Highs near 90 today, though it shouldn’t be too humid. Tomorrow will by windy, with temperatures in the low 70s.
Arguing on behalf of some of those charged with curfew violations, the Maryland Public Defender’s Office claims that Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake exceeded her authority when she imposed a weeklong curfew on the city. In short, the argument is that only Gov. Hogan would’ve had the authority to declare a curfew.
At the same time, prosecutors are now dropping all charges against those only arrested for breaking the curfew.
A group of city leaders led by councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, including council president Jack Young, deputy police commissioner Kevin Davis, and Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, announced an effort to raise the award for information leading to the arrest in last summer’s shooting death of 3-year-old McKenzie Elliott. The group wants to raise money to increase the award from $2000 to $5000. Around the time of Elliott’s killing, another 3-year-old was killed in Prince George’s County, leading to a $25,000 reward for information and an arrest in the case.
Previously, police claimed to have a person-of-interest in the McKenzie Elliott case, but have been unable to corroborate facts, hoping the public would come forward with more info. The announcement comes during a time of extremely strained relations between police, city leadership, and the community. Critics of Freddie Gray protesters and the larger #blacklivesmatter movement have pointed to crimes like the Elliott murder to redirect attention away from systemic police brutality to ‘black on black’ crime. A $2000 (or a $5000) reward doesn’t exactly erase the idea that some lives are valued less than others in Baltimore.
Verizon is buying up AOL for $4.4 billion. The deal is likely centered around AOL’s web/mobile advertising business, including Baltimore-based Advertising.com. Last fall, Advertising.com moved its 250 employees from Tide Point to Brewers Hill.
The Orioles returned to Camden Yards last night for the first time since their weird no-audience game a couple weeks ago. Here’s a couple jerk fans we could continue to keep out of the stadium.
