Stories from Waters and Woods by Dan Rodricks In his fourth play, longtime Baltimore columnist and fly angler Dan Rodricks takes his audience on a soulful journey down the Gunpowder River, sharing stories about people and places encountered in a lifetime of wonder on water and in woods.Over a newspaper career spanning five decades, Dan … Continue reading Just announced: ‘A Gunpowder River Anthology’ on stage March 2027
Chasing ghosts: Who were these people?
A relative bestowed upon me a treasure of family photographs that had been tucked away for decades. Our extended family has deep roots in the emigration of Italian men and women to the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries — to New York City, to Boston and to small towns in … Continue reading Chasing ghosts: Who were these people?
A number that stopped me, and numbers you should know
In researching a recent post on my Substack Commentary page, I came across a New Yorker essay that included this paragraph: “Brown University’s Costs of War project estimates that post-9/11 American military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Pakistan killed nearly a million people between 2001 and 2023, including more than four hundred thousand … Continue reading A number that stopped me, and numbers you should know
Flashback: Two Centuries of Baltimore Photography
The artistry of Irving Henry Phillips, Sr., pioneering photographer for the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, are among more than 200 images of Baltimore life on display, starting Sunday, Oct. 4, at the Baltimore Museum of Art. (Photo above: "Patriot" by Mr. Phillips.) Flashback: Two Centuries of Baltimore Photography is hailed as the first comprehensive exhibition of … Continue reading Flashback: Two Centuries of Baltimore Photography
Photo Gallery: The palace its architect wanted torn down or left to decay
After the earthquake and fires of 1906, the city of San Francisco went to a great deal of trouble to prove to the world it was getting its groove back. It took on the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition, essentially a sprawling world's fair in the city's Marina District to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal … Continue reading Photo Gallery: The palace its architect wanted torn down or left to decay
Coming up Sept. 26: A chance to see the promising redevelopment of the Middle Branch
Up for a run or good walk? The Southwest Sports and Fitness Alliance (SSFA) and the South Baltimore Gateway Partnership are launching a new 5K with a bigger purpose and a new course. It's the Sowebo Gateway 5K on September 26th, an evolution from SSFA's 15-year neighborhood connection and SBGP’s 10-year redevelopment plan along the Middle Branch Corridor. The new course, expanding … Continue reading Coming up Sept. 26: A chance to see the promising redevelopment of the Middle Branch
Once more, with new scenes and a ballad: “Baltimore, You Have No Idea” on stage in December
Hello, all: I'm pleased to announce that “Baltimore, You Have No Idea,” the play about my adopted hometown, returns to the stage for its fourth and final run, featuring new scenes and a song about the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Tickets are now on sale. If you've been before, you will find something new in … Continue reading Once more, with new scenes and a ballad: “Baltimore, You Have No Idea” on stage in December
Shaken faith: What I wrote on 9/11
From The Baltimore Sun, published Sept. 12, 2001 We organize the tools in our garage and line up the shoes in our closets. We trim the hedge and water the lawn. We shop in malls. We jog. We walk the dog. We sip dark-roast coffee. We drive reliable cars with full tanks of gas. We … Continue reading Shaken faith: What I wrote on 9/11
Sunset at Sagamore Farm
Alfred G. Vanderbilt Jr. owned Sagamore Farm for the longest time, from 1933 until 1986, and hundreds of mares and stallions were born there, raised there and trained to race there. Kevin Plank, the Under Armour CEO, bought Sagamore in 2007. He bred and trained horses there for several years before putting it up for … Continue reading Sunset at Sagamore Farm
September and all those mixed feelings
The lake was quiet on Labor Day -- four children on the beach, a dad with his little boy in a small boat making one last trip to a fishing spot on the far side, a middle-aged couple walking their dog. The quiet of the lake -- close to silence at one point -- suggested … Continue reading September and all those mixed feelings
