Live Breaking News & Updates on City council president brandon

Updated: 7:23 PM EST Dec 28, 2020
Greg Ng
Digital Media Manager
The year 2020 is historic and unlike any other -- mostly plagued by the coronavirus pandemic and consumed by the presidential election. But there were some breaking news stories that touched our hearts, and others that broke our hearts.Here's a look at just some of Maryland's biggest stories of the year.END OF THE ROAD: The year 2020 already didn't start off well in the minds of Marylanders as the Baltimore Ravens fell 28-12 to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs. But perhaps the black-and-purple got the last laugh when quarterback Lamar Jackson was named the league's MVP (more on that in February).UNUSUAL WINTER: And it had been an unusual winter in Baltimore. January was several degrees above normal. (Ava Marie explains more on that in February.) But there was some snow to talk about when a light wintry mix fell in Maryland during a Tuesday night commute.SURPRISE! HERE'S YOUR NEW CAR: There was some good news at the beginning of the year when a Howard County mom thought her day would be like any other day -- until she was gifted a car. Shalita Addison's car was in such bad shape that it made it hard for her to get to work and to her daughter's basketball games. So Baltimore native NBA all-star Carmelo Anthony and Philadelphia-based gettacar gifted Addison with a 2017 Mazda CX3!February set some records in 2020.MVP, MVP: First, Lamar Jackson was named the 2019 NFL MVP and FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year. Jackson is just the second unanimous MVP ever, drawing all 50 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league.SNOWLESS FEBRUARY: Then, it was an unusual winter in Baltimore. The official monitoring station at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport received just 1.8 inches of snow, putting Baltimore in the top three least-snowy winters in recorded history -- and no snow fell in February, which is even more rare.FIVE TORNADOES: Not only was there no snow, but there were five tornadoes confirmed across Maryland in February. The National Weather Service said EF-1 tornadoes ripped through Carroll, Cecil and Frederick counties, while an EF-0 tornado and an EF-1 tornado were confirmed in western Montgomery County.NO MINOR CRIME: Deborah Weiner presented her documentary, "No Minor Crime," in which she tracked Baltimore's juvenile homicide rate throughout 2019. Twenty-two children, ranging in age from 2 months to 17 years, were killed -- the highest number since the civil unrest of 2015. Of these cases, 16 died of gunshot wounds, six from child abuse. PUGH SENTENCED: An almost yearlong 11 News I-Team investigation into former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh's self-dealing scandal culminated with her sentencing. A federal judge sentenced Pugh to three years in prison on fraud and tax evasion charges for using fraudulent book sales to funnel illegal donations to her campaign and evade taxes. Pugh entered a guilty plea in November 2019 to four of the 11 federal charges filed against her -- fraud and tax evasion charges. In June, she reported to a federal prison in Alabama.CORONAVIRUS: The year would take a turn that altered how Marylanders lived their lives for the rest of the year and beyond. At the end of February, three Marylanders met Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for testing of the coronavirus. Then, in March, Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency after three positive test results.That set in motion several more actions across Maryland to address what became a worldwide pandemic: Maryland colleges and universities canceled study abroad, out-of-state travel for state employees was canceled, public schools were closed statewide, the General Assembly adjourned early, the primary election was postponed, all University System of Maryland schools moved classes online and the Preakness Stakes was postponed.On March 14, Baltimore had its first confirmed case. Just days later, Maryland recorded its first coronavirus death.BUSINESSES CLOSED: On March 23, the governor ordered nonessential businesses to close in a more aggressive attempt to quash the coronavirus pandemic."This is an exceptionally challenging time for Marylanders and all Americans," Hogan said. "We can't wait for or rely on the federal government to act."STAY-HOME ORDER: A week later, as cases continued to rise, the governor issued a statewide stay-home order."This virus is spreading rapidly and exponentially," Hogan said. "We are no longer asking or suggesting that Marylanders stay home, we are directing them to do so."The Maryland National Guard set up a field hospital at the Baltimore Convention Center as part of the governor's hospital-surge plan.SURPRISING CANCER DIAGNOSIS: While March brought a surprising cancer diagnosis to Baltimore Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini, he would beat it in a matter of months. Mancini, 27, publicly announced in April that he had Stage 3 colon cancer. In July, Mancini opened up to 11 Sports Director Gerry Sandusky about his progress fighting cancer and undergoing life-saving surgery. By November, he announced he was cancer free. In December, he completed his three-month colon cancer checkup scans, and they looked good!NURSING HOME OUTBREAKS: In response to outbreaks at nursing homes, Hogan announced the creation of first-in-the-nation strike teams to "bring triage emergency care, supplies and equipment to overburdened nursing homes."FACE MASK REQUIREMENT: The governor signed an executive order ordering face coverings be worn inside any retail establishment and on public transportation. This would be an issue that lingered throughout the year. During a news conference in November, Hogan had a stern message for those who still refused to wear a mask, saying: "Just wear the damn masks."REOPEN MARYLAND PROTESTS: By this time, some Marylanders had had enough of restrictions. Hundreds of people filled the streets of Annapolis and other cities and towns to demand the governor lift coronavirus restrictions.SECRET TEST KIT DEAL: April also brought a big, secret announcement from the governor, who announced the state obtained 500,000 coronavirus tests from a South Korean company for $9.4 million. Questions about the deal started to arise just days after the tests secretly arrived at BWI-Marshall (more on that in an I-Team report in November).Hogan's procurement of the tests from South Korea drew criticism from President Donald Trump, who took a swipe at Hogan (and it wouldn't be the last time), saying, "I don't think he needed to go to South Korea."The Republican governor said in response: "The administration made it clear over and over again they want the states to take the lead, and we have to go out and do it ourselves, and so that's exactly what we did."UNEMPLOYMENT SPIKES: As the number of coronavirus cases continued to rise in Maryland, so did the number of unemployment claims. Nonessential businesses remained closed and the Maryland Department of Labor reported 108,508 new unemployment insurance claims for the week of April 4.Then, amid the crush of unemployment claims, Maryland launched a new unemployment benefits website that posed problems for many people who were trying to file claims. The new system was supposed to make it easier and more streamlined for everyone to apply. That didn't happen, and the fallout extended for months.NOVAVAX: Researchers at Gaithersburg-based Novavax believe they have identified an optimal vaccine candidate for COVID-19. In April, 11 News reported Novavax has seen some promising results in animal testing and human tests began. Novavax was thrust into the national spotlight after being chosen to participate in the White House's Operation Warp Speed and given a $1.6 billion grant for research.SPECIAL ELECTION: Democrat Kweisi Mfume was elected in a special election in the 7th Congressional District to finish the term of the late Elijah Cummings. He would go on to win his a full term in his own right (more on that in June and November).SCHOOLS: Closing in two-week increments, state school officials ultimately decided to keep schools closed through the rest of the 2019-20 academic year. The same day, the governor amended the state's stay-home order to allow for some outdoor gatherings.SAFER AT HOME: A week later, Hogan lifted the stay-home order and announced the state would enter Stage One of reopening, moving to a "safer-at-home" advisory, allowing some places to reopen with restrictions.UM VACCINE TRIAL: The University of Maryland School of Medicine's Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health began taking part in experimental trials.FOOD DRIVE: Recognizing an increased need for food among Marylanders, WBAL-TV 11, WBAL NewsRadio and 98 Rock's Project CommUNITY Virtual Food Drive raised $1.3 million to benefit the Maryland Food Bank, which estimated the funds raised will provide up to 3.9 million meals to Maryland families. In December, the stations held a third "Virtual Food Drive" with the Ravens and, through all the year's efforts, raised a grand total of $1,963,324!AERIAL SURVEILLANCE: The controversial aerial surveillance planes started flying for the Baltimore Police Department, recording movements of everyone in the city during the day. This was the second life of this program in Baltimore. It first operated in secret in 2016 under then-Commissioner Kevin Davis. Now, it was more public, but the debate remained the same: Is it an invasion of privacy or an effective crime-fighting tool? The pilot program ended in October.PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: President Trump spent part of Memorial Day delivering remarks at a ceremony at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. There were some in the city who called for the president to postpone the visit, including Baltimore Mayor Jack Young and City Council President Brandon Scott. Protesters drove in a caravan from east Baltimore to Fort McHenry in opposition to the president's visit.MARCHES FOR GEORGE FLOYD: Thousands of Marylanders gathered on multiple days in solidarity with marchers across the country in remembrance of George Floyd. A large youth-led march wound through downtown Baltimore, onto the Jones Falls Expressway and through east Baltimore. Separate protests that emerged at night escalated and as many as five people were arrested. Baltimore did not experience violence and destruction seen in other cities. Several marches took place across Maryland in the ensuing days."DEFUND THE POLICE:" The Baltimore City Council approved more than $22 million in cuts to the Baltimore Police Department. The action came as protesters nationwide, and in Baltimore, called for less funding for police.STAGE TWO: After two weeks of declines in the coronavirus positivity rate, the governor announced Maryland was ready to enter the second stage of the coronavirus recovery plan. A week later, Hogan said the state could proceed with more Stage Two reopening plans, which included opening restaurants for indoor dining and opening gyms, casinos and malls.PRIMARY ELECTION: The postponed Maryland primary election would deliver few surprises as Joe Biden won the state's Democratic presidential primary and Brandon Scott won the Democratic primary in the race for Baltimore mayor. CONGRATULATIONS STAN: WBAL-TV 11's very own Stan Stovall celebrated 50 years in broadcast journalism.REMEMBERING SUPERFAN MO GABA: Beloved Ravens and Orioles superfan Mo Gaba died at the age of 14. Mo lost his eyesight before the age of 1, and ultimately, he lost his fourth and final battle with cancer. He became an inspiration for and was loved by so many with his strong, courageous spirit. The city honored him in December, naming a street in his honor: Mo Gaba Way.REOPENING SCHOOLS: In a Baltimore-exclusive conversation with 11 News, Gov. Hogan responded to the president's ultimatum to local school districts to "open up or else," saying: "We're not going to take any bullying, and the state is going to make the best decisions that we can based on the science and what the educators and the public health officials say." Later in the month, the state school superintendent said she was setting "guardrails" for schools to resume learning in the fall. In August, Hogan said all schools could begin to safely reopen.REOPENING ON HOLD: The governor put Maryland's reopening plan on hold as coronavirus cases spiked in other states. Maryland also issued an out-of-state travel advisory involving nine states and expanded the statewide face mask order.BELOVED DOCTOR DIES FROM COVID-19: The coronavirus claimed the life of a Maryland doctor who treated patients suffering from the virus. Dr. Joseph J. Costa, chief of critical care at Mercy Medical Center, died after becoming ill. He worked at Mercy for 23 years and died at the age of 56.STATUE TOPPLED: Protesters tore down the statue of Christopher Columbus in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood and threw it the harbor. Two days later, it took divers and crane crews hours to recover the pieces.COVID-19 MILESTONE: Maryland surpassed 100,000 coronavirus cases on Aug. 14 with 100,212 cases and 3,502 deaths.FATAL ROWHOME EXPLOSIONS: Two people were killed and seven people were injured after three rowhomes exploded on Labyrinth Road in northwest Baltimore.CAL'S CANCER MESSAGE: Cal Ripken Jr. announced in August that he had fully recovered after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer -- and he's telling his story in hopes of helping other men."It stops you in your tracks, for sure. I mean, as a kid, when you go back to the days when I was a kid and you heard cancer, it was a death sentence. It was the worst possible news you could hear," Ripken told 11 News.Ripken was diagnosed with prostate cancer in February just as the coronavirus pandemic was starting to set in.ISAIAS: The National Weather Service confirmed four separate tornadoes touched down in Maryland as Tropical Storm Isaias moved through the Mid-Atlantic. As many as nine tornadoes were reported in Maryland and Delaware.RECYCLING COLLECTION HALTED: Baltimore City suspended recycling collection starting in August so crews could prioritize collecting trash. City officials said crews had reached a breaking point. The DPW said it didn't have enough people to do the job. DPW officials said the coronavirus and quarantine measures have decimated the workforce, and private contractors weren't bidding for the job.RNC SPEECH IN BALTIMORE: Vice President Mike Pence spoke from Fort McHenry on the third night of the Republican National Convention.STAGE THREE: Maryland reported no new coronavirus deaths on Sept. 30, which was the first time that happened since March 28 -- 187 days prior. Hogan announced that Maryland was ready to enter Stage Three of the reopening plan, which allowed for all businesses to reopen under some restrictions. At this time, the governor announced restaurants could expand indoor capacity from 50% to 75%.TRUMP VS. BALTIMORE: President Trump again targeted Baltimore in tweets, saying, "Baltimore is the WORST IN NATION." The president linked Democrats to poverty and crime, underscoring his endorsement for Kimberly Klacik, who was the Republican candidate for the 7th Congressional District. It was the second time the president took shots at Baltimore on Twitter after saying in 2019 that the 7th District is the worst-run district in the country, calling it a "disgusting, rat- and rodent-infested mess."EDGEWATER TORNADO: The National Weather Service confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in the Edgewater area. The NWS said a supercell thunderstorm produced a tornado that lasted about 10 minutes, had an estimated maximum wind speed of 90 mph, a maximum path width of 100 yards and a path length of 6.1 miles.MORE RESTRICTIONS LIFTED: Citing a decline in coronavirus cases, the governor and state school superintendent said child care facilities could return to full capacity, and indoor visitation could resume at nursing homes.PRESIDENT TRUMP TREATED AT WALTER REED: President Trump fell ill with the coronavirus and was flown by Marine One from the White House to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. He spent three days at the military hospital, where he received an unprecedented level of care for COVID-19.REMEMBERING VINCE BAGLI: Beloved WBAL-TV sportscaster Vince Bagli, known as the Dean of Baltimore sports, died at the age of 93. Bagli spent 31 of his 46 years on air at WBAL-TV before retiring in 1995.HOGAN VOTES REAGAN: Maryland's governor cast his mail-in ballot in October, writing in Ronald Reagan for president."He's the kind of person that I've always admired. That's how I got involved, really, in politics, working for him, and I thought that it was just an example. Look, I think this election is going to be about 30 points difference and it's not going to make a difference in the election. To me, it made a difference about voting my conscience and was the right thing to do -- symbolic," Hogan told 11 News.PREAKNESS WITHOUT FANS: Swiss Skydiver held off Kentucky Derby champ Authentic by a nod to win the 145th Preakness Stakes -- which was run without fans and served as the third leg of the Triple Crown for the first time.COVID-19 RESURGANCE: Maryland was poised to reach coronavirus levels unseen since the pandemic's peak in May, and local health officials grew increasingly concerned. Maryland entered the federal red zone for coronavirus case rates, and the state renewed its travel advisory. On Nov. 19, Maryland recorded a new largest single-day increase of coronavirus cases at 2,910, which would later be surpassed in December.The governor had a message for people who still don't believe the coronavirus is real, saying: "I want to remind Marylanders that we remain in a state of emergency. This is not the flu. It's not fake news. It's not going to magically disappear just because we're all tired of it and we want our normal lives back. We are in a war right now, and the virus is winning. Now more than ever, I'm pleading with the people of our state to stand together a while longer to help us battle this surging virus."Hogan announced the return of stricter restrictions for visitations at hospitals and nursing homes, and a return to 50% capacity for restaurants and retail.RAVENS COVID-19 CASES: The Ravens-Steelers game scheduled for Thanksgiving was postponed three times and was finally played on a rare day for football, Wednesday afternoon. It was moved after almost two-dozen coronavirus cases were reported on the Ravens through the week leading up to the game. The Steelers ultimately won 19-14 to remain undefeated on the season -- until, of course, Washington delivered an upset on Monday Night Football in December. DEFENDING THE DEAL: Gov. Hogan mounted a stiff defense of his secret deal to buy 500,000 coronavirus tests from a South Korean company in April. The 11 News I-Team reviewed the timeline of Maryland's secret deal to buy the tests, and reported the defense the governor mounted amid recent fallout. The I-Team would learn in December that an audit is underway on the procurement of the tests, which were considered "clunky" and inconsistent with U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations, state officials publicly admitted for the first time.RANSOMWARE CYBERATTACK: A ransomware cyberattack shut down all of Baltimore County Public Schools' network systems, prompting the district to cancel virtual learning for days. District officials said the attack affected the district's website, email system and grading system."Baltimore County Public Schools has been the victim of a ransomware cyberattack," Superintendent Darryl Williams said. "We decided to close all BCPS schools and offices in order to assess and limit the impact of the attack."HISTORIC ELECTION: Joe Biden won Maryland's 10 electoral college votes, and after days of counting ballots, he won the race for president. Nearly two weeks later, President Trump had yet to concede, but seemed to acknowledge Biden's win while still saying he would keep trying to overturn the election result. "STOP GOLFING AND CONCEDE": President Trump again took a swipe at Maryland's governor on Twitter, this time citing a conservative website's report on the state's deal to acquire 500,000 South Korean coronavirus tests. The report claims the tests were flawed and never used, something the governor disputes.In response, Hogan tweeted: "If you had done your job, America's governors wouldn't have been forced to fend for themselves to find tests in the middle of a pandemic, as we successfully did in Maryland. Stop golfing and concede."MEET MAISIE: After counting your votes, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore named its newest baby chimpanzee Maisie! By the time voting closed, Maisie was the winner in a tight race with more than 9,500 votes cast. Runners-up were Asha, Olivia, Nyota and Tulia. The names in the contest were selected by the Chimpanzee Forest animal care team members, who are caring for the littlest chimp around the clock. The zoo released video of the first time Maisie had a laughing fit.COVID-19 MILESTONES: Maryland surpassed 200,000 coronavirus cases on Dec. 1 with 201,135 cases and 4,516 deaths. Days later on Dec. 4, the state set a new single-day record for new cases at 3,792. On Dec. 15, Maryland surpassed a grim milestone of more than 5,000 deaths related to coronavirus complications.TODDLER DIES FROM COVID-19: Maryland's first child under age 9 died from the coronavirus. "Sadly, we have lost our youngest victim, a 1-year-old boy to this deadly virus," Hogan said during a news conference. REMEMBERING SENATOR SARBANES: Marylanders are remembering former Sen. Paul Sarbanes, who died Dec. 6 at the age of 87. Born in Salisbury to Greek immigrants, Sarbanes went on to serve four decades in Congress, where he is being remembered as a colleague, friend and mentor.SENATOR MILLER STEPS DOWN: Calling it the greatest honor of his life, Senate President Emeritus Mike Miller steps down from public life. He said he thought he could continue on as his mind and heart are strong, but cancer has spread through his bones.23 RESCUED AFTER EXPLOSION: Firefighters rescued two workers who were trapped on a dangling scaffolding after an explosion at the BGE building in downtown Baltimore that seriously injured as many as 21 people.GBMC RANSOMWARE: While Baltimore County Public Schools investigates its cyberattack, about a mile down Charles Street, the Greater Baltimore Medical Center's computer systems were down amid a "ransomware incident."NEW LEADERSHIP: Brandon Scott was inaugurated Dec. 8 as Baltimore's 52nd mayor. In an interview on the eve of his inauguration with the 11 News I-Team, Scott recognized he will lead the city through the coronavirus pandemic and a gun violence epidemic, and he's ready: "I'm not coming into this job with rose-colored glasses. This is an emergency situation for us."On his first full day in office, Scott announced new, more strict coronavirus restrictions that included the closure of indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants.SNOW, SLEET, ICE: The first big snowfall of 2020 came at the end of the year. There had been no measurable snow since 1.5 inches fell on Jan. 7. So, of course, 5 to 8 inches of snow fell in the northern and western suburbs of Baltimore on Dec. 16-17. The storm started as snow, changed to sleet, then changed back to snow and ice before moving out of Maryland. But Baltimore's official recording spot at BWI-Marshall only got 1.6 inches of new snow, which means Baltimore still has not had a snow that "goes into the books" of over 2 inches since February 2019 -- almost two years!SNOW DAYS VIRTUAL LEARNING: Amid virtual learning, the Howard County Public Schools System announced it's changing how it manages snow days. For this academic year, the district will use fully virtual instruction during inclement weather days. Reaction to the announcement was plenty on the WBAL-TV Facebook page.BIG COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN: Lamar Jackson emerged from the locker room in the fourth quarter and saved the game -- maybe even Baltimore's season -- in the 47-42 win over the Cleveland Browns on Dec. 14.CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS GO VIRTUAL: Holiday events throughout 2020 either were canceled or significantly changed due to the coronavirus pandemic -- but these Maryland events kept the holiday magic alive. 2020: The country's year in photos

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