Brothers Harley and Aaron Magden bought The Essen Room in Pikesville and say they’ll preserve the menu while expanding hours and seating. The change is intended to keep the deli’s traditions alive.

The NAACP has named former DOJ civil‑rights chief Kristen Clarke as its general counsel to lead voting‑rights, gerrymandering and First Amendment litigation. The hire deepens the group’s courtroom team ahead of a high‑stakes election cycle.

EPIQ Solutions signed a 36,120-square-foot lease at Arcadia Business Park and will relocate about 90 engineering and manufacturing employees to Frederick.

Baltimore sued xAI, alleging Grok flooded residents’ feeds with nonconsensual sexual deepfakes and seeking injunctions and the maximum statutory penalties.

The Maryland IID declined to prosecute a Calvert County deputy over a Dec. 12 pursuit that ended in a fatal crash; the driver faces negligent‑manslaughter charges.

Savage Branch in Howard County is closed while crews install HVAC components and run carbon-monoxide testing after staff reported illnesses. Officials expect testing to wrap this week.

The Maryland IID declined to prosecute officers involved in the Dec. 3, 2025 Essex shooting that killed Howard Sye, concluding the evidence did not support criminal charges.

Council President Zeke Cohen wants a 12-month moratorium on megawatt-scale data centers while the city studies grid, water and fiscal impacts.

Dorchester County’s state’s attorney race closed with no candidates after the incumbent declined to run, leaving party committees to pick nominees for November. The empty ballot spot highlights a small office with a heavy caseload.

Tribe Social Cafe debuts on East Redwood Street, pairing coffee and local art with help from the city’s BOOST program.

Two early‑morning shootings in Baltimore left one man dead and another hospitalized. Detectives and Metro Crime Stoppers are asking anyone with information to come forward.

County Executive Calvin Ball’s budget sets aside $3.5M to kick off plans for a public ice‑rink complex at Meadowbrook, pitching two competition rinks and supporting spaces.

A 29-year-old was pulled from a ceiling crawl space after an alleged Dollar General theft; officers used pepper spray and he was treated before being booked. The incident happened in East Baltimore.