Julie Bykowicz
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bykowicz.bsky.social
Julie Bykowicz
@bykowicz.bsky.social
960 followers 200 following 260 posts
Business and Enterprise Editor
The Baltimore Banner
Local news lover
https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/
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Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
mattdelong.bsky.social
Nothing but respect for photojournalists. They always head straight into it. Truly some of the bravest among us.
January 22, 2026 at 1:20 AM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
hayesgardner.bsky.social
NEW | There's an office in Anne Arundel County that, on the surface, looks like any other workplace. Inside this one, though, engineers and project managers are finalizing designs for the new Key Bridge.
www.thebanner.com/economy/key-...
Inside the Hanover office park where the new Key Bridge is being designed
A nondescript office park in Hanover serves as the design headquarters for the new Key Bridge. As many as 100 engineers and project managers work inside to orchestrate logistics, map out the bridge’s ...
www.thebanner.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
hayesgardner.bsky.social
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
www.thebanner.com
January 21, 2026 at 2:01 AM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
wsj.com
It’s President Trump’s economy now, and voters are increasingly unhappy with how he’s handling it. 🔗 on.wsj.com/3LPmi8u
January 21, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
pwoodreporter.bsky.social
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he's OUT, not running for a return to the State House this year.

www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Former Gov. Larry Hogan says he won’t challenge Gov. Wes Moore in 2026
“It was an honor to serve, but it’s time to look forward, not back,” Hogan wrote on social media.
www.thebanner.com
January 20, 2026 at 2:42 PM
bykowicz.bsky.social
This ship is the coolest. And please read this great piece by @hayesgardner.bsky.social in @thebaltimorebanner.com!
January 19, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
kristoncapps.bsky.social
You cannot imagine the disastrous driving that a Sphere is going to trigger in Maryland. You cannot park a Sphere at 495 and Shepherd Parkway. Maryland drivers cannot be entrusted with this technology
January 19, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
thebaltimorebanner.com
Wes Moore and Trump’s transportation secretary want to rebuild the Key Bridge faster www.thebanner.com/community/tr...
Wes Moore and Sean Duffy both want to accelerate Key Bridge rebuild
Their statement, however, did not specify a new timeline for construction of the Key Bridge.
www.thebanner.com
January 16, 2026 at 2:21 AM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
jamellebouie.net
Trump is not omnipotent. He exists within a web of institutions. His authority is not unlimited. It appears that way largely because his allies occupy key places — Congress — that could provide a meaningful check. Important to understand his actual reach and the limits of that reach. (14/14)
January 15, 2026 at 10:17 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
ddayen.bsky.social
Interesting story from one of our interns Natalie Note on a 23-year-old who ran for mayor in the small town of Carnegie, PA, near Pittsburgh, and won.
prospect.org/2026/01/14/s...
A Young Pennsylvanian Shows Up and Wins - The American Prospect
Last year, one Gen Zer threw his hat into his town’s mayoral race. He’s now in charge of Carnegie’s comeback.
prospect.org
January 14, 2026 at 3:07 PM
bykowicz.bsky.social
Wild one
January 14, 2026 at 9:46 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
codyboteler.bsky.social
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.
www.thebanner.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
adamserwer.bsky.social
I cannot emphasize how much “be the news” is the opposite of what I was taught about how to be a good journalist and strikes me as an excellent way to churn out elite solipsism that has nothing to do with the public interest and everything to do with self promotion www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/b...
‘We Need to Be the News’: Inside Bari Weiss’s Bumpy Revamp at CBS
www.nytimes.com
January 13, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
mims.bsky.social
WSJ investigation: In the past 6 months ICE agents have fired at vehicles 13 times, leading to:

* 8 people shot
* 5 of which were U.S. citizens
* 2 died
* no victims drew a weapon

The playbook: Agents box in a vehicle, block attempts to flee, then fire

www.wsj.com/us-news/vide...
Videos Show How ICE Vehicle Stops Can Escalate to Shootings
A WSJ visual investigation found that the Minneapolis ICE killing is one of 13 incidents where federal immigration agents have used deadly force against civilians in vehicles since July.
www.wsj.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
nicholasbednar.bsky.social
I can't describe how bad Minneapolis feels right now. My neighbors are pulling kids out of school. The public schools are offering remote learning until 2/12. We are having conversations in our alleys about how to protect ourselves. It feels like a military occupation with a blockade.
chadbourn.bsky.social Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · 12d
The US Department of Agriculture suspends all federal funding to Minnesota, effective immediately.
January 9, 2026 THE HONORABLE TIM WALZ Governor of Minesota 130 State Capitol 75 Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Bivd. St. Paul, MN 55155 THE HONORABLE JACOB FREY Mayor of the City of Minneapolis City Hail 350S. Fifth St., Room 330 Minneapolis, MN 55415 Dear Governor Walz and Mayor Frey, It is my responsibility as Secretary of Agriculture to ensure sound stewardship of taxpayer dollars by climinating fraud, waste and abuse in all programs funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The widespread and systemic fraud associated with federal benefit programs in the State of Minnesota and the City of Minneapolis demonstrate an inability to handle federal resources without additional oversight and accountability measures in place. During your tenures as Governor of Minnesota and Mayor of Minneapolis, numerous non-profits and businesses have defrauded the federal government in what a federal prosecutor in Minnesota called "a staggering, industrial-scale fraud".! Most notably, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit— Feeding Our Future defrauded U.S. taxpayers of nearly $250 million in federal funds given to them by the Minnesota Department of Education.? This fraud scheme involved USDA funding provided to the State of Minnesota to feed hungry children under the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). As of late November, 78 defendants had been charged in what the Department of Justice characterized as the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the country? Other recent examples of'alleged fraud in Minnesota include exploitation of the Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program", a scheme to defraud the Housing Stabilization 1-Whut te know about Minnesoca' "industrial-scale fraad" scandal, as more charges are fled and Trump weighs in, "CES Nows (Dic. 19, 3025) available at ht:/www.cbsnews.com/news/atas-do-know-alonesota-frawf-candal were-changes-fled- tump-water. /Federal Jury Finds Feeding Our Future Masternind and Co-D… Services Program", and alleged fraud in daycare centers*, Your Administrations have refused additional accountability and oversight, claiming that criticism of rampant fraud and abuse is "racist." While the full extent of fraud in Minnesota is not yet known, it is clear that, under your leadership- or lack thereof fraudsters can take advantage of federal funds and the American taxpayer with impunity. This necessitates federal action to protect taxpayer dollars until adequate safeguards can be established. Despite a staggering, wide-reaching fraud scandal, your Administrations refuse to provide basic information or take common sense mcasures to stop fraud. In fact, rather than conlin your SNAP rolls are accurate to prevent continuing fraud, you asked the courts to block USDA's directive to recertify the State's SNAP recipients. Recent news reports also emerged that the Minnesota Department of Human Services repeatedly reported incorrect information about SNAP to the federal government.? The Trump administration refuses to allow such fraud to continuc. Therefore, because of your failed Icadership and abysmal financial management oversight, 1 am notifying you that, effective immediately, I am suspending payments on all active awards and any future awards from USDA to the State of Minnesota and the City of Minneapolis, currently totaling over $129.18 million. Within 30 days, you shall provide USDA with payment justifications for all federal dollar expenditures from January 20, 2025, to the present. Going forward, all transactions on awards to the State of Minnesota or the City of Minneapolis will require such payment justification. If those payment justifications are not received, awards will remain suspended. While your Administrations have turned a blind eye to documented fraud, the Trump Administration has made clear that fraud, waste, and abuse are unacceptable. The American people deserve to know that their taxpayer dollars are helping those in need-not criminals. …
January 10, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
pwoodreporter.bsky.social
ICE shot a man in Glen Burnie and the story they told was contradicted by:

1. ICE’s own photos
2. Bystander video
3. Lawyer for another immigrant at the scene
4. Anne Arundel County Police

Now ICE is revising its story.

The latest from Alex Mann:

www.thebanner.com/community/cr...
ICE changes story on Christmas Eve shooting by agents in Glen Burnie
Federal officials changed their account of the Christmas Eve shooting by ICE agents in Glen Burnie.
www.thebanner.com
January 10, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
nicolefoy.bsky.social
Been thinking quite a lot this week about one of the very first cases I tracked of ICE detaining a U.S. citizen

A year ago, ICE agents detained a 20 YO they said swerved his car at them

But local Utah police checked security footage. And it wasn’t true

ksltv.com/local-news/u...
Unified police say ICE agents made inaccurate claims about driver swerving toward them - KSLTV.com
Two Utah police agencies said ICE agents made false claims about a driver swerving toward them during a traffic stop last week.
ksltv.com
January 10, 2026 at 4:00 AM
bykowicz.bsky.social
NEW: A heartening tale of neighbors asking questions -- something few officials or lenders had done with a New York investor who turned out to be a big problem for Baltimore.

Only in @thebaltimorebanner.com, by @halliemiller.bsky.social and Giacomo Bologna
www.thebanner.com/community/ho...
How a Patterson Park zoning fight exposed a New York investor
New York investor Benjamin Eidlisz made waves in Southeast Baltimore before myriad housing companies connected to him failed.
www.thebanner.com
January 8, 2026 at 3:29 PM
bykowicz.bsky.social
Big & not good.
Coverage by @invisibae.bsky.social & @briaovers.bsky.social
January 7, 2026 at 11:55 PM
bykowicz.bsky.social
www.thebanner.com/economy/mary...
January 7, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
davidzipper.bsky.social
Sorry, but triumphant claims about autonomous vehicle safety are wildly exaggerated.

It's an open question whether today’s self-driving cars are any safer than those driven by humans.

And if reducing crashes is the goal, that isn’t even the right question.

My deep dive, in Bloomberg 🧵
We Still Don’t Know if Robotaxis Are Safer Than Human Drivers
And even if self-driving technology proves to be less dangerous, there are many better ways to improve traffic safety and prevent fatal crashes.
www.bloomberg.com
January 6, 2026 at 2:54 PM
bykowicz.bsky.social
Follow our amazing sports team!
January 6, 2026 at 11:49 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
thebaltimorebanner.com
Highlandtown thrift store closing amid corporate ownership change
Highlandtown thrift store closing amid corporate ownership change
Four Maryland thrift stores will see layoffs, according to notices filed with the state, as the chain Prime Thrift comes under new ownership.
buff.ly
January 6, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
kenvogel.bsky.social
Hours before the US raid in Caracas, an unknown trader on Polymarket doubled down on bets that Nicolás Maduro would be ousted.

The wagers netted more than $400k, a 12-fold return — & fueled suspicions that the trader used inside knowledge of the raid.
A Mystery Trader Made $400,000 Betting on Maduro’s Downfall
The person doubled down Friday with a final bet on Polymarket at 9:58 p.m., shortly before President Trump ordered the military to strike.
www.wsj.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Reposted by Julie Bykowicz
jeremymberg.bsky.social
My quote of the day

Show me a guy who's afraid to look bad, and I'll show you a guy you can beat every time.

Lou Brock
January 5, 2026 at 12:19 PM