Two pioneers from different eras of Baltimore’s theater scene have joined forces to create Baltimore Open Theatre, which will offer free performances by contemporary theater and dance companies from the region, nation and abroad, starting in the fall of 2012. More >

If the eviction of the Occupy movement from McKeldin Square was as peaceful and respectful as described in The Sun (“Occupy Baltimore seeks new goals,” Dec. 14), then Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the Baltimore Police Department deserve congratulations.

I visited the site several times in the early days of the protest. In my experience, the police officers were always respectful of the protesters’ rights. In contrast to protests in New York, Oakland, and elsewhere, Baltimore has had no police harassment or violation of the Occupiers’ freedom of speech and of assembly. The city left the Occupiers undisturbed for 10 weeks.

Occupy Baltimore demonstrators who spent 10 weeks protesting economic disparity were removed peacefully from a downtown plaza near the Inner Harbor tourist district during a pre-dawn raid Tuesday.

Baltimore City police in full riot gear moved into McKeldin Square about 3:30 a.m. to remove the protesters, who had been camped out at the site since Oct. 4. City police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said there was no resistance from the people staying at the site. “The whole event was orchestrated well, which speaks to our relationship with Occupy,” Guglielmi said. “Everything was done very peacefully.”

A 12th Baltimore police officer has pleaded guilty to being involved with a towing kickback scheme, prosecutors said Thursday.

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Five banks have joined Baltimore County’s small business lending program, boosting the size of the loan fund to more than $12 million. The addition of CFG Community Bank, Sandy Spring Bank, Peoples Bank, More >

Baltimore police say three men are in custody following a four-hour crime spree that started with carjackings in Baltimore County and ended in the city.

The three were taken into custody Tuesday night when a car reported stolen in Baltimore County was spotted on Key Highway and crashed while the driver was attempting to flee. Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says 12 people are believed to have been victimized by the three, who are not being identified while charges are being sorted out.

The same week that a city task force presented Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake with a plan to tackle HIV infections in Baltimore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has launched its own campaign to increase HIV testing.

The campaign, called Testing Makes Us Stronger, targets black gay and bisexual men, one of the most affected populations. The federal agency worked with community leaders, doctors and others to develop the program that aims to increase awareness, increase access and boost testing.

Occupy Baltimore protesters have asked city officials for permission to remain in an Inner Harbor park until April, according to an application submitted to the city.

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Anti-Wall Street protesters heckled political strategist Karl Rove during his speech at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore Tuesday night and were ejected from the event, a university spokesman said on Wednesday.

None of the 15 protesters was a student at the school where Rove, a former chief adviser to President George W. Bush, was speaking at a student organized event, said Dennis O’Shea, a spokesman for Johns Hopkins.

The Center for Digital Government and Government Technology has named Baltimore a top digital city.

In its 2011 Digital Cities Survey, the Center for Digital Government spotlighted what municipalities best show how information and communication technology are used to enhance public service.