In his inaugural column today, The Sun's Kevin Cowherd crows that he is "all smiles" because, after years of writing a features column, he has finally become a sports columnist:

"There comes a point in every man's life when he sits back, puts his feet up on the desk and thinks: How can I get a gig doing something I love that involves no heavy lifting?

Ladies and gentlemen, I have found that gig.

So let's get the introductions out of the way first, shall we?

The name is Kevin Cowherd, and after years of writing a features column for The Baltimore Sun, I switch over today to writing a sports column."

The fact that Cowherd earned this role solely because two excellent columnists, Rick Maese and David Steele, were laid off two weeks ago does not seem seem to dampen his enthusiasm in the slightest. At best, it is tone-deaf of Cowherd to rejoice in his good fortune while so many of his colleagues—and fellow Baltimoreans—are lamenting the brutal round of firings The Sun has just endured. At worst, it is cruel, specifically to Maese and Steele. Given the state of the newspaper industry in general, Cowherd, a veteran newsman, should have the decency to celebrate his personal victory in private.

-Evan Serpick

[photo courtesy of The Sun]

Our local Olympic hero/meathead has often mentioned his love of hip-hop and rappers like Young Jeezy and Lil' Wayne, so he must have been waving his flippers in delight upon hearing that, in a Cigar Aficionado cover story (!), no less a hip-hop luminary than Jay-Z defended him over Bongphotogate, saying he was just a kid:

"You look at all these people who graduated from Princeton and Harvard, who are supposed to be pillars of the community—every day [they’re] in the newspaper arrested for some kind of financial fraud. Then you look at someone like Michael Phelps. He’s 23. What’s he gonna do? He’s a kid. He’s going to experiment."

Let's just hope Phelps doesn't experiment with actually rapping: That "kid" defense only goes so far.

There has apparently been a lot of consternation about the spelling of a certain waterfront neighborhood named after the historic Fell family. It's commonly come to be written "Fells Point," but according to the following proclamation by self-appointed "Town Crier of Fell’s Point" Jack Trautwein, that is an error.

For the many valid reasons listed herein (and the fact that the plaque from the Preservation Society marking the area an historic district, shown here, spells it "Fell's Point") Baltimore magazine will henceforth make the switch, both in the print edition and at BaltimoreMagazine.net from "Fells Point" to "Fell's Point." Huzzah!

Fell’s Point Proclamation

In behalf of the citizens and merchants of the Historic Village of Fell’s Point, be it known to all that:
Whereas, The apostrophe in Fell’s Point has been a long standing controversy among those who live, work, frequent or write about our historic village;
And whereas, There have been many long and heated debates over this issue in our pubs, on our street corners and even in our meetings;
And whereas, The founding family’s name was Fell and not Fells;
And whereas, Any elementary student of English knows that the apostrophe is the correct form for any possessive noun;
And whereas, Recent research indicates clearly that in 1762 Edward Fell utilized the apostrophe “S” in his advertisement in the “Maryland Gazette” announcing his newly surveyed village lots;
And whereas, And whereas succeeding advertisements by the Fell family always used the apostrophe “S”;
And whereas, The apostrophe was eliminated in recent history by bureaucrats who knew no better;
And whereas, An unofficial poll of the “Baltimore Sun” favored the use of the apostrophe “S” by a two to one margin;
And finally, whereas, This earth shaking controversy need now be put to rest.

Therefore, On this the Fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord, 2008, be it
proclaimed that the correct spelling of Fell’s Point be with the apostrophe “S”!

Jack Trautwein
Town Crier of Fell’s Point

[photo courtesy wallyg via Flickr.com]

We live close to a light rail stop and I've started to use it a lot lately, particularly to get to events at 1st Mariner Arena. I'm happy to say, it's been great, convenient, very quick, and efficient. But it's got me wondering: Does anyone (but me) pay to ride?

Each time I go to the station, I dutifully go to the kiosk, buy a ticket, and hold it as I get on the train, ride, and get off the train. No one has ever checked that I have a ticket nor does there seem to be any mechanism to do so. Someone said they've heard the MTA does random checks, but no one I've spoken with has ever seen that happen. I'm starting to feel like a dupe for plugging my money into those machines.

I have seen other people buying tickets at the kiosks, but I also often see people just walk up and get on the train. What's to stop them? (In fairness, they might have weekly/monthly passes or earlier-purchased tickets.) I get the sense that many people avoid taking the light rail because of safety fears (though I have never felt unsafe, even with my toddler). It would seem the MTA could quell those fears—and increase revenue to boot—by installing some type of mechanism to make sure people pay to ride.

Thoughts?

 [photo courtesy of Gavin St. Ours]

On Monday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced the five winners of it's annual Greatest American Main Street Awards, including our very own Federal Hill!

Suggesting "this historic neighborhood is rapidly becoming the 'Hip Side of the Harbor'," the Trust cited events like the Spring Block Party, the Jazz & Blues Festival, and the Street Beat Festival, the revitalized business district (with a vacancy rate that has dropped from a high of 20 percent to the current 4 percent), and the development of the city's premier retail and entertainment hub, "a feat recognized by Baltimore Magazine, which recently named Federal Hill 'Baltimore's Best Shopping Neighborhood'." (Thanks for the shout-out, Trust).

(photo by Linda Glisson, courtesy of National Trust for Historic Preservation)

It's the end of an era—a very messy, drunk, rather disgusting era.

The Maryland Jockey Club announced yesterday that they will no longer allow fans to bring their own alcoholic beverages into the infield on Preakness Day. Fans will be able to buy 16 oz. beers for $3.50, and the organizers will add a concert to the proceedings, featuring ZZ Top, Buckcherry, and a local band to be named later. For the first time in years, organizers will not raise infield ticket prices from last year when they were $50.

The change, frankly, was inevitable. Having been on the Pimlico infield for about 10 of the last 15 Preakness Days (my first Preakness infield ticket, purchased as a high school senior in 1992 was, I think, $16), I know the mayhem that ensues. Fans cart in obscene amounts of alcohol—by the case—and get progressively more drunk and rowdy as the day goes on. There are lots of fights, plenty of nasty falls, and general chaos—you haven't lived until you've seen the "Running of the Port-o-Potties," pictured above (or the endless YouTube videos thereof).

Honestly, that was the charm. It was a little dangerous and a little unhinged, but it was a right-of-passage for young Baltimoreans looking to get a little crazy with their friends. The new rules will certainly change Preakness, and the grown-up side of me thinks it's probably for the best: With that many dangeous variables, it was only a matter of time before something truly tragic happened on the infield.

But I will definitely miss the colorful, surreal, hysterical spectacle that it was.

Valerie Bond (above), a.k.a. "Button Lady" was among the 40,000 Baltimoreans braving frigid temperatures on Saturday to get a look at Barack Obama on his last stop before heading to Washington for the inauguration.

The 35-year-old west Baltimore mom of Yahonna, 6, says collecting memorabilia from Obama's campiagn and inauguration is her way of honoring the historic occasion. Beside the buttons on her hat, Bond had dozens more in her pockets, "about 200" in all, she says, adding that she's also snagged Obama magnets, shot glasses, and a can opener.

"I can't believe he's here in little-old Baltimore," she said just before then-President-Elect Obama made his way to the podium for a speech that touched on this city's overwhelming support for his candidacy and its historic role in American history, dating back to the Revolutionary War. "It's an honor and a priviledge to see him."

When the Inner Harbor fireworks display was cancelled on New Years' Eve, Baltimore City police commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III admirably decided to join officers patrolling the Bridgeview-Greenlawn neighborhood. He and an aide saw people firing sawed-off shotguns into the air and chased them into a house where the Commish held a suspect at gunpoint and called for backup, safely apprehending two suspects and seizing a small arsenal of weapons.

The story has been reported by the Sun and the Associated Press, and was even picked up by the New York Times! Just one more reason to admire Bealefield, who has presided over the police department as the city sees its lowest homicide rate in two decades.

For the last few weeks, I've been enjoying the new mural on the Bank of America branch on the corner of Fleet St. and South Broadway in Fells Point. It's a beautiful scene which depicts the area's seafaring traditions, as well as the city's more modern developments accross the Harbor. (My photo skills are fairly lacking, but in the shadows on the left, high-rise buildings in vibrant colors stand in stark opposition to the rest of the mural.) In a grand piece full of nice touches, I especially like the boy holding a lantern at the bottom, partially blocked in my photo by that SUV. The boy's lantern is actually a pre-existing light on the building that the artist incorporated into his work. I was intrigued enough, in fact, to track down some information about the artist.

His name is Nelson Rivas, but he goes by the name Cekis. Born in Santiago, Chile in 1976, he points to the political posters in his country during the turbulent 1980s and to Latin America's vibrant tradition of muralists as inspirations for his art. He has painted murals in Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Valparaiso, Sevilla, Zurich, Hamburg, New York—and now, Baltimore. He is based in Brooklyn. Check out his blog, which includes some photos of the long process of painting the Fells Point mural.

As always, leave a comment or email me with story ideas: sevan@baltimoremagazine.net