Matt Hooke

2 months ago | ourcommunitynow.com | Matt Hooke

Share Baltimore City is planning to balance the budget this year by leaning on higher fees on niche services, echoing a strategy used by Maryland lawmakers amid federal uncertainty and a state budget crunch. Baltimore's $4.7 billion fiscal 2026 budget plan, unveiled Tuesday in a preview for the media, grows the budget by $478 million to pay for 166 new hires, cover wage increases for teachers and police and fund a variety of capital projects.

2 months ago | bizjournals.com | Matt Hooke

Meritus Health marked another milestone in its quest to open Maryland's first new medical school in over 100 years with the completion of its flagship academic building. The Hagerstown health system held an open house Friday to show off the $90 million D.M. Bowman Academic Hall to staff and volunteers. The Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine will admit its first class of 90 students this fall and also employ 80 faculty members, providing a big economic boost to the region.

2 months ago | bizjournals.com | Matt Hooke

A Florida firm has offered about $72 million to buy most of Hunt Valley-based Diamond Comic Distributors' assets, attorneys revealed during a bankruptcy court hearing on Thursday. Alliance Entertainment Holding Corp. made the winning bid to acquire the majority of the bankrupt comic distributor at a Tuesday auction held in New York City, but the sale price was not immediately disclosed.

2 months ago | bizjournals.com | Matt Hooke

A publicly traded South Florida media distribution firm is set to acquire most of Hunt Valley’s Diamond Comic Distributors, one of the world’s largest suppliers of comic books to retail stores. Alliance Entertainment Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: AENT) won an auction to acquire the majority of the assets of the bankrupt Diamond Comic Distributors on Tuesday. Alliance provides a wide variety of music, movies and video games to big box retailers like Best Buy and Walmart.

2 months ago | bizjournals.com | Matt Hooke

One year after the collapse of the Key Bridge, many businesses are thriving again though new challenges loom on the horizon. A local food importer that weathered the two-month Port of Baltimore shutdown caused by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last March has seen its business return to normal — and then some. Mayorga Organics' business, which focuses on importing coffee and chia seeds, is up 40% compared to last year, something that surprised even founder Martin Mayorga.