State of Maryland opens 3-week period for teams to bid on designing, building new Key Bridge — The Baltimore Sun Charter amendment would strip mayoral control of Baltimore spending board — WBAL Beloved restaurateur Qayum Karzai, owner of The Helmand, dies at 77 — The Baltimore Banner Maryland hopes to recruit young dentists to workforce shortage areas — Maryland Matters Maryland community mourns death of stray dog who “brought a lot of people together” — WJZ Majority of animals rescued from alleged breeding operation found homes — WMAR A Welcome Sign: How Koreatown quietly drives Howard County ..read more

One year after winning the Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream contest, Judy and Rob Neff are continuing collaborations to celebrate the sixth anniversary of their company, Checkerspot Brewing Company. The Sixth Anniversary Party will be held on Saturday, June 15, and Checkerspot has brewed another beer in collaboration with Sam Adams, but this time in Baltimore. Inspiration Rye IPA is brewed with Maryland rye malted by Bear Branch Malt, hopped using Judy’s favorite hop, Idaho 7, along with Centennial and Amarillo hops. Checkerspot will be releasing it at the party, along with other beers ..read more

One of the biggest building projects in Baltimore recently marked a construction milestone. On May 16, Johns Hopkins University leaders and their contractors held a topping-out ceremony for the $250 million Student Center under construction on North Charles Street near 33rd Street and said it’s on target to open in July 2025. In building construction, topping out (sometimes referred to as topping off) is a builders’ rite traditionally held when the last beam is placed atop a structure during its construction. Participants at Hopkins’ ceremony had a chance to sign their names on the final ..read more

Two members of the Baltimore City College Speech and Debate Society made history by nabbing a national title this week, winning the National Catholic Forensics League (NCFL) Championship. Baltimore City College’s (BCC) Policy Debate team of Nevaeh Rita Sencion and Saidah Ervin (’24) earned the title of National Champions at the NCFL Grand National Tournament in Chicago. They are the first team of African American women to win the competition’s policy debate tournament. The title win caps their high school careers with a 3-2 victory against Peninsula, which was ranked the top team in the natio ..read more

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski wants the County Council to scrap a Monday vote on a controversial plan to control development near overcrowded schools. Council members are proposing multiple amendments which Olszewski says he hasn’t seen. “At this point, it’s unclear what any final legislation might look like,” Olszewski said. “Given the concerns and given the complications of this bill, I would support them taking a step back and really trying to bring all of the stakeholders together to see if there is something workable.” Read more (and listen) at WYPR ..read more

After five months of demolition activity, the Bard Building on Lombard Street is little more than a hole in the ground. A contractor for the Baltimore City Community College, the property owner, began razing the five-story building at 600 East Lombard Street in late December and has been chipping away to the point that it’s now almost completely gone.  The Bard Building being demolished. Photo by Ed Gunts. Once the 1.1-acre site is cleared, the college plans to create a green space that will be a temporary use while officials come up with a long-term plan for the property.  The Bard ..read more

This week is a fun one for Baltimore food lovers, with multiple festivals showcasing the city’s best eats. Here’s a look at what’s happening: Openings & announcements Blair’s on Hudson’s owners announced this week that the restaurant will close sometime in August. The team behind the restaurant expressed their gratitude for the community on social media and let everyone know that a new concept, run by friends of theirs, will open in the Blair’s space at some point in the future.   Italian Festival All weekend long Little Italy celebrates the culture that gives the neighborhood its na ..read more

The Building Bridges to Recovery Coalition, comprised of area business organizations including the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Greater Baltimore Committee, Greater Washington Partnership, World Trade Center Institute and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has released a detailed report titled Impact Assessment & Recommendations: Key Bridge Collapse. The report analyzes the wide-ranging impacts of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, which occurred on March 26, on businesses across various industry sectors and geographic regions. The data in the report was collected through a comprehensive onli ..read more

In Maryland and other states, lawmakers have proposed – and in some cases passed – legislation to prohibit transgender youth from participating on sports teams that align with their gender. But Maryland-based nonprofit Unmatched Athlete is working to create a supportive environment in which LGBTQ+ youth and allies can play sports together. “It’s really unfortunate and sad that there are states that have laws that are discouraging and are saying that LGBTQ+ youth, specifically trans youth, cannot play sports…. [They’re] denying them of all the wonderful opportunities, all the wonderful life sk ..read more

3 women dead in apparent murder, attempted suicide in Elkridge – WBAL News Radio Maryland vehicle registration fees go up sharply on July 1 – The Sun Gas taxes to drop nearly a penny a gallon in July – Maryland Matters An inside look at the Baltimore Police Department staffing crisis – FOX Baltimore/WBFF-TV Baltimore’s reaction to verdict against Trump – WMAR-TV Getting back to Bmore: New experiences await – Chesapeake Bay Magazine ..read more