(BALTIMORE – October 20, 2025) – Smoke was clearing away as neighbors came out early, picking up trash and debris. The morning after Baltimore’s first riots in 47 years, people began gathering at the battered intersection. Cameramen and reporters swarmed what had become the epicenter of global attention, while politicians scrambled to find out if the 1600 block of West North Avenue was in their district.
It’s a shame how politicians regard Penn-North. The people here know local politics better than many could imagine. They know who’s delivered and who hasn’t. They attend Penn-North Community Association meetings, Druid Heights CDC meetings, and WNADA meetings.
One thing politicians too often forget: Baltimoreans have a radar for authenticity. We can spot sincerity — and we can spot a phony who only shows up for the camera. Remember, the people here lived through Freddie Gray. They’ve watched the same vacants sit for decades. None of this is new.
To be fair, not all of this can be blamed on current leadership. But they do have an obligation — and truth be told, not enough has been done. When then–Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby charged six police officers for Freddie Gray’s death, it forced local law enforcement to finally face accountability. Many officers didn’t like it. The resulting Consent Decree, combined with “take-a-knee” policing, has left us with cops sitting in their cars with flashing lights while open-air drug markets thrive right outside their windows.
There was a time when this intersection had respect — even with the drugs. You could buy Earl Koger’s Pocket Magazine here. A Black-owned insurance company served hundreds. Barber shops and salons lined the avenue. The Arch Social Club was a cornerstone of Baltimore nightlife, filled with live jazz and good dancing. That was Penn-North — not so long ago.
People came here for the library, for health services, for community. One librarian who worked during the unrest is still traumatized. Today, Penn-North reeks of drug paraphernalia. The CVS that once burned down reopened — only to fade again into obscurity.
According to veteran addiction counselor Steve Dixon, Penn-North has become the distribution point for a new drug few are talking about: Nitazene — stronger than fentanyl and immune to Narcan. Meanwhile, politicians bicker over who should represent this intersection moving forward. Is this childish banter, or do they truly care? Do they really want change at this historic corner?
Let’s be clear: no politician has done more for this area than Senator Antonio Hayes. He spearheaded what has become a $50 million investment under the Moore Administration and was an early supporter of Governor Wes Moore.
But here’s the real scoop: Congressman Kweisi Mfume’s name keeps coming up as younger voices quietly discuss his eventual retirement. Both Mayor Brandon Scott and Sen. Hayes are thought to be eyeing that seat. Now, Councilman Mark Conway may be as well. The congressional term is only two years — meaning even if Conway misses in 2026, he can run again in 2028 or focus on re-election.
That said, Penn-North remains an albatross around not just Councilman James Torrence’s neck, but the city’s as a whole. The New Baltimore we’re envisioning cannot be handcuffed by addiction and open-air drug dealing. Hayes’ golden child — the West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA) — cannot blossom until addiction is addressed, treated, and replaced by stability and civility. Because right now, Penn-North is off the hook — and the Avenue Market doesn’t look much better.
Band-aid approaches for the camera will not work. We need a comprehensive plan: mental health services, trauma counseling, housing, and employment. We said it before and we’ll say it again: Penn-North is a Hurricane Katrina every day.
Every day, we need food deliveries and fresh groceries.
Every day, we need vacants restored by qualified contractors who respect the architecture of this city.
Every day, we need trash picked up — and every day, we need consistency.
Because addiction doesn’t take days off. Dealers don’t sleep — and neither can the people who work for change.
And here’s the bottom line: there can be no “New Baltimore” until this age-old issue is addressed. Drugs may never be totally eliminated, but something can and must be done — and immediately so. Enough is enough.
This crisis ties directly to education and employment. If kids aren’t going to school, it’s because we’ve failed to offer them something better. That means after-school programs and recreation centers. No Fortune 500 company will invest in a city where illiteracy thrives. One of Baltimore’s greatest campaigns was “The City That Reads” — because it reminded us that literacy is liberation.
Many households today are fractured: 70% of our children live with single mothers. Over 30% of America’s incarcerated population are Black men. These realities deepen the problem — but they are not excuses.
If you run for office without solutions, you’re part of the problem. Drugs on Pennsylvania Avenue aren’t new. Candidates knew this before they ran — and yet, little has changed. No one deserves a promotion before completing the assignment.
Advocates like Yolanda Pulley and I have called attention to Penn-North for years. The recent overdoses should’ve sparked outrage and urgency. Residents who rely on public transportation shouldn’t have to walk through an open-air drug market as part of daily life. But they do — because nothing has changed since 2015.
Penn-North deserves more than photo ops and ribbon cuttings. It deserves world-class intervention — grounded in law, order, restoration, and love. Baltimore cannot move forward until Penn-North is healed.
