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.
Category: NEWS
Posted inPrince George's County News
Cheltenham’s lost graves spark push for juvenile justice reform
An overgrown burial ground near the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center holds the remains of Black boys who died there more than a century ago—children once confined under Maryland’s segregated juvenile justice system. Now, a state senator is pushing to reform how the state prosecutes youth, linking today’s policies to the system’s unequal and often forgotten past.
Posted inHealth
Dads to Doulas: Empowering fathers to advocate amid maternal health crisisÂ
Dads to Doulas is a new program empowering Black men to advocate for their families’ maternal health, addressing disparities in outcomes.
Posted inPolitics
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. : A clear and present danger to American health
Congressman Kweisi Mfume represents Maryland’s Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. This week, he sounds the alarm on what he believes are dangerous health policies and staffing decisions made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Posted inNational News
Officials: Army sergeant opens fire on fellow soldiers, 5 injured at Fort Stewart
Army Sgt. Quornelius Radford is accused of shooting five fellow soldiers with a personal handgun at Fort Stewart, Ga., on Aug. 6. The victims are expected to recover, and the quick actions of nearby soldiers prevented further harm. Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the attack.
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 inHealth
Rising pregnancy prosecutions threaten rights and health care access
Since the fall of Roe v. Wade, at least 210 women have faced prosecution for pregnancy outcomes—many involving substance use allegations or miscarriage. Advocates warn the trend is worsening maternal health and civil rights.
Posted inNational News
Judge says Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs must stay in jail until he is sentenced
A federal judge denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ request for release on $50 million bond while he awaits sentencing on prostitution-related convictions, citing concerns over flight risk and public danger. Though acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking, Combs was found guilty on two charges and faces up to 10 years in prison, with sentencing set for October.
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.