Meet Baltimore’s firetruck buffs
Once a month, Jim Melia drives his gleaming red 1961 American LaFrance firetruck to a grocery store in Cockeysville to pick up some milk. Hampsted retiree Malden Miller drives one of his five antique firetrucks to Walmart now and then. While onlookers might be baffled at the sight of an antique firetruck rumbling into the parking lot without sirens blaring, Melia and Miller regularly... READ MORE
Author made history as a baby
When more than 250,000 Americans gathered to hear Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963, a family of three was quietly making history in Baltimore. Baltimore native Sharon Langley was only 11 months old when her parents, Charles and Marian Langley, brought her to Gwynn Oak Amusement Park. Like many ... READ MORE
Vets pivot to serving community
It took three days and a lot of sweat, but last September, 15 volunteers hauled 12,000 tires out of a wooded area in a National Park site in Washington, D.C. They also pulled out sinks, toilets, rusty pipes and other debris that had been illegally dumped in the city’s Fort Dupont community gardens. In addition, they’ve spread compost, prepared garden beds and cleaned chicken coops.... READ MORE
Funky art museum’s new leader
If you have ever asked, “What is the meaning of art and why should I care?” then Jenenne Whitfield, the new executive director of Baltimore’s popular American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), has the answers for you. Whitfield believes that the creation and appreciation of art can lead to a fuller life. “The key for me,” Whitfield told the Beacon in a recent interview, “is the ... READ MORE
A passion for teaching technology
Say you call a loved one who lives alone, just to check in, but they don’t pick up the phone. As it rings and rings, you wonder if they’re okay. What if the worst has happened? At times like those, technology may save the day, or at least save an in-person safety visit. A quick video call to a device called an Amazon Echo Show, for instance, can give you a live view inside your loved ... READ MORE
Pickleball craze picks up speed in Howard County
Pickleball — a game that early on attracted mostly older adults at senior centers — is now the fastest-growing sport in America and the country’s newest major league sport. It’s attracting the rich and famous: George Clooney, Stephen Colbert and author Brené Brown are avid picklers, along with other celebrities like Phil Mickelson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Larry David, Melinda Gates,... READ MORE
New sports memoir hits home
“I saw Brooks Robinson dive to his right, I saw Cal Ripken Jr. dive to his left” in magical fielding plays for the Baltimore Orioles, writes Baltimore-raised Tom Callahan in his latest book, Gods at Play: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports. “I saw [Johnny] Unitas hand the ball off and still go through his many fakes” to fool would-be tacklers, Callahan... READ MORE
Granny nannies who love their jobs
Call it good timing. Seven years ago, Silver Spring resident Margaret McDermott was expecting her first grandchild. At the same time, her longtime job as an event planner fizzled out. When she realized she could spend her empty days with her baby grandson, McDermott jumped at the chance, much to her surprise. “I thought, ‘I’ll just try it for a day,’ and I was hooked,” said... READ MORE
Pickleball craze picks up speed in Baltimore
Pickleball — a game that early on attracted mostly older adults at senior centers — is now the fastest-growing sport in America and the country’s newest major league sport. It’s attracting the rich and famous: George Clooney, Stephen Colbert and author Brené Brown are avid picklers, along with other celebrities like Phil Mickelson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Larry David, Melinda Gates,... READ MORE
More than half his life at the Post
John Kelly, the intrepid writer of a daily column for the Washington Post for almost two decades, can’t quite believe he’s turning 60 this year. After all, he plays in a rock ‘n’ roll band and works as hard as ever. “I remember when I first started at the Post when I was 26, seeing the grizzled old newsroom people and thinking, ‘Oh man they’re just so out of... READ MORE
