Lee Sanderlin
@leeosanderlin.bsky.social
I write about people and power @BaltimoreBanner | email: Lee.Sanderlin@thebaltimorebanner.com | Signal: LOSanderlin.17
Dispatch from a harrowing sentencing hearing in Annapolis today. 19-year-old given life in prison for killing the owner of a koi pond store. Judge said she was looking for any reason to reduce the sentence, given his young age, but couldn't find anything. Read more in @thebaltimorebanner.com:
Teen who killed koi pond store owner given life sentence
Anne Arundel Circuit Court Judge Cathleen Vitale called Jonah Poole’s conduct “violent” and “unthinkable.”
thebanner.com
SPORTS FEATURE, DIV 2 2026 SFJ winners: 🥇 1st: @brianwacker1.bsky.social - @baltimoresun.bsky.social 🥈 2nd: Kelly Meyerhofer - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 🥉 3rd: @billoram.bsky.social - @oregonian.com 🏅 HM: @leeosanderlin.bsky.social & @danielleallentuck.bsky.social - The Baltimore Banner
The Key Bridge and Red Line delays erode Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's political persona as an outsider who can get big things done. Analysis by @leeosanderlin.bsky.social @hayesgardner.bsky.social in @thebaltimorebanner.com www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Wes Moore loves going fast. Government doesn’t.
Moore’s claims about rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge — part of his political persona as an outsider who can get big things done — seem to be slipping from his grasp.
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D.C. United's hopes to bring pro soccer teams to Baltimore remain without a funding source. A bill that would have funded $217 million in state bonds for a soccer stadium never made it out of session. w/ @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
No state money for Baltimore soccer stadium in 2026
Plans to bring professional soccer to Baltimore took a hit after legislation to build a soccer stadium stalled out in Annapolis.
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From @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: Ivan Bates claims Brandon Scott endorsed him. But did he? (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Ivan Bates claims Brandon Scott endorsed him. But did he?
One Baltimore Democrat endorsing another is usually a nothing burger, but in this case, there’s so much beef.
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Gov. Wes Moore has been saying Maryland needs to redraw its congressional districts because of "political redlining" in other states. What does he mean? And what's Maryland's role in addressing it? from me, @leeosanderlin.bsky.social & @invisibae.bsky.social: www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Moore’s latest argument for redistricting? Combating ‘political redlining’
Maryland has to redraw its congressional map to combat efforts by President Donald Trump and Republicans to “silence the voices and trying to eliminate Black leadership” by redistricting red states to...
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❄️ Snow Day Read ❄️ Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and state Senate President Bill Ferguson have staked out opposite positions on redistricting. It’s testing their working relationship. And it’s getting personal. w/ @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Can Moore, Ferguson keep a working relationship under redistricting pressure
Behind the scenes things are becoming tense as the two Democratic leaders continue to disagree whether Maryland should redraw its congressional maps to more heavily favor Democrats.
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The story of how Maryland bought a horse farm it won’t use involves a former Florida Congressman, a “prominent veterinarian,” self-dealing, a high-powered attorney, Gov. Wes Moore, a state authority that no longer exists and some trout. for @thebaltimorebanner.com www.thebanner.com/sports/maryl...
How Maryland bought a $4.5M horse farm it’s not going to use
The purchase of a horse farm, Shamrock Farm, involves a partner at Venable, the Pittsburgh Steelers, a Florida Republican, Gov. Wes Moore and a state authority that no longer exists.
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NEW | Maryland plans to buy Laurel Park from The Stronach Group and convert it into a horse racing training center. This marks a pivot from building the center at Shamrock Farm, which the state paid $4.5 million for last year. w/ @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Maryland plans to purchase Laurel Park in horse training center switcheroo
The state previously paid $4.5 million for Shamrock Farm in Carroll County
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New: Exelon and Constellation are in an arms race in Maryland’s capital. With their deep pockets and small army of lobbyists, they’re in a fight to bend energy policy to their liking and to ratepayers are caught in the middle. W/ @adampwillis.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cl...
How Exelon and Constellation influence Annapolis
Exelon and Constellation are among the state’s top campaign donors — the second and third biggest, according to campaign finance records.
thebanner.com
NEW: Chuck Jenkins, arguably Maryland's most powerful sheriff, said today he wants to keep working with ICE — regardless of national protests and even if Maryland lawmakers outlaw cooperation agreements (called 287g program) in the state. More in @thebaltimorebanner.com:
Maryland sheriff wants to keep working with ICE, even if state lawmakers ban it
Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins plans to keep working with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, even in light of the killing of an American citizen by an ICE agent.
thebanner.com
By @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: Crime is down, so why isn’t Ivan Bates happy? (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Crime is down, so why isn’t Ivan Bates happy?
Baltimore City has achieved a stunning turnaround in violent crime despite a rift between State’s Attorney Ivan Bates and Mayor Brandon Scott.
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NEW: Baltimore is on track to finish 2025 with its fewest homicides in about 50 years. Before Two-thirds of city residents were even born. Baltimore homicides have further and faster than anywhere in the nation since 2018. www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
Analysis: Baltimore homicides declined furthest, fastest in the country, could reach a 48-year low
Baltimore is on track to end 2025 with its lowest homicide total in 48 years, with fewer than 150 killings expected, marking a significant decline since 2022.
thebanner.com
After years of covering 300+ homicides, I tried to take stock of what it means for Baltimore to finally see fewer than 150 victims this year. But people kept getting killed. 2 things are true: we’ve seen historic declines, and still too many ppl are dying www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
Justin Fenton@justinfenton.bsky.social · 7mo agoBaltimore homicides declined furthest, fastest in the country as killings will reach a 48-year low, report @conarck.bsky.social , @invisibae.bsky.social , @sahanajayaraman.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
SCOOP from @emilyopilo.bsky.social & @leeosanderlin.bsky.social: Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said he is “terminating” his coordination with the mayor’s public safety office, which oversees the city’s flagship anti-violence initiative www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Bates to cut ties with mayor’s public safety office, citing ‘cloak of secrecy’
Ivan Bates outlined numerous complaints about the office, according to a seven-page letter sent to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott Tuesday.
thebanner.com
new from @emilyopilo.bsky.social and @leeosanderlin.bsky.social tonight in @thebaltimorebanner.com ——
Bates to cut ties with mayor’s public safety office, citing ‘cloak of secrecy’
Ivan Bates outlined numerous complaints about the office, according to a seven-page letter sent to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott Tuesday.
thebanner.com
Baltimore State's Attorney Ivan Bates to cut ties with mayor’s public safety office, citing ‘cloak of secrecy', @emilyopilo.bsky.social and @leeosanderlin.bsky.social. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Bates to cut ties with mayor’s public safety office, citing ‘cloak of secrecy’
Ivan Bates outlined numerous complaints about the office, according to a seven-page letter sent to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott Tuesday.
thebanner.com
Scoop: Reps for Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank have been lobbying Gov. Wes Moore’s office in an effort to persuade Maryland to buy Plank’s horse farm, email show. www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Kevin Plank wants Maryland to buy his horse farm
Emails detail a pitch to turn Sagamore Farm into a state-owned horse training facility.
thebanner.com
Why is this influential member of the Baltimore Jewish community on prosecutors’ stay-away list for at least one of the defendants in the Dalya Attar extortion case? W/ @leeosanderlin.bsky.social www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
What does the founder of Tov Pizza have to do with Dalya Attar’s case?
A member of the Baltimore City Democratic State Central Committee for the 41st District, Ronald Rosenbluth, 62, is a fixture in political and Jewish civic circles.
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A mom of three who relies on SNAP to feed her family. A 90-year-old whose SNAP benefits supplement her meager pension. Food lines that stretch around blocks. And a whole lot of worry, across Maryland, about what happens next. www.thebanner.com/community/lo...
Maryland’s neediest residents ‘stretching food’ as SNAP benefits remain uncertain
Maryland families who depend on SNAP benefits are unsure what November will bring as they potentially face a month without food aid.
thebanner.com
A mom of three who relies on SNAP to feed her family. A 90-year-old whose SNAP benefits supplement her meager pension. Food lines that stretch around blocks. And a whole lot of worry, across Maryland, about what happens next. www.thebanner.com/community/lo...
Maryland’s neediest residents ‘stretching food’ as SNAP benefits remain uncertain
Maryland families who depend on SNAP benefits are unsure what November will bring as they potentially face a month without food aid.
thebanner.com
A lot of things happened yesterday in Maryland politics. Here’s another: Gov. Moore said he was “confident” in his human services secretary despite a string of missteps www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Moore ‘confident’ in human services head despite missteps
Gov. Wes Moore said Wednesday that he was confident in Maryland Human Services Secretary Rafael López, despite the many challenges the embattled state agency has faced.
thebanner.com
Last week, @mdhumanservices.bsky.social Sec. Rafael López issued a policy prohibiting social services agencies from placing children in state care in unlicensed settings. Four days later, the agency broke the rule. @leeosanderlin.bsky.social, Jessica Calefati www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Maryland already violated its newest foster care directive
Last Wednesday, Oct. 22, Human Services Secretary Rafael Lopez issued a policy directing social services providers to “immediately stop facilitating stays in unlicensed settings.”
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New: Four days after the Maryland Dept. of Human Services secretary issued a new policy prohibiting foster children from staying overnight in unlicensed facilities like office buildings, a child spent the night in an office. W/ Jessica Calefati www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Maryland already violated its newest foster care directive
Last Wednesday, Oct. 22, Human Services Secretary Rafael Lopez issued a policy directing social services providers to “immediately stop facilitating stays in unlicensed settings.”
thebanner.com
👀 Should Joe Biden have helped Marilyn Mosby? Wes Moore seems to think so, @leeosanderlin.bsky.social reports. (via @thebaltimorebanner.com)
Should Joe Biden have helped Marilyn Mosby? Wes Moore seems to think so.
Gov. Wes Moore’s comment on Marilyn Mosby came during an appearance on ‘The Breakfast Club’ Tuesday.
thebanner.com
Should Joe Biden have helped Marilyn Mosby? Wes Moore seems to think so. www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Should Joe Biden have helped Marilyn Mosby? Wes Moore seems to think so.
Gov. Wes Moore’s comment on Marilyn Mosby came during an appearance on ‘The Breakfast Club’ Tuesday.
thebanner.com
Millions of taxpayer dollars go toward restoring Chesapeake Bay beaches to their natural marshy state and cleaning the water. Signs on those shorelines also read: "RESIDENTS ONLY." Important story by @alexmann.bsky.social @leeosanderlin.bsky.social @adampwillis.bsky.social @thebaltimorebanner.com:
The hidden cost of saving the Chesapeake Bay: millions for private waterfronts
Virtually all of the Chesapeake Bay’s shoreline is privately owned, which means taxpayer-funded waterfront improvements go to properties with limited public access.
thebanner.com
Alex Mann, @leeosanderlin.bsky.social and @adampwillis.bsky.social get at a central environmental tension in Anne Arundel County: A desire to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its shoreline meets the reality that almost all shoreline in the county is privately-owned. Read in @thebaltimorebanner.com —
The hidden cost of saving the Chesapeake Bay: millions for private waterfronts
Virtually all of the Chesapeake Bay’s shoreline is privately owned, which means taxpayer-funded waterfront improvements go to properties with limited public access.
thebanner.com
