If you follow local real estate and development news, Bramble and his
MCB Real Estate
firm are familiar names. They're the team behind the new Yard 56 shopping center in Greektown, the improvements to Northwood Commons near Morgan State University and the $100 million conversion of Madison Park North (the former "murder mall").
But what you might not know about Bramble is that he's a city native with a deep love for Baltimore, the son of a minister and a journalist and someone who carries a lot of respect in the local developer scene. Read about him here.
Here's the news you need to start your week.
- This is your official reminder to vote if you haven't already! You can still turn in your mail-in ballot by placing it in a nearby official election drop box or go in person to vote tomorrow. So far more than 381,900 voters cast ballots during eight days of early voting in Maryland last week. There are 4.1 million total voters statewide. The number of early voters this election is far lower than the 661,200 who cast ballots at early voting centers during the 2018 midterm, but this year the state has sent hundreds of thousands more ballots to voters who selected the mail-in option. There were more than 629,600 mail-in ballots sent to voters across Maryland as of Nov. 2, compared to about 152,500 during the 2018 midtern election. WYPR
Need help understanding some of the questions and constitutional amendments on your ballot? The Baltimore Sun explains them here.
- A grand opening event was held this weekend for the new affordable housing development, Sojourner Place at Oliver. The $22 million, 70-unit residential building near Green Mount Cemetery is a joint effort between
Health Care for the Homeless
and the
Episcopal Housing Corporation
. About half of the units at Sojourner Place at Oliver will be used for homeless persons in transition. Baltimore Sun
Want to know more about how the plans for this new affordable housing concept came to be? Read about it, and hear from the developer, here.
- The
Baltimore Ravens
face off against the
New Orleans Saints
tonight without its star tight end Mark Andrews. Andrews has been downgraded to out and will not travel with the team. This is the first game he has ever missed due to injury in his first five seasons. And he's not the only Ravens player nursing an injury ahead of tonight's game. WMAR2
- The state will vote next week on whether to extend a contract between
Morgan State University
and the
Lord Baltimore Hotel
to continue housing students in the downtown hotel as dorms on or near campus remain full. The Maryland Board of Public Works will consider the 128-room contract with a price tag of $1.7 million. The rooms are needed as Morgan State welcomed a record number of new students this school year. Baltimore Sun
- A total lunar eclipse is set to take place tomorrow night and won't happen again for another three years. That means the sun, Earth and moon will align for a brief moment, causing the moon to appear red. "It's as if all the world's sunrises and sunsets as projected onto the Moon,"
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
said. The eclipse will begin at 3:02 a.m. and will enter totality by 5:17 a.m., lasting for about an hour and a half. NPR
- Here's a neat local small business story — a bookstore and vegan cafe have joined up under one storefront on Greenmount Avenue. My Mama's Vegan owner
Debonette Wyatt
used to operate her carry-out business just down the road from Urban Reads Bookstore but asked if she could fill an empty cafe space inside the shop. The pairing has been a perfect match so far, both business owners said. Baltimore Fishbowl
- Baltimore — and the Ravens — now have a mention in a Drake song. The world-famous artist dropped a new track last week and in it, he raps, "You would think we live in Baltimore, the way they Raven 'bout the latest product." Of course, the Ravens were quick to Tweet out the mention. Baltimore Sun
- Folks across the country are closely watching the Powerball jackpot, which ballooned to a record $1.9 billion after no one matched the winning six numbers from Saturday's drawing. Now the grand prize rolls over to the next drawing today. USA Today has info on how to get in on the action.
