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Commentary: Why I became a Valentine’s Day Grinch
Wallace Lane once bought the girl the wrong gift and it jaded him on the holiday of love. But now he's willing to give it another chance.
Valentine's Day is a day for lovers. I used to be a lover—a certified lover boy at that. Or at least that’s what I thought I was until I experienced what I’m calling a Valentine's Day from hell.
An ode to baby shower meatballs
Wallace Lane explains why meatballs are an essential part of any celebration.
Illustration shows black man in foreground wearing dark red shirt, arms open and raised toward a giant aluminum pan of meatballs on top of a pedestal. The man holds up a fork. There are small figures of other black folks dressed for a baby shower, including a pregnant woman.
Will the real ‘RLong’ please stand up?
Who is the person behind the ‘RLong’ graffiti tag painted all over the Baltimore region? The Baltimore Banner tracked down some theories — and here’s what we discovered.
Various examples of the ubiquitous “RLong” graffiti tag found across Baltimore.
10 things I don’t want to see on my Instagram timeline this year
January is when I refocus and cleanse my social media platforms.
A screenshot from the show 'Tonight's Conversation.'
A political reporter’s best tips for visiting the State House in Annapolis
Check out history and see your lawmakers at work with a visit to the State House in Annapolis, the oldest state capital building that’s in continuous legislative use.
Construction on the Maryland State House in Annapolis began in 1772, and it’s the oldest state capital building in the nation still in continuous legislative use.
Commentary: I am not yet looking ahead in 2024 — and that’s OK
Before I launch myself into what’s next, I need to look back at how major life challenges changed not just my realities, but also my priorities.
Illustration shows group of diverse people walking toward the viewer with determination, while one woman stands far behind in the background, looking back toward the sunset.
The Dish: Why did this 43-year-old Thai Restaurant in Waverly suddenly close?
Thai Restaurant on Greenmount Avenue’s sudden closure confused long-time customers and local leaders. The 43-year-old eatery is leaving, but not for the reasons you might think.
Billy and Soy stand Tuesday in an empty dining room that once served the Waverly neighborhood for 43 years.
After co-founder’s death, EcoMap’s new CEO has been keeping their shared dream alive
After the September killing of his friend and co-founder, Sherrod Davis is finding comfort in keeping their shared dream alive.
EcoMap co-founder and CEO Sherrod Davis leads a team meeting at at the EcoMap headquarters on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023 in Baltimore, Maryland. Davis was appointed as CEO in October, following the death of co-founder Pava LaPere. (Wesley Lapointe/for The Baltimore Banner)
The hunt for Jack Ryan’s owner: Heirs to end fight for Tom Clancy’s golden goose
Attorneys’ letters signal a truce to the six-year battle in federal court in Baltimore over franchise rights
An illustration of Harrison Ford, Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, Chris Pine and John Krasinski, all actors who have played the character Jack Ryan.
When grief doesn’t take a holiday
I don’t put Christmas decorations up this year. Nor do I dread the day itself. I just want it to slip by, a whisper of whatever it will be — horrible or even happy.
What one teacher learned when students found his Instagram account
Wallace Lane was reminded that teachers are role models and the meaning of the Gen X phrase, “having motion.”
Teacher Wallace Lance writes about what happened when his students found his INSTRAGRAM account.
Reflecting on the 11th anniversary of Sandy Hook
A former teacher remembers what it was like being in the classroom a week after 26 people were killed at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut on Dec. 14, 2012.
Illustration shows students and female teacher holding hands, with a gap in the middle of the image. They casts shadows which become the silhouettes of other people barely visible against the wall behind them.
‘This is our gift to our daughter’: Pava LaPere honored at memorial service
Frank and Caroline LaPere plan to keep Pava's memory alive.
Pava LaPere of EcoMap Technologies
New Year’s Eve in Baltimore to feature Ravens vs. Dolphins, All Time Low performance
All Time Low, a rock band from Towson, landed an NFL stage for a New Year's Eve gig – the halftime show at the Ravens' game against the Miami Dolphins.
All Time Low, a four-member band from Towson, will play the halftime show at the Ravens' game on New Year's Eve against the Miami Dolphins.
Due back in 1975, sheet music makes it way back to Enoch Pratt library 48 years later
A long overdue library rental was finally returned to the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s central branch on Cathedral Street.
Scenes of the Enoch Pratt Free Library on Feb. 23, 2023.
Books can help us all understand each other better
Research speaks to what I’ve been lucky enough to witness and personally enjoy again and again. Reading books gives us glimpses into the lives of strangers, makes us more empathetic.
Illustration of white woman holding open book, looking at image of Black gender nonconforming person; open books in background recede diagonally, showing images of adopted East Asian daughter with white parents; an older woman of color; and a landscape.
Slow his feet: How a former teacher helped one student
Former teacher Kerry Graham helps coach a student through his anxiety about confronting others.
Illustration of boy pushing through a cloud of large spiky shapes to get to the other side.
Was there actually a kangaroo on the loose in West Baltimore? We investigated.
Could a baby kangaroo be living undetected in the alleys of Baltimore? Did someone’s exotic pet hop away? In this strange, surprising city, anything was possible.
Surveillance video showing the animal in a West Baltimore alley. Video courtesy of Paula LeVere.
Jada Pinkett Smith says she, Will Smith have been separated since 2016
The prominent Hollywood couple married in 1997 and have addressed separations and marital troubles, but never this specifically.
Jada Pinkett Smith attends Apple Original Films' "Emancipation"  Los Angeles premiere at Regency Village Theatre on November 30, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
Baltimore Comic-Con brings superfans and superheroes to downtown
The convention, in its 23rd year, brings together people from all sorts of fandoms. Including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Trey Jones poses with a light saber during Baltimore Comic-Con at the Baltimore Convention Center on Friday.
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