Christina Tkacik

4 days ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Christina Tkacik

A propane tank blew up in Laurel Saturday morning, injuring a vendor who was setting up for the city’s annual Main Street Festival and prompting officials to cancel a parade planned for that day. The vendor went to the hospital where his condition is unknown, Laurel Mayor Keith R. Sydnor said at a press conference Saturday. The incident, captured in photos and video shared on social media, appeared to send a wall of billowing flames and smoke up on Laurel’s Main Street.

4 days ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Christina Tkacik

An iconic Baltimore chocolate maker is opening in Mt. Airy. Rheb’s Candies, which has sold chocolates in the same corner of Southwest Baltimore for more than a century, will open a second location on Mt. Airy’s Main Street, said spokesman Jarrod Bradley. Bradley hopes the new store will open sometime this summer, though they don’t have a firm timeline set. The owners will need to obtain permits to renovate the building at 1 South Main St., which was previously a repair shop for toy trains.

1 week ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Christina Tkacik

Kong Pocha is an “if you know, you know” kind of place. The dimly lit Station North restaurant doesn’t have a flashy exterior or a fancy website to entice customers. But for six years, Kong Pocha has steadily earned a cult following among Baltimore diners for its brand of home-cooked Korean fare, most notably its fried chicken. Now the spot is no longer just a hidden gem in Baltimore. On Friday, the restaurant added a branch at a strip mall in Columbia, expanding its reach into Howard County.

1 week ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Christina Tkacik

Jae Chambers wrestled white paper around a massive chopped Italian sub as her mom, Ernestine, watched from the other side of the deli counter. Wrapping is the hardest part of making these sandwiches, like wrapping a gift. “You know that awkward present during the holidays?” Ernestine said. She offered some encouragement to her 21-year-old daughter: “Go for it, Jae.” Ernestine has never backed down from a challenge.

1 week ago | thebaltimorebanner.com | Christina Tkacik

Sam and Paul Mincarelli were on vacation in Penne, Italy, when they learned that their favorite local restaurant had closed down after a century in business. “We jokingly talked about us reopening it,” Sam said. “We never thought that would happen.“ Now it’s happening. At the end of June, they’ll close Cafe Campli, their love letter to Italian food on Harford Road, to open their own restaurant in Penne, where they’ll serve up similar fare with a Maryland twist.