After decades of anti-dam protest from Indigenous tribes, the mighty Klamath River is now flowing free. This summer, 15 teens kayaked from its headwaters near the Cascade Mountains in Oregon to its mouth on the Pacific coast of California.

15 teens. 300 miles. One mighty ancestral river, running free.

The removal of four dams finally made a descent of the Klamath possible. These Indigenous kayakers became the first to attempt it.

washingtonpost.com

To the outside world, Brian Matusz appeared to have it all. But inside, a battle raged. This is the story of how the once-promising Baltimore Oriole lost his way. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/brian...

The unraveling of Brian Matusz

Brian Matusz was once the Baltimore Orioles’ next great hope. How did an ‘all-American’ kid lose his way?

thebaltimorebanner.com

BREAKING: Amid more federal funding and research cuts, Johns Hopkins University is pausing pay increases, freezing staff hiring and reducing capital projects by up to 20%. The university is on track to lose nearly $1 billion in funding — so far. Read: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/hi...

Johns Hopkins pauses pay increases, freezes hiring amid federal cuts

The Johns Hopkins University will freeze staff hiring and pay increases as it deals with federal funding losses

thebaltimorebanner.com

My first book tour was canceled by the pandemic. Five years later, my new book, which comes out Sunday, gives me a do-over. Also, come see me at the Arbutus branch of the Baltimore County Public Library at 6:30 tonight! www.thebaltimorebanner.com/opinion/colu...

My first book launched the week the world shut down. I'm ready for my do-over.

The pandemic shut down my memoir book tour. Will the publicity for “Family & Other Calamities,” a love letter to Baltimore and journalism, be a chance to try again?

thebaltimorebanner.com

👀 Look who's coming to Montgomery County. Sign up for updates here: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/montgomery-c...

Trusted, independent news is coming to Montgomery County from The Baltimore Banner

Sign up for updates and be the first to know when we launch

thebaltimorebanner.com

Big news: I'm stepping down as editor-in-chief of @thebaltimorebanner.com to join @washingtonpost.com as managing editor. This decision has been difficult. I love what we've built here proving local journalism can thrive. Best job of my life. 🧵 www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/ki...

Founding editor Kimi Yoshino to leave The Banner for The Washington Post

Kimi Yoshino, who has led The Baltimore Banner for three and a half years as its first editor-in-chief, will leave to become a senior editor at The Washington Post.

thebaltimorebanner.com

I went on NPR's All Things Considered to talk about @thebaltimorebanner.com @alissazhu.bsky.social @jessicagallagher.bsky.social and Nick Thieme's Pulitzer Prize and the state of local news. Take a listen! www.npr.org/2025/05/06/n...

Only three years old, online publication Baltimore Banner wins Pulitzer

Three reporters from the Baltimore Banner - a relatively new publication -- won a Pulitzer for their reporting on the overdose crisis in Baltimore done in conjunction with the New York Times.

npr.org

Holy shit, just three years into its existence, the nonprofit Baltimore Banner has won its first Pulitzer.

Baltimore Banner@thebaltimorebanner.com · last yr.

Baltimore Banner wins Pulitzer Prize for coverage of overdose crisis

Congratulations to @alissazhu.bsky.social @jessicagallagher.bsky.social and Nick Thieme! Very proud of this work, which judges called “an example of very powerful journalism.” They also praised the sharing of our “one-of-a-kind dataset” with nine other media outlets.

The Poynter Institute@poynterinstitute.bsky.social · last yr.

The Frank A. Blethen Award for Local Accountability Reporting, sponsored by The Seattle Times, goes to The Baltimore Banner’s Alissa Zhu, Jessica Gallagher, and Nick Thieme for “Baltimore’s Overdose Crisis." 🏆

Super proud of the @thebaltimorebanner.com newsroom for winning an IRE award for our Key Bridge collapse coverage. At the time, we didn't even have a live blog, but we did have great journalists who know this community and what the bridge meant to it.

Investigative Reporters & Editors@ire.org · last yr.

The IRE Award for Investigations Triggered by Breaking News goes to @thebaltimorebanner.com for reporting on the Key Bridge collapse. “This was a colossal effort for 24 hours, with journalists waking up in the middle of the night and working well together.” www.thebaltimorebanner.com/specials/key...

@lizbowie.bsky.social & I got a chance to talk with @jemillerbalt.bsky.social about our investigation into the transit system that struggles to get Baltimore's public school students to school on time. Hope you'll listen! open.spotify.com/episode/4dVN...

Good Data Analysis Tells a Story

Maryland Capital with Jayne Miller · Episode

open.spotify.com

Fredricka Gray, Freddie Gray’s twin sister, sat down with me this week to talk about her older brother by 13 minutes. It’ll be 10 years this month since he was killed and Fredricka feels like half of her is gone. @kaitlinobscura.bsky.social 📸 www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/fr...

Freddie Gray died after his arrest by Baltimore police a decade ago. His twin now has words to share.

Ten years ago, Freddie Gray died at the hands of Baltimore Police. Now, his twin sister, Fredericka Gray, talks about his death.

thebaltimorebanner.com

“Mommy, no. Mommy.” Daughter captures the moment masked ICE agents smash the window of her mother's car in order to take her into custody. The government claims the 52-year old seamstress is an associate of the MS-13 gang. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/lo...

Rejected at her door, ICE nabs a Maryland woman in her car after smashing her window

Video shows a U.S. ICE agents breaking the window of a Maryland woman, Elsy Noemi Berrios, after failing to detain her at home.

thebaltimorebanner.com

Congratulations to this talented, Polk Award-winning @thebaltimorebanner.com reporting team for shining a light on Baltimore’s opioid crisis, work that has prompted impact and more focus on this problem. @alissazhu.bsky.social @jessicagallagher.bsky.social and Nick Thieme.

This Homeland Security quote about the need for the National Fire Academy is 👀 “We are only authorizing travel for mission critical programs. This isn’t one.” www.thebaltimorebanner.com/western-mary...

Western Maryland town alarmed by National Fire Academy shutdown

Emmitsburg, a tiny Western Maryland town, fears the Trump administration’s suspension of the National Fire Academy classes will harm the economy. And emergency workers say the public will be less safe...

thebaltimorebanner.com

Let’s connect. @thebaltimorebanner.com

Creditors who want their money are not cool with Chasen's recent transfer of its $5 million+ private jet. They're now seeking a forced bankruptcy and an expedited hearing on it. @dylansegelbaum.bsky.social @halliemiller.bsky.social @invisibae.bsky.social

A Baltimore developer’s private jet transfer has infuriated its creditors

A construction arm of Chasen Cos. now faces petition for forced bankruptcy

thebaltimorebanner.com

NEW: 1 in every 10 workers in Maryland is employed by the federal government. It's also home to thousands of jobs at agencies like NIH. The data tells us a lot about which communities rely the most on federal jobs. Read at @thebaltimorebanner.com www.thebaltimorebanner.com/economy/care...

Where do Maryland's federal employees live and work?

Thousands of federal workers call Maryland home. Many of them also work in offices across the state.

thebaltimorebanner.com

Reporting by @lizbowie.bsky.social & I was cited yesterday in a Baltimore City Council hearing on the root causes of chronic absenteeism. Proud that we were able to shed some light on a challenge that thousands of students. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/education/k-...

Baltimore City Council members press for solutions to student transit nightmare

Baltimore City Council members pressed officials in the school district and the Maryland Transit Administration to find solutions to improve mass transit students.

thebaltimorebanner.com

I sat down w/ Gov. Wes Moore and talked about the Trump administration, and his role in the Democratic response. "I don’t think it’s my job to tell the Democratic Party how to find itself," he told me. He wants to focus instead on protecting Marylanders. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-pow...

Gov. Moore says it's not his job to chart Democrats' future

Moore said he didn’t even watch Trump’s speech Tuesday night

thebaltimorebanner.com

Now we know. The Raven's "zero-tolerance" conduct policy, which they've been asked multiple times about for at least three years, does not exist in any meaningful way. It was a convenient perception for the Ravens to let linger. Until it wasn't. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/raven...

From Jonas Shaffer -- as fans demand answers on Justin Tucker, the Ravens have remained conspicuously silent. Some perspective from PR professionals on why, and if that's a useful course of action: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/raven...

Very proud of our team for winning a Polk Award today for Local Reporting on the city's overdose crisis. This is a big moment for @thebaltimorebanner.com — which has not even been publishing for 3 years — and signals that we have the talent and ambition to execute journalism at the highest level.

Alissa Zhu@alissazhu.bsky.social · 2y ago

It is an extraordinary honor to receive a George Polk Award in Local Reporting for our coverage of Baltimore's overdose crisis, published by @thebaltimorebanner.com and @nytimes.com Local Investigations Fellowship. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/lo...

Sometimes it feels like all roads eventually lead to Maryland: Mysterious leader of the violent Zizian group arrested in Western Maryland, @leeosanderlin.bsky.social reports. The cultlike group has been tied to several killings across the country. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/politics-pow...

Mysterious Zizian leader Jack LaSota arrested in Western Maryland

Jack ‘Ziz’ LaSota, the apparent leader of the Zizians, a cult-like group tied to at least six deaths, was arrested Sunday evening in western Maryland.

thebaltimorebanner.com

In all, 9 women from 5 different high-end spas have shared allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by the Ravens Justin Tucker with @thebaltimorebanner.com. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/raven...

Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces new allegations from 3 massage therapists

Three additional massage therapists are accusing Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker of sexually inappropriate behavior.

thebaltimorebanner.com

People have questions about our investigation into Justin Tucker — why we looked into it, how we reported it, and why we published it as newsworthy. This podcast with lead reporters Julie Scharper, Brenna Smith and Justin Fenton answers these questions and more: open.spotify.com/episode/34ch...

Justin Tucker accused of inappropriate sexual behavior. Here is how we reported the story

The Banner Ravens Podcast · Episode

open.spotify.com

It is painful to pore over the details of The Baltimore Banner’s investigation into Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, someone we thought we knew well. My column: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/raven...

New @BaltimoreBanner investigation: Ravens' Justin Tucker accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by six massage therapists www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/raven...

Ravens' Justin Tucker accused of inappropriate behavior by six massage therapists

Women say Justin Tucker repeatedly exposed his genitals and, in three instances, apparently left ejaculate on tables after massages.

thebaltimorebanner.com

The value of liquor licenses in this Baltimore neighborhood are artificially inflated because ... neighbors and businesses want it that way. Great for incumbents. Tough for newcomers. Great reporting by my colleague Christina Tkacik. www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/food...

The Dish: Why doesn’t this Dave Portnoy-approved pizza spot have its liquor license?

TinyBrickOven, which recently received $60,000 from Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy, doesn’t have a liquor license. But the issue isn’t as simple as one lawmaker waving a magic wand.

thebaltimorebanner.com

In 2007 I wrote about how officials in Aberdeen were having regrets about a stadium deal for hometown hero Cal Ripken’s minor league baseball team, which never got worked out. So when Cal sold his majority stake in the fall, I wondered if something was up: www.thebaltimorebanner.com/sports/oriol...

Cal Ripken Jr. broke up with his hometown baseball team, the IronBirds

The ‘Iron Man’ moved a minor league club to Aberdeen in 2002, but after years of tension, Cal Ripken Jr. sold his namesake team.

thebaltimorebanner.com