Baltimore Brew

18/09/2025

Baltimore Ethics Board affirms the right of Inspector General Isabel Cu***ng to tweet about a union election on her personal social media accounts.

Cu***ng's tweets about the election for leadership of the union representing sanitation workers and other city employees (Local 44) had been questioned by an anonymous City Hall source and others in an online news website article.

An official guidance says the IG’s postings on her personal X and Facebook accounts did not violate city rules and is protected speech under the Constitution.

18/09/2025

VIDEO: 25 years ago, a call from William Donald Schaefer, that went unheeded, to preserve the Superblock.

As the city razes most of Baltimore’s once-grand shopping district, travel back in time to when it was bustling with proud small business owners.

As the city razes more of Baltimore’s once-grand shopping district, travel back in time to when it was bustling with proud small business owners.

18/09/2025

Local 44 election loser accuses victor of “colluding” with Baltimore Inspector General Isabel Cu***ng.

Secrecy and unsubstantiated charges pervade union representing city sanitation workers. Top AFSCMEMaryland officials are smarting over the defeat of their candidate last month
https://tinyurl.com/2nk36b46 .

Secrecy and unsubstantiated charges pervade the union representing city sanitation workers. AFSCME officers are smarting over the defeat of their candidate in last month’s election.

17/09/2025

BREAKING: former New Pickwick theater on Howard St has been demolished - and other vacant buildings on 100 blk of N. Howard are slated for demolition, the city housing department confirms
confirms.

"Fire did what years of neglect foreshadowed: the historic New Pickwick theater we wrote about yesterday is now rubble."

See pics & story by Amy Davis --

The city has determined that nearly all of the east side of the 100 block of North Howard Street has to be torn down because of fire damage.

17/09/2025

Baltimore Presbyterians offer reparations for slavery, with funds going to six local Black churches “in recognition of their historic under-funding and exclusion.”

This is precisely the kind of history Donald Trump wants to erase, Dan Rodricks points out.

Funding to go to six local historically Black Presbyterian churches “in recognition of their historic underfunding and exclusion.”

16/09/2025

Elder abuse! That's what Amy Davis (the author of Flickering Treasures, a book on Baltimore's beautiful old theaters) calls the city's mishandling of "The Superblock."

Small businesses were driven out years ago for city government's grandiose development plans that fizzled - these now crumbling buildings are city-owned.

After the fire, Davis - a Baltimore Sun photographer for 38 years - looks at what remains of the once-grand Westside, and pleads with City Hall to do better. [OP-ED]

A look at what remains after two decades of neglect and failed development. And a call for City Hall to do better. [OP-ED]

14/09/2025

Forcible removal of Filipino workers from Carnival Cruise ship in Baltimore sparks protest.

“Although he denied any wrongdoing, he was handcuffed, searched and removed from the ship along with three other Filipino crew members. They were said to have been interrogated for several hours.

No response from ICE, Carnival “This is a law enforcement matter of which we always cooperate, and we defer to the authorities for further comment."

“My call is that their due process be upheld and respected,” former Filipino seafarer Philip Coronado said, addressing the crowd assembled at 2001 East McComas Street.

“A heinous act,” say advocates, amid reports in recent months that dozens of Filipino seafarers have been detained by federal ICE or Customs and Border Protection agents and expelled from the U.S. without due process.

12/09/2025

Remember the insurgent Baltimore sanitation workers who won an upset victory to lead Local 44?

Now, The Brew has learned, AFSCME Maryland has thrown out the results - nullified them.

And there's to be a new election.

AFSCME Local 3 officials won’t say why they have reportedly nullified the August 23 election – and ordered a new election next month.

12/09/2025

The strongest voices opposing a bill they were told would help undo rules written to segregate the city?

Black female residents and community leaders from across Baltimore.

Scenes from yesterday's hearing on a bill to eliminate parking minimums.

Black female community leaders and longtime residents were the loudest voices yesterday protesting one of the measures the Scott administration has framed as a way to undo structural racism’s damage in Baltimore.

11/09/2025

Bill - called “irresponsible” by a city Planning Commissioner - would allow Baltimore rowhouses to be expanded back to the alley.

Along with ending parking minimums, it’s one of two Mayor Brandon M. Scott administration-backed bills before a City Council committee today.

At an earlier hearing, Planning Commission member Doug McCoach decried the millions of square feet of green, permeable surface in the city that it would potentially give away to create buildable space under the bill.

“This city – we’ll never get it back. Once it’s paved, once it’s built, it’s gone, say goodbye,” he said.

“It’s so contrary to every single policy this city has passed for 20 years,” he added, citing the Climate Action Plan, various comprehensive plans and the Green Network plan.

Along with ending parking minimums, it’s one of two bills – with heavy Scott administration backing – before a City Council committee today

10/09/2025

In April, a coalition called for increasing the amount of money that Baltimore's tax-exempt “anchor institutions” contribute to city coffers.

Yesterday, a bill to begin looking at ways to do that was torpedoed by Councilwoman Danielle McCray. https://tinyurl.com/bdem25p

10/09/2025

Tensions flare as Baltimore Councilwoman Danielle McCray halts City Hall hearing about setting up a task force to review payments by tax-exempt institutions like Johns Hopkins and Universityvof MarylandMedival Center.

“I’m not wasting this committee’s time, I’m not wasting the members of this committee’s time. I’m putting this bill back in recess,” a furious-seeming McCray declared.

Grassroots coalition WUFU cries foul.

“The mayor’s team and City Council had five months to work through any questions about the amendments,” the group said in a statement released afterwards. tinyurl.com/thpkmpm3

Danielle McCray’s action leaves a grassroots coalition seeking increased PILOTS (payments in lieu of taxes) to Baltimore City by tax-exempt institutions “very disappointed.”