Baltimore Checkbook

Here's what Lockheed's F-35 concerns are really...

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Over the last month, Lockheed Martin Corp. has become a target for President-elect Donald Trump, twice the subject of tweets criticizing the high costs of its flagship F-35 strike fighter program. There was even a suggestion that Trump was looking at alternatives. But all the hysteria surrounding the Trump tweets and what it could mean for the F-35 are obscuring real concerns that arose the week before Trump bested former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, and the month…

Caves Valley seeks liquor license for entire Cross...

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The Towson developer preparing to renovate and upgrade historic Cross Street Market is seeking a wide-ranging liquor license for the property. The move by Caves Valley Partners would require approval of the General Assembly because state law prohibits any new liquor licenses to be granted in a specific district in South Baltimore that includes Cross Street Market. The restriction exists in the district because of the high number of liquor licenses already in place there. It is the latest step in…

Year in Review 2016: Higher premiums and executive...

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Health insurance was a hot topic locally and nationally in 2016, as premiums for individual plans saw big hikes once again. And health care professionals remain uncertain and wary about the future of the Affordable Care Act as a new administration takes power in Washington, D.C. Maryland experienced its fourth consecutive round of large premium price increases for individual health plans this year. In September, the Maryland Insurance Administration approved double-digit percent rate increases for…

Johns Hopkins, APL to partner with Facebook's R&D...

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Johns Hopkins and the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory are part of a group of universities to partner with Facebook to speed up the social networking giant’s secretive hardware development team’s research. The deal allows for a rapid increase in the speed at which the 17 universities selected can collaborate with Facebook’s Building 8, a hardware development arm that’s been known to work on under-the-radar, advanced projects including virtual reality, artificial intelligence and connectivity…

Arc Baltimore executive director Morgan retiring...

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Stephen H. Morgan will retire as executive director of The Arc Baltimore in June after 32 years in the position. Under Morgan’s leadership, the nonprofit grew into an organization supporting more than 6,000 Baltimore City and Baltimore County residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Morgan started with the Arc 45 years ago and was named executive director in 1985. As executive director, Morgan was responsible for closing The Arc’s traditional sheltered workshop and six day…

Power Plant Live, Horseshoe Casino drew most Lyft...

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Power Plant Live and M&T Bank Stadium draw event goers from around the Maryland/D.C. region for concerts and football games. But they are also pretty popular with the locals, according to Lyft. The ride-sharing company identified local “hot spots” from cities across the country for its second annual Lyftie Awards. Awards went to locations with the most passenger drop-offs in different categories for 2016. Here are the Baltimore winners: Most Visited Restaurant: Barcocina in Fells Point Most Visited…

Year in Review 2016: Maryland's largest layoffs

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While Maryland largely grew jobs in 2016, there was no shortage of layoffs. According to data from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, the largest layoff in Maryland in 2016 was at Global Payments Inc., a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services. The Atlanta-based company laid off 334 employees and shut down operations at the Owings Mills location. Global Payments has more than 8,500 employees worldwide. Recently, Global Payments finalized a deal with American…

Year in Review 2016: Wells Fargo scandal rocks the...

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There was no shortage of headlines in the financial world in 2016. This year saw the return of the Alex. Brown name and continued merger and acquisition activity among banks in the Greater Baltimore. Interest rates rose for just the second time in the last 10 years, and Morgan Stanley committed to expanding its presence in Baltimore. But the year will without a doubt be most remembered for the scandal that rocked Wells Fargo in September. Baltimore’s fourth-largest bank was fined$185 million by…

8 things you need to know this morning

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Good morning, and happy Wednesday. I hope you’re finding it easy to get back into the swing of things. Today is going to feel more like winter, with temperatures hovering in the low 40s. It may also be smart to brace for some rain during your morning commute tomorrow. Here are eight things to know to get your day started. “Star Wars” actress Carrie Fisher died yesterday at the age of 60. She suffered a heart attack aboard a flight on Dec. 23 and was never able to recover. Fisher had even appeared…

Plan for slaughterhouse in Baltimore's Westport...

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Calling the plan “insulting and demoralizing,” residents and business owners in Westport have filed a protest over a plan to open a slaughterhouse in their community months after the area was celebrated as being in a new benefits district for the Port Covington development. City records show that Mohamed Elkazaz, of Philadelphia, filed a zoning appeal on Dec. 14 to build a slaughterhouse, packaging plant and retail store at 2701 Manokin St. in the Southwest Baltimore neighborhood. But when residents…