City pays $95,000 to retired school principal handcuffed by police

“Why did Jack Young vote against the settlement?”
– Bernard

“Young didn’t say why at the meeting, but later told WBAL he was ‘tired of the police department bleeding money.’ Here’s some background.”
– baltimorebrew

“If Young is tired of the PD ‘bleeding money,’ maybe he should start demanding they obey the law.”
– Bacchys

“Lacking common sense and respect for citizen rights, can’t we hire a few thinking people who want to be police officers? . . .  Note to BPD Commissioner: Has this lapse in protocol been corrected?”
– Ktrueheart

“$95,000 is NOT $1.5 MILLION  . . . She should have gone to trial!”
– paul
______________________________
While Baltimore vows to grow, Philadelphia’s already done it

“Philly is currently a lousy place. Quality of life is nothing to brag about. My daughter lived there for 8 years. It is crowded–crime is bad–it is corrupt–the police are lazy–do not investigate crimes. If you are robbed or mugged–forget it. Your cry will be one of many in the wilderness of Philly– a thieves den. Most importantly, the city does not welcome visitors. The parking situation is a nightmare.”
– Unellu

“If ‘crowded’ness is one of Philly’s most pressing problems, then I guess B’more should be thrilled it lost 30,000 more residents last decade! Hey, it’s a ‘roomier’ city now! Soon there’ll be desolate urban prairies and packs of wild dogs . . . ‘Crowded’ness and parking problems define the best urban neighborhoods; they’re practically prerequisites. Go see any of the most desirable urban neighborhoods in the US or the world – Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Society Hill, Barcelona, Paris.”
– Marc

“You nailed it. Also, a closed political system where name recognition and some money guarantees election. There is little opportunity (compared to other cities like Pittsburgh) for a young, passionate hopeful to get a foot in the door, fight the status quo and change things for the better. I used to think Baltimore had an economics problem. Now I realize the problem is mostly political.”
– Still Fighting It

“While the Mayor has said she wants to grow the city by 10,000, which is very modest, little has been done to reflect that this is a high priority.”
– Baltimoreplaces
_________________________
Death comes for a Silver Maple

“This certainly hits home. We just lost a tree that was almost 100 years old, one that I had seen almost every day for 48 years.”
– Baltimore or Less, via Facebook

“Here in the ‘burbs I have 2 trees in a similar state. I too am loathe to have them taken down. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, they will influence mine.”
– Surfstuff55

“The Dept of Forestry will plant a new street tree for free, as long as you sign an agreement to water it for a couple seasons until it reaches stabilization. I think they are getting ready to do their spring plantings now, but you could probably get on their list for fall plantings.”
– glsever

“As a neighbor of the writer I commiserate with her on the loss of her beloved tree. I too have recently lost the tree that has stood in front of my home for many years. It was there when I moved into my house in 1971 and has been home to birds, raccoons, and an occasional possum. Fortunately, with the help of Tree Baltimore, we hope to plant some new trees to replace the old ones so future generations can continue to enjoy our “rural” neighborhood.”
– Winship B
________________________________
How to make sure the Orioles become “lovable losers”

“The love the Orioles have taken from me certainly has not been returned in kind.”
– Girard31

“I’d say Wild Bill Hagy’s blue-collar baseball schtick is pretty much dead. After all, he ended up boycotting the team because they no longer let him bring a beer cooler into the stadium. His idea of the “fan experience” was something akin to the Preakness infield 81 times a year. If that’s “die hard”, I want no part of it. I’d rather have the yuppies yapping on their cell phones.”
– Gerald Neily

“Real fans know its hard to get behind the ‘lovable’ Birds when its Angelos’ willful negligence and vindictiveness that has kept the team in the AL East cellar, and not some fanciful whim of the baseball gods. Since I doubt he’ll sell the team in his lifetime, The only glimmer of hope is that, when his sons take over, they’ll want to bask in the civic love denied to them for so long and properly invest in the team, much like Jim Irsay Jr. and Rocky Wirtz did when they took over their respective franchises from their insane fathers.”
– Gman

“I so agree with the suggestion in #9 – add more people spaces around the ballpark.”
– Barnadine the Pirate

“Hells yeah! In any case. . . happy, happy 20th anniversary, Camden Yards! Not since before WWII have ballparks (like Fenway and Wrigley) captured the sense of beauty, thrill, and delight that Camden Yards offers! Contrary to the musings of the ‘edgy’ and soulless glass-and-steel fashionistas, I hope determinedly-urban and optimistic ballparks like Camden Yards continue to shape the future of baseball!”
– Marc

“It would be ridiculous if designers were still imitating Camden Yards as blatantly as Cleveland did. HOK (or whatever they’re called now) has gotten way too much credit for designing both of them. HOK originally proposed yet another awful ashtray stadium at Camden Yards but got the contract from the Stadium Authority anyway. It was actually my urban design colleagues in the City Planning Department, Ernie Caldwell and Don Duncan, who quietly pushed for the retro concept built around the warehouse.”
– Gerald Neily
______________________________
Inside City City Hall: one group of consultants to oversee others

“Maybe some money could be saved if we just elect the consultants?”
– Mair

“This, of course, raises the inevitable question of who will oversee the overseers of consultants.”
– Westside Resident

“This story reeks. It’s corruption to the core. It is a pyramidal scheme of consultants. I call it the Madoff Model – the top consultant teeters overlooking the bottom ones and they all take the city to the cleaners overseeing each other till kingdom come.”
– Unellu

“The city needs to learn to write contracts that would ensure EWO’s to be eliminated. Lowest bidder to get job start to finish – finish being totally completed and operational to specs. All contractors must post a warranty bond sufficient to cover any and all EWO’s. NO MORE CONSULTANTS!!”
– David Aronson 1216

“Keep up the great work, y’all.”
– Baynard Woods, via Facebook
______________________________
Lawyer says lack of transparency hinders bidding on city contracts

“Yet we’re closing pools, after school programs and rec centers while millions are doled out to cabal cronies on a weekly basis? Our elections are a sham. Time for flash group citizen youth rebellions to be organized to alert the federal authorities that we need intervention in our criminal government’s activities.”
– Tom Kiefaber

“What are the questions to determine the technical score? That would be interesting to know. . . man, the whole process is arbitrary and yet, it is achieved with such an air of studied superiority – playing down cost and playing up some mysterious requisites stored in Ali Baba’s cave that only the panel of Chosen Ones can ‘Open Sesame’.”    
– Unellu
—————————————–
The Gucci Grand Prix beckons

“The Grand Prix is the best thing that has happened to Baltimore for a long time. Here’s a major sporting event that actually WANTS to be here. Imagine that!”
– Norman_S

“I suppose it’s nice that this event ‘wants to be here.’ It’d be even nicer if the city made any money off of it, or if the organizers paid their f– bills.”
– unraptured

“Maybe we should have realistic aspirations of being a city where working people can live, not one where rich people can play.”
– Travis D.

“Tickets started last year at $20. If that’s all it takes to party like ‘rich people’ then maybe Baltimore’s rich people need to up there game.”
– Dojani30
—————————————–
A blazing prelude to Easter

“Used to go there often when I was a kid. Love it! Thanks for the memories.”
– Kathleeen Hall Harris, via Facebook

“Simply beautiful!”
-Ktrueheart
——————————————
MICA teaming with Jemicy girls to make animated “Memory Tricks”

“This is an extremely important project for dyslexic children. Approximately one out of five very smart kids struggle with some aspects of dyslexia. That makes learning more challenging. With good programs like this, their memory improves and their difficulties with reading can be overcome. I appreciate MICA’s efforts in this project. Jemicy School offers a great program for kids with dyslexia. They are making a big difference in my daughter’s life. I hope you will support the project.
– Jeffrey Mitchell
Emergency Health Services Department
University of Maryland Baltimore County