Johns Hopkins Medicine and UnitedHealthcare are in a dispute over a new contract, which could result in 60,000 patients in the mid-Atlantic region losing in-network coverage if an agreement is not reached by August 24.
Category: Baltimore News
Posted inOPINION
Opinion: Breaking down barriers to give justice-involved Marylanders a fair shot
Cory V. McCray represents Maryland’s 45th Legislative District in the State Senate and is the author of The Apprenticeship That Saved My Life. He focuses on equitable policymaking, public safety and expanding economic opportunity.
Posted inBaltimore News
How Black businesses thrived in 1925 Baltimore—and what entrepreneurs can learn today
In honor of National Black Business Month, the AFRO takes a look at what it took to open a Black business 100 years ago and the lessons that can be learned by today’s entrepreneurs in 2025.
Posted inBaltimore Events
National Night Out brings music, food and unity to Baltimore City
On Aug. 5, Baltimore’s National Night Out brought music, food, and back-to-school giveaways to neighborhoods across the city. Mayor Brandon M. Scott visited nine sites, highlighting the event’s goal of fostering unity between residents, law enforcement, and community leaders.
Posted inBaltimore News
Robyn Murphy named permanent head of BOPA
Robyn Murphy has been named the permanent CEO of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, following nearly eight months in the interim role. A native of Edmondson Village, Murphy sees the appointment as both a personal milestone and a chance to lead BOPA into a new era of creativity, equity and partnership.
Posted inBaltimore News
Volunteers of America unveils 71 affordable housing units in Southwest Baltimore
Volunteers of America unveiled 71 renovated affordable housing units in Southwest Baltimore, aiming to support veterans, formerly homeless individuals and residents with mental health needs amid the city’s housing crisis.
Posted inBaltimore News
A housing voucher helped Labrenia Parker survive—now she owns a home in the ZIP code she grew up in
Labrenia Parker spent nights sleeping on friends’ floors before a housing voucher gave her and her children a stable place to live. This year, with the help of a lender who guided her through grants and savings, she became a first-time homeowner in the same ZIP code where she grew up.
Posted inMaryland News
After complaints go nowhere, Maryland woman pushes for accountability from local lawyers
After hiring a bankruptcy attorney to challenge what she believed were inflated mortgage charges, Iris McClain says she was left with missed deadlines, a dismissed case and no refund. She’s now warning others and calling for greater accountability, alleging the state’s attorney oversight system is built to shield lawyers, not protect clients.
Posted inBaltimore County Government
Baltimore County Council votes down Khadijah Walker as inspector general nominee
The Baltimore County Council voted 5-2 to reject County Executive Katherine A. Klausmeier’s nominee for inspector general, Khadijah Walker, marking what some say is an unprecedented move. The decision follows public outcry, scrutiny of Walker’s background, and backlash over the administration’s choice not to reappoint incumbent Kelly Madigan.
Posted inMaryland News
Maryland’s forgotten victims: Shedding light on the state’s lynching legacy
Since 2018, the Maryland Lynching Memorial Project has worked to uncover the state’s legacy of racial terror, documenting dozens of lynchings that were long ignored or forgotten. Its leaders say reckoning with these truths is essential to healing—and to preventing history from repeating itself.
Posted inCommentary
Commentary: Why we paused—and why getting BLocal right matters for the Baltimore region
Greater Baltimore Committee president and CEO Mark Anthony Thomas explains why the organization paused BLocal to restructure it as a long-term, scalable initiative aimed at boosting local hiring, procurement and investment across the region.
Posted inBaltimore County Government
Community advocates push for fairness as Baltimore County redistricting plan heads toward council vote
Baltimore County’s Redistricting Commission has released its recommendations for redrawing council districts following the county’s expansion from seven to nine seats. While the commission proposes two majority-Black and two other minority districts, local leaders and activists—including the NAACP and the Westside Coalition—continue to push for more equitable representation, expressing concern that communities like Woodlawn remain fragmented and underrepresented.