Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96; Larry Hogan talks presidential run on CNBC

Good morning and happy Friday! It may be a short week but it sure is a busy one. The dog days of August doldrums dissipated pretty quickly once kids went back to school. Everyone seems solidly back to work.

The cool and rainy weather helped add to this week's fall vibe. Expect sunshine and temps in the low 80s for the next two days. The rain is expected to return on Sunday. WBAL.com

The Baltimore Business Journal is definitely into its busy season. We held our fifth annual CEO of the Year and the Power 10 awards event in a packed ballroom at the Center Club Thursday night. We honored Mary Ann Scully, the former CEO of Howard Bank and current dean of the Loyola University Maryland Sellinger School of Business and Management, as our 2022 CEO of the Year. David Cordish, the 2021 BBJ CEO of the Year, passed the mantle to Scully, who was honored for her many achievements in banking and the community.

We also presented our 2022 Power 10 awards to a varied group of business leaders, including proposed Harborplace developer P. David Bramble, Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels and Shelonda Stokes, president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore. To read more about Scully and the Power 10, click here.

Here's what else you need to know to start your Friday.

• The world is mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-serving monarch, at the age of 96. The royal family announced her death online, saying she had “died peacefully” at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She will be succeeded by her eldest son, Prince Charles. He will assume the name King Charles III. New York Times
• Queen Elizabeth spent the majority of her life in the public eye. Here's a good look at that long and storied life in pictures. New York TImes
• Will he or won't he? Gov. Larry Hogan sort of addressed the question of whether he'll run for the presidency during an interview on CNBC's Squawk Box. CNBC
• Many Baltimore City school teachers may love their jobs and the kids, but that won't stop a quarter of them from possibly leaving the classroom behind next year, according to a new survey by the Fund for Educational Excellence. Baltimore Banner
• Everyone loves a good Cinderella story. We're seeing that at the U.S. Open, where a Maryland man has advanced to the US Open semifinal. Frances Tiafoe, of Riverdale, never made it to the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament until now. He beat 22-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal to get to Friday’s matchup against No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. Associated Press
• Johns Hopkins Medicine may terminate its contract with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield over a dispute about the insurer not paying high enough reimbursement payments, in a move that could jeopardize health care access for thousands of people in the region. Baltimore Business Journal
• Have you developed a fear of flying because of this summer's nightmare flight cancellations and delays? You're not alone. And it turns out our local airport was among the airports with the worst delays and cancellations. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport ranked No. 2 for most delays behind Chicago Midway International Airport for travel between May 27 and Sept. 5. CNN.com
• Employees at Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas, which has been running its Residential Re-entry program to aid former incarcerated people in getting back into the community since 1976, have filed a petition for a vote to unionize, according to the NLRB.
• The B&O Railroad Museum will honor emergency personnel during its annual “First Responders Day” on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. First responders with identification receive free admission and a free train ride. The event falls a day before the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our nation.