English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Baltimore, MD

Charm'tastic Mile Unveils B'tastic-More, MD. Logo Poster for Relaunch of "Charm City 50" Day/Wknd

April 24, 2025 - The "Charm'tastic Mile" of Baltimore (CTMB-1.3) www.thecharmtasticmile.com. The chic & famed 1.3 mile corridor located in the heart of Charm City (Est.1975) that connects Dwtn-West, the Inner Harbor & Harbor East (S. Greene & W. Pratt Street to S. President & Fleet Street) that is now listed on Google search as one of the Top 10-15 Most Famous Streets in America is unveiling the New B'tastic-More, MD. logo poster for the relaunch of "Charm City 50" Day/Wknd.

Welcome to B'tastic-More, MD. Est. 2025 will be the welcome chant on The "Charm'tastic Mile" for visiting tourists & local residents who are strolling up-and-down the Iconic 1.3 corridor located in the heart of downtown & Inner Harbor.

"We wanted our own version of Bmore for the The "Charm'tastic Mile" and with B'tastic-More in the colors of Baltimore and also MD. in the State of Maryland red seemed like a perfect match for a script logo. To highlight Bmore with our signature 'tastic, brings it all together", says Derrick E Vaughan of The "Charm'tastic Mile".

"Buttons, posters and flyers will be distributed to businesses that are on or close to "The Mile", Vaughan continues.

Tomorrow will be the Spring/Summer (4-25-25) relaunch of "Charm City 50", the 50th Anniversary (1975-2025) of the Charm City nickname that was coined for Baltimore in 1975 by then Mayor William Donald Schaefer. The official launch to "Charm City 50" was this past January 25, 2025 (1-25-25). The relaunch celebration of "Charm City 50" will run from 4-25-25 to 12-25-25 (Christmas Day). Christmas Day will be the one-month countdown to the launch of "Charm City 51", January 25, 2026 (1-25-26). That will also be NFL AFC/NFC Championship Sunday.

April 25th will also be 4th Annual "Charm'tastic Mile Day" in Baltimore. Mayor Brandon Scott 1st Proclaimed "Charm'tastic Mile Day" on April 25, 2022. The "Charm'tastic Mile" was published as a USPTO www.uspto.org registered trademark on September 15, 2020. This coming September 15th will mark the 5th Anniversary of the trademark. It joined The Magnificent Mile, Rodeo Drive & Vegas Strip/Las Vegas Blvd. as one of the few American Streets that's a USPTO trademark.

For more information or news media interview requests on the New B'tastic-More slogan/name for the relaunch of "Charm City 50" & Charm'tastic Mile Day/Wknd '25 in Baltimore please contact Derrick E Vaughan at 443-708-5927.

For years, a low-lying town at the southern point of Maryland pored over engineering plans to raise its roads, expand wetlands and build a bulwark along the Chesapeake Bay to insulate itself against rising seas.

Hard work paid off for Crisfield, population 2,500 last summer, when federal disaster officials awarded the town $36.2 million for a project to ward off the threat of multiple feet of flooding every day, at high tide, as soon as 2050.

But its plan might be on hold.

President Donald Trump’s administration cancelled Crisfield’s grant earlier this month, along with $882 million around the country through a program designed to reduce communities’ long-term natural disaster risks. According to the state Department of the Environment, the Eastern Shore grant is among $83 million in federal disaster infrastructure wiped from the slate in Maryland.

Also on the chopping block: nearly all of a $32 million grant for a wetlands restoration project in South Baltimore, which city and state leaders hope will serve as the foundation for revitalized communities along the Middle Branch of the Patapsco River.

Local leaders behind the infrastructure efforts held out hope that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would restore promised funding, even as they assessed other options for projects that they said are important for protecting coastal communities in response to climate change.

When FEMA cancelled its program, known as Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), the Maryland Department of Emergency Management was on the verge of submitting an application with another $70 million worth of infrastructure projects around the state.

The first phase of Crisfield’s project, to protect the especially vulnerable southern half of town, is designed to provide protections against storm surges as high as 3 1/2 feet. Crisfield, which sits 3 feet or less above sea level, had prepared a second grant application to extend efforts to the northern wing of town, which it hopes to surround with a tidal barrier 5 feet above sea level.

In a statement late last week lamenting the canceled FEMA grant, Crisfield Mayor Darlene Taylor called work on the initial phase “a turning point” for her community. Crisfield officials appealed to FEMA to reconsider their decision.

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“The BRIC program provided essential support for small, rural towns like ours to address chronic flooding challenges,” Taylor said. “Withdrawing this funding increases our vulnerability to future flood events and puts our community at continued risk.”

FEMA did not answer questions about specific projects canceled in Maryland. In a statement, the agency said BRIC “was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program.”

“It was more concerned with political agendas than helping Americans affected by natural disasters,” the FEMA press office said in the statement. “Under Secretary[Kristi] Noem’s leadership, we are committed to ensuring that Americans in crisis can get the help and resources they need.” Noem is the Homeland Security secretary.

In Baltimore, state and local leaders have heralded the Reimagine Middle Branch project as a transformative effort both for the environment and for South Baltimore neighborhoods.

A massive infrastructure endeavor, it aims to develop new wetlands, parks, trails and community centers along 11 miles of shoreline wrapping around the Patapsco River.

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The FEMA money was meant to support two wetland restoration efforts, one to guard against flooding around MedStar Harbor Hospital and another around a Baltimore Gas and Electric Company natural gas hub, according to Brad Rogers, executive director of the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, which is helming the project.

The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership had spent about $5 million of its FEMA grant on planning work, Rogers said, leaving about $27 million lost.

Without the promised FEMA funding, project leaders will have to lower ambitions, at least temporarily. The wetlands project around the hospital will be smaller than envisioned, while work at the BGE hub is on pause as backers try to raise more money.

“There’s no doubt that it’s disappointing,” said Rogers, but he emphasized the economic benefits of the project and the environmental protections the wetlands work will provide for a hospital and an important regional utility. “I’m hopeful that when they dig into the details, they’ll see that this is a really practical and useful project.”

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Long-term economic benefit is a feature of all BRIC-funded projects, according to Chas Eby, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management. He pointed to a 2019 report by the National Institute of Building Sciences that found federal disaster mitigation spending has saved $6 for every $1 in up-front spending.

Since its launch in 2020, the BRIC program has supported projects all over Maryland, according to details shared by the Department of Emergency Management.

Rising Sun in Northeast Maryland was awarded more than $5 million last year in part to acquire mobile homes and relocate residents out of a flood plain — a grant the town won’t see if FEMA’s cancellation holds up.

Among a slate of smaller projects granted in Maryland in recent years, FEMA approved $530,000 to address decades-old flooding in Northeast Baltimore at Hillen Road and 35th Street. That money hasn’t been submitted for reimbursement yet, according to the state agency, meaning it’s vulnerable to being clawed back.

For the next round of BRIC grants, Department of Emergency Management officials said they had prepared an application including $35.6 million for the second half of Crisfield’s flood project, $16 million for storm protections in Cambridge, and money to harden wastewater treatment plants, elevate floodplain homes and other green infrastructure.

FEMA ended the program just before its application deadline.

adam.willis@thebaltimorebanner.com

Adam Willis reports on climate and the environment across Maryland for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered Baltimore City Hall for The Banner.

Grid reforms could save Marylanders over $500 a year on power bills, climate group claims

Apr 18, 2025

44-year-old David Kaufman from Maryland has been charged with allegedly coercing and enticing an 18-year-old to travel from Massachusetts to Maryland to engage in commercial sex, according to the United States Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts.

Court documents say authorities acquired evidence allegedly detailing Kaufman coercing and enticing minors ages ranging from 14–20 through payment for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

Some of the minors, after being persuaded and coerced, would travel to his penthouse at the Four Seasons in Baltimore, and other locations, to engage in sexual activity with him, which he would videorecord.

Allegedly, one incident in particular, documented in public filings says, Kaufman coerced a victim to travel from Massachusetts, paying for plane tickets on two different occasions to come to his penthouse at the Four Seasons in Baltimore.

While there, Kaufman allegedly gave the victim liquor and drugs, including cocaine, until the victim was intoxicated.

From this point, he allegedly persuaded the victim to participate in sexual activity with him; this was also recorded.

During these two occasions, he paid the victim in various ways, i.e., cash, electronic money transfers, and gifts not limited to a Louis Vuitton bag he bought.

He would then watch the footage later for pleasure.

Kaufman was indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts of persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing an individual to travel to engage in prostitution and aiding and abetting.

The 44-year-old appeared in a Maryland federal court Wednesday, where he was ordered detained for a pending hearing for Thursday afternoon at 3pm. He will later appear in the District of Massachusetts.

If convicted, Kaufman could face up to 20 years in prison, a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Copyright 2025 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Maryland isn't a state I've explored as much as its neighbors, but every time I visit, I'm increasingly impressed with all it has to offer. One of my favorite things about the state and its largest city, Baltimore, is its convenience to new and unique places. There are a lot of fantastic day trips near Baltimore, Maryland, because the city is a perfect jumping-off point for other destinations. It's just outside the DC metro area, and conveniently close to parts of Virginia, making a great spot to stay if you're looking to explore the nation's capitol. It's also on the country's most frequent Amtrak route, the Northeast Regional, which means jumping up and down the coast between Boston and DC is a breeze. Here are just a few day trips from Baltimore that excite me.

Baltimore was one of the key sites in early American history, and its most famous site is Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine. Located on Locust Point with an incredible harbor view, this fort played a key role in the Battle of Baltimore, fending off the British Army during the War of 1812. The old cannons that played a key role are still present—and if you ask locals, so are the spirits of the brave men who fell in battle here.

One of my favorite local spots, this historic music venue is located in Alexandria less than an hour outside of the Baltimore area. As part of the DC metro area, it's very accessible, and I love its affordable ticket prices to see famous acts. I've been here twice, to see Chayce Beckham and Phil Vassar, and the music hall-style seating is a great place to see a show and have a classic Southern meal. I recommend the red beans and rice!

As a New Jersey resident, I love a good boardwalk. However, the Ocean City Boardwalk gives even our best a run for its money! Spanning miles with a convenient trolley ride along it, the area features some of the best attractions in the state, including an amusement park with some famous dark rides, an outpost of the popular Ripley's Believe It or Not franchise, and a world-famous seafood buffet named The Bonfire. This is a fantastic place to spend a few days during the summer when it's in full swing, but the 2.5-hour drive can be worked into a day trip with an early start.

I love aquariums, and I've visited them in NJ, NY, and Boston, but I don't think I've ever seen one as spectacular as the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Located in the city center, it's easy to spend the whole day here. The aquarium features hundreds of species in unique ecosystems; you'll find local species, exotic sea life from around the world, and even land animals in what feels a little more like a state-of-the-art zoo.

My favorite thing to do in the Baltimore area has got to be to head into the DC city center and explore the 17 museums that make up the Smithsonian Institution. The stunning dinosaur skeletons at the Natural History Museum and the historic vessels on display at the Air & Space Museum are the most famous. Still, my favorite hidden gem has to be the National Museum of the American Indian, one of the newest museums. It's also home to Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe, a culinary hidden gem spotlighting traditional tribal foods from around the country.

Have you taken any of these day trips near Baltimore, Maryland before? If not, make sure you tell your travel buddy about this article and plan out your own Baltimore adventures! If you're looking for a home base in the area, I was thrilled to find the Homewood Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor right in the city's center. I have always loved this chain for its conveniently large suites and its delicious complimentary breakfast buffet.

A Baltimore man invested in his son-in-law by opening a shack, Chaps Pit Beef, which has since expanded into two other Maryland cities.

Amanda Lumpkin, Patch Staff

|Updated Thu, Mar 20, 2025 at 8:00 pm ET

BALTIMORE, MD — For some, a supreme sandwich shop may be where flavor, authenticity and creativity meat in the middle.

In Maryland, food-focused digital outlet Tasting Table deemed Chaps Pit Beef the most iconic sandwich shop in the state.

"The pit beef is an iconic Baltimore sandwich made with thinly sliced, medium-rare beef roasted over a fire, served on a Kaiser roll with onions, lettuce, tomatoes and horseradish," Tasting Table reported.

Chaps has been in business since 1987, according to the company's online biography. Gus Glava invested in Chaps for his new son-in-law, Bob Creager, and opened the then-pit beef stand in his nightclub's parking lot, the biography stated.

Glava's daughter manages the three-restaurant Maryland eatery, which originally opened as a 12-feet-wide, 15-feet-long shack that later expanded into five buildings, the biography stated.

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Chaps stated its core values are honesty, hustle, teamwork, loyalty, passion and pride.

With a knack for names, Chaps serves the Reuben, the Louie, the Rachel, the turkey Rachel, the beef Rachel, the turkey Reuben, the Christine specialty sandwich, the Danny Dog, the Larry burger, Guy's Triple D, the Gus, the Markie, the Jennie special and the Big John.

Platters range from chicken wings to chicken tenders to fish and hamburgers.

Pork ribs, homemade cole slaw, sauerkraut, homemade macaroni and cheese, cheese fries, gravy fries, caeser salads and various desserts are also on the menu.

You ca find Chaps locations at: 720 Mapleton Ave., Baltimore; 1013 Beards Hill Road, Aberdeen; and 6714 G. Richie Hwy., Glen Burnie.

For other mid-Atlantic states, Tasting Table named the following as the most iconic sandwich shop in their state:

See the full list at Tasting Table.

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