Baltimore Brew
baltimorebrew.bsky.social
Baltimore Brew
@baltimorebrew.bsky.social
Independent reporting and informed commentary about greater Baltimore. News tips [email protected]
Flaking orange paint from the 28th Street Bridge is littering Falls Road and the Jones Falls tinyurl.com/3ynsbcx9 Chips resemble the lead paint flakes that fell in 2022 from Baltimore’s TV Tower. City officials don't believe they contain lead, but the MD Department of the Environment is testing them
Flaking orange paint from the 28th Street Bridge is littering Falls Road and the Jones Falls | Baltimore Brew
The chips resemble the lead paint flakes that fell in 2022 from Baltimore’s TV Tower. City officials do not believe they contain lead, but MDE is now testing them.
tinyurl.com
February 7, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Amid copious campaign contributions, city officials approve developer’s marina in Canton for a heliport for the Baltimore Police Dept. tinyurl.com/54j28d69 Records we reviewed, for example, show Scott Plank's largess includes $20,000 to the Democratic Senate Caucus Committee.
Amid copious campaign contributions, city officials approve developer’s marina for police heliport | Baltimore Brew
Scott Plank’s generosity to Baltimore electeds – including $20,000 to the Democratic Senate Caucus Committee – came ahead of the Board of Estimates’ approval yesterday of a $17.9 million lease deal.
tinyurl.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:49 PM
BREAKING - Citizen advisory board backs Inspector General Cumming's quest for unredacted records. Says restricting IT system and financial data hurts the Baltimore Office of the Inspector General's mission to identify waste, fraud & corruption in Baltimore city govt. tinyurl.com/y2zsk2w7
Citizen advisory board backs Inspector General Cumming’s quest for unredacted records | Baltimore Brew
Without access to IT system data and financial records, the Office of the Inspector General cannot effectively identify and prevent waste, fraud and abuse in city government, the board says.
tinyurl.com
February 3, 2026 at 10:55 PM
Building renovations, rather than recent public controversies (i.e., those proposed skyrocketing pensions
), are the reasons for shutting down public testimony at tonight's Baltimore County Council meeting, officials say. tinyurl.com/3t62muyr
Your voice won’t be heard at tonight’s Baltimore County Council meeting | Baltimore Brew
Building renovations, not recent public controversies, are the grounds for the cancellation of public testimony, council chair says.
tinyurl.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:17 PM
THE OPPOSITE OF TRANSPARENCY: @mayorbmscott.bsky.social has launched an attack on the Baltimore Office of the Inspector General. Here's why its legal basis is flawed, and why residents and electeds need to take a stand against City Hall overreach and potential coverups [OP-ED] tinyurl.com/mv6x67xc
An alarming and baseless attack on Baltimore’s inspector general | Baltimore Brew
Mayor Brandon Scott and his law department are making bogus claims to deny Isabel Mercedes Cumming access to records needed for her watchdog role. [OP-ED]
tinyurl.com
February 2, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Hoisting Bible quotes and hurling F-bombs, wearing Ravens hats and eerie Handmaid's Tale outfits, hundreds turned out in Baltimore yesterday with one message: "ICE out of Baltimore." tinyurl.com/rfcc2xzr
January 31, 2026 at 3:03 PM
A blunt message from a big Baltimore crowd: Shut down ICE. tinyurl.com/rfcc2xzr
"ICE’s reign of terror on neighborhoods across the country has been more blatant than ever," speakers said, before hundreds took to the streets.
A blunt message from a big Baltimore crowd: Shut down ICE | Baltimore Brew
Between the continuing chaos in Minneapolis and ICE’s apparent plan to turn a warehouse in Hagerstown into an ICE detention facility, they had plenty to protest today.
tinyurl.com
January 31, 2026 at 3:21 AM
In 2017, Zeke Cohen, Brandon Scott and Bill Henry collectively had $47,000 in campaign funds. Last year, as Baltimore's top electeds - they got $709,848. tinyurl.com/382dne9w What went to whom in 2025 ... from Alex Smith's Atlas Restaurant Group to Johns Hopkins University. tinyurl.com/382dne9w
Campaign Dollars: What a difference eight years makes for Baltimore’s three top electeds | Baltimore Brew
Rising from the City Council to a seat on the Board of Estimates yields a flood of campaign cash. What went to whom in 2025, from Alex Smith’s Atlas Restaurant Group to Johns Hopkins University.
tinyurl.com
January 29, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Baltimore Inspector General Isabel Cumming says the @mayorbmscott.bsky.social administration is blocking an investigation and has denied her office access to city records. "We basically cannot do our jobs," she tells @baltimorebrew.bsky.social. tinyurl.com/ywnycze4
.
Baltimore IG Cumming says the Scott administration is blocking her investigations | Baltimore Brew
On Saturday, the OIG was denied access to city records. Today the inspector general fired back, saying, “We basically cannot do our job.”
tinyurl.com
January 27, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Pension Bonanza to Baltimore County Councilmen.
The simple solution is to repeal legislation that has so ANGERED the public, the author writes. But will the 7 lawmakers who benefit do the right thing?
[OP-ED] by David Plymyer. tinyurl.com/fcfjtfhf
Getting members of the Baltimore County Council to eliminate their pension windfalls won’t be easy | Baltimore Brew
The simple solution is to repeal Bill 40-24. The question is: will lawmakers do it? [OP-ED]
tinyurl.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Yesterday’s killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis sparked protests across the country, including in Baltimore where about 150 people gathered to decry ⁦ICE
⁩ actions. tinyurl.com/5czetd3f Baltimore Brew was there [VIDEO added to last night's story]
Protest breaks out in Baltimore after latest killing by federal agents in Minneapolis | Baltimore Brew
After ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot today in Minneapolis, about 150 people demanded an end to President Trump’s ICE immigration crackdown here and across the country.
tinyurl.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Baltimore turns out to protest after latest killing by federal agents in Minneapolis. tinyurl.com/5czetd3f
About 150 gathered to denounce Donald Trump's immigration crackdown after the fatal shooting today of Alex Pretti. "ABOLISH ICE" and "IT WAS MURDER," signs said.
Protest breaks out in Baltimore after latest killing by federal agents in Minneapolis | Baltimore Brew
After ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot today in Minneapolis, about 150 people demanded an end to President Trump’s ICE immigration crackdown here and across the country.
tinyurl.com
January 25, 2026 at 4:53 AM
UPDATE: @patyoung4baltco weighs in on the Baltimore County Council pension boost. tinyurl.com/y854vupb "This moment calls for restoring trust - including revisiting policies that create the appearance or reality of insider benefit."
Candidate Nick Stewart calls for repeal of Baltimore County Council pension measure | Baltimore Brew
Julian Jones, on the other hand, says he will seek a charter amendment, while Izzy Patoka says he will not approve the proposed salary hike.
tinyurl.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Horrifying. Nauseating. This occupation must end.
I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening.

The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.
January 24, 2026 at 4:52 PM
Meanwhile Councilmen Julian Jones and Izzy Patoka have their own ideas about how to deal with the growing public backlash over proposed big jumps to their salary and pensions. tinyurl.com/y854vupb
January 23, 2026 at 10:44 PM
[email protected], candidate for Baltimore County executive, calls for repeal of legislation that would double the pensions of some county council members. Calls the measure "a moral outrage." tinyurl.com/y854vupb
Candidate Nick Stewart calls for repeal of Baltimore County Council pension measure | Baltimore Brew
Julian Jones, on the other hand, says he will seek a charter amendment, while Izzy Patoka says he will not approve the proposed salary hike.
tinyurl.com
January 23, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Homeless man says he’ll cope as Baltimore girds for a major assault by snow and ice. tinyurl.com/2pcysamp “We got a propane burner in there,” Mad Max says, preferring his lifestyle to a city shelter as the biggest winter storm in years approaches.
Homeless man says he’ll cope as Baltimore girds for a major assault by snow and ice | Baltimore Brew
“We got a propane burner in there,” Mad Max says, preferring his lifestyle to a city shelter as the biggest winter storm in years approaches.
tinyurl.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:18 AM
Four Baltimore County Council members - @crandell @julianejonesjr @WadeKach & @CouncilmanIzzy - are positioned to DOUBLE their pensions . . . thanks to legislation they enacted. The full story: tinyurl.com/3drn6e6m
Four Baltimore County Council members are now in a position to double their pensions | Baltimore Brew
County lawmakers are set to boost their salaries and feather their retirement nests this year.
tinyurl.com
January 20, 2026 at 8:51 PM
FOOD INSECURITY FLAP: A Baltimore church replaces weekly hot meals for the needy with a community fridge, saying it'll feed more ppl tinyurl.com/2s3w7ums
Petition signed by 1,000+ says 'Yes, but don't end a 15-year-old tradition of serving hot and healthy meals face to face.'
Church under fire for replacing weekly hot meal for the needy with a community fridge | Baltimore Brew
Govans Presbyterian leaders say a refrigerator accessible 24/7 is a good way to feed the food insecure. But Soul Kitchen’s legions of fans ask: Why end a 15-year-old tradition of serving hot and healt...
tinyurl.com
January 19, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Appeals court won’t redo hearings in Marilyn Mosby fraud and perjury cases. tinyurl.com/2uj8sh3y Her attorneys had sought a rehearing on her perjury convictions. Federal prosecutors had wanted one on the mortgage fraud conviction, which the appeals court threw out in July.
Appeals court won’t redo hearings in Marilyn Mosby fraud and perjury cases | Baltimore Brew
The order leaves intact the court’s July decision to uphold the two perjury charges against the former Baltimore State’s Attorney and throw out her mortgage fraud conviction.
tinyurl.com
January 16, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Citing “affordability,” Baltimore DPW defends moving the sewage consent decree deadline to 2046. tinyurl.com/5ktya5ad Another blown deadline? Moving the goalposts? No, Baltimore officials explained last night - it's "an adaptive management approach."
Citing “affordability,” DPW defends moving sewage consent decree deadline to 2046 | Baltimore Brew
Environmental advocates condemn “moving the goalposts” on overdue upgrades; Baltimore officials last night called their request for 16 more years “an adaptive management approach”
tinyurl.com
January 16, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Another 16-year delay to end sewage overflows in Baltimore? Enough is enough, say @bluewaterbaltimore.bsky.social and other groups tinyurl.com/bdv3a9xp The @mayorbmscott.bsky.social administration says it needs until 2046 to complete repairs first ordered in 2002 #ConsentDecreeMtgHappeningTonight
Another 16-year delay to end sewage overflows in Baltimore? Advocacy group says enough is enough | Baltimore Brew
The Scott administration says it needs until 2046 to make improvements first ordered in 2002. “Meet the consent decree, don’t just move the goalposts,” Blue Water Baltimore retorts.
tinyurl.com
January 15, 2026 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Baltimore Brew
ICE's "presence is terrifying medical staff and raising concerns about patient care, according to five nurses at HCMC hospital in Minneapolis who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs."

Via reporter @ericazurek.bsky.social www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
ICE agents appear at Twin Cities hospitals, alarming health care workers
Health care workers in the Twin Cities report that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are entering hospitals with detained individuals, leaving some medical staff terrified and concerned ...
www.mprnews.org
January 14, 2026 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Baltimore Brew
She says ICE agents mocked her: “The ICE agent who had pepper sprayed into the vents of my car said ‘you guys gotta stop obstructing us, that’s why that lesbian b—— is dead,’ verbatim, speaking of Renee Good. Which filled me with absolute rage and shock..."
www.mprnews.org/episode/2026...
‘I was flooded with fear’: Minnesotans describe their encounters with ICE, being detained
From an Uber driver to a school drop off, MPR News spoke with Minnesotans who were stopped or detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
www.mprnews.org
January 14, 2026 at 3:42 PM
MORE TREE-CUTTING- the big oak trees on the site of Johns Hopkins’ Data Science and AI Institute (DSAI) are coming down now…..
January 13, 2026 at 8:06 PM