Competing bills offer tax credits for waterless fracking, infrastructure support in Texas

Lawmakers rolled bills this week to encourage the conservation of water in the use of fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, to drill for oil and gas in shale rock formations.

One bill, filed by Rep. Tracy King, D-Batesville, would give tax credits to companies that use alternative fluids for fracking operations in the Eagle Ford and Barnett shale. King told the House Ways and Means Committee the tax credit would benefit Texas, particularly in those areas where drought conditions are the most severe.

“One…

UMd. announces new global vaccine research center

The vaccine news keeps rolling in for the state of Maryland.

The University of Maryland School of Medicine will launch a new Institute for Global Health that will focus on vaccine research and development, it was announced this week. With a goal to expand the school’s influence in the worldwide health research, prevention and treatment industry, the institute will also be home to the university’s Center for Vaccine Development and Center for Malaria Research.

“This will truly be a landmark…

Union Wharf price pushes Baltimore apartment sales into D.C.'s orbit

There’s no question that the Bozzuto Group and its development partner, Cigna, set a Baltimore record in selling Union Wharf to J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. for $121.5 million.

The per-unit price of $432,384 was so high, it topped the most recent per-unit multifamily sale prices in Baltimore by nearly $200,000. So I looked to our closest neighboring city for some context in understanding where Baltimore multifamily sale prices could be headed.

Once I did some checking with a CoStar Group…

Orioles opening store selling game-used merchandise

The Baltimore Orioles are opening a new store on Eutaw Street this season where fans can purchase game-used items from their favorite players.

Orioles Authentics will sell items such as jerseys, hats, bats and balls. All merchandise will be authenticated by Major League Baseball. Balls that come out of play, for example, will be immediately authenticated and delivered to the store for purchase during that game. The items will include notes of what happened to that item during the game.

“Fans…

Here's why two Air Force satellites yet to launch are already out of date

They cost more than $2 billion under a program that provides early warnings of a ballistic missile attack on the United States. But with designs that are about two decades old, the two new satellites to launch under the Space Based Infrared System might be out of date before they ever get off the ground.

SBIRS serves as a missile-warning system using a combination of orbiting infrared sensors and satellites. To replace the first two satellites on orbit by 2020 and 2021, the Air Force awarded a contract…