Alsobrooks votes to confirm Trump nominee
After spending election season warning Americans of the dangers of Project 2025 — a plan to dramatically transform many aspects of American life by expanding the power of the president and erasing many hard-fought civil liberties in favor of more conservative ideals — many Democrats are now voting to confirm his nominees for cabinet positions.
On Jan. 23, Maryland’s newly elected U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks was among 20 Democrats to vote to confirm John Ratcliffe as Director of the CIA.
“Mr. Ratcliffe was known as a loyalist to the president when he served as director of national intelligence in the final year of the first Trump administration,” the New York Times reported. “During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee last week, he promised to lead a more aggressive spy agency.”
“I voted to confirm John Ratcliffe for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA),” Alsobrooks told Baltimore Beat in an emailed statement. “He stated clearly that his position is apolitical, and, if confirmed, he would not politicize the CIA. I, like many of my colleagues, hope he will honor that promise and carry out the important work of the CIA with a focus on the mission and not on politics.”
Alsobrooks and fellow Maryland leader U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen were both among 45 other Democrats to confirm Marco Rubio for the position of Secretary of State.
A “City in Crisis”? That’s what David Smith wants you to think
Did you know that Fells Point has a “perception” problem? That’s according to The Baltimore Sun, which reports that the “perception of crime” in the neighborhood has led to local businesses closing up shop in recent months.
We’re curious about how exactly this perception might have come about. Could it be that FOX45’s breathless reporting last summer — blaring an alarm about large crowds in Fells Point after the bars closed at 2 a.m. — might have led to a perception of a “City in Crisis”? FOX45 and The Baltimore Sun stationed reporters at an Atlas-owned bar to record Black residents committing the awful crime of walking around a nightlife destination on a summer night. They didn’t have anyone in Federal Hill, another popular nightlife destination in the city where crowds tend to be whiter.
In the Sun’s own story, the paper notes that inflation has impacted both the costs of running a restaurant and the amount of spending money the average customer has. But maybe that doesn’t matter to David Smith, owner of FOX45’s parent company Sinclair and The Baltimore Sun. Maybe he just wants more local businesses in Fells Point gone so his nephew’s Atlas Restaurant Group can take over even more real estate for cheaper.
Get ready for the Fifth Annual Tom Miller Week from February 15-22.
It’s almost time to celebrate the legacy of this groundbreaking African-American artist. Born in Sandtown-Winchester, Tom Miller was a true pioneer. He was one of the first African-Americans from Baltimore to have a solo exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Art, and his art and impact on Baltimore are still felt today.
You might recognize Miller’s signature “Afro-Deco” style, with its bold colors and shapes, as his murals are located across the city, but it wasn’t until five years ago that his legacy was commemorated in his city. In 2021, Deyane Moses and Blackives, LLC established “Tom Miller Week” to honor the innovator’s work and preserve his legacy.
Events will be held at the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center, the Maryland Center for History and Culture, and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.
We are really looking forward to viewing Out of the Woodwork! Bringing Tom Miller’s Legacy to Light, an exhibition that showcases locally owned art and memorabilia related to Miller’s practice. On February 18, it is Tom Miller Day! You can visit the Eubie Blake Cultural Center for a reading of “Can A Coal Scuttle Fly” and a live performance by Rufus Roundtree and Da B’More Brass Factory. The week concludes on February 22 with a family-friendly art-making activity and oral history circle.
For more info about Tom Miller Week, including a full schedule and ways to donate, contact Blackives, LLC, at hello@blackives.org or visit tommillerweek.org. Let’s celebrate the life and work of this extraordinary artist and his indelible influence on Baltimore’s culture!
The post Around Baltimore: Trump confirmations, a city in crisis (?), and remembering Tom Miller appeared first on Baltimore Beat.