A man has died from injuries he sustained after falling into a fire pit according to the Baltimore County Fire Department Officials say the victim is identified as 50-year-old Glen Himmelheber the fire crew responded to a report of an injured person at the 3600 block of Bay Drive ALSO READ| Tractor trailer overturns, catches fire on I-295 South; driver hospitalized, expect delays had fallen into a fire pit in his backyard The EMS transported the victim to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for treatment of severe burns Baltimore County Police ruled the death to be accidental A 50-year-old man has died after falling into a firepit in Bowley’s Quarters last weekend The Baltimore County Fire Department says crews were called to the 3600 block of Bay Drive on Saturday night after Glen Himmelheber Jr Himmelheber was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with severe burns This marks the county’s 11th fire-related fatality this year and the flagship stations for the Baltimore Ravens Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs which means we may get paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites.©2023 on behalf of WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5 A beloved waterfront bar and restaurant in Bowleys Quarters that served seafood steaks and tiki-themed drinks shut its doors for good on Sunday according to a Facebook post from the restaurant which dubbed itself Middle River’s original beach bar Co-owners David Steele and his late brother Scott Steele opened the restaurant overlooking Frog Mortar Creek in 2012 “Sunset Cove is permanently CLOSED,” reads the post on Facebook “We would like to take this time to thank all of our loyal customers and employees It has been an amazing run with many fantastic memories.” We would like to take this time to thank all of our loyal customers and employees... Sunset Cove’s post also mentioned seeing customers at two other restaurants: Steelefish Grille and Hickory Lodge David Steele’s Facebook page lists him as the owner for both restaurants The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. The reason for the restaurant closure is unclear David Steele didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment which was located at 3408 Red Rose Farm Road had a seafood-heavy menu that was peppered with Maryland favorites like rockfish and crab cakes It also offered classic bar fare like wings and burgers More than 1,000 people reacted to and shared the Facebook post that announced news of the dockside restaurant’s closure Many Facebook users expressed sadness that the beach bar was closed prompting some to share fond memories at the restaurant including a love story between customers who met got engaged and even married at the beach oasis The beach bar’s website mentioned that “the sand palm trees and boat slips are transformative enough to make you feel as if you’re somewhere far away from life’s reality.” People commented on the atmosphere and location of the restaurant mentioning that it was a great summer spot Abby Zimmardi abby.zimmardi@thebaltimorebanner.com Abby Zimmardi is a reporter covering Howard County for The Baltimore Banner Zimmardi earned her master’s degree from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism in December 2022 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies The Baltimore Banner is a trademark registered in the U.S for The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism Statement from Executive Vice President and General Manager Eric DeCosta pic.twitter.com/TNQrqw3me2 Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. Please review our community guidelines Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service and Privacy Policies Click here to view our Terms of Sale.\n \n Click here to learn more about supporting local journalism.\n Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes. If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com 2025 at 7:49 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Sunset Cove announced its permanent closure on Sunday located in the neighborhood of Bowleys Quarters The restaurant's view of Frog Mortar Creek is pictured above on Sept MD — Waterfront restaurant and bar Sunset Cove announced its permanent closure this weekend in Middle River as the marina where it was located undergoes an overhaul was known for its sandy outdoor dining area surrounded by palm trees A bandstand hosted live musicians in the summer while a true dock bar sat mere feet from the shoreline A lengthy floating pier lined with string lights welcomed transient boaters popping in for dinner while adults took polar plunges into the frigid creek in the winter Customers could watch planes land at Martin State Airport across the waterway where garage doors created an indoor-outdoor space A canoe hung from the ceiling lent to the nautical theme The menu featured the classic Maryland crab and cream of crab soups The rockfish tenders were another popular appetizer The fish and shrimp tacos and burger topped with crab dip were other staples Some items were named after local landmarks like the Carroll Island crab dip the Bowleys best wings and the Galloway Fries The restaurant, which once offered seating by an outdoor firepit, is now blocked off with a no-trespassing sign. The eatery closed for the season in November 2024 and never reopened "We would like to take this time to thank all of our loyal customers and employees. It has been an amazing run with many fantastic memories. We look forward to seeing many of you at Steelefish Grille and Hickory Lodge," Sunset Cove said Sunday on Facebook directing patrons to its sister restaurants Sunset Cove had overlooked Frog Mortar Creek since April 2012 when it opened in the neighborhood of Bowleys Quarters the 4,000-square-foot eatery was part of Maryland Marina The 18.5-acre marina started as a family endeavor, but it was sold in August 2022 to an Atlanta-based real estate company Mongo Holdings bought the marina through its wholly owned subsidiary for an undisclosed price in partnership with Keel Funds the buyers announced plans "to begin work on various growth initiatives .. Mongo Holdings and Keel Funds declined to comment on Sunset Cove's closure The partners also said Maryland Marina is not for sale, though the Mongo Holdings website lists the marina under its "real estate for sale" tab Patch is awaiting a callback from the Maryland Marina general manager Maryland Marina was opened in May 1946 by Edward J The business started as a small boat manufacturing plant under the name of Maryland Marine Manufacturing Company The plant also produced Lightning class sailboats Manufacturing scaled back throughout the 1950s and 60s with focus turning toward the marina The final rowboat rolled off the assembly line in 1967 The marina now has 360 in-water boat slips The marina can accommodate yachts 60 feet long Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. and there was a pounding on my front door," Captain Shannon Stallings from Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Rescue & Marine recalled Ring camera footage from Captain Stalling's home captured that very moment A fellow volunteer firefighter can be heard telling him "They have an MCI [mass casualty incident] at the Key Bridge Ring camera video of first responder alerting Captain Stalling of the collapse Greg Wolff with Middle River Volunteer Fire & Rescue remembers his wife waking him up at 2 a.m. annoyed that his phone was going off at that hour "And I had an idea that if he’s calling me at 2 o’clock in the morning Hunter Burton was on duty for Bowleys Quarters He got an emergency alert: "And all I see is it's saying requesting all boats to the Key Bridge It was one of those things you had to see to believe "At first I didn't think it was real," Carl Knight III deputy chief of safety and risk management for the Baltimore City Fire Department recalls thinking after he saw the video of the collapse "I live in Dundalk so I can actually see the Key Bridge from my house it wasn't there," Captain Chris Reynolds with Middle River told WMAR-2 News But there was no time for processing the gravity of the situation: there were people in the water That was just one item on a long list of unknowns before we want to actually put anyone in the water we usually use our electronic devices like our sonar to get hits we're not just diving blindly," deputy chief Knight III said "There was still power going to that bridge; it was still electrified," Captain Reynolds explained "So the first concern was - we want to put divers in the water; we want to get people in there's a lot of voltage going through that and ripples through the water because the structure had not settled," Captain Stalling recalled Those first few hours were like a guessing game mapping out what lies beneath the water's surface as best they could the maze of metal underwater didn't look much clearer First responders recall responding to Key Bridge collapse "It really looked like a jumble of sticks to me like a forest that had been chopped down and placed underwater," Captain Reynolds said it kind of reminded me of one of those," Wolff told WMAR-2 News' Elizabeth Worthington Divers relied on their sense of touch to make their way through the underwater debris field But they had one element on their side—the water was not only calm but cold "When we're dealing with colder temperatures and colder water you actually have a higher survivability rate when it comes to drownings," Captain Stalling explained "This incident was able to go on for hours with the intensity of - there may be a potential rescue And it was impressive to see that nobody gave up hope throughout the incident." realizing it wasn't likely anyone was still alive down there But the determination the divers felt for their new mission didn't fade "We all wanted to get in the water to do what we could do to bring these families closure Everybody wanted to do their responsibility and then some," Knight III said around dusk on that first day of searching was found about 25 feet beneath the surface But the recovery would have to wait until daylight "It was terrifying to see that they were on that bridge when it collapsed The only thing I could really think of is - I'm surprised that we were able to find that truck The bridge was pretty much completely on top of that truck." he had no responded to his first mass casualty incident He's grateful that he was paired up that day with an experienced vet in the fire service who had seen enough in his 75 years of life to help keep him calm "Because honestly I was freaking out a little bit," Burton admitted "This could be a 'once-in-a-lifetime' event for many of our first responders and I'm sure the memory will stick with them for a very long time," Capt Young volunteers like Hunter now feel better prepared for the next major emergency And fire companies are taking stock of their training and equipment replacing an old vessel that wasn't up to the task on that fateful morning "So we know that if we experience that mission-critical event again This was a $220,000 investment into our team and our community." Capt The funding was secured mainly through grants - from the Maryland Waterway Improvement Fund Reynolds said Middle River is also investing in increased training and improving equipment "The lasting impact for us is that desire to want to be able to be prepared for the next time." a repeat of a day that —depending on who you ask—was either a lifetime ago or just happened "It feels like it's been a decade," Wolff said WATCH WMAR-2 NEWS' FULL REPORT ON THE KEY BRIDGE BELOW: 2024 at 3:16 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}This SUV crashed into a docked crabbing boat Sunday in Bowleys Quarters MD — A car crashed into a docked boat this weekend in Baltimore County The property owner called 911 Sunday around 4:05 a.m Firefighters found an SUV that had traveled down a pier and hit a commercial crabbing boat in the 3600 block of Hughes Lane wedged between the pier and the boat on Armstrong Creek The boat sustained minimal damage and still left port for its daily fishing duties The Baltimore County Police Department said it has not made any arrests in this case Officers would not speculate on the cause of the crash Authorities also declined to answer further questions This map shows the area where the crash happened A Baltimore County man has died from injuries he sustained after falling into a fire pit at his home in Bowleys Quarters, the county fire department said in a press release marking the county’s 11th fire-related death this year fire crews responded to reports of an injured person in the 3600 block of Bay Drive had fallen into a fire pit in his yard and sustained severe burns First responders transported Himmelheber to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for treatment The Baltimore County Police Department’s fire investigators ruled the death an accident and the manner of death accidental Baltimore County reported 11 fire-related deaths up from eight deaths each in 2022 and 2021 Darreonna Davis darreonna.davis@thebaltimorebanner.com Darreonna Davis is an express desk reporter at The Baltimore Banner She previously reported at the intersection of gender health and economic policy as a fellow for the 19th News BALTIMORE — The discount hardware chain Harbor Freight Tools is getting ready to open two more stores one in Bel Air and one in Bowleys Quarters The Bowleys Quarters store is expected to open next month Real Estate and Construction for Harbor Freight Tools said in a press release: “We’ve been looking to open a location in Middle River for a number of years so that we can provide the tools and equipment at tremendous values to the community." The Bel Air store is set to open in January replacing Dick's Sporting Goods at the MacPhail Crossing shopping center off of Route 24 and MacPhail Road Harbor Freight also recently opened a store in Havre de Grace MD — Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today joined federal state and local elected officials and community stakeholders to celebrate plans to protect preserve and transform an [85-acre] parcel of the former Charles P Crane facility grounds as waterfront park space The site is one of the Olszewski administration’s largest open space acquisitions to date and continues the administration’s efforts to expand park and recreation opportunities throughout Baltimore County waterfront property for all to enjoy – even as we continue exploring additional land acquisition opportunities throughout Baltimore County – is all a part of our ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life for our residents,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski “I extend my thanks to our federal and state partners for their support on this meaningful acquisition and Councilman Marks along with community members from Bowley’s Quarters and beyond for their tireless advocacy on behalf of this scenic Seneca Creek space which will be enjoyed for generations to come.” the Baltimore County Council unanimously approved the acquisition which is supported by $10 million in Maryland’s Program Open Space (POS) grant funds Established under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources in 1969 Program Open Space provides support for local jurisdictions for park acquisition we are helping to create a nearly unbroken green space from Carroll Island to the Hammerman area of Gunpowder Falls State Park,” said Baltimore County Councilman David Marks “It's a huge win for Baltimore County's Eastside and for our environment.” Baltimore County received a $1,666,279 federal earmark and $1.25 million in State capital grants to support post-acquisition park related improvements this site is on the way to becoming a beautiful waterfront park We delivered over $1.6 million in federal funding to help Baltimore County turn this property into a public amenity – creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation in Bowley’s Quarters while helping to preserve our environment,” said Senator Van Hollen Crane site is a project that is built for the future outdoor space preserves Maryland’s shoreline protects our waters and brings new outdoor recreation opportunities to communities that need it most,” said Senator Cardin “This is a transformational federal investment in expanding Baltimore County’s open space we are taking significant action to conserve our lands and secure a healthier environment for communities throughout the state.” Located in close proximity to multiple County parks approximately six miles from the Gunpowder Falls State Park and adjacent to the Seneca Creek tributary of the Gunpowder River Crane power plant provides potential connectivity in supporting a regional park network with a connected water trail access “This project – transforming a site damaging our environment into one that enhances it — is exactly the type of investment the taxpayers expect and deserve,” said Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger it produced dirty fossil fuels that contributing to the climate crisis it will be a park that will enable Baltimore County residents to enjoy historic Seneca Creek I am proud to have helped secure federal resources for Baltimore County’s down payment on this site and want to congratulate County Executive Olszewski and the local for community on this creative and collaborative effort.” a 400-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Bowleys Quarters The site was acquired by Charlotte-based Forsite Development in 2021 and demolished in 2022 Baltimore County previously announced it had entered into an agreement in principle with Forsite to acquire major portions of the site to preserve as future parkland in May In preparation for the preservation of this space Forsite has been actively performing environmental remediation in coordination with the Maryland Department of Environment Baltimore County has utilized nearly $163 million in POS funding to secure expand and improve a wide range of public parks and recreation sites including Oregon Ridge Park and Nature Center Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum seven regional parks and athletic facilities and nearly 100 neighborhood and community parks The purchase is expected to be completed in the coming months This press release was produced by Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski The views expressed here are the author’s own UPDATE: BGE has provided a final update Saturday regarding the storm damage of Tropical Depression Debby they stated that most of the damage was caused by fallen trees and tree limbs and contractors are working to restore power for customers as quickly and safely as possible with a total of 664 customers still facing outages BGE goes on to say that they have already restored service for more than 55,000 customers who lost power during this storm and expect to restore service for nearly all remaining customers by 11 p.m ORIGINAL: Tropical Depression Debby moved into Maryland overnight after devastating Florida Thousands of Maryland residents woke up Friday morning without power Then some unfortunately were forced from their homes due to fallen trees Debby hit some of the state's common flood areas like Annapolis WMAR-2 News captured some of the aftermath including a stranded car being towed out of standing water along with a swimming dog and man paddle boarding Flooding also shuttered trash and recycling pickup in Baltimore City All previously permitted outdoor events were canceled as well Over in Anne Arundel County, an assessment portal was opened for residents and businesses to report storm damage Annapolis received 1.26 inches of rainfall with City Dock reaching flood levels of 4.54 feet Some streets remain closed or partially blocked for cleanup BGE reported 18,000 customer outages throughout Central Maryland BGE says they expect to restore service to 80 percent of customers by 11pm Friday with the vast majority of others by 11pm Saturday The Baltimore County Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to spend $10 million in state open space money to purchase an 85-acre waterfront site where a coal-fired power plant operated for decades and turn it into a park with an eventual hiking and bike trail a 400-megawatt power plant on Carroll Island Road in Bowleys Quarters was a landmark for eastern Baltimore County its two towers looming like candy canes above Seneca Creek where it meets the Gunpowder River and it only ran in the winter and summer months when demand was highest floated a plan to build 285 townhouses on the site That would have required extending public water and sewer lines to the site likely opening up the corridor along Seneca Creek and the Gunpowder River for more development The Gunpowder is the main source of drinking water for much of the Baltimore area and increased development threatened to send more sediment into the river through its tributary who represents the area and has turned several unused properties into passive parks began to build support for the county to purchase the site and preserve it and county parks officials endorsed the idea The Maryland Department of Natural Resources provided $10 million in Program Open Space funds which are earmarked to preserve open lands and those that are along sensitive waterfront habitats Baltimore County is also getting $1.25 million in state capital grant funding and $1.7 million in federal funds to support improvements to the park this was not an easy deal for a variety of reasons,” Marks said at a Tuesday work session where he presented the deal’s particulars Because the county is using state and federal funds to acquire the land community leaders who wanted to preserve the site needed to jump through a lot of bureaucratic hoops Complicating matters is that the former owners are not entirely vacating the property North Carolina-based Forsite will retain 33 acres of the approximately 118-acre site including a pier in “poor condition,” paved parking areas and a security fence Forsite must remove the warehouse and fencing as well as cap all wells and septic or storage tanks prior to the sale closing The company is planning on using the part it is retaining for battery storage and green energy production needs to mitigate “ongoing risks: from hazardous materials at the site,” which is underway The old utility station closed in 2018 as part of a settlement between its former operators and state regulators who alleged the coal-fired plant exceeded emission caps for hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide — toxic smog-forming gases that can irritate skin and eyes and cause fatigue State regulators said the operators didn’t adequately test for emissions a titanium fire burned through some buildings one of the main byproducts is an ash composed of fine particles The lighter fly ash comes out of the top of the smokestack heavier combustion byproducts fall to the bottom Plants like Crane flush the bottom ash from their boilers periodically and hold the wash water in impoundments or storage tanks to let the ash settle that water is treated and discharged every other year into Seneca Creek Crane reported discharging 170,000 gallons every two years but the company could not say how much ash remained in the discharged water The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has declared that even after treatment bottom-ash transport water contains “significant concentrations of metals including arsenic and mercury.” The agency in 2015 established a zero-discharge standard requiring coal plants to stop releasing bottom ash as soon as possible — beginning Nov because it closed and was demolished a year before the deadline He envisions connecting the park to other area trails “I think it will be a real value to county residents,” he said Rona Kobell rona.kobell@thebaltimorebanner.com Rona Kobell is a regional reporter covering Baltimore County she worked as an environmental reporter in the region for nearly 20 years at The Baltimore Sun and The Chesapeake Bay Journal Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County bore the brunt of the storm which was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone before arrival The 4.54-foot storm surge in Annapolis was the 10th-worst flood in the city's recorded history The record 7.16 feet of inundation came in 2003's Tropical Storm Isabel Storm Brothers Ice Cream Factory had 13 inches of flooding outside its front door "This is happening with such frequency," owner Sveinn Storm told Patch Storm plugged his door with a dam and used five pumps to remove any water that seeped in so Storm Brothers is opening as scheduled on Saturday "We got down here just in the nick of time," Storm said About 32 inches of floodwater destroyed his equipment in January and caused $60,000 to $80,000 in damage the third-worst in Annapolis' recorded history closed Storm's ice cream parlor for seven weeks "All these businesses are wiped out again," Storm said noting that it's nowhere near as bad this time "It's such a hassle to go through all the nonsense." Residents are asked to report their damage to the City of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Offices of Emergency Management The bayside neighborhood escaped widespread damage but the rising tide gave residents a scare which is more than a football field from the shoreline "The pier is completely underwater," Wiliams said About 8 to 10 inches of water filled Williams' first floor He pulled his cars out in advance and avoided most property damage Williams has lived in Bowleys Quarters for five years but the inundation preceded the rain this time noting that he only remembers one flood worse than this County Executive Johnny Olszewski surveyed the damage Friday afternoon He rode in a deep-water vehicle to visit flooded areas with the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department "It's pretty bad," Olszewski told Patch in an exclusive interview The inundation temporarily sealed off the only entrance to the community at Bowleys Quarters Road and Susquehanna Avenue "We're trusting the fire department to make determinations about which roads need to be closed to keep our residents safe," Olszewski said The water also toppled a 75-foot section of seawall at Bowleys Marina Olszewski reported additional flooding in Edgmere Turner Station and the Holly Neck peninsula The county executive lives on Millers Island His neighbors had flooded garages and basements "The safety and wellbeing of our residents is the top priority," Olszewski said "We'll be ready to spring into action to help with the clean-up." Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. BALTIMORE — You're looking at one of the first boats to respond on the night of the Key Bridge collapse It also happens to be one of only four fireboats for water rescues in all of Baltimore County "It's only us and a sister company which is Bowleys Quarters," North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department Chief George Theodoroy said Backup could be hours away; it could be minutes away." The department serves a huge portion of the upper Chesapeake Bay area -- 175 miles of shoreline the larger of the department's two vessels ​"It's just not modern enough for what's going on on today's waterways it just doesn't meet the specs today," Theodoroy told WMAR-2 News That was proven on March 26 when the volunteer department spent a full 24 hours out on the water after the Key Bridge collapsed We reached out to several other fire departments in our area to see if they're also looking at ways to improve The Baltimore County Fire Department says it's not but two other volunteer companies say they are Bowley's Quarters and Middle River volunteer departments are looking at ways to expand their capabilities and secure new equipment There was just not enough room for those guys to operate We had other assets from other departments operating off our boat that needed way more room," the fire chief recalled the department took stock of their equipment and decided to invest in a bigger a national corporation with a charitable foundation ​"I did a pretty exhaustive search - what charities are out there related to the Key Bridge started to do my research and due diligence and ultimately this is where I landed," Andrew Erman chair of the Aegon Transamerica Foundation’s Baltimore Advisory Committee Transamerica threw 100 thousand dollars behind the effort to purchase a new fireboat ​"We're hoping that other people can join Transamerica Foundation community partners can join in that would be great," Erman told WMAR-2 News Because 100 thousand is just the start. The new boat costs 1.2 million. You can donate and find out more information here. ​"We're gonna have a decent place to do patient care which our members will actually be in climate-controlled They'll have that ability to be on the water a little bit more than what we can be now," Chief Theodoroy said but Bowley's Quarters and Middle River volunteer departments in the county are looking at ways to expand their capabilities and secure new equipment both the Anne Arundel County and Annapolis fire departments are replacing their fireboats but that process was already underway before the bridge collapse which will replace a boat that's almost 20 years old It's funded through the vehicle replacement fund in the city budget Crane Generating Station loomed large over Eastern Baltimore County its red-and white smokestacks the “candy cane” landmarks that let boaters know they were close to home The coal-fired power plant provided jobs for area residents and at one point hosted a hatchery and research station to help restore populations of striped bass But C.P. Crane, as it was known, also sent pollutants into the air and water. In 2018, the plant was shut down as part of a settlement in which state regulators alleged the plant exceeded emission caps for toxic smog-forming gases Over the years, a slew of different owners routinely flushed the ash from the coal-making process into impoundments, treated it, and then released it into Seneca Creek. In 2016, Crane reported discharging 170,000 gallons every two years, worrying the Gunpowder Riverkeeper and residents it had transferred hands from BGE to Raven Power Holdings in 2012 and then changed hands again Talen sold the plant to Middle River Power which specializes in the reuse and remediation of industrial properties When Forsite Development demolished the plant in 2022, residents of nearby Bowleys Quarters and Seneca Park worried about what the company was proposing: 285 townhouses on a dead-end road Residents had been doing the early lobbying work of making the site a waterfront park; with the townhouse plan formally proposed neighbors entered the normally locked gates surrounding the C.P Crane plant site to hear that their efforts paid off The Baltimore County Council voted last week to approve the sale of 85 acres to the county Forsite will retain about 38 acres for a battery storage project and about 13 acres on Carroll Island that is largely not developable because of its proximity to Aberdeen Proving Ground I know what it was like growing up around the existing power plant and all that brought with it,” said Bonnie Jasinski the vice president of the Seneca Park Improvement Association “We knew pitching this site as a park was a long shot we realized the site is a missing link between connecting what was already preserved.” The park will eventually connect to Marshy Point Nature Center and Eastern Regional Park Financing the acquisition was a team effort About $10 million came from state open-space money which the Maryland Department of Natural Resources administers Baltimore County is also getting $1.7 million from the federal government Jennings said he and his fellow lawmakers secured $3 million from the Maryland General Assembly for park improvements said creating the park took more than two years because of all the partnerships and site work required The county still does not know when the park will open the county’s director of parks and recreation said he expects to conduct a public process to find out what residents want at the park Forsite will continue to work with the Maryland Department of the Environment on remediation according to the company’s chief operating officer North Carolina-based company needs to clean up the site The cleanup will be ongoing after the sale goes through state and federal officials all marveled at the ability to protect what they called an important piece of waterfront property near the Gunpowder River a drinking water source for much of the county’s reservoir water Looking around at the panoramic view of the site “There’s only so much waterfront in existence Correction: This story has been updated with the correct spelling of Forsite Development 27 after a missing 62-year-old was found safely That's located in the Bowleys Quarters neighborhood Officers asked anybody who sees him to call 911 or 410-887-0220 This map shows the area where the Baltimore County Police Department said he was last seen — Baltimore County Fire is investigating the cause of a two-alarm apartment fire that injured two firefighters Saturday in Bowleys Quarters Authorities say the fire happened in the unit block of Starwood Court they discovered heavy fire coming from the roof Crews were able to confine the blaze to one building and extinguish the fire at 6:45pm Authorities say one firefighter suffered minor injuries and another firefighter was driven to a local hospital with injuries that were non-life-threatening The Red Cross is assisting displaced residents — It’s a tense moment captured on her cell phone were monitoring the rising water outside their home in Bowleys Quarters and they knew they were in for a sleepless night “We had probably about two inches of water in the garage but then down here was almost up to the deck down there and then the wind was pushing it,” Ron Hogg told us “I think that was until about 4:30 in the morning.” much of the floodwater had receded with the exception of a few of the streets which typically flood near the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department where emergency responders also were counting themselves lucky “The water came up probably as high as it’s done once or twice since Isabel has it been this high The fire department also deployed this boat to check for a few errant boats debris and other hazards in the aftermath of the storm which could pose a hazard to boaters out on the water The crew returned after some relatively minor cleanup We have them out of the water trying to help boaters doing anything we can.” The fire department is also working with the county to bring in some dumpsters to help residents materials as they clean up from the storm 2024 at 4:45 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski on Monday announced plans to convert the former Charles P Crane power plant is pictured above on its demolition day on Aug MD - Baltimore County plans to open a park in Bowleys Quarters at the site of a demolished power plant County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced the plans Monday Baltimore County only signed a letter of intent with the landowner Negotiations on the final sale price are now underway "I am proud of the ways in which our administration is preserving cherished open space and creating new parks and recreational opportunities – a core component of our ongoing efforts to improve the quality of life for all Baltimore County residents," Olszewski said in a press release "I applaud Councilman Marks and the Bowleys Quarters Improvement Association for their advocacy on behalf of this historic waterfront property along Seneca Creek which we believe can and should be enjoyed by the community for generations to come." The county plans to buy "considerable portions" of the 153-acre former Charles P County Council Member David Marks cheered the news saying it will protect the waterfront from heavy development "I would like to thank the Olszewski administration for moving forward with this critical land acquisition in Baltimore County and I would like to acknowledge all our elected officials and community leaders for their support," Marks said in the release "This will not only preserve one of the most beautiful waterfront regions on the Eastside but will lighten potential traffic and other activity along Eastern Avenue." The county plans to purchase the site with money from Maryland Program Open Space a parkland fund from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources The current owner plans to keep some of the land and is considering redevelopment for "low impact uses that support the resiliency of the regional power grid." "Additional infrastructure is critical to broader efforts to provide for reliable power to the region as the usage of renewable energy is increased and will advance County efforts to help the State of Maryland reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030," the release said The 400-megawatt coal plant closed in 2018 The power plant was demolished a year later Boaters used the two red and white smoke stacks as navigational markers for years Captains gathered to watch their planned implosion on Aug with dozens of boats dropping anchor in Seneca Ceek Forsite has been performing environmental remediation with the Maryland Department of Environment since its purchase "Forsite Development specializes in remediating repurposing and redeveloping Industrial Real Estate including Coal-Fired Power Plants we strive to find the highest and brightest use for the facility," Forsite Chief Operating Officer Ryan Ford said in the release "I would like to acknowledge the local communities and Councilman David Marks for their willingness to discuss the future use of the Charles P Crane facility for its redevelopment as a park and a future I also would like to thank the Olszewski administration for its hard work and support of this transaction that will provide for the property to transform from a coal-fired power plant to that of preserved waterfront open-space to be enjoyed by generations of Baltimore County residents and infrastructure that will contribute to the renewable energy goals of Baltimore County." BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A shuttered power station in Baltimore was set for implosion Friday morning Police told WBFF the C.P Crane Power Station in Bowleys Quarters would be imploded at 8 a.m Officers began securing the site starting at 6:30 a.m The coal plant opened in 1961 and closed in 2018 under an agreement with the Maryland Department of the Environment took down the plant's smokestacks earlier this summer That demolition was not advertised for public viewing because of safety concerns Forsite Development Inc. has said in the past it would like to redevelop the site as a renewable energy facility (WBFF) — An old power station that had been closed for years went down in a blast that not only leveled the plant but changed an important part of the landscape Demolition crews ignited charges at 8 this morning Crane Power Station in a heap of smoke and twisted metal ALSO READ |Shuttered Bowleys Quarters power station set for implosion Friday morning The coal plant opened in 1961 and closed in 2018 under an agreement with the Maryland Department of the Environment One resident said the plant was in the background of all the pictures she has as a child and got emotional watching the implosion "I just think it's sad," said Gina who said the plant was built when her mother was eight years old ALSO READ |SQUISH THEM! Marylanders asked to kill invasive spotted lanternfly without the power plant and the smokestacks there I probably wouldn't be able to find my way home by boat," she said has said in the past that it would like to redevelop the site as a renewable energy facility — Two decades have passed since Isabel decimated the waterfront community of Bowleys Quarters and Ron Hogg says after that once-in-a-lifetime storm he won’t be getting much sleep tonight just in case there could be a second one It went in the garage before and that’s a mess,” said Hogg “There’s just a lot of work to do before it even starts raining.” At the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Company work began two days ago to prepare for the storm and its potential impacts “We’re closely monitoring the weather,” said Chief Shannon Stallings We’re thinking some of the greater impact could happen late afternoon into the evening and maybe even the early hours of the morning We’re trying to monitor the winds in conjunction with the tides and if everything aligns but if everything goes its separate ways with the winds changing direction and the tides going out then we don’t have much to worry about at that point.” The chief says people should remain vigilant and listen for emergency updates or evacuation orders just to be on the safe side — A powerful storm led to flooding in communities along the Chesapeake Bay John Burkowske didn’t want to take any chances after his home was damaged during Hurricane Isabel He said he removed everything off his pier and stacked sandbags to block any water from coming in Burkowske’s home was spared from any damages it would spray up in the air and the wind would take that spray and throw it all the way up to the house,” he said "That gives you an idea of just the magnitude how strong the wind and water was.” Homeowners said the high tide was possibly at least four feet around 3:00 p.m “You could’ve actually been surfing around here,” he said The strong winds and intense waves sent water crashing into piers in Bowleys Quarters It also spilled over into some people’s backyards and in some cases reached people’s homes The flood water closed several streets throughout the area as well “A lot of folks don’t realize how rough the bay can get it,” Burkowske said Another high tide is expected early Saturday morning around 3:30 a.m Burkowske said he hopes the worst is behind them but added he’ll be keeping a close eye on the conditions (WBFF) - A popular Baltimore County restaurant announced it will be closing on Bowleys Quarters Road at Susquehanna Avenue said on Facebook it is "closed indefinitely" because "the new management had to walk away." The restaurant did say the management "cares deeply" about staff and the community and will be working with the building owner to determine "the future of the bar we have grown to love and that has become a staple of the community." (WBFF) - Baltimore County police are investigating a murder-suicide in the Bowleys Quarters area that happened at 10:30 p.m Officers responded to Bayville Road near Holly Hunt Road for a report of an attempted suicide with a gun They found both victims shot in the upper body and both were pronounced dead at the scene RELATED | Police: Dundalk woman found dead in her home was murdered RELATED | UPDATE: Officials ID 58-year-old man killed in Dundalk trailer fire The 300-foot-tall smokestacks that have towered over the Gunpowder River and its creeks for over a half-century fell Friday morning in Bowleys Quarters as demolition crews tear down the remaining structures of a shuttered coal-fired power plant. The planned destruction removed the last remaining structures at the defunct Charles P and comes as Baltimore County planners are weighing a request by property owner Forsite Development Inc to extend public water and sewer lines to the property a North Carolina-based firm that redevelops decommissioned industrial sites needs the approval to move forward plans to build 285 townhomes on sprawling waterfront land zoned for limited residential development The proposal has virtually no support among county officials nor nearby residents who want to see the property preserved as a natural park The old utility station closed in 2018 as part of a settlement between its former operators and state regulators that alleged the coal-fired plant exceeded emission caps for hydrogen chloride and carbon monoxide — toxic smog-forming gases that can irritate skin and eyes and cause fatigue dizziness or nausea — and that operators didn’t adequately test for emissions Plans for the future use of more than 150 acres on the eastern Baltimore County peninsula — which, until February, included a state-approved proposal to convert the coal plant to a utility fueled by natural gas — have riled neighbors and environmentalists since “This plant just happens to be in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay surrounded by million-dollar houses,” said Joanne Hock “The people here really are warriors when it comes to what they want to see happen in their community,” she said Built and run for years by the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company the 400-megawatt Crane plant — named after a popular past BGE president — was one of a half-dozen large power plants that began supplying power to Marylanders in the 1950s and following decade Bowleys Quarters residents failed to thwart the utility’s construction in the early 1960s president of the Bowleys Quarters Improvement Association Decades of opposition from environmental advocates and community groups followed as the plant changed hands and violated environmental protection regulations Operators are still trying to remediate an oil spill that occurred on the site several years ago under a former owner, Jim Hock said. And last month, a titanium fire burned through some buildings at the old station Forsite Development says it acquired the property in September from equity-backed firm Middle River Power The Chicago-based company bought the utility station for roughly $17.2 million in 2016 through its affiliate C.P Middle River Power’s plans to reopen the coal-fired generator as a natural gas-powered plant revived legal battles between environmental groups Bowleys Quarters residents and state regulators after the Public Service Commission approved the proposal in 2019 Middle River Power notified state regulators it was abandoning the project; the company didn’t meet the deadline to start building the natural gas-powered facility after the Public Service Commission signed off State land records show the old Crane station properties were acquired from C.P Crane LLC and Middle River Power through a special warranty deed for $10 and “other good and valuable consideration,” according to the deed Forsite CEO Tom McKittrick wouldn’t clarify terms of the sale A database of Maryland property records shows no payments by Forsite nor Bowleys Quarters Investments LLC McKittrick and Forsite’s chief operating officer wouldn’t comment on the proposed townhouse plan Forsite quickly devised after the company acquired the property in September Forsite pared their 400-townhome plan to 285 after opposition from neighbors like Jim Hock who told the developer the project’s scale wasn’t doable on land zoned to allow only up to 75 homes to be built (the power plant was approved by way of special exception the land’s typical zoning restrictions apply) the Baltimore County Council and the Maryland Department of the Environment to agree to extend public water and sewer lines to the property which runs along the county’s Urban Rural Demarcation Line (colloquially called the URDL) — a tool for growth management that limits public water and sewer delivery to just one-third of the county in suburban neighborhoods surrounding Baltimore City The line is meant to preserve the rural character of northern parts of the county, where the C.P. Crane property is located. Planning department staffers recommended the Planning Board deny the request there was not one person who testified in favor” of amending the county’s Urban Rural Demarcation Line during a July hearing before the Planning Board who is running against Democrat Crystal Francis to represent the waterfront community in the redrawn 5th District The board is expected to make a decision at its Sept Without backing from outgoing Councilwoman Cathy Bevins a Democrat who currently represents Bowleys Quarters Even if the developer is greenlighted to use municipal water and sewer lines Forsite would also need the County Council to either put forward their proposal as a planned unit development or get the zoning changed through the county’s quadrennial rezoning process “I don’t see that happening,” Jim Hock said “I believe the momentum is building toward that property being added to a nearby park” by leveraging federal “I would love to see a waterfront trail that [is] part of a larger regional trail park network,” Marks said County police and fire authorities as well as state Natural Resources Police will wall off Carroll Island and Seneca Park roads at 6:30 a.m taylor.deville@thebaltimorebanner.com Taylor DeVille Taylor DeVille covered Baltimore County government for The Baltimore Banner with a focus on the County Executive accountability and quality of life issues affecting suburban residents Taylor covered Baltimore County government and breaking news for The Baltimore Sun — Maryland Air National Guard firefighters teamed up with the Baltimore County Fire Department to rescue a man who fell into frigid water in a community near Martin State Air National Guard Base 2023.The 175th Wing fire department responded to a call for mutual aid at a pier at Safe Harbor Marina in Bowleys Quarters a 65-year-old man was found in the water clinging to a ladder The man was hypothermic with an altered level of consciousness.In response BCoFD Station 21 deployed rescue swimmers and the 175th Wing firefighters donned personal floatation devices before entering the water to assist in the extraction of the victim The firefighters and rescue swimmers were able to get the man onto a backboard and then utilized the boat’s ladder as a cantilever to hoist the man onto the pier.The 175th Wing firefighters initiated and maintained patient care until the man could be transferred to BCoFD Medic 54 which then transported him to the hospital.“Saving a life is the most important and rewarding part of a career in emergency services,” said Jason Hearne “Nobody ever calls the fire department when they are having a good day; we are called in someone’s moment of crisis We can be counted on to bring calm to a chaotic situation Our 175th Fire and Emergency Services fire fighters did exactly what they train to do and helped save someone’s life and as a fire chief I could not be more proud.”The firefighters of the 175th Wing belong to an organization that is an all-hazards agency that responds to approximately 250 emergencies per year on Martin State Air National Guard Base and the non-military airfield at Martin State Airport They also have a mutual-aid agreement with local fire stations that allows them to respond to approximately 250 mutual-agreement calls per year in the local community.“The 175th Fire and Emergency Services provide the Baltimore County Fire Department a highly trained and well equipped 24-hour staffed fire station possessing additional fire apparatus to better serve the citizens of the Middle River and Bowley’s Quarters communities,” said Hearne these communities are primarily served by volunteer fire companies The 175th is uniquely positioned to bring additional staff and resources to greatly enhance incident safety and successful outcomes by complementing the dedicated local volunteer firefighters.”To maintain peak readiness the 175th firefighters routinely train with their mutual-aid partners and maintain training standards that are required by the Department of Defense and U.S At the time of the response to this mutual-aid call the members of the 175th Fire Department who were not on a scheduled shift participated in Operation Frosty Strike a four-day readiness exercise at Martin State Airport.According to Hearne the all-hazards agency training in many skill sets is “the bedrock to safe and effective delivery of emergency services” as his firefighters undergo hundreds of hours of certification training and continuing education.As long as a federal flying mission remains at Martin State Airport the 175th Wing will be able to maintain their “highly skilled and experienced” firefighting capabilities “we want to continue serving the citizens in this community just as we have done for over 100 years.”“The premium that our team puts on advanced training to keep our members prepared for any situation is something that our community can be proud of,” said Hunt “Whether our firefighters are responding to an incident on base or in the local community they are well-prepared and dedicated to providing our community with expeditious and professional emergency services support.” one woman went from taking care of someone trapped in a car after a car wreck Megan Warfield splits her time serving others and volunteering at the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire and Rescue and working as a firefighter at Baltimore County Fire Department she's been on administrative duty awaiting the birth of her third child but that hasn't slowed down her need to help others Warfield and her mother had just finished hosting an annual golf tournament in remembrance of her father they found themselves in the middle of a multi-car crash made sure my mom was okay because she was driving and I realized that the car in front of us had flipped and that there was someone trapped inside,” said Warfield RELATED: 6 people injured in crash in Middle River, school bus among the wreck ignoring the chance that she could be hurt "So I got out and kinda just went over and reassured her held her in place until additional pieces could get there,” said Warfield Other firefighters and police showed up to take over the scene giving Warfield a chance to take a step back and get care for herself It was then that she realized that she had been involved the wreck as well "Then I realized I was cramping and a little uncomfortable and dizzy We got down to Johns Hopkins and I had some contractions that entire night and then they decided our little Charlotte was due to come into the world,” said Warfield "So I originally questioned Megan as to why she was there and then she told me she was actually involved in the accident my first thought was are you okay," said Shannon Stallings Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Station Chief Fire Officer Stallings is the Chief Fire Officer at Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department He says while he's not surprised to see Warfield immediately stepping in to help He was taken back to see it happen when she's so close to giving birth "It's not uncommon to see our volunteers on scene but to see one that's been on administrative duties only laying in glass and oil trying to care for someone just weeks out of her due date You don't see that everyday,” said Stallings I’m a firefighter for Baltimore County so I just kind of went right into that assess the situation and how can i help and get additional resources as quick as I can,” said Warfield — An auto shop at an Essex gas station was destroyed by fire early this morning Baltimore County Fire Department said crews were able to control the fire very fast No one appeared to be in the building at the time Photos from Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire company showed heavy smoke and flames coming from the building BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — Just hours after jumping into action to help others in a car crash, a pregnant firefighter gave birth On Oct. 4, Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Rescue & Marine (BQVFD) said one of their firefighters, only identified as Megan Megan was coming home from hosting her father's second annual memorial golf tournament when she got in a significant car crash Megan was able to get out of her own mangled car and immediately started helping a person trapped in their vehicle Megan stayed with the person until a squad arrived and waited until all the people involved in the crash were evaluated to have her own evaluation Megan has been a career firefighter in Baltimore County and has been serving in an administrative capacity for the past several months (WBFF) - Two people have suffered burns after a fire broke out on a boat at a Bowley's Quarters marina late Friday morning A third person was treated on the scene for respiratory complications Baltimore County firefighters responded to the fire just before 11 a.m Officials confirmed two people were burned and were transported to the Bayview Burn Center for treatment The cause of the fire remains under investigation Crane power plant in Bowleys Quarters is no more the former power plant was demolished in a planned implosion © 2008-2025 - Shore News Media & Marketing Ltd Crane Power Station in Bowleys Quarters imploded The implosion happened right on schedule at 8 a.m in front of hundreds of onlookers in boats or on land who has lived next door to the plant all her life The power plant was a landmark and navigational beacon that neighbors that will be missed by neighbors Everybody knows when they are out there on the water; there’s home John Heinz with the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department What's left of the 153-acre plot will be cleaned up It's not clear what will happen to the land It was bought by Forsite Development last year and they have been working to clean it up since The plant had been in operations since the 1960s before shutting down in 2018 Any effort to make it a national historical landmark failed Any effort to make it a navigational aid failed," said Heinz The Baltimore County Planning Board will vote at its next meeting at the beginning of September whether to approve Forsite's request to extend sewer and water to the site Some of the options for the property include turning it into a renewable energy provider Neighbors like Kammann hope it doesn’t turn into a large development "There was a certain peace that it was there and it wouldn’t be developed into an area with 400 houses Our community doesn’t have the infrastructure to support that so there’s a sense of uncertainty as it comes down," said Kammann "BGE was given a special exemption to build that plant because it was for the greater good and clearly that need no longer exists so I would like that property to go back into rural conservation and be persevered for generations to come." Missed the very beginning but wow. End of an era @WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/vh7Ou4UdwL Implosions are a spectator sport I guess… dozens of boaters out waiting to see the CP Crane Station come down @WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/nyviiQbFoF As the dust clears, you can see what’s left of the plant pic.twitter.com/WxEWYxHhma