Community issues

The early-morning phone blare was an unwelcome surprise to families who had toasted the new year just a few hours prior.

Baltimore Police released a year-end report Thursday celebrating everything from improvements in hiring and retaining officers to higher clearance rates.

The Banner will continue to report on these court cases and others in Baltimore and the surrounding counties.

A scramble for county executive and the arrival of a first-ever inspector general are among the story lines to watch in Howard County in 2026.

Here are seven things to do in Howard County for the first week of 2026.

Networks of neighbors known as "Villages" help seniors age in place. Organizers plan to launch nine new ones in Montgomery County.

Smallwood’s songs were performed and recorded over the years by artists such as Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Destiny’s Child and Boyz II Men.

After powerful winds over the past few days, we’ll get a nice break from the disruptive wind gusts to finish out 2025. A powerful cold front will cross Maryland early Thursday, bringing another batch of arctic cold and scattered flurries, snow showers, and snow squalls.

This year, The Banner worked with illustrators from our Maryland community to tackle stories big and small.

If you’re heading to the Inner Harbor to watch the fireworks on Wednesday, plan for traffic restrictions in downtown Baltimore starting at 4 p.m.

Looking for somewhere to ring in 2026, Baltimore County?

Caroline Green and Michael Parsons, from Rockville and Derwood, are contenders to make the U.S. Olympic Ice Dancing Team.

Falkenhan’s Hardware was a staple for every Baltimore home’s needs. A fire that destroyed the building has the Hampden community reflecting on what it means to lose it.

Two new bars are coming to Baltimore in 2026.

The program is primarily funded by the organization behind the Baltimore Baby Bonus.

Morgan State University’s marching band joins nearly a dozen others from the U.S. and beyond to perform in the iconic Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.

Baltimore County police arrested a 21-year-old woman for the death of a man and his dog after a crash last month, officials announced Tuesday.

Utilities regulators agreed Tuesday to fast-track reviews of two proposed Constellation Energy natural gas plants as Maryland aims to bolster its power supply.

Howard County police officers, with the assistance of a drone thermal camera, apprehended three suspects who allegedly broke into roughly 50 cars in the early hours of Christmas Eve.

Baltimore will continue to see strong winds and frigid temperatures Tuesday, with a slight chance of snow later this week to kick off the new year.