Pava LaPere Act would change Maryland law

Newsletter for January 16, 2024

Hey, Baltimore!

The Baltimore region witnessed its first significant snowfall of the season yesterday. As a mother of two, I found myself up early, closely monitoring closures at Baltimore City Public Schools, which just last week saw delays due to rain. This time, even the Enoch Pratt Free Library opened at noon, adjusting its schedule for snow removal.

In today's news, you'll discover details about legislation proposed by members of the local tech ecosystem in response to Pava LaPere's untimely death last year. You'll also see our commitment to our readers and community affirmed as we gear up to commemorate our 15th anniversary — we sincerely hope you'll spare a few minutes to help us enhance our efforts. You might even win a lil' something.

Stay warm and happy snow day!

— Alanah, Technical.ly lead reporter for Baltimore

At Technical.ly, everything we do is dedicated to and in collaboration with our readers and community. Our journalism is a celebration, an explanation, a connection, and a commitment to holding the tech and entrepreneurship scene accountable in the places you call home. As we approach our 15th anniversary, we invite you to take a few moments to contribute to making our work even more impactful.

The 2024 Technical.ly Community Survey is now open.

➡️ Find out more about our community survey in our full report here.

Baltimore's tech community has participated in the discussion surrounding a proposed bill aimed at potentially tightening the criteria for granting early release to individuals convicted of sexual assault offenses.

Certain members of the Baltimore tech community have raised concerns about the indicted individual, who had a prior conviction for first-degree sexual assault crimes, questioning whether they should have been released before the tragic incident involving LaPere. The proposed legislation seeks to enhance restrictions on early release for individuals with such convictions.

➡️ Find out more about this story in my full report here.

• The Baltimore Sun has been acquired by Sinclair Inc.'s executive chairman, David D. Smith, in a private deal from investment firm Alden Global Capital. This marks the first time in nearly four decades that the newspaper will be owned locally. Smith's decision to purchase includes other Baltimore-area publications, such as the Capital Gazette papers and Carroll County Times. [Baltimore Sun]

• Morgan State University has received a $1.8 million grant to pilot AI-enhanced chatbots in foundational math and English courses. The initiative aims to improve student outcomes based on previous studies demonstrating increased grades and retention rates among lower-income and first-generation students. [Morgan State University/CBS News]

• Maybe you want to learn how to train a custom chatbot on OpenAI’s GPT Store? [WIRED]

• After almost two years with UpSurge Baltimore, Venture for America Fellow Founder Naomi Winston is exiting her role within the ecosystem-building company to become a full-time founder. She's asking for advice on how to manage time, how to leverage connections, and stay motivated. [LinkedIn]

• Femly founder, Arion Long shared parts of her founder's journey and how a health crisis pushed her to learn about potentially harmful ingredients in feminine hygiene products. [The Grio]