Party

UPDATE: Check out a photo gallery of images from Joe Flacco's wedding here. The photos can also be found on the website of photographer Jason Prezant , but the site has been inaccessible due to the high interest in the Flacco pictures. . Joe Flacco's wedding photos have been posted out in the blogosphere, and simply put, they are amazing. The photos, which were published to the blog of wedding photographer Jason Prezant, shed a little light onto what the Ravens quarterback is like away from the television cameras and our microphones.

Anyone who's been to Baltimore Pride -- or any Pride, really -- knows there is a lot to see. It takes a lot to make me raise my eyebrows, but I did on several occassions during the parade and block party in Mount Vernon on Saturday -- mostly with a smile. How boring would it be if that wasn't the case at the state's largest gay party? But beyond the shocking, and beyond the funny, a few broader themes also stood out. Here's Baltimore Pride in a blender: a quick mix of insights from a rowdy day of celebration, political posturing and hometown charm.

Sen. Rand Paul is recruiting plaintiffs - and seeking donations - for a class-action lawsuit against the National Security Agency. “Dear Patriot,” the Kentucky Republican wrote Thursday in an e-mail to supporters. “I'm looking for ten million Americans to stand with me and sue the federal government and TAKE BACK our rights. “Can I count on your help? “Without it, I truly fear where our fragile Republic could be headed …” Paul, who is expected to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, told a Fox News interviewer this week that he would be asking Internet providers and telephone companies to join him in a lawsuit against the electronic eavesdropping agency based at Fort Meade.

Peggy M. Boellner, a homemaker who enjoyed cooking and entertaining family and friends, died June 7 of complications from a fall at her Timonium home. She was 83. The daughter of a public works employee and a homemaker, Peggy Marie Wax was born and raised in Norton, Va. During World War II, she moved to Baltimore with her family and attended Southern High School. While working at a Read Drug and Chemical Co. pharmacy in the 2100 block of E. Monument St., she met and fell in love with her future husband.

We Democrats welcome the Republican voters and their candidates back into the fire. It has been lonely being the only active party, solving problems. Now remember, you don't have the luxury of "no," and you are getting a second chance to take back "your" country. There will be no more opportunities for the Republican voters or their party if your representatives drop the ball. The pressure is off us Democrats. Now we can sit back and ask you and your party why things are not going well.

Baltimore's movers and shakers were at the American Visionary Art Museum for "Harbor Lights: Leading the Way Home". The event celebrated the 25th anniversary of Enterprise Homes and the 10th anniversary of the Enterprise Women's Network, and honored Bart Harvey, the former chairman and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners. Baltimore's movers and shakers were at the American Visionary Art Museum for "Harbor Lights: Leading the Way Home." The event celebrated the 25th anniversary of Enterprise Homes and the 10th anniversary of the Enterprise Women's Network, and honored Bart Harvey , the former chairman and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library was abuzz with activity at Art With A Heart's 10th anniversary celebration, "A Decade of Difference." Tunes from a band mixed with chatter from a few hundred guests like: Dale Stevens , RHI Inc. president; Rachel Monroe , the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation president; Melody McCoy , Jhpiego director of external affairs; Jami Kofsky , Kimberly-Clark customer business partner; George Braswell ...

Jazz Age clothing reflects the Art Deco emphasis on geometric lines, according to Cindi Ryland, owner of Retropolitan in Annapolis, who shared her tips for what to wear. Women should look for dresses with pronounced dropped waists with no darts in the bust line. When checking the condition of a 1920s dress, pay attention to the shoulders, which might show damage from years of storage on a hanger. This need not be a deal-breaker; sometimes repairs can be made. No zippers for men or women; buttons, please.

Two people went to the hospital with minor injuries early Saturday after a party in a hall used by the Violetville Volunteer Fire Department got out of hand. Baltimore County Sgt. Benjamin Yohe said that the two incidents - a stabbing and a man who was struck by a car - weren't related. Police were called at 1:38 a.m. to 4000 Benson Ave. after a 25-year-old Baltimore man was cut in the neck. Six minutes later, Yohe said, another partygoer was hit by an Acura in front of the fire station.

With the passing of William Donald Schaefer, we should be reminded of what can be achieved when our elected officials place the concerns of the voters above party affiliation. His life served as a testament to those who work tirelessly every day in Annapolis to achieve the best for their constituents and reminds us all that in the end, whether Democrat, Republican or moderate, we are all Marylanders. Jessica Fugate, Nottingham

Who is the face of American liberalism? Who is the face of American conservatism? In Washington politics and on social media these days, the king and queen of "base" politics are two freshman U.S senators — Texas' Ted Cruz for conservatives and Massachusetts' Elizabeth Warren for liberals. The fast rise of these two politicians, both less than one year into their respective terms, is directly tied to the nation's harsh liberal-conservative divide. Studies show political polarization in Congress is now the highest since Reconstruction.

Finally, there's a use for that hideous bridesmaid dress your best friend made you wear for her wedding. (Don't worry, everyone has one!) This Friday, June 14, Power Plant Live is hosting "Baltimore's Biggest Wedding Party. " The event features live music by The Dan Band of "The Hangover. " Seriously, how could you forget that epic performance of "Candy Shop" in "The Hangover"? Audience members are encouraged to wear their best or worst bridesmaid dress or tuxedo to the free event.

A recent squabble between Mount Vernon business owners and community leaders over the limits of a raucous annual gay pride block party has resulted in new limitations on the celebration this weekend. Organizers have agreed to reduce the physical boundaries of Baltimore Pride, the open-air party scheduled for Saturday, and say they will end the event an hour earlier than in the past. Still, tensions remain, according to those involved. Critics say the event has spiraled out of control, and accuse organizers at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore and local bar owners of allowing underage drinking and public urination to go unchecked in neighborhood alleyways and parking lots.

The Navy is investigating the alleged sexual assault last year of a female midshipman at the Naval Academy by three members of the football team, a Pentagon spokesman confirmed Friday. The woman has told investigators she remembers little of the alleged assault, which she said occurred after she became intoxicated at an off-campus party in Annapolis, her attorney said. Susan Burke, the Washington-based attorney, said the woman learned from friends and social media that three football players were claiming after the party that they had had sex with her while she was incapacitated.

J. Paul's at Harborplace is throwing a patio party Thursday night. The $25 ticket includes "heavy appetizers," house wine, rail drinks and Natty Boh cans. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will benefit Boys Hope Girls Hope of Baltimore, a privately funded, non-profit residential program for children-in-need. The patio party is at 5:30-8 p.m. on May 30 at J. Paul's , 301 Light St. For information call 410) 659-1889 or go to www.bhghbaltimore.org. #sigshell { padding: 10px; float: left; width: 320px; height: 52px; margin: 20px 0px; display: block; }

On a recent Friday evening, a carnival on wheels took to the streets of Baltimore. Women decked out in chandelier earrings juggled floor-length or knee-high dresses on bicycles. Men wearing bow ties and blazers peddled mountain bikes, while one young man sported a powder-blue tuxedo and loose blond hair on his BMX. Spend just a few minutes watching this crowd move through an intersection or up a street and it's no wonder most residents and motorists had a look of wonder or surprise on their faces.

All are welcome to join hocoblogs  and  The Baltimore Sun  at tonight's blogtail party, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at The Stanford Grill in Columbia. Bring your smartphones, your charming self and perhaps a blog-reading friend or two. Kids are also welcome , and the group will be outside in the patio area, so there is more space for kids to be included in an adult party yet not required to sit still for (what may seem like) an eternity to them. The Baltimore Sun is bringing a posse of their staff to engage with those curious about their " blog network , The Mobbies , the Explore Howard site redesign, the new  Howard County Desk - Baltimore Sun Facebook Page and anything else bloggers and readers would like to discuss.

All quiet at Bernstein's watch party At JD's Smokehouse in Canton, the Bernstein party is sequestered upstairs in a room with four TV cameras, two bored bartenders and three stuffed deer heads on the wall. No sign of Democratic state's attorney challenger Gregg Bernstein, but his banner is flying proudly, right above the Reingold Lager sign behind a makeshift podium. As the polls close, a rep said he's going home to "regroup" and show up down here a little after 9 p.m. Supporters are starting to trickle in, and a rep from the police department is hanging out in the corner but made sure to say that there isn't an official police presence.

If you decide to ride this month's Bike Party (5 p.m. Friday at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, 1901 Falls Road), there are a few items you shouldn't forget to bring. Volunteer coordinator Adam Hull has been helping organize the ride almost since the start and suggests the following: • A spare tire tube, levers and a small wrench. "We ask people to bring those in case you have a flat tire," says Hull. "Even if you're not able to repair your own tire, someone can hopefully help - but they need to have the tools to do it. " If your mechanical problem is too big to fix during the ride, there are usually volunteer Zipcar vehicles following along in back to pick up stranded riders and their bikes.

The 2014 governor's race came into clearer focus Wednesday as Harford County Executive David R. Craig set a date to announce his Republican candidacy and Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown's campaign confirmed that Howard County Executive Ken Ulman will be his running mate in his bid for the Democratic nomination. Craig, 63, will become the first major GOP contender to enter the race when he holds a campaign event Monday. Brown, who got a jump on other Democrats when he announced his candidacy this month, plans to announce Ulman's agreement to join his ticket the same day. With the twin announcements, the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Martin O'Malley will shift into a higher gear.