Rawlings-Blake speaks on the state of her “union” with the city {Thanks, Baltimore Sun}

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has been on the job just under three weeks and delivered her first State of the City address Monday. Unlike the president’s State of the Union, the mayor’s speech wasn’t watched by people all across the city. In fact, you might be hard pressed to find a Baltimore resident who knew the speech was even happening. Still, I think it’s fair to say the mayor is still in her honeymoon period, but not for much longer.

Something Old
Like a leader of any major city, Mayor Rawlings-Blake focused her attention on public safety, public education, continuity of city services and improved neighborhoods. The mayor reaffirmed that she and city leaders are committed to decreasing violence in the city. She noted January was one of the least violent months in 40 years. Mayor Rawlings-Blake, a mother of a young public school student, said that increasing test scores in city schools was of paramount importance, because this would show the quality of a public school education in Charm City was improving. Lastly, the mayor said she was committed on working to minimize the impact of the $120 million budget deficit she inherited when she took office. She said she couldn’t in good conscience promise that residents wouldn’t be impacted, because to make such a statement would be irresponsible.

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Will the lack of effective snow removal mean a lack of confidence in our new mayor? {Thanks, Baltimore Sun}

When problems arise, we look for our leaders to help solve them. The blizzard of 2010 was one such problem where Baltimoreans looked to new Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to get the city up and running again.

If you watched any of the news coverage (which seemed to go on ad nauseam) during both parts of the big storm, you heard everyone say that this was an unprecedented weather event. One of the more light-hearted yet telling moments from the snow coverage was when a young child (no more than 7) said the amount of snow we’d seen and the lack of cleanup “just don’t make no sense.”

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thanks, AP

Affairs, a love child — what will be the next political scandal?

Meet the new mayor, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake {thanks, The Baltimore Sun}

Two days before she was to be sworn in as mayor, City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake took some time over the phone to field questions from b staff, readers and Twitter followers. JORDAN BARTEL, B

What has your life been like the past month?
It’s been exhilarating. I’ve gotten a tremendous amount of support from people across the country that want Baltimore to do well and me do well, people wishing me good luck and offering their prayers. … I know I have an awesome responsibility.

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thanks, AP

What subject do you wish President Obama had spoken about during the State of the Union address?

Grrrr… Obama angry {thanks, AP}

We know the State of the Union address is important. It reviews presidential accomplishments from the past year, talks about upcoming plans and generally expounds on slightly relevant stuff such as taxes, wars and health care.

We’re not saying “Don’t watch” — just “Get hammered while doing so” (according to our lawyers, we must say b doesn’t condone binge drinking and drunken driving. Drunken hookups = gray area).

Here’s our drinking game for Wednesday’s State of the Union address (9 p.m., most major networks). Political bottoms up! JORDAN BARTEL, B

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Amidst staggering unemployment, researchers take the pulse of the employed {Thanks, AP}

On Friday, the latest unemployment numbers are expected to be released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The statistics will tell us how many jobs were gained and loss in December. Even before the numbers are made public, a survey may show us how the gainfully employed feel about their jobs.

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Mayor Sheila Dixon announces her resignation at a press conference Wednesday afternoon {thanks, AP}

There’s a saying derived from scripture that says, “The first will be last, and the last will be first.”

When Sheila Dixon assumed the office of mayor, succeeding now Gov. Martin O’Malley, many took note that Dixon was the first African-American female mayor of Baltimore. For Dixon, a lifelong Baltimorean, it was the fulfillment of her political ambitions. For some, it was a sign of someone, who presumably had two strikes against her (race and gender), that had been able to write her own success story.

Now, a day after Dixon announced her intention to resign as mayor on Feb. 4, journalists, bloggers and those in between are again discussing a historic fete achieved by Dixon — she will become the first mayor of the city to resign from office, not to assume another office, but in disgrace. Read the rest of this entry »

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is in court awaiting a verdict in her criminal case {Thanks, Baltimore Sun}

The case of Mayor Sheila Dixon is now in the hands of a jury who has been deliberating since midday Thursday. Dixon faces charges of theft and misappropriation in connection with the use of gift cards prosecutors say were donated by several local developers and intended for use by the needy. They allege Dixon used the gift cards for her own purposes, and gave others to friends, family and city staffers.

Dixon’s lawyers say the gift cards were given to the mayor, who was then Baltimore City Council President, and intended to be used at her discretion.

Now a jury of Dixon’s peers, citizens of Baltimore, will decide her case.

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Sarah Palin poses with Oprah and her daughters Piper (left) and Willow (right) {thanks, AP}

By the time Sarah Palin’s autobiography — “Going Rogue: An American Life” — officially hits book stores on Tuesday — there’ll be a legion of titles waiting to cash in, from unauthorized biographies to critical essays to a tongue-in-cheek coloring book.

That doesn’t even include the picture book “Terminatrix: The Sarah Palin Chronicles” — which superimposes her head on paintings and famous photos — and a boomlet of self-published books.

“There is something about her which is very hard not to be drawn into,” says Colin Robinson, co-publisher at OR Books, which is putting out a collection of essays pulled together by two senior editors at The Nation. “It might be a sort of adoration. Or it might be that one is appalled. But you can’t stop watching.”

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