Dear Friends:

Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.

The City Council recently passed legislation to strengthen the City's public nuisance law, enabling police to better enforce the ordinance and safeguard neighborhoods from irresponsible businesses and property owners. I would like to personally thank Councilman Jim Kraft and all the co-sponsors of the newly-strengthened law. Last week, the ordinance was used for the first time to initiate a police "Padlock" hearing that I attended regarding Linden Bar & Liquors in Reservoir Hill.

Linden had become a nuisance property where neighbors and police allege that loitering and drug dealing inside the store was commonplace. Earlier this year, neighborhood leaders gathered more than 300 signatures for a petition to the state-controlled Liquor Board, and after a hearing, Linden's license was not renewed. Despite this community-led effort, the store was allowed to remain open, pending a Circuit Court appeal. Last month, a man was shot to death inside the property after an argument about a drug deal. According to police testimony at last week's padlock hearing, the business owner seemed to turn a blind eye to much of the drug activity on his premises. After the hearing, Police Commissioner Bealefeld ordered Linden to close for one year.

I'm pleased that this dangerous liquor store is now closed, but the sad truth is that a murder could have been prevented. For over a year, Councilman Bill Cole, Central District Commander Major John Bailey and my office have been working to address the conditions of the store. We met with the business owner to suggest changes that could eliminate loitering and drug trafficking. Unfortunately, many of these reasonable recommendations were not adopted and the drug activity continued. Linden earned the dubious distinction of becoming the single-largest source of reports of drug activity in the Central District.

Some have argued that drug-related violence could occur anywhere, and that businesses shouldn't be held accountable for the conditions inside a store that can lead to drugs and death. I don't buy it. Owners must be responsible and cannot send a message—implied through inaction—that drug dealing inside their business is okay. Lives are at stake, and our neighborhoods deserve better.

It is my hope that police will continue to enforce the newly-strengthened public nuisance law so that we can hold irresponsible property and business owners accountable. This effort could have real impact on reducing crime. Police could spend less time addressing the same troubled properties and spend more time keeping our neighborhoods safe.

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Baltimore City Youths Interpret Racial Identity Through Art Approximately 45 youths, 10-17 years old, participated this year in a billboard project that explored the theme of racial identity. Community artists Nora Scheff from Baltimore Clayworks and Marissa Berk-Smith from the Creative Alliance, teamed up to work with youths who represented Hampstead Hill Academy, Baltimore Clayworks, ConneXions Community Leadership Academy and John Rurhah Academy. The project, in conjunction with the Masters of Arts in Community Arts Program at MICA and Americorps residencies at Baltimore Clayworks and the Creative Alliance, addresses the need for youth to have a voice in conversations about race, identity, and how race has influenced their understanding of who they are and how they fit into society on a larger scale. Youth engaged in group dialogue and artfully interpreted ideas expressed with their peers to create billboard slogans and images. They discussed how society functions to perpetuate racial stereotyping, and racial stereotypes relating to music, clothing, and dark-skinned versus light-skinned. They also discussed segregation in Baltimore, how race plays a role in national politics, and where stereotypes and ideas about race originate. Personal stories were shared, too. The participants also thought about how they identify themselves, their reactions to racism, and how they would like to react to racism after having attended the workshop. Below is the final billboard design that was recently posted. You can see all the participants' ideas and artwork on display at www.BuildUnityThroughArt.com. Send us the good news about your Baltimore neighborhood! Do you have a neighborhood event or good news you would like to highlight? Let us know so that we can feature them in the Council President's CitySpot. Call Council President Rawlings-Blake's office at 410-396-4804 or send an e-mail to Marva Williams at marva.williams@baltimorecity.gov

City Council This Week

No meetings or hearings this week.

Community Events

BALTIMORE AMERICAN INDIAN CENTER 34TH ANNUAL POWWOW: August 22-24 Patterson Park, Linwood and Eastern Avenues, Friday 2pm-9pm, Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday 10am-6pm. An intertribal gathering of Native American dancers, drummers, artists, and craftspeople. 410-675-3535. www.baic.org.

Friday, August 22

Maryland State Fair
State Fairgrounds, 2200 York Rd. Timonium. Open through Sept. 1. $8 admission, but $3 for seniors & children 6-11 and free for children under 6. 410-252-0200. www.marylandstatefair.com

Little Italy Outdoor Film Festival
High and Stiles Streets, Little Italy, 9pm. Folding chairs are provided on a first come-first serve basis, although attendees may wish to bring a lawn chair to assure seating comfort and availability.
Featured film: Cinderella Man

Summer Sounds at the Square
Belvedere Square, 6-9pm
Free outdoor concert featuring: Donegal Express

Saturday, August 23

Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Open Studio Tour
21 S. Eutaw St. 11am-4pm, Free. 443-874-3596. www.bromoseltzerartstower.com

Drop-in Art Activities: Keepsakes and Memories
Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St., 10am-3pm, www.thewalters.org. (Also on Sundays)

Community Wide Festival hosted by Kingdom Life Church
Edmondson-Westside Skill Center, 501 N. Athol Ave., 12pm-4pm. Featuring a health fair, job fair, hair cuts & makeovers, voter registration, free groceries, live music and more. Call Minister Doug Wilson at 410-362-9200.

Summer Live! Harborplace & The Gallery's Summer Concert
Inner Harbor Amphitheatre. Featuring: Rhumba Club (Latin, jazz, and salsa)

Saturday Sunsets at the Top of the World
World Trade Center, 401 E. Pratt St., 27th Floor
Enjoy live jazz with a birds-eye view of the Baltimore skyline.
www.viewbaltimore.org 410-837-VIEW.
Featuring: Dave Smith Project

Sunday, August 24

BMA Family Free Sundays
Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Dr., 410-338-4397. www.artbma.org

Summer Live! Harborplace & The Gallery's Summer Concert
Harborplace & The Gallery is excited to bring a variety of musical acts to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Amphitheatre. Featuring: Trio Blanca (Jazz, Brazilian, Soul & R&B)

Tuesday, August 26

Free Blood Pressure Screenings presented by Maryland General Hospital
Enoch Pratt Library’s Herring Run Branch, 3801 Erdman Ave., 2pm-6pm, 410-396-0996.

Emergency Preparedness Discussion hosted by the Baltimore City Branch of the NAACP
Union Baptist Church, 1219 Druid Hill Ave. 6:30pm-8pm, Free 410-523-6880.

Wednesday, August 27

Exhibition Tours at the BMA
10 Art Museum Drive, 2pm. Learn about the various exhibitions on view in this one-hour docent-led tour, 443-573-1300. Free.

Wednesday Lunch and Leisure Series: Fun and Fitness Day
War Memorial Plaza, Fayette and Gay Sts., 12 noon. Presented by Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. 410-396-7900. Free

Center Plaza Outdoor Film Series
Hopkins Plaza, films start at sunset (around 9 PM)
Park opens at 7pm. Bring blankets, snacks, beverages. The park has chairs and tables for use off the lawn. 410-244-1030.
Featured film: Antwone Fi

Films on the Pier
Fells Point Broadway Pier, 8:45 pm
The Sound Garden and Su Casa present films every Wednesday this summer on the Broadway Pier in Fells Point. BYOC-bring your own chair! Screenings on a 300 square ft. jumbo screen with professional sound. In case of rainouts, movies will be shown on Thursdays.
Featured film: Zoolander

Upcoming/Ongoing

More Medical Assistance for Maryland Families through the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act During the recent Maryland legislative session, state lawmakers passed the Working Families and Small Business Health Coverage Act, which expands medical assistance eligibility to parents with dependent children with annual incomes up to $20,500 for a family of three. Parents and relatives caring for children can also apply to receive free comprehensive health care coverage, including doctor visits, low cost or free prescriptions and other services. Get more information at 1-800-456-8900, your local health department or www.marylandSAIL.org. Maryland Science Center Offers Transportation Grants to Maryland Schools Grants are to help offset travel costs on field trips during the school year. Any Maryland school booking and completing a visit in September, October, November or December can apply for a grant of $100 for use toward bus transportation. $100 grants are on a first-come first-served basis and limited to one grant per reservation. Limited funds are available. Call 410-685-5225. Attention Principals And Teachers: Free Educational Field Trips To Port Discovery Children's Museum Funding is available for over 13,000 children, Pre-K to 5th Grade. Exhibits and programs are aligned with Maryland State Voluntary School Curriculum and Maryland Reading Readiness Program. Pre and post lesson plans are available. To register, call 410.864.2664 or email kgulick@portdiscovery.org.

Volunteers Needed for the 13th Annual Baltimore Book Festival, Sept. 26-28, Mt. Vernon. Visit www.myvolunteerpage.com or email BOPAvolunteer@promotionandarts.com to obtain a volunteer application. Festival hours: Friday 5-9pm, Saturday & Sunday 11am-7pm. The mid-Atlantic's premier celebration of the literary arts. www.baltimorebookfestival.org