Opinion

The solstice arrives at 4:48 p.m. on Wednesday, the longest night of the year. It’s when Annapolis shines the brightest, with tiny lights glowing from every surface, streetlamp post, tree, bicycle, restaurant and even sailboat.

Black representation brings vitality to Christmas celebrations and the worship experience in Baltimore this time of year, says Alanah Nichole Davis, who explains what Black Santa means to her.

Hanukkah has special meaning for many in the local Jewish community in this time of increased antisemitism.

Voters in November punished candidates whom they perceived as threats to fair elections, says the president of Get Money Out — Maryland, who warns that efforts are still underway to undermine elections and democracy.

A reader in Baltimore urges Congress to pass legislation that would assist in the resettlement of Afghan immigrants; a Baltimore neighborhood association wants the Grove Park Elementary School building saved.

A jury delivers justice in the case of a midshipman’s mother killed by a stray bullet, but answers to the problem of gun violence in Annapolis remain out of reach.

While candidates aligned with Donald Trump can succeed in Republican primaries, Maryland voters will continue to reject those candidates in general elections, Towson University professor and political pundit Richard Vatz says.

Stepped-up police interactions related to minor crime would help preempt violent crime and drug dealing in Baltimore, an attorney practicing in the city says. Such an approach can and must be carried out within constitutional bounds and without unjustly targeting people of color, he says.

The area loses more than a building when something as quintessentially Baltimore as the bowling lanes go away.

The fall election didn’t turn out the way Dirk and Jessica Haire had hoped, as she lost a bid for Anne Arundel County Executive and he watched Republican statewide candidates get defeated on his watch after primary voters made a sharp turn right. Both think Republicans can win again if they stress traditional GOP values and avoid extremism.

Maryland Democratic Party Chairwoman Yvette Lewis says the state party had much to celebrate despite being unsuccessful in landing a spot among the early primary states in 2024. A Banner reader calls on Baltimore to create public works jobs targeting city teenagers and young adults. Another reader makes recommendations for controlling the feral cat population.

Violence intervention programs must go beyond public health-based approaches and build solutions that consider the complex historical and economic conditions that drive violence in Baltimore communities, Lawrence Grandpre of Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle says.

"The Pitchy Podcast," dedicated to NBC's "The Voice" and run by two local friends and singers, has caught the attention of some of the current season's stars.

Two days before the 123rd football classic in Philly, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which bars service academy athletes from turning pro until two years after graduation.

News reporting today must provide explanation and context that go beyond the recitation of facts, DeWayne Wickham, the Baltimore Banner’s public editor, says.

More rehab and demolition can lead to revitalization of disinvested city neighborhoods. Efforts would keep speculators away, councilwoman says.

The Army-Navy Game is Saturday, and even if it wasn’t the only college football on TV this weekend, it would be the only game in Annapolis. Look around, and the town is awash in Navy merch.

Using chosen pronouns ”is a life-saving tool to protect the vulnerable,” a Baltimore pastor says.

Baltimore Clayworks artist Samuel Wallace’s Jamaican coil style of pottery combines the traditions of his first home with the literal soil of his current Maryland home.

The Respect for Marriage Act, which just passed the Senate and should be signed into law soon, protects a right that too many people take for granted — the right to marry the person you love, no matter your race or gender.