Revealing Catholic Church abusers – May 2023

The Banner has so far identified six alleged abusers whose names were redacted in the Maryland Attorney General’s report on Catholic Church abuse. This important accountability journalism does the heavy lifting that the AG’s Office failed to do.

Disability rights group sues Maryland for housing foster kids in hospitals – Updated May 2023

Attorneys with Disability Rights Maryland and Venable LLP filed a lawsuit against the Maryland Department of Human Services, the state health department and other state agencies for “illegally and unconstitutionally” housing foster children in hospitals and restrictive institutions beyond medical necessity. This follows earlier reporting by The Banner about kids being housed in emergency rooms for excessive periods and, in some cases, hotels in downtown Baltimore.

Ending illegal police quotas – March 2023

Maryland State Police said they would end illegal quotas for tickets; the acting superintendent said he was unaware of the practice until he read about it in The Banner.

Changing how sexual assaults are reported – March 2023

Baltimore County said it would change the way they publicly report the number of cases of sexual assault after a story by Taylor DeVille and Nick Thieme, which showed that the county reported higher case numbers to the FBI than they released to the public.

Maryland Park Service superintendent and park officials removed after investigation – November 2022

In-depth coverage of the toxic work culture at Gunpowder Falls State Park brought visibility to years of employee complaints and resulted in the removal of the superintendent of the Maryland Park Service and two other park officials. The investigation by The Banner gave voice and redress to employees whose complaints through the available Park Service channels had been minimized and ignored.

ABC Capital files for bankruptcy – November 2022

We began reporting on a Philadelphia-based developer, ABC Capital, that was attracting foreign investors to renovate and rent out formerly distressed or vacant Baltimore homes. Our investigation revealed dozens of homes were neither renovated nor occupied. The company filed for bankruptcy following our coverage. In May of 2023, the Maryland Insurance Administration announced their own investigation into ABC Capital.

Improvements to city eviction prevention programs – October 2022

Our reporting on rental assistance delays that left Baltimore tenants at risk of eviction led Baltimore City to announce improvements to its eviction prevention programs, including committing an additional $400,000 to a program that provides legal representation to tenants facing eviction along with other measures.

A home for an artist – May 2023

Formerly unhoused Druid Hill Park artist Colin Williams now has a permanent place to live, prompted in part by coverage of him by neighborhood reporter Jasmine Vaughn-Hall. Her stories raised awareness among housing officials of his plight.

Baltimore Pianist’s story lives on through her piano – December 2022

The incredible story of pianist Agi Jambor’s life was highlighted by The Banner, including her journey from the greatest teachers of 1930s Berlin to the dance studios of Paris and the Budapest underground during the Nazi occupation. She went on to achieve a successful career recording music in America, only to have her historical significance fade into obscurity. The story of her path to Baltimore lives on through her piano, which is privately owned by a member of the Baltimore community. The story sparked major interest and an outpouring of appreciation for her music and legacy from readers including professional musicians.

Hearing on SNAP benefits issues – Updated April 2023

The Banner wrote about the sharp decline in enrollment for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) among the state’s qualified populations, which spurred an influx of engagement. A woman profiled by reporter Brenna Smith, who had her SNAP benefits stolen, was able to buy a car with donations she received following a feature on an episode of This American Life. The Maryland Department of Human Services has also reached out to her with interest in hiring her for open positions. Following our coverage, Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson scheduled a public hearing in September about potential fraud. A bill was introduced to Congress in November that would reimburse federal funds for fraud victims. In March 2023, Governor Wes Moore allocated $11.3 million toward repaying defrauded SNAP recipients. Our continued coverage of benefits theft is also inspiring legislation in other states.

Redevelopment of the Highway to Nowhere – March 2023

Our reporting illuminated important community issues related to the city’s controversial redevelopment plans for West Baltimore’s ‘highway to nowhere.’ A 1.4-mile stretch of road that was never completed, it has caused displacement and division for the neighborhoods around it. Many residents are wary of the redevelopment because of the history of past infrastructure dollars being funneled to wealthier, whiter, more privileged communities, as well as the lack of forethought that went into this unfinished and disenfranchising project.

Investigating tax sales in Baltimore – January 2023

A months-long investigation into the property tax sale system in Baltimore found that it disproportionately affects low-income homeowners and leads to prolonged vacancy in disinvested areas of the city. Since 2016, more than 41,000 properties have gone through tax sale, with properties in majority-Black census tracts being hit hardest. Lien holders profit from flipping houses acquired at tax sale and from collecting interest on outstanding tax liens, while homeowners face thousands of dollars in owed taxes, interest, and fees. In April, the mayor announced that 2,000 Baltimore homes valued below $250,000 would be excluded from the tax sale.

Reporting on food deserts and grocery store prices – November 2022

A story on what it’s like to go shopping in a food desert in Baltimore’s Midtown-Edmondson neighborhood received tremendous positive reactions from the community, and the accompanying video on TikTok and Instagram reached nearly 680,000 people. Subsequent stories compared prices at 10 different grocery stores to help readers find lower food prices and inspired local nonprofits to offer support and assistance to people in the neighborhood.

Coverage on compounding issues in childcare for Latino families – August 2022

One of our neighborhood reporters wrote about the barriers that Latino families face in accessing child care. Highlighting one of the fastest growing populations in Baltimore, the story identifies compounding issues including lack of Spanish-speaking childcare providers and daunting voucher and scholarship programs. The piece spotlights community groups such as the Esperanza Center that helps Latino parents fund daycare options.

Awards We’ve Won!

Banner journalists won 48 reporting awards from the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, including five “Best of Show” awards that recognize the top overall entry among all the nominees in a category. This was particularly notable given that The Banner only had six months of stories for consideration. We also won an Award of Excellence from the Society for News Design for our video design on multiple social platforms. Our reporter, Adam Willis, also won the Matthew Power Literary Reporting Award. Our newsroom and reporters have been recognized with various prestigious fellowships, including our selection to host a Report for America corps member, a program designed to place talented emerging journalists with local news outlets across the country. Two Banner reporters are recent recipients of fellowships with the Poynter Institute, and one reporter received a Roy W. Howard fellowship.

BNEXT Internship Program

BNEXT Youth Internship program is designed to provide young aspiring journalists an opportunity to experience working in a digital-first, nonprofit start-up news organization. Since the program’s launch, The Banner has hosted 14 interns.

Community Events

The Banner has hosted over 20 events with more than 2,300 people attending. This includes a new series, The Banner Revealed, which features a behind the scenes panel with reporters and editors, discussions with authors, several events focused on civic engagement and politics, and ticked events including Kitchen Undisclosed, Chef and the Farm, and Wine on the Waterfront.

Economic Impact of The Banner on Baltimore & Maryland

Since our launch, The Banner has hired 24 people who relocated to Baltimore and the region and created over 100 new jobs in total. This addition of talent to the city is helping bolster our local economy, and we estimate the value of our impact at $4.7M in gross wages resulting in $2 to 3M in local spending. This includes significant economic investment by our staff, contributing to state and local tax revenue and the growth of local businesses and industries.