Family, friends, and Baltimore City leaders gathered on Dec. 17 at Morgan State University’s Murphy Fine Arts Auditorium to honor the life and service of Gregory Turnipseed. Turnipseed was a 14-year civil servant with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation (DOT). He died from injuries sustained in a physical assault. Attackers are identified as Kiannah Bonaparte, 49, and her 15-year-old daughter. Bonaparte is facing first- and second-degree assault charges for the case.
Category: LOCAL
Posted inMaryland Government
Maryland comptroller appoints Andrea Brown as director of the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate
Director of the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate Excerpt: Maryland Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman (D) has appointed Andrea Brown as director of the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate. Brown brings nearly two decades of experience and will work to improve taxpayer accountability and access to a fair tax system.
Posted inPrince George's County News
Prince George’s County Council selects Wala Blegay to fill vacancy
Prince George’s County Council member Wala Blegay (D) will fill the recently vacated at-large seat, bringing her experience with various countywide initiatives. The seat will be up for election in November 2026.
Posted inMaryland News
A second chance after rent debt: Why shielding matters
By Shyia Clark An eviction filing – even one that never leads to eviction – can follow a tenant for years. In Maryland, Failure-to-Pay-Rent cases often remain publicly accessible long after rent is paid or a case is dismissed, creating lasting barriers to housing, employment and financial stability. That’s where shielding comes in. Shielding is […]
Posted inMaryland Government
New Maryland laws to take effect on Jan. 1
As 2026 begins, several Maryland laws take effect, including new rideshare reporting requirements, domestic violence training for barbers and cosmetologists and expanded coverage for heart disease testing, aiming to improve safety, transparency, and health access statewide.
Posted inNEWS
Baltimore’s first project labor agreement aims to boost union jobs, local workforce
Baltimore has reached its first-ever project labor agreement, prioritizing union labor and local hiring on four major Department of Public Works infrastructure projects. City officials say the deal will improve worksite conditions while ensuring projects are completed on time and to high-quality standards.
Posted inBaltimore Community
Emergency aid begins reaching Baltimore families
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writervemejicanos@afro.com After announcing more than $4.6 million in emergency aid for food, rent and child care during the government shutdown on Oct. 28, 2025 Baltimore officials are still working to distribute the funds to the individuals and organizations selected to receive them. Michelle Suazo, director of The Food Project in Southwest […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Mayor Scott reflects on historic crime drop and looks toward 2026
Baltimore ended 2025 with a record low of 133 homicides, the fewest in nearly 50 years. Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) and city leaders highlighted strategies to sustain reductions and announced a new five-year violence plan, which will be released later this year.
Posted inNational Sports
AP Source: John Harbaugh leaving the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons as coach
John Harbaugh is leaving the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons as their head coach, following a disappointing 8-9 season and playoff miss.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Five years later, former Capitol Officer Harry Dunn says Jan. 6 was ‘worst day’ of his life
By Stacy BrownNNPA Newswire On the fifth anniversary of Jan. 6, a date now fixed in the American conscience, former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn returned to the moment that altered his life and the nation’s course. Appearing on “Let It Be Known,” Dunn spoke about the unforgettable day that’s shaped by time, pain, and […]
Posted inBaltimore News
YouthWorks opens 2026 summer job applications for Baltimore youth
By Victoria MejicanosAFRO Staff Writer YouthWorks, the program within the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development that provides a five-week summer job opportunity to thousands of Baltimore City youth and young adults will return in 2026. The program, which began in 1973 as “Blue Chip,” creates employment opportunities each year for people ages 14 […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott named 2025 AFRO Person of Year
For Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott, 2025 was a year of pressure and progress, from record-breaking reductions in violent crime to major investments in youth, education and neighborhood revitalization. As 2026 begins, Scott says he plans to build on those achievements while continuing his focus on public safety, economic development and changing the national narrative about Baltimore.