2023 from A to Z: a look back at the year’s headlines in Maryland | STAFF COMMENTARY

As 2023 draws to a close, we look back on some of the year’s biggest headlines, alphabetically:

A is for the Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which was released in April and chronicled 80 years of horrific abuse of hundreds of young people.

B is for Brooklyn Homes and the tragic mass shooting that took two lives and injured 28 other young people during a block party this summer.

C is for the Child Victims Act, which was enacted this year, extending the timeline for survivors of sexual abuse to hold their tormentors accountable through lawsuits.

D is for David Bramble, whose vision for the next iteration of Baltimore’s Harborplace is the talk of the town.

E is for endemic, which COVID-19 finally transitioned to this year.

F is for fugitive and the bizarre turn that the sad tale of Roy McGrath took after the former chief of staff to Gov. Larry Hogan fled his federal corruption trial, published two e-books while on the run and ultimately died in a standoff with authorities.

G is for gun control and portions of new Maryland laws that face ongoing challenges in court. In September, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction limiting a law that restricted where concealed handguns can be carried in the state. And in November, a federal appeals court ruled unconstitutional a requirement that individuals obtain a handgun qualification license before receiving a gun.

H is for Jonathan Heyward, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s first Black musical director; he assumed the role this fall and is charged with breathing new life into the historic institution.

I is for the indictments of Donald Trump, the first ex-president ever to face federal or state criminal charges.

J is for juvenile justice and data released from the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services suggesting that young people are committing half as many crimes today as a decade ago.

K is for Keith Davis, who was released from prison this year after being tried four times in Baltimore for a murder he says he didn’t commit.

L is for the long-anticipated lease between the state and the Orioles, which was finally approved Monday after five years of negotiation.

M is for Marilyn Mosby, Baltmore’s former State’s Attorney who was convicted last month on two charges of perjury for misrepresenting her finances on loan applications.

N is for National Treasure winning the 148th running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore.

O is for the Orioles’ terrific season and winning of the American League East. We expect next year to be even better.

P is for peace, which we desperately want between Israelis and Palestinians.

Q is for the many questions Maryland People’s Counsel David Lapp is raising on behalf of BGE customers about a controversial conduit deal between the utility and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and BGE’s “investments and upgrades” in its gas systems.

R is for recreational cannabis becoming legal this year in Maryland, where $87-million-worth of products were sold in the first month.

S is for the Squeegee Collaborative, which has helped several dozen squeegee workers find jobs after the city began enforcing a ban on window-washing at certain intersections.

T is for the state Treasurer’s Office, which took over (some might say “saved”) the ailing Maryland 529 college tuition savings program, after hundreds of people were wrongfully locked out of their accounts.

U is for unacceptably long emergency room wait times in Maryland, which average 3 hours and 48 minutes — the longest in the nation.

V is for the six victims killed while working construction on the Baltimore beltway in a horrific crash that shone a spotlight on the dangers of excessive speed.

W is for Wes Moore, Maryland’s first Black governor taking the helm and claiming “one of the most productive legislative sessions for any Maryland governor at any time” in his first 100 days.

X is for the renaming of the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Y is for young people in Baltimore becoming victims of gun violence at an appalling rate, higher than at any other time in the last decade.

Z is for the double-z ending in the Gen Z slang term, “rizz,” which is reportedly short for charisma and was named the word of the year by the Oxford University Press — not to be confused with Merriam-Webster, which clearly leans Gen X in its choice of “authentic” for its word of the year.

Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.