I couldn't believe it this morning when I woke up and heard, yes, more rain. We are supposed to finally get a break from it later today though. Temperatures are also expected to creep back into the mid-60s, before warming considerably tomorrow.
BBJ Highlight: Yesterday we reported that Seawall — the developer behind R. House, Remington Row and the $40 million renovation of Lexington Market — has acquired two more properties in Remington. The $13.8 million buy is the latest acquisition Seawall has made in the growing neighborhood where it already has a number of holdings, plus a large residential and retail project underway at 25th and Howard streets.
Now, for the news of the day.
- A total of $6 million in federal reproductive health research grants were announced yesterday, with more than half going to Maryland organizations. The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
unveiled the grants, which locally included money for the
University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB)
and two Washington-area research and advocacy groups,
Child Trends
and
Healthy Teen Network
. Baltimore Sun
- If you've spent a decent amount of time in Baltimore City, you've probably had your car towed by now. The city's aggressive towing practices, which come with an up to $300 charge to get your vehicle back, have long been controversial among residents, visitors and city council members. Most recently, legislation that would reduce the city's towing fee to $250 and drop fee to $62, among other changes, was rejected in a 4-3 vote, meaning the practices will continue. The Baltimore Brew also notes that some of the councilmen who voted no have received campaign contributions from towing companies and owners.
- Speaking of the rules of the road, a new law went into effect in Baltimore City that bans people from stunt driving and racing. The penalty is now a $1,000 fine or one year in jail. The reaction from residents appears to be mixed, with some skeptical the city will enforce it and others hopeful it reduces the amount of unsafe street activity. WMAR2
- The president, CEO and general manager of
WYPR
,
LaFontaine E. Oliver
, will leave the Baltimore station for a new gig in New York. Baltimore Fishbowl
-
United Way of Central Maryland
opened the doors to the nonprofit's third Family Center in the area, this time located in Columbia. (Press Release)
- This year's Nobel Prize in physics was awarded yesterday to three scientists, including John F. Clauser, who attended
Baltimore Polytechnic Institute
from 1956 to 1960. Baltimore Sun
- With all the streaming services out there today, I think we'd all like to see companies offering bundle deals, similar to what cable TV offers. And while the industry expectation is that bundling will occur — and already has within streaming products owned by the same company — there are several obstacles preventing it from taking off in a widespread way. CNBC
- My complaints that Baltimore's food scene never gets a national spotlight have been heard in a new article in
Food & Wine
this week: There's Never Been a Better Time to Eat in Baltimore. The magazine states, "Charm City is worth a trip for the restaurants alone," and I have to agree (although we've got some incredible museums, galleries and other attractions, too).
