It doesn't look like it will be a white Christmas but it will definitely be a chilly one. Expect low temperatures in the single digits and highs only in the 20s. Wind chills will make the temps feel even worse — as in subzero. The Baltimore City Health Department has declared a "Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert" Friday morning through Monday morning. For the health department's list of things you can do to stay safe and warm,?click here
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Traveling may be a bear for some folks today as airports across the nation prepare for what some are calling "a once in a generation" winter storm. A bomb cyclone is hitting the Midwest and snow — more like whiteout — conditions are predicted across the nation. Check with your airlines before heading out for your flight because thousands of flights are expected to be canceled or delayed as the day progresses. “I encourage everyone, everyone to please heed the local warnings,” President Biden told reporters on Thursday. “This is not like a snow day when you were a kid. This is serious stuff.” Washington Post
Here's what else you need to know before you log off for a few days.
- Please don't miss the debut of the 2023 Baltimore Business Journal Book of Lists. The book gets delivered this week in lieu of our weekly regular print and digital edition. The book's theme explores the power of water in Greater Baltimore's economy. Inside, you'll find dozens of lists that will give you access to information that can help you grow your career and business. Kudos to Special Projects Editor Phil Davis for his hard work pulling the Book of Lists together. Book of Lists 2023
- Office leasing in many places may be suffering from the dramatic changes in work life brought on by the pandemic but at least one area is showing strength — Downtown Columbia. Columbia posted about half of the new office leases in Greater Baltimore during the third quarter this year despite ongoing whiplash from the pandemic and new workplace demands, a CBRE report on local office leasing showed. The Howard County planned community reported leasing deals totaling 50,000 square feet between July and September compared to the 113,000 square feet of total office deals in Baltimore and its suburbs. Overall, the Baltimore metro area posted its first positive office leasing statistics since mid-2021. To read more,?check out BBJ Senior Reporter Melody Simmons story
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- Thursday's gloom made its way to Wall Street, where stocks fell sharply as the S&P 500 continued to lose ground — falling 1.4%. The Dow dropped more than 300 points or 1% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.2%. And since everyone is wondering what's going on with Elon Musk these days, his company, Tesla, saw its shares drop 9%.?Wall Street Journal
- FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried was released on $250 million bond — yes, that figure is correct — and ordered to detention in his parents' Palo Alto, California, home after being extradited from the Bahamas on charges of fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Roos called Mr. Bankman-Fried’s alleged crimes “a fraud of epic proportions” and said he believed the $250 million bond was the largest ever. Bankman-Fried has said that he made mistakes but denies committing fraud.?Wall Street Journal
- The lack of lines at your local polling place wasn't your imagination. Only half of Marylanders cast ballots in the 2022 midterm election — a historic low for similar election years. About 49% of voters showed up to the polls in person or cast mail-in ballots. Election experts say the expected blowouts in the four statewide elections — for governor, attorney general, comptroller and U.S. Senate — might have kept people away from the polls. Still, Governor-elect Wes Moore managed to secure the most votes for any Maryland governor in history. He won by a whopping 32 percentage points against Republican Dan Cox.?Baltimore Sun
- If you want to join the masses celebrating the popular new governor's victory, you still have a chance. Moore's team announced a new round of tickets are available for the Jan 18 inaugural gala at the Baltimore Convention Center. The first round sold out quickly. The new tickets, dubbed “Second Stage,” are $125, plus fees. Additional preferred tickets are also now available for $1,000, plus fees.?Baltimore Banner
- Maryland’s second-highest court has rebuffed a constitutional challenge from more than 30 Baltimore liquor store owners who were forced to phase out their operations in residential neighborhoods in 2017 under a city ordinance that was dubbed “Transform Baltimore.” The 3-0 decision by the Maryland Appellate Court said the ordinance, which was aimed at reducing city violence, was not governmental "taking" of property that would require compensation under the state constitution. The court ruled that the two-year phase out provision gave the business owners enough time to shut down, transfer locations or change their business model from alcohol to food.?Maryland Daily Record
- Tickets to Saturday's Ravens game might not be hard to find. Lots of folks are turning to Facebook to sell their tickets — whether it's because of the holiday (Christmas Eve), the cold or the fact that Lamar isn't playing remains unclear. The loyal fans who do brave the cold will get to see Tyler Huntley take on the Atlanta Falcons. Huntley was listed on Wednesday and Thursday's injury report with a right shoulder injury and was limited in practice. "I'm good. Just was a little sore," Huntley told WBAL.com. "We're just managing it and everything so we're good."
- This story is reminiscent of "A Charlie Brown Christmas." The city of Hagerstown replaced three large live Christmas trees with significantly smaller ones because the older ones were getting "rough." Public Works Director Eric Deike said the upside of the change is that residents can actually decorate the shorter trees. He added that the city hopes the new trees will grow tall over the next 10 to 20 years.?Herald-Mail.com
- There's still lots to do this weekend whether you're celebrating Christmas, Hannukah or just want to have fun. Among the offerings — the Polish Home Club will hold its 52nd Annual East Baltimore Christmas Caroling event on Friday and the German Christmas Village marks its last day on Saturday. For more ideas, go to?Baltimore Fishbowl.
