Franchise Opportunities in Baltimore, MD

Severe thunderstorms are likely in Maryland on Monday afternoon and evening, and they could bring damaging winds and the possibility of large hail or isolated tornadoes, forecasters say.

The storms are likely to arrive in Western Maryland first before moving eastward. Garrett and Allegany counties are most likely to see severe storms between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., while the highest chance for severe storms in Central Maryland is between 1 and 7 p.m.

“Damaging winds are the primary threat, but large hail and isolated tornadoes are possible as well,” reads a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service. “An isolated instance of flooding is also possible.”

In Baltimore, where Monday’s high temperature is 81 degrees, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected between noon and 3 p.m., and rain showers could linger into the night before it gradually becomes clear. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph during the storms.

The risk of severe t'storms over much of our region today is ENHANCED (level 3 of 5). Damaging winds appear to be the primary threat, but hail, a few tornadoes, & flooding are also possible. Remain alert for rapidly changing weather conditions late this AM through the afternoon. pic.twitter.com/G4f1NkUO09

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) May 16, 2022

Hazardous weather outlooks have been issued throughout Maryland and in surrounding states, though no formal watches or warnings are in effect in Maryland at this time.

“Anyone who plans on travelling or being outdoors today should pay extra attention to any watches and warnings, and be ready to seek shelter quickly,” reads a forecast update from the weather service.

In the vast majority of Maryland, the risk for severe weather is “enhanced” — the third level on the National Weather Service’s five-tiered scale, according to a tweet from the agency. The westernmost and easternmost parts of Maryland have a “slight” risk.

After the storms, Tuesday is likely to be sunny and breezy in the Baltimore area, according to the National Weather Service. In the city, the high temperature will be 77 degrees, with winds between 6 and 15 mph and gusts as high as 26 mph.

Wednesday is poised to be mostly sunny with a high of 74 degrees, but rain could return on Thursday. There’s a 40% chance Thursday and a 30% chance Friday, when the high temperature could climb to 85 degrees. The chance for precipitation could linger into the weekend. Saturday’s projected high temperature is 89 degrees, and Sunday’s is 76 degrees.

Will Move Forward With New Facility in White Marsh

ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced that Greenland Technologies Holding Corporation, a technology developer and manufacturer of electric industrial vehicles and drivetrain systems for material handling machineries and vehicles, has selected Baltimore County for the next phase of the company’s major U.S. expansion. Greenland conducted a comprehensive national selection process before selecting Maryland earlier this year, and Baltimore County was selected after a review of multiple criteria including location, workforce, incentives, and logistics.

With the formal selection, Greenland plans to move forward with an approximately 50,000 square-foot manufacturing facility located at 5301 Nottingham Drive in White Marsh, where it plans to steadily create new full-time jobs. The facility, which is expected to formally open this July, is central to the company’s strategy of supporting the increased customer demand for its expanding line of electrical industrial vehicles.

“We welcome Greenland Technologies’ new U.S. manufacturing operations to Maryland, and are thrilled to see the company’s vision come to life at its location in Baltimore County,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “Greenland’s innovative technologies will allow the company to easily make its mark in the Mid Atlantic and continue growing its presence throughout the nation.”

Established in 2006, Greenland has become one of the world’s largest transmission and drivetrain systems providers for material handling equipment such as forklift trucks that are used in industrial and logistic settings. Greenland Technologies investments in R&D and its successful track record of innovation have established it as a cutting edge, clean energy technology developer, with a proven commitment to embracing the electrification process and incorporating it into the electric industrial vehicle market.

“We are excited and confident in our decision to build out in Maryland given our extensive selection process. As we have moved forward, our selection has been validated each step of the way,” said Raymond Wang, CEO of Greenland. “The Governor’s team and local officials clearly share in our vision and enthusiasm for electrification and understand the positive implications on job creation, economic benefit and to Greenland specifically. Having such committed and supportive partners is essential to our long-term success and ability to quickly ramp our new manufacturing facility in support of the strong customer demand for our industrial electric vehicles.”

To support its expansion, the company has submitted a notice of intent to utilize the state’s More Jobs for Marylanders program, administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce. The More Jobs for Marylanders program incentivizes new and existing manufacturers to create new jobs in the state, and to non-manufacturers that locate or expand in Maryland Opportunity Zones.

“We are thrilled that Greenland Technologies’ has chosen Baltimore County as home for its U.S. manufacturing operations,” said Baltimore County Executive John Olszewski. “We are excited to welcome Greenland and more green manufacturing jobs to Baltimore County. Greenland’s innovation and leadership in developing clean, green and zero emission industrial equipment is critical in enabling us to achieving cleaner air and a better Baltimore County.”

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When you hear a ballad sung by a dragon, watch a dynamic and funny fight scene between the dragon and a powerful wizard, have your whole body resonate with heavy metal guitar when the dragon, Glitterus (Jayné Harris), is defeated and screams “I’m succuuuuuuuumbing” as she exits all within the first few moments of a show, you know it’s going be epic. Baltimore Rock Opera Society (BROS), the company created by and for lovers of zany, fantastic, and face-melting rock operas of immense proportion, are back in action with a quest for powerful dragon eggs to restore balance to the world before the cataclysm destroys everything.

Through emotional ballads, quirky characters, stellar song writing, comedic prowess, and plenty of sexual innuendo to go around, the journey to restore balance might be more about grace, humanity, friendship, and revelry.

Only the Mystics can hear Glitterus’ song. It calls to them and imbues them with the power to vibe and effect the elements in the process. They must join together and search for the dragon’s missing eggs, or else the mighty Lord Vin (Shosanna Davidoff-Gore) may beat them to it. Sheltered in Vin’s metal dome, Captain of the Guard Brigid (Liz “Nic Cole” Unaeze) just wants to be taken seriously. When she suddenly is overtaken by the song of Glitterus, it begins a change in her, revealing her true potential and eventually sacrificing herself to save humanity. Through emotional ballads, quirky characters, stellar song writing, comedic prowess, and plenty of sexual innuendo to go around, the journey to restore balance might be more about grace, humanity, and revelry.

Powerhouse performances by Vin, Glitterus, and Brigid tore the house down. The vocal tone, strength, and total face-melting energy of these singers knocked me down and spirited me away. I have been humming Brigid and Vin’s duet “I just wanna live forever” since curtain call. The Mystics—Valstead (Carly Pursley), Mixi (Kat Duque), Ketya (Greg Bowen), and Ahlia (Michelle Shellers)— must also be complimented for their harmonies, their playful energy, and teamwork to cover for any lags in transitions. Their performances leant the necessary passion and whimsy to anchor the journey. Party demon Zeth’s (Isaih Dorsey) long spider arms, glowing eyes, and other-worldly riffing stole the scene and made you root for the bad guys. Maldek (Zilch Powers) and his toilet paper head-piece was every part the sycophantic and power hungry underling, while Baltheo (Aby Warren) contrasted as a rebellious artist and occasional narrator. The movement team (Lake Potter, Samantha Ankrom-Chickering, Lindsay Landolfi, and Sam Brunner) flowed beautifully across the stage and their bodies were engaged fully in all of their scenes. The ensemble (Patrick Staso, Licoln Goode, Markayla Black, Trevor Lynas, and Steven Pingel) wore many hats and acquitted them selves well in each of their roles.

Director Amanda Rife did a good job pacing the scenes and I enjoyed the stylistic movement. The fight choreography was punched up by some thoughtful lighting and sound accompaniment. The dynamic band (Darmock, John De Campos, Josh Weiss, Sebastian Ochoa Arguijo, Kelly Jentis, and Jacob Deaven) nailed every song and provided sonic decadence. There was an effective use of LED lights (Alan Shnittman) in the costumes and props (Michael E. Bull), including the dragon eggs—translucent orbs that glowed from within and changed colors throughout the evening.

The script (Jamie Ginsberg, Sarah Doccolo, Lance Bankerd, Greg Bowen, and Amanda Rife) was based in excellent writing that guided the story sharply with witty retorts. Heartfelt relationships were tenderly expressed and I could not stop laughing at the innuendos. Music and lyrics (Jay Weixelbaum, Joseph Mulhollen, Greg Bowen, Erica Patoka Cerquetti, Darmock, and John De Campos) shredded hard and developed the story where words were not enough.

Costumes (AG Sherman) coupled with wigs, hair, and makeup (Cheri “CF Styling Inc” Felix) very clearly set each character apart, showcasing the unique customs of each land. I particularly loved the Mystics, whose elemental-inspired garb was superbly detailed and evolved with the characters. Lighting (Chris Allen) was everything you hope for at a rock concert, and there was even smoke and a tiny little bit of pyrotechnics thrown in for good measure. The play between the set (Kate Smith-Morse) and lighting, in particular a volcano that shifted colors under UV light, was lovely. Projections by Johnny Rogers filled the space and were perfect for giving a sense of the metal dome and even featured giant trolls.

One of the most compelling characters was the creature Fortis, designed by Justin Sabe. The ensemble acted as shrubbery and vines, flowing down the stage like a living, giggling plant. The voices of Fortis—Kerry Brady and Tina James—also incorporated sign language into the chorus of their song. The whole picture was a unique use of movement and blocking.

While overall the show was a spectacular event, there were a few aspects that suffered from underdevelopment. Some of the design choices, particularly the patterned trees in the land of metal, or the stained glass backdrop, did not mesh conceptually with the settings within the story. There were a few problems with some of the props and the projections. My biggest concern was with the scene changes, when the band stopped playing and the energy was immediately sucked from the audience in the vacuum of a black out. Understandably, with a production of this scale, scene changes may take a while, but I wished that there had been a cover with music either pre-recorded or live. It would have kept the audience engaged with the action and allowed the pacing of the play to remain consistent. Opening night can often induce some jitters and rough spots, so I would love to be back at the close of the run to see what has evolved and how the performers have eased into the fun of show!

The showstopper was the gigantic, hot pink, glittering, light-up dragon puppet that graced the stage for the finale. Designed by Sam Hanson, this incredible work brought the fierce creature—on which rested the laurels of this production—to life on a truly mind-boggling scale. This is where BROS really excels. To think that all of their shows are created through volunteer effort is a testament to the commitment, tenacity, and creative genius that swirls through the BROS community. It is a wonderfully unique experience to see a BROS production and “Glitterus: Dragon Rising” definitely arrived in style.

Running time: Approximately two hours with one intermission.

Advisory: Contains strong language and sexual references and is not appropriate for small children.

“Glitterus: Dragon Rising” runs through June 4, 2022 at Zion Lutheran Church, 400 E Lexington Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. For tickets and more information, click here. Please address all content questions to [email protected].

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Baltimore is set to give 200 young parents a cash payment of $1,000 per month over two years as part of a guaranteed income pilot program, Mayor Brandon M. Scott (D) announced Wednesday.

Applications will open online at 6 a.m. on May 2 for the Baltimore Young Families Success Fund pilot program, which will be funded by a mix of $4.8 million of the city’s federal American Rescue Plan Act funds and philanthropic donations. The application period ends at 11:59 p.m. on May 9.

The unconditional cash payment is meant to supplement earnings and, by providing young families with a baseline income, help them afford childcare and cover unexpected medical bills, as well as find employment, according to a news release.

In order to be eligible for the cash payments, applicants must be Baltimore City residents between the ages of 18 -24 years old at the time of the application deadline, and either be biological or adoptive parents, or guardians. Applicants will also need to have full or partial caretaking responsibilities, the city said, and have income at or below 300% of the federal poverty level based on their household size.

Applicants who meet those eligibility requirements will be placed into a randomized lottery to select 200 participants. The applicants will be divided into four groups:

At a Wednesday press conference, Scott said the pilot program will allow young parents to “bounce back from COVID and get their lives and their children’s lives back on track.”

Scott noted the success of a similar program in California, the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED). The Stockton program gave $500 per month to 125 city residents for two years, and an analysis of that program found that the payments “enabled residents to find full-time employment.”

“Recipients of guaranteed income were healthier, showing less depression and anxiety and enhanced well-being,” an analysis of the Stockton program reads.

The Baltimore Young Families Success Fund program was designed over the past year by a steering committee led by Center for Urban Families Founder, President and CEO Joe Jones Jr., and Danielle Torain, the director of the Open Society Institute-Baltimore.

“Baltimore’s predominantly Black and Latino working-class communities — already suffering from decades of institutional disinvestment — were among the hardest hit by the COVID pandemic and its economic fallout,” Torain said in a statement. “Guaranteed Income is a powerful people-centered way to address both the historic disinvestment and the more recent impact of COVID.”

The city has partnered with the CASH Campaign of Maryland to administer the program, according to the news release, as well as Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, a coalition of mayors that advocate for similar programs.

“Baltimore joins other cities nationwide to show how providing a Guaranteed Income provides resilience, promotes self-determination, and preserves dignity for very low-income families,” CASH Campaign of Maryland co-founder and CEO Robin McKinney said in a statement. “Results from other cities have shown that the recipients are healthier, happier, and better able to find full-time employment because their money worries have been largely eliminated.”

Private donors helping the fund the pilot program include CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Abell Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation, and the Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund.

Baltimore isn’t the first Maryland jurisdiction to undertake a guaranteed income pilot program. The Montgomery County Council voted unanimously in December to approve a $2 million special appropriation for the county’s own program, which will provide 300 households with $800 per month for 24 months and was modeled after the Stockton program.

“Guaranteed Income Programs are showing up in cities and counties across the U.S.” said Councilmember William O. Jawando (D) said at the time. “The belief that people have the ability to make the best choices to improve their economic position has shown to be true in case after case.”

Baltimore Ravens 2022 schedule announced

BALTIMORE, MD—The Baltimore Ravens 2022 schedule has been announced.

The Ravens are scheduled to play three primetime games, including one at M&T Bank Stadium and two on the road during the NFL’s 2022 regular season. The Ravens will also play four divisional opponents (at Pittsburgh in Week 14, at Cleveland in Week 15, vs. Pittsburgh in Week 17 and at Cincinnati in Week 18), including three on the road, in their final five games of the season.

Other 2022 Ravens Schedule Notes:

2022 BALTIMORE RAVENS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

*Flexible Scheduling Games

Home Games in CAPS All Times Eastern

2022 PRESEASON SCHEDULE

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