Commentary

by Sonia KumarAug 13, 2026

A new ACLU of Maryland report on fatal police encounters shows we must act to prevent medical or mental health emergencies from escalating into tragedies. [OP-ED]

Aug 3, 2026

Lawsuit by Olszewski administration, filed against a former top aide, is revealed for what it was: A charade

County Executive Kathy Klausmeier approved the $100,000 settlement with Patrick Murray in a case that she and her predecessor, Johnny Olszewski, never wanted to win. [OP-ED]

Special SeriesJul 23, 2026

A hearing next week in the legal battle that Baltimore’s inspector general never should have had to fight

A chronology of the dispute between IG Isabel Cumming and Mayor Brandon Scott that could cripple her office’s ability to investigate corruption in city government. [OP-ED]

Jul 17, 2026

BGE power outages make July’s hot weather even more miserable in southeast Baltimore

“It is not unusual for us to wear headlamps similar to those used by coal miners,” says a resident who meticulously recorded a dozen power outages over 10 days. [OP-ED]

Jun 29, 2026

UPDATE: Previously withheld auditor’s report sheds light on Olszewski administration’s scheme to fund clubhouse renovations

How did the costs for renovating the Rocky Point Golf Course clubhouse jump from $500,000 to $6.6 million without Baltimore County lawmakers’ knowledge? [OP-ED]

Special SeriesJun 15, 2026

If Maryland residents want independent and effective inspectors general, they are going to have to insist on it

It’s clear that elected officials don’t share the public’s wishes. Here’s a reasonable way to give IGs access to records otherwise protected by the Maryland Public Information Act. [OP-ED]

Special SeriesMay 18, 2026

The Baltimore County Council pension bill: Too little too late

Special SeriesMay 1, 2026

The Brandon Scott image Cumming posted was bad, but Ferguson exploiting it to shut her work down is shameful

Apr 13, 2026

How low can you go? Baltimore’s helicopter playground puts city life at risk

Special SeriesMar 16, 2026

Poised to undo their pension grab, but pretending that’s not what it was

Mar 4, 2026

Expansion of BPD’s license plate reader capability is dangerous – and flying in under the radar

Special SeriesMar 2, 2026

Remembering Baltimore Mayor McKeldin, an extinct species: the moderate-to-liberal Republican

Special SeriesFeb 23, 2026

A new state mandate requires jurisdictions to permit accessory dwelling units. Baltimore is making a mess of it

Feb 9, 2026

Mayor Scott’s war on Baltimore’s inspector general: Part II

Jan 26, 2026

Getting members of the Baltimore County Council to eliminate their pension windfalls won’t be easy

Jan 20, 2026

Four Baltimore County Council members are now in a position to double their pensions

Jan 5, 2026

Exaggerated reports about squatters favor landlord profits over tenant rights

Dec 18, 2025

Today’s hearing on the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund should lead to much-needed accountability

Dec 15, 2025

Up in the Air: No authority in Baltimore County law to appoint an “acting” inspector general

Nov 24, 2025

Baltimore’s former zoning board director explains why she lost faith in zoning

Nov 18, 2025

Scott’s zoning bills will support real people with real needs by enabling “gentle density”

Nov 17, 2025

Eroding the bedrock of single-family-zoned neighborhoods in Baltimore doesn’t make sense

Nov 14, 2025

A frustrating game of hot potato in Baltimore County

Nov 13, 2025

No progress for Baltimore if it allows neighborhoods to cater only to “the people who own”