Baltimore, MD - Oct. 30, 2024 - Marylanders casting a ballot this election aren’t just choosing the next elected leaders. There are a series of ballot questions in several counties and Baltimore City.
Maryland Ballot Question 1:
Statewide, all Maryland voters will decide Question 1, an amendment that asks whether reproductive rights should be enshrined in the state constitution — including abortion access.
However, voters will notice on the ballot itself that the question does not include the word “abortion” itself. While abortion rights are protected under Maryland law, the state lacks constitutional protections, which supporters said are the strongest safeguards to guarantee future rights to reproductive freedom. Opponents of the ...
Rabbi Yonah Sklare is a Rosh Kollel in Baltimore, MD as well as Magid Shiur at Congregation Shomrei Emunah. His refreshingly creative approach to learning as well as his captivating presentation style, have attracted a diverse and beloved following. He lectures at numerous local institutions, including Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary, as well as out of town and online. Rabbi Sklare received semichah and his PhD in Talmudic Law from Ner Israel Rabbinical College. He can be reached at rabbisklare@gmail.com.
US mediators are working on a proposal to halt hostilities between Israel and Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, starting with a 60-day ceasefire, two sources say.
The sources — a person briefed on the talks and a senior diplomat working on Lebanon — tell Reuters the two-month period would be used to finalize full implementation of the largely unenforced United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, adopted in 2006 to keep southern Lebanon free of arms outside state control.
Resolution 1701 has been the cornerstone of talks to end the past year of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which erupted in parallel with the war in Gaza and has dramatically escalated over the last five weeks.
The two sources tell Reuters that the 60-day truce has replaced a proposal last month b...
The burning of ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington State is believed to be the work of one or more anti-Israel protesters after a note was found that read, “ALL DROP BOXES WILL BURN. FREE GAZA," the New York Post reported.
The arson of the ballot boxes in Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon occurred at around 3-4 a.m. Monday morning local time. Fire suppressant systems extinguished the flames at the Portland site, but hundreds of ballots were destroyed at the Vancouver site.
In addition, the New York Times reported that the words “Free Gaza” were found on three incendiary devices used in the attacks on the ballot boxes.
The FBI has joined the investigation into the arson, which occurred as early voting was underway for next week's US presid...
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 30, 2024 - The U.S. economy grew at a healthy 2.8% annual rate from July through September, with consumers helping drive growth despite the weight of still-high interest rates.
Wednesday's report from the Commerce Department said the gross domestic product — the economy's total output of goods and services — slowed slightly from its 3% growth rate in the April-June quarter. But the latest figures still reflect surprising durability just as Americans assess the state of the economy in the final stretch of the presidential race.
The report is the first of three estimates the government will make of GDP growth for the third quarter of the year. The U.S. economy has continued to expand in the face of the much higher borrowing rates t...
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 30, 2024 – Ongoing road construction is affecting traffic, with intersections including Biltmore & Pinkney to Parkington Gist & West Strathmore to Pinkney and Fords Lane from Fieldcrest up to Reisterstown Road currently closed.Hat Tip:MJ
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 30, 2024 - As a sprawling liability case takes shape following the deadly collapse of Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, the owner and manager of the container ship Dali are seeking to deflect responsibility and cast blame elsewhere.
Attorneys for Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Group argued in court Tuesday that Maryland state officials should have better protected the bridge against ship strikes. They also raised questions about whether the shipbuilder installed faulty electrical equipment that caused the Dali to lose power as it approached the bridge.
Meanwhile, lawyers for dozens of claimants seeking damages argued that the immediate focus should remain on where the two companies dropped the ball.
"It&#...
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 30, 2024 - State officials are looking to give out $3 million for school systems to buy electric school buses.
It's part of the new Electric School Bus Grant Program, seeking to revamp Maryland's fleet of diesel-powered buses.
Only about 5 percent of Maryland's school buses are currently electric-powered.
The state has 8,000-10,000 total school buses (according to a 2023 report), and roughly 400 are electric, said MDE.
The Maryland Department of the Environment announced that it's now accepting applications for the $3 million in state grants. MDE is also now taking public comments for a program to give an additional $17 million for electric school buses.
Nine Maryland school districts currently have electric buses.
B...
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 30, 2024 - Maryland has a new federal task force.
Agencies from all over the state combined to form the Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force.
From July 2023 through June 2024, Maryland had more than 2,000 deaths resulting from an overdose. More than 1,600 of those were fentanyl related.
According to the DEA, fentanyl is cheaper and more readily available than ever before.
The goal of the task force is to raise awareness and educate vulnerable communities throughout the state.
“The threat to our national security posed by illicit drugs extends beyond traditional challenges and directly impacts public health and safety. Every day, the DEA — alongside its local, state, and federal partners — works to preserve the safety and health of ou...
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 30, 2024 - Significant multi-vehicle accident at the intersection of Greenspring & Green Summit. Traffic is heavily impacted. Avoid the area.
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 29, 2024 - A community safety initiative, which has successfully installed over 250 RING doorbell cameras throughout the community, marked its completion with a ceremonial final installation on Tuesday at 2624 Cecil Avenue in Baltimore.
State Senator Cory V. McCray joined community leaders and local contractors for this milestone.
"This initiative demonstrates how state support can directly enhance the safety and security of our communities," said State Senator Cory V. McCray in a news release. "The installation of these 250 RING doorbell cameras speaks to our effort to enhance public safety -- providing residents with peace of mind while creating a more secure environment for everyone."
This security program in the Coldstream Homestead Montebello community wa...
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 29, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Nisanel & Devora Salamon on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov to grandparents BenZion & Zippy Malin
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 29, 2024 - It is of the utmost importance that our entire community vote in the election - and we should feel as if we are mechuyav to do so. There are crucial races and ballot questions that require our communal voice to be heard and our government officials need to see that our community turns out to vote. Early voting continues now through Thursday evening at 8 pm: City Residents: Vote at the police training facility (corner of park heights & northern parkway) County Residents: Vote at the Randallstown Community Center (3505 Resource Drive in Randallstown) Election day is Tues Nov 5th - vote at your regular polling place If you have never registered to vote, you may register at the polls during early voting times or on election at their respec...
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 29, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Naftali Lynn on the birth of a daughter.
Mazel Tov to grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Jules Friedman and great-grandmother Mrs. Judy Friedman.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Chicago Alderman Debra Silverman, D-Ward 50, on Monday demanded for hate crime charges to be filed in relation to the recent shooting of a Jewish community member celebrating a religious holiday.
The man was shot in the shoulder Saturday while on his way to a synagogue to celebrate the Jewish holiday Shabbat, according to Silverman. Sidi Mohamed Abdallahi was identified as the suspect and was charged with 14 felony counts Monday in connection with the shooting, she said.
The charges included six first-degree counts of attempted murder, but none relating to a hate crime.
Abdallahi allegedly opened fire on police and paramedics who arrived on the scene to assist the Jewish man, Silverman wrote. She added police returned fire, resulting in the shooter being taken to the hospital in critica...
A Jewish man was slashed in the face in a random attack as he was walking on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn on Tuesday morning.
The horrific incident occurred near Flatbush Avenue and Lafayette Avenue in front of the Whole Foods Market at approximately 9:15AM. The victim, who was visibly Jewish, was simply walking when the perpetrator, a black male wearing a ski mask, walked up to the victim and without any provocation, slashed him in the face.
The victim reported that the attacker yelled hateful rhetoric before slashing him.
Witnesses immediately came to the victim’s aid and provided any information regarding the perpetrator to the police officers.
The victim, who is a resident of Crown Heights in his late 20’s, was transported in serious but stable condition by Hatzalah. Cro...
Baltimore, MD, Oct. 29, 2024—Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV) welcomed today's decision by the Israeli Knesset to ban UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, from operations in Israel and official meetings with state officials. CJV called upon United States and European officials to reverse their objections to Israel's move.
CJV President Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld issued the following statement:For years, UNRWA has functioned as the United Nations' terror organization. It has paid salaries to terrorists, permitted Hamas to use school buildings as weapons depots and command centers, and employed teachers to glorify terrorism, demonize Israelis, and incite antisemitism. Each of these occurred too often and in too diverse...
Evidence of early Urbanization Process Origins in Israel:
Near Beit Shemesh a public building was uncovered that might have served as a cultic worship site, with a room containing dozens of intact vessels, and a Pottery kiln about 5,000 years old - one of the earliest ever found in Israel.
It seems that this site, discovered in Israel Antiquities Authority excavations in preparation for expanding the city’s western industrial zone, called 'Brosh' (Cypress Tree), being developed by the Shamir Engineering Group and the Bet Shemesh Economic Development Company, played a central role in the Judean Lowlands (Shephelah) Early Bronze Age settlement network. The beautiful vessels from this site will be displayed tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday at the 17th “Discoveries in ...
We are living in troubled times. Israel is at war and antisemitism is on the rise here – and we all must handle the stress of daily life. To do that, we need to build our resilience and coping mechanisms.
That’s why CHANA invites you to attend VOICES: Finding Your Path Forward the evening of November 6 at Beth Tfiloh Congregation. It will be an engaging evening where you will learn practical advice from our speaker Britt Frank, MSW, LSCSW, SEP, on how to deal with stress and bring more well-being into your life.
Anxiety and stress can lead to feelings of being stuck, not being able to make decisions, or overall fatigue. As author of The Science of Stuck (named a must-read by Forbes, NPR, SHRM, New York Magazine, and Esquire), Ms. Frank will share personal stories and provide...
