Ron Cassie's picture
November, 7th 2012

Video: O’Malley Celebrates Passage of Same-Sex Marriage Law

Marylanders helped re-elect President Barack Obama and voted for same-sex civil marriage, for the state’s Dream Act, and for expanded gambling — among other candidates and referendums — but those were the headlines Tuesday night.

In the video posted above, Gov. Martin O’Malley congratulates the LBGT community and Marylanders for Marriage Equality at their election night watch party at the Baltimore Soundstage late last night. Maryland became the first state to support same-sex marriage by referendum, ending a 0-32 streak for similar measures.

Like President Obama, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin also won a second term. Democratic House members Elijah E. Cummings, C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes, and Republican Rep. Andy Harris, won re-election campaigns as well.

Longtime Republican congressman Roscoe G. Bartlett, who represented the western part of Maryland, lost to newcomer John Delaney, a Potomac businessman.

Two of the most anticipated races, actually voter referendums — Question 6, for same-sex marriage, and Question 7, to expand gambling in the state — were also two of the closest...

Ron Cassie's picture
November, 6th 2012

Midnight Voting: Obama and Romney tie 5-5 in Dixville Notch

Courtesy: Natty Boh Gear's Facebook page

If the outcome of the presidential race in Dixville Notch, N.H. is any indication, it could be a close race and a long night.

Tiny Dixville Notch, vying for the title of first-to-report on Election Day, began and finished their voting — as is their tradition — shortly after midnight Tuesday morning. The conclusion? Too close call: President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney each received 5 votes. According to the Associated Press, the polls opened and closed in 43 seconds.

In 2008, Dixville Notch went in favor of Obama, 15-6, over John McCain, which might be seen as a bad sign for the President. On the other hand, in Hart’s Location, N.H. (you gotta love the names of these...

Ron Cassie's picture
November, 2nd 2012

Ravens at Browns: Ray Rice vs. Trent Richardson?

Courtesy: Baltimore Ravens Facebook page

There’s a little thing called a presidential election Tuesday, but let’s not forget we have a football game to play Sunday, folks. Division game, at that. And let’s face it, after the recent debacle against the Houston Texans — in combination with season-injuries to Ray Lewis and Ladarious Webb — the Ravens’ 5-2 record doesn’t look so shiny at the moment. It may only be the lowly Cleveland Browns (2-6), but a win would feel good right about now.

At last glance, the oddsmakers have Baltimore favored by 3.5.

Most of the talk on the Ravens’ side this week centers around Ray Rice, who many feel isn’t getting enough carries, and Baltimore's suddenly vulnerable, 30th-ranked, run defense, which must stop the Browns' Trent Richardson, who had a career-high 122 yards yards last week. According to conventional wisdom, the team that establishes their running game first will have the upper...

Ron Cassie's picture
November, 2nd 2012

Open Society Institute Names 2012 Baltimore Community Fellows

Among the members of the Open Society Institute-Baltimore’s Community Fellowship class of 2012, there are artists, vocational counselors, public and mental health experts, an urban planner, an environmental scientist and a construction foreman.

Each has a plan: partnering with an alcohol and drug center to provide employment preparation services, managing a city neighborhood recycling and trash program, using digital media to engage East Baltimore youth in arts and social justice programs, expanding an existing volunteer-based program that distributes local produce to those without healthy food sources, for example.

All told, a dozen new OSI-Baltimore fellows will receive $720,000, or $60,000 each over the next 18 months, beginning yesterday, Nov.1. The funding will allow the fellows to work fulltime on implementing their ideas....

Amy Mulvihill's picture
October, 31st 2012

Baltimore Humane Society Needs Urgent Community Support

While the general consesus about Sandy seems to be, "It could have been a lot worse," plenty of homes, businesses, and organizations have been hit hard. One of those is Baltimore Humane Society in Reisterstown. They've been without power since Monday afternoon and the back-up generator is out. Pet food deliveries have been canceled for the week, and even the phone is out. 

Staffers and volunteers are digging into their own pockets to keep conditions sanitary and safe for the animals, but they could sure use some help. According to an email sent today from the no-kill shelter's director of public relations, Wendy Goldband, the Humane Society could use any or all of the following:

1. Donations of Science Diet Dog and Cat Food—any variety, wet or dry

2. Donations of non-clumping kitty litter

3. Monetary contributions to help aid our restoration efforts.  They can be made on our website. Or checks can be mailed to our...

Ron Cassie's picture
October, 30th 2012

Travel Restrictions Lifted; City Offices Open Wednesday

Baltimore Inner Harbor: Courtesy Facebook

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said at a press conference Tuesday morning that all travel restrictions in Baltimore City are lifted at noon today.

Parking restrictions in Fells Point are also lifted at noon, except for streets closed due to flooding. The Inner Harbor, pictured above, also took on flood water.

Rawlings-Blake said that Baltimore City government offices will all open beginning Wednesday, operating on normal schedules. The Charm City Circulator will resume regular service tomorrow as well.

According to a statement from the Mayor's office, Hurricane Sandy dropped six and a half inches of rain on the city and brought wind gusts up to 67 miles per hour. As of Tuesday morning, the City has received reports of more than 230 trees down — more than half of which have fallen on local roads. 

The Mayor's office is asking residents to call 311 with reports of downed trees and other storm related damage. Residents can also report downed trees by...

Ron Cassie's picture
October, 29th 2012

Fells Point (Mostly) Battens Down

A once-in-a-generation hurricane bears down, forcing schools, Baltimore City offices, polling places and businesses to shutter, probably for two days. What to do? Sit at home and wait for the electric to go out?

How about a drink?

As most of Fells Point battened down Monday afternoon, the brave folks at Pearl's bar at 1900 Aliceanna St., boarded and sandbagged up, but remained open. (See red spray paint in the above photo on the plywood covering a window on the far right.) At least a few confident — or was it nervous? — souls even found their way inside to escape the storm.

More power to 'em. Well, you know what we mean.

...

Ron Cassie's picture
October, 28th 2012

Video: Patterson Park's Halloween Lantern Parade

Under a hazy, pre-Frankenstorm moon, the 2012 Halloween Lantern Parade & Festival attracted thousands of costumed kids and families to Patterson Park Saturday night for a parade like none other in the city.

The afternoon included live music, hay rides and a children's lantern-making workshop. The parade included giant white mice on stilts, innumerable ghost and goblins, and several kickin' marching bands from Baltimore that put it all to drumming. 

The band at the start of the above video, the Raya Brass Band, however, is from Brooklyn, New York. They happened to be in town to play the Glow Ball After-Party at the Creative Alliance.

Ron Cassie's picture
October, 23rd 2012

Sold: Harborplace to New York Firm

Courtesy: Wikipedia

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake released a statement Tuesday afternoon that said Harborplace, owned by General Growth Companies, has been sold to a New York real estate investment firm.

The new Harborplace owners, the Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation, owns similar properties in other cities, according to the mayor’s press statement, including Faneuil Hall Marketplace in Boston, Union Station in Washington, D.C., and San Antonio’s Rivercenter.

“This is a company with a track record of investing in and managing premier destinations, each with its own local character, in cities across America,” Rawlings-Blake said. “I am absolutely committed to working closely with Ashkenazy to continue making progress and to secure Harborplace’s legacy as a...

3:27 pm Comment Count Tags: Harborplace
Ron Cassie's picture
October, 22nd 2012

Video: Pigtown Festival’s ‘Running of the Pigs’

Pigtown, as most Baltimoreans know, got its name from the turn of the century practice of herding pigs from nearby rail cars though the historic neighborhood’s narrow streets — on their way to south Baltimore slaughterhouses.

Saturday’s 11th Pigtown Festival, in homage and comic parody of neighborhood's heritage, again included its annual “running of the pigs,” which has quickly become a much-anticipated tradition.

There are other attractions at the festival, of course, live music, pie-eating contests, a pumpkin patch for kids, great BBQ, for example, as well as a mix of vendors and artisans. But there’s nothing quite like watching kids cheering on their favorite pink hog and taking a photo with one of the little guys afterwards.

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