According to the Institute for Immigration Research (IIR), African immigrants represent 17% of the state’s immigrant population. Often overlooked, this community of about 900,000 people has begun organizing and demanding more political representation. In its research, the IIR found that Maryland has the fourth highest population of African immigrants. California, New York and Texas have higher populations according to migration policy experts.

At a recent fundraiser held in a Bowie mansion, the fusion of African and American cultures was on full display. Afrobeat music filled the air as guests enjoyed a mix of traditional American fare and Nigerian cuisine such as plantains and jollof rice. “I’m blending the two cultures in a pretty and tasty way,” said Chef Michel Odukoya as he garnished the food.

Read more at WYPR.

Maryland’s Public Service Commission will hold a hearing Tuesday, to review lessons learned from Baltimore Gas and Electric’s (BGE) 2021-2023 multi-year rate plan. The hearing is part of the commission’s evaluation process, where feedback will be gathered to assess how well the plan met the goals set by the PSC.

In a multi-year plan (MYP), a utility asks regulators for approval to raise rates gradually over several years, instead of implementing a large, one-time increase. BGE filed its first multi-year rate plan under a pilot program in 2020. The plan launched in 2021, after receiving approval from the PSC in December 2020. The utility claims that gradual rate increases provide financial stability, enabling it to invest in critical infrastructure.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Baltimore’s City Council is no longer considering a land bank authority, as lead sponsor Councilwoman Odette Ramos withdrew her bill on Monday evening.

The measure aimed to create a quasi-governmental agency to tackle blight. It faced opposition from those who argued it would duplicate efforts and drain resources from the city’s housing department.

“I look forward to addressing this issue with the right tools,” Ramos said. “We have some work to do.”

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Beyond Baltimore City’s charm and architectural history lies a persistent issue: a high number of vacant buildings. According to the city’s housing dashboard, there are currently 13,194 vacant properties — the lowest number to date, according to city officials. Of these, 882 are city-owned.

Earlier this year, the city’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) launched its fixed pricing program. It allows residents and community land trusts to snag city-owned vacant properties for $1. While the program, which began in April, is also open to nonprofits and developers, they must pay between $1,000 and $3,000 for the properties.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

The Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) is preparing for a record number of energy assistance applications this year. OHEP expects to assist 270,000 households. Last year, OHEP received 243,252 applications.

State Secretary of Human Services, Rafael Lopez, explained that the increase in applications is due to both rising energy costs and an expanded income limit, which now allows more households to qualify for help. He also noted improvements in the application process to make it easier for families, including automatic enrollment and modernizing technology to reduce paperwork.

Read more at WYPR.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 80% of all maternal deaths are preventable. In Maryland, Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than their white counterparts.

To address this crisis, philanthropists and health officials are coming together to launch the Birth Equity Collaborative.

“We’ve funded a lot of programs,” said Elizabeth Kromm, director of Health Promotion, at the Maryland Health Department (MDH). “We’ve started a lot of promising projects, but we still have these disparities that remain, especially for Black women. We need to find out how to eliminate these disparities, and that’s the mission of this group.”

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Baltimore City’s public safety leaders — including officials from the state attorney’s office, the Baltimore Police Department and the mayor’s office — held a news conference on Thursday, announcing the takedown of a drug organization that operated in the Gay Street neighborhood of East Baltimore.

Police say they launched an investigation in the 900 block of North Broadway Street earlier this year, after an uptick in shootings. Using physical and electronic surveillance, investigators said they uncovered guns including two assault rifles, 80 grams of crack cocaine, two pounds of marijuana and $10,000 in cash from the so-called Dickeyland Boys.

When announcing the harm caused by the alleged drug traffickers, authorities credited the group violence reduction strategy (GVRS) for the successful takedown. GVRS targets organized criminal groups involved in violent activities by combining law enforcement efforts with community engagement and support services.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Baltimore city and community leaders are hopeful that the newly renovated building — a former storefront donated by Downtown Locker Room (DTLR) — will become a central hub for nurturing small businesses on Pennsylvania Avenue.

They gathered for a ribbon cutting Tuesday to celebrate the opening of a welcome center at 1829 Pennsylvania Avenue, a venue that was once burned and left as a shell in the aftermath of the Freddie Gray protests, said community organizer, Wanda Best.

Declared a Main Street 20-years-ago, the Pennsylvania Avenue commercial corridor will support the six neighborhoods that make up “old” west Baltimore i.e. Penn-North, Druid Heights, Sandtown-Winchester, Harlem Park, Lafayette Square and Upton.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Baltimore’s Cherry Hill neighborhood — one of the nation’s first planned redlined communities — has faced many challenges since its founding in the 1940s. The area, situated just south of downtown, recently integrated into Purpose Built Communities, a nationwide non-profit. Local leaders are optimistic that it can help improve the neighborhood.

They say two recent events will expedite the community’s transformation plan.

One, is the passing of the ENOUGH Act, a state bill aimed at ending concentrated poverty.

The other is its integration into Purpose Built Communities, which takes a comprehensive approach to revitalize struggling neighborhoods.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

For decades, Baltimore City has been plagued with thousands of vacant buildings including lots, commercial and residential properties. Starting June 1, Baltimore’s City Council will have the authority to set a special tax rate for all abandoned properties.

In this year’s legislative session, the General Assembly passed the bill which Gov. Wes Moore signed into law. Lawmakers call the legislation another tool in the toolbox hoping it will deter investors from sitting on derelict properties.

“I have many vacant properties in my district,” said Baltimore City councilwoman Odette Ramos. “One of them is a corner store, and the guy’s only paying a hundred dollars for taxes and he’s just sitting on it. So, what we’re trying to do is get that up, so that it’s an incentive to say, ‘wait a second, it’s going to actually cost me less to, actually do something with it.’”

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

After two postponements, engineers on Monday finally cleared a massive portion of the roadway that has been sitting on top of the Dali cargo ship, since its collision with the Key Bridge on March 26.

A sonic boom followed by billowing black smoke filled the air when engineers made precision cuts separating the 4,000-ton section of I-695 that had entrapped the ship. Military personnel including David O’Connell, Captain of the Port, watched the detonation on a boat 1,500 feet away.

“It went according to plan,” O’Connell said, hailing the operation’s success. ”It fell away from the ship so it was a pretty awesome sight to see. I’ve seen demolitions of a bridge but I’ve never seen it on a vessel, certainly a unique event.”

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

For Del. Jennifer White Holland (D-10) addressing maternal and child health has been a passion for “quite some time.” The public health professional said that her lived experience led her to sponsor a key piece of legislation that looks to improve outcomes for expectant mothers.

“I’ve witnessed my line sisters, my close friends and family members, who have had challenging pregnancies, some even experienced loss,” said White Holland. “So it’s a very personal issue. I think about the women in my life, the Black woman in particular, who could very well benefit.”

The Maryland Maternal Health Act of 2024 is among the hundreds of pieces of legislation awaiting the governor’s signature. The bill, considered a priority by the Legislative Black Caucus and Women’s Caucus passed both chambers of the General Assembly with no opposition.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Muslims all over the world observe the ninth month of the Islamic calendar known as Ramadan by fasting from food and water from sunrise to sunset. At the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) in Windsor Mill, thousands of Muslims congregated Wednesday to mark the end of the month-long fast through a holiday known as Eid al-Fitr.

The ISB hosted five prayers, adding a fifth due to high turnout.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

Over 5,000 Maryland correctional workers will receive a $9.5 million payout, after a federal investigation found that the State tampered with their time cards. The Board of Public Works approved the deal Wednesday.

This is the second multimillion dollar settlement. Carolyn Scruggs, secretary of public safety & correctional services, said some workers had been left out of the original settlement back in July. “We saw from the previous settlement that we needed to go back and look at all classifications that had the word ‘correctional’ in it. So the dietary officer, the correctional maintenance officer, the correctional supply officer,” said Scruggs.

She added that time clocks have been adjusted so that workers are paid the right amount. According to Scruggs, the Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services has implemented a new overtime policy which the union, AFSCME Council 3 is looking over.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.

After shutting down during the pandemic and missing out on a county grant, Night of Peace (NOP) is appealing to community members and local businesses to stay afloat. Staff at the emergency overnight shelter — which can host up to 8 families — say expenses also rose as the ventilation needed to be fixed due to COVID-19.

The shelter is unique in allowing whole families to stay together while getting back on their feet. In one instance, NOP housed a family of six, which included a baby on a feeding tube. “We don’t want to shut our doors,” said Heather Young Berry, who is the board chairperson and former president.

While supplies and volunteers are appreciated, Berry says the organization needs money to cover a $200,000 shortfall. In addition to GoFundMe, the nonprofit has sought financial support from churches and is looking to host a camp out in its parking lot next month.

Read more (and listen) at WYPR.