Ravens, Under Armour partner on girls' flag football; Towson University president departs

Did you know there's a robotics firm building 3D-printed homes?

Yes, Phoenix-based Diamond Age is using 3D printing and full-stack robotics to construct homes within 60 days that are now being sold starting in the upper $200,000.

The company's CEO, Jack Oslan , said the approach is designed to offset labor, which he says is lacking in the U.S.

"Our goals are better, faster, cheaper," he told AZInno, a sister paper to Maryland Inno and the Baltimore Business Journal .

Not familiar with our MarylandInno site? It's your local source for startup and innovation news. Learn more about it here.

Here in Maryland, we're still building homes and apartments the good old-fashioned way. And often in Baltimore, that means repurposing already standing buildings.

Take the new Hamlet Lofts for example. The Baltimore Street project opened this month in a former church that was built in 1906. Hamlet Lofts holds 10 apartments and a second-floor commercial space in the old choir loft.

See photos and renderings, and read more about Hamlet Lofts, by clicking here.

Instead of checking the weather channel this morning, many Americans tuned in to see the prediction of Punxsutawney Phil. I caught some of the livestream from the event this morning, which began at 3 a.m. and included a full music festival before the famed groundhog (or his great-great-great-great descendant?) emerged from his burrow.

Phil saw his shadow, so it looks like we'll have six more weeks of winter weather.

Now, for the news of the day.

• Gov. Wes Moore delivered his first State of the State address yesterday afternoon, in which he focused on a theme of public service. It's no surprise, Moore has leaned into this topic in his push to fill Maryland's 6,000 state job vacancies. He told attendees that more than 2,800 people have applied to be in his administration in the first two weeks. Moore also spoke about public safety and crime and school spending. WYPRThe Federal Reserve raised the interest rate by a quarter-point yesterday as it seeks to ease inflation in the U.S. This is the fed's eighth hike since March, and is smaller than its previous hike, but it likely won't be the last. Inflation is still high enough that it may require another increase. The feds have to be careful though, every hike raises the costs of consumer and business loans and increases the risk of a recession. WBAL
• On the heels of the news that the Orioles declined a five-year extension of its lease at Camden Yards (but are allegedly seeking a longer-term deal along with state funds to keep building out the city ballpark) an attorney has been appointed to take control of the team's owner's law firm. Attorney William J. Murphy was selected as a conservator of Peter Angelos' firm and will review its records, accounts and files to determine whether it should be sold or dissolved. The change comes as Angelos' family is in a public legal fight over his assets. Baltimore Sun
• Members of the city's Police Accountability Board will begin investigating police misconduct complaints, part of the Baltimore police department's reform under a federal consent decree. The board members were sworn in yesterday evening and have over 300 complaints to review, dating back to July 2022, according to a recent report by the Baltimore City Office of Equity and Civil Rights. The board consists of 17 people. WBAL
• Kim Schatzel officially departed her position as Towson University 's 14th president yesterday, leaving behind both a legacy of growth, as well as disconnect for some students. She now heads to the University of Louisville where she's been named president. Towson's student newspaper, The Towerlight , detailed Schatzel's seven years at the Baltimore County school in an article yesterday. Former provost Melanie Perreault now serves as interim president while the University System of Maryland continues its search for a new head of the institution. (In the spirit of transparency, I am a former editor of the paper and serve on its board of directors). The Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour have joined forces to provide grant funding to launch girls' flag football programs at 10 Frederick County Public Schools high schools. The funding will cover the cost of launching the programs, as well as uniforms. Baltimore Ravens
• The fast-food chicken fight is heating up as Bojangles' Restaurants, Inc. is now planning a local expansion with five new restaurants in the area. Over the next five years, the chain will open spots throughout Baltimore, including Hagerstown and Frederick. WMAR2

Baltimore Collegetown Network (BCN) has named a new executive director. Toni St. John , formerly director of development and communications at The Women's Law Center of Maryland , will begin in the position Feb. 6. Nonprofit BCN work to promote and connect area colleges and universities, ultimately seeking to raise the profile of Baltimore as a college destination. Press Release

This article was compiled by Carley Milligan, digital editor at the Baltimore Business Journal. I can be reached at [email protected].