Sneak peek inside new Baltimore Peninsula restaurant

Good morning Baltimore. It is Tuesday.

Considering Tuesday is this author's least favorite day of the week, it's as good a time as any for another edition of our famed segment, Oh Wow, That's Not Good!

This week we highlight the story of an Oklahoma district judge who has stepped down from the bench after evidence emerged that she had sent more than 500 texts to a bailiff during a murder trial. According to the Associated Press, the judge "mocked prosecutors, laughed at the bailiff’s comment about a prosecutor’s genitals, praised the defense attorney and called the prosecutor’s key witness a liar."

Oh. Oh my. That is not good.

Now for some news that will perhaps repair some of your faith in the world.

Baltimore home prices jumped almost 8% in January

The median home sale price in Greater Baltimore was $355,000 in January, up 7.6% from the same month last year, according to a new market report from Bright MLS. That’s a reflection of not only higher interest rates but also a shortage of inventory and fewer listings, plus more competition amongst buyers. Homes were on the market for a median of just 19 days in January, three fewer days than January 2023. Listings and showings both dropped more than 15% compared with last January, but Baltimore County saw a 13% bump in closed sales, a hot spot among a tough market. Bright MLS analysts expect more homes to hit the market in the spring, but competition amongst buyers will remain tough.

Developer Jalen Jordan among new generation rebuilding Baltimore

Today's installation of BBJ's Black History Month series on Black-owned businesses is about a young developer investing in his hometown. Jalen Jordan, at just 26 years old, already has an investment portfolio that includes several rehabbed vacant rowhouses and Airbnb rentals, our Melody Simmons writes. His two companies, Maintain Enterprises and Mosher Construction, focus on development and general contracting services. Jordan has been tapped by the Aequo Fund, a national minority real estate investment fund founded by Baltimore developer Ernst Valery, as an emerging developer. Read about Jordan's journey from his early love for HGTV to his status as an up-and-coming developer with boundless ambition.

Waterfront restaurant in Baltimore Peninsula gives sneak peak of interior

Last week, the BBJ reported that Rye Street Tavern obtained a liquor license and will open in Baltimore Peninsula on May 6. The new spot, run by D.C.-based Clyde’s Restaurant Group, has released new renderings of what to expect. The bar, which overlooks the waterfront on the Patapsco River, will feature “classic fare with a Southern culinary lean,” according to the announcement. Check out the photos below to take a look inside.

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Historic Eastern Shore hotel gets $10M overhaul (PHOTOS)

A historic Talbot County inn on property that dates back to the 1800s is getting ready to fully reopen after a $10 million project to add modern upgrades, our Melody Simmons reports. The Oaks Waterfront Hotel in Easton, a popular Eastern Shore wedding destination with a history that dates back to the 1600s, has seen a variety of new upgrades and construction to modernize its current offerings. Four new guest cottages have been built on the site including the "Acorn Cottage," a two-bedroom house suited for short-term bridal party rentals. Check out the upgrades and photos.

Comcast taps new executive to lead Beltway region

Xfinity parent and media giant Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA) has tapped a new leader for its Beltway Region, the company announced Monday. Ray Roundtree is moving from his role as senior vice president for the company’s Keystone Region to take the same role in the Beltway Region. That includes service in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and parts of Delaware, North Carolina and West Virginia. Roundtree has been with Comcast since 2000 and was a former finance VP for the Beltway Region. Fun tidbit: Roundtree was a wide receiver on the 1986 Penn State football team, which won the National Championship that year.

Associated Black Charities creates executive leadership council for region

Black executives in Greater Baltimore will have a new platform for collaboration and communication. Associated Black Charities announced the Black Leadership Circle as an initiative to support Black executives in Greater Baltimore and create a pipeline for Black professionals to obtain leadership positions in the community. Chris Simon, co-owner of Harbor East’s BLK Swan restaurant and founder of BTST Services, will chair the advisory council of the new initiative. The inaugural council includes leaders from the Girl Scouts, Greater Baltimore Committee, Downtown Partnership, Merrill Lynch and others.

Baltimore County opens scanning stations for lost pets

If you lose your pet — or find a stray on the loose — Baltimore County can help make the return easier. The county announced Monday that it has opened five scanning stations that can identify the microchip that most pets have to help reunite them with their owners. The scanners are in Catonsville, Essex, Dundalk, Parkville and Reisterstown and will be open 24/7. The new tech is meant to complement a new law that extends the time to return a lost pet to the county's Animal Services department from 24 hours to 72 hours, giving residents time to go to a scanner first.

Virginia lawmakers cast doubt on bill to build new arena for Capitals, Wizards

The Washington Capitals and Wizards are moving from Capital One Arena in D.C. to Virginia, at least in theory. The details are proving harder to pin down. BBJ's sister publication the Washington Business Journal reported Monday afternoon that two Virginia state senators doubt the bill to create the new arena at Potomac Yard in Alexandria will move ahead. One reason is a fight over how bonds backed by Alexandria and Virginia will fund its construction. A Monumental Sports & Entertainment official said the owner of the teams is confident a deal will happen. Read more about the legislative conflict here.

Questions or comments about this newsletter? Reach out to BBJ Digital Producer Joe Ilardi at [email protected].