Baltimore, MD - Apr.. 2, 2024 - New imagery, supplied by the U.S. Navy Naval Sea System Command Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, shows the wreckage resting at the bottom of the river where the Francis Scott Key Bridge once stood.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, the underwater sonar imaging tool, known as CODA Octopus, is the primary survey tool used by divers, with visibility clouded to just one to two feet because of the four to five feet of mud and loose bottom of the Patapsco River.
Divers are working in virtual darkness because when lit their view is similar to driving through a heavy snowfall at night with high-beam headlights on -- divers must be guided via detailed verbal directions from operators in vessels topside viewing real-time CODA ...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 2, 2024 - Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) is still popular among Marylanders, according to the latest Goucher College Poll.
The former governor had the highest favorability percentage among the potential candidates at 63% and edged out both democratic candidates Rep. David Trone (D) and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D), when asked who they would vote for in a head-to-head matchup.
The poll conducted from March 19 -24 asked 800 Maryland voters several questions about the upcoming U.S. Senate race, Gov. Wes Moore, and the direction and economic conditions in Maryland.
Hogan led the candidates with 63% of responders having a favorable opinion of him. Rep. Trone was second at 43%, while Alsobrooks was at 38% favorable opinion. Also...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 2, 2024 - The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse is on everyone's mind as the city shares its 2025 budget.
Mayor Brandon Scott unveiled the fiscal year's 2025 preliminary budget. He says it's too early to tell if or how much the Key Bridge collapse will impact the city's plans.
"At this stage in the process, we did not make any adjustment to this preliminary budget as a result of last week's tragedy. It should also be noted, in the days following the collapse, the S&P reaffirmed Baltimore, AA rating and a stable outlook in the recent incident which is an extremely important note for the support of our city's fiscal health," said Mayor Scott.
The city continues to brace for the long term impacts this unthinkable tragedy wi...
In Vayikra 9:22 the posuk tells us that Aharon lifted his hands and bentched Klal Yisroel. The Gemara in Sotah 38a says that we learn from the word “Ko“ that the bracha of the Kohanim is given while the Kohen stands. The Gemara says we learn this from a hekesh from the brachos that were given on Har Grizim where the Torah says “Yamdu.” Tosfos in Sotah 38a brings in the name of the Ri that if a Kohen gave the bracha while sitting, the bracha is ineffective as we compare it to the word “leshareis,” which means to serve, and a servant serves while he is standing. We find in Zevachim 23b that if a Kohen did the avoda while sitting, the Avoda is mechu...
BALTIMORE — Attorneys for the DALI container ship that caused the Key Bridge's collapse last week, are looking to get ahead of future lawsuits.
The catastrophic incident left six construction workers dead and two others injured.
It also severely impacted local workers and the economy, as operations at the Port of Baltimore remain indefinitely suspended.
In a federal court filing Monday, the ship's owners and operators, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE, denied any fault or neglect.
"The [bridge collapse] was not due to any fault, neglect, or want of care on the part of [Grace Ocean & Synergy], the Vessel, or any persons or entities for whose acts [Grace Ocean & Synergy] may be responsible," the filing reads. "Alternatively, if any such faults ca...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 2, 2024 - In the latest Goucher College Poll, Maryland Governor Wes Moore garnered a 54% approval rating. This is a 1% increase to his last approval rating which came in a poll conducted by the Baltimore Banner and Goucher College. Also in the latest poll, 28% of voters said they disapprove of the governor while 16% don't have an opinion.
Among party lines, 71% of Democrats approve of the governor while 25% of Republican and Independents agree. Only 13% of Democrats disapprove of Moore; meanwhile, 59% of Republicans and 32% of Independents hold a negative view of the job the governor has done.
When it comes to the economy, 43% of Marylanders believe the state is heading in the right direction while 40% believe it is on the wrong track. The majority (57%) o...
Hezi Simantov, a commentator and correspondent for Arab affairs of 'News 13', spoke Tuesday morning with Nissim Mashal and Anat Davidov on 103FM about the assassination of the senior Iranian Mohammad Reza Zahedi, commander of the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, and the expected consequences.
First of all, according to the reports from Syria and Iran, the Israeli Air Force allegedly attacked a building adjacent to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, where several senior Iranian officials were located, among them Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who is actually the deputy commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards in Syria and Lebanon,” Simantov began.
“A very senior member of the Iranian hierarchy, he managed the entire operation of smuggling weapons from ...
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud) on Tuesday spoke to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, chaired by MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud), about the ongoing war, providing the Committee members with an operational briefing.
During the meeting, Gallant discussed the IDF’s progress in fighting and dismantling Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the various efforts to ensure the return of the hostages held by Hamas, and the IDF’s counterterrorism operations.
Minister Gallant also touched on the essential need to recruit additional personnel to the IDF, and said that the defense establishment is currently preparing to formulate a framework that will enable the recruitment of a growing portion of the Orthodox public – a framework that takes into account the cond...
The international credit rating agency Fitch announced on Tuesday the reaffirmation of the State of Israel's credit rating at an A+ level, the removal of the "Negative Watch" and an update of the rating outlook from "Stable" to "Negative."
According to the company, "Geopolitical risks associated with the war in Gaza remain elevated and escalation risks remain present, but Fitch believes the risks to the credit profile have broadened and their impact may take longer to assess, so has removed the RWN on Israel's 'A+' rating."
Regarding the update of the rating outlook, the company mentions that "The Negative Outlook reflects the combination of uncertainties around the fiscal trajectory and the war's duration and intensity, including the risk of regional escalation....
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday responded to a Gaza incident which left five World Central Kitchen (WCK) employees dead.
As he exited Leaving Hadassah-Ein Kerem Hospital early Tuesday afternoon, Netanyahu said, "I am now being discharged from Hadassah-Ein Kerem Hospital, which had become my office in the past day. We continued to work even from here."
"I would like to thank Professor Pikarsky and the wonderful Hadassah-Ein Kerem medical team that successfully operated on my hernia. I would also like to thank the masses of Israeli citizens for sending me your best wishes for recovery. I am recovering; thank you."
He added, "Unfortunately, in the past day there was a tragic event in which our forces unintentionally harmed non-combatants in the Gaza Strip. Th...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 1, 2024 - Amidst a gathering of hundreds, tensions flared as both Pro-Israel and Anti-Israel protesters converged in front of Shomrei Emunah. However, Baltimore Police Department's careful planning, deploying 80 officers at the behest of Councilman Yitzy Schleifer, ensured the safety of the community. Notably, the Pro-Israel demonstrators maintained their presence longer than their counterparts, underscoring the depth of their commitment to the cause (and they enjoyed Azi Rosenblum’s DJing skills).
Deep gratitude to the Baltimore City Police for their exceptional and invaluable efforts in safeguarding the safety and welfare of the Baltimore Jewish Community.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 1, 2024 - Today, the annual Derech Chaim (Rabbi Pinchas Gross) matzah baking trip occurred in Lakewood, with nearly 20 men and 10 young men participating in baking matzos for several hours. The participants had the zechus of hearing a shmuz from HaRav Simcha Bunim Cohen, Rav of Khal Ateres Yeshaya in Lakewood.
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 1, 2024 - The tugboat Crystal Coast pushing a fuel barge, transited the temporary alternate channel created by the Key Bridge Response Unified Command, at 3 p.m., today and is the first vessel to use the channel since the bridge collapsed into the federal waterway on Tuesday.
The barge is used to supply jet fuel to the Department of Defense (DOD) and was transiting to Dover Air Force Base. The tugboat Crystal Coast pushes a fuel barge through the temporary alternate channel created by the Key Bridge Response Unified Command, near the Key Bridge incident, in Baltimore, Maryland, April 1, 2024. The Crystal Coast is the first vessel to use the channel since the brid...
Israeli diplomatic and defense officials have not commented on the air strikes near the Iranian consulate in Damascus on Monday, in which senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards official Mohammad Reza Zahedi was killed, but four Israeli officials acknowledged to The New York Times that Israel had carried out the attack.
According to the report, the strikes targeted a secret meeting in which Iranian intelligence officials and Palestinian Arab terrorists gathered to discuss the war in Gaza. Among them were leaders of the Islamic Jihad.
Syrian and Iranian state news agencies reported that at least seven people were killed in the strikes, including Zahedi.
Iran’s ambassador to Syria, Hossein Akbari, said in a statement that the consulate’s building came under att...
A federal judge in California ruled against Hunter Biden’s attempt to toss out his tax charges on Monday, letting the criminal case against the president’s son move forward.
The younger Biden faces three felony charges and six misdemeanor charges in connection to tax evasion, filing a false return and failing to pay taxes between 2016 and 2019. His attorneys argued last month that the case was politically motivated and tainted by two IRS agents who later became whistleblowers.
He filed eight separate motions to dismiss the charges, citing different legal rationale for each, all of which were denied.
Judge Mark Scarsi determined that the case was not political, shutting down Biden’s main argument by noting that Biden’s attorneys ...
Former President Trump posted a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case Monday evening, staving off the possible seizure of his assets while appealing a state judge’s ruling against him over deceitful business practices.
The bond, from the Knight Specialty Insurance Company, automatically bars New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) from collecting the $464 million, plus interest, judgment against Trump, his business and top executives while the appellate process moves forward.
Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump, the Trump Organization and top executives — including two of Trump’s adult sons — liable for fraud last year. In February, he ruled that they conspired to alter the former president’s net worth for tax an...
Sally Gerstein and her husband, Dr. Howie Gerstein, made Aliyah two years ago. Their son, Josh, a Ner Israel graduate, married to Devorah Kagan, a Baltimore Bais Yaakov graduate, also moved to Israel. Josh serves as a captain in the Israeli army and acts as a chaplain.
When the war broke out, Sally began writing a daily blog for herself and her friends. It gained immense popularity, with many in the States eagerly awaiting it every morning.
Some of you may recall Sally as the pioneer who introduced the kosher stand to Hershey Park and Dutch Wonderland. Wherever there's a cause or a need, Sally is there, front and center. Now, she requests all of you to sign the letter!
Please read on...
How can it be?
An initiative to garner 180,000 signatures on a letter to President B...
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 1, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Dovi and Shoshana Bernfeld on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov grandparents Dr. and Mrs. Ronnie Samet
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 1, 2024 - President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Baltimore on Friday following last week's collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, announced White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Monday afternoon. The president plans to meet with state and local officials and gain an "on-the-ground look" at federal response efforts.
A senior diplomatic official expressed optimism that a deal to return the hostages held by Hamas is possible in the near future.
"If Hamas is interested in a deal - we can move forward. We have come a long way this time as well, there is potential for progress in the coming days," said the source.
Kan News reported that senior Israeli officials involved in the negotiations for the release of the hostages added that "the Israeli delegation in Cairo presented the mediators with a more up-to-date and flexible position regarding the return of the residents to the northern Gaza Strip."
Yesterday (Sunday), at the War Cabinet meeting, the ministers dealt with the question of Israel's flexibility in the negotiations and considered a compromise regarding the return of the residents of ...
