Brandon Scott talks Trump
At a press conference held on March 5, just a day after President Donald Trump’s joint address, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told reporters that the time for Democrats to play nice is over.
Congressman Al Green, a member of the House of Representatives from Houston, Texas, was ejected from Trump’s speech after he interrupted it to address Republicans’ plans for drastic cuts to Medicaid. While some Democrats stood and left with Green, Scott said they all should have.
“That should be a message, really, not just to the country but really to the leadership of the Democratic party that the time to play the old game — the status quo and having decorum — that’s over,” Scott said.
“What’s happening before our very own eyes each and every day is the destruction of American democracy… and every moment that they think that we can fight that with the old way is a moment that the democracy gets turned down even further.”
Lawmakers in the House (including 10 Democrats) censured Green for his actions and, as of press time, Republican members of the House Freedom Caucus said they were considering removing Green from his committees, The Hill reported. Scott pointed out that the lawmaker who interrupted former President Barack Obama’s joint address during his time in office didn’t face the same retribution.
Scott told reporters that he didn’t watch Trump’s speech, which was a sentiment echoed by many Democrats including Maryland Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk are destroying the state of the union. I don’t need to be there to watch him claim otherwise,” Mfume said in a press release.
Speed enforcement and ticketing news
The automated enforcement cameras that have been positioned on I-83 since 2022 will be moved to two new locations. Those locations are Northbound Jones Falls Expressway / I-83 at Smith Avenue and Southbound Jones Falls Expressway / I-83 at W. North Avenue.
Mayor Brandon Scott, along with Baltimore City Department of Transportation (BCDOT) Director Veronica P. McBeth said that the city would begin issuing speed enforcement citations on March 25. The fine for an automated speed citation is $40.
This month the city also began 24-hour parking enforcement. They encouraged city residents to report parking violations to 311 either online or by phone.
“The 24-hour enforcement plan will help to improve parking compliance, reduce traffic congestion, allow for a better utilization of agency resources, and provide overnight enforcement operations,” city officials said in a press release.
Maryland may soon have a reparations committee
Has the time come to discuss reparations? Some lawmakers think so. Maryland Matters reports that some elected officials in Annapolis feel optimistic about legislation that would allow for the study of how anti-Black racism has affected Black Marylanders historically.
They say it has less to do with Trump’s assault on initiatives aimed at addressing historic inequality overall (also known as DEI), and more to do with the fact that this is a plan that’s long overdue.
Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins (D-Montgomery) is quoted in the piece saying, “We do events all across the state, and one of the themes has always come back from Black Marylanders that it’s past time for Maryland to address the issue of reparations.”
The Eubie Blake Cultural Center announces collaborative media lab with From Baltimore With Love
The Eubie Blake Cultural Center is teaming up with From Baltimore With Love to launch the With Love Creative Incubator, a new collaborative media lab for podcasting and film production. The program will be hosted at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center and aims to foster creativity, empower youth, and support Baltimore’s arts community.
The With Love Creative Incubator will provide underrepresented youth with access to state-of-the-art podcasting and film production equipment. The program is designed to encourage creativity, bridge the digital skills gap, and give participants hands-on experience in media production. The goal is to empower young people to launch projects, share stories, and explore careers in media.
The Eubie Blake National Jazz Institute and Cultural Center offers exhibitions, performances, and educational programs, creating a space for artists and scholars to connect with the community and share their work. FBWL was founded in August 2018 by Brian Dawkins and specializes in content creation, unique apparel, and community engagement initiatives. Through their work, they deliberately cultivate positive outcomes and actively promote our city with love.
For more information contact Derek Price, press@eubieblake.org, call 410-618-3130, or visit www.eubieblake.org.
The post Around Baltimore: All night long ticketing, a Eubie Blake and From Baltimore With Love collab, reparations, and more appeared first on Baltimore Beat.