Good morning Baltimore! I hope everyone had a long, restful weekend full of family and good food.
I got to play the tourist in my own town over the holiday, showing extended family around Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. It reminded me just how many activities, experiences and beautiful sights we have to offer and how easy it is to take them for granted when you see them every day. So let this be a holiday reminder to appreciate your surroundings.
During our travels, we stopped by the German Christmas Village, which opened this weekend in the Inner Harbor. The village has music, activities, hot drinks and food and plenty of vendors to get a jump on your holiday shopping. It runs through Christmas Eve, Dec. 24.
But if you prefer to do your gift-buying online, don't forget today is Cyber Monday, the day of online shopping discounts. The holiday isn't just for major or traditional retailers — startups are getting in on the act, as well. To help identify some unique offerings from promising upstarts, American Inno has put together its first-ever national startup gift guide. Click the link to find a jacket good enough for astronauts, a crochet kit startup and more, including one Baltimore-based company.
Now, onto the news of the day.
- Although Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday have all become more popular in recent years, Black Friday remains a behemoth. Consumers spent a record $9.12 billion online shopping during Black Friday, a 2.3% increase over last year. The categories to see the highest spends were electronics, toys and exercise equipment. A new record was also set for mobile orders, with 48% of online sales made on smartphones this year. CNBC
- Thanksgiving travel came close to pre-pandemic levels with an estimated 4.5 million Americans expected to fly over the holiday. As a result, more than 4,200 flights were delayed and 109 were canceled at airports across the U.S. as of Sunday afternoon. NPR
- The
Maryland Department of Health
has launched a new online tracking tool to follow the number of RSV cases and hospitalizations in the state. RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus, has been hitting hospitals in high numbers, largely impacting children and older adults. Currently, there are 129 people hospitalized with the disease statewide, nearly double the highest rates in the last five years, and down from a high point of 256 people just a few weeks ago. RSV, combined with the flu and Covid, is yielding an especially difficult winter illness season, what some doctors are calling a "Tridemic." WYPR
- Baltimore's
T. Rowe Price
is speaking up about the potential merger of
News Corp
and
Fox Corporation
, saying on Friday that it has strong reservations about owner Rupert Murdoch's plans. Notably, T. Rowe owns about 12% of News Corp, making it the largest shareholder after the Murdoch family. T. Rowe said a merger would undervalue News Corp, which it believes is trading for less than the company is worth, and that the Murdochs may hold more interest in Fox since they owns a bigger share than News Corp. New York Times
- In the aftermath of Election Day, new campaign finance reports show that Gov.-Elect Wes Moore raised 10 times as much money as Republican candidate Dan Cox. Between 2021 and 2022, Moore and his running mate Aruna Miller raised about $16.6 million. Cox and his running mate raised just $1.6 million over the same time period. WYPR
- Speaking of governors, outgoing Gov. Larry Hogan has spent over $200,000 in taxpayer money on security detail for out-of-state and out-of-country trips from January through September, according to reporting from the Baltimore Banner. Hogan, like all Maryland governors, has executive protection at all times — whether he's on official government business or doing something more personal like preparing for a possible 2024 presidential run (as he is rumored to be doing).
- The
Baltimore Ravens
had a disappointing defeat yesterday, losing 28-27 to the
Jacksonville Jaguars
. Even star kicker Justin Tucker was off his game and missed a 67-yard field goal try on the last play. Next, the Ravens host Denver on Sunday. WBAL
- If you're looking for more holiday-themed activities, two more local annual attractions opened up this weekend. The Symphony of Lights has returned once more to Columbia. You can grab tickets online and either drive through or walk through the brilliant display of lights. In Baltimore's Hampden neighborhood, the homes on the 700 block of 34th Street were all lit up this weekend for the return of the Miracle on 34th Street spectacle. The lights will be on from dusk until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and will stay on until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. WBAL
