Baltimore Checkbook

Up to 24 apartments planned for long-vacant...

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Up to 24 new loft apartment units are planned for a 111-year-old building at 8 E. Fayette St. that has been vacant in downtown Baltimore for two decades. Hossain Kamyab, a partner in Herndon, Va.-based Cambridge Holdings LLC, which purchased the building in February, said Thursday construction is expected to begin in two months. The project includes adding a seventh floor to the existing roof of the building that will hold four loft apartments. Cambridge Holdings LLC group purchased the building…

SocialToaster is raising — lots of — money again

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SocialToaster Inc. expects to close a new round of equity and convertible note financing by the end of the month. The Baltimore social media marketing firm expects to raise around $3 million in new equity, which will trigger a convertible note of $4.9 million, for a total of about $7.7 million. Since the round has not yet closed, the total amount of new equity is subject to change, said Chief Financial Officer Tom Heseltine. A convertible note is a form of debt financing that converts to equity…

Mergers shake up some of the top Baltimore-area...

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The cut-throat brokerage industry got even more competitive over the last year. Some of the top names in commercial real estate consolidated, a play to increase market share and expand into new locations. DTZ acquired Cushman & Wakefield in September for $2 billion. The deal came less than a year after DTZ gobbled up Cassidy Turley. The combined firms — which adopted the Cushman & Wakefield name — rank No. 1 on this year’s List of the largest commercial real estate brokerages in the Baltimore…

KEYW finalizing sale of commercial cybersecurity...

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KEYW Holding Corp. is in advanced talks to sell its commercial cybersecurity line as new CEO Bill Weber looks to strip the company down to its core government contracting business. Hanover-based KEYW (NASDAQ: KEYW) said Thursday that it has executed letters of intent to sell its Hexis Cyber Solutions Inc. subsidiary. The company did not name prospective buyers or pricing because parties were completing confirmatory diligence and had yet to finalize terms. A sale of Hexis would be a major step toward…

How to quickly earn Gold status, freebies with new...

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The new Starbucks Rewards kicks off on Tuesday, April 12.

The Seattle-based coffee company’s revamped, free loyalty program rewards customers for purchases instead of visits to stores.

The new program has two levels – Green and Gold – and offers members two Stars for every $1 spent. Currently,…

MedStar says 2007 software flaw not part of hack

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MedStar Health pushed back on an Associated Press report that hackers exploited a design flaw from 2007 to break into its computer system. The AP’s report cited an unidentified source saying the $4.6 billion health system was the victim of a well-known problem that left its server vulnerable to attack. Columbia-based MedStar disputed that characterization Wednesday, though the AP didn’t retract its report. “News reports circulating about the malware attack on MedStar Health’s IT system are…

Free ice cream cones at Ben & Jerry's on Tuesday

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Here’s a hot scoop: Get a free ice cream cone at Ben & Jerry’s on Tuesday, April 12.

From 12 to 8 p.m. at participating shops stop to get your free cup or cone as the chain celebrates its 38th birthday.

What flavor will you pick? Vote for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cherry Garcia or Chocolate…

Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, BJs starting Baltimore...

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Many Baltimore residents will now be able to have groceries delivered from Whole Foods, BJs Wholesale Club, Safeway and Harris Teeter. InstaCart, a San Francisco-based startup, is launching in the city Thursday and will deliver from all those stores and more — including Price Rite, and even Petco (for pet food and supplies). Users will be able to go online and select from one of the retailers, and can have their groceries delivered in as little as two hours to their home. The base delivery fee…

8 things you need to know this morning

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Good morning, and happy Thursday. You know what they say about April showers — so it should come as no surprise that it’s going to rain all day. It seems like we’re going to have to wait until next week to start feeling spring weather again. Here are eight things you need to know to get your day started. Everyone knows, and loves, Camden Yards. Even as a non-Orioles fan, I can’t help but enjoy watching a baseball game there. But did you know, back in 1980, there was a proposed plan to build…

Here are the 10 highest-paid Orioles players for...

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A little rain never hurt anyone, right? Orioles fans sold out Camden Yards on April 4 to celebrate Opening Day despite impending rain — and two eventual delays. Baseball season is officially here, no matter what the weather may say. The O’s had a busy offseason, signing some new names and locking up a familiar face, Chris Davis, to a seven-year deal worth $161 million. Among all 30 MLB teams, the O’s have the 10th largest payroll this season at $147.9 million, according to salary tracker…