The air was tense at a crowded pre-submission community meeting Thursday in western Howard County, where attendees discussed the impact and future of a go-kart track built on private property that has residents going in circles.

Howard County resident Charles Siperko built the half-mile long track for his son on a portion of his home’s 11-acre property at 6717 Mink Hollow Road in the rural suburb of Highland. His son has dreams of becoming a race car driver and participates in the sport of go-kart driving like other children participate in swimming, soccer, or baseball.

Siperko neglected, however, to obtain the required permits from Howard County and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) to build the track. His neighbors are putting up a fight, and many want it removed. The family has retained prominent land attorney Sang Oh to help navigate the process of saving the track.

The family filed a conditional use application for the racetrack retroactively, asking the county to consider the track an “athletic facility,” though go-kart tracks don’t currently fall into that category legally. They’re also promising not to use the track until the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) issues a decision.

The meeting was informational in nature only, as decisions on next steps can only be made at the DPZ level. Residents who aren’t demanding the track’s removal want mitigations for noise and visual impacts and potential repercussions on the neighborhood’s wetlands. Some even went so far as to ask if he was planning to build a helipad on the property, as Siperko owns a helicopter and used it to bring his son to school. Siperko denied any plans for building a helipad on his property.

Siperko, in the application, offered to limit the hours of use to six days per week and only the afternoon/early evening hours. They pledge the racetrack will be kept private, will not be used for parties, and will be limited in use to the father, son, and coaches. They will also move part of the track to comply with the 100-foot buffer between properties required by the county. The family also promises no lighting will be added (ensuring no nighttime use) and to limit the use to electric motors only.

Residents claimed the engine is not the source of the noise they heard on the one day the family used the track, but the tires. One resident expressed concern about the microplastics shed by the tires on the surrounding wetlands, and others agreed.

While the Maryland Department of the Environment has jurisdiction over wetlands, Oh said the family’s application with MDE is on hold right now because it does not want to rule on a case in which DPZ may decide the track needs to be removed entirely. Oh expects a hearing with the DPZ to take place in the late February/early March timeframe.

This is the second such meeting because Siperko and his family were in Italy for a race in which their son was participating when the first pre-submission community meeting was held. The second meeting was scheduled so that Siperko could be there to hear from his neighbors and participate in the discussion.

The controversy has even attracted the attention of documentary filmmaker Scott Evans. Evans grew up in Howard County, and is doing preliminary work on a potential documentary about this dispute between neighbors.

“I grew up in Howard County and actively participated in both sports and environmentalism,” Evans told Fishbowl in a message. “After reading articles about the track on Mink Hollow Rd, I felt like there’s an interesting debate unfolding here on land rights, environmental impact, and creating safe spaces where kids can explore their sports interests. I want to hear all sides of this and plan to reach out to the community and interview anyone that wants to share their side of the story.” 

Nearly all who spoke at the meeting argued against the track, though degrees of animosity toward it varied. Some went so far as to insult Siperko’s parenting directly. Most, though, focused on the impact of the racetrack on their quality of life, property value, and the environment.

“It’s so frustrating,” said JoJo Lerner, a resident who also lives on Mink Hollow Road. “He said he Googled, and he didn’t see that he needed a permit for this. But it wasn’t just that. He didn’t talk to any of his neighbors. He didn’t tell anyone…. It definitely lowers the value of everyone’s property around it, because who wants to live right next to this go-kart thing?”

Colin Porter, another Highland resident, would like to see the county and/or state invest in a go-kart track like the one Siperko built so that other kids could have access to learning the sport. “These motor sports are certainly underserved,” he said. “We haven’t had a racetrack in this area since they closed Beltsville Speedway.”

Neither Siperko nor Oh would comment for Fishbowl’s article, citing the case being ongoing.

The Harbor Harvest Children’s Fall Festival will return for its 17th year on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rash Field Park. Families are invited to enjoy pumpkins, pony rides, and a petting zoo while dressed in their favorite Halloween costumes for a day filled with fall festivities.

Children can explore a pumpkin patch; dive into hay piles; and, for a small fee, enjoy pony rides, petting zoo animals, a trackless train, and carnival rides. There will be a pie-baking contest, and participants will compete for both the People’s Choice Award and the Judge’s Choice Award.

Enjoy the costume contest, where participants can win ribbons and prizes, and get some great exercise with a fun climb at Rash Field’s Adventure Park or enjoy the scenes at the BGE Nature Park!

Local food vendors will be on-site for the event.

Admission to the festival is free, and select activities like pumpkins, pumpkin decorating, fall crafts, and more are included at no cost.

With the purchase of a Harbor Harvest Children’s Pass, attendees can enjoy additional activities, such as mechanical rides, pony rides, a trackless train, and other attractions. The Children’s Pass is available in advance for $12 or at the event for $15.

For those interested in specific activities, individual tickets can be purchased on the day of the event for $3 each. Participation in the pie baking contest is free, with advance registration available on Eventbrite. For the costume contest, sign-ups will take place on the day of the event.

Rash Field Park is located at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD 21230.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit this link.

In the event of inclement weather, all proceeds will go towards children’s programming at Rash Field Park. All Children’s Pass items (pumpkin, pumpkin decorating, and fall craft) will be available to pick up at a determined date.

CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield this week opened its approximately 20,000-square-foot West Baltimore workspace at The Village at Mondawmin.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, officials marked CareFirst’s dedication to community-centered healthcare and economic empowerment. The new workspace represents CareFirst’s commitment to West Baltimore, serving as a community hub for health and wellness resources, workforce development programs, and support services for residents.

“Completing this project marks a significant moment in our mission at CareFirst as we continue to invest with the communities we serve,” said Brian D. Pieninck, CareFirst’s president and CEO. “In partnership with leaders from Coppin State University, Center for Urban Families, and Whiting-Turner, who share our strong belief in West Baltimore’s future, we understand success comes through being led by the community. The center’s vision is built around community voices, community talents, and community dreams.”

CareFirst’s novel workforce development initiative launched in 2023 in partnership with Coppin State University and the Center for Urban Families. The program’s focus is to create economic growth and opportunities for West Baltimore residents living in the 21215, 21216, and 21217 zip codes.

The initiative recruits and trains residents for jobs in the healthcare industry, from customer service to community health advocacy and beyond. Choosing The Village at Mondawmin as the location for the workspace helps address common barriers to employment, like transportation and childcare.

The community hub and resource center give residents access to free fitness and health education classes, in addition to help from CareFirst team members on billing, claims, benefits, and more. This in-person support helps current and new members and addresses the neighborhood’s health equity needs. Additionally, the resource center offers programs ranging from home-buying courses to legal education.

“We are proud to see our vision for The Village at Mondawmin come to fruition with CareFirst as a vital partner in this important project,” said Tim Regan, co-owner of The Village at Mondawmin and CEO of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company. “We are working hard with our community partners to revitalize West Baltimore and enhance the quality of life. By attracting meaningful tenants, a dynamic community hub that addresses critical needs and unlocks opportunities for growth is being built. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with CareFirst and community leaders to ensure this space serves as a catalyst for positive change.”

“Our collective aim is to build safer, vibrant communities across Baltimore,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “The commitment and involvement of CareFirst in West Baltimore is a shining example of the transformative change that can be generated when community organizations and leaders unite. When we harness our collective strength, we can effect meaningful change that benefits our region and its residents.”

“Baltimore will lead Maryland into a new decade and partnerships that contribute to our shared progress are crucial to that mission,” said Gov. Wes Moore. “I want to commend CareFirst, Coppin State University, and the Center for Urban Families for their innovative workforce development program, along with all the organizations in The Village at Mondawmin. Today, we are not only celebrating the continued success of the workforce development program and the new CareFirst workspace; we also recognize the potential, resilience, and power within a revitalized, healthier, and thriving West Baltimore.”

CareFirst members and non-members are encouraged to check out programming as it is shared at CareFirst or Eventbrite. Initial grand opening events include a Medicaid Made Simple Class on Oct. 28 and a Holistic Childbirth Class on Nov. 2.

Work began in recent weeks on the infrastructure for 247 townhomes by Ryan Homes at the One Westport development in the Westport neighborhood of South Baltimore. The townhomes are phase one of a development by Stonewall Capital on a 43-acre waterfront parcel on the Middle Branch.

Stonewall Captial sold the 11.2-acre Parcel B of the development to H&H Rock, a land developer working to create townhome pad sites for Ryan Homes. Ray Jackson of Stonewall Capital said he expects vertical construction to begin on the townhomes in the first quarter of 2025 with the completed homes being delivered in the spring or summer.

Read more at SouthBmore.

The Great Halloween Lantern Parade, a cherished tradition held yearly in Patterson Park, is celebrating its 25th anniversary in part with a new 15-foot-tall float. 

Maggie the Monstersaurus is a giant paper and reed construction that commemorates Margaret Footner, a co-founder of Creative Alliance, the non-profit organization that hosts the beloved event. 

“We’re all here together and we’re all just celebrating each other,” said Rachel Rush, educational director at Creative Alliance and director of the parade. “Each other’s culture, each other’s interests, each other’s artistic talent. To see such a mixture all together, seeing people just cheer each other on, it’s really lovely.” 

The event kicks off on Saturday, Oct. 26, with a festival from 4 to 7 p.m. that will feature food trucks, art vendors, information tents, musical and dance performances, and a costume contest. 

During the festival, participants are encouraged to create their own lantern with provided resources or use one from previous years. Throughout the course of the fall, Creative Alliance hosts free lantern making workshops for residents who want to prepare a lantern prior to the special day. 

New selfie frames highlighting some of the most popular past floats will also be available this year.

The parade sets off at 7 p.m. with participants marching nearly a mile through and around Patterson Park alongside marching bands, dance troupes, musicians, and cultural groups. 

“When you come and experience it, it really is a joyful community experience,” Rush said. “After people come, they’re like, ‘I’m not gonna miss it again, I’m gonna make sure I come every single year!’” 

The Creative Alliance’s mission is to bring people together and serve our community, and “nothing does that better than the Lantern Parade,” she said. 

Katie Long, program director of Friends of Patterson Park, has been involved with the parade for 15 years. She says the event captures people’s imaginations and is a real community lift. 

“There’s lantern workshops all over town, there’s people taking stilt walking classes to be able to stilt in the parade,” Long said. “We start planning it the day after the parade ends, so all year we’re kind of recruiting people to be parade marshals, or float carriers, or maybe to walk or march in the parade…it’s very much embedded in the community.” 

Edwin Perez, a high school Spanish teacher, explained that the event is crucial to the Baltimore community. He has volunteered with the costume contest and recruitment for the past 10 years. 

“There’s this idea of using art to unify, to express yourself in a way that is open to all…it really is a family friendly event, and it allows you to be creative,” Perez said. “The concepts of wearing a mask, or dressing up, or using light as a decorative tool is something that’s universal and found in many cultures.”   

Acknowledging that 25 years is a huge milestone, Perez said he is hopeful that the event will continue for many more years to come. 

“It’s happening in a community that’s open to all, that really welcomes anybody from all backgrounds and all abilities…the fun factor is also there–it’s a joyful event,” Perez said. “For this one moment in the evening, you can really have fun with neighbors, with strangers, and have a really good atmosphere in one of the best parks in the city.” 

To learn more about Creative Alliance and Patterson Park visit, creativealliance.org and bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/parks/patterson-park. 

A new bar and lounge called Vessel opened on the third floor of the ROOST Baltimore hotel and apartment building in Baltimore Peninsula. Vessel is a new concept from Method Co., the parent company of ROOST Baltimore.

The opening of Vessel follows coffee shop Little Wing, another Method Co. concept, which opened in the building in July.

Read more at SouthBmore.

Who says the entertainment of terror must be limited to October? Not the “Insidious” films; they are here for your horror needs year-round and even on stage at The Lyric Baltimore on March 13, 2025.

That’s right, the world of “Insidious” jumps off the screen and into the theater with “INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR” — a live, immersive horror experience based on the box office hit horror film franchise from Blumhouse, director James Wan, and writer Leigh Whannell. The show will haunt 80+ seated theaters across North America in 2025.

Blumhouse, GEO Live, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and RoadCo Entertainment promise “INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR” will be “a heart-pounding live theatrical experience where the lines between reality and fiction blur, constantly challenging what’s real and what’s imagined, what’s safe and what’s dangerous.” No fourth wall keeping or protecting audience members from the terror. Be prepared to go face-to-face with the protagonists. The audience will be an integral character in the plot as it unravels.

“We have brought some of the most respected names in the horror and entertainment industries together to make this groundbreaking show possible and ensure a hauntingly unforgettable experience for audiences everywhere,” said Floris Douwes from GEA Live.

“We’re excited to bring the eerie and otherworldly thrills of ‘Insidious’ to cities around the country,” said Toby Park, co-director. Park is also composing the original music for the show, and he and co-director Aitor Basauri serve as creative directors for “INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR.”

“Bringing audiences deeper into The Further with this live experience has been an exciting challenge, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how they respond,” said Jason Blum, founder and CEO of Blumhouse. “Insidious is one of our most popular franchises, with a sixth installment premiering next year, and this is a fresh and frightening new way for fans to experience it.”

“INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR” is a brand-new story conceived within the “Insidious” universe. The “real” Specs and Tucker (the paranormal investigators who inspired the first movie) try desperately to prove they are legitimate ghost-hunters. Things go ghastly (or ghostly?) wrong when a paranormal demonstration goes awry, and dark forces are unleashed. Trapped in this haunted theater, with something sinister lurking backstage, the audience will be under attack from iconic characters like the Bride in Black, the Wheezing Man and, of course, the terrifying Lipstick Faced Demon. Audience members will be questioning what is real, what is the show, and who really IS that person they’re sitting next to?

While the “Insidious” franchise has a growing fanbase and active community of five million social media followers, the show is also created for those who don’t know the films and especially for those who simply love a fun, thrill-filled night out at the theater.

Tickets for “INSIDIOUS: THE FURTHER YOU FEAR” go on sale Friday, Oct. 25 at 10 a.m. at The Lyric Baltimore, Etix website, or in person at The Lyric Box Office.

The Lyric Baltimore is located at 140 West Mount Royal Avenue, Baltimore, MD.

Join the fun November 8-10, 2024, when the Maryland Irish Festival returns to the Timonium Fairgrounds to celebrate 50 years! Rock out to contemporary Irish music or tap your toes to traditional tunes while watching an authentic Irish dance troupe take the stage. Enjoy delicious Irish food & drink, (yes we have colcannon, Irish Stew, Guinness & Tullamore Dew), soak in the cultural exhibits, browse beautiful gifts from dozens of regional vendors, and check out the children’s activities area, too.

• Friday Night Happy Hour 6-8pm with $5 Beer and live music from Kilmaine Saints
• Saturday Night Irish Ceili at 7:45pm led by Eammon De Cogian (Audience Participation Social Dance)
• Sunday Mass at 10:30am led by Fr. Collin Poston and Fr. Leo Patalinghug
• Saturday and Sunday Whiskey Tastings

Live music includes Kilmaine Saints, Albannach, Piper Jones Band, Syr, Dublin 5, The ShamRogues, Brendan’s Voyage, Poehemia, Diddley Idols, and more!

Proceeds benefit the Irish Charities of Maryland. Kids and Active Military get in FREE. For details, event schedule, and tickets visit www.irishfestival.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

It was all hands on deck at Maryland Public Television studios on a sunny Saturday afternoon in October, with staff and volunteers ready to handle the flow of hundreds of guests bringing their treasured artifacts for appraisal for the taping of the 12th season of MPT’s “Chesapeake Collectibles.”

After all, it’s not every day one sees armor from the 17^th century, or telegrams signed and sent by President Theodore Roosevelt.

“Chesapeake Collectibles” is an MPT program similar to “Antiques Roadshow” but for Marylanders. The guests and appraisers are Maryland-based, and many of the items are either Maryland-themed or of Maryland origin. The tapings take place over a two-day period, so over the course of the weekend the “Chesapeake Collectibles” team expected to see around 450 guests come through with around 1,500 items for appraisal. Each ticket holder was permitted to bring one guest, and each person could bring three items for appraisal.

While each item likely holds incalculable sentimental value for its owner, very few people learn their possessions hold life-changing monetary value. Patrick Keegan, executive producer for MPT and “Chesapeake Collectibles,” determines which people and pieces get filmed and ultimately which make it into an episode of the show. Keegan told Baltimore Fishbowl that over the course of the weekend, appraisers saw two items that were each worth in the vicinity of $250,000.

“They are both remarkable items of historical interest,” wrote Tom Williams, MPT’s senior managing director of communications. Naturally, they would not reveal what the items were — we will have to watch the series to find out.

When a guest arrives, they check in with an appraiser who takes a quick look at their item to determine into which category their items fall, like jewelry; pottery, porcelain, and glass; toys and amusements; generalist; drawings and paintings; furniture and decorative arts; rugs; books and manuscripts; memorabilia and ephemera; and more. The guest receives a ticket for that category, then sits in a waiting area until it’s time for the next group to enter the appraisal area.

The appraisal area is where the magic happens. Tables line the perimeter of the room with appraisers sitting in front of large banners announcing their categories of expertise. Guests find their tables, and (usually) must wait in line to learn about the item(s) they’ve brought in.

Marilyn brought her grandmother’s engagement ring to get assessed, but this was not her first time attending a “Chesapeake Collectibles” event. She’d come at least once before pre-COVID, before MPT had renovated their Owings Mills studios to be large enough to accommodate the show’s tapings. They’d held the tapings at Turf Valley before renovations.

John brought the aforementioned telegrams from President Theodore Roosevelt. His great-grandfather was head of the telegram office in St. Thomas, and Roosevelt sent the telegrams in 1906. There were some of personal nature and others that were on matters of official government business.

Other items of note included the upper portion of a suit of armor Keegan surmised was from the 17^th century, likely from the English Civil Wars. The Royalists loyal to King Charles I were known as the Cavaliers, and the Parliamentarians loyal to the Westminster Parliament were known as the Roundheads. They fought in the first major battle on English soil in October 1642. This piece of armor appears to have belonged to a member of the Roundheads.

Another gentleman brought in Tom Clancy memorabilia, but the items were not the only things of interest to Keegan.

“The people who own the items we see are often just as interesting as the items themselves,” Keegan wrote in an email to Fishbowl. “One such example was a collection of correspondence, first editions, and movie memorabilia related to Baltimore native, Tom Clancy.”

Keegan continued, “Clancy’s novels are acclaimed for their technical accuracy, and among Clancy’s technical advisors was Craig, a physician from Calvert County in southern Maryland. Craig discussed his collection of Clancy memorabilia with Chesapeake Collectibles’ books and manuscripts appraiser, Allan Stypeck, who coincidentally handled Tom Clancy’s estate following his death in 2013.”

Around 5% of the items get filmed for segments, though not all segments filmed make the final cut of episodes for the season. And as on “Antiques Roadshow,” when a person and their item is chosen for filming, they aren’t told what the value of their possession is until the filming itself. Their reactions that television audiences see in the episodes are completely real and genuine. They are watching the people on the show truly learn about the value for the first time.

After a guest has received their appraisal, whether they were filmed or not, they are invited to answer questions on camera about their experience. This takes place in the Testimonial Studio in Studio B, which is in the original part of MPT studios. Guests are asked about their experience from start to finish about the show, and they have the chance to talk about what they enjoyed or didn’t enjoy about the process.

“Studio B mostly is used as our on-air fundraising or pledge set,” said Ethan Staple, assistant producer at MPT. “So, four times a year, we have our on-air fundraising drives, where we raise money for the station. On the right is our phones and our computers, where our volunteers sit, and then we have the actual pledge set, where our talent stands.”

Studio B is also where they film “MPT and Your Community” and “MPT Arts Minute.” They also bring in people for interviews. They had a project called “The Maryland Oral History Project” where famous Marylanders were interviewed, sometimes by other famous Marylanders. Staple is especially proud of getting former Senator Barbara Mikulski to be interviewed for the project in 2023.

Incidentally, these are all areas visitors can see on tours offered by MPT for individuals and groups. Studio B, the sets, control rooms, and more are available free of charge with proper advanced notice and arrangement, though donations are appreciated. On MPT’s website, click on “Community” and find the “Station Tours” section for more information.

As for Chesapeake Collectibles, Patrick Keegan and his team have their work cut out for them. They must now cull approximately 80 segments they filmed down to around 40, and from that, piece the remaining together into 13 fluid episodes that make it onto our TVs and streaming devices for audiences to enjoy.

While taping for Season 12 of Chesapeake Collectibles is over, there is always next year! Keep current on news of when Season 12 will premiere, and when taping will take place for Season 13 on MPT’s Chesapeake Collectibles page by clicking this link.

Pride of Baltimore II will host a festival celebrating the lives of sailors and the art of tattooing on Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fells Point Broadway Pier.

Sailabration: Sailing Traditions in Ink explores and explains the connection between sailing on the high seas and tattoos. This inaugural event is free and family-friendly.

“Learn about sailors and life at sea as the festival highlights the history and art of tattooing, presented by the Baltimore Tattoo Museum or experience ‘hand poke tattooing’ with a live demonstration aboard the ship,” reads the press release. March along to performances by the Fort McHenry Fife and Drum Corps, and enjoy The Marching Elite and Ship’s Company Chanteymen, who will provide nautical music from the 1700s and 1800s.

Drink grog, sample “hardtack,” and partake of other activities that will give you a taste of what life on the high seas was like in the 18^th and 19^th centuries.

The Pride of Baltimore II is a historically evocative reproduction of one of the most famous War of 1812 privateers, Chasseur. A privateer is a private ship or vessel that is engaged in maritime warfare, commissioned by a government. Pride of Baltimore II (and Pride of Baltimore I before her) has provided more than four decades of education and fostered economic development and tourism in Maryland.

The Fells Point Broadway Pier is located at 920 S. Broadway, Baltimore, MD. For more information about this Sailabration event, click this link.

Bon Secours Community Works will dedicate their Community Resource Center to the late U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings.

In celebration, they’re hosting an event Thursday at 3 p.m. open to the community, featuring music, dance performances, refreshment, and family-friendly activities.

Cummings served as the congressman from Maryland’s 7^th Congressional District from 1996 until his passing in 2019. His family members will attend with George Kleb, executive director of Bon Secours Community Works, as the Anchor Group unveils a commissioned sculpture that honors his legacy and commitment to the residents of West Baltimore. Sculptor Frederick Hightower will also be in attendance.

The Community Resource Center opened to the public in West Baltimore in 2022. It was specifically designed by and for residents of West Baltimore, focusing on youth services, workforce development, and economic development for the neighborhood. The center also offers a variety of walk-in and scheduled programming for youth and adults.

In addition to the performances, refreshments, and activities, guests will be able to tour the Community Resource Center following the dedication program. They can learn about available programs and services, connect with one of Bon Secours’ partner organizations, and enjoy the local arts and culture with neighborhood friends.

There will also be an open call for small, meaningful West Baltimore-related items to be placed in a time capsule at the Community Resource Center, which will be sealed in January 2025.

The Bon Secours Community Resource Center is located at 31 S. Payson St., Baltimore, MD.

BY: MARISSA YELENIK

Capital News Service

ANNAPOLIS – Top state officials have approved a $3.4 million bond to revamp affordable housing in Columbia while maintaining their commitment to sustainability and clean energy.

The project targets Maryland citizens in Columbia who make between 30% and 60% of the area’s median income, with a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units in the apartment complex, said Gov. Wes Moore.

“This is really revolutionary work that’s already showing significant impacts for a lot of families,” Moore said. “We are working this, united, to address an issue that we know is a very real issue for a lot of families and a lot of communities all throughout the state.”

The project will demolish the existing 62-unit housing in Waverly Winds, replacing it with a new 68-unit apartment complex for rent, according to Board of Public Works documents. The board gave its approval at its meeting on Wednesday.

The community, located in Howard County, serves to provide affordable housing to underserved communities that have fewer housing opportunities. 

As of 2018, Howard County had the highest cost of living index, as well as the second-highest median sale price of a home, according to the Maryland Department of Commerce. State officials are working to combat these high numbers with expanded access to and support for affordable housing.

“[It is] based totally on considerations of merit and need, and they are being distributed equally across communities all across the state,” said Moore. “It’s a very targeted program about the families that we’re hoping to build for and that we’re hoping to serve. And it’s going to do a great deal to be able to address the affordability challenges that we know a lot of families continue to face.”

Maryland has spent over $132 million in state bonds to expand access to affordable housing in the state, said Moore, creating almost 4,000 units of affordable housing since his inauguration as governor in January 2023. 

Moore has worked to improve affordable housing in Maryland in response to the 96,000 unit housing shortage in the state. He has signed multiple bills into law that worked to reduce the instability of prices, increase the affordability of units and improve renters rights.

State funding for the Waverly Winds project makes up one of 13 funding sources, amounting to $31.4 million in total, according to Board of Public Works documents. 

The project intends to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the new apartment building, as well as save energy and promote water conservation. It will use energy-efficient materials, stay in compliance with energy guidelines, restrict the use of certain chemicals and install solar panels to be used in addition to common area electricity.

“It includes a number of sustainability measures that would align with the state’s commitment for reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said Moore, “Continuing to show that … we do have an ability to be aggressive when it comes to adding additional housing options, and that does not mean compromising a larger idea that the state needs to move forward and make sure that you have a cleaner and greater state as well.”

Parking at the Maryland Zoo has historically been, well, a zoo. Until now, that is! The Zoo has completely overhauled its parking lot to provide what they’re calling a “superior experience” for guests, whether people drive, bike, or walk to see their favorite creatures and critters.

The new lot includes a variety of improvements, like a state-of-the-art system to filter and store rainwater in underground tanks, taking pressure off the Jones Falls during major storms. There are new signs directing and educating visitors about the Zoo’s conservation programs. The new elevated crosswalk improves pedestrian safety between the parking lot and the main entrance to the Zoo.

The concrete paving material used on the new parking lot is lighter in color, reducing the ambient temperature in the summer by as much as 10-15 degrees compared to asphalt on hot days. The downward-facing smart lighting decreases light pollution and electricity usage by dimming automatically when no one is around.

For Baltimore’s thriving bike community, there is new, covered bike parking with equipment to inflate tires and do minor repairs. The large number of newly-planted native trees have permeable paving and special aeration matting, protecting existing trees and promoting future growth.

“The previous parking lot surface had become too difficult to navigate and we wanted to have better water runoff controls,” said Kirby Fowler, Maryland Zoo President & CEO. “Our guests and visitors to Druid Hill Park let us know we needed to provide something better, and the new lot does just that.”

The new lot will reduce energy and water consumption and incorporate green practices into all facets of the Zoo’s management and operations, fulfilling part of their Sustainability Plan.

The brick pavers that covered the old parking lot were considered cutting-edge at the time they were installed in the 1970s. Their intended ability to allow rainwater to seep into the ground, though, deteriorated over the years, creating problems with rainwater runoff rather than solutions. The damage from potholes and ruts further made navigation difficult for anyone with a wheelchair, stroller, or even simply walking.

“The lot isn’t just better for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, the downward facing lighting makes it better for migrating birds, and the rainwater collection system makes it better for the environment,” Fowler said.

While Baltimore’s harbor remains swimmable, the waterway’s health continues to be impacted by sewage overflows, stormwater runoff, and trash pollution, according to the Waterfront Partnership’s annual Harbor Heartbeat report card released on Thursday.

For the first year, the report assigned recreational and ecological health grades for sites around the harbor.

The harbor earned an overall C grade for ecological health, which Waterfront Partnership vice president Adam Lindquist said is a signifier of both the diligent improvements to the harbor’s health in recent years as well as the hard work that still needs to be done.

“Baltimore Harbor is a recovering ecosystem, but it doesn’t have the resilience you would like it to have,” said Lindquist, who oversees the Waterfront Partnership’s Healthy Harbor Initiative. “So when we have an algae bloom or low dissolved oxygen event like we did this past September, wildlife can still become stressed to the breaking point. But as we continue to improve our water quality, we will improve the resilience so that these kind of events have smaller and smaller impacts on wildlife in the harbor.”

In September, Baltimore’s harbor experienced a fish kill due to pistachio tides, the result of sulfur bacteria being pushed to the surface and causing smelly green algal blooms; and mahogany tides, from nitrogen and phosphorus runoff causing brown algal blooms.

Ecological health grades were fairly consistent across water testing sites, with scores ranging from C- to C.

Grades for recreational health, which measured the percentage of water samples that tested below Maryland’s threshold for safe water contact for recreation purposes, varied more widely. Fort McHenry, the Mainstem Patapsco River, and Masonville Cove each earned an A+ for recreational health. Meanwhile, sites at Ferry Bar Park and the Patapsco River Mouth received F grades.

The Waterfront Partnership last year announced that Baltimore’s harbor was finally healthy enough for swimming, more than a decade after the partnership launched its Healthy Harbor Initiative with the goal of making the harbor fishable and swimmable. (There are some conditions to that swimmability: swimmers should wait at least 48 hours after rainfall due to stormwater runoff; the water should be deep enough that polluted sediments will not be stirred up from where they’ve settled on the harbor’s floor; and swimming should only take place during designated events with proper supervision to avoid injury from boat traffic and other dangers.)

In June 2024, Baltimore held the Harbor Splash, the city’s first public swim event in the harbor in more than 40 years. At that event, 150 people jumped into the Inner Harbor in timed slots with groups of 25 people to celebrate the swimmability milestone. (The Inner Harbor earned a B- grade for recreational health in this year’s report.)

The Harbor Splash “sold out” within 10 minutes of registration going live, and the event had a waitlist of more than 1,000 people, according to the Waterfront Partnership.

After the inaugural event garnered such enthusiasm, the Waterfront Partnership is not only bringing back Harbor Splash next year, but it is also planning other events, including a half-mile swim across the harbor and stand-up paddleboard races.

Days after this summer’s Harbor Splash, ultra-distance swimmer Katie Pumphrey completed a 24-mile swim from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Harbor in about 14 hours. Pumphrey plans to repeat that swim next year.

When floated the ideas of a Baltimore Triathlon or a winter plunge, Lindquist said the possibilities are certainly open.

“I would love that,” he said. “I think that that’s one of the things we’re hoping to see as we demonstrate that you can safely swim in the Baltimore Harbor. We would love to see an event like a triathlon come and incorporate Baltimore Harbor into its route.”

Still, Lindquist acknowledges there remains more work to be done to further improve both the ecological and recreational health of the harbor.

Baltimore’s googly-eyed garbage interceptor Mr. Trash Wheel was launched in 2014, and in that 10 years he has collected 5.2 million pounds of trash from the mouth of the Jones Falls stream at the Inner Harbor.

Among that heap, Mr. Trash Wheel has gathered nearly 2 million plastic bottles. The Waterfront Partnership is advocating that Maryland’s legislature pass a “bottle bill” to reduce litter and pollution from plastic bottles.

“If we pass the beverage container deposit law, we can actually prevent Mr. Trash Wheel from eating his 2 millionth plastic bottle,” Lindquist said.

Additionally, the Waterfront Partnership is calling for Maryland to enact the Extended Producer Responsibility Act, which would hold manufacturers responsible for their products’ impact on the environment.

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works has been working to repair and upgrade parts of the city’s aging sewer infrastructure. That has resulted in an 84% reduction in sewer overflows (more than 240 million gallons of sewage) into the Baltimore harbor over the last four years.

The report also acknowledged the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year, in which six construction workers died.

The extent of the bridge collapse’s environmental impact is not yet known, but it stirred up polluted sediment that could harm wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay.

“The collapse sent a plume of sediment into surrounding waters where it impacted aquatic life, potentially including a nearby oyster sanctuary reef [near Fort Carroll],” the report’s authors write.

The Waterfront Partnership anticipates a survey of the reef’s health within the next 12 months.

The good news: polluted sediment ingested by oysters in that reef will not be consumed by people because it is a no-harvest reef. The bad news: the sediment may have smothered oysters in the reef, potentially setting back restoration efforts.

The Great Baltimore Oyster Partnership supplies 350,000 new oysters to the reef at Fort Carroll annually. To offset any potential damage from the bridge collapse, they plan to increase that amount to 400,000 in 2025.