It’ll be warm and sunny, with highs around 80 today. More of the same tomorrow.
- Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is calling for a Department of Justice civil rights investigation into the practices of the Baltimore Police Department. Unlike the DOJ’s ongoing collaborative review of the BPD, the investigation’s results could be enforceable by court order. City council president Jack Young called for a DOJ civil rights investigation back in the fall after the Sun’s investigative series on the department’s recent costly history of police brutality settlements. It’s also possible the DOJ would have initiated an investigation without the mayor’s request.
- Gov. Larry Hogan officially lifted the state of emergency in Baltimore yesterday. Hogan is pledging $20 million to the city to help cover the cost of the state’s response and ongoing recovery. Hogan acknowledged that there’d be no easy fixes for some of Baltimore’s problems, saying “these problems have taken decades to grow and will take decades to repair.”
- Prince’s surprise concert for Sunday turns out to be a rather expensive ticket. Though a few seats (quickly sold out) were on sale for $22, most of the tickets range from $100 – $500. It’s not clear how much of the proceeds from the concert will go to local organizations.
Gov. Hogan announced yesterday that he’ll approve a 2% cost-of-living pay raise for state workers that he initially resisted. The raise comes from $68.7 million earmarked by the state’s legislature. Hogan hasn’t decided yet whether to approve similar funding to restore cuts to education in Baltimore City and a few other districts.
Michael Flaig, an Anne Arundel County officer, is accused of biting another man in the testicles during a fight outside of a bar in Canton. Flaig has been charged with assault and placed on administrative duties.
After 11 seasons with the Ravens, Ed Reed will make his retirement official later today at the team’s training facility. Reed hasn’t played since the Ravens’ 2013 Super Bowl win.