Innovation + Job News

Now that the worst fiscal crisis in the modern history of Baltimore has been resolved and critical funding has been restored to the Baltimore Police Department budget, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld announced a detailed plan last week to hire 100 new police officers by the end of 2010 and another 350 police officers in 2011. The new plan will keep pace with normal attrition rates and fill recently restored positions in the Baltimore Police Department budget.

"Public safety is and will remain a top priority of my administration. With my Comprehensive Budget Plan in place, we have restored every single police officer position in the Police Department budget," Mayor Rawlings-Blake says. "Now the focus must be on continued, strong hiring efforts to ensure that budgeted police officer positions remain filled."

The police officer hiring plan calls for additional measures to enhance and expedite the Police Department's hiring process to keep pace with normal retirement trends including:

• Hiring two additional certified consultants to conduct polygraph screenings;
• Hiring up to 9 contractual employees to conduct background investigations in order to clear a processing backlog of applications from new recruits;
• Create a processing unit by consolidating several smaller units that will track and distribute cases, complete civil service testing, schedule various forms of physical/psychological/polygraph testing, etc. This unit will determine the applicants that proceed to a background investigation;
• Create a third background investigation squad to handle the large volume of applicants. At present there are over 80 cases in the background process and over 120 awaiting the assignment of a background investigator; and,
• The Police Department will implement additional testing opportunities for applicants.

"Despite a very difficult budget situation, Mayor Rawlings-Blake is providing the resources my department needs to ramp-up our plan to hire hundreds of new Police officers this year and next," Commissioner Bealefeld says.

Source: The Mayor's Office
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

Some times finding yourself at the wrong table during an event can lead to good things. That's how more than 100 invitation-only attendees with a vested interest in the health of the Chesapeake Bay came together last week to discuss issues, initiatives to prevent bay pollution and innovative technologies developed by Maryland-based companies, according to Jim Poulos, vice president of Technology Transfer and Commercialization at the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) .

"Will Baker, head of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, was sitting next to me, and I knew that this could be an opportunity for the  Chesapeake Bay Foundation and TEDCO to do something together. We've been exploring the opportunity for a few years and came up with this technology show. We knew we had some small companies that are in the green space and that they're [Chesapeake Bay Foundation] are into cleaning up the Bay. So it was just a matter of connecting the right technologies with water cleanup," he says.

The event, "Technologies that Can Save the Bay: Reducing Nutrient and Sediment Pollution," sponsored by TEDCO and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), highlighted nine technologies from private industry, non-profit associations and research universities that are being developed and deployed to improve water quality and improve the overall health of the Chesapeake Bay by reducing pollution. The event took place at CBF's Phillip Merrill Environmental Center.

"We wanted to show the diversity of institutions, companies and their technologies," says Poulos

The showcase also featured keynote remarks by Tom Horton, noted environmental journalist and Chesapeake Bay expert, and J. Charles "Chuck" Fox, senior advisor on the Chesapeake Bay and Anacostia River to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Poulous along with Allen Hance, executive director of the Chesapeake Bay Trust, and Amanda Bassow, director of Chesapeake programs at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, delivered a special presentation on funding opportunities for entrepreneurs interested in Chesapeake Bay conservation. Attendees and presenters enjoyed a networking, poster, and exhibit session at the end of the event. Closing remarks were made by CBF President Will Baker.

"Environmentalists, business leaders, entrepreneurs and those concerned with the health of the Chesapeake Bay have come from all over the region to learn about these emerging green technologies," says Will Baker, president of CBF. "We are pleased to work with TEDCO to promote the awareness of these technologies and are eager to see more environmentally-focused business models transfer to the marketplace."

Of the nine technologie included in the event, several are either commercially avaialble or will soon be available. They were broken down into three areas:  direct water cleaning solutions, urban solutions, and solutions used in the Bay.

Poulos hopes to host another showcase next year that will include representatives from the federal level, Deleware, New York, Virginia and West Virginia, states that are also affected directly by the Bay or the its watershed.

Companies that presented technologies included:

•Porous Asphalt, Kent Hansen, National Asphalt Pavement Association -- Porous asphalt is an environmentally friendly tool for storm water management. It can conserve water, reduce runoff and promote infiltration which cleanses stormwater, replenishes aquifers and protects streams.


•Creating Green Stormwater with Bioretension, Allen Davis, University of Maryland College Park -- Bioretention, a soil and plant-based stormwater management practice , is used to filter runoff from developed communities. Also known as a rain garden, a bioretention facility consists of a porous soil covered with a thin layer of mulch and is designed to mimic natural vegetated areas and filter pollutants from water.

•Regenerative Stormwater Conveyance and Floating Wetlands, Keith Bowers, Biohabitats, Inc. – Biohabitats, a conservation and ecological restoration company, is developing floating artificial wetlands. These wetlands are composed of recycled plastic bottles wrapped in biodegradable fiber mats in the entrances to the Bay such as the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. These wetlands act not only as filters but as regenerated wetlands.

•SkyGarden: Green Roof Media, Emlyn Stancill, Stancills, Inc. -- SkyGarden specializes in engineered soils and mineral formulations for the greenroof industry. A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants.


•Smartslope: Living Retaining Walls, Michael Furbish, The Furbish Company – The Furbish Company designs, sells, installs and maintains plant-based building systems. "Living Walls" enable building owners and occupants to benefit from improved comfort and health, lower utility bills, increase asset value and help to restore the environment.

•Reclamation of Water and Prevention of Animal Waste Runoff, Carol Collins, Spiralcat – Spiralcat, a women-owned corporation that harvests water, energy and biofuel from diverse waste sources in order to transform waste into valuable energy and water resources. The company's technologies support local food economies, provide clean water, create usable resources, manage nutrients for soil fertility and deliver energy in an affordable manner.

•Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for the Selective Capture of Environmental Phosphate, Tracy Terry, JHU Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) – Phosphorus and nitrogen are major pollutants that enter water via runoff from sewage plants and farmland. Currently, there are no filtering systems that can selectively remove these two elements. APL is working on a system that has the potential to reduce contaminant concentrations of phosphorous and nitrogen to any arbitrary level through staging.

•Slow Release Fertilizer, Wayne Swann, NutriGrown, LLC – NutriGrown, LLC is developing a line of matrix-based soil nutrient products designed to reduce nutrient leaching while enhancing plant growth. Greenz™ technology is exclusively licensed from the USDA/ARS and is based on a formulated matrix of natural organic and inorganic compounds with high ionic exchange capacity. The matrix components bind and retain nutrients for both short and long term plant utilization.

•Pelletizing Seeds for Habitat Restoration, Robert Murphy, EcoSystem Solutions Inc. – Ecosystem Solutions, Inc., a small, privately owned, environmental consulting firm based in West Warwick, RI, specializes in wetland science, ecological solutions and soil science. They work with pelletized seeds to increase the success rate of habitat restoration. Pelletizing seeds are seeds wrapped in a clay pellet, which is a simple technique for hiding and protecting the seed until it can germinate.

Source: Jim Poulos, TEDCO
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

Edeems, an social media marketing company based in Annapolis, has developed an innovative and pain-free way for Internet users to make charitable donations all with just a few clicks of their mouse. The company has teamed with the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to drive charitable donations through online purchases.

Edeems' innovative URL shortening service is modeled on the typical B2B affiliate marketing developed by Internet retailers like Amazon.com in which website and blog owners post ads on their site and a recieve a percentage of any merchandise sold through those links. Instead of posting ads, Edeems provides users with shortened URLs  they can post on their Facebook, Twitter or other social media page. Now, the company has pushed the B2B affiliate marketing to the charitable giving level by allowing anyone to shorten links to products or services online and earn affiliate commissions.

Users can opt to keep the cash back rewards they have earned or have the proceeds donated to their charity of choice using a specially shortened URL. 

Composed of thousands of online merchants that pay referral fees, Edeems places an innovative spin on traditional fundraising. For example, a member who elects to donate to NWF finds a deal on Shoes.com, creates a link using http://nwf.honr.it and shares the shortened link with friends and family. As a result, based on the affiliate commissions provided by Shoes.com, NWF receives a charitable donation of $11.70 for every $100 purchase.

"We are excited to launch the Edeems platform while simultaneously providing a unique fundraising tool for large charitable organizations such as National Wildlife Federation," says Brenden Salta, CEO of Edeems, Inc. "Given the recent oil spill disaster and the economic downturn, this is a crucial time for National Wildlife Federation and other charitable organizations to find new, user-friendly channels of giving. Millions of links are posted on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, or personal blogs daily without any rewards. We wanted to create a way to not only reward individuals, but also offer a way to give back to the community."

To raise awareness and increase charitable donations to NWF, supporters are encouraged to visit http://nwf.honr.it before shopping online or recommending a product to a friend. Edeems' charitable service, honr.it, donates 90 percent of affiliate commissions to NWF, or any charity a member selects. In this case, donations would go to NWF to benefit its causes throughout the U.S., from protecting imperiled wildlife and its habitat in the Gulf and across the nation.

"Edeems not only gives National Wildlife Federation supporters another avenue with which to raise awareness and funds, but also provides a way to reach audiences who may not normally be inclined to donate to charity," says Anne Senft, vice president of membership and online marketing at NWF. "We are excited to embark on a new means of giving that will help us continue to support our mission to inspire Americans to protect wildlife for future generations."

The company plans to introduce more shortened URLs for a variety of charities in the coming weeks. Plans are also in the works to launch a shortened URL service for community-based fundraising. Local fire departments, schools, and other community organizations will be able to sign up for the service and receive up to 50 percent of affiliate commissions generated by the URL, says Salta.

Source: Brenden Salta, Edeems
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

fDi Magazine, produced by the Financial Times, has ranked Baltimore's Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) #74, managed by the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC), as the fourth best port-related Foreign Trade Zone in the world.

The magazine analyzed 700 economic zones, dwindling that number down to 200 before requesting dossiers from each nominated FTZ. Baltimore came in fourth under the "Best Port Zone" category for 2010/2011, following the zones of Shanghai and Tangier, Morocco and Jacksonville, FL. Of the remaining U.S. port zones on the top 10 list, the Foreign Trade Zone of Los Angeles ranked eighth.

The magazine evaluated Zones based on their economic potential, promotional strategy, cost effectiveness, facilities, transportation, incentives and foreign direct investment strategy

Baltimore's Foreign Trade Zone is one of the more active FTZ's in the United States with 13 current operators utilizing over 3 million square feet of activated space. At the end of fiscal year 2009, imported goods were valued at $1.7 billion with the highest value of commodities being automobiles, aluminum and alcohol. FTZ #74 serviced 82 businesses and contributed to more than 762 full-time jobs among its operators, with a total employment of almost 1,000 (including part-time and seasonal) workers. The Zone was responsible for the re-exporting of over $13 million in goods overseas.

"Baltimore has really come on the map in terms of its FTZ because of its London Metal Exchange warehouses. Metals like aluminum comes down from Canada and needs a lot of warehouse space. We're probably the most well-known port on the East Coast for London Metal Exchange warehousing. This has really put us on the map," says Elizabeth Weiblen Hines, director, Foreign Trade Zone #74, Baltimore Development Corporation.

"There are 263 FTZs in the U.S. and alot of them have designated space, like 30,000 acres, but they only have one operator or business that needs its. They said, 'if they build it they will come' and that's not necessarily right. What the BDC brings is the ability to be flexible and to quickly acitivate FTZ space when a company needs it. That's one of the things we've brought to the table and is changing the way businesses see Baltimore," she continues.

The FTZ has always been important to Baltimore City and the BDC. Businesses find a great warehouse and then approach the BDC to request FTZ benefits. "Having the city be the grantee of FTZ space means we've been able to do it more efficiently."

Another major factor contributing to the ranking and the success of the Port of Baltimore, according to Hines, is that it is the furthest inland port on the East Coast with one-third of the U.S. population within an 8-hour drive. This proximity to market is a main reason that businesses choose Baltimore. The city also has a great rail system and has easy access to the Interstate 95.

Hines says she hopes that the ranking will help the BDC as it continues to ramp up it increasingly directs its attention to attracting businesses overseas to Baltimore.

Source: Elizabeth Weiblen Hines, BDC
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

Merkle, a Columbia, MD-based customer relationship marketing agency, has introduced a new service for marketers. Integrated Social Marketing is a new approach designed for marketers who seek to optimize how they use social media to attract and engage customers, leverage key influencers and refine brand positioning.

The service capitalizes on Merkle's data-driven approach to social marketing, developed based on work with several major clients, enabling marketers to integrate social behavior insights across channels to drive new marketing opportunities.

Merkle's Integrated Social Marketing framework involves closely examining consumers' social behavior to help marketers understand how their customers interact with other customers and brands online. The framework combines the power of social segmentation and social listening, offering marketers new insights that make it possible to identify key influencers and drive more authentic content to more effectively engage consumers. These social insights are then integrated with direct, email, mobile and website programs to add new intelligence to marketers' existing programs. This ensures a more holistic and knowledge-driven marketing approach, while also making it possible to measure the impact and performance of social marketing programs.

Merkle's recent View from the Social Inbox report found that demographics such as age, gender, ethnicity and education influence which social sites consumers use, while social networkers are more likely to be avid email users, as measured by time spent with social email as well as the number of times these sites are checked daily. These and other findings reinforce the need to integrate segmentation and customer engagement approaches that have long proved effective with other engagement channels.

"Within an extremely short timeframe, marketers have eagerly embraced social media as an effective new tool for reaching consumers," says Rich Fleck, vice president, Enterprise Strategy Group, Merkle. "However, in most cases, marketers struggle to integrate social initiatives like Facebook and Twitter into their overall marketing programs. Having a presence within the social media channel is no longer sufficient – the current hurdle is making it an actionable channel to engage customers. Merkle's integrated social strategy helps marketers develop an actionable, measurable marketing approach that aligns social marketing strategy with consumer behavior."

Source: Merkle
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

Moving forward on his goal to support 100,000 green jobs by 2015, Gov. Martin O'Malley recently held Maryland's first Green Economy Forum at Montgomery Park in Baltimore City. The governor outlined an aggressive plan to create and retain green jobs, support clean and renewable energy, protect Maryland's communities and preserve the State's natural resources.

The plan is based on the findings of the Green Jobs & Industry Task Force, a group of public and private sector leaders including green business owners, industry stakeholders, workforce development experts and cabinet secretaries the Governor assembled in March to develop recommendations to capitalize on the emerging green economy.

As part of the Forum, the Gov. O'Malley also led a roundtable with small business owners, environmental advocates, green industry experts and others to discuss ways to move Maryland forward on clean and renewable energy, environmental remediation and sustainable development.

"Green jobs are growing nationally at a rate two and a half times faster than overall jobs and are not only key to our economic recovery today, but are the jobs that will fuel the economy of tomorrow," says Gov. O'Malley. "Our highly educated workforce, wealth of natural resources and progressive policies makes Maryland uniquely positioned to grow our green economy and create the kinds of jobs that will ensure a more sustainable future for all Marylanders."

"The recommendations presented today clearly demonstrate that Maryland is on the forefront of the emerging green economy," says Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development Secretary Christian S. Johansson, who chaired the Task Force. "We look forward to working in partnership with employers, entrepreneurs and industry experts to implement relevant and meaningful strategies to help Maryland's green industries create jobs, employ more sustainable practices and preserve our communities."

"As an executive in the emerging green industry, I believe that these recommendations capture the input of many green employers in Maryland," said Kerinia Cusick, Green Jobs & Economy Task Force member and Director, Mid-Atlantic Government Affairs for Sun Edison. "The Task Force team members look forward to continuing our collaboration as these recommendations are implemented."

The Task Force report focused on six key recommendations:

1. Promote energy and resource efficiency efforts;
2. Develop and foster clean, local energy production and industrial capacity;
3. Capitalize upon economic opportunities to restore and protect Maryland's natural resource;
4. Promote sustainable development practices that create jobs, generate prosperity, and make Maryland more self-reliant;
5. Increase access to capital for green businesses and projects; and
6. Strengthen coordination and communication across State agencies, partners, and stakeholders to provide strategic vision for advancing a green economy.

Maryland is home to approximately 75,000 green-sector jobs, ranging from consulting and scientific services to construction and waste management. Since January, Maryland has created 38,000 jobs, a growth rate twice that of the rest of the nation. Maryland's unemployment rate remains 25 percent lower than the national average.

Source: State of Maryland
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

The number of cars passing through the Port of Baltimore is increasing with the arrival of new Ford Fiestas. The imported vehicles, which began arriving June 24 onboard a K Line roll on/roll off vessel, will continue arriving throughout the rest of this year at the Port's Dundalk Marine Terminal.

"We are happy to welcome more Ford products to the Port of Baltimore," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. Good-paying, family supporting auto jobs at the Port benefit greatly when more cars come through Baltimore. Ford's decision to bring more cars to Baltimore is another good sign for Maryland as we begin our recovery from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression."

The number of autos handled at the Port of Baltimore has risen about 16 percent over the same time last year. Earlier this year, BMW began shipping the first of 50,000 new vehicles that will make their way through the Port of Baltimore annually for the next five years. That contract has created about 200 new jobs.

The Port of Baltimore also serves as the primary port of entry for the Ford Transit Connect van. Baltimore also receives about 85 percent of the 35,000 vans that are imported into the U.S. annually.

Automobiles are one of the main commodities handled at the Port of Baltimore's public marine terminals. Approximately 1,150 direct jobs at the Port are generated by the Port's auto business.

In 2009, the Port of Baltimore handled about 375,000 cars total.

The Maryland Port Administration (MPA) recently announced that more cars, trucks, and vans passed through the Port of Baltimore in March than at any time in at least the last ten years. In March, 38,053 automobiles came through the Port's public terminals. The Port's previous record for most cars handled was 37,552 in July 2008. In January 2009, impacted by the global economic recession, auto volumes at the Port dropped to 13,558 cars.

The Port of Baltimore has created about 16,700 direct jobs. Of the roughly 360 U.S. ports, Baltimore is ranked number one for handling roll on/roll off cargo; trucks; imported forest products; and imported gypsum, sugar and iron ore. The Port is responsible for about $3.7 billion in personal wage and salary income. The Port of Baltimore generates nearly $400 million in state and local taxes.

Source: Department of Transportation
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

The Enoch Pratt Free Library has received a $15,000 award from Citi that will fund free outreach activities for its Summer Reading 2010 programs.

Summer Reading is an incentive and theme-based reading program offered at all Pratt locations throughout Baltimore. Every year, more than 15,000 children and teens register for the reading program and more than 35,000 participate in the free activities. The goal for registered participants is to read at least one book a week during the eight week session. Through branch-based activities and performances, such as musicians and storytellers, the program is designed to help children build a love for reading, promote family reading and help students continue to learn over the summer.

"Studies have shown that children who read over the summer are better prepared to continue their education when they return to school in the fall," says Carla D. Hayden, CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. "But it's important to emphasize that reading is fun. Sometimes students get so busy they forget that there's more to reading than just school texts."

An important component of Summer Reading is outreach Every year, the library extends its Summer Reading program to 65-70 non-library-branch outreach sites (day camps, recreation centers, faith-based camps, school and day care centers), to ensure that these children have the same opportunities for reading practice as those who attend Library branch programs.

"Our summer learning outreach efforts are our single most effective way to reach children that don't have access to libraries during the summer," says Ellen Riordan, Pratt's Children Services Coordinator. "This generous funding ensures that over 4,000 children in 70 sites across the city have books, a library connection and a positive learning experience."

"The impact of Pratt's Summer Reading program on the local community is immeasurable," says Sheldon Caplis, Citi Community Development Regional Director for South Atlantic. "The contribution to strengthening education and communities across Baltimore makes Pratt an obvious partner for us."

Source: Enoch Pratt Free Library
Writer: Walaika Haskinsread on…

Ryan Hackett, an artist from Kensington, MD, was awarded the $25,000 2010 Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize last Saturday. Hackett, a 2009 finalist, is received his Bachelor of Arts in 1999 in studio art from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Fine Arts from San Francisco Art Institute in 2007.

In between his academic pursuits, he co-founded Decatur Blue, a Washington, D.C.-based artist collective. Decatur Blue looked to challenge the commercial constructs of the art world by serving simultaneously as curator, artist and gallery. Hackett's work has been featured recently in the solo exhibition Interspecies Transmission at G Fine Art in Washington, D.C., in the group show Freaks Of Nature at the Bronx River Art Center in Bronx, New York, and as a 2009 Sondheim Prize finalist at The Baltimore Museum of Art.

He was the only finalist based outside of Baltimore.

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize is designed to assist visual artists in furthering their careers by awarding a fellowship to an artist or artist collaborators working in the Baltimore region.

The winner is determined by an outside panel of three jurors: Robert Nickas, an independent New York-based curator, writer and art critic, Magdalena Sawon, owner and director of Postmasters Gallery in New York and Hamza Walker, director of education and associate curator of the Renaissance Society at The University of Chicago.

The Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize is held in conjunction with the annual Artscape juried exhibition and is produced by the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts. The finalists and semifinalists exhibitions are presented in partnership with The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) and Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA).

Source: Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts
Writer: Walaika Haskinsread on…

The Contemporary Museum has been awarded a $110,000 grant by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, making it the largest foundation grant ever awarded to the museum, said Irene Hofmann, Executive Director of the Contemporary Museum. The Contemporary is the only museum in Maryland to receive a grant in the foundation's current round of giving.

The two-year grant will support artist residency projects that will expand the museum's outreach in the community.

The grant to the Contemporary Museum will be used to support five new artist projects over the next two years including an off-site installation by New York-based collective Not an Alternative; a residency and live performance by performance artist Robert Farid Karimi; and a residency, teen workshop, and installation by Mario Ybarra Jr. and Karla Diaz of the Los Angeles-based Slanguage artist collective. All of the projects are a part of the museum's Project 20 series of exhibitions and projects celebrating the museum's 20^th anniversary.

"We are so honored by this recognition from the Andy Warhol Foundation of the work that we are doing in Baltimore," said Hofmann. "With this grant, the museum will be able to present an expanded program in the coming years with new opportunities for our audiences and new opportunities for artists."

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts grant program focuses on the enhancement and development of contemporary visual art in mediums that are unique and challenging to viewers. Developed from Warhol's original will, the Foundation gives grant funding to institutions for exhibitions, research, visual arts programming, and other installations that promote awareness and support of contemporary art.

read on…

Money Magazine released its 2010 list of the Best Places to live. Columbia-Ellicott City earned the No. 2 rank with two other cities around the state also making the list. Eden Prairie, MN topped the list.

Money Mag editors cited Ellicott City's large homes, historical downtown and vibrant restaurant scene as key to its second place finish, while it was the variety of housing available, many parks and Merriweather Post Pavilion that carried Columbia to penultimate position on the list. The combined area's low jobless rate 5.1 percent in a population of 100,000 people  -- equal to that of Eden Praire, which boasts a population of just 64,000 -- was also a key indicator. Add in a low foreclosure rate, proximity to Baltimore and Washington, and its clear why the two communities came in at the top of the list.

Gaithersburg and Rockville made the top 100 list, coming in at No. 25 and No. 31, respectively.


Source: CNN Magazine
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

The newly announced Argonne Drive Bridge rehabilitation project, one of many projects throughout the city that is being funded in full by federal stimulus funds will create almost 90 jobs, according to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Senator John Sarbanes.

The bridge rehabilitation includes construction of new bridge decking, beam replacement, and support column restoration. Portions of new bridge abutments will be constructed, along with pier armoring and rip rap protection for stream preservation. New roadway approaches will be built, and a new thirty-inch water main will be installed. The project includes new sidewalks and inlets, along with ornamental fencing and lighting. The bridge will be finished with a decorative brick faηade.

Construction on the Argonne Drive Bridge began in March, 2010 and should be complete in approximately two years. This rehabilitation project is expected to sustain the jobs it creates in Baltimore City for more than 24 months.

"As a direct result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the City of Baltimore is moving forward with roadway construction projects that otherwise would not have been possible," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "With the help of our Congressional Delegation's diligent efforts, people are working, and the City is moving forward."

The Argonne Drive Bridge, which spans Herring Run, is now undergoing a complete rehabilitation. The $7 million project is being completely funded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"In communities all over America, our aging infrastructure is crumbling and people are out of work," said Congressman John Sarbanes. "Baltimore City has used Recovery Act funding to help address both these problems with the Argonne Road Bridge project. This is a terrific example of how we should keep people working by investing in the critical infrastructure of our communities."

Source: Office of the Mayor
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

Gov. O'Malley has designated $1 million of federal stimulus monies to help boost Maryland's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. The investment will be used to build approximately 65 electric vehicle charging stations around the State to attract and support the coming electric vehicle industry. In addition, plans are in place for Maryland workers to retrofit the state's existing truck stop electric infrastructure, an improvement which is expected to displace approximately 400,000 gallons of diesel fuel annually by allowing trucks to use electric power instead of idling at truck stops.

"Electric vehicles offer the potential to displace significant amounts of gasoline, nearly 20 percent of which is currently imported from the Persian Gulf," says Gov. O'Malley. "Investing in electric vehicle technologies will create jobs for our workers, green opportunities for our businesses, and a Smart, Green and Growing Maryland."

This funding comes on the heels of the recently enacted Electric Vehicle Tax Credit bill and Electric Vehicle HOV bill, passed into law during the last legislative session. The two initiatives are designed to to better equip Maryland to meet the demand for publically accessible charging stations as car manufacturers release more and more electric car models for purchase by the public.

"Maryland is emerging as a national leader in advancing electric transportation, which promotes energy independence, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and saves consumers' money," remarked Maryland Energy Administration Director Malcolm Woolf. "With the average Marylander driving less than 40 miles per day, electric vehicles will offer meaningful solutions to saving money and protecting our environment." 

The awards include: 

1) ShorePower: $498,000 for truck stop electrification (TSE) units at Baltimore, Elkton, and Jessup, totaling 249 TSE installations;

2) Baltimore City: $134,500 for the installation of 9 to 16 electric vehicle re-charging stations in various parking garages throughout Baltimore City. Project partners include Baltimore City Department of General Services, Baltimore City Parking Authority and BGE;

3) Baltimore Electric Vehicle Initiative (BEVI): $367,500 for the installation of 55 electric vehicle re-charging stations around the state and the I95 corridor, including Harford, Cecil, Baltimore City, Baltimore, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Charles, Frederick and Prince George's counties.

Source: Maryland Energy Administration
Writer: Walaika Haskinsread on…

Two Maryland companies received national honors last week from  at the 2010 American Business Awards. Millennial Media, the largest independent mobile advertising platform, announce was awarded a Stevie for "Most Innovative Company-- Breaking Ground for Mobile Advertising" in 2010, while Encore Path, a Baltimore company that makes devices for recovery from stroke and brain injury, received the award for "Best New Product or Service of the Year" for its Tailwind rehabilitation device.

Stevie Awards were presented in over 40 categories including Best Overall Company of the Year, Executive of the Year, and Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year. More than 2,700 entries from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration.

More than 200 executives across the country participated in the judging process to determine the Finalists and Stevie Award winners.

"2010 has been an explosive year of growth for our company and we are grateful to the American Business Awards for this national recognition of our achievements in mobile innovation," says Mack McKelvey, senior vice president of marketing, Millennial Media. "We have made it our mission to significantly increase advertisers' awareness on the effectiveness of mobile, and to remain on the forefront of mobile creative, technology and business innovation." 

Bringing home the Stevie award is akin to winning  an Oscars for the business world. Encore Path, an emerging life sciences company, competed along with long-time leaders of American industry. Encore Path beat out other finalists for "New Product or Service of the Year" including products such as an external defibrillator and services such as a LEED certification training program. 

"Encore Path is proud to be improving the quality of life for stroke and brain injury survivors around the world, and we are proud to be recognized for this by the American Business Awards," said Kris Appel, president EncorePath, in accepting the award.

"To be in the company of winners such as Ford, Apple, and Oracle is a tremendous honor, and an acknowledgement of the hard work of the people who have supported Encore Path and helped bring this important product to the market."

Source: Millennial Media, Encore Path
Writer: Walaika Haskins

read on…

There's a common perception that a fine line seperates the old from the new. Most people for instance wouldn't think that lovers of opera and users of social media like Twitter and Facebook would have anything in common. Brendan Cooke, general director for Baltimore Concert Opera (BCO), thinks its time to change the way people -- young and old -- think about opera and those who enjoy the centuries old art form.

"Opera isn't just about a fat lady wearing horns screaming at you. There's a lot of fantastic music. And if people give it a shot, we're pretty certain they'll be back soon," he says.

The mashup of opera and social media for the BCO came from a desire to get more people interested in opera.

"We realized that a lot of people running opera companies talk a great deal about bringing in a younger audience. I hate that idea. We just want to bring in a different audience. We realized that a lot of the people we want to bring in, the energetic people who can help spread the word about us are the social media users out there," he explains.

Lacking a budget that would support a large marketing campaign, Cooke looked for no cost alternatives. "Opera can be a tough sell. We realized that we would have to reach these people where they wanted to be reached and find them on their iPhones, iPads in that environment and give them enough reason to want to find out more about what we're doing. We really found that these are the most effective outlets for us, in terms of growing our audience."

His efforts have paid off and captured the attention of a new audience that receives special offers through Twitter and Facebook.

Now, the BCO has taken its social media marketing to the next level with its first Social Media Scavenger Hunt. The event, running from July 9 to July 18 will help the opera company raise money to support its upcoming performance at Artscape. The winner of the scavenger hunt won't leave empty-handed, either. That person will win $1000.

Cooke has enlisted the help of local retailers and as with traditional scavenger hunts, participants will search the city for these shops and specific objects hidden there. Once they've located the object, that's when the social media aspect comes into play with participants tweeting, posting Facebook updates, and uploading videos.

Everyone involved, the BCO, retailers and participants will benefit from the experience. The BCO raises the money it needs and gets its name out to a larger audience, the vendors also get a marketing bump and the hunters get to have some fun and learn more about opera and the city.

"It's about sharing the love a little bit. We have vendors who joined Twitter because of this and others that have thriving followings. The motivation is to grow our networks. The relationships we're building now will continue to flourish. It's a community project, but ultimately its meant to bring people out to our free performance at Artscape and get more people interested in opera," he says.

Anyone interested in participating in the scavenger hunt should sign up sooner rather than later. The fee to play goes up with every 10 people who sign up. The first 10 people pay $1, the next 10 will pay $2 and so on up to $9.

Source: Brendan Cooke, Baltimore Opera Company
Writer: Walaika Haskins
read on…