AGP Executive Report

NextGenTV Push in Maryland: Sinclair and Nexstar are rolling out a Sept. 17 consumer education campaign to boost awareness of NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0), with Baltimore among the Sinclair markets—aimed at making the upgrade easier to access and understand. Baltimore Theater Spotlight: A Red Orchid Theatre brings back Anna Ouyang Moench’s Birds of North America (through 10/4), a tender, signal-driven story set in a Baltimore backyard that recently earned major Equity Jeff Awards. Arts & Community on Stage: Baltimore Center Stage’s farce Bocking is getting buzz for its adult silliness and provocative comedy about acceptance and sex positivity. Local Arts History, Up Close: Mervo High (Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School) unveils a newly installed Linotype printing machine—an 1800s landmark—after a costly transport effort. Music News: Beach House shares a cover of Robert Lester Folsom’s “April Suzanne” as part of the 50th anniversary reissue of Music And Dreams. Maryland Arts Calendar: Community listings for Sept. 16 are live for what to see and do.

Maryland Sports & Culture: Baltimore native and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman returned home to the Baltimore area, reflecting on his record-setting moon mission and the “Tiny Earth” perspective. Local Parks & Fitness: Salisbury unveiled a new walking trail and outdoor workout area at Lake Street Park. Community & Health: Maryland officials are appealing a court ruling that struck down the state’s digital ad tax, a move tied to funding for education reform. Public Safety & Accountability: A Maryland lawmaker filed a Back River odor bill aimed at requiring odor-control plans, monitoring, and public results. Arts & Entertainment: Baltimore Rhythm Festival returns with audiences as full participants. Sports (National, with Maryland ties): Ravens rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane is expected to undergo wrist surgery, with a hopeful return timeline of about a month. Business & Dining: Outback Steakhouse closures continue, including a Baltimore location scheduled to close Oct. 11. Civic Life: A D.C. councilmember bribery trial’s jury selection raised concerns about fairness and police misconduct views. Media Watch: “60 Minutes” premiere ratings fell to 7.9 million viewers, the lowest season opener since 2000.

Rugby in Baltimore: South Africa closed out “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” with a 43-28 win over New Zealand in the fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium, sealing a 3-1 series and keeping the Springboks on top of the world rankings. NFL buzz in Maryland: Week 2 power rankings and storylines are already swirling after a high-scoring Week 1, with Baltimore again showing up near the top. Baseball spotlight: Mets fans gave Pete Alonso a huge Citi Field welcome as he returned to Queens with the Orioles, even as New York’s season ended. Arts capital boost: Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center in Solomons won a $500,000 Maryland State Arts Council Arts Capital Grant to expand its clay studio and triple class capacity. Music on tour: The Simon & Garfunkel Story announced a 2027 North American run, including a multi-day stop at Hollywood’s Pantages Theatre. Film/TV culture: “Etched in Pavement” debuted its trailer, a documentary that follows Detroit boxers turning fighting into hope and purpose. Community fall fun: Maryland’s fall farm festivals and haunted attractions are gearing up for peak season.

Baseball & Community: Pete Alonso returned to Citi Field with the Orioles and got a thunderous Mets welcome as he heads toward a 300th career home run, reflecting on both his Mets memories and his new Baltimore chapter. Sports Policy: Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin and other senior Democrats vowed to investigate “pardon brokers” after CBS News reported a for-profit clemency industry around Trump pardons. College Sports: Senators Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz pushed the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act toward a near-term Senate vote, arguing college athletics needs tighter guardrails. Tech & Privacy: OpenAI rolled out a personal finance tool in ChatGPT that connects accounts via Plaid, prompting privacy and security concerns. Maryland Arts & Culture: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park marked Tubman Emancipation Day with “Back to the Outdoors” programming tying her legacy to the Eastern Shore landscape. Local Arts/Entertainment: Westbank Heritage Fest returns Sept. 19-20 with free admission and headliners including R&B star Joe, King George, and gospel singer Jonathan Nelson.

Ravens Update: Zay Flowers’ hamstring injury from Baltimore’s Week 1 win over the Colts is being treated as day-to-day, with an MRI planned—good news for a receiver who had a career-high 150 yards before going out. NFL Week 1 Buzz: The season opener delivered a rare scoring surge, with nine teams hitting 30+ points in the early window and 10 teams doing it overall—an unusually explosive start. College Sports Labor Fight: Oregon State women’s basketball players are set for a key hearing on forming a union, a potential turning point for how college athletes are treated under state law. Arts & Culture (Maryland): UMD’s Driskell Center marks 25 years with a new exhibit celebrating Black artistry, featuring more than 150 years of work and a preview led by guest curator Adrienne Childs. Entertainment: Oprah Winfrey is bringing “Oprah Winfrey’s AHA” to the Las Vegas Sphere in April 2027, blending music, poetry, storytelling, and visual art. Local Arts/Community: URBNmarket returns to Fairfax County’s Mosaic District with 140+ makers for a Sept. 26–27 weekend.

Maryland Sports & Culture: Maryland’s sports scene stayed busy this week, from UConn vs. Maryland football (Maryland’s 38-14 win, with Malik Washington’s efficient passing and a Terps surge) to local pro and college highlights that keep fans glued to Baltimore and beyond. Baltimore & Beyond Rugby: The big arts-adjacent spectacle was Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore, with South Africa’s Springboks beating the All Blacks in a record-setting, expat-fueled weekend at M&T Bank Stadium—plus plenty of media reaction and on-field drama. Blue Jays in the spotlight: Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finally homered at Rogers Centre, powering an 8-1 win over the Orioles, while the Jays set starters for a pivotal Tigers series. NFL buzz with Maryland ties: Ravens opened strong vs. Colts, and Washington’s Stefon Diggs drew a costly celebration penalty—plus lots of Week 1 fallout and fanwatch energy.

AI in the Newsroom: The Baltimore Sun is drawing fire after publishing AI-generated political cartoons, with fired cartoonist Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher calling it “AI slop” and an embarrassment for a once-reputable paper. Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry: South Africa capped its Baltimore run with a 43-28 win over New Zealand, clinching the series 3-1 in front of a record 68,173 at M&T Bank Stadium and delivering a statement performance under Rassie Erasmus. Local Public Art: NoMa in Color returns with 16 new murals this week, pushing the neighborhood’s outdoor collection to 73 pieces and culminating in a community celebration at Alethia Tanner Park. Sports Betting & NFL Opener: Ravens vs. Colts Week 1 coverage is everywhere, alongside major promo offers from BetMGM, Fanatics, bet365, and Kalshi aimed at Maryland bettors. Maryland Football: Maryland beat UConn 38-14 as Malik Washington spread the field with quick passes and big yards after the catch. Community & Safety: A shooting on Liberty Road in Gwynn Oak sent an adult man to the hospital, adding to a block with a history of deadly violence.

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore: South Africa closed out the series 3-1 with a 43-28 win over New Zealand at M&T Bank Stadium, turning a 17-14 halftime lead into a decisive second-half surge. Match drama: The finale was halted for nearly nine minutes after a communications failure left referee Karl Dickson unable to coordinate with the TMO, frustrating fans watching from home. Springboks spotlight: Siya Kolisi’s postgame Gwijo moment had fans buzzing, while the Springboks were praised for set-piece control and defense that kept the All Blacks from building momentum. Maryland sports on the home front: Seton Hall went 1-2 at the Maryland Invitational, and the Blue Jays’ 7-3 win over the Orioles featured Alejandro Kirk’s two-run homer and Brett Bateman’s solo shot. Local culture note: The Mitchell Art Museum opened fall exhibitions exploring liberty, trust, and surveillance.

Arts & Community: Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center’s 34th annual Artsfest returns Sept. 19-20 in Solomons with 170+ juried artists, live music, family activities, and outdoor sculpture walks. Local Retail: The Village at Waugh Chapel in Gambrills hits 97% occupancy after signing four new tenants—J.Crew Factory, MINISO, Quickway Hibachi, and Wonder—adding more dining and shopping options. Arts in St. Mary’s: Joi Lowe’s mixed-media exhibit “Metamorphasis” is now installed at Port of Leonardtown Winery through Sept. 30, transforming found natural materials into ribbon-and-bead installations. Rugby in Baltimore: South Africa and New Zealand’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry finale sells out M&T Bank Stadium, with World Rugby pointing to Six Nations-style economics as it pushes more major matches to the U.S. Sports Betting & Maryland: Maryland sports wagering generated $7.02M for the state in August, with major contributions tied to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

Rugby in Baltimore: The Springboks and All Blacks meet again at M&T Bank Stadium for the “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” finale, with South Africa holding a 2-1 series lead and New Zealand making a raft of changes, including Richie Mo’unga back in the No. 10 mix. Baltimore Community Safety: Baltimore Safe Haven mourns a transgender woman killed in Charles Village; police say no arrests are made and they’re still working to identify what happened. Local Arts & Culture: Aberdeen’s Avena Maryland Italian Festival returns Sept. 25–27 at Ripken Stadium, promising food, live music, shopping, cooking demos, wine tastings, and fireworks for crowds expected to top 20,000. Sports Spotlight (Maryland ties): U.S. Open semifinal set up an all-or-nothing final for Alexander Zverev, with Frances Tiafoe—raised in College Park—one win away from history. Pro Sports Notes: The Blue Jays designated Jesus Sánchez for assignment and recalled Rudy Martin Jr., while the Ravens ruled out Nnamdi Madubuike and Teddye Buchanan for Week 1.

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry in Baltimore: South Africa and New Zealand head into the fourth Test at M&T Bank Stadium with the Springboks leading 2-1, and the series’ big takeaway is simple: the unions are banking millions from the one-off Baltimore clash even as the All Blacks chase a series draw. Local Sports Spotlight: Baltimore’s new pro women’s basketball team has officially named itself the Baltimore Starlings, launching in May 2027 at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Arts in Education: Frederick County will host Arts in Education Week on Sept. 14 at Winchester Hall, with performances from Lead Academy of Dance and Maryland Ensemble Theater plus student artwork from Frederick County Public Schools. Commemoration & Community: Multiple Maryland-focused pieces mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, including remembrance events and reflections from people with deep state ties. Fall Culture Guide: A Mid-Atlantic fall foliage roundup highlights Maryland viewing spots and local festivals, including Garrett County’s Autumn Glory Festival.

Rugby in Baltimore: The All Blacks’ “Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry” finale vs. South Africa is set for M&T Bank Stadium, with Dave Rennie making major changes—Richie Mo’unga returns at No. 10, Codie Taylor is recalled as captain, and Tupou Vaa’i shifts to the back row as New Zealand looks to draw the series 2-2. Local Sports Leadership: Joe Lee, who built Bullis into a national track-and-field powerhouse, leaves after 13 years to become head coach at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Olney. Pro Women’s Basketball: Baltimore gets a new UPSHOT League team—the Starlings—named and logo-revealed for a May debut at UMBC’s Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena. Education Watch: Maryland launches “Maryland Shows Up” to cut chronic absenteeism, rolling out radio, billboards, and bus ads. Community & Safety: Baltimore County hosts engAGE Day to combat senior isolation, while a high school football game at Calvert Hall was halted after a Northeast High player was airlifted to Shock Trauma. Immigration Rights: A lawsuit alleges ICE carried out thousands of illegal arrests in Maryland since January 2025, citing profiling and lack of probable cause.

Rugby in Baltimore: South Africa heads into the fourth Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test vs. New Zealand on Sept. 12 with a 2-1 series lead, setting up a big “gap-closing” moment at M&T Bank Stadium. NFL in Maryland’s orbit: The league’s global push keeps rolling—this week’s coverage highlights the Ravens’ Brazil plan (Dallas as the “home” team) and the broader Australia opener build-up for 49ers-Rams. Immigration & civil rights: Maryland joined a 22-state coalition urging a federal appeals court to uphold limits on ICE warrantless arrests. Public safety: Baltimore reported 11 sleep-related infant deaths in 2026 so far, with officials warning the pace is what matters most. Arts & culture: Historic Sotterley’s “Sunset at Sotterley” fundraiser returns Sept. 19 with portraits, live music, and proceeds supporting education programs. Local tech/health: WellCheck joins St. Mary’s 360 to expand connected care across the county. Fashion/entertainment: A “skimpy accessory” trend story spotlights anklets and other barely-there embellishments.

Rugby Rivalry in Baltimore: South Africa heads into the fourth Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test vs. New Zealand on Sept. 12 with a 2-1 series lead, after wins at Ellis Park and Cape Town and a 29-24 victory in Johannesburg—setting up a big chance for the Springboks to close the gap before next year’s World Cup. Baltimore Waterfront Recreation: Rash Field Park reopens after a second phase that adds pickleball courts, beach volleyball, a fitness zone, and kayaking access—built with city and state collaboration and community-driven design. Local Accountability Watch: WBAL-TV 11 News Investigates reports Baltimore City housing emails tied to a fraud probe into the Division of Home Ownership and Housing Preservation, with police referral to the State’s Attorney. Arts & Community Calendar: Bethesda-born Small Press Expo spotlights independent comics, while “Going Out: arts & nightlife events” lists what to catch Sept. 10-18. Fashion Note: The Sak launches its Fall 2026 “Fall Into Craft” handbag edit, leaning into suede and craft-forward textures.

Rugby in Baltimore: Injured All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams described a MRSA “tree burning from the inside” ordeal and says he’s now eyeing a return to training as the Greatest Rivalry series heads into its Baltimore finale. Rugby spotlight: All Blacks captain Ardie Savea shared a healing update after a shoulder injury that will keep him out of the final Test. Local accountability: A Frederick protest over ICE activity turned violent, with community members calling for an investigation after clashes left injuries. Arts & community: Historic St. Mary’s City hosts Indigenous Heritage Day Sept. 12 with hands-on arts, music, dance, and cultural presentations. Music/film: Bruce Springsteen’s concert film Land of Hope and Dreams (Philadelphia finale) releases its first seven-song preview, featuring Tom Morello on early tracks. Youth programs: Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maryland will open a new Carver Recreation Center site with a Sept. 15 grand opening.

WNBA Leadership: Cathy Engelbert announced she’ll retire at year’s end, and the search for her successor is set to begin soon, with ESPN reporting a succession plan and candidate list already in motion. Maryland Arts & Community: A Tyson Street mural in Mount Vernon can stay after the city’s historical preservation commission ruled it meets regulations, even as the message “every bombed village is my hometown now” sparked debate. Local Arts Events: Winchester’s free Fiddles and Fifths festival spotlights bluegrass headliner The Creekers. Sports & Culture: Rutgers will honor 9/11 with custom uniforms for the 37 alumni lost, bringing a national spotlight to a local tragedy. Baltimore Neighborhood Life: Baltimore County is considering a ban on paid house parties after Catonsville complaints, with fines proposed for repeat offenders. Public Safety (Maryland): A Southwest flight struck a bird and diverted to BWI safely; pilots followed procedures and passengers will be rebooked. Health Update: Joe Biden says prostate cancer radiation “worked as intended,” sharing a hopeful update ahead of his memoir release.