Youth Opportunity Intern

'Oops!' tags inform of contaminants in recycling bins. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works launched a new initiative called "Oops! Tag Recycling." It's designed to inform the public about what can and can't be recycled with the goal of reducing contaminants in recycling bins. The goal is simple: Make sure everything that goes in the blue recycling bins belongs in there. "It's easy: Bottles, cans, paper, that's what's recycled," said Sean Crockett, a DPW recycling supervisor. Everything else - like cords, hoses, electronics, and containers with food stuck on them - are all known as contaminants and are not recyclable. "It clogs up the machines that recycle, and it destroys the efficiency of the whole, entire program. So, most of it is considered contamination at that point - the whole load is lost," Crockett said. Crockett said one of the most common contaminants they see are plastic bags. "Most people want to put their recycling in plastic bags. You can't do that," Crockett told WBAL-TV 11 News. DPW has been on a mission to reduce the contaminants that make it into their facilities - and they have seen significant improvement. From June 2024 to July 2025, the contamination rate was 21.11%. From August 2025 to today, that number fell to 15.09%. But their work is not done. For city residents who happen to see the "Oops! tags" on their recycling bin, don't worry. It just signifies that something in the recycling bin wasn't supposed to go in there. As part of the "Oops!" initiative, if a sanitation worker notices contaminants in the recycling, they'll mark what the contaminant is and hang the tag on the handle of the bin. "The ultimate message is education. We all try to get better. Read the tag. Get better. On one side, it's what you can't use. On the other side is what you can use," Crockett told WBAL-TV 11 News. For any questions about what is recyclable in the city, visit the DPW's Recycle Right website.

Launching High-Speed Internet initiative. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 10, 2026 Baltimore Launches One of the Largest Public-Housing High-Speed Internet Initiatives in the Country Housing Authority of Baltimore City, Baltimore City Office of Information Technology & Port Networks partnership will deliver broadband to more than 4,000 units across eight public housing communities BALTIMORE - The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), Baltimore City Office of Information Technology (BCIT) and Port Networks today announced a joint initiative that will provide broadband to more than 4,000 public housing units across eight HABC properties. The almost $22 million investment by HABC and its partner BCIT city will provide every resident with access to affordable, reliable fiber-optic internet. Port Networks, a local broadband provider, was selected as the Internet Service Provider and will install a fiber connection into every unit. Port Networks will offer gigabit broadband service to 100% of willing households at an end-user price of $20 per month. "This project will provide top-tier internet service to neighborhoods that are underserved and have long lacked reliable, high-quality connectivity," said Janet Abrahams, HABC's President and CEO. "Having broadband at home is now essential for education, employment, healthcare and economic mobility." The project is part of Baltimore City's Digital Equity and Broadband Strategy, which prioritizes affordable, reliable connectivity for underserved residents. It will be one of the largest public-housing fiber initiatives in the country once installed at all communities, including Gilmor, McCulloh, Douglass, Brooklyn, Latrobe, Cherry Hill, Mount Winans, and Westport. "Baltimore is investing in a digital foundation that strengthens neighborhoods for decades to come," said Leyla Layman, BCIT's Interim CIO & CDO. "We've laid the groundwork early. With much of the core infrastructure already constructed, HABC residents will receive broadband service faster than most communities across the country." The network will be able to support 1 Gbps and up to 10 Gbps with future upgrades. There will be no contracts, data caps, throttling or hidden charges. All units will have a fiber connection installed, allowing residents to choose whether or not to use the service. "We are proud to partner with HABC and BCIT on this important initiative," said Hugh Bethell, General Manager, Port Networks. "We built our network to do one thing: move data to and from our customers as quickly and reliably as possible. We pride ourselves on being a local high-speed internet provider that offers low-cost service without an application process or qualification requirements." Bethell continued, "Our digital equity support is aligned with Baltimore City's long-term strategy, including digital skills training and multilingual support. This initiative positions Baltimore as a national leader in municipally supported fiber deployment." Installation work will be scheduled building-by-building and residents will receive advance notice and support. A typical construction can take at least 90 days per property. Port Networks will conduct active enrollment, helping residents sign up and get devices online. About the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) The Housing Authority of Baltimore City provides quality affordable housing and supportive services to more than 20,000 families across Baltimore. Through initiatives that promote education, employment, and economic empowerment, HABC is building stronger, self-sufficient communities and creating opportunities for residents to thrive. Habc.org About Port Networks Port Networks is a customer-first Internet service provider dedicated to delivering high-performance, reliable connectivity without junk fees, data caps, or long-term contracts. Built on a true data network using the best fiber, microwave, and Wi-Fi technologies, Port Networks offers dependable service and local support that customers love. For more information, visit portnetworks.net.

Inspector General: Baltimore spent more than $500k in COVID federal funds on Artscape musicians. Posted 12:44 PM, Feb 12, 2026 BALTIMORE - The Baltimore City Inspector General's Office (IG) and the Mayor's Office appear to be at odds over how federal funds were used to host Artscape 2025. According to a newly released Inspector General's report, the City spent more over $500,000 of its COVID-19 era American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for musical artists, doubling the initial talent budget. Two acts alone surpassed the $300,000 budget, with a pair of artists receiving a combined payment of $365,500. While the artists names were not mentioned in the IG report, the two headliners in 2025 were Fantasia and Robin Thicke. Nine other Artscape performers were paid a total of $40,650 in ARPA money. After booking and other associated fees, the total cost exceeded half-a-million dollars. As for who decides the entertainment for Artscape, an unidentified Mayor's Office employee told the Inspector General "You usually just ask the mayor, 'Hey, anyone on your wish list? Sometimes they say yes, sometimes they say no." Tens-of-thousands more in ARPA funds were reportedly used towards Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott's Artscape VIP Reception. "Records indicated six vendors received direct ARPA payments totaling $10,860.25 for VIP services," the IG report states. "The Artscape Festival Operations Director, which received $26,546.73 in ARPA funds and $6,856.82 in State funds, coordinated with the Mayor's Chief of Special Events to organize the VIP Reception and assist in planning a VIP cigar lounge at the War Memorial Building during Artscape weekend." The Mayor's Office in response insisted that "ARPA funds were not directly used to purchase alcohol." The City claims the $26,000 went towards "facility rental, room set-up, decor and signage." Additionally, an unnamed actress received $10,000.00 in ARPA funds for hosting an invitation only Artscape after-party. The Inspector General made one recommendation in the report, urging the City to "develop standard operating processes for events such as Artscape to help define roles and responsibilities among the entities involved and ensure the City receives the best possible cost when selecting vendors." While the Inspector General did not officially accuse the City of wrongly spending ARPA funds, the report appears to suggest it based off how investigators cited the U.S. Treasury's rules for funding. "ARPA recipients may use a certain amount of COVID-19 relief funds to replace lost revenue for the provision of government services. According to the Department of the Treasury (Treasury), "government services" refers to "any service traditionally provided by a government unless Treasury has stated otherwise." Treasury examples of eligible Revenue Replacement projects are the maintenance, improvement, or new construction of public-school facilities; construction of new roads and other infrastructure; provision of public safety and other services; and health and educational services." The Mayor's Office took exception to the Inspector General's insinuation. "Although the report's sole recommendation only concerns standard operating procedures to facilitate coordination between partners, it attempts to raise questions about various aspects of the Artscape budget and utilization of ARPA funds that seem to insinuate impropriety where none exists," the Mayor's Office wrote back to the Inspector General. The City also defended its decision using ARPA funds to host Artscape, claiming the event falls under the U.S. Treasury's provision of "government services." "The festival generates jobs, innovation, and public art which enhances the value of the festival's footprint. Artscape was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Efforts to reinvigorate the festival in 2023 and 2024 proved challenging as the festival was a smaller scale in 2023 and the festival was impacted by weather in 2024 - resulting in economic loss for the City. Due to the City's long-standing practice of providing funding to Artscape, this project was categorized as eligible under "Provision of Government Services." The full Inspector General's Report can be read below.