New Baltimore: Murder Down, Ravens Up And A $50 Million Grant
Of course, that elevated purview in particular is being credited to Mayor Brandon M. Scott for breathing new life into the city ever since being elected into the position back in 2020.
RELATED: The Baltimore Sun Apologizes For Being Rooted In Racism By Founder Arunah S. Abell
Mayor Scott took a minute to acknowledge the team effort that went into bringing the Baltimore homicide rate down (seen above), but also made it quite clear that the fight is far from over. 'While we acknowledge the historic lows we are experiencing, we must simultaneously acknowledge that there is much more work to do and our success makes me commit even further to doing it,' he wrote to close out the caption. Those words ring true more than ever, as the past few weeks alone in the Charm City saw a homicide in Southwest District, shooting death in Fells Point, and as of yesterday a murder-suicide in Dundalk — three of the four victims in those separate cases were under the age of 25 years old. Still, a 22% decrease in homicides is definitely a feat worthy of giving Mayor Scott and his department a pat on the back. To put those stats in perspective, there were 28 homicides in April 2023, a total of 12 that occurred in April 2024 and a record low of just five back in April of this year.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore is also getting in on the action of advancement in B-more with the approval of a $50 million grant to support vacant property reduction efforts in Baltimore City by way of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative, also referred to as 'Reinvest Baltimore.' More details on this lucrative investment below, via Maryland.gov :
''For this to be Maryland's decade, it has to be Baltimore's time,' said Gov. Moore. 'We know that if we want to drive investment and growth in Baltimore City, we need to address its vacant housing crisis. And the future of these properties will be written in coordination with local leaders – because those closest to the problem are closest to the solution. Together, we will build a more vibrant, prosperous, and growing Baltimore for all.'
The State awarded a total of $50 million to help redevelop neighborhoods with a high number of vacant properties. These communities have been prioritized due to their impressive redevelopment potential. The funding has been targeted toward specific recipients with a record of success: $15 million will go to Baltimore City and the Maryland Stadium Authority to demolish, stabilize, and acquire vacant properties for redevelopment; $30 million will go toward 16 community development organizations; and $5 million that will go toward large, mixed-use projects from Fiscal Year 2025 to help carry them into their next phase.'
If that wasn't enough good news, sports fans representing the Comeback City will be delighted to know that the Baltimore Ravens are at the top of many projected AFC North rankings. This is in part due to a loaded roster from top to bottom, specifically the synergy between Lamar Jackson (#8) and Derrick Henry (#22). The latter also isn't running it back alone in the least bit, as the backfield is pretty sturdy as well. As Sports Illustrated put it, 'The Ravens have one of the deepest backfields in the entire league, with at least three running backs who should make a significant impact ,' elaborating further by naming Justice Hill (#43) for catching 42 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns last season, a fully-healed Keaton Mitchell (#34) getting back to an average of eight yards per carry and Rasheen Ali (#26) based on the impressive numbers he put up during his time at Marshall University in West Virginia.
From the government to gameplay, it looks like the city of Baltimore is in good hands. Although there's much work to do on all ends, we believe the city will come together to right wrongs of the past and change the global perspective on its community.
Ball up top!
SEE ALSO
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
4 hours ago
- Fox News
'Was the president up for the job?' Steve Ricchetti defends Biden's fitness as GOP seeks answers
Steve Ricchetti was the gatekeeper for former President Biden. But House Republican investigators hoped Ricchetti was the key to unlocking answers about Mr. Biden's cognitive state when he was commander in chief. The House Oversight Committee summoned Ricchetti for a closed-door deposition recently. Ricchetti worked for President Clinton, was Biden's top aide when he was Vice President and served as a key advisor in the Biden White House. He frequently visited Capitol Hill as President Biden and Congressional Republicans negotiated a debt ceiling pact in the spring of 2023. "What's your message to the committee today?" yours truly asked Ricchetti when he materialized on the third floor of the Rayburn House Office Building for a voluntary, transcribed interrogation. "I'm not going to say anything on the way in. I'm just going to go in and give an interview," replied Ricchetti. "Was the President up for the job?" I inquired. "Of course he was," answered Ricchetti. "Of course he was." In a statement, Ricchetti conceded that former President Biden "occasionally stumbled." But he argued the former president was fit for the job. Ricchetti added that no one "usurped President Biden's Constitutional duties." In their inquest, Republicans have specific questions about the former President's use of the autopen and about legal documents bearing Mr. Biden's signature. "Who was signing any of these documents and who was running the White House?" asked Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., on Fox. "That's the biggest, weirdest scandal probably in American history since Woodrow Wilson's wife was running the White House." That refers to First Lady Edith Wilson. Historians generally believe that she took over day-to-day executive functions after President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke. "Anything that had the force of (law) that was signed by autopen should be null and void," argued Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, on Fox Business. Unlike Ricchetti, three other Biden figures have ducked questions when summoned for closed-door interviews. The Oversight Committee issued subpoenas for former Biden administration aide Annie Tomasini, former Jill Biden aide Anthony Bernal and the President's former physician, White House doctor Kevin O'Connor. All three invoked the Fifth Amendment during their sessions before the House Oversight Committee, declining to answer questions. "I think the real witness is the doctor. And unfortunately, he took the Fifth," said Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan. Marshall himself is an OB-GYN. "A doctor certainly has an obligation ethically to protect (a patient) for privacy. But the needs of the country – the national security issue, legal issues – trump that relationship as well," said Marshall. Democrats contend Republicans are flailing in their probe of the former President. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., believes the GOP should focus on the economy and affordability issues. "Message to House Republicans," declared Welch. "You won the election. I mean, I'm not quite sure why they want to waste time on this." "He's not the president," said Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., of former President Biden. "I think we really should just move (on)." Fetterman himself faced questions about his health after suffering a stroke during his 2022 campaign and hospitalization for depression after taking office as a senator in 2023. But Republicans contend the Biden investigation is critical. Former President Biden's medical state isn't clear, although the public saw his performance in the debate last June. Republicans insist their probe is about figuring out what to do if a future President struggles cognitively. "What we're doing today is setting sort of a template for the future," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "How can we make it better? Because it's a Democratic President today. It may be a Republican President tomorrow." It's not just a challenge for the presidency. But for lawmakers, too. In recent years, Capitol Hill has witnessed uncomfortable, steady declines of late Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., Thad Cochran, R-Miss., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. Kay Granger, R-Tex. "Hopefully all of us make the right decision when it's appropriate," said Welch. "And we have people around us to do the right thing." Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., is one of the most conservative, politically pragmatic Democrats in the House. She represents a district President Trump carried three times. And even though Sens. Patty Muray, D-Wash., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., routinely win statewide, they fail to carry Gluesenkamp Perez's district. Gluesenkamp Perez bested GOP nominee Joe Kent - for a second time – by four points in 2024. The 36-year-old Gluesenkamp Perez introduced a plan requiring cognitive standards for persons to serve in the House. The House Appropriations Committee rejected her amendment late last month. However, there are Constitutional and legal problems with imposing a cognitive exam on prospective lawmakers. Article, I, Section 5 of the Constitution says the House and Senate "may determine the Rules of its Proceedings." So, it's possible the House or Senate could impose a "rule" dictating a test. The same part of the Constitution says each body may judge "the qualifications of its own Members." But imposing an additional provision for eligibility to serve could be extra-constitutional. For instance, Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution says House Members must be at least 25-years-old, have been a citizen for seven years and reside in the state from which they were elected. A senator must be 30, a citizen for nine years and live in the state they represent. However, heaping another mandate on top of that is a problem. This is why the Supreme Court found term limits to be unconstitutional. An additional "rule" – such as how long one can serve – introduces an extra qualification not outlined in the Constitution. That's why the Supreme Court ruled against term limits proposals. It's likely the High Court would follow suit with additional stipulations to serve in Congress. Moreover, installing an acuity credential holds the potential to undo the will of the voters. Late Rep. Adam Clayton Powell, D-N.Y., faced ethics issues in the late 1960s. Voters re-elected Powell in 1966. But the House refused to seat him. Powell sued. In Powell v. McCormick, the Supreme Court found that the House didn't have the right to exclude Powell. The High Court argued that the House's refusal to seat Powell wasn't Constitutional since it placed additional conditions on his service in Congress. There's no easy solution on how to handle an impaired President or lawmaker. It is often said Congress simply reflects the rest of the country. There are cognitively-diminished persons serving in every walk of life in the U.S. And that's a reality for those in government, too.
Business Insider
12 hours ago
- Business Insider
Barclays Keeps Their Hold Rating on Lincoln National (LNC)
Barclays analyst Alex Scott maintained a Hold rating on Lincoln National on July 31 and set a price target of $42.00. The company's shares closed yesterday at $36.87. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Scott covers the Financial sector, focusing on stocks such as Allstate, Aon, and Hartford Financial. According to TipRanks, Scott has an average return of 6.6% and a 56.18% success rate on recommended stocks. In addition to Barclays, Lincoln National also received a Hold from TR | OpenAI – 4o's Jory Endura in a report issued on July 31. However, yesterday, TR | OpenAI – 4o upgraded Lincoln National (NYSE: LNC) to a Buy. The company has a one-year high of $39.85 and a one-year low of $27.58. Currently, Lincoln National has an average volume of 1.92M. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 27 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of LNC in relation to earlier this year. Most recently, in May 2025, Brian Kroll, the EVP, Head of Life & Annuities of LNC sold 10,075.00 shares for a total of $333,482.50.
Associated Press
18 hours ago
- Associated Press
Law school grad has medical emergency and collapses during bar exam in New York
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) — A law school graduate collapsed while taking the bar exam in a New York City suburb this week, prompting an emergency response as other aspiring lawyers worked on their exams. But some Reddit users claiming they were among the test-takers Wednesday say they're upset the exam wasn't halted outright. Hofstra University spokesperson Terry Coniglio said Friday that the test-taker collapsed shortly before a scheduled lunch break at the Long Island campus. Hofstra Public Safety officers immediately provided life saving emergency care, including CPR and defibrillation, until paramedics arrived and transported them to a local hospital, she said. The New York State Board of Law Examiners, which administers the exam, said the medical emergency occurred 'only a few minutes' before the end of the exam's morning session and staff promptly contacted emergency responders. 'The exam concluded as our staff was obtaining medical aid for the candidate,' the Friday statement said. 'As soon as the exam ended the proctors collected the exams and the candidates were dismissed from the room so that EMTs could provide the needed medical care to the candidate.' The university and the state board wished the law candidate, who has not been named, a speedy recovery. The board said it is also continuing to review what happened, including which candidates may have been impacted, and 'will formulate an appropriate response in due course.'
