NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Friday Nov. 8
[Scroll down for full week’s compendia]
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Friday:
Baltimore recorded its 200th homicide for 2013 early Thursday.
• CITY RECORDS 200th HOMICIDE FOR 2013
The 200th victim was shot and killed in the 1500 block of West Baltimore Street early Thursday. The 199th fatal shooting of the year to date occurred at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the 800 block of Appleton Street.
Read More at: WBFF Fox45-TV
• BALTIMORE CITY COUNCILMAN HENRY PLANS STATE SENATE RUN
The two-term Baltimore City councilman, who represents the Greenmount Avenue/York Road corridor in the vicinity of Belvedere Square, says he’ll run against longtime State Sen. Joan Carter Conway, who represents North Baltimore in the Maryland State Senate. Both are Democrats.
Earlier this week, Conway was accused by former Senator Theatre owner Tom Kiefaber of second degree assault — See story leading Thursday’s Need-To-Know News aggregation (below).
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTING CONTINUES IN ANNAPOLIS MAYORAL RACE
At stake is who will be the capital city’s mayor for the next four years. Republican challenger Mike Pantelides held a small lead over incumbent Democratic Mayor Josh Cohen after Tuesday’s election. Despite 12 hours of wrangling on Thursday, none of the absentee ballots have yet been counted.
Read More at: WBAL-TV (Channel 11)
• AG HOPEFULS MAKE PITCH AT UM CANDIDATES’ FORUM
The four candidates hoping to succeed Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler, who is running for governor, pled their cases before a gathering of University of Maryland law students Thursday at the Carey Law School.
Read More at: Washington Post | Baltimore Sun
• O’MALLEY SEEKS SUPPORT FOR MINIMUM WAGE BOOST
In an email from his political action committee, the Maryland governor launched an online petition drive Thursday to raise the state’s minimum wage.
Read More at: Washington Post
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Thursday Nov. 7
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Thursday:
Former Senator Theatre owner Tom Kiefaber, who was handcuffed by police at the auction of his former home several blocks from the theater, is accusing Md. State Sen. Joan Carter Conway of assault.
• FORMER SENATOR THEATRE OWNER CHARGES STATE SENATOR WITH ASSAULT
The former owner of the Senator Theatre, who is under a restraining order to stay off the theater property and last year had to be removed by police from a Baltimore City Council meeting, is accusing State Sen. Joan Carter Conway of assault at the auction of his former home after an incident last week that ended with him in handcuffs.
The city bought Tom Kiefaber’s house on Orkney Road, several blocks southeast of the theater, for $50,000 in 2008 after Kiefaber put it up as collateral for a series of loans to keep the theater open, and then defaulted. The house sold for $180,000 at the auction.
Kiefaber said Conway, who represents North Baltimore in the State Senate, pushed his camera away to prevent him from filming her and then slapped his face. Conway acknowledged pushing the camera away but denied any assault on her part.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• BALTIMORE TO INSTALL 400,000 ELECTRONIC WATER METERS
The city’s Board of Estimates voted Wednesday to award an $81.3 million contract to install 400,000 smart meters for all city and some county residents, where the city supplies water. Washington, D.C.-based Itron Inc. is expected to finish the job by 2017.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• MISTRIAL IN MIDEI STENT CASE; JURY DEADLOCKS ON DAMAGES
A day after vacating a jury verdict that found former St. Joseph Medical Center cardiologist Mark Midei liable for damages related to his allegedly placing unnecessary stents in an ex-Cordish Cos. executive, the Baltimore County judge hearing the case declared a mistrial following the jury’s failure to agree on how much the plaintiff deserved in damages.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OK’D FOR PURPLE LINE
The Maryland Board of Public Works voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize state transportation officials to seek out private partners to build the proposed Purple Line, a $2.2 billion light rail line that would run through Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
Read More at: WBAL-Radio (1090AM)
• DISH SHUTS DOWN REMAINING BLOCKBUSTER STORES
More Blockbuster video rental stores, once ubiquitous in Baltimore and elsewhere throughout the country, are being shut down by parent company Dish Network Corp., the company announced Wednesday, putting more than 2,400 retail Blockbuster employees out of work. About 50 franchised stores will continue to operate as independent businesses using the Blockbuster brand. There are no Blockbuster stores remaining in Greater Baltimore.
Read More at: Baltimore Business Journal
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Wednesday Nov. 6
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late- breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Wednesday:
The Washington District Council voted unanimously Tuesday to ask the NFL Redskins to change the team’s name. However Redskins owner Daniel M. Snyder says neither fans nor Native Americans want the name changed.
By a 10-0 vote, the city council in the nation’s capital called on the Washington Redskins National Football League team to change its name.
Read More at: WBFF Fox45-TV
• VERDICT AGAINST MIDEI VACATED IN STENT CASE
The judge in the medical malpractice case against Dr. Mark Midei vacated with prejudice Tuesday the jury’s verdict against the disgraced St. Joseph Medical Center cardiologist, ruling Midei’s liability void and precluding the case from being retried.
As of late Tuesday it was unclear what led to the judge’s decision to vacate, although the motion was granted by consent of all parties involved, leading to speculation a settlement may have been reached.
Midei had been found liable for inserting unnecessary stents into a former Cordish Co. executive, who alleged the unrequired surgery cost him a stake in his ex-employer’s lucrative Maryland Live! Casino at Arundel Mills.
Glenn L. Weinberg sued St. Joseph’s and Midei for $50 million in compensatory damages and $100 million in punitive damages.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• MAYORAL ELECTION IN ANNAPOLIS TOO CLOSE TO CALL
With all 16 precincts unofficially reporting late Tuesday, incumbent Democratic Mayor Josh Cohen trailed his Republican challenger, Mike Pantelides, by 84 votes, with 327 absentee ballots to be counted Thursday.
Read More at: The (Annapolis) Capital
• UNDER ARMOUR ACCUSED OF DESECRATING U.S. FLAG
The Baltimore-based sports apparel giant went too far in designing uniforms for Northwestern University that give the appearance of splattered blood and desecration of the American flag, critics charge.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• GANSLER ACCUSER IS TARGET OF UNRELATED INVESTIGATION
The veteran Maryland State Police lieutenant who last month accused Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler of ordering troopers assigned to him to drive recklessly is under investigation for having worked as an armed security guard in the District of Columbia and Virginia without proper licensing.
Read More at: Washington Post
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Tuesday Nov. 5
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Tuesday:
Debate on a bill to restrict panhandling in city traffic was de- layed Monday by the Baltimore City Council until Nov. 18th.
SCALED BACK BY CITY COUNCIL
The City Council delayed debate on the proposed bill Monday night until its Nov. 18 meeting, at the request of sponsoring Councilwoman Rikki Spector.
Read More at: WBAL-Radio (1090AM)
• HEALTH INSURANCE CANCELED
FOR 73,000 IN MARYLAND
The policies were purchased after the Affordable Care Act was signed, and don’t meet minimum standards set by the new law.
Read More at: Baltimore Business Journal
• MARYLAND TO GIVE DRIVER’S LICENSES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
When they’re issued in January, Maryland will be the first state on the East Coast to do so. However, illegals can begin the process now by setting up an appointment with the MVA.
Read More at: WBFF Fox45-TV
• EX-WYPR EDITOR CHARGED WITH STABBING SON
The former managing editor and longtime journalist Sunni Khalid is accused of stabbing his adult son in Harford County. Khalid was fired in 2012 by the public radio station, which was originally owned by Johns Hopkins University.
Read More at: The Aegis
• FIDELITY & GUARANTY MOVING HEADQUARTERS TO IOWA
Founded 54 years ago in Baltimore, the life insurance and annuity company, which employs 150 workers in Harbor East, will maintain a presence in Charm City but its future growth will occur in Iowa.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————– ———————–
NEED-TO-KNOW NEWS — For Monday Nov. 4
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY — IN BRIEF
A Voice of Baltimore compendium, local and beyond. Your weekday morning look (with links) at late-breaking news, current events, and what will be talked about wherever you may go on Monday:
A four-year-old Pit Bull killed its 56-year-old owner in Hampden.
• PIT BULL KILLS OWNER, 56, IN HAMPDEN
The four-year-old dog had attacked the owner, 56 — who had cerebral palsy and was adamant about getting the dog back after a recent quarantine — twice before. The first vicious attack occurred about two years ago.
Read More at: Baltimore Sun
• AFTER 11 STRAIGHT CLEVELAND WINS, RAVENS LOSE TO BROWNS
Ending an 11-game losing streak against Baltimore, the Cleveland Browns outlasted the Ravens 24-18 Sunday in Cleveland.
Read More at: WJZ-TV (Channel 13)
• DETECTIVE LABELS BALTIMORE COPS ‘UNPREPARED,’ NEEDING TRAINING
City police lack proper training, don’t know how to write warrants, former homicide lieutenant charges.
Read More at: Voice of Baltimore
• FORMER BALTIMORE JUDGE SUES ANOTHER JUDGE FOR $700K
According to Kenneth Lavon Johnson, Clifton J. Gordy should not have heard Johnson’s lawsuit against a real estate firm in 2006 because Gordy had a longstanding grudge against Johnson. Before joining the bench in 1982, Johnson represented Gordy’s ex-wife in the couple’s divorce proceedings.
Read More at: Maryland Daily Record
• MARYLANDER WINS NYC WHEELCHAIR MARATHON
A 24-year-old Maryland woman from Howard County won the New York City Marathon women’s wheelchair race Sunday. It was Tatyana McFadden’s fourth wheelchair marathon win this year.
Read More at: New York Daily News
Click here to return to top of page
