Dan Rodricks

In writing my June 30 Sun column, I found it impossible not to make the connection between the late Frank Gallagher and Deanmichael Harrod. The Catholic Church figures into both men's stories, in very different ways. Gallagher The wrongful death lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of Baltimore by Gallagher’s two adult children is one of … Continue reading One of the saddest documents you’ll ever read

Readers of The Baltimore Sun might remember Mark “Farley” Grant from a series of columns I wrote about him. Starting when he was just 14, he spent nearly 30 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. After finally gaining his freedom in 2012, he found a job as a meat cutter and … Continue reading Farley got married

My Sun column today was supposed to be a rant against the reckless, high-speed drivers who, like the pair involved in the deaths of the Baltimore Beltway 6 in March, risk the lives of the rest of us on the roadways. The column ended up as a reminder that, more than speeding, distracted driving is … Continue reading ‘The longest stretch of days without a fatal crash was five’

Fooling and catching the trout matters a little less each time I visit this heavenly place in the woods. I've been coming to this creek for three decades, and almost every Father's Day, or close to it, each of those years. I always feel privileged to have access to the creek through the generosity of … Continue reading In spiritu: Father’s Day Creek

I’ve never understood why so many people want one of the worst men in America to be president. It’s been analyzed many times by psychologists, historians, journalists, authors and political junkies. Despite all explanations, it’s still baffling, depressing and infuriating that Trump maintains his hold over the MAGA – millions of voters and thousands of … Continue reading Taking on an offended Trump defender

I have read the indictment against Trump. You should, too. You can find it here. While I had already concluded he was the worst president in American history, his conviction of the charges will forever end any doubt that he was also the most dangerous. Should Trump be found guilty — and we have to … Continue reading Trump’s defenders are willfully blind to the threat he poses

Before we move on, a story about Mike Young, who died on May 29, exactly 36 years and one day after what was likely the greatest game of his Major League career. It certainly must have been the game that Young savored whenever he reflected on his relatively brief time with the Orioles in the … Continue reading Mike Young’s greatest game

I hear and receive by email a lot of complaints about the Baltimore city government under the administration of Mayor Brandon Scott — that it has experienced too much executive turnover, that it seems too slow to react to problems, that it hasn’t done enough to stem gun violence and support downtown businesses. I agree … Continue reading Complaints about Baltimore’s squeegee guys drop significantly; angry letters to this columnist have tapered off, too.

Among the accomplished writers who came from Maryland was James. M. Cain, famously the author of "The Postman Always Rings Twice," "Double Indemnity" and other novels. (That's him in the photo above with actress Lana Turner in 1946 in a Hollywood restaurant.) Now comes news from the Associated Press that a never-published Cain short story, … Continue reading Discovered: An unpublished short story by James M. Cain

So that Memorial Day does not become “just another day off,” I decided to ponder its origin and meaning.  I heard a TV host say Americans will “celebrate” Memorial Day. I found that jarring. The person who wrote that into the MSNBC script picked the wrong verb. “Observe” would suffice because there’s nothing to “celebrate” … Continue reading The nation could use a Public Service Day, too.