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The Daily Record: A better way to select a lieutenant governor
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Don Fry Commentary
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The Daily Record: Thinking big about Pimlico
Editor’s note: The following commentary appeared on thedailyrecord.com on June 14, 2018. Justify’s sprint to win the Belmont Stakes and capture the Triple Crown last Saturday was remarkable and uplifting. It once again reminds us of just how fortunate Baltimore is to be home to the middle jewel of the Triple Crown, the Preakness. As such, Baltimore has the distinction of hosting one of the most heralded sporting events in the United … Continue reading
The Daily Record: A look at today’s Greater Baltimore region
Editor’s note: The following commentary appeared on thedailyrecord.com on May 18, 2018. Construction cranes are prevalent throughout the Baltimore region these days — from downtown Baltimore to Towson, Columbia and beyond — and to many they are the most visible sign of changes afoot in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties. But the recently released 2018 Greater Baltimore State of the Region Report makes clear that other changes have occurred during the … Continue reading
The Daily Record: General Assembly delivers on public safety
Editor’s note: The following commentary appeared on thedailyrecord.com on April 20, 2018. Decades ago a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, not known for his colloquy, reportedly rose as the legislative session came to an end and stated: “I have come to the conclusion that the making of laws is like the making of sausage — the less you know about the process the more you respect the result.” That assessment was … Continue reading
WBAL News Radio 1090: Baltimore region’s impact on Maryland’s economy
Editor’s note: The following commentary aired on wbal.com on April 6, 2018. Listen to the commentary. It is disappointing that a recent Goucher College poll found that two-thirds of those surveyed did not think of Baltimore City as “the economic engine of the state.” Disappointing but not totally surprising or inaccurate. Today regions, not individual jurisdictions are the economic drivers. The Greater Baltimore region – Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford … Continue reading
Baltimore Business Journal Letter to the Editor: GBC’s Fry says article on crime reduction strategy falls short
Editor’s note: The following Letter to the Editor appeared on www.bizjournals.com on March 15, 2018. Dear Editor: It was concerning to read the Baltimore Business Journal’s story on the Greater Baltimore Committee’s March 8 Newsmaker Breakfast event featuring Drew Vetter, director of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. The article regrettably focused on comments by one attendee who stated that her organization has employees who are deeply concerned about crime in the city and want to … Continue reading
WBAL News Radio 1090: Uncertainty for State Legislators
Editor’s note: The following commentary was recorded at WBAL News Radio 1090 on January 11, 2018. Listen to the commentary. The Maryland General Assembly opened the 2018 legislative session with its usual pomp and circumstance. But behind the upbeat tone, uncertainty looms on the horizon. Why? It’s election year. Politics is always in play during any legislative session but it has a stronger presence with election day ahead. The less … Continue reading
The Daily Record: How to gain a competitive edge
Editor’s note: The following commentary appeared on thedailyrecord.com on January 18, 2018. Gov. Larry Hogan provided some glad tidings to the business community just after the Christmas holiday by announcing that his administration had identified more than 650 state regulations that are outdated and would be repealed, streamlined or otherwise updated. The Maryland Regulatory Reform Commission, appointed by the governor in 2015, did the heavy lifting, analyzing the state’s large … Continue reading
WBAL News Radio 1090: “All In” to End Violent Crime in Baltimore
Editor’s note: The following commentary was recorded at WBAL News Radio 1090 on November 30, 2017. Listen to the commentary. This week, Baltimore will bury a fallen hero. Police Detective Sean Suiter was tragically gunned down two weeks ago in the line of duty. The career police officer became Baltimore’s 309th homicide victim this year as he worked an unsolved triple-murder case. In a city that seems to have become immune … Continue reading
The Daily Record: Solving the public safety crisis in Baltimore
Editor’s note: The following commentary appeared on TheDailyRecord.com on June 15, 2017. As I read a headline in one of the local newspapers this past weekend, I had a sense of déjà vu. It read: “Amid record violence, worried Baltimoreans see a city in crisis.” This view is shared widely in the article — by residents, community leaders, police and others — as they reflect on the terrible violence, largely gun-related, … Continue reading