Stories related to: Baltimore

Known as a harbor city plagued by gang violence and urban decay, Baltimore is hoping for a Broadway-style makeover—courtesy of John Waters, native son and creator of Hairspray and Cry-Baby . His gleefully trashy films are the inspiration for two cleaned-up musicals now on Broadway, and Baltimore hopes their sparkle can boost local tourism, the New Yorker reports. More »

A man involved in a bitter custody battle murdered his three children in a Baltimore hotel yesterday afternoon, then called the front desk to report it, the Baltimore Sun reports. Police still aren’t sure how Mark Castillo killed the children, aged 6, 4, and 2; there was no evidence of stabbing or gunshot wounds. More »

Already done the all-star US cities like New York and LA? Try one of these underappreciated destinations from MSNBC: Baltimore: Bag some blue crab in the Inner Harbor and check out 300 years of history. Fort Lauderdale: Take advantage of great shopping and awesome upscale beaches. Houston: No problem, just vibrant performing arts and NASA’s space center. Kansas City: Just jazz, blues, and great barbecue. Louisville: Check out the Derby, the Slugger, and don't forget the mint juleps More »

A 15-year-old Baltimore area Boy Scout has been charged with murdering all four members of his family. High school sophmore Nicholas Browning shot his father, a prominent corporate lawyer, his mother, and  brothers, ages 11 and 13, reports the Baltimore Sun . Police say he used his father's handgun during the rampage, triggered by an argument with his dad. The teen is being held without bail. More »

The crime surge of the last two years seems to be petering out, according to a new study by a police research group. The 2005-2006 rise in violent crime rates had been the first sustained jump in over a decade, but the new report shows that the numbers of murders, robberies and aggravated assaults are down in major jurisdictions in the first half of this year. More »

The weather may be great and the lifestyle good, but Southern culinary hospitality might be landing the Sun Belt disproportionately on Forbes ' list of America's most obese cities. The most rotund: Memphis Birmingham San Antonio More »

It was a good night for Democratic mayors last night: incumbents in San Francisco, Houston and Pittsburgh all comfortably won reelection. In addition, Philadelphia elected Michael Nutter on promises to reduce violence, and Baltimore gave a full term to Sheila Dixon, the city's first female mayor, who took office earlier this year when her predecessor became governor of Maryland. More »

The final season of HBO critical darling The Wire lands in January, and will revolve around the newsroom—the last unscripted setting from creator David Simon’s own experience. The show has tackled drug runners, cops, dockworkers, and inner-city schoolchildren “with sociological precision,” reports New Yorker ’s Margaret Talbot, and will close with the onetime Sun reporter’s old haunts. More »

Hearing this week's applause, it's easy to forget the storm surrounding Marin Alsop’s appointment as music director in Baltimore. The first woman to lead a major US ensemble, Alsop faced angry musicians when she was named 2 years ago. But in her debut, she lead a driving, demanding performance, impressing the Baltimore Sun's   critic with her "clarity of attack." More »

One witness to a double Baltimore police shooting reversed his story in the courtroom and another was driven to tears before publicly repeating what she’d told authorities after the incident. A juror in the eventual mistrial describes his experience in Oxford American , writing that witness intimidation—the defendant sat within arm’s reach of witnesses—was a far more potent force than the pursuit of truth. More »

Airport security teams have been warned to be on the lookout for terrorists attempting to carry explosive components onto planes as part of a dry run for future attacks, the AP reports. The TSA issued the alert last week after four passengers were caught with clay, wire, pipes, switches and other materials officials said may be "improvised explosive device components."  More »