select a group of judges that were in line with those values. Making the tough decision last night were Living Classrooms CEO James Bond, Councilman Brandon Scott, Deriece PateBennett of PepsiCo, Eean Logn of Baltimore Votes, Stacey Ulrich of Under Armour, and Travis Street of Living Classrooms.

The children were judged based on their creativity, stage presence, execution, and crowd involvement. The judges had a tough decision when it came to selecting winners. Scott said that this decision was harder than approving budgets for the city council.

“This was so hard,” he said. “These kids are much more talented than I ever was at that age. Stuff like this shows that the youth in Baltimore can and will do great things in the world.”

There were a group of young girls who live near the facility in Pleasant View Gardens who called themselves the PVG Girls that took home the first place trophy. They wowed the crowd with a high-energy dance number with some pretty unique moves. Fourth grader Tylor Robinson placed second for his emotional (and adorable) rendition of Bruno Mars’ “If I Were Your Man,” and sixth grader Tony Johnson, Jr. rounded it out in third place with his powerful pipes belting out Adele’s “Someone Like You.”

Aside from the contestants, there were other featured performances by 16-year-old Baltimore rapper Prophet, Living Classrooms UA House Dancers and AMPlified music group, and even a performance by the Baltimore Hawks dance team.

UA House at Fayette, formerly the Carmelo Anthony Center, was re-imagined and reopened in 2016 after an investment from Kevin Plank, Under Armour, and the Baltimore Ravens. The center services more than 300 students daily as a response to the community’s need for intervention that supports the academic and social development of disadvantaged youth in East Baltimore.

“We just really wanted to bring in people who support the work that we do,” Campbell said. “People who have a history of supporting East Baltimore and supporting initiatives that uplift youth and community in Baltimore.”

In everyone’s eyes the event was a success—a packed house of nearly 200 people—and they are eager to plan next year’s event.

“At the end of the day, it’s about giving them the space to showcase their talents in a safe space,” Christina said. “We also want to make sure that people understand the importance of afterschool programs and the effect it has on the development of the youth in the city.”

If you’ve traveled to Harbor East within the last year, you may have noticed lots of ongoing construction—the new Harbor Point bridge, The Liberty apartments, Della Notte demolition—now add to the list the erection of a new luxury apartment building at 900 Fleet Street, which is set to be complete in 2019.

The current space is currently being used as an industrial switching station for Verizon. The new development of the space by Washington, D.C.-based developer Monument Realty calls for the partial demolition of the existing structure to build high-rise apartments. After much success with their recent building at 225 N. Calvert Street, Monument decided to set their sights on the popular “luxury district.”

“We look forward to delivering a new apartment building in Harbor East which is a spectacular submarket with some of the highest rents in the city,” said Colleen Kittell, spokeswoman for Monument Realty. “We love the neighborhood and think that more and more people will be interested in living downtown.”

This new property will be following a new trend that has hit Baltimore with the arrival of new residential buildings—Anthem House, 414 Light Street, Hanover Crossing, and The Liberty—with retail on the lower levels. The project is planned right next to 380-unit apartment tower going up on the former Della Notte restaurant site on Fleet and President streets.

The 377,000 sq. ft. building will feature 400 studio-, one-, and two-bedroom apartments and 300 parking spaces above 20,000 square feet of retail space on the street level. The area has morphed into a developer’s dream with expensive apartments, condos, shops, and restaurants.

“We have already received interest from potential tenants,” she said. Although she can’t reveal who they are just yet.

The $100-million building will feature a modern contemporary design with indoor and outdoor amenity spaces including a rooftop pool, fitness club, and pet amenities. Rental rates have not yet been determined but Kittell says they will be comparable to the rates of existing properties in Harbor East.

One concern that comes along with massive development is whether or not all of these new units will get filled—especially in a city like Baltimore whose population has remained stagnant for the past few years.

A unique model that’s been used by Monument Realty already is the pop-up hotel company, WhyHotel, which temporarily leases out vacant apartment units. There is no word yet on if this new apartment building will make a similar arrangement.

“We’re in the early stages of planning,” Kittell said. “We’re looking for next year for things to get underway. We’re really excited.”

Last summer it was announced that the Druid Lake Reservoir was going to be completely overhauled and revamped. Two storage water tanks will be buried under the lake in order for the city to comply with the 2006 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules that require cities to create large, open reservoirs.

The Department of Public Works (DPW) had two options: cover them entirely or put extra chemicals into the water before pumping it out to the city. The director of DPW Rudy Chow chose the former.

“The tanks will preserve better water quality and lessen the required chemicals to keep the water fresh,” he said. “All this is good for the health of our citizens here in Baltimore.”

DPW recently released more details about the renovation and the scope of the project is unique. After talking with surrounding communities, the department opted to build tanks at the park, rather than in the nearby neighborhood, in order to minimize disruptions. By building a temporary dam across the reservoir, it would divide the lake into two sections, one that would remain filled with drinking water and the other that would be emptied to make space for the tanks. Draining part of the lake, instead of excavating new holes, significantly reduced the amount of time the project would take.

“When we faced the federal mandate, we were determined to get the neighbors, and those who advocate for our parks, involved in the process,” Chow said. “By doing this, we are making the park stronger and making the lake accessible to our citizens.”

The entire venture is projected to be completed by March 2022 and will cost about $140 million—paid for by the increasing bills of Baltimore’s water customers. But Mayor Catherine Pugh, who frequently jogs around the lake, says that this will all be worthwhile in the end.

“The lake will be a little bit smaller when the project is completed, but it will be well worth it,” she said in an email. “This is going to be a very, very beautiful sight.”

The decreased lake size will provide more green space with an additional 14 acres in Druid Hill Park. This will include upgraded lighting, a wider promenade, a new path for cyclists, and an amphitheater. The remainder of the 146-year-old reservoir will be available for recreational activities such as fishing and kayaking.

The current lake was completed in 1871 and included the largest earthen dam in the country at that time—119 feet high—designed to hold one billion gallons of water. The new tanks will only hold 54 million gallons of water with new pipes connecting the existing system in place.

This same model was also used for nearby projects in Towson, Lake Montebello, and Pikesville. Guilford Reservoir is currently under construction and Lake Ashburton, the final project, is underway.

The DPW doesn’t plan to turn over the project to the parks department until they reach the end of construction in the spring of 2022. In the meantime, visitors will see nothing more than bulldozers and a lot of dirt.

“We realize that this is a big project at a very important location,” Chow said. “Druid Hill Park is in many ways not just the heart of the communities that surround it, but also the heart of Baltimore.”

Since being appointed in 2015 by former police commissioner Kevin Davis, T.J. Smith, who has been known for his blunt, straight-to-the-point approach, resigned effective immediately on Wednesday as the chief spokesman of the Baltimore Police Department.

“Dear Baltimore. It’s time,” Smith said in his letter to the city. “Goodbye for now and thank you for letting me be me.”

Citing an “unstable environment” and “political turmoil” as the cause for his departure, the Baltimore native believes that the city still has “historically and disproportionately been plagued with social ills, guns, violence, and drugs” long before the Freddie Gray riots.

“Everything’s happening at one time—this is a battleship we’re turning around,” Smith told us in a recent podcast interview about the police department. “But we’re turning it around in a canal.”

The BPD said on Wednesday that Smith’s duties will fall to Matt Jablow, a former WBAL-TV reporter and police spokesman who returned to serve as the department’s chief of strategic communications earlier this year.

In his farewell letter, Smith divulges his experiences growing up in West Baltimore, corruption inside the BPD, and the effect it has had on the community.

As a former director of media relations for Anne Arundel County Police, Smith had an unorthodox way of delivering the harsh news. Pulling no punches and sparing no feelings, he knew the community well and it was evident the way he would show up at crime scenes and beg for tips from the public.

“I’ve spoken to families who have been deeply affected by the violence,” Smith said. “And as fate would have it, I too, faced the devastation of a personal loss when my little brother, Dion, was killed . . . Prior to being affected by violence directly, I chose to speak on behalf of everyone’s loved one with the same level of passion and humanity.”

While working under Davis, Smith played a very prominent role in the community. The then commissioner trusted Smith to respond to public crises in a way that the public would understand. He had a way of making sure that the people were listening to him.

“He was beyond a media relations chief to me—he was a close adviser on anything and everything, and I relied heavily on his opinion,” Davis told The Sun. “He’s developed not only into the face and voice of the BPD, but the conscience of the BPD.”

Smith’s departure comes as Mayor Catherine Pugh prepares to name a new police commissioner by the end of this month. Interim commissioner Gary Tuggle—the fourth since Smith joined the BPD—was being considered but withdrew his application earlier this week.

Although he no longer works for the police department, he still considers himself a champion for the city. He’s not sure what he will do next, he writes, “Hmmm, consulting, teaching, media stuff, and maybe, just maybe a book and politics.” But he knows that he plans to continue to play his role in helping to heal Baltimore.

“I love this town,” he said. “And despite its flaws, this city possesses great beauty, is rich in history, and exudes promise. However, the last few years have cast a spotlight on our city’s urban, gritty landscape; from scandals, corruption, murders, riots, and more. Through it all, I walk all over the city and people approach me offering ideas, prayer, and hope. That’s Baltimore, my Baltimore, a deeply resilient town.”

On Saturday, in one of the slimmest votes in American history of 50-48, Judge Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States amid controversial sexual misconduct claims from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. He was sworn in promptly after the vote by both Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the retired Justice Anthony M. Kennedy—whom he is replacing—in a private ceremony.

This is considered a major victory for the Trump administration and Senate Republican leaders who have made stockpiling conservative judges a signature issue. At 53, Kavanaugh is young enough to serve on the Supreme Court for decades if not more.

“I applaud and congratulate the U.S. Senate for confirming our GREAT NOMINEE, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, to the United States Supreme Court,” President Trump tweeted Saturday afternoon. “Later today, I will sign his Commission of Appointment, and he will be officially sworn in. Very exciting!”

Maryland officials were not pleased with Kavanaugh’s confirmation and made their grievances known on social media:

Senator Chris Van Hollen, who voted no to the confirmation, believes that the allegations against Kavanaugh should have prevented him from obtaining the seat on the high court.

Maryland gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous also expressed his opposition to the confirmation.

Officials on the other side of the aisle were pleased with the decision to vote him in.

Before the vote, Governor Larry Hogan declined to say whether he would confirm Kavanaugh if he were a senator.

“I’m glad that actually happened, that there was an FBI investigation,” Hogan told The Sun. “I have frankly no involvement in that. I’ve never taken any position on any Supreme Court nominee. I’m not qualified to make those decisions. I’m not a member of the Senate. I haven’t seen the report. I haven’t watched the testimony. I’m working 15, 18 hours a day, seven days a week. I’m not sitting home watching television. I’ve followed what’s happening, but I don’t feel educated enough to make that decision.”

Talk about getting the best news ever!

During the homecoming halftime performance, the Magnificent Marching Machine at Morgan State University found out that they will be taking their signature Baltimore beat up to NYC for the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 21.

For weeks, the Macy’s parade staff has been secretly working with the band’s director, Melvin Miles, to pull off this once-in-a-lifetime surprise for the members of the band. The stunned students learned that they are one of nine marching bands selected—from a pool of more than 100 applicants nationwide—to participate in the 93rd annual holiday spectacular.

“The Magnificent Marching Machine has a long tradition of entertaining crowds by delivering high energy performances with a big sound,” said Wesley Wheatley, creative producer for the parade in an email. “Those traits will translate perfectly to the streets of NYC on Thanksgiving morning.”

The Morganites will make their first appearance in the show with more than four million spectators braving the cold Manhattan streets to watch the three-hour parade, and an average of 23 million viewers at home.

The official lineup has yet to be announced, but here at Baltimore (and as an MSU alum) we are proud to have one our own to represent in such a major way.

“The entire Morgan Community is excited and looking forward to seeing our Bears on such a grand stage,” said David Wilson, president of MSU. “This is will be our occasion to share just a small sample of ‘The Morgan Way’ with the rest of the world.”

Just six months after the deadly shooting at Great Mills High School in St. Mary’s County, Governor Larry Hogan announced a new tip line for students, faculty, and parents to report any suspicious or dangerous activity on school grounds. The Safe Schools Maryland Tip Line is a tool meant to create preparedness, prevention, and school safety.

“Incidents of targeted violence at our schools are rarely sudden impulsive acts,” Hogan said in his announcement. “Instead, in the majority of these incidents, another person, or persons, was aware of what the student was thinking or planning to do.”

Now, in Maryland, there are three ways to report potential threats at school: The Safe Schools MD mobile app available in the Apple app store or Google Play, or by calling 1-833-MD-B-SAFE. Hogan says that the tip line is not intended to replace 911 and that all calls and reports will go directly to the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).

According to the website, issues that can be reported are not limited to possible school violence but also include harassment, mental health crises, and bullying. Kiona Black, a training and exercise administrator at MEMA, said that the system got a tip within minutes.

“The first tip came in while the governor was speaking,” Black said. “I processed that while I was sitting in the room, and it was read and received within seven minutes.”

The Maryland State Department of Education (MDSE) announced on Wednesday that Maryland was awarded $3.6 million in federal grants to strengthen classroom safety. A five-year, $2.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education will allow the state to roll out the Maryland School Emergency Preparedness Program—a partnership between MSDE, MEMA, and local school systems.

“These grants will help Maryland in implementing our Behavioral Threat Assessment Model and the mental health training and intervention support initiative,” said Dr. Karen Salmon, states schools superintendent in a statement. “These funds will help Maryland update and modernize emergency operations plans in schools throughout the state and utilize state-of-the-art techniques to better identify potential threats to student safety.”

According to CNN, there have been 23 school shootings in the U.S. in 2018 where someone was injured or killed, averaging to about one shooting per week.

“Sadly, all too often, students choose to remain silent because they are afraid of retaliation, rejection, or being stigmatized by their peers,” Hogan said. “We need to empower our students to break that code of silence.”

October is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) awareness month. Many parents have heard about the sudden, unexpected death of an infant, usually during periods of sleep. But the syndrome, which affects babies under the age of 1, and its causes still largely remain a mystery.

According to the Baltimore City Health Department, the city experienced the lowest infant mortality rate on record in 2015—8.4 per 1,000 live births—a 19 percent decline from 2014. Each year, about 4,000 infants die unexpectedly during sleep from SIDS, accidental suffocation, or unknown causes.

Last year, Baltimore native Shantell Roberts developed a Portable Alternative Crib (PAC) for expectant mothers and caregivers, which features a mattress at the bottom of a box to serve as a baby’s first bed. After losing her infant daughter years ago to SIDS, she has dedicated her life to helping other mothers to protect their babies by promoting safe sleep.

“It’s a national epidemic,” she said. “It’s always a problematic topic, especially within multi-generational households who have older family members who think it’s a myth.”

On October 6, the fourth annual Walk for Hope will take place at Lake Montebello to raise awareness for SIDS and infant loss. The Baltimore-based nonprofit Elijah’s Hope Foundation “walks for the babies who have left us too soon” whether from SIDS or miscarriage. The proceeds from the walk will go to the Elijah Hope Scholarship for a graduate student pursuing a degree in social work, public health, nursing, or human services with a concentration in maternal and infant and child health.

To help protect your babies, we’ve put together the recommendations from the National Institute for Health (NIH) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) for safe sleep for babies to prevent SIDS:

Place the baby on his or her back during sleep.
Although parents are concerned with choking during sleep, there’s no need to worry. The baby’s natural bodily instincts will take over and prevent that from happening when the baby is sleeping on their backs.

A firm mattress with a fitted sheet is all you need.
Soft surfaces, such as memory foam, can increase the baby’s chances of sleep-related death. Keeping soft objects like pillows, blankets, and stuffed toys out of the crib will also decrease the chances of SIDS.

“Instead of using a blanket to keep the baby warm during the night, try a wearable blanket or thicker sleep clothing,” Roberts suggests.

The baby can share your room, but should not share your bed.
“It’s so easy for moms to breastfeed their babies and then fall asleep with them in the bed,” Roberts said. “You can have the baby as close to your bed as possible, just not in the bed.”

Accidental suffocation and strangulation can happen when a baby is sleeping sharing a bed increasing the risk of SIDS by 50 percent.

Do not smoke around your baby.
Environmental things like smoke, dust, and mold can also contribute to SIDS in infants.

“It’s pretty self-explanatory, but it’s something I have to reiterate often,” Roberts said. “No matter what you’re smoking, it should not be done around your baby.”

We’ve seen cars, life-sized human replicas, and even houses built out of Lego blocks. But a turtle at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has a one-of-a-kind Lego creation to help get him moving again.

When a zoo employee brought an injured wild Eastern box turtle to the zoo for treatment in July, the diagnosis was bleak. He suffered from multiple fractures on his plastron, or the bottom of his shell, which posed an obstacle for Dr. Ellen Bronson, senior director of animal health, conservation, and research at the zoo.

“We’re pretty sure the injuries were caused by a vehicle, it happens frequently in the city,” she said. “The bottom of his shell was in seven different fragments—it was kind of like putting a puzzle together. Because of the unique placement of the fractures, we faced a difficult challenge with maintaining his mobility while allowing him to heal properly.”

After performing an hour-long surgery to stabilize the turtle’s shell using metal bone plates, sewing clasps, and surgical wire to hold it all together, the team needed to figure out how to keep him mobile without damaging the shell.

“It was important to keep the bottom of the shell off the ground so it could heal properly,” Bronson explained. “We had to make something that wouldn’t be attached to the bottom, but that could keep him mobile. As zoo and wildlife vets, we are faced with challenges that people have never seen before so we have to come up with creative ways to treat the animals.”

Garrett Fraess, a fourth-year veterinary student working at the zoo, was up to the task. Thinking outside of the box, he drew up some sketches for a tiny wheelchair, measured the turtle (who is the size of a grapefruit), and sent them to a friend in Denmark who is a “Lego enthusiast.”

From those sketches came a multi-colored, turtle-sized wheelchair made from Lego bricks and Plumbers putty. The unique design features a frame that surrounds his shell with four Lego wheels to help get around using his front legs. The design also allows for natural behaviors, like retreating into his shell when feeling threatened.

“The minute we put it on, he was much more mobile and brighter,” Bronson said. “He’s been moving ever since.”

Because turtles have a slower metabolism than most mammals and birds, it takes them longer to heal. Dr. Bronson says that the nameless turtle will likely be using his custom wheelchair through the winter into early spring.

The zoo has been leading a Druid Hill park Eastern box turtle monitoring program since 1996 where, to date, more than 130 wild turtles have recorded, tagged, and released back into the wild (hence not naming them). These specific types of turtles can be seen in the zoo’s Maryland Wilderness area.

“This particular turtle was originally tagged in 2000, making him at least 18 years old,” Bronson said. “We are very happy that he is recovering well from his injuries and we plan to return him to the wild once he is fully healed.”