Our attentive BPD Western District Commander is moving on
Last July the mayor’s office announced a redistricting plan for the Baltimore Police Department that moved police coverage of Bolton Hill from the Central District, which mostly stretched downtown, to the Western District, where the neighborhood was adjoined to others with much higher crime rates.
At the October BHCA meeting, Maj. Matt Correll, the Western District commander with 25 years’ experience, gave a reassuring presentation, appearing thoroughly familiar with our neighborhood and fully aware of recent spikes in carjackings and other crimes. He said the district was short-handed but that extra attention was being given to Bolton Hill. Correll also attended BHCA’s Open House earlier this month.
But as of Feb. 12, he is gone – moved to BPD headquarters to lead the department’s education and training programs. Lt. Natalie Preston will be promoted to the position of major in the Western District. She has been with BPD since 2000. Preston holds a degree in criminal Justice from Coppin State University and a master’s degree in criminal justice administration from Coppin. She is currently pursuing a degree in addictions counseling.
Marble Hill: How A Neighborhood Shaped the Civil Rights Movement
The historic preservation group Baltimore Heritage will conduct a public guided tour of neighboring community Marble Hill on Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. It will begin at the Lillie Carroll Jackson Museum 1320 Eutaw Place. You can reserve a ticket here.
Marble Hill was the home to many groundbreaking civil rights leaders. Rev. Harvey Johnson began one of the first collective action movements there in the 1880s. In the 1930s Lillie Carroll Jackson engaged youth in “The Movement” and pioneered new non-violent protest tactics that were later picked up in cities across the country.
The late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall grew up here, as did the chief lobbyist for the NAACP, Clarence Mitchell. The late Rep. Elijah Cummings, one of the most powerful voices for civil rights in Congress, lived nearby. Some of the fundamental pillars of the civil rights movement were built here by activist neighbors with their eyes on the prize. Tickets are $10-15.
Time to apply for garden grants is now
The Bolton Hill Garden Club’s 2024 Greening Grants program is accepting grant proposals.
The grants are designed to create and improve public green spaces to beautify the Bolton Hill community. Garden Club grants fund the planting and maintenance of neighborhood parks, public green space, and tree wells. Previous awards have ranged from $75 to over $2,000. Applications for projects must be submitted by March 1, 2024; grants will be announced by April 1 in time for spring planting.
For more information and a link to the Greening Grants online application, please see the attached announcement. For more information about the grants, contact Bonnie Legro.
Dumpster Day is March 2
Midtown Benefits District has arranged with Baltimore City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) to have a series of community dumpsters available for bulk trash items. A dumpster will be brought to Bolton Hill for four hours on March 2 at 100 Wilson St between Median Park Avenue Parks. The exact time depends on DPW’s schedules that day.
About The Bulletin….
The Bolton Hill Bulletin is published 10 times a year. It is designed by Elizabeth Peters. We invite others to help write, edit, provide photos or work on the business side. Send suggestions and comments to bulletin@boltonhillmd.org. Thanks to Zhee Chatmon, Barbara Francis, Paula Jackson, Garrett Morgan, Joyce Ollner, Jim Prost, Linda Stirling, Lee Tawney and others for helping with this issue. Errors and omissions are the responsibility of the editor, Bill Hamilton.
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