It’ll be humid again today, with highs just shy of 90, a chance of storms in the afternoon, and the same story tomorrow.
Yesterday morning, a protest coordinated by Rev. Jamal H. Bryant shut down I-395, jamming traffic for over an hour. Bryant’s group was objecting to the $30 million in just-approved funding for a new juvenile detention center in Baltimore. Bryant says that the protest was the first of “10 biblical plagues” to hit Maryland unless plans for the youth jail are withdrawn.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said the protest went too far: “When you are putting people at risk by shutting down major thoroughfares, that’s beyond reasonable protest.” Rawlings-Blake went on to reasonably agree with the ‘unreasonable’ protesters, complaining that the youth jail was approved without public debate the same week Baltimore was denied additional education funds.
Amid the recent surge in violence in Baltimore, another key member of the mayor’s criminal justice team is leaving her post, bringing the recent total to four. This time, it’s Shannon Cosgrove, the deputy director of the Mayor’s Office on Criminal Justice, resigning.
Addressing a meeting at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge last night, Baltimore Police commissioner Anthony Batts apologized to the police union members for not taking a more aggressive stance during the unrest on April 25th and 27th. According to FOP President Gene ‘Lynch Mob‘ Ryan, Batts said “I let you guys down. I apologize to every man and woman in this room because I let you down. I will not let you guys out there by yourselves.”
City officials now estimate that last month’s unrest will cost the city government $20 million in overtime, equipment and repairs. The Board of Estimates is expected to approve tapping the city’s ‘rainy day’ fund to cover the costs, while the mayor intends to seek additional disaster funding from the state and federal government.
After an eight year hiatus, Under Armour will soon resume international shipping at the port of Baltimore. UA manufactures many of its products abroad and has relied on other US ports to deliver to its Baltimore distribution center.