Baltimore City drafts new outdoor dining policy; Baltimore County strikes deal with Comcast

Who is the wealthiest Marylander? This year, it's a tie between two local sports team owners, according to the latest list of the 400 richest Americans from Forbes. There are actually seven Marylanders on the list, and two of them live in Greater Baltimore.

Reminder: Follow this newsletter to receive it each day on LinkedIn or in your email inbox. You can also always read the full '8 things' daily on the BBJ website.

Here's what you need to know to start your day.

• You may recall in yesterday's '8 things' I shared how Baltimore's Department of Transportation was seeking public feedback on whether curbside dining should remain in the city, and what continuing the pandemic-era program would look like. What wasn't immediately clear from DOT's Tweet was that the agency had already released a draft outdoor dining policy that would create some rules around the program, including privilege fees for businesses. During the pandemic, adding outdoor dining spaces and parklets did not require paying a fee to the city. Under the new program, DOT will focus on "walkability, pedestrian safety and re-imagining the city's public right-of-way." Similar efforts are also taking place in other nearby counties. Baltimore Sun
• Construction of a new $70 million rail car manufacturing facility in Hagerstown is now underway, and the company, Hitachi Rail , wants to help train up the talent it will need to build the D.C. Metro's next fleet of cars. BBJ
• Baltimore County has struck a deal with Comcast to bring broadband to rural parts of the county after years of negotiations. WYPR
• Advocates for a clean Chesapeake Bay spoke out this week regarding recent reports that showed most of the Bay states will not meet their 2025 clean-up goals. WYPR
• Americans could see lower tax bills next year as a result of the rising cost of food, energy, housing and more, the I.R.S. confirmed yesterday. New York Times
• A car crashed into a new restaurant in Towson yesterday. Hibachi Express Japanese Grill had just had its grand opening at York Road near the city-county line when a vehicle crashed through the front door. No injuries were reported. WMAR2
• The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore will celebrate the fall season this Sunday at Rash Field Park downtown with the 15th annual Harbor Harvest Children's Fall Festival. The event will include a pumpkin patch, petting zoo, hay maze, family-friendly movie screening, arts and crafts, entertainment and more. Baltimore Fishbowl
• Some very cool and historic news this morning, Old Hollywood star Anna May Wong will become the first Asian American to be featured on U.S. currency. The U.S. Mint will begin shipping quarters featuring Wong as part of its American Women Quarters Program. NPR