Monthly Archives: February 2010

City Would Enjoy Economic Boost from Google’s Internet

Jay Hancock recently wrote a neat article in the Baltimore Sun that I thought deserved a post.
Google recently announced a project on its blog, which outlines a plan to build “ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States.” Installing optical figer carrying a gigabit of data per second to the doorsteps of at least 50,000 homes and businesses, Google would move data nearly a hundred times faster than that broadband normally allows. Sounds awesome? It gets better. Google would pay for it all, …

by Anthony Longo on February 28, 2010

Goldseker Grants Money for Community Development

Schoolchildren from BCPS

Media sources were buzzing yesterday with the news that the Goldseker Foundation has granted $435,000 to a select group of Baltimore city schools. However, the grants came with some interesting stipulations: the money must be used in partnership with their surrounding neighborhoods. These joint grants serve to improve not only schools, but the community as a whole.
The Goldseker Foundation intends to build healthy neighborhoods from the inside out by improving educational standards and serving the children of the neighborhoods. Better educational standards raises property values, and the grants are expected …

by Anthony Longo on February 27, 2010

Top Coffee Shops in Baltimore Area

Sorry for the lack of posts lately – I’ve been out investigating! When I’m experiencing the winter blues (only exacerbated by further snow), warm places with caffeine always make my life more possible. So, I set out to assemble a list of favorite spots around Charm City.
The culture of the coffee house has lost many of its adherents to the fast-paced, corporate cut-and-dry chains of Starbucks and Caribou. But in the Baltimore area, indy coffee shops are striking back. All the Fells Point folks are probably looking a little smug …

by Anthony Longo on February 27, 2010

Online Discounts on Baltimore Events and Businesses

Today, as a reward for reading this blog, CondoDomain is offering you the awesome deal of $25 for $50 worth of sips and savories at the (awesome) restaurant Ryleigh’s Oyster.
Sound like a scam? Actually, it’s the work of the super-saver website Groupon, one of my all-time favorite city secrets.
Group discounts have been a fixture at most commercial events for some time, but the website Groupon has updated this concept of “collective buying power.” Groupon offers a “daily deal” of 50%-90% off restaurants, classes, events, and other fun stuff for over …

by Anthony Longo on February 24, 2010

Mayor Promises No Rise in Baltimore Property Tax

Baltimore Sun photo by Algerina Perna
Brand new Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake addressed the city yesterday in her first state of the city address since her election, as reported by The Daily Record last night. Her mainly economic speech focused on the budget woes of Baltimore (the city has accumulated a $120 million budget deficit). Most notably, she stated that the deficit is in fact equal to a 36-cent raise in the property tax – however, she pledged to avoid raising the property tax in Baltimore, telling City Council that “if we …

by Anthony Longo on February 23, 2010

Snow Costs Maryland an Estimated $830 Million

Next time you and your neighbors are ranting about the snow (which we all know will be going on for at least the next month), you’ll have a new number to toss out: $830 million.
Yes, that mountainous amount is what the state Department of Business and Economic Development has roughly estimated the cost of the snowstorms to be for the Maryland economy. Ouch.
You may ask, as I did: How is that possible? Well, as reported by the Baltimore Sun, there are multiple factors to be considered. And while calculating the …

by Anthony Longo on February 20, 2010
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