So let’s start off by saying congrats to the Baltimore City Paper on their bouncing new Best of Baltimore issue. We may quibble with them over who really has the right to anthropomorphize a guy named BOB, but there’s clearly room in this town for two Best of Baltimore issues and we’ve always found theirs to be a lively and informative read.

What’s more, we’re stoked that we came in third in their readers poll for “Best Local Publication” behind the Urbanite and the City Paper itself. (Is that even fair?). Please note that The Sun didn’t make the cut.

Of course, the biggest difference between our Best of Baltimore issue and theirs is that we mean “Best of” in a rather earnest and literal way, while they mix a heaping dose of snark in with the hosannas. You pick up a City Paper Best-of...

Good news for anyone who uses the Bay Bridge to get back and forth between Maryland's mainland and Eastern Shore. (That just about covers everyone, doesn't it?) Last night, in response to vehement public opposition, the MTA board decided to scale back its proposed toll hike on the bridge. 

Plans had been to double the toll from its current rate of $2.50 to $5 on Oct. 1 and bump it up again to $8 in 2013. Now, the toll—which is only collected going eastbound—will increase to $4 in November and $6 in 2013. This rate hike will be the first for the bridge since 1975, and officials say it is necessary to pay for infrastructure upgrades. 

Yesterday's primary elections produced few surprising results. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake overwhelmingly won the Democratic nomination, and all of the incumbents on the City Council retained their seats, except for one (full results). But that one exception is quite a story.

In the Seventh District, incumbent City Councilwoman Belinda Conaway seemed like a heavy favorite a few months ago, considering the strong advantages incumbents have in low turn-out elections (see every other race) and her strong name recognition: She's from the Conaway dynasty, which includes city court clerk and mayoral candidate Frank Conaway Sr. and state delegate Frank Conaway Jr.

But, earlier this year, blogger Adam Meister uncovered evidence that Belinda Conaway lives in Baltimore County, not her district, based on documents she filed claiming a Randallstown home as her primary address in...

Mayoral candidate Catherine Pugh has amassed a considerable following on Facebook, with over 5,000 friends. Today she asked her friends to change their profile pictures to her campaign sign to show their support.

The picture appears fine on Pugh's profile, but when it appears in the news feed, it is cropped in a most unfortunate way (pictured).

Ya know, the way some people feel about the current state of affairs, maybe winning the "UGH" vote isn't so bad, actually....