A coalition of local journalists, watchdogs and legal groups filed a federal lawsuit today arguing for the right to broadcast recordings of criminal trials in Maryland.

Under a section of Maryland’s Code of Criminal Procedure, the publication of audio and visual records from a trial, hearing, motion or argument during a criminal proceeding is forbidden, even though citizens can purchase audio recordings and review video–complete with bench conferences–at the courthouse.

This ban, the plaintiffs argue, violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. In asking for it to be removed, the plaintiffs say putting these materials into the public sphere would provide greater government transparency and accountability.

Mary Bubala is out at CBS affiliate WJZ-TV after asking a question last week that linked the race and gender of the last three mayors and wondered if the city needs a new direction in leadership.

“Mary Bubala is no longer a WJZ-TV employee,” Audra L. Swain, vice president and general manager of the network, confirmed in an email to Baltimore Fishbowl. “The station apologizes to its viewers for her remarks.”

Reflecting on Catherine Pugh’s historic resignation on Thursday afternoon, anyone with basic knowledge of the scandal would recall that her ethically questionable children’s book business dealings, currently under state and federal investigative scrutiny, contributed to her decision to step down.

Since the “Healthy Holly” news broke, many have pointed to a prior mayoral scandal that led Sheila Dixon to resign as Baltimore’s mayor less than a decade ago.

And while logic would suggest it was both Pugh’s and Dixon’s financial misdeeds that caused their mayoral terms to end prematurely, WJZ-TV’s Mary Bubala offered a cringe-worthy alternative explanation last night during a political analysis segment with Kaye Whitehead, an associate professor of communication and African and African-American Studies at Loyola University Maryland.

Former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, former Baltimore Sun editor David Nitkin and writer Karen Nitkin have bought a stake in Baltimore Fishbowl.

Dave Durian, the long-time morning host on WBAL 1090, died early Monday after a battle with lung cancer and a stroke, the station announced this morning. He was 72.