Midday: Recent Episodes
WYPR Baltimore
Monday-Friday from noon-1:00, Tom Hall and his guests are talking about what's on your mind, and what matters most to Marylander's, the latest news, local and national politics, education and the environment, popular culture and the arts, sports and science, race and religion, movies and medicine. We welcome your questions and comments. E-mail us at midday@wypr.org
Cellist Amit Peled is the founder and artistic director of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi, a string orchestra of young musicians who perform free concerts in churches, synagogues, prisons, hospitals and schools throughout the Baltimore-Washington area.
The Mount Vernon Virtuosi will be presenting their annual Mozart in Jeans concerts tomorrow and Sunday in Baltimore and Rockville.
The Mount Vernon Virtuosi is a WYPR underwriter.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Music from Handel’s Messiah is a holiday staple around the world, including here in Baltimore. Nobody has done it annually for as many years in our area as the Handel Choir of Baltimore.
This year the chorus is celebrating their 90th season and will offer Handel’s beloved masterpiece this weekend with shows in Baltimore and Timonium.
Brian Bartoldus, the Choir’s Music Director and Jason Rudy, chair of the Handel Choir’s board and singer in the chorus, join Midday to share more on their holiday shows.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In this year-end edition of Midday with Mayor, Brandon Scott talks with Tom about his goals and priorities for the city in his historic second term.
In 2025, how will he move forward on violence reduction, vacant housing and water bills?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Myriam Rogers, the Superintendent of the Baltimore County Schools, received great news when the annual Maryland School Report Card was released earlier this month. Twenty Baltimore County schools received a 5-star rating, the most of any jurisdiction in the state.
Additionally, Dr. Rogers is moving forward to address school safety and budget challenges as the district continues to grow.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
As Christians celebrate the Christmas holiday this month, churches and parishes in Maryland and across the country are wrestling with a dilemma that has affected every Christian denomination: a marked decrease in the number of people who attend services and say they are affiliated with a church.
Dr. Firmin DeBrabander is a philosophy professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art and he wrote an article appearing in the Fall Issue of The Hedgehog Review called “The Vast Dechurching and the Paradox of Christianity’s Decline.” He joins Midday to explain the changes in American Christianity.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week's review includes some of her favorite theater actors which are puppets.
'Life of Pi' tells the story of a young man's journey with zoo animals in the ocean after a shipwreck. The production runs through December 14 at the Hippodrome Theatre .
Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman for MurphyMade
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch, where they discuss issues affecting the health and well-being of Charm City residents.
Today, Dr. Wen will address your concerns with healthcare coverage, risks of the bird flu and the future of vaccine access.
Dr. Wen is a former health commissioner of Baltimore and columnist for the Washington Post.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Should President Biden issue pre-emptive pardons for any people the Trump administration may prosecute when he returns to the White House?
Kim Wehle is a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law and her latest book is Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works-And Why. She joins Midday to tell us more about the pardon process.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In MD, 15% of childcare providers have closed up shop between the pandemic in 2020 and this year. For parents juggling the demands of work and raising children, finding a safe and reliable situation for their kids is a crucial component of every family’s life.
Midday guest Christina Eaglin is the author of "Who’s Watching My Baby: A Complete Guide to Competent Childcare," and she talks with Tom about this all too familiar issue for many families.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin ends a storied 58-year career in public service in a few weeks. He served in the state legislature, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Now he approaches retirement at the age of 81.
In Congress, he has been one of the Senate’s most impactful members, passing legislation on Human Rights, Health Care, the Environment, Transportation, and a host of other issues.
Cardin reflects on a career in Maryland and national politics that has spanned nearly 60 years on Midday.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today, we talk about raising young people—from babies to teenagers.
Dr. Ashanti Woods of the Mercy Medical Center answers your questions. Surveys of America’s young people find poor mental health is a widespread problem. How can you keep the young people in your life healthy and happy this winter?
Plus, good childcare has become more costly and difficult to find. 1 in 6 childcare providers have closed up shop since the beginning of the pandemic, and parents and caregivers across Maryland are feeling the strain.
We hear from Christina Eaglin, the author of Who’s Watching My Baby: A Complete Guide to Competent Childcare.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Psychologist and author Dr. George Everly joined Midday in November to talk about moving on from the stress of a tumultuous election season. Today, we discuss coping with loneliness and isolation through the lens of the enormous literature of self-help books. Dr. Everly is the co-author, with the business entrepreneur Jim McCann, of Lodestar: Tapping Into 10 Timeless Pillars of Success.
Everly is a public health scholar who specializes in crisis management and resilience. He is on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins Medical School, and he is the founder of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Council recently released a survey that examined what the top-of-mind issues are around the region. Mike Kelly, BMC’s executive director, joins us to take stock of the survey's results on how Marylanders feel on a wide range of issues.
The BMC brings together the chief executives of Baltimore and the counties that surround it, as well as others, to look at the challenges each jurisdiction faces through the lens of regional cooperation and shared interest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
WYPR will begin airing "Poe Theatre on the Air," a collection of stories and poems produced by The National Edgar Allen Poe Theatre. The series will air quarterly beginning December 8 as a part of WYPR's Radio Theatre Sunday Night.
The Poe Theatre's Founder and Artistic Director Alex Zavistovich joins Midday to share a preview of the series.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
As 2024 comes to a close, Midday takes stock of the financial markets, where the opportunities for successful investing are, and what we can do to minimize any tax consequences that may come our way.
So, what does that mean moving forward, for both experienced investors and people ready to dip their toes in the market for the first time?
Nicolas Abrams joins Midday to take your questions and share some tips about how to manage your money, whether you are just entering the workforce, or planning to retire soon. Abrams is a certified financial planner and the founder of Opulentia, a financial services firm in Hunt Valley.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Last night, President Joe Biden issued a broad pardon for his son, reversing an earlier pledge to not interfere in his legal affairs. Hunter Biden had been scheduled to be sentenced in his gun possession and tax cases next week.
Luke Broadwater, a congressional correspondent for the New York Times, joins us with the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Holly Arnold, Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration, talks about managing rising ridership while state budget cuts seem inevitable. Plus, news on the Red Line.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It’s the What Ya' Got Cookin'? Thanksgiving edition, a beloved tradition here on Midday, going all the way back to 2016. Tom talks with John Shields, owner of Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art and Damian Mosely of Blacksauce Kitchen.
The two chefs talk with Tom and the Midday callers about cooking tips and food faux pas for folks preparing tomorrow's big meal.
We also get a special check-in from Tom's mom, Rosemary Hall.
Jo-Jo’s Curried Crab Dip (Gertrude's Recipe)
Ingredients (8 servings):
1/2 cup of Dried currants
1 lb of Cream cheese
2 tbsp of Madras Curry Powder
2 tbsp of Mayonnaise
1/3 cup of Coconut Milk
1/3 cup of Minced green onions or chives
1/3 cup of finely diced Red bell pepper
1 lb of Lump or Claw Crab meat
1 pack of Melba rounds, Water crackers or Ginger snaps.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl place the currants and just enough water to cover. Let stand for 15 minutes. Drain, but reserve 2 tablespoons of liquid, and put the currants aside.
- In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, curry powder, mayonnaise, coconut milk, green onion, and red bell pepper. Beat until smooth and somewhat creamy.
- Mix in the crabmeat, currants, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved currant liquid.
- Transfer the mixture to a greased casserole dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve hot or warm with Melba rounds, Water crackers, or Ginger snaps.
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie (Gertrude's Recipe)
Ingredients (1-9 Inch Pie):
1 Pie Crust
3 Eggs
1/2 cup of Sugar
1/2 cup of Brown sugar
1 cup of Karo syrup
2 tsp of Vanilla extract
1/2 cup of Melted butter
2 tsp of Flour
2 oz of Unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 oz of Semi-sweetened chocolate, melted
1/4 cup of Locally distilled bourbon
1 1/2 cup of Pecan pieces (per pie)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cream eggs and sugar together.
- Stir in the Karo syrup, vanilla, butter, and flour, Mix well. Add chocolate and bourbon.
- Spread pecan pieces around the bottom of each pie crust.
- Pour in filling and gently mix into the nuts.
- Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until puffy and set.
- Cool and serve.
Rosemary Hall's Fresh Cranberry Relish
Tom’s Mom makes this delicious cranberry concoction, which Tom and his Mom first learned from James Porterfield, a friend in Ithaca, NY.
Ingredients:
1lb Cranberries
1/2 cup of White granulated sugar
(Tom uses 1/4 of a cup)
1/2 cup of Firmly packed brown sugar
(Tom uses 1/4 of a cup)
1 cup of water
Directions:
- Grab a pot and bring the cranberries and sugar to a boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- When cool, mix in:
- 2 tbsp of Horseradish
- 2 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- Serve over Cream cheese as an Appetizer, or eat it as a side with Turkey, Chicken, or Pork.
Sweet Potato Biscuits (Blacksauce Recipe)
Ingredients:
4.75 lbs of All-purpose flour
7 tbsp of Baking powder
4 tbsp of Sugar
2 tsp of Salt
1.75 lb of Cold butter, cut into parts
1 lb of a Peeled Sweet potato
64 oz of Buttermilk
2 oz of Heavy cream
2 tbsp of Turbinado sugar
Directions:
- Preheat convection oven to 400°F. (if you’re using a conventional oven, then 425°F).
- Line two half-size sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Measure dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt) into a stainless steel bowl.
- Using a knife and sanitized cutting board, cut the butter into 1-ounce cubes.
- In small batches, pulse the flour mixture and butter in the bowl of a food processor until the mixture resembles a coarse cornmeal.
- Return mixture to stainless steel bowl.
- Add roasted sweet potato to the food processor; pulse in the buttermilk.
- Make a well in the center of the flour & butter mixture; using a stainless steel spoon, fold in sweet potato buttermilk mixture just until the dough comes together.
- Turn out the biscuit dough onto dry, lightly floured work table; bring together and knead twice.
- Flatten the mound of dough, with hands or rolling pin, to two inches in height.
- Cut biscuits using 2” biscuit cutter, and place next to each other on sheet pan.
- Bake for 9 minutes in full size electric convection oven
- Remove biscuits from the oven and, working quickly, brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Return to the oven and bake for 9 more minutes in full size electric convection oven.
- Remove pans from oven and place onto bun rack to cool.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Baltimore Children & Youth Fund supports access to arts, athletics, music, mental healthcare and more, using 3 percent of the city’s property tax each year.
The idea behind the community foundation is to fundamentally change the dynamic for nonprofits in the city, and get more money into the hands of Baltimoreans making a difference in the lives of children across the city. In 2024, BCYF awarded $9 million in grant funding to 91 youth programs.
However, some critics say more transparency into the funds is needed. Can the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund guarantee its using the fund wisely, and create an impact?
BCYF CEO and President Alysia Lee joins the program to talk about their work. Lonnie Walker of JOY Baltimore, a grantee of the community foundation also joins the conversation.
Later, Heather Iliff of group Maryland Nonprofits talks best practices for community foundations and how smaller nonprofits can make a bigger impact.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday's guest is the best-selling author, Ann Patchett. Her latest book is an annotated edition of her most popular novel, Bel Canto, which was published to great acclaim in 2001. In the latest version, she walks us through what she wrote, page by page, commenting on what she thinks could be improved. She shares insights into her creative process with the same kind of grace, humor and gifts of perception that draw us all to her novels and essays.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On the Midday Newswrap, WYPR's Emily Hofstaedter discusses her recent reporting on the first audit of Baltimore’s Safe Streets program. The first biennial audit for MONSE, which oversees Safe Streets, found the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement had weak processes to prevent duplicate payments and overpayments to contractors.
Ultimately, the audit found no evidence of fraud but warned that MONSE was making itself susceptible to fraud if it did not heed recommendations from the Department of Audits.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Two public servants who represent change on the Baltimore City Council join Midday.
Kristerfer Burnett was elected to represent the 8th district in 2016. He has decided to retire from the council at the end of this term, which is in a couple of weeks. His successor is Paris Gray, who served in Councilman Burnett’s office for four years as a community outreach coordinator.
We ask the pair about their work, past and future, on the city council.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Today we discuss Frozen, on stage at the Olney Theatre Center through January 5. The theatre was one of the few regional venues that Disney asked to produce their own take on this animated classic.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Enrollment in Baltimore City schools continue to decline, in parallel to the city's shrinking population over the past few decades. There are nearly 10,000 fewer kids in city classrooms this year than there were 10 years ago.
With funding for schools tied to the number of students in classrooms, less students represents a challenge for school officials. Chronic absenteeism, which afflicts Baltimore schools and schools across the country, is also a pressing problem.
Meanwhile, if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his pledge to shutter the federal Department of Education, what would that mean for our city?
Baltimore City Public School system CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises joins Midday to talk about the her school system, and its future.
Santelises led the system longer than any other city CEO in the last several decades. Her last contract expired in June. Chair Ronald McFadden reportedly engaged in months-long negotiations with Santelises that ended last summer with an offer for her to continue as CEO for just one more year, while a national search for her successor was undertaken. Then, about a month ago, the board voted to extend her contract another year, through June 2026. McFadden and Roberts voted against that extension, and this week they resigned as commissioners.
Liz Bowie, an education reporter with WYPR's news partner the Baltimore Banner, reports the reshuffling of the board is the result of a power struggle on the board over negotiations on a new contract with Santelises.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday revisits Tom's conversation with political scientist Tom Schaller, a professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and former Washington Post columnist Paul Waldman. In February they published, 'White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy.'
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Donald Trump’s penchant for fabrication and malicious claims against immigrants and others did not seem to matter to voters in the last election. A majority of voters chose Trump to serve a second term.
My guest has been chronicling lying in politics for the past 17 years. Bill Adair is the creator of PolitiFact. We’ll talk about his latest book, Beyond the Big Lie: The Epidemic of Political Lying, Why Republicans Do It More, and How It Could Burn Down Our Democracy.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday on the Arts, a rare, Reconstruction-era masterpiece by the groundbreaking African American composer Scott Joplin is on stage at Morgan State University. Opera@Morgan artistic director Marquita Lister tells us about Treemonisha.
Plus, the violin virtuoso Qing Lee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra joins Midday to preview her appearance at Emmanuel Church tomorrow night at Emmanuel Church.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
First District Baltimore Councilman Zeke Cohen dominated the primary and general election to become the next President of the Baltimore City Council, succeeding Nick Mosby. Cohen is a Democrat who has been on the council since 2016.
Cohen joins Midday to talk about his priorities as he assumes one of only three city-wide offices.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It is the Midday Newswrap on today's show.
Baltimore’s go-it-alone approach to holding companies accountable for their role in the opioid epidemic continues to pay off. This week, the city won yet another huge judgment. WYPR’s Health Reporter Scott Maucione has the latest.
Plus, Aman Azhar of Inside Climate News reports on efforts to end Maryland’s use of energy generated by trash incineration. Advocates have long railed against waste-to-energy plants, but now lawmakers are signaling their appetite for change.
And, we remember a titan of Baltimore politics. Mary Pat Clarke passed away this week. Former Baltimore City Councilman Anthony Ambridge reflects on her life of service.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, we discuss Into the Woods, at the Vagabond Players through Sunday, Nov. 17.
Then we briefly take a look at another Broadway musical in town, MJ, at the Hippodrome through Sunday.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today, a conversation about how immigration policy will change when President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House. He says his intention is to hire or nominate immigration officials who have long taken hardline positions.
Tom speaks with Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the President and CEO of Global Refuge, which provides asylum services and assists refugees with resettlement.
He also talks with Mark Parker, who has just been elected to serve on the Baltimore City Council to represent District 1, which includes a large Hispanic population. Community organizer Susana Barrios also joins us. She is the Vice President of the Latino Racial Justice Circle.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
More than one in five people in Baltimore live in a food desert, which the city calls “Healthy Food Priority Areas.” More than 30% of people who live a quarter-mile from an affordable grocery store in the city are African American.
A quick trip to a full-service grocery store, or a trip for a week's worth of food, is made harder when supermarkets are farther away. Convenience stores and small corner markets fill in the gap, but they rarely offer produce or affordable prices.
The residents in neighborhoods near the B&O Railroad Museum were part of that grim statistic until recently. A new store in the Mount Clare Junction shopping plaza, JumboFresh Supermarket, features a wide variety of foods and products catering to the culturally-diverse clientele of nearby neighborhoods.
Improving food access is crucial for the health and wellbeing of city residents. Today, a discussion about how this new store came to open in Southwest Baltimore, its unique business model and what it means to the residents of the surrounding areas. Are there lessons other neighborhoods can replicate?
We begin with Bif Browning, the President of the Union Square Association, and Jonathan Tejada, a JumboFresh staff member.
Later in the program, we talk to Baltimore City 10th District Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, and Carrie Baniszewski, the Executive Director of the neighborhood development nonprofit Pigtown Main Street.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
WYPR Reporter John Lee joins Midday to discuss an eventful time in Baltimore County politics.
The Baltimore County Council is set to expand in 2026 after voters approved a measure to add two members to the 7-member body. And with Johnny Olszewski heading to Washington, D.C., the county also needs to find a new county executive.
Plus, the Baltimore County Council decided to keep a district map it drew for nine council seats, but the issues is not resolved. Councilman Julian Jones, a Democrat, said is it likely the County Council will be sued over the nine-district map.
Lee catches us up on the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday to discuss his priorities as he enters a second term. What are the prospects for projects planned with federal assistance? While President Joe Biden made promises to Baltimore, the administration of President-elect Donald Trump may not offer continued support.
We also discuss Baltimore Safe Streets, a prominent part of the city's violence reduction strategy, the passing of the influential Mary Pat Clarke and the status of repairs following underground fires in the city near the electrical infrastructure.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
2024 has been a transformative year for women’s sports with the prominence of Baltimore's own Angel Reese, along with Caitlin Clark, in the WNBA. Plus, the summer Olympics in Paris saw the women's soccer team and gymnastics team earning gold.
Two sports journalists join Midday to discuss the breakout year in women's sports in advance of a symposium being held Tuesday at The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the University of Maryland.
Guests for this conversation are USA Today Sports columnist Christine Brennan and Ringer staff writer Mirin Fader.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's Midday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen, we discuss the future of public health policy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to begin his second term.
Given his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic during his first term, what can we expect in the case of a future health crisis? And what will the fate of agencies like the FDA or CDC be?
Wen will answer your questions about your health concerns, including bird flu, COVID-19 and more.
Wen was the Health Commissioner of Baltimore City from 2014 to 2018. In addition to being a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, she also writes on medical topics for CNN, and she serves as a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week Rousuck reviews the Maryland premiere of The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals, at Notre Dame of Maryland University through November 10th.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Maryland was one of several states where residents reported receiving racist text messages from anonymous sources.
The messages appear to be part of a nationwide campaign targeting Black people in the wake of the election, according to the office of the Maryland Attorney General. Recipients of the message included young people and college students.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown joins Midday to discuss his call for Marylanders who received these messages to make a report to his office online, or through the Maryland Commission on Hate Crimes Response and Prevention's hotline at 1-866-481-8361.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Many Americans experienced anxiety related to this week's election. And following the election's results, millions of Americans are finding no release from uncertainty and fear.
As some Americans nervously confront the reality of a return of President-elect Donald Trump to the White House, we seek advice from Dr. George Everly. He is a psychologist who specializes in trauma and disaster mental health, on how to cope with the range of feelings many people are experiencing in the election’s aftermath.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
When we have elections, Midday turns to former Maryland Secretary of State John Willis for insight into how Marylanders exercised their right to make their voices heard.
After serving as Secretary of State from 1995-2003, and for many years has been the Executive in Residence at the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Khalil Zaied is the newly sworn-in Director of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
He takes over an agency that has been rocked by scandal, and roundly criticized by workers and people outside of DPW for ineffective and hostile organizational culture. A lack of training and accountability and insufficient emergency protocols even contributed to the death of a DPW worker, Ronald Silver II, last summer.
Zaied joins Midday to discuss how he intends to address the questions surrounding DPW.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The make-up of the Maryland congressional delegation will be significantly different when the new Congress is sworn in in January.
Angela Alsobrooks and Sarah Elfreth will be the first two women to join the delegation since Barbara Mikulski and Donna Owens left Congress in 2016. Senator-elect Alsobrooks becomes only the third African American woman to be elected to the US Senate.
The election saw voters decisively pass a plan for Harbor Place, while turning down an amendment to shrink the size of the City Council.
Statewide, voters statewide overwhelmingly voted to enshrine in the Maryland Constitution the right to access to reproductive health care.
Today on Midday, how are you feeling? What do you think? We discuss the latest with analysis from WYPR's Ashley Sterner, the co-host of On the Record, and WYPR News Director Matt Bush.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Americans are heading to the polls today to cast their vote charting the course of the country, amending state constitutions and deciding local issues like development in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
The political scientists Dr. Lilliana Mason of the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Flavio Hickel, Jr. of Washington College join Midday with their perspectives.
Plus, we are joined by some young voters in Baltimore. Myles Michelin, 24,shares his perspective as a Gen Z voter, while Tavian Nichols, 21, and Michiru Daniels, 19, talk about what it is like voting for the first time.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On November 1, legislation went into effect that expands the list of nonviolent crimes that children as young as 10 years old can be charged with. When the General Assembly reconvenes in January, advocates will propose changing state laws to disallow any minor to be charged as an adult, for even the most violent crimes.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates joins Midday to discuss the latest on these youth crime laws in addition to high profile cases before his office.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Baltimore Peace Movement is a community-based non-profit group that works to end violence in Baltimore. On four weekends each year, they hold events to encourage those who would do harm to act peacefully, and to help those who are in danger or who are in mourning.
The organization's co-organizer Darnyle Wharton joins Midday to discuss November's Peace Promise Weekend and the key partnerships helping them to support and celebrate peace.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday welcomes internationally acclaimed classical guitarist from Poland, Lukasz Kuropaczewsk for a Midday Mini-Concert. He has performed around the world, with some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras, and in solo recitals.
In addition to performing around the world, he is currently a faculty member at Kunst University in Austria and the Academy of Music in Poland.
Tomorrow he will perform at Towson University's Kaplan Concert Hall. This performance is presented by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies,our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends with movie aficionados Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
As the weather cools down, the movie theaters are heating up with new releases such as Conclave, a thriller/drama directed by Edward Berger and Saturday Night, based on the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live in 1975 directed by Jason Reitman.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, she reviews Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains at Everyman Theatre through November 17. Deidre Staples stars in many roles in the final chapter of the award-winning Queens Girl trilogy.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Two weeks ago, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced that the city would terminate its contract with the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, the quasi-governmental agency serving as a local arts council, and as a producer of large city events like Artscape and the Baltimore Book Festival.
Financial problems have beset the agency ever since the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to cancel many events.
The future of who organizes events like Artscape is uncertain. Is there still a role for BOPA?
Rachel Graham is the CEO of BOPA, she joins Midday to share her vision for its future.
Later, we speak with Nicholas Cohen, the Executive Director of Maryland Citizens for the Arts and Jeannie Howe, the Executive Director of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance.
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Baltimore is home to several world-class sports facilities. Oriole Park at Camden Yards was recently voted the best Major League Ballpark in the USA Today Readers’ Choice travel award contest, and M&T Bank stadium is full for many of their home game. Pimlico Racetrack, which has certainly seen better days, is an iconic location, home to the second leg of the Triple Crown.
Now, the state is prepared to spend more than a billion dollars improving them.
Are these improvements a good deal for fans and taxpayers? What models do other cities provide for what Baltimore might do with our stadiums?
We’ll talk about it today with Jon Morgan, an author who covered sports for many years at the Baltimore Sun, and Dennis Coates, a UMBC Professor of Economics and editor of The Journal of Sports Economics.
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Through a complex, interwoven, interstate system, transmission cables carry electricity to businesses and homes everywhere, connecting the United States in a latticework of metal and rubber from one coast to another coast.
With soaring energy needs and aging infrastructure, utility companies say new power lines are needed. The Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, a 70-mile transmission line that would cross three counties, is one proposed addition.
Community members, environmentalist and elected officials are pushing back, however.
Last week, the Baltimore County Council passed a resolution voicing opposition to the MPRP.
WYPR reporter John Lee joins Midday to provide the latest on the story. Later, we talk to Joanne Frederick, of Stop MPRP Inc. She is a Baltimore County resident at risk of losing property to the transmission lines and has organized resistance.
Data centers are one source of soaring energy need across the region. And an initiative to lure data center companies from northern Virginia is seeing some success. Jessica Fitzwater, Frederick County Executive, joins the program to talk about what she is hearing from constituents about data centers and the MPRP, which runs through her county.
Plus, President and CEO of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce Rick Weldon discusses the budding industry of data centers in Maryland.
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State Senator Clarence Lam who represents Maryland's District 12 in the General Assembly joins Midday to discuss a recent murder by a youth offender in Howard County.
On October 9, a man was shot to death in a parking lot at a Columbia office building. Howard County police arrested a 17-year-old student at Howard High School, and a 14-year-old from Severn in connection with the murder. When the 17-year-old was arrested at school, a ghost gun was found in his backpack, and school officials learned only then that the young man was under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services.
Senator Lam explains the juvenile justice reform laws passed in the General Assembly and the changes to school policies that have been implemented since this murder.
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Maryland's Secretary of Juvenile Services (DJS), Vincent Schiraldi joins Midday to discuss several high-profile crimes involving juveniles.
While not suggesting Schiraldi should resign, the Mayor of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Commissioner have voiced concern that arresting some juvenile offenders and then remanding them to the custody of their guardians is not always in the best interest of public safety.
With forthcoming changes to juvenile justice laws in November, how will DJS proceed with diversion strategies to redirect youth offenders?
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More than 1,800 people took advantage of same day registration to register and vote yesterday. Early voting centers are open today, through next Thursday, including on Saturday and Sunday, from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM.
In her race against former Gov. Larry Hogan for the open U.S. Senate seat here in Maryland, Angela Alsobrooks presented control of the Senate as a central issue to voters. Her campaign asserted that a vote for Hogan is a vote for Republican control of the Upper Chamber.
Polling indicates that message has been effective. Is it a message that other Democrats are using to similar effect in other states? Josh Kurtz, the founding editor of Maryland Matters, to discuss the races for Maryland's open seats in the U.S. Congress.
Plus, POLITICO's Ally Mutnick joins Midday. She covers congressional campaigns in Maryland and beyond.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Yesterday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the new head of the city's Department of Public Works, Khalil Zaied, released a report from an independent law firm commissioned to evaluate DPW's policies and procedures.
This follows the death of Ronald Silver, a DPW worker who died of heat related problems he encountered last summer.
WYPR's Emily Hofstaedter was the first to report the story back in early August and joins Midday for an update on the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, Rousuck reviews Pride & Prejudice, at Baltimore Center Stage through November 10.
The production is being billed as as a rom-com. Is that an accurate description?
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The Chesapeake Bay is at a crossroads. A decade ago, state and federal partners along the country’s largest estuary entered into a binding agreement to restore the bay’s sprawling ecosystems.
Now, the agreement is up for renewal in 2025. Gov. Wes Moore is set to chair the first meeting to consider the plan's future in early December.
Have efforts to clean up the Bay during the ten years the agreement has been in effect yielded results? What lessons learned over the years can be applied to a new plan?
Hilary Harp Falk is the President and CEO of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, an environmental preservation group focused on the bay's many estuaries and ecosystems. Since she became the head the organization in 2022, Falk has committed to reinvigorating state, municipal and federal efforts to restore the bay.
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In 2009, Elizabeth Strout won the Pulitzer Prize for her wonderful novel about a famously cantankerous and compelling character, Olive Kitteridge. Since then, in books like The Burgess Boys and My Name is Lucy Barton, Strout introduced readers to more of her engaging, vivacious characters.
And with her latest book, published last month, Strout brings all of these characters together. Tell Me Everything isa quiet, masterful, beautiful peroration on love and loyalty that doesn’t shy away from life’s big questions. Strout joins us to talk about her compelling and complicated characters.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott joins host Tom Hall for Midday with the Mayor, an ongoing interview series with the chief executive of Charm City.
We ask him about the latest on financial trouble at the Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts, and Baltimore voters deciding the future of the Inner Harbor.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On another installment of our series of Conversations with the Candidates, Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks joins Midday. She is the Democratic nominee running to succeed Ben Cardin in the U.S. Senate.
With a thin majority for Democrats in the Senate, Democrats are facing an uphill battle to retain a majority. Tight races in Ohio, Montana and other states elevate Maryland to prominent position in the fight for control of the Senate.
County Executive Alsobrooks leads Prince George’s, Maryland’s second largest county. She is the first Black woman in the state to lead any county, and, if elected, she will be the first woman to serve in Maryland's congressional delegation since Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Donna Edwards left office in 2017. Alsobrooks would also become only the third African American woman to be a senator in United States history.
We have sent repeated invitations to Alsobrook's Republican opponent, former Gov. Larry Hogan, to join Midday. An official with the Larry Hogan campaign did not return a request for the former governor's availability. The invitation remains open.
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Baltimore City voters are set to have a say on the future of Harborplace by voting "yes" or "no" on Question F, which asks voters if they want to make amends to the city charter regarding the public park area at the Inner Harbor.
Specifically, Question F asks if voters would allow multi-family housing and off-street parking in the space. Additionally, it asks if they would expand the area for development to 4.5 acres up from the current 3.2 acres, essentially taking McKeldin Plaza into Harborplace.
Voting for the amendment will allow David Bramble and MCB Estate to move forward with their plans, which include building 900 apartments on the site of the Light Street Pavilion. Voting against Question F will send the designers back to the drawing board.
We speak to Anirban Basu of The Innber Harbor Coalition, an opponent of Question F, and Jon Laria of the Campaign for Question F, who is a proponent of the ballot question.
Earlier this week, Midday discussed another potentially consequential amendment on the ballot. Question H gives city voters the choice to shrink the size of the city council.
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Today, reflections on the war in the Middle East from an American physician who spent a month at a hospital in Gaza, and a Marylander who grew up in Ramallah, on the West Bank.
Dr. Victoria Aveson is a surgeon from New York, who went to Gaza under the auspices of Humanity Auxilium, a nonprofit that sends volunteers to help in areas ravaged by wars and natural disasters. She worked at the Shuhada Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza. On Monday, just a few days after Dr. Aveson returned to the United States, Israeli defense forces bombed the grounds of the hospital, killing four people, and injuring many others.
Aveson shares what she saw from inside one of the last medical centers standing in the Gaza Strip.
Then, Dr. Ramsey Hanhan is an Palestinian American author who lives in Howard County. He retired from his career as a university professor of physics to concentrate on writing. In 2022, he wrote a literary memoir called Fugitive Dreams: Chronicles of Occupation and Resistance. He also maintains a blog on Medium where he writes about the Palestinian experience.
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Today we have our weekly review from Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck. This week she explores Babbittstarring two-time Tony award winner Matthew Broderick.
The play is a stage adaptation of Sinclair Lewis’s politically satirical critique of the American dream.
Babbitt runs through November 3 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington.
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Baltimore City's charter is a foundational document dictating how the city is run, similar to how the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution sets the responsibilities and limits of the federal government.
And like the U.S. Constitution, the city charter is not easy to amend. Amendments need to be voted on and receive majority support at the polls to pass.
This year, voters in Baltimore City are set to consider several charter amendments. Midday is taking a deep dive into these important ballot questions.
Question H, if passed, would reduce the size of the City Council from 14 district seats to eight. Proponents say with Baltimore shrinking, the city council should shrink, too. Opponents of Question H, including Mayor Brandon Scott, argue a small city council would be more easily influenced by lobbyist and political action committees (PACs).
We discuss the question at hand with Dayvon Love, Director of Public Policy for Leaders of Beautiful Struggle, and Jovani Paterson, Chairman of The People for Elected Accountability and Civic Engagement (PEACE).
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John Grisham's name is a common sight on book store shelves and the annual lists of best-selling works. His gripping thrillers, including A Time for Mercy and The Runaway Jury, are known across the world.
In 2006, Grisham published The Innocent Man, a nonfiction work chronicling the story of Ron Williamson, who wrongly convicted, sentenced to death row and eventually exonerated.
Grisham’s latest book is his second of nonfiction. Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions chronicles the cases of ten people who have been wrongly convicted and the strenuous efforts taken in the attempt to secure their freedom.
The book is coauthored by Jim McCloskey, a longtime advocate for the wrongly-convicted and founder of Centurion Ministries. Grisham serves on the board of Centurion.
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Millions of people around the country have already cast a ballot in this year’s election. With competitive races for President and for U.S. Senate, Maryland voters are expected to turnout in high numbers.
The 2020 election, which put President Joe Biden into office, saw 66% participation. Two years later, in the 2022 midterms, only 46% of eligible voters cast ballots.
But besides low turnout, recent election suffered from a lack of poll workers. And with early voting in Maryland beginning in 10 days, election officials are continuing to call for more residents to get involved in the election process.
Marylanders working to ensure a secure and fair election join Midday today. They are organizing to get as many people as possible to cast votes, and they are getting young people involved in the electoral process.
Jared DeMarinis is Maryland’s State Administrator of Elections. We ask him about overseeing the state's election at a time of heightened paranoia and fearmongering around electoral integrity.
Then, we talk to Sam Novey, Co-Founder of Baltimore Votes Coalition. He is working to get more people involved in the election process, including young people. High school students Aleni Lila and James McLaughlin are new election judges participating in the upcoming election.
Maryland residents can register to vote at the polls during early voting and on Election Day.
The deadline to register to vote online is Oct. 15 by 11:59 p.m. By mail, registration must be postmarked by 5:00 p.m. local time on Oct. 15.
Early voting starts on Oct. 24 and runs through Oct 31, where voters can cast their ballots at any specified early voting center in their county. The final day for voters to cast their ballots in-person is on Election Day, Nov 5.
You can find more information at the State Board of Election website, vote.md.gov.
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Kim Klacik speaks to Midday about her run for U.S. Congress in another edition of Conversations with the Candidates. She is the Republican candidate to represent the second congressional district in the House of Representatives. Her opponent in the race is Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.
Klacik ran for Congress in 2020 in the seventh district, a seat held by Democratic congressman Kweisi Mfume.
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Dr. Mileah Kromer, pollster and Director of the UMBC Institute of Politics joins Midday to recap the debate between Angela Alsobrooks and Larry Hogan, who are vying to succeed Ben Cardin in the US Senate.
The Institute of Politics recently released a poll to capture the thoughts of registered voters in the 2024 General Election.
Kromer is also the author of Blue State Republican: How Larry Hogan Won Where Republicans Lose and Lessons for a Future GOP.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousuck reviews Joe Turner's Come and Gone, which runs at the Chesapeake Theatre Company through October 13. The production is the second show in The Baltimore August Wilson Celebration.
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After four grueling months in the summer of 1787, most, but not all, of the framers of the US Constitution signed the document that has been the fundament of our government ever since.
However, Midday's guest today has written a book that asserts the constitution itself poses a threat to our republic.
No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States is a new book by Erwin Chemerinsky, the dean of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.
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Tom speaks with the two congressional candidates for Maryland's third district. Rob Steinberger (R) and State Senator Sarah Elfreth (D) join Midday to discuss the priorities of their campaigns.
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How can the United States be the home of widespread, debilitating poverty while simultaneous being one of the wealthiest countries on Earth?
This is the question that confronts readers early in sociologist Matthew Desmond's new book, Poverty, By America. We must look beyond the poor to answer this questions, Desmond writes. To understand the causes of poverty, Americans living lives of privilege and plenty must examine themselves.
Desmond joins Midday to talk about his book, and the ways the country's affluent keep poor people poor. What can everyday people do to help and change society?
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Mike Scott joins Midday's Conversation with the Candidates. He is the Libertarian candidate in the race for the United States Senate.
Scott is an Air Force veteran who lives in Bowie, where he is a realtor. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a master’s from Central Michigan University. What does it mean to be a libertarian running in Maryland for statewide office?
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Today marks the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attack in Israel by Hamas. On Midday we examine how Israelis have reacted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the crisis, and what the anniversary means to the Baltimore Jewish community.
This year, Oct. 7 falls at the midpoint between the two major holidays observed by those of the Jewish faith, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. The attack led by Hamas last year was the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and on today’s program, we will focus on the Jewish response to the attack and how the ensuing trauma has affected Jews in our community and around the world.
A number of ceremonies are planned here in Baltimore and around the country to remember the people lost in the Oct. 7 attack and the nearly 100 hostages who remain in captivity.
Many pro-Palestinian ceremonies are also being held on college campuses and elsewhere to protest the Israeli prosecution of the war, and increased hostilities in Lebanon and the West Bank. The trauma of the Palestinians cannot be diminished or understated, and next week Midday will hear Palestinian perspectives on this year's explosion of violence in this century-old conflict.
First, political correspondent for the Times of Israel Sam Sokol joins the program. Sokol also wrote for the Jerusalem Post, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and Haaretz.
Then, we chat with Rabbi Rachel Sabath Beit-Halachmi, the Senior Rabbi at Har Sinai-Oheb Shalom Congregation in Baltimore. She attended a ceremony earlier today marking the year anniversary of the attack on Israel.
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This year's ballot in Baltimore County includes proposals on council size, protecting the inspector general and high dollar bond issues.
WYPR's Baltimore County Reporter John Lee joins Midday to inform listeners on the important ballot initiatives in this year's election.
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This week's loss to the Kansas City Royals was the end of the season for the Baltimore Orioles. Danielle Allentuck, Orioles reporter for the Baltimore Banner, joins Midday to explain what happened to the team this year.
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Ukraniain classical guitarist Marko Topchii performs in a Midday-Mini concert in advance of his upcoming performance at Towson University.
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Earlier this week, the Board of Directors of the Enoch Pratt Free Library announced the appointment of Chad Helton as the new President & Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore city's more than 20 public libraries. His lengthy resume includes time at library systems in major cities across the county.
Helton joins Midday to discuss how he became the librarian he is today, and his vision for Baltimore's library system in the future.
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The vice-presidential candidates debated last night in New York. Did they move the needle in what polls show is a very tight race for the White House?
Political Science Professor Dr. Dawn Teele of the Johns Hopkins SNF Agora Institute shares her reflections on the vice-presidential debate.
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to review the world premiere of Oh Happy Day at Baltimore Center Stage.
The production is a new play with music that reimagines the biblical story of Noah's Ark.
How well is this depiction of Noah's Ark portrayed on stage?
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Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. is campaigning to replace Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger and represent Maryland's second district.
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An underground fire in the 300 block of Charles Street in downtown Baltimore on Sunday damaged electrical and fiber optic lines, severely damaged a bookstore, disrupted traffic, and left thousands without power.
Joey Henderson, the director of the Baltimore Office of Emergency Management, joins Midday to give an update on the mysterious problem.
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On Midday Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen, the new flu vaccine is here in time for the first months of the school year. Plus, there is a new COVID vaccine available. And, who should get an mpox vaccine?
We ask Wen about a possible winter COVID surge, and new medical innovations giving her cause for hope.
Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, and a former commissioner of Baltimore City Health Department. She also writes on medical topics for CNN, and she serves as a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
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What happens when a predominately-white evangelical megachurch in the Midwest creates a program to address racial inequity?
Dr. Hahrie Han followed the journey of Crossroads Church in Ohio, where Pastor Chuck Mingo said he felt called by God to combat racial injustice, within the church and their wider Cincinnati community.
Han's book is called Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church. She takes a deep look into a congregation's wrestling with race, political divisiveness and fraught political times.
Han is a political scientist and the head of the SNF Agora Institute, a scholarly and public forum dedicated to advancing dialogue and civic engagement, at Johns Hopkins University.
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Baltimore Public Media's New/Next Film Festival returns to the Charles Theatre October 3 - 6. This year's event has expanded to showcase more than 100 films from filmmakers near and far.
Today on Midday we discuss the inspiration for this year's festival, review a few featured films and highlight contributions from the Maryland cinematic community.
Guests for today's show include:
- Sam Sessa, Director of Events and Community Management for Baltimore Public Media
- Eric Hatch, Co-Founder and Director of Festival Programming
- Alexi Wasser, Director of the opening night film 'Messy'
- Max Weiss, Editor in Chief of Baltimore Magazine and film and pop culture critic
- Jed Dietz, Founder and Former Director of the Maryland Film Festival
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday Theater Critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews & Juliet, on stage at the Hippodrome through Saturday, September 28.
Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s great tragedies, but & Juliet adapts the story with humor and pop music.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Baltimore is seeing a much lower rate of violent crime than before and during the pandemic. As of today, there have been 57 fewer homicides in the city of Baltimore than at this time last year. Surrounding areas however, such as Anne Arundel and Harford County, are grappling with a slight rise in gun violence.
Midday begins today with a conversation about efforts at the federal level to improve public safety, including a newly announced initiative from the White House.
Stefanie Feldman, the Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, joined Midday to discuss the new executive order targeted at reducing firearms and improving active shooter school drills.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Beyond Boundaries Civic Engagement and Democracy Conference, taking place Saturday, focuses on having an impact in the elections, and in the aftermath.
Kendra Nelson of the No Boundaries Coalition, Charly Carter of Step Up Maryland and the artist Ashley Esposito of Unity Hall talk tell us about their mission.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
As a new season approaches for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, what can concert-goers look forward to?
The 2024–2025 season's theme is “Music that Resonates.” Following Jonathon Heyward’s debut year as BSO Music Director, this year's lineup stretches from classical masterpieces to the grandeur of opera to the groundbreaking innovation of American jazz.
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Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, President and CEO of Global Refuge, joins Midday to address redirecting disinformation about the immigrant community during this year's presidential election.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Matthew Taylor explores the explosion of the New Apostolic Reformation in America, which has come to animate millions across the country, in his new book, The Violent Take It By Force. Taylor, a scholar of Protestantism at the Baltimore-based Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies, joins us to discuss his research.
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April McClain Delaney is the Democratic nominee for the House of Representatives in Maryland's 6th Congressional District and is running to replace outgoing Congressman David Trone. Delaney’s husband, John Delaney, held the seat for 6 years, from 2013-2019.
The 6th District encompasses the northwest part of Maryland, including all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as part of Montgomery County.
Delaney is facing Neil Parrot, a former Republican delegate from Hagerstown who has run for the seat two previous times.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousuck reviewed Machinal, at Fells Point Corner Theatre through September 29. The play leans into Expressionism, Rousuck said. How is that conveyed on stage?
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Baltimore sports teams struggled in recently weeks. But for the Orioles, maybe the magic is back. Yesterday, Anthony Santander’s two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Orioles to a victory over the San Francisco Giants. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and was only the 4th time the O’s won in their last 12 games.
The O's face the Detroit Tigers for the first installment of a three-game series tonight at the Yard.
Jon Meoli is the Orioles Columnist for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.
The Raven's slow start to the NFL season is also a cause of concern for Baltimore sports fans. Jonas Shaffer, the Banner's Ravens beat reporter, joins us to discuss the latest.
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Former Maryland Governor Parris Glendening joins Midday to discuss Keep Our Republic. This organization is a coalition of former governors working to assure the votes cast in the 2024 election are reported in accordance with the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 is the conservative think tank's plan for federal policy if the Republican Party and former President Donald Trump wins the presidential election.
Midday hosted several conversations this election season about Project 2025 and its consequences for Marylanders.
Today, Charles Kaiser, a writer for The Nation, joins Midday to talk about the consequences for LGTBQ+ Americans if policy from the Heritage Foundation's plan was adopted. His recent story is, Project 2025 Is Coming After LGTBQ Americans.
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A new exhibition of Indigenous art at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is called Preoccupied: Indigenizing the Museum.
Dare Turner and Leilia Grothe are the curators of the huge show. Turner is a member of the Yurok Tribe and Curator of Indigenous Art at the Brooklyn Museum. Grothe is the Associate Curator of Contemporary Art at the BMA.
They joined Tom Hall to discuss the importance of including native and indigenous perspectives in contemporary art.
(Artwork by Luiseño/Puyukitchum, Ipai, and Mexican American)
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Constitutional law expert and Professor at University of Baltimore School of Law Kim Wehle joins Midday to breakdown the latest criminal cases surrounding former President Donald Trump.
Wehle also discusses challenges to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on president immunity, plans for reform of that court and how the legal branch of government might respond to efforts to steal the 2024 election.
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Gabe Ortis is the newest addition to our staff of on-air personalities.
He brings a wealth of previous experience of work in radio, politics to the position. Also on his resume; starring in a reality television show. Ortis is a contestant on a the new season of Survivor, which premieres tonight.
Ortis joins Midday to talk about being a castaway and what its like to compete on one of television's oldest reality programs.
(Photo courtesy CBS Entertainment)
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John Davis, the creator, producer and host of MotorWeek, joins Midday on Cars.
Now in season 44,MotorWeek is the longest running automotive show on television. The show is produced at Maryland Public Television and syndicated on PBS stations across the country.
Davis discusses plug-in hybrids, new labor contracts for auto workers and the best way to take care of your car as temperatures start to plummet.
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Today on Midday, Maryland’s public schools are at a critical juncture. Test scores—one way of grading student performance—made modest gains following a COVID-19 pandemic-era slump. But scores remain stubbornly low—ranking among the bottom 10 states in 4th-grade reading and mathematics.
Dr. Carey Wright, Maryland's new State Superintendent of Schools, joins Midday. She is seeking to make lasting changes to public schools across the state. In her previous role as superintendent for Mississippi schools, Wright lead a remarkable turnaround in the state's math and reading tests scores. Can she do the same in Maryland?
Wright's initiatives includes the adoption of a new method of teaching reading. Additionally, a controversial proposed literary policy could hold back 3rd grade students who fail to achieve required reading prowess.
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, she reviews POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. The smart, fast-paced political satire continues at Everyman Theatre through September 29, 2024.
(Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography)
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Josh Kurtz, founding editor of news site Maryland Matters, joins Midday for an update from the campaign trail. A close race between Democrat Angela Alsobrooks and Republican Larry Hogan is drawing millions of dollars from PACs as control of the U.S. Senate hangs in the balance.
Abortion remains a contentious subject in this race. One ad, funded by a PAC connected to Democrat Gov. Wes Moore, questions Gov. Larry Hogan support for abortion rights. Hogan countered with two ads on abortion and women’s rights.
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Maryland's Sen. Ben Cardin holds an influential role as the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The committee's work has been stalled for months over a dispute between Republicans and Democrats over legislation that would sanction the International Criminal Court over decisions to pursue arrest warrants for top Israeli officials for their prosecution of the war in Gaza.
We ask him about the latest, and news from the West Bank, where the Israeli Defense Force's killing of an American protestor sparked a rare backlash from U.S officials toward their ally.
In May of last year, Maryland's Sen. Ben Cardin announced that he will not seek re-election when his term expires on January 3, 2025.
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Gut, Wind, and Wire, a trio formed by longtime Baltimore Consort members Mark Cudek, Ronn McFarlane and Mindy Rosenfeld join Midday for a performance. The band is named for the elements that bring their instruments to life: gut strings, wire strings and the musicians' breath.
Their performances explore a wide variety of music from the 16th and 17th centuries, music from folk traditions and original music through maple, boxwood, spruce, rosewood, blackwood, tulipwood, strings of sheep gut and more.
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Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller took office following a successful campaign beside Gov. Wes Moore in the 2022 election.On Midday, we ask her about the ongoing initiatives of the Moore administration.
Several state transportation projects are in the works, even as budget cuts threaten work on the state's roads, railways and other infrastructure. We ask Miller about the latest on the Red Line, and how her administration is taking steps to improve safety within highway work zones.
Plus, how is the state addressing mental health struggles and opioid recovery?
And we ask Miller about the 2024 election, where a slew of women launched groundbreaking campaigns for elected office.
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Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris met for the first time on the debate stage last night. Did either candidate accomplish their goals for the night? How might undecided voters respond to the discussion? We discuss the debate.
Our guests are Brandi Collins-Dexter, Media Fellow at the Center for Race and Digital Justice, Politics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, and Andrew Perrin,SNF Agora Professor and Sociology Chair at the Johns Hopkins Krieger School of Arts and Sciences.
Matthew Foldi also joined us. He is a reporter at The Spectator and a former Republican congressional candidate in Maryland's 6th District.
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If you turn on your local public radio this week, you are likely to hear stories about Americans working on solutions to the myriad of problems presented by human-induced climate change. The theme of this NPR's Climate Solutions Week this year is, "the future of food."
Today on Midday, we talk to Marylanders working to forge a sustainable paths through the climate crisis, with an eye to how, and what, we eat.
Dr. Keryn Gedan, an associate professor of Biology at George Washington University, researches the changing environment of the Chesapeake Bay, where rising sea levels and increased salinity is posing significant challenges to marine ecosystems and the region's farmlands. How can alternative crops, like native grasses, help farms stay afloat?
Christopher Dipnarine is Executive Director and Founder of 4MyCity, a Baltimore-based organization focused on food waste. The nonprofit seeks to redistribute unused food to residents in need, while turning other food waste into compost.
Dr. Jose-Luis Izursa is Senior Lecturer and Academic Advisor at the University of Maryland Department of Environmental Science and Technology. He is researching sustainable alternatives for growing food, combining aquaculture and hydroponics.
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David Rubenstein joins Midday to discuss his latest book The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency. Rubenstein is the majority owner of The Baltimore Orioles and Co-Founder of The Carlyle Group.
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Summer is wrapping up, were box offices able to make up for low returns earlier in the season? Plus, we dig into a pair of comedies, the return of Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Between the Temples. Program guests are Jed Dietz, the founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
(Photo Courtesy Warner Bros.)
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to look ahead to the next year of exciting local productions.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
CJay Philip, the founder and artistic director of Dance & Bmore, won the 2024 Tony Award for excellence in theater education. This weekend she spearheads the Waterfront Partnership's Baltimore by Baltimore festival.
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The signs summer is ending; school is back in session, the birds return from migration and WTMD presents the final First Thursday Festival of the year.
Tyler LaPorte, afternoon host and Interim Program Director at WTMD and one of the organizers behind First Thursdays. We ask him what festival-goers can expect later today.
The First Thursday Festival begins at 6:00 tonight at the Canton Waterfront Park, just off of Boston Street in Baltimore City.
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Host Tom Hall speaks with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about the latest in City Hall, including a safety review of the Department of Public Works and governance of opioid settlements.
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Presidential power is on the ballot this year, according to University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wehle.
In her new book, Pardon Power: How The Pardon System Works And Why, the legal scholar writes about the history of the president's pardon and the potential future abuse of the executive power. The pardon could be exponentially more grave in light of the Supreme Court’s July 1, 2024, ruling granting presidents immunity from criminal prosecution in the exercise of their official duties.
Wehle is a member of the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law, and a legal commentator for ABC News. She is also the creator behind the Simple Politics Substack.
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Tom's guest is Mary Jo Salter, a Professor Emerita in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. She has published nine volumes of poetry and has written essays, lyrics, and children’s books. This year, she’s been chosen as the guest editor of an anthology of verse called The Best American Poetry 2024.
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On this September edition of Healthwatch, Tom and Dr. Leana Wen discuss leadership of the Baltimore City Health Department, governance of the city's opioid settlements, the reoccurrence of West Nile virus and challenges for asthmatics.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Midday today, a look at the life and legacy of Senator Charles Mathias. He was a liberal Republican popular in Maryland for more than two decades and was known by his colleagues as the “conscience of the Senate.”
A collection of essays about Sen. Mathias has been released called Mathias of Maryland: Remembering a Lincoln Republican in the Senate. Frederic Hill, a co-editor and contributor to the collection, and Norman Ornstein, a former congressional staffer who wrote the foreword to this book, join Midday to discuss.
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Today on Midday, a conversation about the work of Philip Berrigan, whose writing has been assembled in a new collection, A Ministry of Risk, edited by Brad Wolf.
Philip Berrigan was an iconic peace activist, a soldier, a priest, a scholar, and a protester who came to international prominence as part of the Catonsville 9, a group that burned draft cards in 1968, during the Vietnam war.
In 1973, Berrigan, with his wife, Elizabeth McAlister, founded Jonah House in Baltimore, a Catholic Worker House inspired by the gospel nonviolence work of Dorothy Day.
Program guests include Brad Wolf, cofounder of Peace Action Network of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We also speak with Brendan Walsh and Willa Bickham, the founders of a Catholic Worker House in Southwest Baltimore called Viva House.
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Debbie Hines is a former prosecutor in Baltimore, and a former Assistant Attorney General for the State of Maryland. In her new book, she focuses on the unfair treatment of people of color by prosecutors at the state and local level.
The book is called Get Off My Neck: Black Lives, White Justice, and a Former Prosecutor’s Quest for Reform.
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Anne Lamott is a best-selling author whose large body of work resonates with millions of readers. She writes both fiction and non-fiction and she has just published her twentieth book, 'Somehow: Thoughts on Love.'
She joined Midday in early April to discuss the book, her motivations for writing and her experiences with love.
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Dr. Christopher Leighton, the founding executive director of the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies (ICJS) talks about his memoir, which traces the formation of the ICJS and its efforts to foster religious understanding. It’s called A Sacred Argument: Dispatches from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Encounter.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson about her latest book, Reading Genesis, where she illuminates how Genesis is a paradigm for the rest of the Bible and “a meditation on the problem of evil.”
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From tax preparation to SNAP benefits, health care to housing, a myriad of government services have been privatized in the name of cost savings and efficiency. But the cost to taxpayers and to recipients is high, and the impact on corporate influence in government is undeniable.
Anne Kim writes about the money made on America's poor, in her new book Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor. Kim is a lawyer, public policy expert and contributing editor at the Washington Monthly.
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Maryland Democrats were on the mainstage at this week's Democratic National Convention with speeches from Governor Wes Moore, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Prince George’s County Executive and Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks.
Josh Kurtz, founding editor of Maryland Matters joins Midday to reflect on Maryland's impact in Chicago.
Then, Baltimore City recently settled for $152 million with Cardinal Health for their role in the opioid crisis. This large amount follows $45 million settlements with CVS and Allergan earlier this year. WYPR health reporter Scott Maucione joins Midday to explain the details of the settlement and how the funds will be used.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
If you are looking to make the most of the last weeks of warm temperatures, you might wanna out to the valleys and ridges of western Maryland.
Midday is joined by two Marylanders with extensive knowledge of the outdoors.
Nature photographer and author Mark Hendricks spent many seasons traversing the ancient Appalachian Mountains crossing Maryland’s western handle. He joins Midday to discuss the best places to visit in Maryland's natural landscape and his tips for new nature photographers.
Maryland's top park ranger join us, as well. Angela Crenshaw is Director of the Maryland Park Service. We ask her about her favorite state park, and her mission to increase access to the Maryland outdoors
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The demise of the Bethlehem Steel Plant at Sparrows Point was devastating for the economy of Eastern Baltimore County.
Ten years ago, investors bought the 32-hundred acre steel plant property and since then have transformed it into a global logistics center called Tradepoint Atlantic. Thousands of people work there, and there are plans to build a deep water container terminal, which Tradepoint estimates will create 8,000 more jobs by 2035.
Aaron Tomarchio, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Tradepoint Atlantic, joins us to talk about the economic recovery in Eastern Baltimore County along with Pete Triantafilos, the general manager of the Costas Inn in Dundalk.
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When Johnny Olszewski ran for Baltimore County Executive he talked about growing up in the shadow of the steel mill, Bethlehem Steel. This steel mill is long gone and today we are discussing Eastern Baltimore County’s ongoing economic recovery, which has been at least partly due to the Tradepoint Atlantic development on the old Bethlehem Steel site.
County Executive Olszewski joined Midday from Chicago, where he is attending the Democratic National Convention, to discuss the economy in the eastern region of the county.
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Today is the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Democratic delegates officially nominated Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for vice president this week.
Cory Vaillancourt joins Midday from Chicago to discuss the latest news in national politics. He is the politics editor for the Smoky Mountain News, headquartered in Waynesville, North Carolin amid the the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Vaillancourt is also a contributor to several public radio stations, NPR and the Washington Post.
Could rural voters be the key to victory in 2024? Analysts say Walz and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, the Republican vice presidential nominee, were chosen in part due to their supposed appeal to rural voters, particularly rural white voters. Other than geography, what about the pair do their respective parties hope appeal to these voters?
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The death of an employee of Baltimore City's Department of Public Works worker led to an outcry from labor advocates. Now, city councilmembers are reacting, too. The City Council is scheduled to meet tomorrow, August 21, to examine the working conditions at the department.
On August 2, Ronald Silver, 36, died of heat sickness after working his trash collection route when Baltimore City was under a Code Red heat index. His death, which his family has called “entirely preventable”, is currently under investigation by the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health and the Baltimore Police Department.
At a press conference two weeks after his death, family and friends remembered Silver for his sense of humor, devotion to his family and a love of superhero movies.
WYPR reporter Emily Hofstaedter was the first to report the death of Silver and spoke with eyewitnesses. She joins Midday and WYPR News Director Matt Bush to look ahead to the council hearing and discuss the latest.
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The Baltimore Orioles are set to finish a series in New York City against the hometown Mets today. Afterward, the O’s come back home to start an important four game series tomorrow against the Houston Astros. The O's play the Astros without a star pitcher following yet another injury.
Kyle Goon is a sports columnist for The Baltimore Banner, and he joins Midday to give up an update on the Orioles as the postseason approaches.
(Photo by Keith Allison, via Wikimedia)
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This year, the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) is on track to hit a record $1 billion in issuance of construction and general bonds.
In fact, over $700 million in public and private transactions involving state bonds are expected to close within the next month.
J. Thomas Sadowski, the Executive Director of MEDCO, joins Midday to discuss how he plans to oversee this $1 billion initiative.
(Photo Courtesy of MEDCO)
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The redevelopment of Harborplace downtown continues to be at the center of debate and speculation. The masterplan for this site's redevelopment will go before the city's planning commission this Thursday.
Harborplace was sold to the private Baltimore developer MCB Real Estate in 2023. MCB unveiled new designs for the site which require a change in usage to allow two additional residential towers. City voters will be asked on Nov. 5 to consider a referendum question to allow that change on, what for decades has been considered, public parkland.
The Inner Harbor Coalition is a group of residents, architects, stakeholders and others who are vocally against the referendum. Two members of the coalition join Midday to share their perspectives:
- Ted Rouse, local developer and son of Harborplace visionary James Rouse.
- Michael Brassert, Director/Producer at Houpla, Inc. and Federal Hill resident.
We invited MCB officials yesterday to participate in this discussion, but they did not respond.
P. David Bramble of MCB Real Estate joined Midday in May of last year to discuss his ideas for Harborplace. You can listen to the interview here:
Reimagining Harborplace, and other city development projects
Photo Credit: AgnosticPreachersKid via Wikimedia Commons
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Human have long looked into the night sky and searched for signs, for meaning, in the lights twinkling above us.
And through the years, humankind developed tools to become better stargazers; from Galileo’s astronomical telescope to the Hubble Space Telescope launched into near-Earth Orbit nearly a quarter century ago.
And a couple years ago, the James Webb Space Telescope followed. Webb has high sensitivity instruments making it able to view celestial bodies much farther away than Hubble could see, and has been sending us photos and measurements leading to ground-breaking discoveries. These discoveries are shaping how the Baltimore-based scientists of the Webb Mission Office, and all humankind, understand of our cosmos.
Astrophysicist Dr. Macarena Garcia Marin joined Midday to talk about Webb’s recent discoveries. She is European Space Agency Instrument Scientist and Project Scientist in the Webb Mission Office at the Space Telescope Science Institute here in Baltimore.
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Baltimore’s sewage system is one of its oldest assets, and its decay has plagued the parts of the city for years.
Sewage backups caused by extreme weather or broken pipes leave residents with a costly clean up that can imperil their health.
Aman Azhar is a reporter for Inside Climate News. He joins us to discuss the city's sewage infrastructure, its plan to help residents and a call from advocates to invest in a climate resilient future.
According to the Department of Public Works, between 2018 and 2021, there were at least 8,860 reported residential sewage backups in Baltimore caused at least partially by conditions in the city’s portion of the pipes.
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The neighborhoods surrounding the Inner Harbor are some of the fastest growing parts of Baltimore. Now the population of the harbor is growing with the addition of turtles, mallards, a pair of river otters and a school of Atlantic silverside fish — all members of the Chesapeake Bay’s native ecosystem.
They are drawn to the harbor by a new 10,000-square-foot “floating wetlands,” a series of artificial islands set up by the National Aquarium between piers 3 and 4.
Charmaine Dahlenburg, the National Aquarium's Director of Field Conservation joins Midday to discuss the development of this ambitious harbor project.
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share a review of a pair of local theatre productions.
Soft Power continues at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., through September 15, while Beautiful: The Carole King Musical continues at Olney Theatre Center through August 25.
(DJ Corey Photography)
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While temperatures in the Baltimore metropolitan area have been a little lower this week, farmers across the state have been contending with a drought that has extended over the last three years.
We begin today with Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks, to discuss Maryland farmers and food systems that bring fruits, vegetables and other crops to your table.
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The Baltimore metro region lost nearly 23,000 jobs in the first quarter of this year, but 54 new businesses began in Baltimore city during the second quarter, and the city attracted more than $56 million dollars in venture capital investment.
My guest today is Colin Tarbert. He is the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, the agency that oversees economic development for the city of Baltimore.
We discuss growing the local economy, and if capital investment can be made to benefit all residents of Baltimore.
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The state's largest union of educators, the Maryland State Education Association, sees new leadership heading into the 2024-2025 school year. Paul Lemle and Nikki Woodward bring decades of experience as educators and paraprofessionals to their new role.
Reinvigorating the pipeline of teachers is one of the issues top of mind for the new leaders of MSEA, which represents nearly 75,000 teachers and school staff across Maryland, outside of Baltimore city.
The US Department of Education reports that during the first few months of the pandemic in 2020, the economy shed more than 750,000 jobs in the public education sector. How does MSEA think this pressing issue should be addressed? We discuss teacher shortages, literacy policy and more with the newly-elected leaders.
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Rising seniors from several local high schools join Midday to discuss the issues they think are important as they prepare to cross into adulthood. The panel of students discusses bullying, mental illness, academic support, school safety and where these young people see themselves in our chaotic world.
Shawn Ware is a 17-year-old at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women. She lives in the McElderry Park Neighborhood and is an honor student
Laila Gheis attends The Bryn Mawr School in Roland Park. The 17-year-old is set to be the leader of a student group advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion at her school.
Lamont Clark is a senior at Dulaney High school in Timonium. Clark, 16, says he is intent on studying mechanical engineering as an undergraduate before continuing his studies in the field of cybersecurity.
After the panel, WYPR reporter Bri Hatch joined the program to discuss the student's thoughts, and the latest education news.
Both county and city public schools launched new weapon detection systems in the past year. Baltimore City Public Schools began to transition to a new AI-based weapons detection system in May.
Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins University is also employing new security policy. This Fall, students on the universities campuses will see a handful of armed police officers of the new university force.
(Photo by Bri Hatch, WYPR News)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a theatrical production in the greater Baltimore region. This week, reviews of two musicals at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
Nine is based on the groundbreaking 1963 movie, “8 1/2,” by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, while Back to the Future: The Musical is adapted from the 1985 film for the stage.
(Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.)
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Tia Hamilton is the owner of Urban Reads, and the publisher of State vs. Us Magazine, a publication for incarcerated people around the country. Tomorrow she is centering students at a youth summit at the Urban Reads Bookstore on Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood.
Tia speaks with Tom about the youth summit and the importance of bridging current leadership with future leadership.
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ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis recently wrote about Paul Dans, the former director of Project 2025
which was created to help build the next Republican administration. Dans has Baltimore roots as the son of a Johns Hopkins professor.
According to MacGillis, by the time Dans stepped down from his role with Project 2025, much of the work was in place to develop a large database of Trump loyal appointees to put in federal jobs.
MacGillis joins Midday to discuss more about Paul Dans and the details of Project 2025.
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The Phoenix Recovery Academy in Frederick is the only high school in Maryland dedicated to supporting and educating teenagers who are battling substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders.
The academy is a part of a network of about 45 Recovery Schools across the country, which strive to maintain high quality educational environments while encouraging student recovery.
The school opened in 2020 and this year, the school celebrated a graduating class of six students.
Tom speaks with an education reporter, school leadership and a recent graduate about this innovative institution in Frederick.
Guest for this program include:
- Jillian Atelsek, a former education reporter for the Frederick News-Post who profiled the school.
- Heather Whitcomb, Executive Director of the Phoenix Recovery Academy
- Stephanie Purdy, Principal of the Phoenix Recovery Academy
- Xavier LeMay, a 2024 graduate
The Frederick News-Post article referenced for this interview is, Rising Up: Eight months inside Frederick's Phoenix Recovery Academy.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Midday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen, we ask about the uptick in COVID-19 cases in Maryland and across the country. Should we be avoiding gatherings of people inside? Is it time to return to the precautious behavior from earlier in the pandemic?
Plus, how to manage hypertension, the ‘silent killer’ disease, which can be exacerbated by exposure to extreme heat.
Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and she has been a regular guest on our show since her time as the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, from 2015-2018. Today, the emergency physician serves as a research professor of healthy policy and management at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.
Wen is also a columnist for the Washington Post and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
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The power to take a life, professor and social commentator Roxane Gay writes, receives greater constitutional and culture value than a women's right to the pursuit of happiness.
Gay is the author of the New York Times best-selling books Bad Feminist and Hunger. Her latest work includes the essay Stand Your Ground: A Black Feminists Reckoning with America's Gun Problem.
From the firearms invention in more than 500 hundred years ago, to the writing of the 2nd Amendment in 1787, to America's current epidemic of gun violence, Gay follows the social forces that shaped our current reality. The piece is personal, describing Gay's thoughts about owning a gun, and what gun ownership means to Black feminism.
(Photo by Reginald Cunningham)
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Mayor Brandon Scott speaks to Midday about the recent death of DPW employee Ronald Silver II.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Host Tom Hall speaks with Dr. Julia Marciari-Alexander, who for the past eleven years has been the Executive Director and CEO of the Walters Art Museum. Walters Art Museum named two interim co-directors to replace Marciari-Alexander as the organization seeks a new leader.
Marciari-Alexander announced she is set to leave next month to take a new position as the President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday to discuss his policy plans for the city's biggest challenges. We ask Scott about decreases in violent crime and car thefts. What is working, according to the mayor, and where is there room for improvement?
Scott regularly joins the show to discuss the latest from his office, though the interview series was suspended during the Democratic primary.
After winning his party's nomination, the Mayor does have an opponent in the general election, Republican Shannon Wright. Wright is not actively campaigning for Mayor, save for a couple of Facebook posts. She does not have a functional campaign website or a staff, and she has signed an affidavit stating she does not intend to spend or raise any money before the November election. Wright joined Midday's “Conversations with the Candidates” series earlier this summer.
(Photo by Kaitlin Newman)
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Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley joins Midday to discuss historic lows in homicide, violence reduction and the ongoing federal consent decree.
Over the weekend, the Baltimore Peace Movement held its quarterly Peace Promise weekend. While Baltimore is seeing an uptick in murders, a tragic annual occurrence during the warmer summer months, homicides are at decade lows.
The first half of 2024 saw 89 killings, the second-fewest since 1970, and a more than 50% decline from two years ago. According to reporting from the Baltimore Sun, each six-month period since the first half of 2020 has seen a decline.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore City entered into its seventh year under federal consent decree. The judge overseeing the consent decree has found the department fully compliant with two requirements of the agreement, including a health and wellness program that has become a paradigm for law enforcement agencies in the United States and abroad.
(Photo courtesy of the Baltimore Police Department)
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousuck takes a look at Grand Horizons, presented by Cockpit in Court at Community College of Baltimore County Essex through August 4. The dynamics of one family are central to the play, and the story is part domestic comedy, part domestic drama.
(Photo by Trent Haines-Hopper)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends with movie aficionados Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
This week we talk summer films, including Twisters and Longlegs. What are your favorite movies of the summer?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Judith Krummeck's The Deceived Onesreinterprets the classic Twelfth Night in a contemporary Baltimore setting. Her new novel chronicles the journey of twins, Vira and Sevastyan, a brother and sister from Ukraine who escape their war-torn homeland and come to Charm City.
Vira is a talented musician, who becomes begins working on a new opera at the Peabody Institute in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Inspired by Shakespeare, Krummeck weaves a fun and poignant tale, replete with mistaken identities, heartfelt ardor, and a bit of mischief.
This episode originally aired May 7, 2024.
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Slow Time is Antje Rauwerda's debut novel. The Goucher College professor set her story in Govans, the northeast Baltimore neighborhood she calls home. The setting comes alive in Rauwerda's story and is as vibrantly described as the characters who live there.
At the outset of the story, the book’s protagonists, Danny and Em, know each other only in passing. As their connection deepens, we learn about their pasts, what they have lost and how they have coped with those losses.
(This episode originally aired on May 7, 2024)
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WTMD’s First Thursday Festival returns tomorrow. The homegrown affair takes place every summer at the Canton Waterfront Park and features artists from Maryland.
Tyler LaPorte, afternoon host and WTMD Interim Program Director, joins Midday to discuss the the upcoming event and what visitors can expect.
(Photos by Cary Evan/CE Imagery and David LaMason.)
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In September, a new pilot program is set to help 50 Baltimore City residents, chosen by lottery, receive vouchers ranging from $750 to $2,000 to subsidize the cost of an electric bike.
Nearly a quarter of Baltimore households do not have access to a car, but many people just don’t feel safe riding bikes in a city that is way behind in its effort to create a network of bike lanes that are protected from vehicular traffic.
Will the introduction of 50 new electric bikes begin to shift the paradigm for cyclists? Baltimore City Councilman Ryan Dorsey, who championed the pilot program with the city’s transportation department, thinks it will. In a recent post on X, Dorsey said, “E Bikes are a game changer.” He continued, “I expect this pilot to be wildly successful, and hope it’s just the beginning.”
Councilman Dorsey was not available to join us this afternoon, but we have a panel who can offer great insight into this program and the overall transportation landscape.
Jed Weeks is the Interim Director of Bikemore, a nonprofit advocacy organization on behalf of bike riders.
Daniel Zawodny covers transportation for our news partner,the Baltimore Banner.
Brian O’Malley is the President and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.
In addition to the panel, Baltimore Bicycle Works worker-owner Bernardo Vigil spoke to WYPR's Sam Bermas-Dawes for this episode of Midday.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom explores the Presidential Transition Project known as “Project 2025.” His guest is Anne Kim a lawyer, policy expert, journalist and author of the new book, Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor.
Additionally, Kim is a contributing editor to Washington Monthly where she recently published Project 2025 is Even Worse Than You Thinkwhere she examines the impact the proposed plans will have on lower economic and poor families.
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Tom talks about a controversial practice being employed to harvest organs for transplant from people who have died called Normothermic Regional Perfusion, or NRP.
According to reporting by NPR's Rob Stein, this technique is considered an innovation which produces high quality and less damaged organs for those in need. This innovation is not, however, without ethical concerns.
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn is the Director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. The Institute produces a podcast, playing god? and he joins Midday to help us understand NRPs.
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Today on Midday, a conversation about two workforce development programs in Baltimore. One surveys the landscape of programs for young entrepreneurs, while the other targets under-employed residents who face barriers to employment. Those obstacles can include a criminal record, a substance abuse disorder or no housing.
Dr. Ronald Williams is an associate professor of management at Coppin State University and the founding director of Coppin’s Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship. The program works with young entrepreneurs like Dion Bowen, founder of Epic Art Universe, who joins the program, as well.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday, a conversation about two workforce development programs in Baltimore. One surveys the landscape of programs for young entrepreneurs, while the other targets under-employed residents who face barriers to employment. Those obstacles can include a criminal record, a substance abuse disorder or no housing.
We begin with Dr. Ronald Williams, an associate professor of management at Coppin State University and the founding director of Coppin’s Center for Strategic Entrepreneurship. The program works with young entrepreneurs like Dion Brown, founder of Epic Art Universe, who joins the program, as well.
Later, Walter Billips, Executive Director of Vocational Training Center at the National Center on Institutions and Alternatives joins Midday. His nonprofit is dedicated to assisting people with limited means build fulfilling lives or hold steady employment. These programs are free to participants and are funded through grants, community foundations, corporate partners and philanthropic outreach.
We are also joined by James Trocki, a current CDL instructor who enrolled in NCIA training in 2018, and Zachary Stout, a previous CDL graduate who works as a driver with Coach USA and the Towson Loop.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Many Democrats chose to boycott Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday.
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen spoked to Midday earlier this week about his decision to skip the address.
Opposition was strong on the street outside the U.S. Capitol building. Large protests at Union Station in Washington on Wednesday included the burning of Israeli and American flags.
Yesterday, Netanyahu met with President Joe Biden, who invited families of American hostages being held by Hamas to meet with Netanyahu as well. Netanyahu also met with Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic Presidential nominee. Today, Netanyahu goes to Mar-a-Lago to meet with the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
Joining me now with perspective on the dynamics of Israeli-US relations is Aaron David Miller, a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace.
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Baltimore plant aficionado Hilton Carter is the host of Planterior on Discovery Plus and Max, a new pilot of a program about making the most of plant life and interior design.
Carter joins Midday to discuss the new program, and his thoughts on Summer planting.
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A long list of Democratic lawmakers skipped Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a join session of U.S. Congress on Wednesday.
Maryland's congressional delegation was split on attendance. Sen. Ben Cardin served as “senator pro tempore” during the speech. On the other hand, Maryland's Sen. Chris Van Hollen boycotted the event.
Van Hollen joined Midday to explain why, and to discuss the strained diplomatic relationship between the U.S. and Israel, an update on hostage negotiations and what he thinks about President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential ticket.
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A recent series of reports from Baltimore City's Office of Inspector General revealed shockingly poor working conditions at the Department of Public Works, where adequate water and air conditioning were in short supply during Code Red days of record breaking heat.
Baltimore City Inspector General Isabel Cumming joins Midday to explain what she found, and how mismanagement led to a workplace unfit for city workers.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousuck takes a look at Cats, presented by Cockpit in Court at Community College of Baltimore County Essex.
The classic music of Andrew Lloyd Webber tells the story of the cats and the Jellicle Ball.
(Photo by Trent Haines-Hopper)
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Midday's What Ya Got Cookin'? segment returns. What dishes or recipes have you been obsessed with this summer?
We are joined by a pair of heralded local chefs who have recipes that take advantage of Maryland's summer seafood and vegetable offerings.
Gwyn Novak is a professional chef and cooking instructor who owns and operates "No Thyme to Cook," a cooking school on Solomons Island in southern Maryland.
John Shields is the owner of Gertrude's at the Baltimore Museum of Art and author of several cookbooks.
Both chefs shared a few of their favorite recipes with us:
- Grilled Peach Crostini with Whipped Ricotta - Serves 8
Ingredients: · 1 C. whole milk ricotta
· Kosher salt
· Freshly cracked black pepper
· 4 peaches, pitted and quartered
· Extra virgin olive oil
· 1 loaf sourdough, thickly sliced
· ¼ C. toasted pecans, chopped
· 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon thyme (or fresh thyme leaves with ½ tsp. lemon zest)
· 2 Tbsp. hot honey
· Edible flowers for garnish
Directions:
To whip the ricotta:
Place the ricotta in a blender or food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth and light. Season to taste.
Brush the peaches with olive oil. Grill until they begin to give off juice and have grill marks. Remove from the grill and set aside. You can now slice these in half.
Lightly brush the sourdough with olive oil. Grill lightly until you see grill marks. Remove from the grill.
To assemble:
Spread whipped ricotta onto the sourdough slices.
Top with sliced peaches, toasted pecans, lemon thyme.
Drizzle with hot honey.
- Corn, Crab and Red Pepper Salad
Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 large garlic clove, peeled, and mashed
Juice of 1 lime
½ pound fresh or pasteurized backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells
1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut in fine dice
4 cups fresh Silver Queen (or other sweetcorn) corn kernels
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
¼ tsp Old Bay or seafood seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, and whisk thoroughly.
Place crab, red onion, red pepper, corn, and cilantro together in a bowl and toss gently, taking care not to break up the lumps of crab. Pour the lime dressing over top and gently toss again.
Season with Old Bay, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving.
- Chesapeake Chargrilled Oysters - Serves 8
Ingredients:
· 36 oysters, freshly shucked (on the half shell)
· 1 stick salted butter
· 7 cloves fresh garlic, minced
· 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
· 1 Tbsp. thyme
· 1 Tbsp. oregano
· 2 oz white wine
· 8 oz. Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
· 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
· Fresh parsley for garnish
Directions:
In a saucepan, melt the butter and bring to a simmer. Add the garlic, red pepper, thyme, oregano & wine. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Roasting/Grilling Oysters
Pre-heat oven or grill to 350°. Once at 350°, place freshly shucked oyster on the half shell on the center of the oven/grill. Once the water around the oyster begins to bubble and the oyster begins to rise, ladle 1 tablespoon of the butter garlic sauce on top of each oyster. Top with a dusting of cheese and allow the cheese to melt. Finish with a squirt of fresh lemon juice & a garnish of fresh parsley.
- Single-Fried Oysters with Horseradish and Tartar Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pint shucked oysters
1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp salt 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp black pepper Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Drain the oysters, reserving the liquor, if desired (see Note). Combine the cornmeal and flour, salt, Old Bay, and pepper. Dust the oysters in the flour/cornmeal mixture, one at a time. Set aside the oysters for several minutes to dry.
Pour oil into a frying pan to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil and sauté the oysters for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the skillet. Add more oil as needed.
Remove the oysters with a slotted utensil to paper towels and drain well. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: Oyster liquor may be added to dishes for heightened flavor
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Journalist and best-selling author Erik Larson joined Midday in May to discuss his most recent book. The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War is a granular look at the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861.
For Larson, this period is consequential for the subsequent conflict and for the nation's trajectory. The book concludes where the war begins; The bombardment of the Union fort in South Carolina.
6 of Larson’s previous 8 books have become New York Times best-sellers, and his subject matter ranges widely. In The Devil in the White City, he wrote about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and was a finalist for the National Book Award.
(This interview originally aired on May 28, 2024)
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After several weeks of a careful pressure campaign by top Democrat party figures, including former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden announced he would stand aside and allow another Democrat to lead the ticket.
Democratic members of Congress, past and present, had voiced concerns over Biden's ability to beat Republican challenger and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 elections, just months away.
Leaders in Maryland's Democratic party announced their support for Biden's decision, and many endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as their pick for the party's presidential nominee. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said Biden is one of the most accomplished presidents of his lifetime, and called Harris the right pick going forward.
"Black women have saved this country time and time again," Scott wrote on X. "For that reason and a hundred others, there is no other — or better — option than the Vice President to unite our party and win in November."
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday, as does Democratic State Sen. Jim Rosapepe.
John King, of the San Francisco Chronicle joins the show to talk about Harris and her political career in California and beyond.
And New York Times national politics reporter Adam Nagourney joins Midday to discuss the latest news. With Biden stepping down, what happens next?
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The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, came to a close last night with a speech from the party's nominee for President. Donald Trump accepted his party's nomination, thanked his family and delivered a wide-ranging address similar to those heard at his campaign rallies.
Lisa Desjardins, a correspondent with PBS News Hour joins Midday to discuss the convention and what the platform and messaging the Republicans have staked their claim to in a pivotal election year.
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On the Midday Newswrap today, we are joined by Rachel Baye, WYPR reporter and editor. She covered the nearly $150 million dollar budget cut announced by Gov. Wes Moore last week and approved by the Board of Estimates on Wednesday.
Moore, the chair of the three-member Board of Public Works that approved the cuts for the current year's budget, said the changes are designed to prioritize health care and child care spending.
“We know that when Marylanders have access to health care and also access to preventative care, and when families have access to affordable childcare, they are more likely to participate in our labor force and participate in our economy,” Moore said. “And the key is we've got to have an economy where more people can participate.”
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A new show on Apple TV is set, and was filmed in, Baltimore. Based on author Laura Lippman's 2019 novel, 'Lady and the Lake' is a noir thriller following a pair of women whose lives intersect as they are forced to pay a price for their dreams.
Maddie Schwartz, played by Natalie Portman, is a Jewish housewife seek a new life as an investigative journalist. Meanwhile Cleo Johnson, played by Moses Ingram, is a mother in Black Baltimore navigating its political paradigms.
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Today, a conversation with Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough.
McCullough is a longtime veteran of the force, having served in several senior leadership roles, including Bureau Chief of Criminal Investigations and Eastern Patrol Division Commander before being named Police Chief last year.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski cited those decades of experience when McCullough’s nomination was announced in April 2023. How has the police chief's first year gone? And as crime falls dramatically in the county, what's his plan going forward?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
We discuss 'The Scottsboto Boys,' on stage at ArtsCentric through July 21. The production is based off the history of a group of young African-American men who were wrongly accused and convicted during the Great Depression.
(Photo from ArtsCentric)
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Back in 2019, the Maryland General Assembly created the Prescription Drug Affordability Board. Their goal? Lowering the cost of drugs for Maryland residents.
The board faced several barriers in the past couple years, including a veto from former Gov. Larry Hogan. But in 2023, Gov. Wes Moore signed legislation reaffirming the board’s cost-reduction tools. And this year, the board is reviewing six drugs for potential cost-reduction efforts.
So, what is next? Dr. Gerard Anderson is a member of the PDAB and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Hospital Finance and Management. He is also a professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Anderson joins us to talk about the work of the board and the tools at their disposal.
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Baltimore was one of the hottest cities in the nation last week. Extreme weather is becoming more common as human-driven changes to the planet's climate continue.
Joey Henderson of the Baltimore City Department of Emergency Management on how the city handles the heat and hurricanes, and how you can be best prepared.
(Photo by Kylie Cooper, The Baltimore Banner)
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Discussion about immigration, not always based in fact, has featured in campaigning in this election year.
But what is the reality of immigration in the Baltimore region? Guiliana Valencia Banks, Baltimore County Chief of Immigrant Affairs, and Catalina Rodriquez-Lima, Director of Baltimore City of Immigrant Affairs, join Midday to discuss immigration across the Baltimore region.
(Kaitlin Newman, The Baltimore Banner)
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Concerns about President Joe Biden's health reemerged after a disastrous debate performance in June. Now, several leader in the Democratic party are considering alternative candidates.
The Washington Post reports there are currently 22 congressional Democrats, including one U.S. Senator, who have called on Biden to step aside in favor of another standard bearer for the November election.
Luke Broadwater, a congressional reporter with the New York Times, joins Midday to break down the latest.
Has the assassination attempt on Mr. Trump changed how you think about his chances in the November election? And what about the addition of Ohio congressman J.D. Vance to the Republican presidential ticket?
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A gunman’s failed attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump resulted in the death of a bystander and the injury of two others.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation three times over the weekend, calling for unity and the lowering of the rhetorical temperature. Today on Midday, how are Maryland voters and elected officials reacting as political violence continues to be a scourge in the public square?
Democratic lawmaker Kweisi Mfume, who represents Maryland's 7th District in the U.S. Congress, joins the conversation.
Midday is also joined by Neil Parrott, a Republican running for Congress to represent Maryland's 6th District.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
We discuss the Contemporary American Theater Festival, continuing at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, through July 28. Several plays are on stage at the festivals, do share a common theme?
(Photo by Seth Freeman)
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The ongoing conflict in Gaza continues to devastate the region. Truce negotiations seem to be making progress, but what sustainable path forward is there for peace?
Aziz Abu Sarah is a Palestinian journalist and tourism entrepreneur who founded MEJDI Tours. Maoz Inon is an Israeli tourism entrepreneur who founded Abraham Hostels. The duo are peace activists who have come together to inspire peace in a region racked with conflict and hatred.
More information about Sunday's conversation at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation can be found here.
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For decades, Baltimore fans of operetta have had the opportunity to see and hear many Gilbert and Sullivan shows at the Young Victorian Theater Company. Known by many as “Young Vic,” the theatre company has produced 14 of the famed plays over the course of their 25-year collaboration.
Ruddigore first opened in 1887 in London, England. The bawdy operetta's humor and wit comes alive through the Young Vic’s production, opening Sunday afternoon.
Brian Goodman, who cofounded Young Vic 50 years ago, and Catrin Davies, the company's artistic director, join Midday to talk about Ruddigore and what's next for the intrepid theatre company.
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Ultra marathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey is an accomplished athlete. She swam the English Channel twice, circumnavigated Manhattan and completed the DC Marathon Swim.
And in June, she added to her impressive accomplishments in local waters. Pumphrey swam the 24-miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into Baltimore's Inner Harbor, a route no one else has completed before.
She says her love for Baltimore energized her every stroke through the Patapsco River's waters.
“I love this city so much,” Pumphrey told Baltimore Banner. “Baltimore should be proud of our city. I want more people to talk about how awesome it is. So, if my swim helps to highlight everything that the city is and has been and can be — I’m just honored.”
Pumphrey joins Midday to talk about her momentous journey, and what it means to her to open water swim in her city's own backyard.
(Kaitlin Newman, The Baltimore Banner)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends with movie aficionados Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
We dig into several films, including The Bikeriders, Thelma and Kinds of Kindness. We also discuss the Paramount merger with SkyDance, and what the move means for the movie industry.
(Photo by Kyle Kaplan, Focus Features)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
From tax preparation to SNAP benefits, health care to housing, a myriad of government services have been privatized in the name of cost savings and efficiency. But the cost to tax payers and to recipients is high, and the impact on corporate influence in government is undeniable.
Anne Kim writes about the money made on America's poor, in her new book Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor.
“These companies are not neutral administrators of government programs," Kim writes. "They’re a silent but powerful pillar of the poverty bureaucracy.”
Kim is a lawyer and public policy expert and former Senior Writer at the Washington Monthly, where she still serves as a contributing editor.
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In January, the Baltimore Sun was purchased by David Smith, an executive chairman of Sinclair, Inc. The media company is based in Hunt Valley and owns more than 200 TV stations across the country. Smith purchased the paper for an undisclosed amount with a conservative commentator, Armstrong Williams. Smith made the purchase with personal money, and the paper is not part of the Sinclair company’s holdings.
At a tense meeting last January, according to reporting in the Baltimore Banner, Smith encouraged the Sun staff to emulate the journalism of the flagship station in the Sinclair chain, Fox45 in Baltimore.
In recent weeks, stories byFox 45 reporters have begun appearing in the pages of the Sun. This prompted a letter posted on social media from the Baltimore Sun Guild, the union representing the Sun staff, to Smith and Armstrong. The letter raised concerns about a lack of transparency about the paper's new relationship with Fox 45 is, and about what it might become in the future.
Christine Condon, an environmental reporter for the Sun who serves as the Unit Chair of the Guild, joins Midday to discuss the situation at one of Baltimore's oldest newspapers.
We invited the Sun’s co-owner, Armstrong Williams, to join the show. He did not respond to our invitation.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
GOP nominee Shannon Wright speaks to Midday about her campaign for Baltimore City mayor in another edition of Conversations with the Candidates.
Wright has spent little money on advertising, and faces a tall task in a race against incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott. When the pair last faced off in 2020, Wright received 7 percent of the vote to Scott's 70 percent. Independent Bob Wallace received 20 percent of the vote in that race.
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Originally built in 1877 as a segregated school for African American children, P.S. 103 will soon host a new headquarters for Baltimore's public health efforts, a museum space for the life of Thurgood Marshall and the city's field office of the Maryland Legislative Office of the Black Caucus.
A 2016 fire ravaged the building, but a multi-millionaire dollar partnership with Community Services Corporation is helping to restore the historic Baltimore building.
Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer of the Beloved Community Services Corp, joins Midday to discuss the project.
(Photo courtesy Baltimore City Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation)
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Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch. They discuss issues affecting the health and well-being of Charm City residents.
A recent trend highlights the need for safe sex education among seniors. The CDC reports that sexually transmitted infections are up exponentially in those 65 and older. Plus, tips for cutting out unhealthy processed foods
Dr. Wen is a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She is a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, a medical expert at CNN, and a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
On today's show, we review 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' at Chesapeake Shakespeare Companythrough July 21. The production is set outdoors at the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park.
(Photo by Kiirstn Pagan Photography)
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President and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee Mark Anthony Thomas joins Midday today.
Founded in the 1950s, the GBC's goals are to foster economic development in the Baltimore metropolitan region. One of its most recent initiatives involves Baltimore being named a “Tech Hub,” which qualifies the city to apply for major federal grants to boost the city’s tech sector. On Monday, the Biden administration announced that the first tranche of those grants will be awarded to 12 applicants, but Baltimore is not among them. Baltimore did receive a $500,000 grant to develop a proposal for the second round of funding.
GBC recently released its All In 2035 Economic Plan, which chart's the organization's vision for the region's economy. We ask Thomas about how infrastructure fits into his organization's plan, and about the fastest growing sectors of Baltimore's workforce.
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A shaky debate performance last week caused members of the Democratic party to question if the 81-year-old incumbent is the right choice as their candidate.
A New York Times/Siena College poll showed that 69 percent of voters, including 55 percent of Biden voters, said Biden is too old to be an effective president.
Could Democrats change their plans as the party gears up for their national convention in late August?
Elaine Kamarck of the Brookings Institution studies the presidential nomination system. She joins Midday to discuss what could happen in the coming weeks.
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One year ago, violence ripped through a cool summer night during a celebration of Baltimore's neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Five people have been charged with gun crimes and other charges, including attempted first-degree murder, related to the Brooklyn Day shooting. Four people have pleaded guilty to their charges.
Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, who represents the district encompassing Brooklyn, joins Midday to discuss how the community is working to move forward.
Two members of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement join Midday, as well. Mark Mason, Victim Services Associate Director and Rick Fontaine Leandry, the Coordinated Neighborhood Stabilization Response Manager, outline how city government has sought to help Brooklyn recover.
(J.M. Giordano, The Baltimore Banner)
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The U.S. Supreme Court issued the final decisions of their 2023-2024 court term on Monday.
Major opinions were issued on controversial topics such as emergency abortions, bump stocks, Purdue Pharma and even controversial social media posts. This term also saw the court issue decisions on several cases related to President Donald Trump including the Colorado election ballot, January 6 defendants and presidential immunity.
Kim Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, joins Midday to discuss the rulings. She is the author of multiple books, and has a forthcoming book, “Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works and Why.”
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
During today's review, a look at The Kite Runner, at The Kennedy Center thought June 30. The production is an adaptation of the bestselling novel about a boy in Afghanistan. Does it adapt well for the stage?
(Photo by Bekah Lynn Photography)
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At last night’s debate, President Joe Biden missed his chance to reassure the country that he is not too impaired by age to hold the highest office in the land, and he squandered repeated opportunities to call out the former president's falsifications.
Former President Donald Trump stuck tenaciously to falsehoods about the economy, abortion, drug prices, the insurrection, and the 2020 election. He framed almost every problem the country faces through the lens of immigration. By the end of the debate, they were arguing about their golf handicaps.
Two analyst joins us to break down the night.
Dr. Lilliana Mason is a political scientist on the faculty of the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University.
Erin Doherty covers politics for Axios.
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Jazz vocalist Anna-Lisa Kirby reimagines the music of a classic American musician. Kirby is set to bring her own dynamic voice to the works of Leonard Cohen tonight at An die Musik, a performance space in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon neighborhood.
She is to be joined by bassist Obasi Akoto, pianist Alan Blackman and drummer Claudio Silva.
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On Midday today, we discuss two efforts to tackle development hurdles in Baltimore.
In 2021, the MD General Assembly formed the West North Avenue Development Authority to help invigorate 14 neighborhoods along the North Avenue corridor. Chad Williams,Executive Director of West North Ave Development Authority, joins us.
We also speak to Mike Posko, CEO Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. He joins the show to discuss his organizations recent milestone of 800 homes built over 40 years.
(Photo by Eli Pousson)
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In the introduction to her fascinating new book, Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins writes, “I've never known a winner, not one, who wasn't irritated by the lame idea that they were God-kissed with fortunate gifts.”
The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Lifeis a rumination on why athletic icons have risen to the top of their respective sports, and what lessons can be learned that can benefit the rest of us in our respective personal and professional pursuits.
Jenkins comes to see hard work and strategic thinking, rather than latent talent, as the crucial quality to an athlete's success.
During her long career as a sports columnist and feature writer, Jenkins covered 10 Olympic games, and countless games in other sports in between. As she covered these events, Jenkins has had a front row seat to observe some of the world’s most elite athletes and coaches.
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Sam Cogen promised change if elected to Baltimore city's sheriff office. Half a year into his term, what has changed, and what has not?
The sheriff's office is responsible for protecting courthouses, evictions and enforcing protective orders. Cogen has sought to expand his agency's responsibilities, and said he wants to see his office be a "changing agent" in the housing and eviction process.
So, how does the Baltimore city sheriff’s office fit into the fabric of Baltimore’s public safety efforts?
Sheriff Sam Cogen joins Midday's Tom Hall to discuss his term, so far, and his goals for the future of his agency.
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“Peace is the duty of our time,” Phillip Berrigan told a class of college students in 1965. 60 years later, it remains so.
Berrigan was an iconic peace activist, a soldier, a priest, a scholar, and a protester who came to international prominence as part of the Catonsville 9, a group that burned draft cards in 1968, during the Vietnam war.
In 1973, Berrigan, with his wife, Elizabeth McAlister, founded Jonah House in Baltimore, a Catholic Worker House inspired by the gospel nonviolence work of Dorothy Day.
Today on Midday, a conversation about the work of Philip Berrigan, whose writing has been assembled in a new collection, A Ministry of Risk.
Brad Wolf edited the work. He is a lawyer, former prosecutor, professor, and community college dean. He is cofounder of Peace Action Network of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, an affiliate of Peace Action and a partner of World BEYOND War. Brad's writings have been published in The Progressive, Common Dreams, Counterpunch, Antiwar.com, Consortium News, and Dappled Things.
We also speak with Brendan Walsh and Willa Bickham, the founders of a Catholic Worker House in Southwest Baltimore called Viva House.
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Gov. Wes Moore pardoned 175,000 cannabis-related misdemeanor convictions on Monday.
Among the pardoned convictions, WYPR's Rachel Bay reported, more than 150,000 were for cannabis possession, and more than 18,000 for use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia. The governor’s office estimated that at least 100,000 people are affected by the pardons.
Baye joins Midday to discuss the sweeping move, and what it means for thousands of Marylanders with low-level convictions on their record.
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Comedian and author Paula Poundstone has starred in hit movies, authored best-selling books and hosted legendary comedy specials. She also hosts a podcast, Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone, and does standup shows across the country.
Poundstone is set to appear at Rams Head On Stage in Annapolis Saturday night. She joins Midday to talk about her long and illustrious career and the state of comedy today.
(Photo by Shannon Greer)
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Invasive plants, like English Ivy, do more than just crowd out native plant species. They disrupt local ecosystems, eliminating food sources for pollinators and insect species.
A contest in Townson seeks to promote the use of native plant species in residential yards. Hosted by Green Towson Alliance, homeowners compete in several categories and are judged on how well they integrate native plants into their gardens and green spaces.
Patty Mochel is a member of the Green Towson Alliance and one of the hosts of the Native Garden Contest.
Amanda Wray is a co-coordinator of the contest and head of WildOnes Greater Baltimore.
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Today, a conversation about community schools with Alexandria Warrick Adams, the Executive Director of Elev8 Baltimore. The non-profit works with public school students and their families throughout Baltimore.
Jada Jackson also joins the show. She is a former student at an Elev8 Freedom School, who now serves as the Extended Learning Coordinator within the organization.
On July 1, Elev8 is set to open three Freedom Schools, modeled on the schools that the civil rights icons Bob Moses, Charlie Cobb, Stokely Carmichael and others started in 1964.
The 6-week program immerses K-12 students in culturally diverse literature, helping them master reading and life skills.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousuck reviews Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Iron Crow Theatre, on stage through June 30, 2024.
The play, which first debuted in abroad in 2017, tells the tale of a young man who does not quite fit in with his peers. Iron Crow Theatre’s production is one of the first in the United States.
(Photo by Wilson Freeman)
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A new book aims to rekindle the conversation about Black resistance to white supremacy in the history of the United States.
We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance, is an impassioned love letter to Black resilience in our past and present.
The author, Kellie Carter Jackson, is an Associate Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at Wellesley College and a cohost of This Day in Esoteric Political History. Her 2019 book Force and Freedom was a finalist for the Frederick Douglass Book Prize and the Museum of African American History Stone Book Award.
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Immigration continues to be a key issues in the run up to the 2024 election year. Polling suggests immigration is ranked as one of the most pressing topics among voters across the nation.
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden announced several executive actions designed to clamp down on immigration. If the number of crossings surges, the new order will prevent migrants from seeking asylum. The policy is similar to moves made during the Trump administration, which were successfully challenged in court. The ACLU has already vowed to challenge Biden’s actions, as well.
Among all of the rhetoric, what is the reality on the ground, at the U.S.-Mexico border and here in Maryland? Marielena Hincapié joins us to discuss the latest. For more than 20 years, she worked at the National Immigration Law Center, serving as its Executive Director from 2008-2022. She is a Distinguished Immigration Fellow and Visiting Scholar in Cornell University's Immigration Law and Policy Program.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Extreme heat is expected to roast most of Maryland over the next week, with triple-digit temperatures forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Austin Mansfield joins Midday to discuss the heat, and what is behind the extreme weather.
The first heat-related death in Maryland occurred earlier in June. Dr. Sarah Lee, an emergency medicine physician at the University of Maryland Medical Center and an instructor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, talks about how to identify and treat heat stroke and heat exhaustion.
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Last year, fans in Baltimore were gripped by the Orioles' run into Major League Baseball's postseason, success not seen in nearly a decade. As the O's attempt to continue their winning ways this season, Midday takes a stroll down memory lane.
John Eisenberg, a longtime sports columnist for the Baltimore Sun, draws from decades of his interviews with baseball stars of yesteryear. He joins Midday to discuss the series and what he learned from the legends of Orioles baseball.
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Every year, the Lyric invites area students to “Dream Big” with a contest inspired by Dr. Martin Luither King, Jr in which young people are asked to reflect on the question, "What will it take for us all to be free?" They respond to that prompt with essays, poems, videos or visual art.
Tom's guest to discuss the annual contest is Denise Kumani Gantt, the director of education at the Lyric Theater in Baltimore.
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The Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock celebrated their 50-year anniversary in November. Their current roster includes vocalists Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, Aisha Kahlil, Nitanju Bolade Casel, and Navasha Daya, with Romeir Mendez on upright acoustic/electric bass, and American Sign Language interpreter, Barbara Hunt.
Carol Maillard, a founding member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, joins Midday to look ahead to weekend performance Saturday and Sunday at the Keystone Korner Jazz Club in Baltimore.
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After weeks of speculation of the future of the long-serving head of Baltimore City Public Schools, the school board voted to renew CEO Sonja Santelises' contract for one year. Santelises sought a longer contract, according to reporting by the Baltimore Banner.
Liz Bowie, education reporter for the Baltimore Banner, joins Midday to discuss the unusually protracted negotiation process, and what the contract renewal means for city schools.
(photo credit: Eli Pousson Via Wikimedia Commons)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
We discuss Long Way Down, at Olney Theatre Center through June 23. The production is a world premiere. Does it have a long future ahead?
(Photo from Teresa Castracane Photography)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
What needs to happen to jumpstart the local economy while the Key bridge is rebuilt. Will there be a lag until things are back to normal?
Tom speaks with Mary Kane, the CEO of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Christina DePasquale, an associate professor of practice in economics at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School about the impact of the bridge collapse on area businesses, non-profits and the labor market.
[Photo by John Lee, WYPR]
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Recovery and clean up efforts continue following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. Earlier this week, the port of Baltimore's channel fully reopened following 11 weeks of demolition and scavenging to remove debris from the Patapsco River.
Gov. Wes Moore joins Midday to discuss the latest. We ask him about how much of the $60 emergency funds remain unspent, and if there is the possibility of speeding up the rebuild of the bridge spanning the Patapsco's channel.
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Jamie Costello reported stories in Baltimore, about Baltimore and its communities, for nearly 40 years. And on Friday, at the end of the 6:00pm newscast, Costello will sign off from the anchor desk at WMAR for the final time.
Costello is from Baltimore, and his authenticity and experience as a story-teller have always been a hallmark of his style. He reported on thousands of stories; delivering good news with contagious enthusiasm and bad news with empathy and compassion.
Costello joins Midday to discuss the story of his long career, and what comes next in retirement.
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Baltimore City's public school system is led by one of the longest-serving school superintendents in the nation. Dr. Sonja Santelises joins Midday on Education to look back on the school year, which ends on Thursday, June 13.
Last month, the board of the Baltimore City Public Schools approved a $1.8 billion budget, which includes a new $4.5 million math curriculum and $6 million for pre-kindergarten materials. The city's math scores have long been among the lowest in the state, while eighth grade English scores began a post-pandemic rebound last year.
We ask Santelises about the future of the school system, test scores and about ongoing negotiations regarding her contract.
*Update: On Wednesday night, the school board voted to give Santelises a one-year contract with a salary of $349,989.
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Disinformation, spread far and wide online, threatens the health of a democracy. But a new book offers prescriptions for how to counter disinformation.
The Death of Truth: How Social Media and the Internet Gave Snake Oil Salesmen and Demagogues the Weapons They Needed to Destroy Trust and Polarize the World-And What We Can Do About Itis a new book chronicling how wild conspiracy came to be so widely embraced.
Author Steven Brill joins us to discuss the book. Brill is an attorney, an entrepreneur and a journalist. He is also the founder of Court TV, American Lawyer Magazine and several other businesses, including News Guard, which he co-founded in 2018, an organization that attempts to monitor the vast amounts of misinformation coursing through the internet.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has been called one of Maryland’s most important cultural institutions. Today we hear from two of the talented people involved in their work.
Jonathon Heyward is the music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He is finishing his inaugural season, including a final show in the Symphony in the City series. The free concert at Fort McHenry will be dedicated to those affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
James Lee, III, an internationally acclaimed composer, also joins Midday. He teaches at Morgan State University and was appointed the composer-in-residence of the BSO for their upcoming season.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends with movie aficionados Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
We discuss some current releases, including Furiosa, and look at recent poor box office numbers across the United States.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's Midday News Wrap, a look at the aftermath of severe weather in Montgomery County where residents are taking stock following reports of tornados, downed power lines and property damage.
Midday host Tom Hall speaks with Jim Brown, president of the Poolesville town commissioners, about last night's storms.
Then, there are new laws on the books. The Maryland General Assembly passed 1,053 pieces of legislation during the 90-day 2024 session. Several laws created from those bills went into effect on June 1, including harsher penalties for street racing and changes to Baltimore city's charter. Other changes include a new tax rate for abandoned homes in Baltimore, which lawmakers hope may help cut down on the number of vacant, unused properties.
WYPR News Director Matt Bush covered the session and joins Midday to talk about the laws and other changes approved by state lawmakers.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Jason Gay, a sports and humor columnist for the Wall Street Journal, talks basketball, baseball and more. After a long layover, the games begin again tonight with the start of the NBA finals. Plus, we discuss the moment the WNBA is experiencing this season.
And in baseball news, Major League Baseball issued bans and suspensions to professional players alleged to have participated in sports betting.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Rousck joins Midday to review Love/Sick, onstage at Spotlighters Theatre through June 9.
(Photo by Spotlighters Theatre/Jonathan Hemphill)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Midday today, a look at the life and legacy of Sen. Charles Mathias. He was a liberal Republican popular in Maryland for more than two decades and was known by his colleagues as the “conscience of the Senate.”
A new collection of essays about Sen. Mathias by staffers who worked with him and elected officials who served with him paints a portrait of a principled man who put country above party and who served with integrity and passion. The book is called Mathias of Maryland: Remembering a Lincoln Republican in the Senate.
Frederick Hill, a co-editor and contributor to the collection, and Norman Ornstein, a former Congressional Staffer who wrote the foreword to this important new book, join Midday to discuss.
Join Hill tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer in Charles Village for a discussion of Mathias of Maryland: Remembering a Lincoln Republican in the Senate.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A controversial piece of legislation passed by the Baltimore County Council Monday night attempts to restrict development near overcrowded schools.
The effort seeks to address rampant overcrowding in county schools, but critics of the bill say it will do little to relieve crowded classrooms and will only worsen the county’s affordable housing crisis.
WYPR Reporter John Lee covers Baltimore County and joined Midday to discuss the latest.
(Photo by John Lee)
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Bakari Sellers was the youngest African American elected official in the country when he won a seat in the South Carolina state legislature at the age of 22.
Sellers is a civil rights attorney, a CNN political analyst, and the author of two books. The latest is an essay on race, politics, and equality, and a prescriptive call for how to address the challenges our country faces living up to its stated ideals.
He joins Midday to discuss his book, The Moment: Thoughts on the Race Reckoning that Wasn’t, and How We All Can Move Forward Now.
(Photo by John R. Walder)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A new feature on WYPR seeks to highlight the bright side of the news headlines and celebrates the good in all of us.
The Good News, hosted by former head of the NAACP Dr. Benjamin Chavis will broadcast on WYPR and WTMD. The daily radio commentary and headline news review will seek to offer timely and unique perspective on the headline news of the day across America and throughout the world.
Chavis joins Midday host Tom Hall to discuss the show's launch.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch for their monthly discussion about the public health of Charm City residents.
Today, Wen answers questions about menopause. What therapies are effective, and what do women need to know?
Plus, with the 2024 Olympics set to get underway next month, is the World Doping Agency doing its job?
Wen is a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She is a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, a medical expert at CNN, and a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A New York jury unanimously found Donald Trump guilty on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in order to influence the 2016 presidential election, marking the first time a former president has been found guilty of a crime.
Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne joins Midday to share his analysis of the conviction and how it may impact the presidential election.
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City officials are considering Mayor Brandon Scott's proposed fiscal budget for 2025.
The Mayor said his budget contains few cuts, with more money going to schools, the Department of Recreation and Parks and public safety.
Bill Henry, Baltimore City's Comptroller, joins Midday to discuss the proposed budget, reforms to the city's procurement policy and more. Henry sits on the city's Board of Estimates, a powerful committee tasked with formulating and executing Baltimore's fiscal policies.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, we take a look at The Matchbox Magic Flute, continuing at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington through June 16.
Special note: Songs used in this interview were performed by the cast of The Matchbox Magic Flute at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.
(Photo by Liz Lauren)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Jury deliberations in the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump's alleged hush money payments resumed today. The twelve jurors, all New Yorkers, asked to reheard testimony and some of the judge's instructions, according to reporting from AP News.
Midday host Tom Hall spoke to Maryland Law Professor Mark Graber and prominent Baltimore-based defense attorney Warren Brown about the latest news from the Manhattan trial and the former president's other legal concerns.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In 2018, Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate won nearly 20 million more votes than their GOP opponents, but Republicans gained two seats and established a 53-47 majority.
This is one example of the disintegration of majority rule cited by Mother Jones national voting rights correspondent Ari Berman in his new book, Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People and the Fight to Resist It.
Berman examines the deleterious effects of the Electoral College, gerrymandering, voter suppression and the skewing of the courts to the right. How can democracy survive in the face of such efforts?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Journalist and best-selling author Erik Larson joins Midday to discuss his latest book on the years leading up to the U.S. Civil War.
The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War is a granular look at the events taking place in the five months between the election of Abraham Lincoln in November 1860 and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861. The bombardment of the Union fort in South Carolina marked the beginning of the war.
6 of Larson’s previous 8 books have become New York Times best-sellers, and his subject matter ranges widely. In The Devil in the White City, he wrote about the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and was a finalist for the National Book Award. He also authored histories of Winston Churchill, the final crossing of the Lusitania and the first ambassador to Nazi Germany.
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Political scientist Tom Schaller, who teaches at UMBC, and former Washington Post columnist Paul Waldman have written a book that examines how rural communities wield out-sized political influence.
Going even further, to the chagrin of their critics, Schaller and Waldman assert that, quote, “white rural voters pose a growing threat to the world’s oldest constitutional democracy.”
But critics of the book say the threat Waldman and Schaller hypothesize isn't actually there. Nicholas Jacobs, a researcher cited in White Rural Rage, wrote for POLITICO that his work was misinterpreted by the book's authors. Jacobs found that 27 percent of rural voters—including 23 percent of rural Trump voters—think that if the opposing candidate wins in November, “people will need to take drastic action in order to stop [Biden or Trump] from taking office.” That is the exact same proportion—27 percent—as voters in urban and suburban areas who hold the same view.
The book is called White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy.
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Anne Lamott is a best-selling author whose large body of work resonates with millions of readers. She writes both fiction and non-fiction and she has just published her 20th book, , Somehow: Thoughts on Love.
It is a kind, fun, personal reflection on love. Can love lift us out of despair, and right us when we falter? Lamott answers that question with a resounding “yes.”
Anne Lamott joined Midday in early April to discuss the book, her motivations for writing and her experiences with love.
(Photo by Sam Lamott)
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A sentencing hearing for Marilyn Mosby, a former two-term Baltimore State’s Attorney, is underway in federal court in Greenbelt. Mosby was convicted of perjury and mortgage fraud in February.
Debbie Hines joins Midday to discuss the latest. She is a former prosecutor and trial attorney, and the author of Get Off My Neck: Black Lives, White Justice, and a Former Prosecutor’s Quest for Reform.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Will new approaches to preventative care lead to fewer cases of chronic diseases like diabetes and hyper tension?
John B. Chessare, MD, MPH, is the President and CEO of GBMC HealthCare, in Baltimore, Maryland, joins Midday to discuss how the medical center is attempting a more proactive approach to treating patients with diabetes, hypertension and obesity.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, we discuss the classic play A Midsummer's Night Dream, on stage at the Everyman Theatre through June 9.
One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, Midsummer often sees theaters make creative changes to the script. Is that the case at Everyman Theatre?
Notes:
Everyman Theatre's upcoming theatrical schedule.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The warm and sunny weather is here, and many Marylanders are headed outdoors to tend to our gardens.
Two seasoned pros join Midday for a seasonal conversations about what we can grow around our homes, in our yards and our community gardens. Carrie Engel, the veteran plant specialist and Greenhouse Manager at Valley View Farms Nursery and Garden Center in Cockeysville, Maryland, joins us for your plant and gardening questions.
And we are also joined by Richard Francis, better known as "Farmer Chippy,"the director of The Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm, and the Agrihood in Northwest Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March caused some environmental advocates to worry about potential impacts on marine life and ecosystem of the Patapsco River.
But concerns surrounding pollution and environmental hazards near the port predate the bridge collapse. Communities near Baltimore's port have long expressed concerns about pollution in their neighborhoods.
Dr. Sacoby Wilson is an environmental justice advocate who oversees projects in Curtis Bay and Turner Station, two neighborhoods near the port.
Wilson is a Professor with the Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Maryland, College Park School of Public Health.
He is also the director of the Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH), and the host of My Block Counts, a podcast that explores the environmental issues that impact Maryland. The podcast is produced in cooperation with WYPR.
(Photo by Kristen Mosbrucker, WYPR)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The musical duo Griefcat joins Midday for a live performance. Their latest album, Late Stage Capitalism, showcase the biting humor of the pair of performers. Their funny, satirical songs explore an array of subjects, from crypto currency and the environment, to wealth and religion.
Griefcat's Annie Nardolilli and Louisa Hall join the show. Their next schedule performance is tomorrow, May 22, at the Silver Spring Blackbox Theater.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
More than 26 million passengers traveled through BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport last year. The airport continues to grow, with an increase in international passengers and international airlines.
Upgrades were added to the airport's facilities including new bathrooms that have already earned awards for design and cleanliness.
Ricky Smith, the CEO of the Maryland Aviation Administration who oversees BWI Thurgood Marshall, joins Midday to discuss the questions on your mind about travel through Maryland's biggest airport.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
More than 26 million passengers traveled through BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport last year. The airport continues to grow, with an increase in international passengers and international airlines.
Upgrades were added to the airport's facilities including new bathrooms that have already earned awards for design and cleanliness.
Ricky Smith, the CEO of the Maryland Aviation Administration who oversees BWI Thurgood Marshall, joins Midday to discuss the questions on your mind about travel through Maryland's biggest airport.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Baltimore City Hall is excited to receive new artwork for its walls this year. Five portraits of the most recent mayors will be painted by local artists. The last mayor to have a portrait painted for display in City Hall is Martin O’Malley, who was in office from 1999 to 2007.
The city of Baltimore revealed the names of the five artists chosen to paint the portraits exclusively on Midday.
The winners are Megan Lewis, Andrew Pisacane, Kennedy Ringgold, Earnest Shaw and Karen Warshal.
Tonya Miller Hall, a Senior Advisor on Arts and Culture to Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday along with Cara Ober, the founding editor and publisher of BmoreArt magazine, to discuss the artists and their work.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The 149th running of the Preakness Stakes is tomorrow at Pimlico Race Course, the historic, but dilapidated, track that is now owned by the state of Maryland.
Del. Sandy Rosenberg joins me to talk about the future of horse racing, and what we can expect over the next few years at Pimlico and the surrounding Park Heights neighborhood.
(Photo by Miki Hellerbach)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
We discuss The Importance of Being Earnest at Baltimore Center Stage until May 26. The production is a reimagination of Oscar Wilde’s witty and humorous classic.
(Photo by Michael Henniger)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Three City Council races are still too close to call in Districts 8, 11 and 12.
Hallie Miller, a reporter for our news partner, The Baltimore Banner is covering the primary elections for these competitive seats. She joins Midday to discuss the latest on the vote counts and shares predictions for when election watchers will know the final results.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Last year, the American Library Association reported a 20% increase from the previous year in efforts to ban books in the US in both school and public libraries.
As WYPR education reporter Bri Hatch reported, 148 titles were challenged in Maryland last year, which made our state one of more than a dozen states to exceed one hundred banned books.
Maryland is one of the states with laws that require specific criteria for removing books from libraries, and which protect library personnel who act within that criteria.
Dr. Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, the CEO of the Baltimore County Public Library and the President of the board of the Public Library Association, joins Midday to discuss censorship, the future of the county's public library system and her summer reading list for young and old.
Picture books and children's fiction:
On a Summer Night by Deborah Hopkinson
• A beautifully illustrated soothing bedtime story set on a quiet summer night where various creatures awaken one by one. Ideal for bedtime or anytime, offering comfort and encouragement to young readers, also great for read-aloud or story time
Beach Hair by Ashley Woodfolk
• A heartfelt picture book celebrating family and community, the narrative follows the family's journey from waking up with wild bed head to embracing their beach hair and heading to the beach. Ultimately, the book encourages readers to embrace and celebrate their individuality, mirroring the freedom and wildness of the sea.
The Squish by Breanna Carzoo
• Summery illustrations will catch children’s eyes. Easy text for an early reader, yet a very engaging and fun story for children, young and old.
Rohan Murthy Has a Plan by Rajani Larocca
• Rohan Murthy wants to start a pet care company to raise money but his family thinks this is a bad choice because he dislikes animals!
Children's non-fiction:
Bite by Bite: American History Through Feasts, Foods, and Side Dishes by Marc Aronson and Paul Freedman
• Summer is all about eating and this book takes young readers on a culinary journey of the cultural, historical, and social influences on American eating habits. Beginning in 10,000 BCE, this title explores the Indigenous foods of the Americas and continues through colonial times, European immigration, civil rights, and today.
Teen fiction:
Even if it Breaks Your Heart by Erin Hahn
• A swooning enemies-to-dating romance with the two protagonists as alternating narrators. Well-written novel includes a deep look at class differences and how teens deal with grief.
Fiction:
Jackpot Summer by Elyssa Friedland
• Multigenerational Jewish American family story mourning the loss of the family matriarch a year earlier and coping with adult problems ranging from marital to financial and career crossroads. Three of the four adult siblings go in on Powerball tickets and win millions. How does this life-changing money change each of the three and what about the fourth sibling who’s left out in the cold? A Great book club choice with lots of laughs and discussable issues, not the least of which is just what would you do if you won the lottery?
You Are Here by David Nicholls
• Meet-cute with two appealing but lonely sad sacks who find each other on a hike across Britain. The book showcases this author's signature ability to understand middle-aged adults with pitch-perfect dialogue.
NONFICTION
The Backyard Bird Chronicles by Amy Tan
• Exceptional writing captures the joy of the natural world, and includes her own lovely drawings of birds. Her tips include providing a lot of fresh water sources to attract a wide variety of birds
The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris by Kassia St Clair
• Five teams attempted to drive across Asia and Europe in 1907, in early cars on mostly unpaved roads. This was a journalistic sensation of the era, with newspapers worldwide following their progress. St. Clair places the race in the context of the advent of the modern era, and how this event helped accelerate the shrinking of the world.
(Photo by Carol M. Highsmith, Library Of Congress. Via Wikimedia.)
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Navasha Daya is a Baltimore-based performing artist, songwriter and activist who has earned international acclaim. She has performed internationally, sharing stages with the likes of Erykah Badu, Joan Baez and Common.
She is also an activist and organizer. She cofounded the Healing & Performing Arts of the Youth Resiliency Institute, and she is also the co-director of the Cherry Hill Arts & Music Waterfront Festival in South Baltimore.
Navasha Daya is set to appear Sunday, May 19, at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner, celebrating the birthdays of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.
(Photo Courtesy of Daya World, LLC photographed by Jazzystudios)
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Democrats and Republicans in Maryland now know the nominees for their respective parties in some of November's important elections.
Votes cast in last night's primary election are being counted, but the results so far pointed to several clear cut victories. Mayor Brandon Scott trounced challenged Sheila Dixon in Baltimore city's mayor race, while Howard County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is set to face off against Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan for one of Maryland's U.S. Senate seats.
Our guests join Midday to analyze the results, and look ahead to the general election.
Mary Miller is a former business executive who ran for Baltimore mayor in 2020. She also served in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Treasury.
Dean Roger Hartley heads the College of Public Affairs at the University of Baltimore.
William J. Ford covers news and Maryland politics for Maryland Matters.
Jim Burton Republican strategist and founder of Burton Research and Strategies.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Voters across Maryland are heading to the polls today to pick their party's nominee in a slate of important local and statewide races.
WYPR Reporter John Lee shares updates on the opening of polling locations in Baltimore City this morning. Then, Brenda Wintrode, a reporter for WYPR news partner the Baltimore Banner, joins us to discuss the latest from voting locations in Annapolis.
We are also joined by Nykidra Robinson Black Girls Vote to discuss voting rights and the important concerns of Black women voters in this year's election.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A section of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge was demolished Sunday, as engineers work to clear wreckage.
Engineers say they successful used controlled explosives to remove remnants of the bridge from the deck of the cargo ship Dali. Following the ship's collision with the bridge March 26, remnants of the roadway had been strewn across the vessel.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore joins Midday to discuss the progress on the reclamation and recovery of port access in the Patapsco River.
(Photo by Scott Maucione)
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Tom speaks with Darnyle Wharton, Co-Organizer of the Baltimore Peace Movement, about their annual Mother's Day Weekend anti-violence initiative.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The big primary election of 2024 is tomorrow. Republicans and Democrats will cast ballots for President in their respective parties. Voters across the state will also weigh-in on races to choose nominees for the US Senate and the House of Representatives, and here in Baltimore, voters will decide nominees in two of the three city-wide offices: Mayor and President of the City Council, as well as city council seats throughout the city.
Midday gets a preview of primary day with Jared DeMarinis, Maryland's Administrator of Elections.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday Theater Critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom for a weekly theater review. Today she discusses Miss Holmes, which envisions Miss Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Dorothy Watson as investigators working to close a mysterious case.
The production continues until May 19 at the Fells Point Corner Theater.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On this week's edition of the Midday News Wrap, Tom begins with a conversation on the most competitive City Council races with Baltimore Banner Reporter Hallie Miller.
We also get the latest on the City Council President candidates with WYPR Reporter Wambui Kamau and explore the pro-Palestinian protests on John Hopkins' campus with WYPR Reporter Bri Hatch.
Photo Credit: Emily Hofstaedter/WYPR
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The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore issued its State of Downtown report last month.
Baltimore's urban core is one of the few places in the city that saw a population increase in recent years. With its museums, sports venues, libraries, and restaurants, downtown remains a destination for many locals and visitors.
But office space is in less demand, as a hybrid model of work persists. How does changes in work change the place of downtown in the Baltimore region?
Shelonda Stokes, President of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, joins Midday to discuss her organization's latest findings and downtown's change.
(Photo by Elijah David Jr.)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today we speak to one of America’s most acclaimed classical composers. Nico Muhly has worked big-time organizations like the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Tomorrow night, some his music, juxtaposed with music that has been formative to Nico, will be performed at a local church that has one of the area’s finest music programs.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
When former Gov. Larry Hogan made a last-minute entry into the Republican primary for Maryland's open U.S. Senate seat, the 2024 Democratic primary gained new national significance. With a thin majority in the Senate, the eventual Democratic nominee will likely face a capable challenger in Hogan.
The two leading candidates in the Democratic primary are Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and 6th District Congressman David Trone.
Midday hoped to have a conversation with both candidates to talk about the issues and why they each think they are best suited to beat Hogan.
County Executive Alsobrooks accepted our invitation, and Trone did not. So, we will spend most of the hour today speaking with Alsobrooks.
She has led Prince George’s, Maryland's second largest county, since 2018. She is the first Black woman to lead any county in the state's history, and if she is elected to the U.S. Senate, she will be the first woman to serve in the Maryland congressional delegation since Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Donna Edwards left office in 2017. She would also become one of only three Black women Senators in U.S. history.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
As the primary in Maryland enters into its final days, the race for the Democratic nomination for Maryland's U.S. Senate seat grows contentious.
Washington Post reporter Erin Coxhas been following the U.S. Senate race and joins us to discuss the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Judith Krummeck's The Deceived Onesreinterprets the classic Twelfth Night in a contemporary Baltimore setting. Her new novel chronicles the journey of twins, Vira and Sevastyan, a brother and sister from Ukraine who escape their war-torn homeland and come to Charm City.
Vira is a talented musician, who becomes begins working on a new opera at the Peabody Institute in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Inspired by Shakespeare, Krummeck weaves a fun and poignant tale, replete with mistaken identities, heartfelt ardor, and a bit of mischief.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Judith Krummeck's The Deceived Onesreinterprets the classic Twelfth Night in a contemporary Baltimore setting. Her new novel chronicles the journey of twins, Vira and Sevastyan, a brother and sister from Ukraine who escape their war-torn homeland and come to Charm City.
Vira is a talented musician, who becomes begins working on a new opera at the Peabody Institute in the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Inspired by Shakespeare, Krummeck weaves a fun and poignant tale, replete with mistaken identities, heartfelt ardor, and a bit of mischief.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Slow Time is Antje Rauwerda's debut novel. The Goucher College professor set her story in Govans, the northeast Baltimore neighborhood she calls come. The setting comes alive in Rauwerda's story, and is as vibrantly described as the characters who call Govans home.
At the outset of the story, the book’s protagonists, Danny and Em, know each other only in passing. As their connection deepens, we learn about their pasts, what they have lost, and how they have coped with those losses.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Slow Time is Antje Rauwerda's debut novel. The Goucher College professor set her story in Govans, the northeast Baltimore neighborhood she calls come. The setting comes alive in Rauwerda's story, and is as vibrantly described as the characters who call Govans home.
At the outset of the story, the book’s protagonists, Danny and Em, know each other only in passing. As their connection deepens, we learn about their pasts, what they have lost, and how they have coped with those losses.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch for their monthly discussion about the public health of Charm City residents.
Today, Wen will answer your questions about the recent outbreak of bird flu among animal populations, including dairy cows. While documented cases are clustered in just a handful of states, the Maryland Department of Agriculture is taking steps to protect the state’s food supply and residents.
In March there was one documented case of bird flu spreading to a human host, in a person with close contact with cows.
Wen wrote about the spread of the virus for The Washington Post How concerned are public health experts about bird flu?
Wen is a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She’s a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, a medical expert at CNN, and a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
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Leading Baltimore mayoral candidate Thiru Vignarajah dropped out of the race for the city's top leadership position and endorsed his opponent, Sheila Dixon, ahead of this month’s Democratic primary.
The endorsement came during a surprise announcement Wednesday in Fells Point. Dixon and Vignarajah would not confirm whether a role in Dixon’s administration would be down the road.
Emily Sullivan, City Hall reporter for WYPR's news partner The Baltimore Banner, joins us to discuss the mayoral race and Maryland's 3rd Congressional District race to replace retiring Rep. John Sarbanes.
Plus, early voting in primary elections across Maryland began this week. Residents can register to vote and cast their ballot at an early voting center in the county where they live. Residents can also register on Election Day at their assigned polling place.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends, with our regular movie aficionado,founding director of the Maryland Film Festival Jed Dietz.
The Maryland Film Festival is this weekend, and promises a slate of films and videos reflecting Charm City's unique culture. Local, national and international screenings covering a broad range of genres are on the festival's lineup.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In Reading Genesis, author Marilynne Robinson revisits the Scripture and explores the rich themes of the first book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament.
Robinson argues both academic and fundamentalist interpretations of the Book of Genesis lead to a lack of appreciation for the grand example of literature found within this foundational tome.
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Over 30 years ago, The Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies was created in Baltimore, tasked with building bridges between the world's Abrahamic religions.
The organization's founding Executive Director Christopher Leighton released a new book that tries to equip readers to breakdown the anger, fear and mistrust harbored between followers of the different faiths.
In A Sacred Argument: Dispatches from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Encounter, Leighton recounts his experience pursuing conversation between polarized groups about difficult centuries-old topics, while addressing the sharp religious divides in today's society.
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Commissioner of the Baltimore City Police Department Richard Worley joins Midday to discuss challenges facing his department, which he has lead for less than a year.
Worley, a native of Pigtown in southeast Baltimore, is a longtime member of the department and was named acting commissioner in June 2023. His nomination was approved by Baltimore city council last October.
Homicides and non-fatal shootings continue to decline in Baltimore and around the country, and the city has announced another expansion of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy. But can police sustain the program with hundreds of patrol vacancies?
(Photo by Ulysses Muñoz, The Baltimore Banner)
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The leading candidates for Baltimore mayor took to the debate stage on Tuesday, in one of the last opportunities for voters to hear from contenders for the city government's top seat.
WJZ-TV, The Baltimore Banner, WYPR Radio, and the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore organized the event on UB's main campus.
Incumbent Mayor Brandon Scott, former Mayor Shelia Dixon, attorney Thiru Vignarajah and businessman Bob Wallace answered questions on public safety, city development, affordable housing and other topics.
WYPR reporters John Lee, Wambui Kamau, Emily Hofstaedter discussed the mayoral race before the candidates' opening statements were made.
The debate was moderated by the Banner’s Emily Sullivan, WJZ’s Denise Koch and Midday's Tom Hall and is set to air at 7pm on WJZ-TV, WJZ's websites and at The Baltimore Banner.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Our series of Conversations with the Candidates concludes today and tomorrow with forums for the top two offices in the city of Baltimore.
Today, the leading candidates in the race for Baltimore City Council President make their case to voters. With just a few weeks before the May 14 primary, the candidates are locked in a three-way tie.
Incumbent Nick Mosby faces challenges from District 1 City Councilman Zeke Cohen and former City Councilwoman Shannon Sneed.
We ask the candidates why they think they are the best choice to lead the city council, and what their plans are for transportation, development, public safety and more.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's Midday newswrap, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin joins the show to discuss congressional aid for Baltimore following the Key Bridge collapse, and continued military funding for Israel.
Plus, legal scholar Kim Wehle joins us with analysis of yesterday’s Supreme Court hearing in which justices considered the claim by Donald Trump that he is entitled to absolute immunity. We also talk about the controversial case of access to emergency abortions in Idaho. In both cases, Justices appear to be divided.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, we discuss the Shakespeare Theatre Company's production of Macbeth on stage through May 5, 2024. Actor Ralph Fiennes stars in the titular role. Is this the definitive version of Macbeth.
(Photo by Marc Brenner)
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In today’s Conversations with the Candidate, John Morse discusses his reasons for jumping into the race for U.S. Congress. The 38-year-old is running in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Howard County, and parts of Anne Arundel County and Carroll County.
Morse has garnered some big name endorsements, including Vermont's Sen. Bernie Sanders. What issues are driving his campaign?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Delegate Joe Vogel speaks to Midday about his run for U.S. Congress in another edition of Conversations with the Candidates.
Vogel is one of 16 Democratic candidates running in the party's primary in the 6th Congressional District. The incumbent in that seat, Representative David Trone, is running for the U.S. Senate against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
Vogel was elected to the House of Delegates in 2022 to represent District 17 in Montgomery County. At 27 years old, he is the youngest member currently serving in the Maryland General Assembly. If elected to the House of Representatives, he will be the first openly gay man to represent Maryland in Congress.
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Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates joins Midday to discuss his comments on parental accountability as it relates to youth crime and the progress of the citation docket. Additionally, he addresses how he will partner with Mayor Brandon Scott to move forward on reducing crime in Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Advocates looking to cut down on CO2 emissions and energy inefficiency in residential properties want to change the way Marylanders warm their homes. Heating pumps can heat and cool residences with significantly less energy than traditional fossil-fueled powered systems.
Ruth Anne Norton, CEO and President of the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, joins Midday to talk about the push to have the Maryland Department of Environment create new heating equipment standards in order to help the state gradually transition away from fossil fuel heating. Are state officials doing enough to incentivize homeowners?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Earth Day, a discussion about the future of wind energy in Maryland.
Last year, Governor Wes Moore announced a goal of 100% renewable clean energy in the state by 2035. He made this announcement from Sparrows Point, at the site of a new factory building parts for offshore wind turbines.
Offshore wind plays a prominent role in Maryland’s renewable energy plans, so today we are taking a closer look at development of offshore wind, and the challenges those projects face. Norwegian wind energy giants Orsted pulled out of Maryland earlier this year, leaving just one company approved to develop offshore wind in the state.
Guests on this show include Aman Ahzar, a reporter for Inside Climate News and Delegate Lorig Charkoudian.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
For this week's News Wrap, Tom speaks with New York Times Congressional Reporter Luke Broadwater about impeachment attempts against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and leadership pressures for House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Then we take a look at local news with the archdiocese's announcement to close several parishes and the salvage operation following the Key Bridge collapse. WYPR Reporters Scott Maucione and Emily Hofstaeder join Midday to share their latest reporting.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday on the Art speaks with Manuel Barrueco, an internationally acclaimed, Grammy nominated classical guitarist who was born in Cuba, has concertized around the world, and has called Baltimore home for many years.
Barrueco is set to play a concert to celebrate his 50th anniversary on the concert stage Sunday Night at Kaplan Hall at Towson University.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Former organist and choirmaster James O’Donnell led the music for many historic, royal occasions at London's Westminster Abbey.
Since leaving his prestigious position at Westminster in 2022, he has moved across the pond to teach at Yale University.
We ask him about his upcoming performance in Baltimore, where he is set to perform at Emmanuel Episcopal Church on Sunday, April 21, 2024.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, we discuss “The Hot Wing King,” which continues at Baltimore Center Stage through April 28, 2024. The play follows a hot wing competition, with family drama and dysfunction spicing up the plot.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Many different people make local music possible, from artists and producers to music teachers and venue owners. The Baltimore Music Census, a first of its kind effort in the city, wants to hear from anyone involved in local music. What do they need to make Baltimore’s music scene thrive?
Anna Harwell Celenza is a professor at Johns Hopkins University and an organizer of the Baltimore Music Census, which is accepting input online until April 30. We ask her about the survey, and what she hopes to find.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Civil rights lawyer Don Quinn speaks to Midday about his run for U.S. Congress in another edition of Conversations with the Candidates.
Quinn is running in the crowded campaign for Maryland's 3rd Congressional District. He was inspired by what he describes as "an erosion of federal laws." What does he think sets him apart from the other candidates?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Former sports and features columnist Kevin Cowherd followed a 30 year career at the Baltimore Sun with several books, including a book about Orioles legend Cal Ripken.
His latest nonfiction work, The Gym, is a funny, suspenseful story about the quirky subculture found among those who work out together.
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In today’s Conversations with the Candidate, we speak with Harry Dunn, a Democrat, who is running for U.S. Congress in the 3rd Congressional District. This area includes all of Howard County, as well as parts of Anne Arundel and Carroll counties. The incumbent, Congressman John Sarbanes, will retire from the House of Representatives next January.
Harry Dunn came to national prominence as one of the Capitol Police Officers who protected the Capital on Jan. 6, 2021, during the insurrection intended to block the certification of the 2020 election. He testified before the House Jan. 6th committee, and wrote a book about his experience in, Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer's Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th.
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In today’s Conversations with the Candidate, Delegate Harry Bhandari joins Midday to explain why he thinks he should represent Maryland's 2nd Congressional District. Bhandari has represented District 8, covering Baltimore County, as a Democrat in the state General Assembly since 2019. He was born in Nepal and emigrated to the United States in 2005. After losing a bid for the House of Delegates in 2014, he ran again and won in 2018, becoming the first Nepali American to win election to a state legislature in the country.
The U.S. House seat opened following Representative Dutch Ruppersberger's announcement in January that he would not seek reelection to represent the district.
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New polling data sheds light on how candidates are performing in primary races across Maryland. We hear the latest on Maryland's election campaigns from Hallie Miller of the Baltimore Banner.
Then we hear from WYPR's News Director Matt Bush and Maryland Matters Founding Editor Josh Kurtz for a lookback at the important points from this year's session.
(Photo by Rachel Baye, WYPR)
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Today we review Gem of the Ocean, which continues at Arena Players through April 28, 2024.
The play is by esteemed American playwright August Wilson. Is the Arena Players’ production a good introduction for newcomers of Wilson’s work?
(Photo by David Mitchell)
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If history is a guide, there will be more than a few people finally getting around to filing their taxes this weekend. The deadline is Monday at midnight, unless you file for an extension.
If you live in one of 12 states in which the IRS has a pilot program, and you meet certain qualifications, you can file for free directly on the IRS website. Maryland is not one of those states. Maryland residents must either consult a tax professional, or use software programs that various companies make available, for a fee.
Tax season is the time of year when a lot of folks think about their financial situation and focus on planning their financial future. Today, we are going to talk about taxes, saving, investing and finances.
We begin with Beverly Winstead, an award-winning tax lawyer. Her firm, Beverly Winstead, LLC, represents individuals and businesses in disputes with federal and state agencies.
We also speak to the financial advisor Nicolas Abrams of Opulentia, a financial services firm in Hunt Valley, and Deborah Owens, a Wealth Coach™ and the founder of WealthyU: A Financial Wellness Company that specializes in helping women navigate investment decisions.
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Yesterday, in a courtroom in Pontiac, Michigan, Jennifer and James Crumbley were each sentenced to prison for failing to prevent their son from killing four students in a 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School. Legal experts say it is the first time that parents of minors who commit murder have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and it could serve as a model for other cases around the country.
In Maryland on Sunday morning, Howard County Police arrested five teenagers and charged them with armed robbery and carjacking. And last week, in Baltimore, City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates announced the arrests of 20 juveniles he says are responsible for 53 crimes over a period of several months, including armed carjacking, armed robbery, and assault.
Bates stressed that his office will hold parents accountable for the illegal actions of their young children. Bates said, “If you are found to be contributing to the delinquency of a minor child, my office will look to charge you.”
Today, we explore the view of many who work in the field of child welfare. Two leaders of the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law join the show.
Aubrey Edwards-Luce is the Center’s Executive Director and Shanta Trivedi is an Assistant Professor of Law and the Center’s Faculty Director.
(Julio Cortez/AP)
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As warmer weather arrives, you might be repotting or revisiting your collection of houseplants. Propagation is the act of creating new plants from an existing plant, usually by repotting.
Hilton Carter joins the show to discuss his new guidebook to propagating houseplants of all shapes and sizes. Carter is an acclaimed plant stylist, television and podcast host, artist and best-selling author. His recently released book is, The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants.
Carter is set to talk about his fifth book at Charm City Books on April 10, 2024.
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April McClain Delaney is a Democrat and one of 16 candidates running for Congress in the 6th Congressional District. The incumbent in that seat, Representative David Trone, is running for the Senate against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Her husband John Delaney held the 6th district seat for 6 years, from 2013-2019.
The 6th District is in the northwest part of our state and includes all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as portions of Montgomery County.
Delaney was born in Buhl, Idaho, the daughter of a potato farmer and resides in Potomac. Until she left to pursue the 6th District seat, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the United States Department of Commerce. Prior to that, she was a member of the board and Washington Director of Common Sense Media.
McClain Delaney holds an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University, and a law degree from the Georgetown University Law School.
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Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
Discussion centers on The Squirrels at Maryland Ensemble Theatre in Frederick through April 28, 2024.
The production, written byRobert Askinsand directed by Julie Herber, follows the complex story of a family of grey squirrels at odds with a nearby family of fox squirrels.
(Photo by Meech Creative, LLC)
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Political scientist Tom Schaller, who teaches at UMBC, and former Washington Post columnist Paul Waldman have written a book that examines how rural communities wield out-sized political influence. The book is called White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy and the authors assert that, quote, “white rural voters pose a growing threat to the world’s oldest constitutional democracy.
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Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends, with our regular movie aficionados, Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post.
We discuss some of our favorite movies of the past year, and look ahead to a couple upcoming releases. We also look ahead to the 25th Maryland Film Festival in May. Organizers have yet to be announced the lineup of films, officials have teased some of the biggest-draw events.
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Sia Kyriakakos, a 2017 Maryland teacher of the year, joins Midday to discuss her aspirations for representing Baltimore County in congress.
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It's Tango time in Baltimore!
David Richardson is an instructor with the Argentine Tango Space Project and joins the show to walk us through the dance. The Inner Space Tango Weekend kicks off tonight in the Hamilton and Lauraville community in North Baltimore.
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On Midday on the Arts, acclaimed soprano Nola Richardson joins the show to preview her weekend concert with Pro Musica Rara, an early-music ensemble that’s been a beloved fixture on the Baltimore music scene for decades.
Richardson is an Australian-American soprano who did part of her graduate work at the Peabody Conservatory, before heading to Yale University where she earned a doctorate in music
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After an Israeli airstrike killed seven aid workers in Gaza on Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden leveled his strongest criticism of Israel's conduct of its war in the region.
Biden has previously criticized Israel's handling of the war. Despite the criticism of its prosecution of the war, military aid to Israel from the United States continues.
Aaron David Miller joins Tom to discuss the latest from Gaza. Miller advised Democratic and Republican presidents on Middle East relations and is a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
(Photo by Abu Dayyah, AP Photo. Caption: Palestinians inspect a vehicle with the logo of the World Central Kitchen wrecked by an Israeli airstrike in Deir al Balah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, April 2, 2024. A series of airstrikes killed seven aid workers from the international charity, leading it to suspend delivery Tuesday of vital food aid to Gaza.)
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The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in late March left a sizeable impact Baltimore. The bridge was a part of the city's identity and a key route for commuters in the region.
Emily Hofstaedter, a WYPR reporter, joins the show to give the latest updates on the recovery in the Patapsco River. She has been reporting on efforts by the city and state to cushion the economic blow to local workers.
(Photo by Steve Helber, AP Photo)
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One week since the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Governor Wes Moore joins Midday to discuss the latest on the recovery efforts which include the enormous salvage operation and requests for financial support from Congress.
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Former Maryland state lawmaker Neil Parrott joins Midday to discuss why he thinks 2024 is the year western Maryland votes him into U.S. Congress.
Delegate Parrott first represented District 2B, and then District 2A in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2011-2023. Before being elected to the General Assembly, he was a traffic engineer at the Maryland State Highway Administration.
The landscape in the 6th district has changed considerably since the last two times Parrott ran. His opponent in 2020 and 2022 was Representative David Trone, a wealthy, self-funded candidate.
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It’s another edition of the Midday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen.
On today's show, we talk about vaccines. How should you approach conversations with loved ones who are skeptical of vaccines? We address 10 common vaccine concerns and how to talk to friends or family who are fearful of inoculating themselves against disease.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Thursday, Transporation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Maryland is to receive $60 million of emergency relief funds as a first tranche of support in the recovery and rebuilding process of the bridge. He joins the show to give updates on federal recovery efforts.
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Today's guests will discuss the next phase of the recovery process following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge. Baltimore City Councilman Zeke Cohen, who represents the city’s first district, which includes part of the Port of Baltimore and Baltimore County Councilman Todd Crandall, who represents Dundalk and the rest of District 7.
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How does public policy impact public health. We ask Dr. Keshia Pollack Porter, the Chair of the Dept. of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the director of the “Health in All Policies Initiative."
She is a scholar in the field of health equity, and she is the first African American to be named as the chair of a department in the longer than 100 year history of the School of Public Health.
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Can the Orioles keep up the magic this year? It is Opening Day at Camden Yards. The O's come into the season with a winning record in spring training, and an abundance of new talent.
Kyle Goon, a sports columnist for our news partners the Baltimore Banner, joins us from Camden Yards.
Meanwhile, the Orioles have a new owner in David Rubenstein. Major League Baseball owners approved the sale yesterday.
(Photo by Keith Allison, Wikimedia)
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Hours before dawn on Tuesday morning, Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge suddenly vanished into the Patapsco River. While many questions remain about the disaster, it will be years before a new bridge is built to replace the wreckage, and many months before a new normal is established for the tens of thousands of people who traveled on the bridge every day.
Late Tuesday night, the U.S. Coast Guard announced it was suspending its search for the six people unaccounted for following the disaster.
Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath said that based on the length of time since the bridge collapsed and the water temperatures, they don't believe that search teams are going to find any of these individuals still alive.
Today on Midday we will explore what happened, how this incident is affecting our communities and what must be done to move forward. Guests on this program include Captain Tulli Messer-Bookman, WYPR Announcer Jim Howard, Baltimore City Councilmember Phylicia Porter and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
(Photo from Baltimore City Fire Department Rescue 1 Team)
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In a special Midday evening broadcast, Tom recaps the events of the day in the search and rescue mission regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
In the early hours Tuesday morning, a cargo ship leaving the port of Baltimore crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, wrapping the ship in a tangled mass of steel, and plunging most of the bridge structure into the Patapsco River within seconds.
In audio of a police scanner recorded minutes before the crash, we hear first responders rushing to evacuate workers from the bridge and to stop incoming traffic from the north and south.
As the search and rescue continues into the evening following the crash, we hear the latest updates from WYPR reporter Emily Hofstaedter, who is reporting from near where the bridge once stood.
We also hear from Morgan State University Dean Oscar Barton, Jr., who runs the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. School of Engineering.
And Ralph Siegel of Total Traffic and Weather Network about how people will get around the region for the foreseeable future.
(Photo courtesy: Baltimore City Fire Department Rescue 1 Team)
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A large search-and-rescue operation is underway following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge Tuesday morning after a container ship crashed into a support pier.
The bridge, which links serves an important artery for the region, and is part of Interstate 695 which serves north-south traffic along the I-95 corridor.
WYPR News Director Matt Bush joins us to discuss the latest developments.
We also speak to Dr. Mehdi Shokouhian, a Morgan State Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, about the monitoring and maintenance of Maryland's transportation infrastructure, including the Key bridge.
John Olszewski, Baltimore County Executive, joins us to discuss the ramifications of the collapsed bridge, which spanned from Dundalk across to Baltimore County.
And then we talk to Dr. Vittoria DeLucia, a psychiatrist with Sheppard Pratt, about how to cope with traumatic events and manage the fears that may result.
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In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we talk with State Senator Clarence Lam, a Democrat who is one of several members of the Maryland General Assembly running for U.S. Congress in the 3rd Congressional District.
Senator Lam is in his second term representing District 12 in the state Senate. When he was first elected in 2019, the district included parts of Baltimore County and Howard County. After redistricting, he now represents Anne Arundel and Howard counties. He serves on the Finance Committee, and he chairs the Joint Committee on Fair Practices and State Personnel Oversight. He is also the Secretary of the Maryland Legislative Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus.
Prior to his election to the Senate, he served in the House of Delegates for one term.
In addition to his legislative work, Dr. Lam is the Director of the Preventive Medicine Residency Program and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School. He’s also the Medical Director for Occupational Health at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, where he continues to see patients every week, even when the General Assembly is in session.
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Karen Zacarías is an award-winning playwright and her popular work, The Book Club Play opens at the Everyman Theatre here in Baltimore tonight.
The Everyman is by no means the only theater choosing to produce a Karen Zacarias play. This season she’s one of the 20 most-produced playwrights at American regional theaters, and it’s not the first time she’s made that list.
Zacarias has also co-written ballet librettos and almost a dozen musicals for young audiences. She’s the founder of Washington’s Young Playwrights’ Theater, and co-founder of the Latino Theatre Commons — a national organization dedicated to updating the American narrative with stories of Latinos.
Karen Zacarias joins us along with our theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
WYPR Senior Reporter Rachel Baye joins us to discuss the last year she spent, along with colleagues at American Public Media Reports, investigating what juvenile justice advocates say are arbitrary and inconsistent reasons to keep teenagers charged with serious crimes in adult court.
A review of more than three dozen court hearings over the past three years found a process that subjects teenagers to adult jails, courts and sentences despite decades of research showing these tactics push teens to commit more crimes. When deciding whether to treat these children as adults, judges sometimes relied on questionable reasoning.
Later, we speak to Benjamin Orr, the Director of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, and a member of the Fair Share Coalition, which is advocating for changes in the law governing corporate taxes.
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Tom speaks with Wendy Bozell, a Democratic candidate for Mayor. As a home and hospital teacher, some of the students she encounters are gunshot victims. After seeing the effects of violence in the school system, she is motivated to address this issue by running for mayor.
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In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we speak with Tekesha Martinez, the Mayor of Hagerstown, Maryland.
The Democrat is one of 16 candidates running for U.S. Congress in the 6th Congressional District this year. The incumbent in that seat, Rep. David Trone, is running for the Senate against Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks.
District 6, in the northwest part of our state, includes all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as part of Montgomery County.
Mayor Martinez was born in Hagerstown. According to her campaign website, she grew up in the foster care system and experienced occasional homelessness. A spoken word artist and trained mediator, at age 45 she is now the first Black Mayor of her hometown.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we speak with City Council President Nick Mosby about his reelection run.
Mosby was first elected to the city council in 2011, but then served in the Maryland State House until returning as council president in December 2020.
The Council President discusses his family’s legal challenges, in addition to his achievements on the city council. Will Baltimore vote to return him to office in May?
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According to the State of the Economy report from Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, the state's economy saw slow growth over the past seven years relative to other states.
Over the weekend, lawmakers in the state House of Delegates passed a $1.2 billion package of increases in tolls, fees and taxes to close projected deficits in transportation funding and the state budget. Governor Wes Moore and Senate President Bill Ferguson have said taxes should remain off the table during this session.
Comptroller Lierman joins Midday to discuss her report, balancing the budget and Maryland's economic growth.
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What will it take to get young people interested in a career in the public sector?
Dr. Ann Cotten, the director of the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore, joins us to talk about educating the next generation of leaders in public service
We also speak to two graduates of the Schaefer Center, MiYarnie Johnson, a loan coordinator with the Maryland Department of the Environment, and Tammy Keledes, Town Manager and Clerk in Greensboro in Caroline County.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
John Davis, the creator, producer, and host of MotorWeek, joins us for another edition of Midday on Cars.
Now in its 44th season, MotorWeek is the longest running automotive show on TV. The show is produced at Maryland Public Television and syndicated on PBS stations across the country.
Davis takes your questions and comments about all things automotive. If you’re in the market for a new car, what are you thinking of buying? Is this a good time to buy and how are you feeling about going electric?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week they discuss “Avaaz” which continues at Olney Theatre Center through April 7, 2024. In this one-man show actor Michael Shayan plays his Iranian mother Roya and tells the story of her travels and triumphs in a performance that's more lovingly akin to a song.
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Tom's guest is Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.
He has decided to run for Congress in the second district for a seat currently held by 11-term Representative Dutch Ruppersberger who will retire when his current term ends.
Mr. Olszewski has had a full plate of issues to contend with as County Executive, and we have talked about those issues regularly here on Midday. His appearance on Midday today is in his capacity as a candidate in the District 2 primary, where he is one of six Democrats on the ballot. Three Republicans are also seeking their party’s nod for the nomination.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Reforming the way juveniles experience the justice system has been a hot topic in the Maryland General Assembly this year. Earlier this month, both the House and Senate passed bills that address concerns about holding young offenders accountable while also offering them appropriate rehabilitation.
Tom's guests on this issue are State Delegate Luke Clippinger, former judge Andre Davis and the CEO of Human Rights for Kids, James Dold.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Maryland Govenor Wes Moorejoins us to answer your questions during this special Midday Town Hall. We have collected questions and comments from our listeners on everything from electric vehicles to state services. We'll share those comments with Governor Moore, in addition to discussing his legislative agenda in the General Assembly and his 10-year state plan.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we speak with State Senator Sarah Elfreth. She is one of several members of the Maryland General Assembly running in the 3rd congressional district race. The incumbent, Congressman John Sarbanes, will retire from the House of Representatives next January.
In 2018, at the age of 30, Elfreth became the youngest woman ever elected to the Maryland Senate. She represents District 30 which covers parts of Anne Arundel County including Annapolis.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we meet one of the two leading candidates in the Democratic primary to succeed Senator Ben Cardin.Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks has led Maryland's second largest county since 2018. She is the first Black woman to lead any county in Maryland history, and if she is elected to the US Senate, she will be the first woman to serve in the Maryland congressional delegation since Senator Barbara Mikulski and Representative Donna Edwards left office in 2017.
A former prosecutor, County Executive Alsobrooks served as the State’s Attorney in Prince George’s County from 2011-2018. Prior to that, she was an assistant state’s attorney in the County for 14 years
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production.
This week, they discuss 'Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits,' at Dundalk Community Theatre. The production, which runs through March 10, is a satire of Broadway's greatest stars and songs.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends, with our regular movie aficionados, Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post.
We discuss the contenders for this year's Academy Awards. Who will take home an Oscar? The nominees for Best Picture this year include Oppenheimer, Maestro and Barbie.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Can redevelopment at Mondawmin empower the neighborhood?
Joining Midday to discuss this are two community leaders involved in a project to re-imagine a retail space in Baltimore’s Mondawmin Mall.
The Target store at Mondawmin Mall, which closed in 2018, was purchased by The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company CEO Tim Regan along with the CEO of Exelon, Calvin Butler. With a host of nonprofit and corporate partners, the space is being transformed into The Village at Mondawmin. One of those partners is Joseph Jones, the founder and CEO of The Center for Urban Families.
Tim Regan and Joseph Jones join the show to give an update on the progress and impact of this development.
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Most voters played according to the script in yesterday’s Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses. Republicans moved a step closer to nominating Donald Trump. He now has 777 of the 1,215 delegates he needs to lock up the Republican nomination. They took a giant leap in that direction this morning when Nikki Haley dropped out of the race.
Joining Midday to talk about Super Tuesday, the presidential race and all things political is EJ Dionne, a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post and Senior Fellow at The Brookings Institution.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we speak with Thiru Vignarajah. He is running in the Democratic primary for Mayor of Baltimore, and his fourth try for public office.
He ran for Baltimore State’s Attorney in 2018, and he ran for Baltimore Mayor in 2020. He ran again for State’s Attorney in 2022, and now, he’s running for Mayor once again, in a field that includes 12 other candidates.
Vignarajah served as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore, and headed the Major Investigations Unit in the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s office. In January of this year, Mr. Vignarajah was named the managing partner of the Baltimore office of the national law firm, Sanford Heisler Sharp.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's another edition of the Midday Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen. They discuss important changes made to COVID-19 guidelines by the nation's leading contagious disease authority. The Centers for Disease Control published new guidelines about how long we should isolate from others if we are infected with COVID 19. Additionally, the CDC is recommending older adults get another COVID booster shot. Plus, 1 in 5 deaths in the United States are a consequence of heart disease. We ask Dr. Wen what can be done to avoid America’s number one killer?
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Tom speaks with Donald Scoggins, a 78-year-old resident of Madison Park. They talk about the modern-day Republican party and housing problems in Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
We discuss The Oresteia at The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company through March 10, 2024.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday's News Wrap, we start with yesterday's shocking lockdown in Annapolis. Then we explore what the Maryland General Assembly has been up to as we approach the halfway mark in the 2024 Session.
Today's guests include Pamela Wood, who covers the Statehouse for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner, and Matt Bush, WYPR’s News Director.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Policy decisions made in the Maryland General Assembly can help or hurt the Chesapeake Bay. Allison Colden, the Maryland Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), joins Midday to talk about their organization's priorities for legislators in Annapolis.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Are tax increment financing (TIF) packages working for development in Baltimore?
Today's guest is Melody Simmons, a Senior Reporter for the Baltimore Business Journal. For nearly 10 years, she has been covering the planned transformation of an 88-acre parcel of land near Hopkins Hospital by East Baltimore Development, Inc (EBDI). She gives us an update on this TIF anchored project and where it stands with key stakeholders.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday in the Neighborhood takes a look at the more than 270 named communities in Baltimore. We focus on one or two and explore what makes each community unique.
On today's show, we stroll down Read Street in Mount Vernon. Here, among funky dive bars and fine dining, Black business owners have long contributed to the neighborhood's wide range of colorful stores, restaurants and shops.
Nick Thieme, a data reporter for our news partner the Baltimore Banner, wrote about Read Street and its long legacy of Black business ownership.
Additional note: In this interview we planned to include members of the Shropshire family who have a long history of business ownership on Read Street. Due to family responsibilities, they were not able to participate.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Nutrition expert Monica Reinagel joins us for another edition of Midday's Smart Nutrition.
According to the Food Research and Action Center, one in eight U.S. households experience food insecurity or do not have access to nutritional, affordable food.
On today's show, we talk about how to fight hunger and malnutrition in the United States.
Monica is a licensed nutritionist, author and speaker. She is also the host of the “Nutrition Diva” podcast and the “Change Academy Podcast” which focuses on the art and science of behavior change.
Carmen Del Guercio, the Executive Director of the Maryland Food Bank, also joins us to talk about hunger.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Two years have passed since Russia began a brutal invasion of Ukraine. In a press conference on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers and "tens of thousands" of civilians had died in the conflict, so far while many others have been injured. Estimates of Russian casualties vary widely, but US intelligence sources and the United Nations put the number near 100,000.
We are joined by Paul Starobin, a former Moscow Bureau Chief for Businessweek, who has reported extensively on Russia for more than 25 years. His new book, "Putin’s Exiles: Their Fight for a Better Russia," chronicles the extent and the efficacy of the movement to oppose Putin.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
There is a change of leadership at the top of Baltimore city's public library system.
Heidi Daniel has been CEO of the Enoch Pratt Free Library since 2017. But next month, she will become the executive director of the King County Library System in Washington State.
Her replacement is Darcell Graham, who has been with the Pratt Library for 25 years. She served as the Vice President of Public Services, and she has been appointed Interim CEO of the library while a search is conducted for a permanent successor to Daniel.
We speak with Graham and Daniel about the transition and what it could mean for Baltimore's public library.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
WYPR and WTMD have been partners since 2021. Today, we are announcing the formation of a new company that will serve as an umbrella for both stations.
The two stations will join together as Baltimore Public Media to serve listeners in Baltimore and beyond.
We speak with Craig Swagler is the President and General Manager of Baltimore Public Media.
We are also joined by Wendel Patrick is a composer, performer and educator, and the host of ArtWorks on Maryland Public Television. He is the composer of the musical, sonic identities for WYPR and WTMD.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday Theater Critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews the latest interpretation of "Peter Pan" which runs through February 25, 2024.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's Midday News Wrap, a discussion of the latest stories in Maryland's headlines.
First, the race for Maryland's open U.S. Senate seat and the house races for congressional districts two, three and six. Tom speaks with Maryland Matters founder and editor Josh Kurtz about these consequential races.
Then, Tom talks with WYPR reporter Emily Hofstaedter about a lawsuit the city of Baltimore has just settled with a ghost gun manufacturer and indictments regarding police officer misconduct.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A special encore edition of Midday. Live at WTMD, The Swingles.
One of the most acclaimed virtuosic vocal ensembles in the world. They are currently touring the US and making a stop at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner. On today's show hear some of their amazing arrangements of folk, pop, jazz, musical theater tunes, and learn more about their musical history.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Wesley Lowery, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former correspondent for the Washington Post, Boston Globe and CBS news, has written a thoughtful, imaginative and sobering book about the rise of white nationalist violence.
The book is American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress.
Lowery speaks with Tom about incidents of racial violence all over the country. His exploration is simultaneously illuminating and honoring the suffering of the victims and those close to them.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Ayesha Rascoe is the host of Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR. She also hosts the Saturday episodes of the NPR Podcast, Up First. Rascoe is also a proud graduate of Howard University, known in some quarters as the Harvard of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
She speaks with Tom about her new book, a collection of poignant essays from a wide range of HBCU graduates who explain the importance of their educations and institutions. The book is called HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's special encore edition of Midday, we revisit Tom's conversation with Heather McGhee. She is the former head of the think tank Demos and is currently the board chair of Color of Change.
Her book "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together" was recently released in a Young Adult edition. In McGhee's writing she observes that America has reached the productive and moral limit of the zero-sum economic model and encourages us to get aligned in order to turn the page on race. If we are able to do so, the rewards are plentiful. They are what McGhee calls the Solidarity Dividend.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Scott Shane joins Midday.He retired from the New York Times in 2019, and dove into a very different kind of project: a book that tells the story of the extraordinary Thomas Smallwood. Born into slavery, Smallwood purchased his freedom and helped hundreds of other enslaved people escape their bondage in the Baltimore-Washington area. Along the way, Smallwood coined the term “underground railroad.”
Shane details the life of Smallwood in his book, Flee North: A Forgotten Hero and the Fight for Freedom in Slavery’s Borderland.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's guest is Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III, who served as the President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) for 30 years.
In 2019 he published a book, along with colleagues from UMBC, called The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success. A follow-up has now been published to address another important aspect of healthy institutions titled, The Resilient University: How Purpose and Inclusion Drive Student Success.
The new book, like its predecessor, is a handbook to help higher education leaders navigate the post-COVID issues of diversity, equity and adaptability on college campuses.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week she reviews “Jane Eyre” which continues at the Classic Theatre of Maryland through February 25, 2024.
There have been many adaptations of “Jane Eyre,” including operas. What is it about this story that makes them so ripe for adaptation?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
British cellist Natalie Clein joins Midday in advance of an appearance at Howard Community College in Columbia, Md.
As she chats with Tom live from Berlin, they discuss her musical family, the communal importance of music and the need to develop a new understanding for classical music compositions.
Clein is set to appear this weekend as a part of the Candlelight Concert Society series at the Smith Theater on the campus of Howard Community College.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Largely unknown to the general public today, Dr. Helen Brooke Taussig became internationally recognized by the medical world for transforming the lives of children in her care. As a physician at Johns Hopkins, she became a leading expert on diagnosing heart defects.
Author and journalist Patricia Meisol writes about Taussig in a new book, A Heart Afire: Helen Brooke Taussig’s Battle Against Heart Defects, Unsafe Drugs, and Injustice in Medicine. The story spotlights this pioneering doctor who revolutionized care for children with heart problems and lead the charge against birth defect causing drugs.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Susan O’Neill, the Executive Director of the Upper Shore Regional Council discusses issues and opportunities in Queen Anne’s, Cecil and Kent counties.
About a third of the population on the Upper Shore is between the ages of 20 and 44, and the counties are making a concerted effort to attract business. We’ll ask O'Neill if those efforts are paying off.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
John Lee covers the counties for WYPR's news department. We ask him about the controversial mixed-use legislation that County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. has proposed.
Also, should the County Council be expanded to better represent the state’s third largest jurisdiction? And, if Johnny O wins a seat in Congress, who will determine who finishes his term as the County Executive?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today we continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates. Delegate Mike Rogers, a Democrat, is one of 16 announced candidates running for the 3rd Congressional District seat. The district encompasses Howard County, and parts of Anne Arundel and Carroll counties. The incumbent who holds that seat, John Sarbanes, will retire from the House of Representatives next January.
Delegate Rogers was elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 2018 to represent District 32 in Anne Arundel County. He serves on the Economic Matters Committee, and he is the first African American to chair the Anne Arundel County delegation in the Maryland House. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Duke University.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom speaks with Wendell Freeman, a 29-year-old business owner and resident of East Baltimore. He's a graduate of the Friendship Academy of Science and Technology and aspires to be Mayor because he loves the city of Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's edition of the Midday Newswrap: Luke Broadwater of The New York Times explains how a bipartisan immigration bill fell victim to partisan dysfunction in Congress. Chaos continues to ensue in the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives, causing grave concerns for the border, the prospects for Ukraine in the war against Russia, support for Israel and aid to Gaza.
Plus, Devon Ombres of the Center for American Progress has analysis of the Supreme Court’s consideration of Donald Trump’s ballot eligibility.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
She reviews “Crumbs from the Table of Joy” at the Everyman Theatre in Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, we talk to Democratic congressional candidate Juan Dominguez. He is one of 16 announced candidates running for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District.
The incumbent, John Sarbanes, will retire from the House of Representatives next January. The district encompasses Howard County, and parts of Anne Arundel and Carroll Counties.
Juan Dominguez is a senior executive with Breezeline, an internet provider. He’s a 1989 graduate of the U.S. Military at West Point, and combat veteran who led a platoon during the Gulf War. He is a newcomer to Maryland politics. Although he was elected as a Republican to the Bogota Burrough Council in New Jersey in the mid-1990s.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch, where they discuss issues affecting the health and well-being of Charm City residents.
Today, Dr. Wen will answer your questions about COVID, and if you successfully completed a Dry or a Damp January, we’ll talk about why that’s good news for your health, and we’ll explore some ways you can keep those good health habits intact.
Dr. Wen is a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She’s a columnist on health matters for the Washington Post, a medical expert at CNN, and a scholar at George Washington University and the Brookings Institution.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It is time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
We discuss “Mrs. Doubtfire,” which continues at the Hippodrome through Sunday, February 4, 2023.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends. Today we are joined by one of our regular movie aficionados, Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival.
We look back at the attendance numbers for 2023's movies. And though we are in a time of the year traditionally lacking many movie releases, there are plenty of good movies in theaters. We talk about "The Boy and the Heron," "Zone of Interest" and more.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On today's Midday Newswrap, we breakdown the latest headlines. Our guest is John O’Connor, political director for our news partner the Baltimore Banner.
The Baltimore Orioles will soon have a new owner: David Rubenstein, erstwhile of the Carlyle Group, has assembled an A-list roster of investors that includes Cal Ripken, Jr., former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Michele Kang, who is adding the Orioles to her portfolio of several women’s soccer teams.
Rubenstein is Baltimore-born, and a lifelong O’s fan. He is saying all the right things, about wanting to bring a world series championship back to Baltimore. This week, the team traded for Corbin Burnes, a Cy Young Award winner who is one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The Labor Department announced jobs numbers that blew way past expectations. 353,000 jobs were added to the labor market, indicating continued, robust economic growth. The number of available jobs far exceeds the number of workers looking for work. The department also revised its numbers for 2023. The 3.1 million jobs that were added last year make it the strongest year for job growth since 1999.
And, after a week of dramatic and often contentious testimony from the defendant and her former husband, on Monday, lawyers will offer closing arguments in the mortgage fraud trial of former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday goes live at WTMD with The Swingles, one of the most acclaimed virtuosic vocal ensembles in the world. They are currently touring the US and making a stop at Baltimore’s Keystone Korner. On today's show hear some of their amazing arrangements of folk, pop, jazz, musical theater tunes, and learn more about their musical history.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Ayesha Rascoe is the host of Weekend Edition Sunday on NPR. She also hosts the Saturday episodes of the NPR Podcast, Up First. She is also a proud graduate of Howard University, known in some quarters as the Harvard of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Rascoe has collected and edited a collection of poignant essays from a wide range of HBCU graduate who explain the importance of their educations and institutions. The book is called HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience.
She will be speaking about the book tonight at the Enoch Pratt Library.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In today’s installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates, Tom talks with Shannon Sneed. She is a former Baltimore City Council member who is running in the Democratic primary for City Council President.
With the Mayor and the Comptroller, the City Council President holds one of three city-wide offices in Baltimore government. Many Council Presidents have been elected as Mayor after serving as the Chief Legislative Officer of the City.
Shannon Sneed served one term on the City Council from 2016-2020, representing the 13th District. She also ran in 2022 in the Democratic Primary for Lt. Governor on the ticket with Tom Perez.
She is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and she holds a master’s degree in communications from Morgan State University. Shannon Sneed is 42 years old. She lives in Reservoir Hill with her husband and daughter.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
What’s the best way to deal with kids who commit crimes? In recent years, the Maryland General Assembly passed several juvenile justice reform measures. Some of those measures are being reconsidered this year, after questions raised by law enforcement officials.
Members of the Maryland Youth Justice Coalition joins us to discuss what should be done.
Alice Wilkerson is the Executive Director of Advance Maryland, a nonprofit assisting other nonprofits with advocacy efforts.
Emily Virgin is the Director of Advocacy and Government Relations for Human Rights for Kids, an organization focused on children’s rights.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A new documentary investigates the Christian Nationalist movement in the United States and its involvement in the attack on the Capitol in 2021.
Dr. Matthew Taylor joins us to talk about the film, "Spiritual Warriors: Decoding Christian Nationalism at the Capitol Riot."
Taylor is the Protestant Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies in Baltimore. He is also the author of an upcoming book, "The Violent Take it By Force: The Christian Movement That is Threatening Our Democracy."
"Spiritual Warriors: Decoding Christian Nationalism at the Capitol Riot" is set to premiere on Wednesday night at the Senator Theater. A panel discussion with Taylor, fellow filmmaker Michael Ivan Schwarz and two other religious scholars is scheduled to follow the screening.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
Iron Crow Theatre’s production of “Rent” continues at the Theatre Project through February 4, 2024. This production of “Rent” has been described as re-envisioned. What kind of changes has Iron Crow made?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Death penalty lawyer Stephen Bright joins Midday to discuss his new book, "The Fear of Too Much Justice: Race, Poverty and the Persistence of Inequality in the Criminal Courts." He, along with co-author James Kwak, has written a persuasive and disturbing book that is packed with real life examples of people who have been treated unfairly, incarcerated unjustly, and in some cases, put to death inexcusably.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
With the school year underway, two journalists share their recent reporting about education issues in Baltimore and beyond including the Howard County school bus problems.
Bri Hatch is the education reporter for WYPR and Lillian Reedreports for our news partner, The Baltimore Banner.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Serena McIlwain, the Maryland Secretary of the Environment, joins Midday.
Gov. Wes Moore has set ambitious goals for the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, care for the Chesapeake Bay, and assure environmental justice. We will ask Sec. McIlwain about the state's plans to meet those lofty goals.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Now, we turn to two experts who work with the first responders during an emergency: the people who take the calls that come into 911 call centers around the country.
Brian Fontes is the CEO of the National Emergency Number Association, a nonprofit group that has recently published a report that surveyed 911 call center personnel to see how they are dealing with the pressures of their pressure-filled jobs. The short answer: not well.
Karima Holmes is the Vice President of Public Safety for Carbyne, a technology company that co-produced the report.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Congressman John Sarbanes joins Midday. Can Congress avoid a government shutdown? Will Speaker Kevin McCarthy be able to appease his right flank and the Senate?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It is time for another visit with Middaytheater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
We preview what’s ahead for the new theater season.
(Photo by VSDavis Photography)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is Midday at the Movies,our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends, with our regular movie aficionados, Jed Dietz,founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post.
Jed Dietz and Ann Hornaday recap the New Next Film Festival, where local filmmakers showcased their work. Plus, will music documentaries save theaters as movie production remains halted and new releases are delayed? And the latest from the picket line as workers in Hollywood continue to struggle for better pay.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Two colleagues from our news partner, the Baltimore Banner on how the city lost access to millions of dollars in federal housing aid.
Plus, some breaking local political news; the race for Mayor just got more crowded. Emily Sullivan and Hallie Miller join Midday to talk about the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Midday speaks with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scotttoday.
Tonight, he will hold a community meeting with residents of Brooklyn to talk about the After-Action report following the mass shooting at the Brooklyn Homes public housing complex two months ago, in which two people were killed and 29 injured.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
James McBride, an acclaimed author, screenwriter and musician, joined Midday.
In 2013, McBride won the National Book Award for his best-selling novel, The Good Lord Bird, which was made into a streaming series. In 2015, President Obama awarded him the National Humanities Medal. As a journalist, McBride’s work has appeared in The New York Times, the Boston Globe, the Washington Post and other major publications.
He has written five novels, a biography of James Brown, a collection of short stories, and a memoir, The Color of Water.
James McBride’s latest novel is called The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Set in the 1930s and 40s, it explores with exquisite insight the dynamics of communities of African Americans and Jewish immigrants in Pottstown, PA.
James McBride will be speaking about The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store tonight, Sept. 6, 2023, at the Enoch Pratt Library.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Our guest today for another edition of Midday Healthwatch is Dr. Leana Wen.
The uptick in COVID cases that began during the summer is continuing. Other than anecdotal evidence how do we know how much COVID is out there? What, if anything, should we do about it?
A new COVID vaccine should be available in just a few weeks while RSV and the flu vaccines are available now. We look to Dr. Wen for guidance on who should get them and when.
We also talk about the health dangers of extreme heat.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
Tom's guest on this encore edition of Midday is writer and journalist Jonathan Eig, whose latest book is a comprehensive new biography of the slain civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Eig's book — called, simply, King: A Life — is the first biography of the iconic social activist in more than three decades.
Jonathan Eig's book incorporates research material unavailable to previous biographers, including hundreds of pages from the files of a close aide to U.S. President Lyndon Johnson — documents that were first made available only last year.
One of the book's revelations is that a widely-circulated quote in which King appears to criticize Black Muslim activist Malcolm X was faked. Eig's research discovered that portions of the published transcript of King's controversial interview for "Playboy" had been completely fabricated.
Eig reminds us that Dr. King’s career as the public face of the civil rights movement was tragically brief. He was gunned down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 1968, just 13 years after he had burst onto the scene as the leader of the Montgomery bus boycott.
The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. is an iconic figure, revered around the world. It’s easy to forget that in 1963, when he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the historic March on Washington, nearly 80% of Americans disapproved of the mass gathering, as it was happening. Eig's new biography helps us understand Reverend King, in our time.
Jonathan Eig joined Tom in Studio A in May.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
(This conversation was originally broadcast on July 3, 2023.)
Americans love to eat, without doubt, but we also have a terrible penchant for throwing away a lot of food. About 4% of all the world's climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions comes from the perfectly edible food we routinely toss into landfills — some $400 billion dollars worth every year.
Tom's guests on this encore edition of Midday are Margaret and Irene Li. A few years ago, these Chinese-American sisters, along with their brother Andrew, wrote an award-winning cookbook called Double Awesome Chinese Food.The sisters grew up in Boston, and with brother Andy, launched a successful restaurant group and dumpling business. Mei Mei Dumplings are sold at farmer’s markets throughout New England, and later this year, they’ll be available to order online nationwide.
The Li sisters' new cookbook draws on their experience in the restaurant and food industry discovering and perfecting ways to avoid wasting large volumes of food. It’s called Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable ZERO WASTE APPROACH to HOME COOKING.
The authors joined Tom in studio when they were visiting Baltimore for a book event at The Ivy Bookshop.
Because the conversation was previously recorded, we won't be taking calls or emails.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
(This conversation was originally broadcast on August 7, 2023.)
Tom Hall's guest on this encore edition of Midday is Tom Hanks.
You know his work over a performing career that has spanned 46 years. You know that he has made dozens of iconic films, and that he has won a gazillion awards.
On this episode of Midday we’re not going to talk about any of that, we’re going to talk instead about his first novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. It was published in May. It follows a collection of Tom Hanks' short stories called Uncommon Type: Some Stories, which came out in 2017.
Hanks' new novel is about a fictional writer-director who transforms a 1970 comic book into a modern-day super-hero movie. It's a fascinating look behind the camera at the legions of people who are involved in the process of creating a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. And it’s a bright explication of the simple observation offered up by Hanks’ protagonist when he says, “Making movies is more fun than fun.”
Tom Hanks is a gifted writer, and this novel is funny, poignant, insightful, and, most of all, loving. It’s an homage to movie-making and movie makers.
Tom is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, which along with members of the Writers Guild of America, is on strike. We are not going to talk about his movies while he and his union are striking.
Tom Hanks joined us on Zoom from Greece.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
(This conversation was originally broadcast on January 27, 2023.)
Tom's guest on this archive edition of Midday is Pico Iyer, who for more than 50 years has been acclaimed as a compelling, insightful and thoughtful writer. He has published widely as a journalist, and he’s written novels, but he is perhaps best known as a travel writer. He has journeyed to the far corners of the globe, and written with a deep sense of wonder, compassion, sensitivity and radiant kindness.
Since 1992, Iyer has divided his time between western Japan and a Benedictine hermitage in California.
Born in Oxford, England in 1957, Iyer was raised in England, India and the United States. His parents taught philosophy and religion at Oxford University, and at the age of 17, his father introduced him to His Holiness, the Dali Lama. Iyer became the Tibetan Buddhist leader's frequent traveling companion, and in 2008, he published his biography, The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
He’s taught writing, literature and journalism at Harvard and Princeton. He’s been a columnist for Time Magazine. He’s published 15 books that have been translated into 23 languages. He’s given numerous TED Talks, which have been viewed more than 10 million times.
Pico Iyer's latest book examines how different cultures conceive of, understand and pursue spiritual fulfillment, and the connection of different places to the quest for inner and outer peace. It’s called The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise. He joined us on Zoom from Santa Barbara, California.
Because today's conversation was previously recorded, we won't be taking any calls or emails.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
(This conversation was originally broadcast on July 6, 2023.)
For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
Welcome to this encore edition of Midday. Tom's guest today is Wesley Lowery, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former correspondent for the Washington Post, Boston Globe and CBS news, who is currently Executive Director of the Investigative Reporting Workshop, an innovative training program at American University in Washington DC. Lowery has just published a thoughtful, imaginative and sobering book about the rise of white nationalist violence.
While violence against people of color has long been a staple of the American story, Lowery examines the pernicious increase in racial violence since the years of the Obama presidency.
He explores about a half dozen incidents of racial violence all over the country in which people of color were brutally and fatally attacked, illuminating and honoring the suffering of the victims and those close to them, and chronicling why the perpetrators carried out these heinous acts.
It's an insightful look at our national story and our national shame, replete with original reporting and original thinking about what Lowery calls “the defining force of our time.”The book is American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress. Wesley Lowery joined Tom in Studio A in early July, when he was in town for an appearance at the Enoch Pratt Library.Because this conversation was recorded earlier, we won't be taking any calls or emails.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
(This conversation was originally broadcast on July 31, 2023.) For more, visit https://www.wypr.org/show/midday
Tom's guests on this encore editionof Midday are two authors who have a special bond. Ann Patchett is the best-selling author of nine novels, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, and a recipient of the National Humanities Medal. Her new book, which will be released tomorrow, is called Tom Lake. Her protagonist is an actress who ultimately lands in a different line of work. It’s a tender, warm, and wise, meditation on love and family and memory and the stories that shape us.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday, we reflect on the 60th anniversary of one of the most pivotal and important events in American history; the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
August 28 is remembered as the day King ended his speech at the Lincoln Memorial with his immortal “I Have a Dream” soliloquy, an improvised conclusion to an address that galvanized the throngs of people on the mall, and catapulted King into the pantheon of iconic figures.
Today's guests share their thoughts on the march's significance in the civil rights movement and what it meant for King’s fight for poor people.
Two civil rights activists and faith leaders with deep ties to Baltimore, Bishop Donte Hickman and Rev. George Hopkins, join Tom to discuss the future of the civil rights movement in our community.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday, we reflect on the 60th anniversary of one of the most pivotal and important events in American history; the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
August 28 is remembered as the day King ended his speech at the Lincoln Memorial with his immortal “I Have a Dream” soliloquy, an improvised conclusion to an address that galvanized the throngs of people on the mall, and catapulted King into the pantheon of iconic figures.
Today's guests share their thoughts on the march's significance in the civil rights movement and what it meant for King’s fight for poor people.
We begin with Dr. Frances Murphy Draper. She is the chairman of the board and publisher of the Afro-American Newspaper, which was founded in Baltimore by her great-grandfather in 1892.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
This week Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck,spotlights the 10x10x10 Play Festival at Fells Point Corner Theatre. The event spotlights 10 plays that run 10 minutes long and feature 10 of the area's best actors.
The plays and playwrights featured in the festival include:
A Working Title by Colin Valkenet
Kaylee and Adelyn by Elizabeth Shannon
Monster Mash by Jalice Ortiz-Corral
A Stop On The Road To The City by Kai DonDero
The Wrong Box by Richard Pauli
Birthday Manicure by Ramon Miranda Amaya
Opioid by Corey Jay Johnson
Body Positivity by Alli Hartley-Kong
The Kvetching Tree by Helen Cheng Mao
The Screening by Shakill Jamal
The festival continues until Sunday, August 27, 2023.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today on Midday Tom talks about the first Republican presidential debate for the 2024 campaign season. Last night, eight candidates took the stage in Milwaukee for two-hours as they vied to stand out among a crowded primary field.
Although there was no shortage of fiery remarks and zingers in the debate, it remains to be seen if the needle has been moved at all in a race that former-President Donald Trump leads by nearly 40 points.
The guests for this program include:
Amber Phillips, a national political reporter for the Washington Post.
Jim Burton, a Republican strategist who has worked with Governors Larry Hogan and Bob Ehrlich, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly.
Governor Robert Ehrlich, a major force in Maryland politics who served in the House of Delegates and in Congress. In 2003 he was elected governor of Maryland, the first Republican to hold the state’s top job since the 1960s.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Labor Day is right around the corner. For many folks, that means a three-day weekend to spend pruning, picking and perfecting our gardens. This is the time of year to start thinking about cold weather crops and there’s never a bad time to think about native plants and pollinators.
In other words, it is a perfect time to head Back to the Garden here on Midday.
Joining Tom to answer all of your gardening questions are Carrie Engel, the Greenhouse Manager atValley View Farmsin Cockeysville, and Myeasha Taylor, Farm and Production Manager at the Farm Alliance of Baltimore.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's guest today is Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks who was appointed by Governor Wes Moore in January. The Maryland Department of Agriculture reports that agriculture is the state's largest commercial industry with 6,000 full time farmers employing more than 350,000 people. Overall, this industry contributes more than $8 billion dollars per year to the state’s economy.
As summer draws to a close, this is the season to celebrate agriculture, from farmers markets to fairs. The Maryland State Fair starts Thursday, and county fairs in Frederick, Prince George’s and Anne Arundel take place next month.
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Two of Baltimore’s most acclaimed and successful artists, D. Watkins and Devin Allen, are collaborating on a new documentary about the precipitous decline of young people in sports.
D. Watkins, a best-selling author, screenwriter and editor at large for Salon, joins us to talk about the new documentary. The short film is called We Used to Win Here. You can watch the documentary here.
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On any given day, an average of 1,000 workers are on more than 300 construction sites on Maryland’s roadways. What can be done to keep them, and motorists, safe?
Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller joins Midday today. A civil engineer, she came to office with experience in transportation, including formulating policy to protect roadway workers.
Miller is the first woman of color and the first immigrant to be elected to statewide office in Maryland. Gov. Wes Moore has charged her with a portfolio that includes transportation, mental health and STEM equity, among other areas.
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Disinformation and misinformation in politics and the public square are not a new feature of American political discourse. But recently, the dissemination of falsehoods are reaching a wider, mainstream audience.
Lee McIntyre, a Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University, joins the show today. His books include How to Talk to a Science Denier. His latest book, Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy, explores the subject of disinformation and how to challenge its rise.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It is time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, D.C. and Virginia regional stage.
We discuss “Lyra and the Ferocious Beast,” produced by Truepenny Projects. The production continues at The Voxel through August 27.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Irena Stein joins Midday to introduce her beautiful new book devoted to the Venezuelan arepa, and talks about how she uses food to bridge cultural divides and build community.
Stein is a restauranteur, activist, artist and author. She is the founder and curator of Alma Cocina Latina, a terrific Venezuelan restaurant in Station North here in Baltimore. Her new book, Arepa, celebrates one of the great staples of Venezuelan cuisine.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today is another edition of Midday with the Mayor. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom today on Zoom from Ocean City, where he is attending the Maryland Association of Counties Conference, MACo.
We discuss the city’s agenda is at the annual conference. Plus, we hear the Mayor’s take on how the community is responding to Richard Worley, his nominee to be the next Police Chief.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
In 2012, the Maryland legislature established the Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling to address the issue of problem gambling. The center's budget averages nearly $5 million per year, and funds treatment services and a 24-hour hotline. They also conduct studies to determine how many Maryland residents are struggling with gambling addiction.
Last month, in its most recent report, the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability found that, while the national average of problem gamblers is about 5% of people who wager regularly, that number is closer to 9% in Maryland.
A little later, we’ll hear from a reporter who questions the data in the report, but the question remains: is the state failing the people who are having a tough time handling their gambling? Are there enough providers available to enough people?
Our guests include State Sen. Clarence Lam, a physician and the Senate Chair of the Joint Audit and Evaluation Committee in the state legislature.
Steve Freiss also joins us. He is a senior staff writer with Play USA, where he writes about the casino and gambling industry, and a column called “State of Play.”
And later in the show, Dr. Lia Nower of the Center for Gambling Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey joins Midday.
If you or someone you know might be struggling with gambling addiction, you can find resources on the Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling's website. Help is also available via text or phone call through 1-800-GAMBLER, a free and confidential hotline staffed by trained counselors.
(Photo: Masood Aslami, via Pexels)
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On Monday morning, former President Donald Trump faced 78 counts in three indictments. But by the end of the day, Fani Willis, the District Attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, added 13 more counts to the list of charges facing the 2024 presidential hopeful. 18 other former lawyers and aides are included as coconspirators in the indictment.
Our guest is legal scholar Jose Anderson, who is on the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he is the Dean Joseph Curtis Professor of Law.
We are also joined by Isaac Arnsdorf, national political reporter for the Washington Post.
(Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia, license CC BY-SA 3.0)
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Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater joins Midday to discuss her growing constituency. She was elected last November in a tight race with State Sen. Michael Hough.
Frederick faces challenges different than in Baltimore City. While the Baltimore’s population is shrinking, Frederick is booming.
According to analysis of census data by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the city of Frederick added nearly 13,000 residents between 2010 and 2020, a population increase that is second only to Alexandria, VA during that period.
And with all those new people, come new issues, including a school system that is scrambling to keep up with expanding enrollment.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Why are so few new houses being built in the Baltimore metropolitan region, and what does the slow-down in permitting and construction mean for housing prices and availability?
Lori Graf is the CEO of the Maryland Building Industry Association. We discuss housing prices, housing inventory, and housing issues.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Today, on Midday: what to do about the nation's student debt crisis.
Forty-five million Americans are carrying debts from their or their children's education, totaling more than $1.7 trillion. Women borrow more than men. (They also complete their degrees more often.) African Americans borrow the most, and most frequently.
In 2022, then-WYPR education reporter Zshekinah Collier reported that the average student loan debt for a Maryland resident was $42,861, the second-highest average in the country, just behind Washington D.C.
The Biden Administration’s first plan to forgive some student loans for some students was struck down earlier this summer in a 6-3 ruling by the US Supreme Court. The White House immediately announced a new plan that pegs loan repayments to income levels. A beta version of the application website launched last week. The permanent site will be up later this month. A COVID-related payment hiatus period ends next month.
Let’s begin by understanding what’s in the new Biden plan, known as the SAVE Plan, for Saving on a Valuable Education. Tom's first guest is Katherine Knott, a journalist who covers federal policy for the online education news journal, Inside Higher Ed.Katherine Knott joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC…
The three-year hiatus from loan repayments that began during the COVID-19 pandemic comes to an end in October. Resuming those payments will be a certain hardship for tens of millions of borrowers already struggling with their monthly expenses.
Joining Tom now in Studio A is Dr. Tisa Silver Canady. Dr. Canady is a financial wellness advocate for scholars and the founder of the Maryland Center for Collegiate Financial Wellness.
One of the programs that many families rely on to fund education is called a 529 Plan. Over the last few years, the MD 529 Plan encountered major problems stemming from mistakes in calculating the amount of interest the accounts were to have been credited with. The mess led to the resignation of the twelve-member board that overseeing the program. Last spring, the Maryland legislature transferred authority for the fund to State Treasurer Derek Davis. But now Davis, too, has come under criticism for problems with the fund.
A co-sponsor of that legislation was Maryland Delegate Catherine Forbes, a Democrat who represents District 43B (Baltimore County).
Del. Forbes joins us on Zoom from Towson, Maryland.
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
School starts for kids in Baltimore and beyond in just a couple of weeks, and when it does, more than 500 school food service workers will tend to the nutritional needs of those kids. School food encompasses much, much more than just lunch. Many kids rely on schools not just for lunch, but for breakfast, supper, and snacks as well. The National School Lunch Program, begun in the 1940s, is the largest food assistance program in the U.S. after SNAP.
We begin today on Midday with a celebration of the people who do the important work of feeding our children so they are able to learn and grow. The two school nutrition workers who join Tom in Studio A are also featured in an exhibition at the Baltimore Museum of Industry called Food for Thought.Gail Pendelton has been a Food Service Manager with Baltimore City Public Schools for 35 years…Jami Washington is a Traveling Food Services Manager in NE Baltimore, with 24 years of experience.
Also joining us is Michael J. Wilson, the director of Maryland Hunger Solutions, a not-for-profit advocacy organization working to end hunger for low-income families in Maryland.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Joining Tom now is the Baltimore-based hip hop virtuoso, recording artist and activist Anthony Parker, better known as Wordsmith, the founder of the youth advocacy organization, Rise with a Purpose…
Also with us in studio are Tajae Holloway and Dayana Punnett, two of the performers in The Purple Tape, a new musical written and produced by Wordsmith in collaboration with the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, that celebrates the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
Set in Baltimore in the 90s, The Purple Tape's storyline incorporates classic period rap hits from Wu-Tang, The Notorious B.I.G., 2PAC and LL Cool J. The students of New Song Academy (where Wordsmith teaches) rap their way through a summer day as they embark on a hunt for a rare copy of the famous Raekwon album.
Only 10,000 cassettes of that album were printed, guaranteeing it would be intensely coveted by devoted Raekwon/Wu-Tang fans. The search for "The Purple Tape" ends up being a lesson in hip hop history, as the students come to realize the culture of hip hop is a way of living. The Purple Tape is an exuberant, educational and family-friendly musical experience.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland, DC and Virginia regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the new Arena Stage production of playwright Lauren Yee's Cambodian Rock Band, a mesmerizing, music-infused drama about how war and political oppression in the 1960s and 70s ravaged the southeast Asian nation's vibrant rock music culture, and the how the war's violent legacy still haunts a Cambodian family.
Directed at Arena Stage by Chay Yew, Cambodian Rock Band 's cast includes Brooke Ishibashi, Francis Jue, Abraham Kim, Kelsey Angel Baehrens, Tim Liu, Jane Liu, Alex Lydon, Joe Ngo and Vi Tran. The show incorporates a live stage band - Cyclops - covering 1960s- and 70s-era Cambodian psychedelic rock music and Cambodian-influenced songs by the contemporary American band, Dengue Fever.
CRB is a Signature Theatre production, in association with Alley Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and ACT Theatre/5th Avenue.
Cambodian Rock Band continues at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, DC through August 27.
(Photo by Margot Schulman)
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's next guests today are two members of the Writers Guild of America, the consolidated union that represents the people who develop the stories and write the scripts for television shows and movies. The union's 11,000 members have been on strike for 100 days. The strike was joined last month by the 160,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild (which is affiliated with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA).
John Horn, who covers the film industry for NPR, reports that the WGA met briefly with leadership of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on Friday, which was the first time the two sides have met since talks broke down on May 1st.
Joining Tom from Los Angeles are John August and Danny Tolli.
John August is a member of the negotiating committee for the WGA.
Danny Tolli is a strike captain and organizer…
Both men join us on Zoom...
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's first guest today is Shamiah T. Kerney, the Chief Recovery Officer in the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs, an office set up by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to oversee the distribution of the $641 million dollars of funds allocated for the city from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
President Biden signed the ARPA measure into law in March of 2021, with the aim of helping communities across the nation speed their recovery from the dislocations caused by the COVID pandemic. The city's Office of Recovery Programs was established in July of that year.
The first announcements about which agencies and organizations would be receiving the funds were made last fall. The city has until the end of 2024 to finish designating who gets the ARPA money, and until the end of 2026 to spend it.
Mayor Scott has allocated funds to 28 different project categories, such as digital and phyiscal infrastructure, housing, violence intervention, COVID-19 response, homeless services and projects that are listed as "pending."
Shemiah Kerney, who was Tom's guest back in April of this year, returns to Midday's Studio Ato discuss the Office of Recovery Programs' continuing work, and to give us an update on how the ARPA funds are being allocated.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It’s another edition of theMidday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen.
We'll be talking Dr. Wen today about the public health challenges caused by this summer's intense heat; the continued under-use of Paxlovid as a medication that can reduce the severity of COVID infections; and her assessment of the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC — Dr. Mandy Cohen — who was appointed by President Biden and sworn into office last month.
Plus, Dr. Wen has been writing about other public health issues. These include the importance, especially for older adults, of getting the new RSV vaccine when it's available, the FDA's approval of the first-ever pill to treat post-partum depression; and what roles Artificial Intelligence might soon play in medicine.
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and she has been a regular guest on our show since her time as the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, from 2015-2018. Today, the emergency physician serves as a research professor of healthy policy and management at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s also a columnist for the Washington Post, a medical analyst for CNN, and a non-resident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. And she's the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom on Zoom...
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Tom Hall's guest today is Tom Hanks.
You know who he is, of course, because he’s a movie star. You know his work over a performing career that has spanned 46 years. You know that he has made dozens of iconic films, and that he has won a gazillion awards.
And today, we’re not going to talk about any of that.
We’re going to talk instead about his first novel, The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. It was published in May. It follows a collection of Tom Hanks' short stories called Uncommon Type: Some Stories, which came out in 2017.
Hanks' new novel is about a fictional writer-director who transforms a 1970 comic book into a modern-day super-hero movie. It's a fascinating look behind the camera at the legions of people who are involved in the process of creating a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. And it’s a bright explication of the simple observation offered up by Hanks’ protagonist when he says, “Making movies is more fun than fun.”
Tom Hanks is a gifted writer, and this novel is funny, poignant, insightful, and, most of all, loving. It’s an homage to movie-making and movie makers.
Two things to keep in mind about the next hour. Tom is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, which along with members of the Writers Guild of America, is on strike. We are not going to talk about his movies while he and his union are striking. The other thing is that our conversation was pre-recorded in late July, so we can’t take any calls or online comments.
Tom Hanks joins us on Zoom from Greece...
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the new production of The Prom, a rollicking musical homage to musical comedies, now on stage at the Cockpit in Court Summer Theater at the Essex campus of the Community College of Baltimore County.
A 2018 Broadway hit with book and lyrics by Chad Beguelin, book by Bob Martin and music by Matthew Sklar, The Prom is directed at Cockpit in Court by Roger Schulman.
The Prom follows four eccentric Broadway stars who are in desperate need of a new stage. When they hear that trouble is brewing around a small-town prom, they know that it’s time to put a spotlight on the issue…and themselves.
The musical won the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, and was adapted for a 2020 film starring Meryl Streep, James Corden and Nicole Kidman.
The Prom continues at the Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre through Sunday, August 6.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking.
One of Tom's guests today is Jed Dietz, the founder and retired director of the Maryland Film Festival.
The MFF's current directors late last year announced they were putting the popular annual film event on hiatus until 2024, while the board conducts what it calls "a planning process to re-envision its role as an arts and culture hub in Baltimore and for the entire region."
In response to that announcement, Baltimore film advocates decided to mount an alternative festival. With sponsorship from Your Public Radio (this station's parent company), they began planning for the New/Next Film Festival, a weekend-long celebration of film culture that will take place August 18-20 at The Charles theater in Baltimore. According to festival organizers, the NNFF will present "emerging film work of international scope alongside a special emphasis on new and repertory work from the Baltimore film scene."
Joining Tom and Jed in the studio today to discuss the New Next Film Fest is former Maryland Film Festival Director of Programming Eric Allen Hatch. Hatch is curating the films for the festival that will be screening at The Charles.
Also with us in studio is Emma Hannaway, a Baltimore born-and-raised filmmaker who produced the award-winning local film, Strawberry Mansion, and who's working as an assistant producer of the New/Next Film Festival.
For information on film schedules and to purchase tickets to the New/Next Film Festival, follow this link
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It’s Midday on Personal Finance.
The economy continues to surge and confound. Unemployment and inflation are down, the stock market and wages are up. But spending power is a different story for a lot of Americans, and saving for the future remains a challenge. Nearly 60% of Americans have less than $5,000 in their piggy banks.
Tom's guests today are two financial advisors who are ready to take your questions about managing your money.
Nicolas Abrams is a certified financial planner and the founder of Opulentia, a financial services company in Hunt Valley,
Deborah Owens is the founder of WealthyU, a financial wellness company, and the author of Wealth Secrets: A Woman’s Guide to Own and Secure Your Financial Future.
What’s on your mind when it comes to money?
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
On Tuesday, Special Counsel Jack Smith unsealed a four-count indictment against Donald Trump — the former US president and current front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination — for crimes he is alleged to have committed during his failed efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election — an election which he lost.
Mr. Smith described the criminal charges briefly during yesterday's Washington, DC news conference.
Joining Tom to discuss this historic and long-awaited development is Kim Wehle. She is a professor at University of Baltimore School of Law and host of the Youtube channel, Simple Politics. She is also the author of three excellent books, one on the constitution, one on voting, and her latest offering:How to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
Kim is our go-to source for analysis and perspective on a host of legal matters, including the proliferating legal entanglements of Donald Trump.
Kim Wehle joins us on Zoom.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's Newsmaker guest for the first half of the hour today is Baltimore County Executive John A. Olszewski, Jr..
Topics for today's conversation include:
- Community responses to Tuesday's National Night Out.
- Deploying Shot Spotter technology.
- Crime Data Transparency.
- Security Square Mall.
- Housing issues.
- Political plans...
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. joins Tom on Zoom to discuss these and other issues affecting the county's 870,00 residents.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's guest for the hour today is Craig Swagler, the new president and general manager of theYour Public Radio Corporation, the parent company of WYPR and our sibling station, WTMD.
Swagler was appointed by Your Public Radio's board of directors after a national search. He brings to the job more than 20 years of experience as a producer and senior executive at CBS News Radio and Audio in New York.
He succeeds Lafontaine Oliver, who left our organization last January to become the president of New York Public Radio. Tom Livingston has served as our interim general manager since then.
What suggestions do you have for Craig Swagler regarding programming at WYPR and WTMD? How can we best advance our mission and serve our community? What do you see as the role our stations play in the local media landscape?
We take your calls, emails and tweets during the hour.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Tom's guests today are two authors who have new books — and a special bond.
Ann Patchett is the best-selling author of nine novels, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and a recipient of the National Humanities Medal. Her new book, which will be released tomorrow, is called Tom Lake.
Her protagonist is an actress who ultimately lands in a different line of work. It’s a tender, warm, and wise, meditation on love and family and memory and the stories that shape us.
Lindsay Lynch is a first-time novelist whose debut offering is masterfully shaped. It’s a gripping narrative set largely in the pre-war years of Hollywood. It follows the long career trajectory of its protagonist, an actress who, like Ann’s central character, also finds a second act, which includes encounters with a sweeping panoply of movie stars and wannabees. It’s called Do Tell.
Ann and Lindsay are colleagues at Parnassus Books, the independent bookstore Ann owns in Nashville, Tennessee. Ann’s book is one of the most highly anticipated books of the year. For some time now, any book by Ann Patchett will automatically be highly anticipated. Lindsay’s book is one of any number of debuts hoping for a little attention, a little buzz, a little shelf space.
Two excellent books by two gifted authors who are at two very different places in their writing lives.
We begin with Ann Patchett. Lindsay Lynch joins the conversation later in the program. Both connect with us on Zoom from Nashville…
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Another edition of Smart Nutrition with the Nutrition Diva, Monica Reinagel. Monica is a licensed nutritionist, author and speaker. She is also the host of the the podcasts “Nutrition Diva” and “Change Academy," which focuses on the art and science of behavior change.
Today's discussion is focused on obesity, and the medications that are now being employed to treat it. Also Joining Tom is Ted Kyle, a pharmacist, healthcare innovator and the founder of ConscienHealth, an organization that advocates for people living with obesity, and which works for evidence-based approaches to health and obesity. His widely-read daily commentary on ConscienHealth.org reaches a diverse audience of thought leaders in this field.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
A Baltimore jury deliberated for 13 hours over the course of four days this week and found a teenager guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the death of Timothy Reynolds, a 48 year old engineer from Hampden, who threatened a group of squeegee workers in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor last summer.
WYPR’s Wambui Kamaucovered the trial and joins Tom to discuss the latest.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
Israel has been rocked by protests and strikes after Monday’s vote in the Knesset that diminished the authority of the Supreme Court. Many people fear that this will lead to a true constitutional crisis, and the end of checks and balances in Israeli governance.
President Joe Biden has criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government. What will these actions mean for the diplomatic and economic relationship between the United States and Israel, and what will it mean for American Jews, many of whom are appalled by what they consider the government’s brazen power grab?
Howard Libit, the Executive Director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, joins Tom to talk about the news out of Israel.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
The Baltimore Orioles have excited fans and lit up Major League baseball with a roster chock-full of terrific young talent.
Adam Jones was one of the young talents in the big leagues 20 years ago when he was drafted by the Seattle Mariners. He was a fan favorite during his ten years with the Orioles, even during seasons when the team struggled.
Adam Jones joins Tom today along with his co-pilot on The Adam Jones Podcast, Jerry Coleman. The podcast is produced by WYPR's media partner The Baltimore Banner.
The two will tape their podcast in front of a live audience tonight at the Baltimore Soundstage.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
It's time for another visit with Middaytheater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.“The Code Switch,” a Sisters Freehold Production, continues at the Theatre Project through July 30. So, what does the term “code switching” means to this production?
Playwright Shakill Jamal uses a range of techniques that depart from conventional plot and characters.
(Photo by Bayou Elom)
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Alysia Lee is a musician and activist who was appointed President of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund in 2022.
The establishment of the fund was championed by Mayor Jack Young eight years ago. In 2016, Baltimore voters passed a referendum calling for three cents of every $100 of assessed property value in the City to be spent on programs for young people. In 2017, a task force was formed to develop the guiding principals of the fund. In 2018, an initial tranche of about $9.6 million dollars was awarded in 84 grants to groups in the city to provide youth programs. In 2023, $18 million dollars in grants have been awarded to 44 recipient organizations.
Lee joins Tom on Midday to talk about the impact and future of the fund.
Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.
More than six and a half million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease, a debilitating and incurable illness. It robs people of their memory and their thinking skills, and ultimately leads to the inability to perform basic tasks.
Using the Accelerated Approval Pathway, the Food and Drug Administration approved a drug called lecanemab, sold as Leqembi, which has slowed the progression of the disease in some patients in clinical trials.
Joining Tom to talk about it is Dr. Leah Croll, an assistant professor of neurology at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.
A couple of weeks after the news of this new drug appeared, the Alzheimer’s Association announced the results of a new study about who gets Alzheimer’s, and where those populations live. It turns out that Baltimore and Prince George’s County are places with a high incidence of the disease.
Joining Tom to discuss this is Dr. Kumar B. Rajan a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and the Director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago. He’s also Section Chief of Community and Nutritional Epidemiology. He is the lead author of the study.
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Two members of the Baltimore City Council join Tom to discuss issues affecting our city.
Councilmember Eric Costello represents the 11th District in central west Baltimore, while Councilmember Phylicia Porterrepresents District 10 in south Baltimore.
What did the Council learn in its hearing on the city’s response to the mass shooting at the Brooklyn Homes, and what further information do they hope to learn when they hold another hearing in mid-September? Will the Council approve the nomination of Richard Worley to be the new chief of the Baltimore Police Department? And will the organizers of Artscape be able to satisfy the logistical concerns of some major players in time to pull-off a large festival in just a few weeks?
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Midday talks education with guestsDr. Myriam Yarbrough, the Superintendent of Baltimore County Schools and Dr. Michael Martirano, the Superintendent of Howard County Schools.
School systems across the state and around the country are confronting a teacher shortage, declining test scores, and the challenge of keeping students and teachers safe. We discuss how Baltimore and Howard County are seeking to meet those challenges.
Yarbrough became superintendent for Baltimore County Schools less than a month ago. She began her career as a chemistry teacher in the County in 1996. She served as a principal in a couple of Montgomery County schools, and she returned to Baltimore County three years ago, serving most recently as the system’s Deputy Superintendent.
Martirano was appointed Interim Superintendent in 2017 and given the permanent position the next year. He has been in education as a teacher, principal and senior leader for three and half decades. In 2009, as the Superintendent of St. Mary’s County Schools, he was named Maryland's Superintendent of the year.
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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom to discuss the nomination of Interim Police Chief Richard Worley to be the permanent chief of the BPD. He opted against a national search, instead tapping a local cop with more than two decades of experience in the department.
Worley was candid about the failings of the agency in preventing the horrific shooting at the Brooklyn Homes earlier this month. We ask the Mayor what his administration considers the lessons learned.
In the second half of our show, we are hosting a Community Conversation to get your take on the state of our city.
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Today on Midday, a musical treat; three vocalists from the acclaimed gospel ensemble, the Legendary Ingramettes. They are giving a concert tonight at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore, and they’ve been kind enough to stop by with preview. Baltimore is one stop on a multi-city tour. In years past, they have performed at some of the most prestigious concert halls in the country, including Lincoln Center in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.
The Legendary Ingramettes are considered the “First Family of Gospel” in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia. They were founded by the family matriarch, Maggie Ingram in the 1960’s. After Maggie’s passing in 2015, her daughter Almeta Ingram-Miller took over leadership of the ensemble.Rev. Almeta Ingram-Miller, Carrie Ingram-Jackson and Cheryl Maroney Yancey join us.
(Photo by Pat Jarret)
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck,who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland-DC's regional stage.
This week, we discuss "What Was Done," showing at Spotlighters Theatre.
(Photo from Machpe Photography)
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Today on Midday, a look at foreign affairs. President Joe Biden has been applauded for a successful NATO Summit in Lithuania last week. He secured additional military aid for Ukraine, and negotiated the thorny issue of when Ukraine will be admitted as a member of the Alliance.
Sweden took a huge step in the process of becoming a NATO member after Turkey dropped its opposition. Sweden’s inclusion in the alliance means that Russia has become ever more isolated on the geopolitical landscape. We also discuss the latest with Israel as their President Isaac Herzog addresses Congress.
We begin today with Eleanor Beardsley, who has covered Europe for NPR for nearly 20 years. She shares her reflections of the NATO Summit and the significance of its location in Lithuania.
While at the summit Beardsley spoke with NATO volunteer, Rima Olberkyte, who grew up in Lithuania when it was under Soviet rule. Olberkyte directly related to the Ukrainian struggle and expressed the importance of keeping Lithuania prosperous.
We also hear from Ishaan Tharoor, the foreign Affairs columnist at the Washington Post. He’s also the anchor of Today's WorldView, the Post's daily column and newsletter on global politics.
Our last contributor is Eric Hontz, the Director of the Center for Accountable Investment at the Center for International Private Enterprise. He traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine last month and attended a conference in London focused on rebuilding Ukraine.
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A year ago, a squeegee worker shot and killed Timothy Reynolds, a motorist from Hampden, after an altercation near the inner harbor in downtown Baltimore. Reynolds is alleged to have confronted a group of squeegee workers with a baseball bat before he was shot, The trial of the alleged assailant, who was a day away from his 15th birthday at the time of the incident, began yesterday. A jury was seated and opening statements were scheduled for today.
Following the murder of Reynolds, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott asked community leaders from government, business and the nonprofit sector to work with young people who squeegee to form the Squeegee Collaborative, to develop a comprehensive strategy to create alternatives to squeegeeing.
We are joined by three people behind the collaborative. Joe Jones, the founder of the Center for Urban Families, joins us. He served as a co-chair of the Squeegee Collaborative.
Faith Leach now serves as the City’s Chief Administrative Officer. At the time of the formation of the Collaborative, she was served as the Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health, and Human Services, and she was a key player in the city’s response to the squeegee issue.
Dr. Andrey Bundley is the director of the Mayor’s Office of African American Male Engagement, the city agency charged with overseeing the squeegee initiative.
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We started this program with a brief announcement. Starting in August, Craig Swagler will become the new General Manager and President of Your Public Radio. He joins our organization after 22 years at CBS Audio and Radio.
Following this brief announcement, Tom begins a conversation about the future of Social Security and if it is running out of money. Can seniors count on the promise that has been made to them over the next decades? The funding formula for Social Security was devised during the Great Depression and did not anticipate the dual problems of an increase in beneficiaries while seeing a decrease of payroll taxes to support retirees.
What can be done to right the ship, which is expected to run into very turbulent waters in as little as 10 or 11 years.
Joining Tom to talk about it is Dr. Geoffrey Sanzenbacher, an economist on the faculty of Boston College, and a Research Fellow at the Center for Retirement Research at BC.
Peter Coycovered financial issues for more than four decades. He writes about economics, business and finance for the Opinion section of the New York Times.
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It's time for another visit with Middaytheater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
The Contemporary American Theater festival is at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.V., until July 30. This new festival tends to produce tough, edgy plays. Is that the case again this year? Are there any common themes?
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Two theater artists are attempting to revive something of a summer theater tradition here in Baltimore, Shakespeare’s plays in outdoor venues.
The Chesapeake Shakespeare Company will present the bard’s wonderful comedy, "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" at four Baltimore parks this month in a series they’re calling “Shakespeare Beyond.”
Seamus Miller is the Associate Director of the production. Annie Montoneis a Magic Consultant for the show.
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Baltimore is one of a dozen cities across the country that have re-instated youth curfews as a strategy to reduce crime. As the city discovered two weeks ago at the Brooklyn Homes, enforcing curfews is no easy matter.
In what is likely the worst mass shooting in the city’s history at a crowded block party, 11 girls and 9 boys under the age of 18 were injured. 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzales was killed, as was 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi.
A few months ago, following a shooting at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced his intention to enforce curfew laws that have long been on the books, but ignored.
On June 29, a few days before the shooting in Brooklyn, Lakeidra Chavis and the Marshall Project published an article that surveyed curfew policies around the country, with a focus on the nascent stages of the initiative here in Baltimore. The Baltimore Banner, our news partner, published that reporting on its website as well.
Lakeidra Chavis, a staff writer for the Marshall Project, joins Midday for an update.
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Today on Midday Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen, we discuss the latest on the plan for COVID vaccines this fall, the upside of artificial intelligence in health care, and how to be ready for a visit the emergency room.
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and we are grateful that she has been a regular guest on our show for many years. In 2019, she was included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people. She‘s an emergency physician; she teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post. She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
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We begin with the latest in the investigation into the shooting at the Brooklyn Homes over the July 4 weekend that left two people dead and 28 others, mostly teenagers, injured.
A 17-year-old is being held without bond in connection to the shooting, after video of him allegedly pulling a gun out of a backpack surfaced on social media. The teenager’s lawyers says the gun was a toy.
The Baltimore Sun reports that in the charging documents against the teen, police speculate that at least three people fired weapons. Gun casings found at the scene suggest as many as 12 different guns were used in the attack at a party which was attended by hundreds of people in the Brooklyn community.
Joining Tom is Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway. He represents the 4th District and he chairs the Public Safety and Government Operations Committee, which will hold a hearing later today to assess how various city agencies responded to the event that is likely the worst mass shooting in the history of our city.
The Committee will hold an oversight hearing tonight at 5:00 in the City Council Chambers on the fourth floor of Baltimore City Hall.
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Last month, in a landmark caseStudents for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard Collegethe Supreme Court effectively abolished affirmative action in college admissions. Race based consideration in admissions have been illegal in California for decades. Eight other states have also banned race consideration at public universities, but now, it is the law of the entire land. School officials are scrambling to figure out how to assemble diverse classes, as many students of color are faced with new challenges in competing with more affluent, better connected white students.
Tom's guests today have varying opinions on the Supreme Court decision and the path forward for higher education diversity.
First, he talks with Richard Kahlenberg, a nonresident scholar at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University and the author of 18 books, including The Remedy: Class, Race and Affirmative Action.
Then he hears from Mark Joseph Stern, a Senior Writer at Slate.Stern is a frequent contributor to Slate's Amicuspodcast which focuses on the law and the Supreme Court.
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Something magic has indeed been happening at Camden Yards this season, and in major league parks throughout North America, wherever the Baltimore Orioles are playing. After several long, arduous years of “re-building” the Os have performed like their teams of yesteryear that longtime fans remember with such wistful affection.
The O's are in second place, just two games behind the AL East leader, the Tampa Bay Rays. They won five games in a row heading into the All Star break. Excitement about the team hasn’t been this high in a long, long time.
Joining Tom to talk about the Orioles and their prospects for the second half of the season are Jon Meoli, the Orioles columnist for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.
AndJerry Coleman, co-host of the Adam Jones podcast, from the Baltimore Banner.
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Police investigating the largest mass shooting in Baltimore’s history say there is evidence that as many as 12 different guns were fired in a large crowd that had gathered at the Brooklyn homes early Sunday morning, July 2. One arrest has been made. The 17 year old suspect is being held without bail, but he has not been charged with shooting anybody.
20 year-old Kylis Fagbemi and Aaliyah Gonzalez, an 18 year-old who had just graduated from high school, were killed. 28 others were injured.
Joining Tom with an update on the investigation into the city’s largest mass shooting and how the Brooklyn community is coping with its aftermath is WYPR reporterEmily Hofstaedter and Mark Reutter, a reporter with the Baltimore Brew.
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A controversy is growing over equipment that BGE wants to install around homes throughout Baltimore City that will regulate natural gas pressure. The equipment, which the company has already installed at homes in several Baltimore neighborhoods, is, according to BGE, necessary for safety. In a lawsuit filed against the company, hundreds of area residents disagree. A temporary restraining order halting further installation of this equipment issued in Baltimore City Circuit court has been extended for two more months.
We’ve invited two city residents from different neighborhoods who oppose the installation of this equipment. We also invited BGE to send a representative to speak to the residents’ concerns. The company responded through a spokesperson that they cannot comment on pending litigation.
Dr. Paula Fernandes is the founder and CEO of Global Scientific Solutions for Health, which works on public health issues around the world. She lives in Mt. Vernon.
Claudia Towles is a business owner and realtor in Fells Point. She is also a candidate for the Baltimore City Council in District 1.
Clara Longo de Freitas is a reporter for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.
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Jane Delury is a local author who garnered prizes for her first novel and many short stories. Her new novel, Hedge, is a pick for summer reading by Oprah Daily and People magazine. Delury is scheduled to speak at Greedy Reads in Remington tomorrow night, in conversation with author Mary Kay Zuravleff. The event starts at 7:00.
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Today is Midday at the Movies,our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends, with our regular movie aficionados, Jed Dietz,founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post. This month they discuss Tom Cruise and the summer blockbuster season, the death of actor Alan Arkin and popular films on streaming services. Also, we discuss Wes Anderson's latest film, "Asteroid City," and a new movie from director and writer Celine Song, "Past Lives."
(Image courtesy A24)
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck,who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland-DC's regional stage. Today she spotlights "1776" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. where the directors took a very different approach to diverse and multicultural casting.
"1776" continues at the Kennedy Center until July 16.
(Photo credit: Joan Marcus)
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Wesley Lowery, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author and former correspondent for the Washington Post, Boston Globe and CBS news, has written a thoughtful, imaginative and sobering book about the rise of white nationalist violence. While violence against people of color has long been a staple of the American story, Lowery examines the pernicious increase in racial violence since the years of the Obama presidency.
The new book is American Whitelash: A Changing Nation and the Cost of Progress.
He explores about a half dozen incidents of racial violence all over the country in which people of color were brutally and fatally attacked, illuminating and honoring the suffering of the victims and those close to them, and chronicling why the perpetrators carried out these heinous acts.
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Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court released a flurry of opinions, including rulings changing the landscape of higher education, LGBTQ rights, and loan relief to tens of millions of American students. In the weeks before, the court issued rulings on immigration, native American rights, voting rights, environmental protection, and other issues.
Today, an overview of the court’s decisions. Some were expected, while others surprised the public and court observers alike.
Kim Wehle, law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, joins Tom. She is the author of three excellent books. Her latest is , How to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
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Tom's guest is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Timesbest seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanitiesas 2022's One Maryland One Book.This program allows Marylanders all over the state to read the same book and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle, in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Naima Coster was in Maryland in October, engaging readers across the state about What’s Mine and Yours.
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Today on Midday, conversations with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling.
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of MD School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in 2024. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awar
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Americans love to eat, without doubt, but we also have a terrible penchant for throwing away a lot of food. About 4% of all Green House Gas emissions comes from the food we toss into landfills, some $400 billion dollar’s worth every year.
Tom's guests are Margaret and Irene Li. A few years ago, these Chinese-American sisters wrote an award winning cookbook called Double Awesome Chinese Food. The sisters grew up in Boston, and with their brother Andy, they started a successful restaurant group and dumpling business. Mei Mei Dumplings are available at farmer’s markets throughout New England, and later this year, they’ll be available to order online nationwide.
Their new cookbook draws on their experience in the restaurant and food industry to move the needle away from wasting so much food. It’s called Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable ZERO WASTE APPROACH to HOME COOKING.The authors joined Tom in studio when they were visiting Baltimore for a book event at the Ivy Bookshop.
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Governor Wes Moore took office five months and 12 days ago. He has brought a sense of urgency to the job while championing a number of initiatives involving transportation, crime reduction, eliminating poverty and climate change.
The governor joins Tom for the full hour to discuss his term thus far. But this time, the questions come directly from WYPR listeners across the region.
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It's time for another visit with Middaytheater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
Today, we look at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s production of “Macbeth,” which continues at the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park in Ellicott City through July 2
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On Saturday, July 1, a very special event is set to honor two very special people at the Pennsylvania Avenue Black Arts and Entertainment District in West Baltimore.
The great saxophonist Carl Grubbs and the arts advocate and educatorBarbara Grubbs, will be honored for their important work with their organization, Contemporary Arts. The event is being organized by the acclaimed bass clarinetist Todd Marcus, a former student of Carl Grubbs, who has himself risen to the highest ranks of musicians on the jazz scene.
Carl and Barbara Grubbs and Todd Marcus all joined Tom in Studio A.
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Tom's guest is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, Vincent Schiraldi.
Schiraldi came to Maryland after four decades in New York, at the New York City Dept of Corrections, and as a researcher at Columbia University. Known as a juvenile justice reformer, he oversees the agency that operates juvenile detention centers, and runs programs for at risk youth.
Schiraldi joins Midday to discuss his plans for the agency and their goals for the Safe Summerinitiative.
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In the introduction to her fascinating new book, Washington Post sports columnist Sally Jenkins writes, “I've never known a winner, not one, who wasn't irritated by the lame idea that they were God-kissed with fortunate gifts.”
The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Work and Life. is a rumination on why athletic icons have risen to the top of their respective sports, and what lessons can be learned that can benefit the rest of us in our respective personal and professional pursuits.
Jenkins comes to see hard work and strategic thinking, rather than latent talent, as the crucial quality to an athlete's success.
During her long career as a sports columnist and feature writer at the Washington Post, Jenkins was twice nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and was a winner of the Red Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Sports Journalism.
She has covered 10 Olympic games, and countless games in other sports in between. As she covered these events, Jenkins has had a front row seat to observe some of the world’s most elite athletes and coaches.
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In 2015, Former Gov. Larry Hogan made the controversial decision to cancel the Red Line. The state had already spent $300 million developing the east-west transit project.
Calling it a “boondoggle,” Hogan returned $900 million to the federal government and spent the state portion of Red Line funds on roads in rural jurisdictions. Hogan was one of a group of governors to cancel federally funded mass transit projects.
But now there is a new governor in office. Gov. Wes Moore called Hogan’s decision “almost disqualifiable,” and earlier this month, Moore acted on a campaign promise to revive the Red Line with a high profile announcement and an injection of urgency.
So, what will a reimagined Red Line look like?
Midday's guests for today's transportation discussion are Brian O’Malley, the President and CEO of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance, Audrey McFarlane, the Dean Julius Isaacson Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and Pamela Wood, who covers state politics for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.
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Pride parades took place throughout the country over the weekend, including in Baltimore.
Local leaders who attended the Baltimore event included Gov. Wes Moore and Mayor Brandon Scott. Scott marked the occasion by signing a bill protecting LGBTQ+ individuals regardless of HIV or AIDS status, other characteristics or association with people who have those characteristics and status. The bill also prohibits the use of incorrect pronouns for people in employment, education, housing and other settings.
The Baltimore ordinance stands in stark contrast to laws that are being introduced and passed across the country that restrict, rather than protect, the rights of LGBTQ+ people.
Today on the show, a survey of legislation in Maryland and around the country that is targeted towards transgender citizens. Midday's guests include Dr. Devon Ojeda of the National Center for Transgender Equality.
But first, Tom is joined by long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, Sen. Mary Washington. She represents District 43 in the General Assembly, which includes parts of Baltimore City and Baltimore County.
Margo Quinlan and Jamie Grace Alexander, organizers with the Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition in Baltimore, join our panel, as well.
(Photo by Ted Eytan, license CC BY-SA 2.0)
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Today is the last scheduled conference day for the U.S. Supreme Court this term. The court and its justices have been in the news a lot lately. A number of recent controversial decisions is drawing the public's ire. Additionally, a flood of ethics questions that have been raised concerning Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Chief Justice John Roberts.
Midday's guest is veteran court watcher and author Michael Waldman. He is the President and CEO of the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, and the author of a compelling and provocative book about the outsized role the court has come to play in American democracy. He begins the book with a reminder that a year ago, over the course of just three days in June of 2022, the conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade, radically loosened restrictions on guns and hobbled the ability of government agencies to protect public health.
Did the framers envision that the nation's highest court would hold the position of power it does in American society and our governance? Of all the threats to democracy we have witnessed in the last few years, should the court itself be considered a threat? Waldman answers, “Yes.”
The book is called The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America. Waldman joins Tom on Zoom from New York.
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When he was running for office last year, attorney Ivan Bates pledged that if elected, he would rescind the policy of then States Attorney Marilyn Mosby regarding the prosecution of low level crimes. Mosby announced her office would not prosecute a specific list of so called “quality of life” crimes during the COVID outbreak, but continued that policy when many COVID restrictions were lifted.
Now, Ivan Bates is the State's Attorney for Baltimore City, and he has reinstated the pre-COVID policy, with some significant changes. As of 10 days ago, Baltimore police began issuing citations for so called “quality of life crimes,” a departure from the previous policy of the State’s Attorney and police. Citations for crimes like riding a dirt bike, public drunkenness, loitering, aggressive panhandling, trespassing and malicious destruction of property will now be handled on a special docket that is intended to offer those who are cited an alternative to prosecution and jail time.
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It is time for another visit with Middaytheater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
“The World Goes ’Round” is a musical revue, a collection of songs. It isn’t a new show, but this production has made some changes. The ArtsCentric production of The World Goes ‘Round is at the Everyman Theater in Baltimore until July 2.
(Photo by Teresa Castracane)
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Today we’re talking about problems and potential at Maryland’s prisons. The Goucher Prison Education Partnership was formed in 2012 to bring Goucher College instructors into correctional facilities to teach the same liberal arts classes they offer on Goucher’s Towson campus.
Back in 2014, Tom spent the day at the MD Correctional Institution for Women, and the Jessup Correctional Institution for Men, observing classes and speaking with faculty, staff and students in the program.
Eliza Cornejo joined Tom. She began working with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership as a tutor back in 2014 when she was a student at Goucher. She is now the Executive Director of GPEP.
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Every two years, the Division of Corrections and the union that represents staff at Maryland prisons are required by law to issue a report that assesses the staffing needs of the state’s 19 correctional facilities. The 2023 report was issued in April, and it found that staff vacancies in prisons are at an all-time high, and that more than 3,400 positions need to be filled.
The President of AFSCME Maryland Council 3, Patrick Moran, joined Tom. AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, is the union that represents prison guards and correctional staff, as well as tens of thousands of other state employees.
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A couple of weeks ago, during her monthly appearance on our show for the Midday Healthwatch, Dr. Leana Wen, a former Baltimore City Health Commissioner, discussed an essay she published in the Washington Post about the health effects of cannabis. The essay garnered more than 5,000 responses in the Post, and when we talked about it here on Midday, lots of listeners called and e-mailed us to weigh-in as well.
In less than two weeks, Maryland is set to join nearly 40 other states allowing the recreational use of marijuana. What will the public health impacts be?Research has established medical benefits for cancer patients, and people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. But experts also point to cannabis as a factor in schizophrenia, respiratory problems, and low birth weight.
My guests are Dr. Leigh Vinocur and Dr. David Jernigan.
Dr. Leigh Vinocur is a board certified emergency physician, who holds a master’s degree in cannabis science and therapeutics from a relatively new program at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. Dr. David Jernigan is a Professor of Health Law, Policy & Management at the Boston University School of Public Health. He’s also an adjunct professor in the Health, Behavior and Society department at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has researched the issue of alcohol advertising, marketing, and promotion, and he’s a co-author of Cannabis: Moving Forward, Protecting Health.
(Photo by gjbmiller, via Canva)
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On this Juneteenth edition of Midday, we also take a look at the future of Black culture and history. Tom's guests are Terri Lee Freeman, the director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of MD African American History and Culture, and Myrtis Bedolla, the owner of Galarie Myrtis here in Baltimore. Myrtis has curated an exhibition at the Lewis Museum focused on Afro Futurism. Presented in conjunction with the James E. Lewis Museum of Art at Morgan State University, it’s called “Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined” and is at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum until September 5. Terri Lee and Myrtis joined Tom in studio. The special slate of Juneteenth events at the Lewis continues until 4:00 this afternoon. Admission to the museum today is free.
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Happy Holiday and welcome to this Juneteenth edition of Midday. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law the measure that established this date as the Juneteenth National Independence Day holiday.
Tom begins today's show on Juneteenth in a conversation about Black history's past and present with Brandi Collins-Dexter. She’s the associate director of research at the Technology and Social Change Project (TaSC) housed in the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. She’s also the author of Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future. Before joining the leadership team at the Shorenstein Center, she was the Senior Campaign Director at Color of Change.
Brandi joined Tom in studio.
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And now, a public service to our listeners. Two local experts on books offer advice on what you might want to consider reading this summer.
Our guests actually make their living recommending books to the customers of the terrific bookstores they own and manage.
Emma Snyder is the owner of the Ivy Bookshop in north Baltimore and Bird in Hand in Charles Village.
Julia Fleischakeris the owner of Greedy Reads in Fells Point and in Remington.
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The Baltimore City Council approved the city’s $4.4 billion budget on Wednesday. The council exercised its new power to make amendments to Mayor Brandon Scott’s spending proposals.
City councilmembers put their stamp on the fiscal 2024 city budget by canceling some items proposed by Mayor Brandon Scott in order to fund projects of their own. The Council withheld money for the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, boosted the Fire Department and cut some city positions that had been vacant for some time.
Emily Sullivan covers City Hall for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner. She joins Tom in Studio A to talk about the process, and the result.
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The advocacy group Disability Rights Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the Maryland Department of Human Services over the housing and treatment of youth with behavioral health issues. Many are hospitalized for long periods of time, without the services they need.
Rachel Baye of the WYPR news team has been covering this controversy. She joins Tom in Studio A.
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"Eroding History" tells the story of two Black communities on Deal Island, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, that are finding themselves at the intersection of sea level rise, historic racism and the disappearance of Black communities. It is a climate justice story, made by two Black filmmakers and a Jewish grandchild of refugees. Sean Yoes was born, raised and currently resides in West Baltimore. He has been a professional journalist since 1989. He co-wrote and co-produced Eroding History and joins Tom today.
The film is presented by the The Environmental Justice Journalism Initiative.
(Photo courtesy Sean Yoes)
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It's time for another visit with Middaytheater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
Today, she tells us about "Frozen" at The Hippodrome Theatre.
(Photo by Deen van Meer)
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What do you look forward to cooking and baking at this time of year?
Chef John Shieldsis the author of several cookbooks, the latest of which is The New Chesapeake Kitchen. He’s a chef and the proprietor of Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen at the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the host of two highly acclaimed PBS cooking shows: Chesapeake Bay Cooking and Coastal Cooking. John joins us in Studio A…
We also welcomeChef Melanie, the creator of Chauncey’s, which does catering and offers culinary classes in Baltimore and throughout the DMV area.
Chef Melanie studied at Le Cordon Bleu College in Los Angeles. She’s worked with some of the best known chefs in the country, she appeared on Chopped on the Food Network, and 10 years ago she even served as the event chef at Cochella, where she fed more than 90,000 music lovers.
Plus, Debonette Wyatt joins Tom. Wyatt is the owner of My Mama’s Vegan. You can find it at the Urban Reads Bookstore in the 3000 block of Greenmount Avenue.
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Former President Donald Trump was arrested and arraigned in a federal court in Miami yesterday afternoon.
Between the federal indictment yesterday and the New York state indictment from April, he is charged with more than 70 counts of criminal acts. The 37 count indictment brought against him by special counsel Jack Smith is in addition to the 34 count indictment bought against him in April by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
He is the first President to be federally indicted for a crime, and the second Presidential candidate to face charges during a campaign.
Philip Bumpis a national columnist for the Washington Post, and the author of "The Aftermath: The Last Days of the Baby Boom and the Future of Power in America."
Bump joins Tom on Zoom from New York to break down the latest news.
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The media seas are rocky for some of America’s largest legacy news organizations. NPR, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post have all announced layoffs and restructuring in recent days and weeks.
And the outlook for many smaller organizations is cloudy as well. Last fall, the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University reported that between late 2019 and the spring of 2022, more than 360 newspapers around the country closed. In the last 20 years, between 1,300 and 1,400 communities became “news deserts,” with no local journalists reporting on local issues.
To a certain extent, Baltimore is defying that trend. Last year, The Baltimore Beat, a Black-led, Black-controlled nonprofit newspaper and online outlet was revived after a long absence with a million dollar infusion of funds from the family foundation of Adam Holofcener. It joins the Afro, founded in 1892, and the Baltimore Times, which began in 1986, as media that focuses on Baltimore’s Black community. These publications have deep roots in the community. The Times, for example, is published by Joy Bramble, the mother of developer David Bramble, who is renovating and reimagining Baltimore’s Harbor Place.
And one year ago tomorrow, the most significant addition to the local media landscape in generations was launched. The Baltimore Banner is an online news platform that has been our news partner here at WYPR since its inception. The Banner also works closely with WJZ television.
The Banner was founded by Stewart Bainum, a businessman and philanthropist who has committed $50 million dollars over the next several years to establish and sustain the nonprofit newsroom devoted to local coverage of local news.
Bainum recruited Kimi Yoshino, a seasoned and highly respected journalist from the LA Times to serve as the Banner’s editor in chief. Imtiaz Patel, another experienced newspaper executive, was tapped to be the CEO and Publisher.
As the Banner enters its second year, we thought we would reflect on the impact it has had on the Baltimore metropolitan area.
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When Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. needed to replace Police Chief Melissa Hyatt last spring, he turned to a veteran of his county’s police department.
The new police chief isRobert McCullough, a 35-year veteran of the County police force.
He was confirmed by the County Council in April and is the first African American to lead the country’s 21st largest police department in Maryland’s third largest jurisdiction.
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It’s the Midday Newswrap. Jayne Miller, a former award-winning investigative reporter for WBAL-TV, joins Tom for a look behind the headlines, including the announcement yesterday that Baltimore Police Chief Michael Harrison has stepped down from his post. Also, reports from Donald Trump’s legal team reveal he has become the first former President to be indicted for a federal crime.
(Photos, from top to bottom by: Gage Skidmore, Matt Bush and the Baltimore Police Department.)
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June is Pride Month. around the world, celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community are happening to celebrate sexual and gender minorities.
This year, the celebrations come in the context of more than 75 anti-LGBTQ+ laws passing in state houses across the country, more than double the number of anti-LGBTQ+ bills that passed last year. For the first time in its 40 year history, the Human Rights Campaign has declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States.
Tramour Wilson is the Senior Director of Advocacy and Community Engagement at the Pride Center of Maryland, located in Baltimore.
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Change is, literally, in the air. And no, we do not mean the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
As of next month, the laws around marijuana are set to change. In three weeks, if you are 21 years old or older, the possession and use of small amounts of recreational cannabis will be legal. Voters approved legalization last fall, but it has fallen to legislators and regulators to figure out how the sale and distribution of marijuana is handled.
First Tom is joined by Brenda Wintrode, a reporter for our partner news organization the Baltimore Banner, to discuss Maryland's plans for recreational cannabis. Then he talked with New York Times columnist Ginia Bellafante about New York’s experience with legalized cannabis.
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A discussion about education in Baltimore on Midday. But first, a note on this show.
Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury accepted an invitation in advance to join for this show. His staff asked for questions and list of topics Tom wanted to discuss. We do not often send specific questions to guests prior to their appearances on our show.
This policy has several of reasons, including the fact that Tom won’t know what he will ask until he is in the conversation. We do, however, often send a list of potential topics that will be of interest to listeners so that if the guest needs to assemble data and information, they will have a chance to do so.
The night before this show, a member of Choudhury's media relations team told Midday he did not want to talk about some of the topics listed.
The State Board of Education is currently considering renewing Mr. Choudhury’s contract, amid some criticism by some former and current employees who have complained about the workplace culture at the state Department of Education, as reported by several news outlets. Leaders of the board have voiced their support for extending Mr. Choudhury’s tenure, while others are calling for his ouster.
We were looking forward to having Mr. Choudhury offer his perspective on several other education-related matters and if needed, correct the record on issues of concern.
But, he declined that opportunity. The invitation for him to join Tom on Midday stands, and we hope he understands that with all due respect, he will be asked to respond to a full range of issues, with no restrictions.
Instead, our conversation on education is joined by two experts who know the topic well, author and education expert Kalman, “Buzzy” Hettleman and journalist Liz Bowie.
Hettleman is a former member of the Baltimore City School Board, a former Baltimore Deputy Mayor, a state secretary of human resources, and a member of the Kirwan Commission, whose recommendations led to the Blueprint that is intended to dramatically improve the quality of education for students in our state.
He is also the author of several books about education, and a frequent presence in the media on the opinion pages.
Bowie is a long-time education reporter, who know works for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.
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Last week, when Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott appeared on our show, he touted a 17% decrease in violent crime in our city compared to last year. In fact, as of today, the 120 homicides recorded in Baltimore so far this year is 25 fewer than the 145 recorded at this time last year. That’s a 17% reduction. 21 fewer nonfatal shootings have occurred this year compared to last year, too.
But as the Mayor and other city leaders are quick to point out, the animating force behind the Group Violence Reduction Strategy, or GVRS, is the effort to address the root causes of the violence that has plagued our city for decades: poverty, unstable housing, lack of job opportunities and a street culture in which arguments escalate into violent retribution instead of conflicts being resolved peacefully.
Kurt Palermo, the head of violence interrupter organization Roca, and Nick Wilson, the Senior Director of Gun Violence Prevention at the Center for American Progress join Tom for another episode in Midday's series of conversations about efforts to turn the tide of violence in Baltimore.
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In April, Dr. Leana Wenpublished an essay in the Washington Post which bore the headline, “We Should Not Be Celebrating Marijuana Use.” The column engendered more than 5,000 responses, most of which disagreed with her about the dangers of marijuana.
Today on the Healthwatch,let’s talk about marijuana. Even the term “marijuana” is considered in some quarters to be pejorative, with some folks preferring to use the term “cannabis." Polls about the prevalence of cannabis use vary widely.
Recreational cannabis will be legal in Maryland in less than a month. Where do you stand?
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and we are proud and grateful that she has been a regular guest on our show for many years. In 2019, she was included in TimeMagazine’s list of the 100 most influential people. An emergency physician, she teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post.She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Wen joined us on Zoom.
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Welcome to Midday at the Movies,our monthly look at films and filmmaking.We're pleased to have two movie mavens join us again. Ann Hornaday is film critic for the Washington Post, Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater.
We discuss the latest movies out in theatres, including You Hurt My Feelings, Master Gardener, Beau Is Afraid and Reality. We also reflect on the 15th anniversary of Iron Man. As Ann Hornaday writes in the Washington Post, the film had an artistic, authentic vision which would eventually lead superhero movies into a new era of corporate, milquetoast blockbusters.
Plus, the latest on the writers' strike in Hollywood. Could directors be the next to join the picket line?
(Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
Today, we discuss "Exclusion," a story about an award-winning historian whose best-selling book about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 has the chance to become a mini-series by a greedy Hollywood producer.
Exclusion is at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., until June 21.
(Photo by Margot Schulman)
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Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom to discuss his plans to keep Baltimore’s youth safe and occupied this summer and his efforts to fill vacancies in some key leadership positions in his administration, including in the Fire Department, the Health Department and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement.
The city is facing big challenges filling lower level positions, as well. There are 61 openings in the department of emergency medical services, and the Department of Public Works is still understaffed. What can the city do to convince people to join the team?
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The therapeutic benefits of living with and tending plants are well known—they offer a connection to the natural world that nurtures our mental and physical health. In Living Wild How to Plant Style Your Home & Cultivate Happiness, Hilton Carter shows how to create a lush, stylish space with flourishing plants that bring life to your home and happiness to your life. The best-selling author, design and artist discusses interior design choices—choosing the right color scheme, textures, and materials to showcase gorgeous greenery—then takes a deep dive into styling. From picking the perfect planter to statement plants and taking in centerpieces, living art and hanging planters plus outdoors spaces and plants for kids along the way, Living Wild is packed with interior design and styling ideas that blur the boundary between inside and out.
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Last fall, the American Library Association compiled a list of books that have been targets of censorship, challenged for inclusion in the collections of school and public libraries. 1,269 books were challenged in 2022.
Jolie McShane and Jeff McDonald are two of the activists seeking to ban books about sexuality and LGTBQ communities in Baltimore County school libraries.
That’s almost double the number of books that were challenged the year before.
Most of the books are about LGBTQ communities, or are stories and histories centered around people of color.
Republican Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis has made “anti-wokism” a central tenet of his campaign for President, and a central issue in his on-going feud with Disney. Around the country, conservative activists are seeking to limit what kids can access in their classrooms and curriculums.
Today on Midday, a conversation about what criteria teachers, parents, politicians and boards of education are applying in the contentious fights around book censorship.
Tom first speaks to Deborah Caldwell-Stone, the Director of the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association.
A little later in the program, Tom speaks with Jolie McShane, the President of Republican Women of Baltimore County and Jeffry McDonald, the President of the Patriot Club of America, a group based in Baltimore County.
They have been working to have two books removed from Baltimore County school libraries, “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison and “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe.
Tom also speaks with George Johnson, the author of “All Boys Aren’t Blue,” another book that is among the most frequently targeted for removal from libraries across the country.
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Denise Kumani Gantt joined Tom on Zoom. She is the Director of Education and a resident artist with Lyric Baltimore, and one of the prime movers behind the "Dream Big" Contest.
Eight visionaries were named as winners. Students appearing on the show are listed below:
Joshua Adler, 6th Grade, Francis Scott Key Elementary/Middle School
Aminah Ebron, 11th Grade, Baltimore School for the Arts
Sha'Miyae Hinton-Knight, 7th Grade, Charm City Virtual Elementary/Middle School
Kayla Tabernero, 11th Grade, Parkville High School
Elias Rigoberto Gomez Zisselsberger, 8th Grade, Hamilton Elementary/Middle School
Three contest winners were not able to participate in the program, they are:
- Teni Adedire, 11th Grade, Eastern Technical High School
- Miles Anderson, 10th Grade, Baltimore City College
- Naima Renee Gordon, 10th Grade, Baltimore City College
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When former Del. Brooke Lierman was running for Maryland Comptroller, she promised to use the office as a platform for activism, to shake-up systems and to bring a different management perspective to running the state’s tax collection and finances.
Since taking office in January, Comptroller Lierman has implemented a number of changes, and the legislature has given her new tools to work with to reform and update the way the Comptroller’s office does business.
She joined Tom to discuss her time in office so far.
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Now, the reimagining of Harborplacehas begun. Late last year, a local developer named P. David Bramblepurchased the property, and pledged to revive this centerpiece of downtown that was once a proud symbol of Baltimore’s Renaissance. Bramble is the managing partner atMCB Real Estate.
We return to this conversation from earlier this month with Bramble and Christopher Mfume, a son of Congressman Kweisi Mfume and managing partner of CLD Partners. Mfume's development portfolio includes a number of residential properties across Baltimore.
David Bramble and Christopher Mfume joined Tom in Studio A.
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t's time for another visit with Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
This week she reviews “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” which is showing at the Vagabond Players at 806 S. Broadway through June 11.
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On Midday today, we hear music from some members of the Peabody Consort, a group that specializes in music of the Renaissance. The consort is a smaller, select group of student musicians from the Peabody Renaissance Ensemble, which Mark Cudek founded 25 years ago. The band includes Cudek, who plays guitar, cittern, percussion, Mira Fu-En Huang, a soprano, Sarah Shodja with recorders and Cameron Welke on the lute.
They will be performing at an international confab of like-minded artists this summer in Indianapolis. They are also set to play Sunday afternoon at the Church of the Redeemer here in Baltimore.
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A new novel by Celia Bell explores the court of Louis XIV in 17th century France, where two noblewomen fall in love amongst dark magic and intrigue. From the most elite salons to the grittiest quartiers, the Bell weaves a tale that is complex and compelling.
Bell joined Tom in studio to talk about The Disenchantment.
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Earlier today, the Baltimore County Council passed the $4.9 billion dollar budget proposed by County ExecutiveJohnny Olszewski, Jr.
The package includes raises for county employees, teachers and police, school construction, two new senior centers, and improvements to parks.
County Executive Olszewski joins Tom to talk about the budget, and his priorities for the next couple of years.
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Memorial Day weekend is often the time when gardeners get to work digging, pruning and planting.
It’s a perfect time to head Back to the Garden here on Midday, where we have the answers to all of your gardening questions.
Our guests are Farmer Chippy, the creator of the Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm, and Carrie Engel, the Greenhouse Manager at Valley View Farms in Cockeysville, MD.
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Associated Black Charities was founded in 1985 to advocate on behalf of African Americans in the Baltimore metropolitan region. The organization has recently gone through a re-examination and re-tooling of its mission.
To navigate the transition, ABC's board hired Chrissy Thornton, a resident of Baltimore for three decades and a Morgan State University alumna.
Thornton made a career in non-profit management, including positions with the National Alliance for Mental Illness and the Myositis Association. She took the reins of ABC on January 1, 2023.
What’s next for the ABC as it re-examines how best to advocate on behalf of the Black community?
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Tom's Midday Newsmakeris Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. In the 2023 session of the state legislature, lawmakers gave the Attorney General’s office expanded powers to prosecute police-involved killings, and to prosecute and remediate civil rights violations.
The expansion also created the Environment and Natural Resources Monitoring Unit in Attorney General Brown's office to investigate and prosecute crimes against the environment and natural resources.
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Writer and journalist Jonathan Eig is the author of a new biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The book is the first biography of the civil rights icon for more than three decades.
Jonathan Eig incorporated research material unavailable previous biographers, including hundreds of pages from the files of a close aide to U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, made available last year.
One of the book's revelations is that a widely-circulated quote from King criticizing Malcolm X had been faked. Through his research, Eig found King had been misquoted i a famous interview for "Playboy," with some quotes completely fabricated.
Eig reminds us that Dr. King’s career as the public face of the civil rights movement was tragically brief. He was gunned-down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 1968, just 13 years after he had burst onto the scene as the leader of the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is an iconic figure who is revered around the world. It’s easy to forget that in 1963, when he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, nearly 80% of Americans disapproved of the March on Washington as it was happening, in real time. Eig helps us understand King, in our time.
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The great jazz guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli released his first album 40 years ago. It was called I’m Hip (Please Don’t Tell My Father).His father, by the way, was the great jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, who passed away in 2020. Since the release of that album, John has toured the world and established himself as one of the great interpreters of the Great American Songbook.
He’s appearing at Keystone Korner here in Baltimore this weekend, and his sets will feature music from his latest release: Stage and Screen,which celebrates great music from Broadway and Hollywood.
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WYPR is proud to announce the New/Next Film Festival, a weekend-long celebration of film culture, is taking place August 18-20 in Baltimore.
Sam Sessa is the Director of Events & Community Engagement for WTMD and WYPR. Eric Allen Hatch is the curator of films for the New Next Film Festival. They joined Tom in Studio A to share news about this exciting cinematic event.
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Cara Obercovers the latest in Baltimore's vibrant art scene. She is the founder, editor and publisher of BMore Art, a magazine that explores the arts in Baltimore.
Their latest print issue, The Migration Issue, came out last week. It features several international artists who now call Baltimore home.
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An array of fictional documents that take us behind the headlines of important historical events in Alexandra Petri's "US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up)"
Petri is a terrific political satirist and humor columnist for the Washington Post. The fictitious documents run the gamut from “top toys for Puritan parents” and “John and Abigail Adams try Sexting to” Aaron Sorkin’s “Gettysburg Address” and Richard Nixon “Tapes - But Just the Parts Where He’s Yelling at Checkers.”
Throughout the book, Petri demonstrates an impressive command of historical events and the people who comprise our nation’s history and mythology.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater criticJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
She joins Tom to tell us about Life is a Dreamat Baltimore Center Stage, which runs until May 21, 2023.
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Reports indicate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is soon to officially announce his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. President. He trails in the current polls behind former President Donald Trump, as does the rest of the growing field. The first caucuses and primaries don’t take place until February.
DeSantis has preceded his run for the White House with months of TV appearance focused on "wokeness" and political correctness, while lauding several bills he has signed into Florida law. Bills with names like the "Individual Freedom Act" and the "Stop Woke Act" place limits on the teaching of American history, sexual orientation and gender identity and prohibit spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Dr. Terry Anne Scott is a former history professor at Hood College, and the author of Lynching and Leisure: Race and the Transformation of Mob Violence in Texas.
She is the Director of the Institute for Common Power. Tonight and tomorrow, she is teaming-up with scholars from around the country to produce a 24-hour teach-in to confront the restrictions Florida educators are facing.
The event is called Truth in Education: A 24 Hour Teach-In for American Democracy.
Dr. Terry Anne Scott joins Tom on Zoom from St. Petersburg.
Dr. Yohuru Williams is the Distinguished University Chair and Professor of History and Founding Director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He’s also the We the People Fellow for the event tonight and tomorrow. He joins Tom on Zoom from Florida, as well.
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Baltimore Banner reporters Clara Longo de Freitasand Ryan Little explored the access to pharmacies for Baltimore City residents.
Analysis from the Banner found majority-Black and minority-majority neighborhoods in Baltimore have less access to pharmacies than majority-white neighborhoods.
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The story of modern food is a fascinating tale captured in a new book by physician and historian of science, medicine, and food, Dr. Lisa Haushofer. Her research reveals the connection between nutrition with money, business, conquest, and colonization.
The new book is Wonder Foods: The Science and Commerce of Nutrition. Haushofer makes a compelling case that the way we relate to food has been shaped by a variety of economic and geopolitical factors.
Dr. Lisa Haushofer joins Tom to discuss the book.
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Title 42, the Trump era effort to restrict asylum seekers that was continued during the first two years of the Biden Administration, ended last Thursday. With the policy's end, immigration experts expected a surge of migrants at the U.S. southern border. Bu that hasn’t happened.
Last week, before the regulation was rescinded, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended as many as 11,000 migrants a day. Over the weekend, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, those numbers went down to 6,300 on Friday and 4,200 on Saturday.
Tom's guest on this issue is Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Service, a non-profit organization that helps resettle refugees.
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The Baltimore Peace Movement is a community-based non-profit group that works to end violence in Baltimore.
On Mother’s Day weekend and three other weekends every year, they hold events to encourage all of us to act peacefully, and to help those who are in danger or in mourning.
On the Mondays following each Peace Movement weekend, we check in with the group’s co-organizers.
Letrice Gantis one of those co-founders, and also Deputy Director of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center. Since 1995 the Center has been providing free conflict resolution services to communities across the city.
Ms. Gant joins Tom Hall on Zoom.
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U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin has been a fixture on the Maryland political scene for 56 years, and a member of the United States Senate since 2007. Earlier this month, he announced that he will not seek re-election when his term expires on January 3, 2025.
As the Chair of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, a long time member of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Finance Committee and the Environment and Public Works Committee, Sen. Cardin has been a champion for small businesses in MD, a dedicated protector of the Chesapeake Bay and a fierce advocate for human rights around the world.
His career began in 1967. As it continued in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, he never lost an election.
Sen. Cardin joins Tom in Studio A.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the mid-Atlantic regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the new touring company production of Six — now in an eight-performance run at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre — in which the six wives of Henry VIII take the stage to spin their infamous 500-year-old heartbreaks into an exuberant, 21st century "her-storical" musical.
Written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Six won 23 awards in the 2021-2022 Broadway season, including a Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical.
The touring production is co-directed by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage, with music direction by Julia Schade.
Six continues at theHippodrome Theatre through Sunday, May 14.
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Viola da gambist Carolyn Surrick and Grammy-nominated lutenist Ronn McFarlane have joined together again for their latest album "And So Flows The River."
The celebrated artists will perform selections from their new project at a benefit concert at the Church of the Nativity and Holy Comforter in Baltimore on Saturday, May 20, from 3:00 – 4:00pm. For more details, click here.
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Today, it’s Midday on the Arts. We begin with a conversation about a program designed to help further the educations and careers of young people of color in classical music. It’s called Shared Voices, and it connects students studying at HBCUs with the top schools of music and conservatories across the country.
It is the brainchild of Denyce Graves, one of the most acclaimed opera singers of her generation. As a performer, teacher and the founder and artistic director of the Denyce Graves Foundation, she hasbeen a fierce advocate for artists of color, and a leader in advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in classical music.
Denyce Graves is the Rosa Ponselle Distinguished Faculty Artist in Voice at Johns Hopkins University's Peabody Institute here in Baltimore. She also teaches at the Julliard School in New York City, and at the University of Toronto. She joins us on Zoom…
And with Tom in the studio is JoyAnne Amani Richardson. She’s an acclaimed pianist, composer and conductor, who serves as the Music Director of the Denyce Graves Foundation.
(Photo credit: Denyce Graves-Montgomery by Devon Cass)
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Today is another installment in our series, Midday in the Neighborhood, which we produce in cooperation with our news partners, the Baltimore Banner.
The series examines issues facing some of Baltimore’s 278 different communities.
Today, we turn our focus to Locust Point, and a community garden that is facing an existential crisis.
The Banner’s Cadence Quaranta reports that, “Under Armour owns the garden plot located near its Tide Point headquarters. It opened it up to the community around 2018, but it expects to put the land on the market, according to a spokesperson. The sports apparel company is set to wind down operations in Locust Point and move to its new corporate headquarters in the Baltimore Peninsula by the end of next year.”
Tom speaks with Dave Arndt, the manager of the Locust Point Community Garden.
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Today on Midday, a heated impasse over the debt ceiling. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned Congress that the Treasury will soon run out of the “extraordinary measures” currently being employed to maintain the full faith and credit of the federal government.
After a meeting on Tuesday with Congressional leaders, neither President Joe Biden nor Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy expressed great optimism that either side had budged in the standoff over whether budget cuts can be tied to a deal on raising the debt ceiling.
Our guests are Kathleen Day, a lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, and Luke Broadwater, congressional reporter for The New York Times.
The guests join Tom in Studio A.
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Harborplace in Baltimore has been in a steady decline for years, as store after store and restaurant after restaurant closed. Only a couple of places remain open and the entire Light Street Pavilion has been shuttered.
Now, the reimagining of Harborplace has begun. Late last year, a local developer named P. David Bramble purchased the property, and pledged to revive this centerpiece of downtown that was once a proud symbol of Baltimore’s Renaissance.
Bramble is the managing partner at MCB Real Estate.
Christopher Mfume, a son of Congressman Kweisi Mfume, is the managing partner of CLD Partners. His development portfolio includes a number of residential properties across Baltimore.
David Bramble and Christopher Mfume join Tom in Studio A.
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A new installation at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore showcases art from across Asia and the region's Islamic cultures.
The new exhibition is called Across Asia: Arts of Asia and the Islamic World.The museum's recent renovations have been a few years in the making. The re-imagined space allows the museum to display more than 90 works from its collection for the first time.
Dr. Julia Marciari Alexander is the Andrea B. and John H. Laporte Director of the Walters Art Museum.
Theresa Sotto is the Ruth R. Marder Director of Learning and Community Engagement.
Today's guests join Tom in Studio A.
(Photo: A display of ceramics from Islamic artisans across West and South Asia, part of the Walters Art Museum's new exhibition.)
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This week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed into law bills focused on economic development.
Today on Midday, we discuss some of the other bills passed during the 2023 session of the Maryland General Assembly that could have an economic impact on Baltimore.
Tom talks withBenjamin Orr, the founding president and CEO of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy, a nonpartisan policy think tank.
Benjamin Orr joins Tom in Studio A.
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On Saturday, people across the world turned their attention to the pomp and pageantry of the coronation for King Charles III in London's Westminster Abbey.
We open the show with sound from the site of the coronation, as the Ascension Gospel Choir performed ‘Alleluia’ (O Sing Praises) for the Gospel reading of King Charles III’s coronation.
The coronation ceremony drew on traditions more than a thousand years old. But the ceremony featured new changes, such as the inclusion of a gospel choir and roles for women and clergy of different world religions.
NPR international correspondent Frank Langfitt joins Tom to discuss how the coronation was received, in Britain and across the world. For nearly two decades, Langfitt has been an international correspondent for NPR, reporting from more than 50 countries. For the past nearly 6 years, he’s been based in London. Later this month, he is set to return to the United States to take on a new role as NPR’s Global Democracy Correspondent.
Frank Langfitt joins Tom on our digital line from London.
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What did we learn from our battle with COVID-19? When the next pandemic comes, will we do a better job of handling it?
In late April, the COVID Crisis Group issued a report called Lessons from the COVID War. They assessed how the world handled the deadly disease, and they assert, “no country’s performance is more disappointing than that of the United States.”
Dr. Alexander Lazar joins Tom to discuss the report's findings on the American public health response to COVID-19. Dr. Lazar is professor of Pathology and Genomic Medicine at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, and one of 34 experts who served on the COVID Crisis Group. The group formed in 2021, assembling experts to study the United States response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Alexander Lazar joins us on Zoom from Houston, Texas.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland-DC regional stage.
Today, she talks with Tom about two classic shows currently in town: Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet and Everyman Theatre’s production of Harvey.
Hamlet is widely considered to be William Shakespeare's greatest tragedic play, while Harvey is a 1944 comedy about a man whose best friend is a giant, invisible rabbit. Do these two plays have anything in common?
In this new production of Hamlet, Baltimore native and nationally recognized Shakespeare director, Eleanor Holdridge, reveals this iconic piece of Shakespearian literature as a contemporary world full of tension.
“We’re creating a world of magic and wonder in which Hamlet can grapple with the questions of our existence,” Holdridge said of the production in a press release.“Even when he tries to make sense of and avenge his father’s untimely death, he discovers the ineffable strength of his own humanity.”
Harvey tells the story of Elwood P. Dowd (played by Resident Company Member, Bruce Randolph Nelson), a lovable eccentric who claims his best friend is a six-foot-tall invisible rabbit named Harvey.
When Elwood’s sister, Veta, tries to have him committed in hopes of protecting the family’s social standing, chaos ensues. The original Pulitzer Prize-winning play was written by Mary Chase. It's directed at Everyman by Jackson Gay.
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company’s production of Hamlet and Everyman Theatre’s production of Harvey both continue through May 21.
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Welcome to Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. Today, a look at what's new in movie theaters. Among the film's we'll discuss: CHEVALIER, SHOWING UP and ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT'S ME MARGARET, the new adaptation of Judy Blume's 1970 young-adult novel of the same name.
Plus, we'll look at the writers' strike shutting down production in Hollywood. Screenwriters are going against the major studios, including Amazon, Apple, and Disney.
Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post and author of the best-selling moviegoers' guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies, joins us on our digital line.
And joining Tom in Studio A today is Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and another regular on Midday at the Movies.
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Today, Tom welcomes back to Midday the comedian and writer Lane Moore.
In addition to being a published author, she is also a songwriter and the frontperson for the band, It Was Romance.
Moore is in Baltimore featuring tonight at Baltimore Soundstage, where she will perform her stand-up show, Tinder Live. During the show, she displays her dating app on a screen and checks out various profiles in front of the audience, who vote as to whether she should swipe left or right.
She will also be signing copies of her new book, YouWill Find Your People: How to Make Meaningful Friendships as an Adult. The book is a how-to guide, a touching memoir, and a funny take on the complexities of platonic relationships. It follows her first book, a New York Times bestseller published in 2018 called How to Be Alone: If You Want To, and Even If You Don’t.
Lane Moore joins Tom in Studio A.
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Today on Midday on Ethics, a discussion about advancements in technology that change the way humans reproduce.
Tom's guest is Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. He is also Professor in the Dept. of Health Policy and Management of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
In a 2016 book, a researcher named Henry Greely predicted that in a few decades, most people will make babies by methods other than sex. And a recent article in The New Yorker from writer Emily Witt looks into the booming,multi-billion-dollar industry that's driving advances in reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
And now, IVF may eventually give way to a procedure known as IVG, or in vitro gametogenesis. That’s just one of several new methods by which babies can be made, and the reproductive clock for women can be extended.
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn joins Tom in Studio A.
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The case of Adnan Syed took another dramatic turn yesterday. You may recall that in 2000, Mr. Syed was convicted of the murder of Hae Min Lee, his girlfriend and classmate at Woodlawn High School. He served more than 20 years in prison, until September of last year, when his conviction was vacated and he was released.
Then, in March of this year, the Appellate Court of Maryland reinstated that conviction and sentence.
Yesterday, in a 2-1 decision, the court denied Syed’s motion to reconsider its decision. Syed’s attorney, Erica Suter, has indicated she will appeal that decision to the MD Supreme Court.
Steven Klepper isan experienced appellate lawyer with the law firm Kramon and Graham here in Baltimore. Today, he helps us understand what led to the Appeals Court’s decision yesterday, the impact it might have on the Syed case, and the legal precedents it could establish.…
Steven Klepper joins Tom in Studio A.
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This week, Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy led a bipartisan US congressional delegation to Israel, a delegation that included Maryland's Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer. McCarthy addressed the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, and indicated that he might soon invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the US Congress.
This is in stark contrast to President Joe Biden, who has so far refused to extend an invitation to Netanyahu to visit the White House since the Prime Minister put together a far-right coalition government that returned him to power last year.
Israel is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its founding, and reeling from a level of internal discord that the young country has never before encountered. Netanyahu is pushing radical reorganization of the judicial system which would greatly diminish the authority of Israeli courts. Mass protests over the past many weeks have forced the proponents of the judicial overhaul to pause their efforts for the moment, but the crisis is far from being resolved.
For an update on the situation in Israel, and perspective on Vladimir Putin’s posture against the Jews in Ukraine, we turn to Sam Sokol, a reporter for Haaretz,and the author of Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews: Antisemitism, Propaganda, and the Displacement of Ukrainian Jewry.
Sam Sokol joins us on Zoom from New York.
Sam Sokol will be speaking about his book and the current situation in Israel on Wednesday night (May 3) at 7:00 at Beth Am Synagogue in the Reservoir Hill neighborhood of Baltimore.
For more information and to register for this event, click here.
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Tom's next guests are Dr. Mileah Kromer, the director of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, and Pamela Wood, who covers state politics for The Baltimore Banner, a WYPR news partner.
The Banner and the Hughes Center have released a poll surveying Maryland residents about a wide range of issues, including their feelings about Gov. Wes Moore's performance in his first 100 days in office. Tom's guests discuss some of the key findings.
They also discuss the retirement of one of the longest-serving members of the U.S. Congress from Maryland. Yesterday, Sen. Ben Cardin announced he would not seek re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2024. The speculation about who may seek to succeed him has begun.Dr. Mileah Kromer joins Tom in Studio A. Pamela Wood joins us on Zoom.
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Today, a look inside rapid turnovers in the administration of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.
Tom speaks with reporter Emily Sullivan, who covers local politics for the Baltimore Banner, a WYPR news partner. Yesterday, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott fired his Chief of Staff and his director of Communications, neither of whom had been at their respective jobs for long. The changes are the latest in a series of staffing shake-ups in the Scott Administration.
Emily Sullivan joins us on our digital line.
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It's another edition of the Midday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen.
Today, Tom will be talking with Dr. Wen about the latest health news from Maryland. The state's COVID-19 Dashboard was moved to the Maryland Department of Health's main website.
The state COVID Alert system is set to end Tuesday, May 9, while the federal state of emergency comes to an end on May 11.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization is keeping its eye on a new variant of COVID. Who should get a second bivalent booster, and will it be effective against this latest iteration? We’ll also talk to Dr. Wen about the deepening fentanyl crisis, and what we need to know about recreational marijuana.
Plus, Baltimore is looking for a new health commissioner. The current head of the health department, Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, is leaving her post to become the interim Deputy Mayor for Equity Health and human services. Dr. Wen was the city’s health commissioner from 2014 to 2018. We’ll talk about the skills an effective leader in that job needs.
Dr. Leana Wen joins host Tom Hall on Zoom.
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and she has been a regular guest on our show since her time as the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, from 2015-2018. Today, the emergency physician is a research professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s a columnist for the Washington Post, a medical analyst for CNN, and a non-resident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. And she's the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
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(This conversation was first broadcast on April 14, 2023.)
Welcome to an encore presentation of Midday.
Tom's guest is Bonnie Garmus. Her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry,is a huge, breakout hit. It has been on the New York Times best seller list for almost a year, and it’s been parked in the number one spot on that list for 14 weeks. It has sold more than 2 million copies, it has become a favorite book club selection across the country, and it’s been named by The New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, and Newsweek as a best book of the year.
It’s an international hit, too, with translations published in 40 languages. The actor and director Brie Larsen will bring it to the screen in a series on Apple +.
Lessons in Chemistry is a feminist manifesto, a wickedly funny social critique, a poignant story of love and loss, and a charming peroration on the meaning and might of families.
The protagonist in this compelling novel is Elizabeth Zott, a gifted chemist who navigates the patriarchal universe of the 1950s and 60s with courage, compassion and unwavering aplomb. She is one of several extraordinary characters — including her beloved canine, Six-Thirty — in a comic, touching and moving story told with delicious mastery.
Author Bonnie Garmus joined Tom on Zoom from her home in London…
Bonnie Garmus will be speaking about "Lessons in Chemistry" and signing the book on May 10, at 7pm, at “Sixth and I” in Washington, DC. You can attend in person or on-line. Click the link to register for the ticketed event.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland-DC regional stage.
Today, Judy joins guest host Emily Sullivan to tell us about Nevermore, a 2006 musical inspired by the works of the master of the macabre, 19th century writer-poet Edgar Allan Poe.
The production, which is getting its regional premiere at Baltimore's Stillpointe Theatre, features music by Matt Conner, book by Grace Barnes, and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunik, with source material from Mr. Poe.
The story of love, personal demons and self-discovery is propelled by its musical numbers and explores the mind of Edgar Allan Poe as a "ghostly dreamscape" of disturbing yet compelling themes of madness and melancholy.
The musical is directed by Ryan Haase, with choreography by Amanda J. Rife, and musical direction by Ben Shaver.
Nevermore continues at The Stillpoint Theatre through May 6. Click the theater link for more information.
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Today on Midday, guest host Emily Sullivan, a city government reporter for The Baltimore Banner,takes a deep dive into the Baltimore City budget – which is taking shape a little differently this year.
For more than a century, the Baltimore City Council has had very limited power over the budget. The mayor would write it…and pass along a draft version to the council to officially vote through.The council members could make cuts to the budget, but could not reallocate the money.
For example, when then-City Council President Brandon Scott led the council in cutting 22-million dollars from the Baltimore Police budget in summer 2020, he and his peers didn’t have a say in where the money actually went.
This budget season, that changes.
Thanks to a charter amendment that voters overwhelmingly passed in November 2020, the council now has the power to move money around in Mayor Brandon Scott’s $4.4 billion draft budget.
Emily's first guest today is Adam Willis – a reporter at The Baltimore Bannerwho covers the intersection of money and politics at City Hall. Last night, he attended Taxpayer’s Night…the annuual forum where Baltimoreans are invited to City Hall to express their feelings about the budget proposal directly to the city’s spending board.
Adam Willis joins Emily in Studio A.
Later in the program, we get another perspective on last night's public forum, on the city's 2023-24 budget priorities and how they could shape the coming political season, from Sophia Silbergeld, a veteran political and business analyst and a managing partner at Adeo Advocacy, the communications and political consulting firm.
Sophia Silbergeld joins Emily in Studio A.
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Now, Midday guest host Jayne Miller takes a look at the current state of redevelopment in downtown Baltimore.
There’s a new Lexington Market and concerts at the CFG Bank Arena. But foot traffic is dwindling, some restaurants are closing and big businesses are moving out. When and how can downtown bounce back?
Jayne talks with Sophie Kasakove and Hallie Miller, both reporters at WYPR's news partner, The Baltimore Banner, which recently published their extensive report on the troubled state of downtown Baltimore.
Sophie Kasakove and Hallie Miller join us in Studio A.
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Welcome to Midday. Sitting in for Tom Hall once again is guest host Jayne Miller, the former WBAL-TV reporter and now an independent investigative journalist.
Today, Jayne will be looking at the future of Baltimore from two angles: later in the program, the focus will be on the progress of downtown development efforts. She'll be joined by two Baltimore Banner reporters who recently wrote a sobering assessment of the current state of the heart of the city.
But before we discuss commercial development, we consider what's happening with residential properties in the city. Last week in his State of the City speech, Mayor Brandon Scott spotlighted the latest initiatives of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and other agencies to increase Black homeownership in Baltimore. He calls this effort the Middle Neighborhoods Strategy. Here is some of what the mayor said:
“Through (the Department of) Housing, Live Baltimore, and the Department of Planning, we're investing $9.7 million toward grant programs to finance home repairs for legacy homeowners and create pathways to homeownership for families with school-aged children...This includes providing 270 grants through our Buy Back the Block initiative to help renters move towards homeownership by offering them $10,000 to buy—or $20,000 to buy and renovate—a home where they currently rent.”
— Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott.
Can programs like these increase Black homeownership and narrow the gap?
Jayne also examines more broadly why the rate of homeownership in Maryland among Black residents is still lagging behind White residents. According to a recent report on race and home buying, Black homeownership for Marylanders in 2021 was 52% while White homeownership in the state was 78%.
What factors are contributing to the gap and how are real estate professionals addressing the issue?
Joining Jayne to discuss these questions is Ashley Thomas, a Los Angeles-based realtor and vice president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, an organization of African-American real estate professionals focused on democracy in housing.
Ashley Thomas joins us from Los Angeles on Zoom.
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Welcome to Midday. Today, guest host Jayne Miller talks about challenges in Maryland health care services.
We begin with a look at the problems of first-responder burnout as a result of the pandemic and long waits in the emergency room.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that Maryland’s wait times in hospital emergency rooms are among the worst in the nation, at nearly four hours per visit.
In the most recent legislative session in Annapolis, lawmakers in both the House and Senate voted to create a taskforce to investigate Maryland’s emergency room wait times. Jayne's first guest isSenator Karen Lewis Young, a Democrat who represents District 3 (Frederick County). She was the sponsor of this legislation in the Senate.
Senator Young joins us via Zoom.
Later in the program, we turn to challenges facing nursing home facilities, long-term care and elder care.
A recent report finds that staffing levels in nursing homes are at their lowest level since 1994.Long-term care advocates have been sounding the alarm for years about the need for Maryland to invest in the future infrastructure and workforce of nursing homes.
Joe DeMattos is one of those advocates. He is president of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland. The organization represents and supports long-term care facilities across the state.
Joe DeMattos join us in Studio A.
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Today on Midday, Jayne Miller, the former WBAL reporter and now an independent investigative journalist, begins a three-day stint here guest hosting for Tom Hall.
The latest US Census data show Baltimore City continues to lose population. The total number of city residents is 569,930, according to the latest count — a staggering 40% decline since the 1950’s.
But inside those numbers are trends, stories and indicators that can help us better understand the profound changes happening in the city, and the region.
Jayne's guest today is Dr. Amanda Phillips De Lucas, the new director of the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance — Jacob France Institute. Each year, BNIA-JFI issues Baltimore's Vital Signs report, which tracks more than 150 indicators to take the pulse of neighborhood health and vitality.
The non-profit organization is housed at the University of Baltimore and for many years was led by Seema Iyer, who spearheaded BNIA's efforts to bring data science to bear on improving neighborhood governance in Baltimore. Last month, Dr. de Lucas was selected to take charge of the alliance's crucial mission of gathering and analyzing data to better understand the needs of the city’s diverse communities.
Amanda Phillips De Lucas joins Jayne in Studio A.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
He’s been on the job a little more than four years, overseeing the implementation of a federal consent decree, trying to change the culture of the department, and fix the fraught relationship between the police and the majority African American community in our city.
There might be a perception that crime in the city has not diminished this year, or in recent years. In 2022, the number of homicides did, indeed top 300 for the 8th straight year. Three hundred and thirty-two people lost their lives violently then. But the overall trend in the rate of homicides and nonfatal shootings is headed in the right direction.
Mayor Brandon Scott delivered his third State of the City address earlier this week, and in his speech, he discussed efforts to turn the tide of violence in our city.
Part of that tide, the mayor said, is caused by the sheer number of weapons that are available. And he pointed to signs that the city's Group Violence Reduction Strategy, which involves violence interruption organizations as well as police and other agencies, is working.
But like cities across the country, Baltimore has experienced a heartbreaking uptick in violence against children and teenagers.The CDC reports that gun violence is now the leading cause of death for children in the United States. In 2021, firearms were responsible for 19% of childhood deaths nationwide.Here in Baltimore, in the first four months of this year, 39 young people between the ages of 13 and 18 have been shot. Eleven have died.
Mayor Scott has promised to re-instate nighttime curfews for children and youth under the age of 17, starting this Memorial Day (May 29).
If police are tasked with enforcing curfews, how will that affect their efforts to reduce violent crime?
Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison joins Tom in Studio A…
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland-DC regional stage.
Today, she spotlightsThe Awakening, a new production by the Endangered Species Theatre Project, on stage until Friday at New Spire Arts in Frederick, Maryland.
The Awakening was adapted from the Kate Chopin novel by playwright Rebecca Chase, with music by Myra Platt.
Chopin's novel, first published in 1899 as "A Solitary Soul," depicts a young mother's struggle to achieve sexual and personal emancipation in the oppressive environment of the postbellum American South.
This American literary classic was widely censored and condemned as immoral when it was first released. It was rediscovered in the 1950s and has since gained a following as an early and important feminist work.This latest stage adaptation is set to a score of blues, ragtime, soul, and opera and imbued with the lush decadence of the French Quarter.
Endangered Species Theatre Project’s production of The Awakening is directed by Christine Mosere.
It continues at New Spire Arts in Frederick through tomorrow (Friday, April 21).
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If you’ve just joined us today, it’s Midday on the Environment.More than 6% of waste in the US comes from household textiles.The Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association, or SMART, a network of companies involved in fabric recycling, says that 95% of textiles can be reused or recycled. Old curtains, towels, sheets, shoes, stuffed animals and more can all be turned into new stuff.
And when it comes to clothes, what better way to recycle them than to have someone else wear them?
Forbes Magazine reports that in 2021, the global market value of secondhand clothes was $96 billion.
Joining Tom now are two volunteers with the Women’s Board of the Johns Hopkins Hospital, which runs stores downtown and in Cockeysville that sell secondhand clothes to raise money for a range of patient-care services at the hospital.
Susan Flax Posner is a volunteer at RENEWAL Upscale Resale at the Hunt Valley Town Centre in Cockeysville.
Joan Quinn volunteers at the Carry On Shop on East Monument Street, on the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus in Baltimore…
Susan Posner and Joan Quinn join Tom in Studio A.
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Saturday is Earth Day, a day that's been observed annually since 1970 to draw attention to the problems facing the global environment.
Today on Midday, two environmental movements that are rapidly gaining interest and adherents: the green burial movement and sustainable fashion.
A little later we’ll talk about how the Johns Hopkins Women’s Board is giving new life to old clothes, and cutting down on the environmental impact of discarding textiles.
But we begin today with a conversation about green burials, which perhaps can be best described by listing what’s not involved rather than what is. No embalming, no concrete grave liners, no non-biodegradable caskets. Instead, bodies are returned to the earth naturally, with no deleterious effect on the environment.
Jennifer Downs is the founder and chair of the Green Burial Association of Maryland, or GBAM. She joins Tom in Studio A…
Lee Webster joins us as well. She’s a past president of the Green Burial Council. She’s served in leadership of the National Home Funeral Alliance, and she helped found the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and Conservation Burial Alliance. She’s also written several books about green burials.
Lee Webster joins us on Zoom from Holderness, New Hampshire.
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Juanita Jackson Mitchell (January 2, 1913 – July 7, 1992) is one of Maryland's most revered civil rights icons. An activist whose imprint on the struggle for civil rights is immutable, she was the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, and the first African American woman to practice law in Maryland.
Her legacy will be honored when the building in Baltimore’s Marble Hill neighborhood she used as a law office during her storied career will be renovated and preserved as a community legal center.
The Beloved Community Services Corporation, a non-profit development group directed by Alvin Hathaway, purchased the property and is overseeing the renovation. The group recently received a $1.75 million US congressional grant to support the project.
Joining Tom now is one of Juanita Jackson Mitchell’s sons, former Maryland Senator Michael Mitchell. He joins us on Zoom…
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Recent surveys have shown that people looking for employment in this country are putting greater emphasis than previous generations on what's being called the "the work-life balance" — favoring jobs that more closely reflect their values and lifestyles, even if they offer lower salaries.
This morning, LinkedIn, the Microsoft-owned business and employment-focused social media platform, released new data on what job seekers want from companies they are considering working for.
Joining Tom now to discuss the new findings is Andrew McCaskill. He is a career expert and global communications specialist at LinkedIn.
Andrew McCaskill joins us on Zoom from Atlanta, Georgia.
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The recent revelations by investigative journalists from Pro Publica about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ relationship with the Republican megadonor Harlan Crow have rekindled the debate about the lack of a code of ethics for members of the nation’s highest court.
We begin today with our Newsmaker guest, Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Last November, he was overwhelmingly elected to a second term in the US Senate, after serving 7 terms in the House. He serves on the powerful Appropriations Committee, and he chairs the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. That’s the subcommittee that determines funding for, among others, the US Supreme Court…
Sen. Van Hollen discusses the Senate's response to the scandal in the High Court, the imbroglio over Sen. Diane Feinstein's role on the Judiciary Committee, and the looming deadline for a vote on raising the US debt limit.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen joins us on Zoom from his office on Capitol Hill.
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Today, it’s Midday at the Museum. Two museums, to be exact. The Baltimore Museum of Art and the Maryland Center for History and Culture have each named new directors within the last several months. Asma Naeem took the reins of the BMA in February. Katie Caljean assumed the top job at the Maryland Center last fall.They join us today on Midday to talk about their plans for their respective institutions, and to share their reflections on the changing roles of museums in Baltimore and beyond.
Asma Naeem was born in Pakistan. She moved to Baltimore as a two-year-old. She is the first person of color to lead the BMA in its 109-year history. Her career as an art historian and curator was preceded by a career as a lawyer, including a tenure as a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office in New York.
Asma Naeem joins us on Zoom from her office at the museum.
We are also joined by Asma’s BMA colleague, Gamynne Guillotte, the museum's Chief of Education and co-curator of a new exhibition at the BMA that celebrates Hip Hop, during this 50th anniversary of the influential genre.
Along with two colleagues from the St. Louis Art Museum, they are co-curating The Culture: Hip Hop & Contemporary Art in the 21st Century.
This exhibition is a ticketed show, but there are a few days when admission to the exhibition is free. The next one is Sunday, May 21st. The exhibition closes July 16th.
In the final segment of the program today, Tom's guest is Katie Caljean, the president and CEO of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. She was appointed to the top job last fall, after serving at the Center for about 10 years, most recently as its senior vice president of education and strategic engagement.
Katie Caljean joins Tom in Studio A.
The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited opens at the Maryland Center for History and Culture on Memorial Day weekend, on Friday, May 26. It will be at the Center until December.
[Posted image: Artist Joyce J. Scott. "Hip Hop Saint, Tupac" (2014.The Baltimore Museum of Art: Women's Committee Acquisitions Endowment for Contemporary Prints and Photographs, BMA 2020.61. © Joyce J. Scott and Goya Contemporary Gallery)]
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On Easter Sunday night, a large crowd of young people gathered near the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. A fight broke out, and according to police, while officers were breaking up that fight, less than 40 feet away, a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old, were shot. One is listed in “critical but stable” condition and the other in stable condition, according to Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
Over the weekend, several more young people were shot. Saturday night, a 12 year old boy was killed in the Westport Homes in South Baltimore. Last night, there was a triple shooting in the Jonestown neighborhood in which three teens were wounded, including a 17-year-old who was shot in the head. So far this year, one in three shooting victims in Baltimore have been under the age of 18.
Last week,Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott announced that, quote, we are “going back to the old days” of enforcing curfews, beginning on Memorial Day Weekend.Today on Midday: Are curfews an effective way to keep kids and the rest of us, safe? Can they be effectively enforced? Do curfews criminalize kids, especially children of color?
Tom's three guests today provide some unique perspectives on these questions.We begin with Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway, who chairs thePublic Safety Committee He joins me in Studio A...
Later in the program, Tom is joined by law professorKristin Henning. She is the director of the Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative at Georgetown Law, and the author of The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth.
LaKeidra Chavis joins us as well. She is a staff writer for the Marshall Project, a non-profit news organization reporting on criminal justice issues and advocating for systemic reforms.
Both guests join us on Zoom.
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Tom's guest today is Bonnie Garmus. Her debut novel, Lessons in Chemistry,is a huge, breakout hit. It has been on the New York Times best seller list for almost a year, and it’s been parked in the number one spot on that list for 14 weeks. It has sold more than 2 million copies, it has become a favorite book club selection across the country, and it’s been named by The New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, and Newsweek as a best book of the year.
It’s an international hit, too, with translations published in 40 languages. The actor and director Brie Larsen will bring it to the screen in a series on Apple +.
Lessons in Chemistry is a feminist manifesto, a wickedly funny social critique, a poignant story of love and loss, and a charming peroration on the meaning and might of families.
The protagonist in this compelling novel is Elizabeth Zott, a gifted chemist who navigates the patriarchal universe of the 1950s and 60s with courage, compassion and unwavering aplomb. She is one of several extraordinary characters — including her beloved canine, Six-Thirty — in a comic, touching and moving story told with delicious mastery.
We're delighted to welcome author Bonnie Garmus to our show. She joins us on Zoom from her home in London.
Bonnie Garmus will be speaking about "Lessons in Chemistry" and signing copies of her book on May 10, at 7pm, at “Sixth and I” in Washington, DC. You can attend in person or on-line. Click the link to register for the ticketed event.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland-DC regional stage.
Today, she spotlights Hadestown, the 2019 musical that won 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and that's now in a touring company production at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
Written by Anaïs Mitchell (book, music and lyrics) and co-developed with director Rachel Chavkin, the musical weaves two Greek myths — one, of young lovers Orpheus and Eurydice, and another, of King Hades and his wife Persephone — into a haunting and moving musical drama.
Hadestown continues at the Hippodrome Theatre through April 16.
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Joining Tom now is the author of a wonderful book, one that makes an important contribution to the literature of walking. From prophets to historians, the tradition of walkers writing about what they encountered on their journeys goes back centuries.
Neil King, Jr. didn’t set out to write a book, necessarily, but in the spring of 2021, he left his home in Washington, DC, and headed for New York, with 17 lbs. of stuff in his backpack, and in the words of the poet John O’Donohue, “an open heart and a watchful reverence.”
King is a former national reporter and editor for the Wall Street Journal. His new book is called American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal.
Neil King, Jr. joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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Spring is in the air. Most folks in our listening area are enjoying plenty of sunshine today, and perhaps thinking ahead to what they’ll plant in their gardens. We thought today would be a good day to talk about issues in agriculture, as farmers begin planting their fields and urban gardeners start populating their pots.
Tom's guest is Joe Bartenfelder, who has managed his family produce business — Bartenfelder Farms — in Preston, Maryland, for 45 years. (Here in Baltimore, you can find fresh produce from Bartenfelder Farms at the Waverly and downtown farmer’s markets every weekend.)
Bartenfelder has also had a long career in politics. He served on the Baltimore County Council. He was a member of the House of Delegates, and from 2015-2023, during the administration of Gov. Larry Hogan, he served as Maryland's Secretary of Agriculture.
Joe Bartenfelder joins us on Zoom from his farm in Preston, in Caroline County…
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Now, Tom is joined by Shamiah T. Kerney, the Chief Recovery Officer in the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Programs, an office set-up by Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to oversee the distribution of the $641 million dollars of funds allocated for the city from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
President Biden signed the ARPA measure into law in March of 2021, with the aim of assisting communities across the nation in their ongoing recovery from the dislocations caused by the COVID pandemic. The city's Office of Recovery Programs was established in July of that year.
The first announcements about which agencies and organizations would be receiving the funds were made in the fall. The city has until the end of next year to finish designating who gets the ARPA money, and until 2026 to have spent it.Shemiah Kerney joinsTom in Studio A to discuss the Office of Recovery Programs' important work.
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Tom's first guest today is Del. Elizabeth Embry. Before she was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates last November, she served as Assistant MD Attorney General. She has spent the past four years investigating allegations of child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. A redacted version of her report was released last week. Click here to read it.
Its findings are stunning. 156 priests and other Archdiocese employees are identified as abusers, including 31 who had not been previously named publicly. The report chronicles 80 years of assaults on children and young people.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said this last Wednesday:
"Today, certainly in Maryland, is a day of reckoning and a day of accounting…"
“The incontrovertible history uncovered by this investigation is one of pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse by priests and other Archdiocese personnel. It’s also a history of repeated cover-up of that abuse by the Catholic Church hierarchy…”
"What was consistent throughout the stories was the absolute authority and power these abusive priests and the church leadership held over survivors, their families and their communities. The report seeks to document this long and sordid history,"
"While it may be too late for the survivors to see criminal justice served, we hope that exposing the archdiocese's transgressions to the fullest extent possible will bring some measure of accountability and perhaps encourage others to come forward."
— MD Attorney-General Anthony Brown
If you are a victim of abuse, and you would like to report past abuse by members of the clergy or anyone else, you can call the Attorney General's Office at 410-576-6312 or e-mail report@oag.state.md.us.
Del. Elizabeth Embry joins Tom in Studio A.
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The 445th session of the Maryland General Assembly came to a somewhat chaotic close at midnight Monday night. With minutes left until the stroke of midnight, former minority leader Del. Nic Kipke, a Republican from Anne Arundel County, engaged in a heated conversation with Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones.
All 10 of the billsput forward by the state’s newly elected Governor Wes Moore, passed, although with some changes. The signing ceremony for one of Gov. Moore’s signature initiatives, the Fair Wage Act, is taking place at this hour. That’s the measure that will accelerate the timetable for the minimum wage to reach $15 an hour.Over the past 90 days, lawmakers considered more than 2,000 bills, passing more than 600 into law.
Tom's guests today are two seasoned veterans of the State House press corps:
We begin with Josh Kurtz, the founding editor of Maryland Matters, the independent online news journal that covers Maryland politics and government.
Josh Kurtz joins us on Zoom.
Later in the hour, Tom talks with WYPR News Director Matt Bush. Matt Bush is at the State House in Annapolis and joins us on our digital line.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on March 15, 2023)
Tom's guest on this archive edition of Middayis the award-winning author, Julie Otsuka. She has published three critically acclaimed novels. Her first, When the Emperor Was Divine was published in 2002, and over the past 20 years, it has been chosen by more than 60 colleges and universities as a “campus reads” book, in which everyone at those institutions reads and discusses it.
In 2022, that same book was banned by the Muskego-Norway school district in Wisconsin, which deemed it inappropriate for high-school sophomores.
When Tom spoke with Julie Otsuka in March, she was preparing to come to Baltimore to deliver the keynote address at the 2023 Loyola University MD Humanities Symposium. Her March 16 talk was entitled, An American Story: War, Memory and Erasure, in which she talked about her family’s experience in internment camps during the second world war, and the importance of keeping those memories and those important stories alive. The launching point for her talk was her first novel, When the Emperor Was Divine.
Julie Otsuka’s second novel is about Japanese “picture brides,” who came to America in the early 20th century to wed men they had never met in person. It’s called The Buddha in the Attic,and it won the 2012 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Her latest novel, published last year, is called The Swimmers. The story concerns a group of people who swim at a community pool regularly, and what happens when that pool develops a crack that no one can seem to explain. It’s also about dementia, and the complicated relationship between a mother and her daughter. And it’s about multitudes more.
The American Library Association awarded it the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Julie Otsuka is an artist who writes with power, elegance, and compassion, and The Swimmersis a book that many readers have found to be gripping and wondrous in every way.
Julie Otsuka joined Tom on Zoom from New York…
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland-DC regional stage.
Today, she spotlights The Jungle, writers Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson's immersive theater piece about the refugee experience, now engaging audiences at Shakespeare Theatre Company's Harman Hall in Washington, DC.
The uniquely-staged play — conventional seating has been replaced with a dirt floor and wooden benches —is co-produced by the STC and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, and is co-directed by Tony Award winner Stephen Daldry (An Inspector Calls, The Crown) and Justin Martin.
The Jungle continues at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DCthrough April 16.
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It's another episode of Midday at the Movies, our monthly conversation about films and filmmaking.Joining Tom in Studio A are our two movie-maven regulars:
Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post and author of the best-selling moviegoers' guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies. Ann joins us on Zoom from Iowa...
And Jed Dietz, the founder and former director (retired) of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater.
Today, Ann and Jed size up the current crop of new films and streaming releases, including THE LOST KING, A THOUSAND AND ONE, AIR, LITTLE RICHARD: I AM EVERYTHING, and PRETTY BABY: BROOKE SHIELDS.
And as always, we invite you to share your favorite flicks or streaming series!
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Our focus on Midday today is the Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.A warning to our listeners: for the rest of the hour, we’re going to talk about child sexual abuse.Yesterday, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown released the long-awaited Catholic clergy sexual abuse report. It chronicles more than 80 years of abuse by more than 150 Catholic clergy members, seminarians, deacons and Archdiocese employees, and their victimization of more than 600 children and young people.The Catholic Church is by no means the only religious faith institution which has had clergy break trust and act criminally with their congregants, nor are religious institutions the only professions in which abusers prey on children. But the Catholic Church is the sole focus of this particular report. Anthony G Brown for MDAG_credit_SteveBarrett_crop_scale.png (778x576, AR: 1.3506944444444444)Here’s part of what AG Brown had to say yesterday when he announced the report’s release:“Today, certainly in Maryland, is a day of reckoning and a day of accounting…“The incontrovertible history uncovered by this investigation is one of pervasive, pernicious and persistent abuse by priests and other Archdiocese personnel. It’s also a history of repeated cover-up of that abuse by the Catholic Church hierarchy…”"What was consistent throughout the stories was the absolute authority and power these abusive priests and the church leadership held over survivors, their families and their communities. The report seeks to document this long and sordid history...""While it may be too late for the survivors to see criminal justice served, we hope that exposing the archdiocese's transgressions to the fullest extent possible will bring some measure of accountability and perhaps encourage others to come forward."— Md Attorney General Anthony Brown, speaking Wednesday in Annapolis.The report was written by Elizabeth Embry, who worked on it for four years. Ms. Embry is now a member of the House of Delegates. She will be joining Tom to talk about the report and its findings here on Midday next week, after the General Assembly Session has concluded.The abuse described in the report goes back to the 1940s. Archbishop William Lori, in a letter to Catholics published yesterday offered an apology, acknowledged the, quote, “reprehensible time in the history of this Archdiocese,” and asserted that since the 1990s, the church has been more transparent and cooperative with law enforcement to remove abusers from its ranks.We invited Archbishop Lori to join our conversation. He declined our invitation. Today is a holy day in the church calendar, Maundy Thursday, and the Archbishop’s spokesperson cited a schedule conflict.Today, we’ll hear from some of the survivors of the abuse that is described in the report, from reporters who have been covering this story, and from a Doctor who treats child sexual abusers.Joining Tom in Studio A to discuss the AG's report are Scott Maucione, WYPR’s health reporter, and Emily Hofstaedter, WYPR general assignment reporter (Studio A). We also hear a recorded comment from Dylan Segelbaum, a reporter with WYPR's news partner, The Baltimore BannerScott Maucione_Emily Hofstaedter_WYPR -COMBO.png (265x122, AR: 2.1721311475409837)Later in the program, Tom is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau. She's the director of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.Elizabeth Letourneau_2017 headshot-cropscaled.jpg (928x701, AR: 1.3238231098430813)If you are a victim of abuse, and you are ready to come forward you can report past abuse by members of the clergy or anyone else by calling the Attorney General's Office at 410-576-6312 or emailing report@oag.state.md.us.In addition, there are a variety of local and national resources available for survivors of sexual violence:
- Baltimore Child Abuse Center at Center for Hope: 410-601-HOPE; https://lbhstaging22.lifebridgehealth.org/CenterforHope/BaltimoreChildAbuseCenterServices.aspx
- Center for Family and Traumatic Stress at Kennedy Krieger Institute: 443-923-5980; https://www.kennedykrieger.org/patient-care/centers-and-programs/traumatic-stress-center
- Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault: https://mcasa.org/
- Male Survivors: https://malesurvivor.org/
- Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network: https://www.rainn.org/
- Survivor Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP): https://www.snapnetwork.org/
CORRECTION: During today's live broadcast, we heard a clip of a woman named Maria Smith. Ms. Smith was incorrectly identified; she is a Catholic parishioner, not a survivor of sexual abuse. We apologize for the error.
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Donald Trump has broken yet another norm, becoming the first US president in American history to be indicted on criminal charges.
He surrendered to authorities Tuesday afternoon in lower Manhattan, and when he appeared before Judge Juan Manuel Marchan, he pleaded “not guilty” to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, in connection with a hush-money scheme ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
Mr. Trump returned to his Florida home at Mar-a-Lago later on Tuesday. He gave a defiant speech, riddled with false claims, last night.
Politically, Trump’s indictment has been a boon for him. His poll numbers have spiked, and he says he has raised more than $7 million dollars since news of his indictment broke last month.
Today, two perspectives on these unprecedented legal and political developments.
We begin with Luke Broadwater, a congressional correspondent with the New York TimesWashington Bureau.
Luke Broadwater joins us on Zoom…
Then, Tom's guest is the highly respected legal scholar and great friend of our show, Kim Wehle. She’s on the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law. She’s teaching this year at the American University Washington College of Law. She’s a former Assistant US Attorney, and the host of the YouTube show, Simple Politics with Kim Wehle. And she's the author of three books, the latest of which isHow to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
Kim Wehle join us on Zoom.
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Now, with the excitement of March Madness behind us, with opening day for the Orioles at Camden Yards just two days away, and with Lamar Jackson’s future with the Ravens very much up in the air, it’s a good time to talk sports:
Alejandro Danois covers sports for WYPR's news partner, The Baltimore Banner…
Jerry Coleman is the co-host of the Adam Jones Podcast, produced by the Baltimore Banner…
We encourage you to check out the Baltimore Banner's new sports newsletter. It's called The Point. Every Monday and Friday morning, they’ll deliver the latest news and analysis from Ravens reporterJonas Shaffer, Orioles beat writer Andy Kostka and one of our guests today, enterprise writer Alejandro Danois. You'll also find the work of Jon Meoli, one of the most-trusted sources on baseball in Baltimore. You can find them in The Banner and in “The Point" newsletter, at thebaltimorebanner.com.
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Today, we begin with a conversation about the violence interruption program Safe Streets. It’s a central fixture of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy that Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has implemented to reduce violence in our city.
Safe Streets has operated in some areas for 15 years, providing credible counselors, known to their communities, who help diffuse tense situations and help people resolve conflicts peacefully.
Last week, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Gun Violence Solutions released a report assessing the effectiveness of Safe Streets. It concludes “that there is evidence that Safe Streets has yielded important reductions in homicides and nonfatal shootings.”
Dr. Daniel Webster, a distinguished research scholar at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions. is the lead author of the report, called Estimating the Effects of Safe Streets Baltimore on Gun Violence.
Professor Daniel Webster join us on Zoom.
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It’s another edition of theMidday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen.
We'll be talking today about how, after the US Department of Energy gave oxygen to the lab-leak theory about the origins of COVID, new evidence has emerged suggesting the pandemic began because of animal-to-human transmission in a Chinese live-animal market. And what are the guidelines, and what should be the guidelines, about second bivalent boosters for people who are immunocompromised?
Plus, Dr. Wen has been writing about several other important public health topics. These include: the FDA’s decision to make Narcan available over the counter; the high numbers of people experiencing loneliness, even in this post-COVID period; and what’s best for kids when it comes to social media and screen time.
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom on Zoom.
Leana Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and she has been a regular guest on our show since her time as the Baltimore City Health Commissioner, from 2015-2018. Today, the emergency physician is a research professor of healthy policy and management at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s a columnist for the Washington Post, a medical analyst for CNN, and a non-resident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution.* And she's the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health***
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland-DC's regional stage.
Today she spotlights playwright Adam Rapp's emotionally suspenseful 2018 drama, The Sound Inside, in a new production at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre.
Directed by Everyman's Founding Artistic Director Vincent M. Lancisi, Rapp's Tony-nominated play explores how two writers confront life-and-death issues, in their work and in their real lives. Beth Hylton stars as college writing professor Bella Lee Baird, and Zach Powell plays her student protege, Christopher Dunn.
The Sound Inside continues at Everyman Theatre until April 2. Click the show link for more information.
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Now, Tom welcomes Angela Hewitt to the program. The British-Canadian artist is an extraordinary classical pianist who has been praised particularly for her interpretations of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
Here’s Ms. Hewitt performing music from Bach’s Well Tempered Clavier.
Angela Hewitt joined us Thursday on Zoom from Ottowa. Because our conversation is recorded, we can't take any questions or comments today.
Angela Hewitt will be appearing in a concert on the Candlelight Concert Series tomorrow night in the Smith Theatre at Howard Community College. Her program begins at 7:30. It will include music of Scarlatti, Bach and Brahms. For more information and ticketing, click here.
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Today, it's Midday on the Arts. A little later in the hour, Tom will speak with the internationally acclaimed classical pianist, Angela Hewitt, who is appearing in Columbia tomorrow night. And our theater critic, J Wynn Rousuck, will review the new show at the Everyman Theater.
But we begin with the spoken word artist Wordsmith. He has released eight albums, and contributed music to several network and streaming shows, including Russian Doll and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
He has performed all over the world in partnership with the US State Department, and in 2020, he was named an artistic partner with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Last year, he premiered a new version of Igor Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Taleand a new interpretation of the finale of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
In addition to writing and performing, Wordsmith is also an educator, activist and advocate. He recently started a non-profit organization called Rise with a Purpose.
The group plans to launch a music school in Baltimore, and Wordsmith joins us now on Zoom to tell us about it…
The event to help fund the new Rise With a Purpose music school will take place tomorrow night at 6:00 at Baltimore Unity Hall. To register for the event, click here.
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Now, it’s Midday on the Law.Joining Tom is David Jaros. He’s a professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and the Faculty Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform.
Professor Jaros discusses the case of Adnan Sayed, who was convicted in 1999 of murdering his high school girlfriend, Hae Min Lee, and sentenced to life in prison. His case was controversial, and became the focus of journalist Sarah Koenig's award-winning investigative podcast series, "Serial." After serving 23 years of his sentence, Sayed was released from prison last November when his conviction was overturned in light of new evidence in the case. But just four months later, his case was back in the headlines when a Baltimore appellate judge on Tuesday (March 28) reinstated Sayed's conviction because of a procedural technicality, and ordered a new hearing on the motion to vacate Sayed's conviction.
Professor David Jaros join us with his analysis of the case.
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We begin today with the two leaders of the Baltimore Chapter of the NAACP: the President, Rev. Kobi Little, and Branch Vice President, Joshua Harris.
They join Tom to discuss what’s top of mind for the local chapter of NAACP. Two recent issues in which the civil rights organization has been vocal include the deal to turn over maintenance of the city’s conduit system to its largest user, BGE, and the need for city lawmakers to pass ordinances that would guarantee inclusionary housing in Baltimore.
The Rev. Kobi Little and Joshua Harris join us in Studio A.
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Today it’s Midday on Education, and Tom's Newsmaker guest is the president and CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools, Dr. Sonja Santelises.
As yet another horrible mass shooting of students and staff in a Nashville school on Monday reminds us, school safety is a challenge faced by schools nationwide.And, in the first post-COVID assessment of schools by the MD state department of education, Baltimore City and Baltimore County students ranked among the lowest in the region. The percentage of students proficient in math in grades 3 through 8 dropped from 33% to 22% over the years of remote learning during the pandemic, although students demonstrated some overall progress in English proficiency.
To be sure, there are problems in our school system. But there are many gifted and dedicated teachers in our city’s schools, scores of involved and conscientious parents, and young people who are trying to achieve what they are capable of achieving.
The city's Board of School Commissioners appointed Dr. Sonja Santelises as CEO of City Public Schools in the spring of 2016; she took office on July 1 of that year. Last summer, she became the longest-serving city schools chief in the last 30 years.
Dr. Santelises joins us here in Studio A. She is with us for the hour.
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Today, a conversation about equity and AI. Tom's guest is Dr. Timnit Gebru, a computer scientist and tech expert who is working to reduce the negative effects of artificial intelligence.
In 2021, Dr. Gebru founded the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR), a non-profit she currently serves as executive director.Before that, she was employed at Google, where she co-led the Ethical Artificial Intelligence research team. She was fired in 2020 — although the company insists she resigned — after a dispute with Google about its suppression of some of her research, and her criticism of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies. She had previously done ground-breaking work at Apple and Microsoft.
Dr. Gebru is also the co-founder of Black in AI, a nonprofit whose stated mission is "to increase the presence, inclusion, visibility and health of Black people in the field of AI."
Her DAIR research includes studying how artificial intelligence often reinforces and amplifies existing prejudices and marginalization. She has looked at how facial recognition programs are much less accurate in analyzing faces of people of color. She has also written about the need for regulation in the tech industry, and the environmental impact of AI.
Dr. Timnit Gebru joins us on Zoom from San Francisco.
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The 2023 MD General Assembly is in its final two weeks. Today on Midday on Politics,an update on how various bills are faring as they wind their way through the legislative session that concludes with Sine Die on April 10.
We begin with Del. Jheanelle Wilkins, who represents District 20 (Montgomery County). She’s a Democrat and since last year has served as the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. Del. Wilkins joins us on Zoom.
Then, Tom speaks with two reporters who have covered more than a few legislative sessions, including the current one.
Matt Bush is WYPR’s news director. Pamela Wood covers state politics and government for our news partner, The Baltimore Banner.
Matt joins Tom in Studio A, and Pamela joins us on Zoom to discuss the status of major pieces of legislation as the General Assembly enters its final two weeks.
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Midday on the Arts continues as Tom welcomes the internationally acclaimed classical guitarist, Xuefei Yang.
The artist has performed in more than 50 countries around the world, and she's playing a concert here in Baltimore tomorrow night as part of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society series.
We're delighted that she is here with us today in Studio A, and that she has brought her guitar to play for us…
Xuefei Yang has entitled her upcoming concert program “Classical and Beyond.” It’s at the Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall on the campus of Towson University. It begins at 8:00pm on Saturday, March 25. For more information, click here.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today she tells us about Tiny Beautiful Things, writer Cheryl Strayed's bestselling digest of her "Dear Sugar" personal advice columns, retold in a compelling stage adaptation by "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" writer and actor Nia Vardalos, andin production now at Baltimore Center Stage.
Tiny Beautiful Things — directed by BCS's new interim artistic director Ken-Matt Martin —continues at Baltimore Center Stage through April 2. Click the show link for more info.
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It's Midday on the Arts today, and we open the hour with the great jazz vocalist, Tierney Sutton, singing Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend from her ambitious 19-track CD, Screenplay,a 2019 collection of great songs written for movies.
Sutton has been nominated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album 8 times, and a 9th time for arranging — that's one for every CD she has released over the last 10 years. And for more than two decades, she's been touring and recording with the Tierney Sutton Band, currently featuring Christian Jacob on piano, Trey Henry on bass and CV Dashiell on drums.
Tierney Sutton and her band will be appearing this Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26 at Baltimore’s wonderful jazz club, Keystone Korner in Harbor East.
But she joins us now, right here in Studio A...
Tierney Sutton's performances at Keystone Korner are slated for 7 and 9:30pm Saturday night and again on Sunday at 5 and 7pm. Click the club link for more information.
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Next on Midday, we're going to take stock of the numerous criminal and civil investigations into former president Donald Trump’s actions before, during and after his White House stint.
The government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington reports that as of late last year, Mr. Trump had been accused of committing at least 56 criminal offenses in the period between the launch of his campaign in 2015 and now.
There was news this week of an extraordinary legal finding by a DC Appeals Court pertaining to the criminal investigation into Mr. Trump's unauthorized retention of classified federal documents at his Florida resort.
Joining Tom now to help us sort through all of Mr. Trump's current legal problems is Kim Wehle. She’s a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. This year, she is teaching at the American University Washington College of Law. She’s a former Assistant US Attorney, and is the author of three excellent books, one on the constitution, one on voting, and her latest offering: How to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
In addition to her scholarly work, she writes regular columns for Politico, The Atlantic, The Bulwark, and The Hill. She also provides frequent legal commentary for CNN, MSNBC, NBC, BBC, NPR, and numerous other media outlets (including this one).
Kim is also the host of a YouTube show called #Simple Politics with Kim Wehle.
Kim Wehle joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's first guest today is Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.
We check in with him every few weeks to keep tabs on what’s happening in Maryland's third largest jurisdiction.
Topics for today's discussion with Mr. Olszewski include the county's response to reports of poor conditions at a county youth detention facility; how violent crimes in the county are being reported; school safety and student overcrowding concerns, and priorities for next year's County budget.
Johnny Olszewski joins us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, a conversation about the arts: Not just about how they provide beauty, or an escape, or a thought-provoking experience that makes you think differently about the world, but how the arts, in a very real way, can make you healthier.
The arts are now used as treatment for any number of conditions. When you strum your guitar, or read a poem, or color inside or outside the lines, you are reducing your stress level, lowering your anxiety, and strengthening your cognition.
The research in this area comes from a relatively new scientific discipline called neuroaesthetics, which is the subject of a new book by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross called Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us.
Susan Magsamen is the founder and director of the International Arts and Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics in the Pederson Brain Science Institute at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She’s also the co-director of the NeuroArts Blueprint….
Ivy Ross is vice-president of Design for the Hardware Product area at Google. She is also a jewelry designer whose work is exhibited in the permanent collections of 12 international museums…
Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen are Tom's guests for the hour in Studio A.
Tom Hall will join Ivy Ross and Susan Magsamen at the Baltimore Museum of Art tonight (Wednesday, March 22) from 6-8pm to continue their discussion with a panel that will include some of the folks featured in the book. The event is free but registration is encouraged. For more information, click here.
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Today, it's Midday on Babies, and Tom talks with two of the city's top pediatricians about ways to help your babies and young children thrive.
Recently, there has been a spike in the number of infant deaths in both Baltimore City and Baltimore County, related, it's now believed, to how babies are sleeping. Last Thursday, Tom spoke with Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, the Baltimore City Health Commissioner (and board-certified pediatrician) about this alarming trend. She joined us on Zoom. (Because the conversation is recorded, we can't take any live questions or comments during this segment.)
Then, Midday on Babiescontinues with Dr. Ashanti Woods, who joins Tom for a live conversation about baby and child care. Dr. Woods is a pediatrician with Mercy Family Care Physicians, at the Mercy Medical Center here in Baltimore. Dr. Ashanti Woods joins us on Zoom…
Put this event on your calendar:
The Baltimore City Health Department will be sponsoring its 14th Annual B'More Healthy Expo this Saturday, March 25th, from 10am to 4pm at the Baltimore Convention Center.The B’More Healthy Expo will connect you with community resources to help you reach your health and wellness goals! Click the link for more info.
And one other note related to babies and parenting...
The Baltimore-born actor Lance Reddick, known for his roles in the John Wickfilms and on The Wire, died last week in Los Angeles at the age of 60. His family has asked fans to honor his memory with donations to MOMCares, a local non-profit that assists Black mothers with prenatal and postpartum care. Last Saturday, after just one day, the organization had raised $12,000, the most it had ever raised in one day since its founding in 2017. Click the link for more info, and if you’d like to help.
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Today, a conversation about the idea of establishing a Land Bank as a way to solve the persistent problem of vacant and blighted properties that degrade many neighborhoods in Baltimore.
It’s not a new idea; land banks have been set up in many cities around the country. They are typically quasi-government agencies whose mission is to acquire dilapidated properties, clear the titles, and speed up redevelopment. But it’s an idea that has never quite gotten off the ground here in Baltimore. Back in 2009, Mayor Sheila Dixon proposed a version of a Land Bank, but the city council nixed the idea.
Baltimore's vacant housing crisis has not gone away, however, and the city's estimated 15,000 vacant properties still pose enormous challenges to adjacent communities, businesses and city leaders eager to erase the blight.
So what would a Land Bank look like in Baltimore City? Who would run it, and what would it cost?
Baltimore City Councilwoman Odette Ramos, who represents District 14 on the Council, has co-sponsored legislation that would establish a Land Bank. She joins Tom in Studio A to explain how it would work, and what it would mean for our city.
Then, we're joined by a housing advocate and non-profit developer with a unique perspective on land banks. Bree Jones left her job as a Wall Street analyst to work instead to halt the gentrification she saw destroying neighborhoods in her hometown of New Rochelle, New York. After some success there doing non-profit housing redevelopment, she moved to Baltimore, where she felt the need for equitable housing restoration was especially acute. In 2018 she founded Parity Homes, which is currently working to renovate and reclaim houses - without displacing residents - in Harlem Park, on Baltimore’s West side.
Bree Jones joins us on Zoom.
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Now, we turn our attention to Maryland's second largest city, Columbia, and a new report about the changing racial climate in the Howard County community that was planned as an inclusive and diverse place 55 years ago.
Tom is joined by the co-authors of a report from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) about Columbia, entitled “Creeping Segregation and Lack of Affordable Housing Threatens a Legacy of Black/White Integration.”
Dr. Bruce Mitchell, NCRC's Senior Research Analyst, and Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, NCRC's Chief of Organizing, Policy and Equity, co-wrote the study, and they join us now on Zoom.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Faith Leach. She has served in Baltimore City government as the Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services since April, 2021. In that role, she worked on programs for squeegee workers and she oversaw the implementation of a pilot program to provide some young mothers with a guaranteed monthly income, among other initiatives.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has now tapped Ms. Leach to be the next City Administrator. Scott championed the creation of the administrator position while running for Mayor in 2020, saying there was a need to “professionalize” city government with a non-political manager who runs the day to day operations of the city. Voters approved the creation of the position by referendum.
The position may have been envisioned as non-political, but politics were very much on display during Ms. Leach’s confirmation hearings. Last Thursday, after praising her job performance as Deputy Mayor and commending her for her responsiveness and competence, the Rules and Legislative Oversight Committee of the City Council, chaired by Councilman Yitzy Schlieffer, promptly voted against her confirmation.
One of the members of the committee, Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton told Ms. Leach, quote, “This isn’t about you.” You may ask, if a confirmation hearing isn’t about the nominee, then who, or what, is it about?
Perhaps the Council, in their wisdom, will answer that question at some point. But after a weekend of reported arm twisting, the committee re-convened on Monday and reversed itself, approving the nomination of Ms. Leach. A vote of approval by the full Council followed that evening.
As Baltimore’s City Administrator, Ms. Leach will reportedly be paid just under $200,000 a year, making her one of the city’s highest paid officials. She will replace Christopher Shorter, who left the city for a job in Virginia after less than two years as Baltimore's first City Administrator.
Faith Leach joins us on Zoom from City Hall.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today she tells us about Tuesday's opening night performance of To Kill A Mockingbird, at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theater.
The touring company production is Aaron Sorkin's acclaimed stage adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitizer Prize-winning novel about racial justice in the Jim Crow South. It's directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, and stars Richard Thomas in the role of attorney Atticus Finch, who works to defend a Black man who has been wrongfully accused of raping a White woman.
To Kill A Mockingbird continues at The Hippodrome through March 19. Click the play's link for ticketing and showtime information.
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Midday on the Arts continues now with Tom's next guest, Tyde-Courtney Edwards. She is the founder and director of Ballet After Dark, an innovative dance company that uses movement to help people heal from sexual assault and other traumatic violence..
Tyde-Courtney Edwards joins Tom here in Studio A…
Ballet After Dark will hold a Take Back the Night Cocktail Fundraisernext month to raise funds to support victims of sexual abuse and violence. It’s happening at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center on April 27th. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
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Today, it’s Midday on the Arts.A little later, we’ll meet a dancer/choreographer who uses movement to help people heal from trauma caused by violence, and our theater critic, J Wynn Rousuck, will share her review of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Hippodrome Theater. (These segments are posted separately)
But we begin with Nicholas Feemster (on the left, in the photo). He's a rapper. And he’s also a Staff Sargent in the US Army. And he’s now one of two full time rappers with the US Army Field Band. Last year, he and fellow rapper and Staff Sargent Lamar Riddick (pictured, right) completed basic training and they wrote a track they called "Basic."
Staff Sargent Nicolas Feemster joins Tom on Zoom from Ft. Meade in Anne Arundel County.
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Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the award-winning novelist, Julie Otsuka.
She has published three critically acclaimed novels. Her first, When the Emperor Was Divinewas published in 2002, and over the past 20 years, it has been chosen by more than 60 colleges and universities as a “campus reads” book, in which everyone at those institutions reads and discusses it.
In 2022, that same book was banned by the Muskego-Norway school district in Wisconsin.
Julie Otsuka’s second novel is about Japanese “picture brides,” who came to America in the early 20th century to wed men they had never met in person. It’s called The Buddha in the Attic, and it won the 2012 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Her latest novel, published last year, is calledThe Swimmers. The story concerns a group of people who swim at a community pool regularly, and what happens when that pool develops a crack that no one can seem to explain. It’s also about dementia, and the complicated relationship between a mother and her daughter. And it’s about multitudes more.
The American Library Association awarded it the 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Julie Otsuka is an artist who writes with power, elegance, and compassion, and The Swimmers is further testament to her extraordinary talents.
Ms. Otsukajoins Tom on Zoom from her home in New York City.
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Julie Otsuka will deliver the keynote address,"An American Story: War, Memory and Erasure,” at Loyola University Maryland’s 2023 Humanities Symposium.
The address takes place this Thursday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m., in McGuire Hall (at the Andrew White Student Center) 4501 North Charles St., Baltimore, Md. 21210.
The event is is free and open to the general public as well as to the region’s academic communities. To register for the event, click here.
The address will be followed by a book signing with Ms. Otsuka, with books available for purchase.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman, Jr.
Last November, he was elected to a second term.
Pittman has a history of working for progressive causes, but on some issues, he is more aligned with pragmatic centrists.
A first-time office holder when he won election to his first term in 2018, he was tapped by another elective first-timer, Gov. Wes Moore, to serve as the Master of Ceremonies at Moore’s historic inauguration in Annapolis.
Steuart Pittman joins us on Zoom from Annapolis to discuss his second-term agenda for Anne Arundel County, and his legislative priorities for the final weeks of the Maryland General Assembly.
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We begin Midday today with an update on Baltimore City politics....
Last week, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s nomination of Faith Leach to be the next Baltimore City Administrator was rejected by a City Council Committee in a contentious meeting at City Hall. Yesterday, the committee reversed itself and moved Ms. Leach’s nomination forward.
Emily Sullivan, who covers Baltimore city government for WYPR's news partner organization, The Baltimore Banner, joins Tom in Studio A with details.
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Today on Midday, we’re talking about criminal justice and the best ways to reduce the violence that remains a huge challenge in our city, and in cities across the country.
Joining Tom now are two guests with keen insights on the city's crime problem:
Heather Warnken is the Executive Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimore School of Law…
Ray Kelly is with us as well. He’s a longtime activist in Baltimore, and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Citizen’s Policing Project…
They join Tom in Studio A.
What do you think about the effort to extend the sentences for illegal gun possession from three to five years? Will that achieve the goal of reducing the number of guns on our streets?
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Midday begins today with Tom's Newsmaker guest, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates. He’s a Democrat, and he’s been in office for a couple of months after winning a three-way primary and facing no Republican opponent in the general election last November.
He has been a vocal advocate for a bill under consideration in the General Assembly that would lengthen sentences for those over the age of 21 who are convicted of carrying a gun without a permit. That position has put him at odds with guns rights advocates on the right, and criminal justice reform advocates on the left.He’s also been working on attracting qualified attorneys to the State’s Attorney’s office, and he has appointed several new division heads.
State's Attorney Ivan Bates joins Tom in Studio A…
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Today it's Midday on Pets!
We begin with a Public Service Announcement. Do not send your pets through the X-ray machine at the airport! Last weekend, a cat was mistakenly sent through the X-ray unit along with carry-on luggage in Norfolk, Virginia. And last month, a four-foot-long alligator was found in a lake at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY. When it comes to exotic pets: Buyer beware. These animals and reptiles require a very different level of care if you want them hangin’ in your house.
Pets are a big deal in these United States. Two out of three US households own at least one pet, according to some recent surveys. Americans last year spent 124 billion dollars on their furry friends. It's estimated that per capita, the average U.S. pet owner is spending $1,480 a year on their dog and $902 on their cat.
Those are significant investments, and it goes without saying that most pet owners are deeply invested in the care of their animals.
And today on Midday, we're going to talk about pet care with Tom's guest for the hour, veterinarian Dr. Lisa Gerity. She's the medical director and a managing vet at the Greater Annapolis Veterinary Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. When she’s not caring for the animals in the hospital, her hands are full at home with a big family that, besides her husband, includes four cats and three dogs in addition to three human girls...
Today, she offers tips on what to do about the canine influenza that's going around, plus special advice on traveling with your pets, and lots more...plus we'll take your questions about pet care.
While Dr. Gerity can't make specific diagnoses on the air, she does provide general guidance on treatment for a variety of your pets' health conditions.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the direct-from-Broadway production of Into the Woods, Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Tony-Award-winning fairy-tale musical, now on stage at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, DC.
The 1987 musical, featuring music and lyrics by the late Mr. Sondheim and book by Mr. Lapine, weaves several Brothers Grimm fairy tales and other cherished fables into a moving tale of love and courage.
It's directed at the Kennedy Center by Lear deBessonet, with a cast that includes Katy Geraghty as Little Red Ridinghood, Gavin Creel as the Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince, Cole Thompson as Jack, Diane Phelan as Cinderella, Stephanie J. Block as the Baker’s Wife and Montego Glover as the Witch.
Into the Woods continues its limited run at the Kennedy Center through March 19. Click the theater links for more details and ticketing information.
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It's another edition of Midday's Smart Nutrition,our occasional series of conversations about diet and healthwith our good friend, the Nutrition Diva, Monica Reinagel.
Today, Tom asks Monica about new medical studies concerning two things that are a big part of many people's diets: alcohol and a popular lo-cal sweetener called erythritol.
Monica Reinagel is a licensed nutritionist and the author of six books, including Nutrition Diva’s Secrets for a Healthy Diet.She’s the creator of the weekly Nutrition Diva podcast, which has been one of iTunes' most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts since it debuted in 2008. She also co-hosts a podcast with fitness coach Brock Armstrong called Change Academy.
Monica Reinagel joins us on Zoom…
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And now, a conversation about the crisis of opioid addiction.
Last fall, Josh Siems suffered a fatal, fentanyl-linked overdose on his 31st birthday. Josh’s loved ones have thrown their support behind a bill in Annapolis that would require hospitals to play a new role in addressing our state’s opioid epidemic, by testing all opioid OD admissions for the presence of fentanyl, an often-lethal additive found in street-sold opiates.
Josh’s mother, Caryl Siems and Melanie Yates, Josh’s partner, join us in Studio A…
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Today on Midday, a closer look at efforts in the Maryland legislature to rewrite state regulations governing the concealed carry of firearms in public.
The move in Annapolis comes in response to last year's controversial 6-3 ruling by the US Supreme Court striking down New York’s restrictions on concealed-carry gun permits.
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the majority opinion that the state requirement for individuals to show “proper cause” to get concealed-carry gun permits violates the Second and Fourteenth Amendments.“
"New York's proper-cause requirement violates the Fourteenth amendment by preventing law-abiding citizens with ordinary self-defense needs from exercising their right to keep and bear arms,” Thomas wrote.
Maryland's then-Attorney General Brian Frosh condemned the ruling, warning that it will cause the public sphere to become more dangerous.
Tom's guest today is Maryland Delegate Luke Clippinger. He's the chairman of the House Judiiciary Committee and a longtime advocate of stronger gun regulation. He is sponsoring a bill — HB0824 — that would tighten Maryland's concealed carry law, modify the fees and conditions for issuing permits, and stiffen penalties for violators.
Del. Luke Clippinger joins Tom on Zoom from Annapolis, with details on this and one other important piece of legislation in the works at this year'sGeneral Assembly session -- new regulations for recreational cannabis.
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Tom's next guest today is Daniel Hatcher. He’s a law professor in the University of Baltimore’s Saul Ewing Civil Advocacy Clinic. He's a former Maryland Legal Aid and Children's Defense Fund attorney, and has long been a scholar, advocate, and teacher on poverty and justice.Hatcher is the author of new book called Injustice Inc: How America’s Justice System Commodifies Children and the Poor. Daniel Hatcher_UBaltLaw.wb.jpg (1335x2000, AR: 0.6675)The book is a disturbing look at the hidden mechanics of America’s justice system that generate profits from the processing and incarceration of children and the poor.
He joins Tom here in Studio A…
Professor Daniel Hatcher will be speaking about his book at Red Emma’s Bookstore Tuesday (tonight) at 7:00.
For more info on the event, click here.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Maryland Governor Wes Moore.
A Democrat who bested a crowded primary field in his first run at public office, Moore won the general election handily in November 2022 to become the 63rd governor of the state of Maryland. He campaigned on a pledge to fight poverty across the state and build a more secure and equitable economy for all Marylanders.
Moore is Maryland’s first Black governor in the state’s 246-year history, and is just the third African American elected governor in the history of the United States.
A combat-tested Army veteran, he is also a former educational entrepreneur, the former CEO of an end-poverty philanthropy called the Robin Hood Foundation, and a broadcaster who was the original host of the Future City series on this station. He is the author of several books, including "The Other Wes Moore," an exploration of the power of opportunity, and "Five Days" (co-authored with journalist Erica L. Green), which examines events in Baltimore following the police-involved death of Freddie Gray.
Moore was inaugurated in mid-January, and he has been in constant motion ever since.
Governor Wes Moore joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.
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It’s another edition of theMidday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen.
Today, we'll discuss the continuing controversy surrounding theories about the origins of the COVID 19 virus. Plus, some new research about the problem of child obesity. And has Sen. John Fetterman’s hospitalization for clinical depression helped to remove the stigma from mental health treatment? We’ll talk to Dr. Wen about these and other public health issues.
Dr. Leana Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts, and we are proud and grateful that she has been a regular guest on our show for many years. The former Baltimore City Health Commissioner is an emergency physician and a research professor of healthy policy and management at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s a columnist for the Washington Post and a medical analyst for CNN, and a non-resident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. And she's the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health
Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom on Zoom...
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today Judy spotlights Dead Man's Cell Phone, a play by Sarah Ruhl that's getting a new production at Baltimore's Fells Point Corner Theatre.
Ruhl's imaginative digital-age comedy, which explores the way today's digital technologies can both bring us together and isolate us, won a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play when it premiered at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. in 2007.
The new production at Fells Point Corner Theatre is directed by Kimberley Lynne, working with a cast that includes Laura Malkus, Morgan Stanton, Marianne Gazolla Angelella, Penelope Chan, J Purnell Hargrove, and Kay-Megan Washington.
Dead Man's Cell Phone continues at Fells Point Corner Theatre through March 12. Click the theater link for more information.
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Welcome to Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking.
Today, it's our annual Oscars edition, when we invite our guests — and you, our listeners — to tell us which films and film artists will (or should) bring home Oscar statuettes when they're awarded in Hollwood on Sunday, March 12.
For a convenient one-page Oscars Ballot, click here.
Joining Tom in Studio A today are Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and a regular here on Midday at the Movies.
Also back with us in studio is Max Weiss, pop culture and film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine.
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Baltimore City's three top elected officials are clashing publicly over a deal that the Mayor Scott Administration negotiated with Baltimore Gas and Electric last month to manage the city’s elaborate underground conduit system, which houses electric and fiber optic cables for BGE and other companies. The City's Comptroller and City Council president are vehemently opposed to the deal.
The draft agreement was first reported in January by the Baltimore Brew.
On Wednesday, March 1, the Board of Estimates was scheduled to vote for the second time on the deal, but that vote has been delayed until April 5th.
The Board of Estimates voted to approve the deal on February 15. Baltimore City Comptroller Bill Henry and City Council President Nick Mosby skipped that meeting, believing their absence would leave the board without a quorum. But the remaining three members of the board, the Mayor and his two appointees, voted without the two opposing members. Henry and Mosby assert that, that vote is not valid because they did not participate. City Solicitor Ebony Thompson, one of the people voting for the measure, declared in a legal opinion that the vote was, in fact, valid.
The Mayor, the Council President and the Comptroller disagree about several aspects of this deal. Tom Hall spoke earlier this hour with the Mayor. Now, in separate conversations, he speaks first with City Comptroller Bill Henry, and then Council President Nick Mosby, both of whom oppose the Mayor's conduit agreement.
Both men join us on Zoom.
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It’s Midday with the Mayor. As he does each month, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott* joins Tom Hall for an unrehearsed conversation about key issues on the city's agenda.
Top officials in the city are at loggerheads about a deal that the Scott Administration negotiated with BGE to manage the city’s elaborate, 741-mile underground conduit system, which houses electric and fiber optic cables for BGE and other companies. The draft agreement was first reported in January by the Baltimore Brew.
After we hear from the Mayor today, we’ll hear from the other two city-wide elected officials in Baltimore: Comptroller Bill Henry and Council President Nick Mosby, both of whom oppose the deal.
On Wednesday, March 1, the Board of Estimates was scheduled to vote for the second time on the deal, but that vote has been delayed until April 5th.
The Board of Estimates voted to approve the deal on February 15. The Comptroller and Council President skipped that meeting, thinking their absence would leave the board without a quorum. But the remaining three members of the board, the Mayor and his two appointees, voted without the two opposing members. Henry and Mosby assert that that vote is not valid because they did not participate. City Solicitor Ebony Thompson, one of the people voting for the measure, declared in a legal opinion that the vote was, in fact, valid.
The Mayor, the Council President and the Comptroller disagree about several aspects of this deal. We talk with each of them today. (Tom's interviews with the City Comptroller and City Council president are combined in a separate Web post/podcast).
And we start with Mayor Brandon Scott, who joins us on Zoom during a break in his visit to Northwood Elementary School, the Baltimore City public school on Loch Raven Boulevard.
Scheduling conflicts prevented the Mayor from joining Midday* in February.
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Midday on Foreign Affairs continues now as Tom welcomes Eric Hontz to the program. He is the director of the Center for Accountable Investment at the Center for International Private Enterprise, a Washington based affiliate of the US Chamber of Commerce and the National Endowment for Democracy.
Mr. Hontz has worked in Ukraine for years, beginning as a Peace Corps volunteer, and continuing as a business advisor and consultant. He was a guest here on Midday about a year ago, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, and we’ve invited him back to offer his reflections on the continuing conflict.
Eric Hontz joins us on Zoom from his office in Washington, DC.
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Today on Midday, we turn our focus to foreign affairs, with conversations about Israel and Ukraine. Later in the hour, Tom speaks with an American lawyer and consultant who works with businesses in Ukraine about how Ukrainians are coping with the ravages of Russian aggression.
But we begin with Israel, which is experiencing tremendous internal political tension and terrible new incidents of violence between Israelis and Palestinians Last month, Tom and his wife Linell visited Israel for ten days, traveling with their friends, Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg and Rabbi Miriam Cotzin Burg, Baltimore religious leaders who have lots of experience working and studying in Israel. The Burgs fashioned an itinerary that took them to sites important to Jewish and Christian history throughout the country.
They spent several days in Jerusalem, and on Saturday, February 18, when Shabbat had ended and the sun had set, they walked just a few blocks from where they were staying to a large protest in front of the home of Isaac "Bougie" Herzog, the President of Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom everyone calls "Bibi," lives not far from Herzog’s house. But the political power that each wields couldn’t be more disparate.
The President of Israel plays a largely ceremonial role. It is the Prime Minister and the Knesset that shape the laws and public policy in Israel. Bibi Netanyahu is the longest serving Prime Minister in Israeli history, and after a series of elections over the last couple of years, in December, 2022, he formed a coalition that returned him to power.
It is the most right-wing coalition to govern Israel in the country’s history. And it has wasted no time in enacting legislative and policy positions that have created tremendous political polarity among Israelis and have heightened tensions with Palestinians.
The group of protesters Tom encountered in Jerusalem 10 days ago numbered in the thousands. Subsequent protests in the last few days have drawn hundreds of thousands to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and other cities.
The anger at the government stems from its attempts to weaken the authority of the courts. Netanyahu and his allies are proposing changing the way Supreme Court Justices are chosen, and allowing Parliament to overturn any decision the Supreme Court makes in regard to what are known as “basic” laws, which are equivalent to constitutional amendments, even though there is no written constitution in Israel.
Critics fear that this would allow this right-wing government to push through radical legislation and trample on the rights of minorities in this democratic society.Much of the coverage in the American press about this controversy focuses on the fact that the Prime Minister himself is a current litigant in a 3 year-old court case, in which he has been charged with corruption. If he prevails in changing the laws regarding judicial review, it is possible that if convicted, that decision could be overturned by his allies in Parliament.
Tom spoke with several people who attended the protest. Netanyahu’s legal troubles were not a major concern. They were much more concerned with the impact his proposed reforms will have on democratic norms and protections.
Joining Tom now is Samuel Sokol. He is a Tel Aviv-based reporter for Haaretz, Israel's daily newspaper of record. He’s been covering the judicial review controversy and the upsurge in violence in the West Bank and elsewhere. He joins us on Zoom.
Samuel Sokol is also the author of a book about Russian aggression in Ukraine, called Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews: Antisemitism, Propaganda, and the Displacement of Ukrainian Jewry.
Samuel will be speaking about the book and other issues in the news at Beth Am Synagogue in Baltimorein May.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Shantay Jackson, the Director of the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE).
Director Jackson is in charge of implementing the Mayor’s plan to reduce violence in Baltimore City. At the heart of that plan is the GVRS, or Group Violence Reduction Strategy, a pilot of which was begun last year in the Western District. MONSE has announced that it will be expanded to include other areas of the city soon.
Director Shantay Jackson joins us on Zoom from her office in City Hall.
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Jimmy Carter, at the age of 98, is America’s oldest former president. Last week, the Carter family announced that Mr. Carter was entering hospice at his home in Plains, Georgia.
As the world prepares to bid farewell to the 39th U.S. president, re-assessments of his extraordinary life and legacy have begun in earnest, drawing new attention to the unique sweep and impact of Jimmy Carter's accomplishments, from his emergence as a standout liberal Georgia governor who championed civil rights to his election in 1976 as the post-Watergate US president who forged the historic Camp David Middle East Peace Accord.
Mr. Carter has been widely praised as one of the nation's most successful ex-presidents for his four decades of work with the Carter Center's international peace, pro-democracy and global health campaigns — work that earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
Joining Tom now with an appreciation of Mr. Carter is Dr. James Zogby, an influential Middle East policy expert and the founder and president of the Arab American Institute.
Dr. James Zogby joins Tom on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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We open this edition of Midday with music by Gustav Holst ("Mars," from his "Planets" Suite), in a performance by the Seattle Symphony under the direction ofJonathon Heyward.
Mr. Heyward, to borrow a phrase, is young, gifted and Black. And next season, he will become the new Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. A 30 year-old from Charleston, South Carolina, he is the first person of African descent to lead the BSO, and only the second Black conductor to lead an American top-tier orchestra.
Jonathan Heyward has guest-conducted orchestras in America and abroad, and he has served as the chief conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Germany. Here’s asample of some of his work with that ensemble, performing the music of Franz Joseph Haydn...
Jonathon Heyward's historic tenure at the BSO begins with the orchestra's 2023-24 season this fall. He joins Tom today in Studio A…
Jonathan Heyward and Tom Hall will continue their conversation Monday evening at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall here in Baltimore. They'll talk more about his plans for his inaugural season as the BSO’s Music Director, in an event that will include some performances by members of the orchestra.
Doors open at 7:00, and the program begins at 7:30pm.
Click the event link above for more information.
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.
Concerns about public safety are on the front burner for County residents after a fatal shooting in the heart of Towson this week and other instances of violence in the County Seat.
Also, what does the future hold for Baltimore County Public Schools? Superintendent Darryl Williams will leave in June after a controversial tenure. Teacher pay will likely be a big focus in the upcoming budget.
Ethics and accountability are also top of mind. A Blue Ribbon Commission has recommended no oversight board for the Baltimore County Office of Inspector General, and a longtime County employee and political operative is accused of embezzlement and perjury.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. joins Tom on Zoom to discuss these and other county developments.
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It's time for another visit with Midday' theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today she spotlights the new ArtsCentric production of Crowns, playwright Regina Taylor's spirited musical tribute to the traditional Black church, adapted from the book by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry.
The musical — which blends gospel, poetry, dance and dialogue — is directed at Baltimore Center Stage by ArtsCentric's artistic director, Kevin S. McAllister.
Crowns continues at Baltimore Center Stage through March 5. Click the theater link for more information.
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BUILD — the acronym for the influential community action organization known as Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development — has published a report that proposes new ways to change the trajectory of our city, which is losing population quickly, and whose huge stock of vacant houses remains a fundamental problem.
The actual number of vacant houses in Baltimore City is difficult to quantify, but many estimates put it at around 15,000 properties. Over the past 20-plus years, Baltimore has lost nearly that many homeowners, including 5,000 Black homeowners.
What will stem the tide of people leaving our city, and what can be done to refurbish or remove the blighted properties that enshrine poverty in some of our most economically disadvantaged communities?
Tom Hall's guests today will discuss BUILD's comprehensive strategy to address these challenges. Their strategy is not inexpensive. But it’s a moral and economic imperative that these problems be solved, and the report that BUILD has issued reflects a deep understanding of what the problems are, and how they can best be addressed. It’s called Whole Blocks, Whole City: Reclaiming Vacant Property Throughout Baltimore.
The Rev. George Hopkins is a clergy co-chair of BUILD.
Rev. Andrew Connors is the pastor of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church and a member of the BUILD strategy team.
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Today on Midday, guest host Jayne Miller explores the prospects for adopting a regional approach to governing Baltimore City and Baltmore County, and possibly reunifying them under a single regional government...
Since the mid 1800s, when the Maryland legislature split Baltimore City and Baltimore County into two jurisdictions, the two have operated more or less independently, each with its own local government, agencies, and tax system. Today, Baltimore City is one of just two "free-standing" cities in the country, unable to access resources of its wealthier surrounding county.
Why did the split happen? What shared governance is already in place? Is it time to end this separation and unite the region into a single jurisdiction, a "Greater Baltimore?"
Joining Jayne in Studio A to explore these questions are two keen observers of the Baltimore metropolitan region:
Ron Cassie is a veteran Baltimore writer, journalist and senior editor at Baltimore Magazine. He's also the author of If You Love Baltimore, It Will Love You Back: 171 Short But True Stories," his 2020 collection of a decade's worth of articles he'd written covering the city and its environs.
Jennifer Vey is an urban policy expert and a Senior Fellow with Brookings Metro and director of the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking. She focuses on way to make communities more vibrant, connected and inclusive.
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Welcome to Midday, with guest host Jayne Millersitting in for Tom Hall.
Today, our focus is Baltimore's transit system, and the associated development it can generate.
In 2015, then-Governor Larry Hogan abruptly eliminated the Red Line project–an east west transit line planned to run from Baltimore County on the west side to Canton in Baltimore City on the east side. Now, Governor Wes Moore has raised the the possibility of resurrecting the Red Line. But how much will it cost? And will legislators outside of the region support this transit option, again?
Joining Jayne to discuss the Red Line's prospects is Baltimore City Delegate Robbyn Lewis, who represents District 46 (Baltimore County) in Annapolis, and who is an avid supporter of transit expansion.
The Red Line isn't the only major Baltimore transit plan under consideration. A major redevelopment plan in Baltimore County that would include a new north-south transit component, is stirring contentious debate.
Few issues spark as much controversy in communities as development plans that increase housing density. Such a controversy is playing out now in Lutherville, in Baltimore County, where a developer is proposing to redevelop the Ridgely Plaza Shopping Center into a transit-oriented development. The idea has been applauded by some and strongly opposed by others.
Jayne is joined by Eric Rockel and Kathleen Beadell of the Greater Timonium Community Council, which opposes the Lutherville development plan. Eric is the past president and current vice president; Kathleen is the Council's newly-elected president.
Next, Jayne speaks with Michael Scepaniak, the co-chair of Strong Towns Baltimore, an organization that seeks to reduce car-centric land use and development, and which has been supportive of the Lutherville plan.
Michael joins us in Studio A.
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Today on this Presidents' Day edition of Midday, guest hostJayne Miller, the award-winning former WBAL-TV investigative reporter who retired last summer, begins a three-day stint in the Midday host chair while Tom Hall is away.
Our focus today: the future of work.
The pandemic has had a lasting impact on how people work, when they work and where they want to work. Remote and hybrid options are becoming permanent changes to more traditional work schedules.
But picture this option:only four days of work per week. The Maryland Legislature is now considering a bill to start a 4-day work week pilot.
Joining Jayne to discuss that prospect is the bill’s sponsor–Senator Shelly Hettleman, a Democrat from Baltimore County who represents District 11 in Annapolis.
Jayne speaks next withDr. Roger Ward, Provost at the University of Maryland at Baltimore, about his leadership of UMB's Future of Work Task Force,which has been studying a wide range of work scenarios, and plans to release their final report by this summer.
Governor Wes Moore often speaks of the large number of vacancies in public sector jobs but what can be done to attract more applicants and fill these openings.
Jayne's final guest today is Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Council 3, the union that represents state and higher education employees. Mr. Moran discusses the new challenges of finding people to fill important jobs in the public sector.
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It's time for another visit with Midday's theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who stops by each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she joins guest host Ashley Sterner to tell us about the world-premiere production of Ghost/Writer, the new drama by trans Black playwright Dane Figueroa Edidi at Rep Stage in Columbia.
The theater's program describes Edidi's new work as "part history play, part ghost story." "Ghost/Writer spans time and place," it continues, "to examine the intersections of race and gender, inviting us to explore the role of love, justice and joy in a world where the spirits of the past have yet to be laid to rest."
Directed by Danielle A. Drakes, the play stars Edidi herself, along with co-star Chris Stinson.
Ghost/Writer continues at Rep Stage through February 26. Click the theater link for more information.
Ghost/Writer is the second-to-last offering from Rep Stage. After a creative, 30-year partnership, Howard County Community College will cease hosting the professional theater company following its April 27-May 14 run of Falsettos, William Finn and James Lapine’s groundbreaking, Tony Award-winning musical.
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Welcome to a science and tech edition of Midday, with guest host Ashley Sterner sitting in once again for Tom Hall.
Earlier this month, four unidentified flying objects were spotted moving across U.S. airspace. The first object was eventually identified as a surveillance balloon deployed by the Chinese government, and was shot down once it had floated over the Atlantic coast. The other three objects are believed to have been launched by private companies conducting research or recreational activities.
In a press conference yesterday, President Biden clarified why we are seeing more aerial phenomena and how he plans to address the matter.
If you thought spy balloons were new and unusual, think again. These high-altitude tools have been in use since the 1950’s and are now in use by governments and private companies for surveillance and a multitude of other reasons. Will the new radar tracking of U.S. airspace lead to findings of more aerial objects and phenomena?
Joining Ashley is John Herrman, a staff writer for New York Magazine, and the author of a recent piece for the mag called“Spy Balloons Are a Growth Industry.” John Herrman joins us today on Zoom from Brooklyn, New York.
Artificial Intelligence, or "AI" is all around us, affecting our daily lives through iterations like Siri, Alexa and Roomba. But an emerging field called generative AI made a major splash recently with the release of Chat GPT, a computer program or chatbot that uses AI to respond to questions and compile information as a human would.
Here to discuss the promise — and potential perils —of generative AI is Tinglong Dai, Professor of Operations Management at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School.
Professor Tinglong Dai joins Ashley on Zoom.
In our final segment today, Ashley turns to the subject of human-robot interaction. Different types of robots have become familar features in our lives, such as Roombas, self-driving cars or robotic children's dolls. But will robots ever evolve to become friends that will laugh, hug and cry with us?
Joining Ashley to discuss this is Kathryn Hulick, a science writer who wrote an article for Science News Explores called “Can A Robot Ever Become Your Friend?” She’s also the author of numerous educational books for children. Her most recent book about science and technology is called “Welcome to the Future: Robot Friends, Fusion Energy, Pet Dinosaurs and More.”
Kathryn Hulick joins us on Zoom from Hopkinton, Massachusetts.
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On Midday today, guest host Ashley Sterner spotlights some of the legislative, health policy and spiritual developments in transgender rights here in Maryland.
Democratic leaders in the General Assembly have made strengthening abortion rights in Maryland a top priority.This session, they’re expected to approve a bill that would create a state constitutional right to abortion access. If the amendment passes, voters will decide its fate next fall.
This comes as abortion rights are being restricted in many states, following last year’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe V. Wade.Governor Wes Moore wants Maryland to stand against this tide and be what he calls a “safe haven for abortion rights.”
Abortion rights aren’t the only rights under assault in many parts of the country. Many Republican-led state legislatures are also working to strip rights from transgender people.
More than 150 anti-trans bills have been proposed around the country, many focused on younger trans people… but not exclusively. There are bills restricting and criminalizing crucial medical care for youths and adults, bills preventing trans people from performing in public, and more.
Some Maryland leaders are working to shore up the rights – and protect the dignity – of trans people here in our state. And this hour, we’ll be taking a look at two pieces of legislation that would do just that.A
We’ll start with the Trans Health Equity Act, which got its first hearing before a House of Delegates committee on Tuesday.
Ashley's first guests are Democratic Del. Anne Kaiser (District 14 -Montgomery Co.), who is sponsoring the bill in the Maryland House, and Dr. Helene Hedian, director of Clinical Education at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine’s Center for Transgender Health, and Assistant Vice Chair for LGBTQ+ Equity and Education.
Studies show that transgender people suffer significantly higher rates of violence while incarcerated than the rest of the prison population.And members of the General Assembly are looking to address that, with a bill called the Transgender Respect, Agency, and Dignity Act. It’ll get its first hearing in the House Judiciary Committee next week.
Earlier, Ashley spoke with the co-conveners of the Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition: Jamie Grace Alexander, a Black trans woman activist and multidisciplinary artist who also serves as policy coordinator for Free State Justice, and the community director of the Baltimore Trans Alliance; and Margo Quinlan, a trans woman activist and the director of Youth & Older Adult Policy at the Mental Health Association of Maryland.
In today's final segment, Ashley speaks with Pastor Emily Scott. Pastor Emily currently serves two congregations who have formed a unique partnership: St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and Dreams and Visions, in Baltimore. These two congregations, one old, one new, are sharing a building, pastoral staff, and a commitment to their neighborhood and the LGBTQ+ community.
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Today on Midday, guest host Emily Sullivan, the enterprise City Hall reporter for The Baltimore Banner, takes a closer look at the annual Baltimore City tax sale.
Let’s say you’re a homeowner who had a tough year – and you don’t pay your property tax bill. The city can place a lien on your house…and auction off that lien at the annual tax sale each May. (The online auction is scheduled this year for May 21.)
An investigation by WYPR’s news partner, the Baltimore Banner, found that roughly 41,000 homes have been through the tax sale process since 2016. Debts attached to these properties have gone up for auction at a public, online process where individuals or LLCs can bid to purchase the liens. The buyer clears the debt with the city and state…but the homeowner now owes the third-party who purchased their debt.
If the third-party remains unpaid, they can charge the homeowner steep interest…and eventually, can begin a foreclosure process to claim the property as their own.
Joining Emily to discuss the problems created by the tax sales — and potential solutions — are three guests with unique perspectives on the issue:We begin with Baltimore Banner housing reporter Sophie Kasakove, who’s worked on the Banner's investigative series.
Then, City Council member Odette Ramos (D, Dist. 14), and Dan Ellis, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services, join us to discuss their efforts to improve the city’s tax sale process and expand the options for city homeowners who get caught up in that process.
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Tom's guest today is the novelist and nonfiction author Madison Smartt Bell. He’s written 13 novels, including a trilogy of historical tales about Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian Revolution, one of which, All Souls Rising,was a 1995 finalist for the National Book Award. He’s also written three collections of short stories and two biographies.
His latest book is a novel set in the gritty, turbulent quartiers of Paris. It includes a large cast of memorable and fascinating characters, and it explores power dynamics, zealotry, inequity and racism, in a series of events that unfold under the watchful eye of a mystical Roma woman named in the book's title: The Witch of Matongé.
Madison Smartt Bell joined Tom Hall in our studio last month to talk about the book. Because their conversation is recorded, we aren’t able to take any calls or emails today.
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Bell's new book is published by the Concord Free Press, which gives all of its publications away for free, online, and through a network of independent bookstores that includes the Ivy Bookshop in North Baltimore.
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Tom's guest today is Ben Jealous. In 2008, at the age of 35, he was the youngest person ever chosen to lead the oldest civil rights organization in the United States, the NAACP. He’s a former journalist and executive director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. He’s a philanthropist and venture capitalist, and in 2018, he was the Maryland Democratic party’s nominee for governor (who lost the election to Republican Larry Hogan).
Recently, he served as president of People for the American Way, and earlier this month, he took the reins as executive director of the Sierra Club, one of the nation's oldest environmental organizations.
The son of a white father and Black mother, Jealous' new book is a memoir that makes the case that racism as we know it can be eliminated. It is replete with stories from a very full life, flecked with insights drawn from some of the people he has met along the way.
At the book’s heart is the wisdom Jealous received from his grandmother, who died at the age of 105. The book's title is taken from the advice he says his grandmother often urged on him. It's called, Never Forget Our People Were Always Free: A Parable of American Healing.
Ben Jealous joined Tom by Zoom earlier in February.
Because their conversation was recorded earlier, we aren’t able to take any calls or online comments.
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So, how did you sleep last night? Did you get up feeling rested and ready, or tired and frustrated?
Today on Midday, tackling the problem of insomnia.Tom's guest today is Dr. Jade Wu. She’s a board-certified behavioral sleep psychologist and researcher at the Duke University School of Medicine's School of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, and she has written a terrific book that outlines a strategy for solving a problem nearly 25 million Americans face, night after night.
For some of us, sleep is hard. Why is that? Dr. Wu says we need to "improve our relationship with sleep."
In her new book, she suggests a series of steps to help us do that, and she puts to rest, you might say, some of the misconceptions we’ve long held about the reasons so many of us encounter problems when it comes to doing something that is so essential to human survival.
The book is called Hello Sleep: The Science and Art of Overcoming Insomnia Without Medications.
Jade Wu joins us on Zoom from Durham, North Carolina.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she spotlights Strand Theatre Company's new production of Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin's High School Coven. The topical coming-of-age drama focuses on four high-school girls who form a witches' coven to cope with the pressures of being teenage girls. Those pressures range from mundane concerns over finding the perfect homecoming dress and connecting with a significant other, to the darker realities of sexual assault.
The playis directed at the Strand Theater by Lee Conderacci, who guides a cast that includes Greta Boeringer, Tatiana Nya Ford, Libbey Kim, Betse Lyons, Jess Rivera, Nichemat Judith (“NJ”) Saroff and Julia Creutzer as understudy/swing.
High School Coven continues at Strand Theater, located at 5426 Harford Road, Baltimore MD 21214, through February 12th. Click the theater link for more information.
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Continuing our observance of Black History Month, we begin today with a conversation about an important aspect of Black history here in Maryland concerning breaking the color barrier in the legal profession.
Next Thursday night (February 16), the University of Baltimore School of Law will host a symposium with two attorneys and legal historians, who will talk about the first Black lawyers in Maryland. The decades-long efforts by Black lawyers to be admitted to the Maryland Bar pre-dated the NAACP, and finally succeeded long after other Southern states had already seen their color barriers broken.
The two lawyers who will be presenting the program at UB next week join us today here on Midday.
John Browning is a former Judge on the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals. He’s a trial lawyer with the Spencer-Fane firm in Plano, TX. He joins us on Zoom…
Domonique Flowers is Staff Attorney at the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center here in Baltimore. He also joins us on Zoom.
For more information on UB Law's "Blazing the Trail" symposium next Thursday, click here.
Our conversation today was previously recorded, so we won't be taking any calls or comments.
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Now, another installment in our Midday in the Neighborhood series, which we are producing in cooperation with our news partners at the Baltimore Banner.
Today, we meet a Baltimore native who has toured the world as one of the legendary Harlem Globetrotters, and who has returned to his hometown to give back in a substantial way.
Charles "Choo" Smith, who founded and heads a youth coaching enterprise calledChoo Smith Youth Empowerment, is working on a project to build what he calls a “Communiversity” — an educational and athletic "life center" in the Cold Spring, Parklane and Edgecomb neighborhoods of Northwest Baltimore.
Choo Smith joins Tom in Studio A…
Also joining us in Studio A is our colleague Jasmine Vaughn Hall, who covers West Baltimore for the Baltimore Banner, and wrote a feature last month about Smith's Arise Baltimore project.
There are 278 named communities in the city of Baltimore, and from time to time we will talk about what’s going on in some of those communities in our series, Midday in the Neighborhood, which we're producing now in partnership with our colleagues at the Baltimore Banner.If you’ve got an idea for featuring your community in the Banner and on Midday, let us know! Drop us an e mail at midday@wypr.org.
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President Joe Biden gave his second State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress and the nation last night.
His 72-minute address, his first since Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives, was met with an abundance of partisan heckling, and even a couple of moments of bipartisan approval. Many consider the speech to be Biden’s opening gambit in a bid for re-election to a second term as president.
Joining Tom today is the author and journalist Farai Chideya. She’s the host of Our Body Politic, which you can hear on WYPR Tuesday nights at 9:00, although last night it was pre-empted by our coverage of the State of the Union Address. But fear not, you can catch the podcast anytime.
Farai Chideya joins us on Zoom from Brooklyn, New York.
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As soon as he was overwhelmingly elected to a second term as Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis wasted no time re-planting a flag in the national culture war. It is widely assumed that DeSantis will be a candidate for President in 2024. It remains to be seen whether or not his attempts to alter the curriculum for the teaching of Black History will prove to be a winning strategy in the Republican primary or in a general election.
But that curriculum has certainly been altered. The College Board — the non-profit educational organization which produces the Advanced Placement, or AP, course material at issue in Florida — contends it did not revise the curriculum because of political pressure. David Coleman, the CEO of the College Board, insisted in his interview last week with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly that the revisions were made well before the Florida governor's criticisms.
But those revisions were announced just a couple of days after Florida Gov. DeSantis blasted the original draft of the course as contributing to a leftist political agenda. Florida's Commissioner of Education described it as “woke indoctrination masquerading as education.”
When the College Board first announced the Advanced Placement course in African American history last August, it garnered praise from scholars on the left. The revised version, released last week, deletes some of the most well-known contemporary voices in the African American canon, and delegates topics like Black Lives Matter and Critical Race Theory to a list of possible research topics, rather than as part of the course itself.
The issue of what to teach and what to suppress in telling the story of our country’s racial history became a cause celebre on the right. Gov. DeSantis has now expanded his attacks to encompass not just the high school AP course, but college and university curricula as well.
Florida isn’t the only state to have challenged the dimensions of what Black History should include. Nearly half of all states have passed legislation against Critical Race Theory, which before it became a hot topic, had only been taught in law schools.Today on Midday: Conversations with teachers who teach Black Studies in Baltimore high school classrooms. Plus, the perspective of the African American Studies scholar who coined the hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter.
We begin with Patrice Frasier. She is the chair of the Social Sciences Department at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a city public school where she teaches American Government and African American Studies. Poly is one of 60 schools across the country selected to test the pilot AP African Studies course, and Ms. Frasier is one of the teachers who'll be teaching that course next year.
Patrice Frasier joins us on Zoom…
Then, Tom speaks with Damian Ford, a student support specialist who teaches Black literature at the Baltimore School for the Arts.
Damian Ford joins us on Zoom…
Tom's final guest today is Dr. Marcus Anthony Hunter. He’s the chair of the African American Studies Department at UCLA.
Dr. Hunter joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles.
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This past weekend was the city's first Promise of Peace weekend; three days of peace-elevating events organized by the Baltimore Peace Movement.
Two of the founders of this community-based, non-profit organization (which last November changed its name from Baltimore Ceasefire 365) join us to reflect on the weekend events and their group's new mission focus.
Erricka Bridgeford and Letrice Gant are also Executive Director and Deputy Director, respectively, of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center. That’s a non-profit volunteer organization that since 1995 has been providing free conflict resolution services to communities across the city.
Erricka Bridgeford and Letrice Gant join us on Zoom.
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It’s the Midday Healthwatch, with Dr. Leana Wen.
Much of life has returned to pre-COVID normal. In several of her recent essays in the Washingon Post, Dr. Wen has written about new research into the vexing problem of Long COVID, the decision by the Biden administration to end the COVID state-of-emergency, how to help the immunocompromised, and how to more accurately account for the actual number of hospitalizations and fatalities that have been caused by COVID.
We’ll talk about these topics today with Dr. Wen, who is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is an emergency physician and a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. In addition to writing a health column for the Washington Post, she’s a medical analyst for CNN, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Jump, the 2019 play byCharly Evon Simpson about family, loss, spiritual journeys and fundamental connections, now on stage at Baltimore's Everyman Theater.
Directed at Everyman by Summer L. Williams, the powerful drama stars Morgan Danielle Day as Judy;Billie Krishawn as Fay; Tony Nam as Hopkins; andJefferson A. Russell as Dad.
Jump continues at Everyman Theatre through February 19. Click the show link for more info.
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It's another episode of Midday at the Movies, our monthly conversation about films and filmmaking.
Joining Tom in Studio A are our two movie-maven regulars: Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post and author of the best-selling moviegoers' guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director (retired) of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater.
Today, Ann and Jed review some of the best films to showcase at last month's Sundance Film Festival; and theytalk about a few surprising (and in one case, controversial) nominees for this year's Oscars. (The Academy Awards by the way, will be presented on Sunday March 12 at 8pm ET. The Oscars telecast will air live on ABC from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.)
Ann and Jed also spotlight some of the best films screening locally. Plus, Ann shares her (and her Post colleagues') picks for the worst films of 2022 — so you can avoid them (or check them out!)
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.
In November, he was elected for a second term to lead Maryland’s sixth largest county.
Funding for Howard County Schools is a front-burner issue, as is the project to mitigate or prevent future flooding in Ellicott City.
Calvin Ball joins Tom today in Studio A to discuss these and other issues he's working on in his second term.
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As Tom mentioned at the top of yesterday's show — on the first day of Black History Month —Maryland Gov. Wes Moore made history by becoming the first African American to deliver a State of the State address to lawmakers and invited guests at the Statehouse in Annapolis.
He said “service will save us” as he outlined his plan to get young people involved in public service as they enter adulthood, and he asserted that ending child poverty is an attainable goal.
WYPR News Director Matt Bush was there, and he stops by today to briefly unpack what Maryland's new governor urged lawmakers to help him deliver.
Matt Bush joins Tom in Studio A.
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Baltimore and surrounding jurisdictions face many challenges that are best addressed from a regional, rather than a local perspective.
Yesterday, for example, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski held a press conference with members of the Maryland General Assembly to announce the creation of a task force to study how to modernize the governance of the water and wastewater facilities, which serve both jurisdictions.
Scott and Olszewski, along with other elected officials from the Baltimore metro area, are part of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, an organization that encourages cooperation between jurisdictions to promote economic vitality and quality of life for the region.
Transportation is one of those issues that cries out for regional coordination and cooperation. The BMC has just released a report that studied how best to organize the governance and funding for regional transit. Maryland Del. Tony Bridges, who represents District 41 in Baltimore City, chaired the workgroup that developed five recommendations for transit that we’re going to talk about today.
Tom spoke with Del. Bridges on Tuesday about those recommendations, and we begin today with their recorded conversation.
Joining Tom in Studio A is the executive director of the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, Mike Kelly…
Also with us in studio is Mark Anthony Thomas, the president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee…
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Today on Midday.... equity and the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel.
President Joe Biden and Gov. Wes Moore were in Baltimore on Monday to proclaim that the plan for a new Frederick Douglass tunnel is good for jobs and economic growth. But some local residents think that the burden of the 10-year project will fall disproportionately on communities of color.
Today, we explore the pros and cons of the new tunnel project with Baltimore Banner reporter Callan Tansill-Suddath, who joins us on our digital line.
Later, Tom speaks with Laura Amlie, a Reservoir Hill resident and president of the local activist group, Residents Against the Tunnel.
Laura Amlie joins Tom in Studio A.
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And now, the problem with plastics.
Most of the plastics we encounter in our consuming lives cannot be recycled, and the pollution from plastics is causing great environmental harm, from the petrochemicals it takes to make it, to toxic exposure while using it, and the waste it creates when it is dumped in underdeveloped countries.
We speak with two environmental activists who are working to confront the growing ecological and public health dangers posed by the worldwide proliferation of plastic.
Tom's first guest is Lisa Ramsden. She's a Senior Oceans and Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace USA. Lisa Ramsden joins us on Zoom from Durham, NC...
Then, Tom talks with Jennifer Congdon, the deputy director of an environmental justice organization called Beyond Plastics.
Jennifer Congdon joins us on Zoom from Bennington, VT.
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The murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Memphis policemen is yet another example of violence against Black citizens that can traumatize Black communities throughout the country.
We begin today with Dr. Donell Barnett, the president of the Association of Black Psychologists. He is the Deputy Director for Mental Health Clinical Operations at the Illinois Department of Human Services.
Donell Barnett joins us on Zoom from Chicago…
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Tom's guest today is Pico Iyer, who for more than 50 years has been acclaimed as a compelling, insightful and thoughtful writer. He has published widely as a journalist, and he’s written novels, but he is perhaps best known as a travel writer. He has journeyed to the far corners of the globe, and written with a deep sense of wonder, compassion, sensitivity and radiant kindness.
Since 1992, Iyer has divided his time between western Japan and a Benedictine hermitage in California.
Born in Oxford, England in 1957, Iyer was raised in England, India and the United States. He’s taught writing, literature and journalism at Harvard and Princeton. He’s been a columnist for Time Magazine. He’s published 15 books that have been translated into 23 languages. He’s given numerous TED Talks, which have been viewed more than 10 million times. In 2008, he published his biography of His Holiness the Dali Lama, with whom he has been close since he was a teenager.
Pico Iyer's latest book examines how different cultures conceive of, understand and pursue spiritual fulfillment, and the connection of different places to the quest for inner and outer peace.
It’s called The Half Known Life: In Search of Paradise.
It's a poignant, persuasive and important book.
Pico Iyer joins us on Zoom from Santa Barbara, California.
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It's time for another visit with Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the new Spotlighters Theater production of [title of show].The small-scale musical about two guys writing a musical was written, in fact by those two guys: Jeff Bowen (music and lyrics) and Hunter Bell (book).
Their self-referential play, which explores the creative and artistically transformative journey required to mount a stage musical, is directed by Stephen Foreman, with musical direction by Mandee Ferrier Roberts, and a four-member cast that includes Alex Gubler as Hunter, Nick Cherone as Jeff, Neva Sullivan as Heidi, and Natalie Stolurow as Susan.
There have been some late changes to the play's production schedule.
Spotlighters Theatre has announced that due to a number of positive COVID-19 tests among the cast & crew, its performances of [title of show] for Thur, Jan 26 through Sun, Jan 29 are CANCELLED.
Patrons with tickets for Sat, Jan 21, and for Jan 26, 27, 28 and 29, should check their email for a message from AHSpotlighters@gmail.com, with instructions for how to reschedule their tickets for a future performance of [title of show], or to convert their ticket purchase into a donation, a ticket credit, or to request a refund.
[title of show] will be performed at Spotlighters Theatre from February 2-5. For more information, follow the theater link.
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The Baltimore County Public School System has had four different superintendents in the last ten years. And sometime later this year, they’ll have another one.
Dr. Darryl Williams, who's been on the job since May, 2019, and who has been facing increasing pressures from the County Council and several community groups, announced Monday that he will not pursue a renewal of his contract. He will leave the system at the end of June.
WYPR News reporter John Lee, who covers Baltimore County, provides analysis of the Williams departure, and what's next for BCPS.
John Lee joins Tom in Studio A…
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Today, a conversation about classified documents and how they keep turning up in places they don’t belong — such as the Mar-a-Lago, Florida, estate of former President Donald Trump.
The latest revelation in this regard came on Tuesday (January 24), when it was revealed that lawyers for Mike Pence discovered what they described as “a small number” of documents in Pence’s Indiana home.Last Friday, the FBI conducted a 13-hour search of President Joe Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware, and found an unknown quantity of documents. These are in addition to the material discovered earlier in his garage and in a room adjacent to the garage at the home, and at an office he used in Washington after his tenue as Vice President.
Beyond the initial questions of how these classified documents were removed from their original, secure filing locations — and for what purpose — there are the larger questions of who’s keeping track of these documents? And is our national security at risk?
On Midday today, Tom speaks speak with two individuals with unique perspectives on those questions.
Tom's first guest is Tyler Pager, a White House correspondent with The Washington Post since 2021.He previously covered the White House for Politico, and reported on the 2020 presidential campaign for Bloomberg News. Tyler Pager joins us on our digital line from the Post newsroom in Washington, D.C.
Then, Tom speaks with Matthew Connelly, a professor of International and Global History at Columbia University and an expert on the US government's system of document classification. The author of several books on political history and international affairs, his latest — due to be published next month — is called The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals about America’s Top Secrets,
Professor Matthew Connelly joins us on Zoom from New York.
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Today, we’re going to talk about transgender rights.
We are having this conversation in the context of dozens of states passing laws that not only limit or prohibit trans women from competing in women’s sports, but also impose legal limits in areas like health care, school policy, and public accommodations. The ACLU is currently tracking 185 anti-LGBTQ bills that are under consideration in state legislatures across the country.We will examine those efforts and those bills in other shows.
Today, we will focus on youth and professional sports, and efforts to prohibit trans women from competing against cisgender women. We speak with two top-flight athletic competitors who hold fundamentally different views on the issue.
Tom's first guest is a 12-time All American swimmer who competed for the University of Kentucky. Riley Gaines is a spokesperson for the Independent Women’s Forum, an organization formed in the 1990s to support Justice Clarence Thomas’ nomination to the Supreme Court. The IWF opposes allowing trans women from competing against cisgender women, and supports a number of other conservative causes.
Riley Gaines joins Tom on Zoom from Nashville, Tennessee.
For another perspective on inclusiveness and equality in women’s sports, Tom speaks next with Dr. Veronica Ivy. She is a queer trans woman, a two-time Masters track-cycling world champion and a previous Masters world-record holder, the first known trans woman ever to win a track-cycling world championship. She is an advocate and activist for trans and intersex rights.
Veronica Ivy joins us on Zoom from Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada.
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Now, a look at the first few days of the Moore-Miller administration in Annapolis.
Governor Wes Moore wasted no time after his historic inauguration last Wednesday, issuing executive orders, assembling his cabinet for a pep-talk and releasing his first budget.
Joining Tom to talk about what’s been a busy few days in the state’s capital — and to help us unpack the numbers in Gov. Moore's budget proposal — is WYPR news director Matt Bush.
Matt Bush is with us in Studio A.
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It’s déjà vu all over again. There’s a showdown in Congress about raising the debt ceiling. Republicans in the House want to use the debt ceiling as leverage to pass cuts in search of a balanced budget. Some Republicans have suggested abolishing the IRS and no longer collecting taxes. Instead, they propose funding the government with a national sales tax of up to 30%. And, will they actually say out loud that they support reductions to cherished social programs like Social Security and Medicare? We have about five months to find out.
That political fight is on-going. Last Thursday, the Treasury began taking what it calls “extraordinary measures” to avoid defaulting on US debt. Those measures will run out in June.
In 2011, the mere fact that Congress bickered about it for several weeks was enough for the stock market to shudder. And, the US credit rating was downgraded for the first time.
The Biden administration has said that raising the debt ceiling is a non-negotiable, basic duty of Congress. Permission to bring the country to the brink of default, or perhaps into actual default, was one of the conditions Speaker Kevin McCarthy had to agree to in order to be elected Speaker.
Tom's first guest today is Kathleen Day, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business.
She joins us on Zoom to explain just what's at stake in the debt limit debate.
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Joining Tom now are three excellent reporters who have collaborated on a documentary that explores the consequences of tax breaks that the city of Baltimore offers to developers. The intention of these tax breaks is to spur economic growth, but as the film points out, assessing the impact of these muti-million dollar financial incentives is often difficult to do.
Stephen Janis and Taya Graham are reporters at the Real News Network.Jayne Miller is an award-winning former investigative reporter with WBAL Television. Their documentary, based on their RNN investigative series and podcast, is called Tax Broke: *The inside story of how Baltimore's inclusionary housing bill got hollowed out, and how activists hope to fix it.*
They join Tom here in Studio A…
The three reporters will host a free screening of their film at the Charles Theater next Thursday night at 7:00. To sign up for the event, click here.
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Justin Fenton from our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner,reported late yesterday that former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s defense team has asked to withdraw from her case.
In their motion to withdraw, the attorneys say that Ms. Mosby has consented to having the federal public defender’s office take over her defense. Mosby is charged with two counts of perjury and two counts of making false statements on a mortgage application. Her trial is set to begin in March.
David Jaros is on the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he is the faculty director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform.
Professor Jaros joins us on Zoom with analysis of yesterday's legal developments.
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It's time for another visit with Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Broadway Bound, the late, great Neil Simon's Tony Award-winning and Pulitzer Prize-nominated 1986 comedy, getting a new production now at Baltimore's Vagabond Players theater.
Simon's semi-autobiographical comedy-drama — the last in his so called "Eugene Trilogy" — follows on the heels of Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues in exploring the creative evolution of a young man named Eugene — the playwright's stand-in for himself — as an artist and comedic writer.
Steve Goldklang directs the Vagabond Players cast, which features: Andy Belt as Stan; Isaiah Mason Harvey as Eugene; Mike Ryals Ilani (as Alternate for Eugene and Stan); Jacqueline Irving (as Alternate for Blanche); Jeff Murray as Ben; Holly Pasciullo as Blanche (Alternate for Kate); Thom Peters as Jack; Anthony Rufo (as Alternate for Jack and Ben); and Amy Jo Shapiro as Kate.
Broadway Bound continues at Vagabond Players through January 29th. Click the theater link for more information.
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We begin today with a conversation about the role of city government in the arts.
The quasi-public city agency known as BOPA, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, came under fire a couple of weeks ago when it announced it was canceling the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade, an event that had been canceled for the last two years because of COVID.
When BOPA issued a press release announcing the parade’s cancelation on January 5, 2023 — less than two weeks from MLK Day — Rep. Kweisi Mfume issued a statement calling the decision “disrespectful” and “disgraceful.” BOPA issued what it called a “clarifying statement” that seemed to put blame for the decision in the Mayor’s office. Within hours, Mayor Brandon Scott was calling for the resignation of BOPA’s director, Donna Drew Sawyer, threatening to withhold city funding if she didn’t leave.She did leave, a few days later, and the parade did take place on Monday.
There are people who know whether or not the decision to cancel the parade emanated from the Mayor’s office, or from BOPA, but they’re not talking about it. Today on Midday, we’re not going to re-hash what happened with the parade. But we do want to talk about the role that BOPA has played, and should play, in the artistic life of our city.
Should promoting the city and serving as an arts council to advocate for creative artists be functions that are combined within one organization? When it comes to events like Artscape and the Baltimore Book Festival, two of the events that BOPA has traditionally produced, how important are they to the cultural life of the city?
Tom's guests today are three arts advocates who have worked to advance the cause of the arts in Baltimore for years.
Jeannie Howe is the executive director of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance…
Navasha Daya is an internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter, and the founder of the Youth Resiliency Institute...
And Maggie Villegas is the founding director of BCAN, the Baltimore Creatives Acceleration Network.
They all join Tom in Studio A.
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On today's Special Edition of Midday, Tom hall hosts WYPR's live coverage of the historic Inaugural Ceremonies at the State House in Annapolis, as Governor-elect Wes Moore and Lt. Governor-elect Aruna Miller are sworn in, and deliver their inaugural addresses.
We get live reports and background during the event from WYPR News reporters Matt Bush and Rachel Baye in Annapolis.We also get analysis and context from Dr. Terry Anne Scott, an expert in African American history and the director of the Institute for Common Power. Dr. Scott joins Tom in Studio A.
For this podcast, we pick up the ceremonies after Lt. Governor Aruna Miller has taken her oath of office and been introduced by her daughters, and begins her inaugural address. Her speech is followed by the public swearing-in and inaugural address of Maryland's new head of state, Governor Wes Moore. Both addresses are presented without editing.
We heard today's ceremonial events courtesy of a live audio feed provided by Maryand Public Television. MPT will be rebroadcasting the Inaugural Ceremonies Wednesday night at 7pm.
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Our focus today on Black youth continues now as Tom welcomes Kristin Henning to the program. She’s an attorney and professor at Georgetown University Law School who directs its Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative. She has represented youth in Washington DC for more than 25 years.
Her new book is called The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth. She joins us on Zoom…
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Professor Kristin Henning will be speaking about her book this evening at the University of Baltimore School of Law. The event is sponsored by the Center for Criminal Justice Reform and the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts. There’s a book signing at 5:30pm. Professor Henning’s talk begins at 6:00pm. For more information and to register for the free event, clickhere.
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Today on Midday, a focus on Black youth.
A little later in the show, Tom speaks with Kristin Henning, a lawyer with the Juvenile Justice Center at the Georgetown law school about her book, The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth.
But Tom begins with Faith Leach, Baltimore City Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services. She oversees the program that went into effect last week to provide alternatives for Squeegee workers in Baltimore.
Part of that program includes banning the practice of squeegeeing at a half a dozen intersections in the city. Part of it includes incentives and opportunities for the squeegee workers that will allow them to find sustainable work.
Faith Leach joins us on Zoom from her office in City Hall.
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On this special edition of Midday honoring the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, we’ll meet three people for whom every day is a day of service, and whose animating force and deep-seated passions are centered, as Dr. King said, in the broader concerns of humanity.
Tom's first guest is is Sharayna Christmas, an artist, teacher and activist who is the founder of MUSE 360, an organization that works with young African Americans to increase their life skills and broaden their understanding of Black history.
Tom's next guest is Cjay Philip, the founder and artistic dirctor of Dance & Bmore, and creator of Bmore Broadway Live, a performing arts group that taps into the talent of local youth.Tom's final guest is Phyllis Gilmore, president of the Woodbourne-McCabe Community Association and Vice President of the York Road Partnership.
Today's conversations were recorded, so we're not taking any live comments or questions.
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We open this segment of Midday with music by Antonin Dvorak, from his Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World") performed by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Joining Tom now is Mark Hanson. Last spring, he was appointed the President and CEO of the BSO, and job number one for him was hiring a new music director. In July, the BSO announced it has signed a five year contract with Jonathon Heyward, a 30 year-old African American musician who grew up in Charleston, South Carolina. He will become the first Black maestro to lead a major symphony in the United States.
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WYPR's news partner at the Baltimore Banner reports this morning that Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates has dropped the case against Keith Davis, who has already been tried four times for the murder of Kevin Jones in 2015.During his campaign for State’s Attorney, Bates had indicated that he would drop the charges against Davis. He recused himself from the review process of the case, which took place after he took office early this month. Former State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby has long held that Davis is guilty of this crime, and she was planning on re-trying him in May of this year. In two of Davis’ four trials, juries were not able to come to a unanimous verdict. In the other two trials in which juries did reach a guilty verdict, judges overturned those verdicts.
The Banner is also reporting that yesterday, The Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges against two Baltimore Police officers who shot and killed Donnell Rochester. That shooting was the subject of several protests. An investigative report concluded that in February of last year, Rochester, an 18 year-old from Odenton, was driving in the direction of an officer when police opened fire. Prosecutors concluded that the shooting was lawful self-defense.
This week, there were leadership shake-ups at two city agencies. Jason Mitchell, who came to Baltimore from Oakland, California, 20 months ago, announced that in April, he will resign his position as the Director of the Department of Public Works.
And Donna Drew Sawyer, the CEO of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and Arts was forced out of her position after Mayor Brandon Scott demanded her resignation.
For some informed perspectives on these developments, Tom turns to two Baltimore City Councilmen: Zeke Cohen, who represents District 1 in south Baltimore, and Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer, who represents District 5 in northwest Baltimore. They join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, it’s Midday on Immigration.
Last week, the Biden administration announced new policies designed to help stem the surge of migration across the nation's southwestern border with Mexico. The policies includea combination of pathways to legal entryinto the country and expanded expedited removal of those who cross into the US unlawfully.
The President visited the border for the first time as president on Sunday, and then he travelled to Mexico City for what is known as the “Three Amigos Summit,” where he met with his presidential counterparts in Canada and Mexico.
Today, Tom speaks with three people with keen insights into America's complex and persistent immigration problem.
His first guest is NPR White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez, who joins us on our digital line from NPR headquarters in Washington.
Tom speaks next with Krish Vignarajah. She is the President and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Krish Vignarajah joins us on Zoom from her office in Baltimore…
Next week, Maryland will inaugurate its first African American Governor, its first South Asian Lt. Governor and its first woman comptroller. Our state’s first Black Attorney General was sworn in last week. Marylandis the most diverse state on the eastern seaboard, and it’s fitting that we have state leadership that reflects the demographics of our citizens.
In November, 2021, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr., acknowledging that his county is becoming more diverse, appointed the County’s first Immigrant Affairs Outreach Coordinator, Giuliana Valencia-Banks, who is Tom's final guest today. She joins us on Zoom…
How do you think the US should be handling the waves of migrants seeking entry at America's southern border?
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Midday on Medicine continues with a spotlight on a proposed new medical school at one of the nation's leading HBCU institutions.
Only about 5% of the physicians in the United States are Black, and it has been nearly 50 years since an historically Black college or university has opened a medical school.
Morgan State University is moving toward changing that, with plans for a proposed Maryland College of Osteopathic Medicine on its Baltimore campus.
Joining Tom to tell us about it are Dr. Barbara Ross Lee, the proposed college's founding president, and Dr. John Sealey, its founding dean and director.
They join us on Zoom.
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It’s Midday on Medicine.
Tom's first guest today is Dr. Jeremy Greene, a physician and medical historian on the faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His new book chronicles the evolution of telemedicine. He makes the case that at various stages along the way of that evolution, telemedicine was seen as a panacea that was going to expand access and diminish disparities in the delivery of health care, but those promises remain promises largely unfulfilled. It’s called The Doctor Who Wasn’t There: Technology, History, and the Limits of Telehealth.
What’s your experience with telehealth? Have you met with a doctor over video chat or on the phone? Have you tried to have a doctor’s visit that way, and found it didn’t work?
Dr. Jeremy Greene is the William H. Welch Professor of Medicine and History of Medicine and the director of the Department of the History of Medicine at Johns Hopkins. He’s also the director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine.
He joins Tom in Studio A.
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Today on Midday, we're previewing the 2023 Session of the Maryland General Assembly, which gets underway on Wednesday in Annapolis.
Governor-Elect Wes Moore will be inaugurated a week from tomorrow. Comptroller Brooke Lierman will take the oath of office next Monday. Attorney General Anthony Brown was inaugurated last week.
Joining Tom live is Ovetta Wiggins, a veteran State House reporter who covers Maryland government and politics for the Washington Post.
Ovetta Wiggins joins Tom today on Zoom from Annapolis.
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The Maryland General Assembly begins its 2023 legislative session tomorrow in Annapolis. Thirty-eight members of the House of Delegates and eight members of the Senate are taking their seats in the chambers for the first time. A new governor, comptroller and attorney-general begin their first terms as well.
Today on Midday, a preview of the legislative agenda for the 2023 Session.
Later in this hour, Tom is joined by Ovetta Wiggins, Maryland politics reporter for the Washington Post, who offers her analysis of the legislative priorities in this year's General Assembly. (That conversation is posted separately.)
But we begin with Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson of Baltimore. A Democrat, he is in his third term in the Senate, where he represents District 46. This will be the fourth legislative Session he will preside over as Senate President.
Senate President Bill Ferguson joined Tom Monday on Zoom from the State House.
Tom's next guest is Delegate Adrienne Jones, who has represented Maryland's 10th District since 1997. She was elected Speaker of the House of Delegates in 2019.
Speaker Adrienne Jones spoke with Tom last Thursday, via Zoom, from Annapolis.
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Today on Midday on Politics,we’ve been talking about the goings-on in the House of Representatives, and the prospects for how Republicans will govern now that they have sorted out Kevin McCarthy’s journey to the Speaker’s chair.
Tom's next guest is Russell Berman, a staff writer for The Atlantic.
Mr. Berman joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
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Now, it's Midday on Politics, and we turn our gaze to Washington for a look at what transpired in the House of Representatives last week. It is not a pretty sight.\
A little after 1:00 in the morning on Saturday (January 7), the House of Representatives ended their stalemate over electing a speaker, finally giving the gavel to California Congressman Kevin McCarthy on the 15th vote.
The House will reconvene Monday evening at 5:00 to begin hammering out rules changes that Rep. McCarthy pledged to enact in exchange for the votes he needed from extremists in his party to be elected Speaker. Almost all of the 20 Republicans who withheld their votes for McCarthy until the wee hours of Saturday morning are election deniers, as is McCarthy himself. It’s anybody’s guess as to just how effective McCarthy will be, working under rules that greatly attenuate the Speaker’s power.
We get an important perspective on these developments now from Congressman Kweisi Mfume, a veteran Democratic lawmaker who represents Maryland 's 7th district (including Baltimore City) in the US House of Representatives.
Rep. Mfume joins us by phone…
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Today, another installment of our monthly Midday with the Mayor, in which Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom to take questions on key issues facing the mayor, the city and the people of Baltimore.
There were 40 fewer non-fatal shootings in our city last year than in 2021, but only four fewer homicides. More than 70 people in the Western district received help with housing, employment and other services through the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, and that district became safer. The city plans to expand its Group Violence Reduction Strategy to the Southwestern district soon.
Late Friday afternoon, the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts issued a press release implicating the Mayor’s office in the decision to cancel the annual Martin Luther King Day parade. That was followed by a letter to the BOPA board from Mayor Brandon Scott demanding that the director of BOPA, Donna Drew Sawyer, resign. Following reports that she had resigned, the BOPA board issued a statement saying that she had not resigned. The Mayor Tweeted that the MLK Day Parade will take place at noon on January 16.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom on Zoom from his office in City Hall…
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the Maryland stage.
Today, she tells us about the innovative production of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, now on stage at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland, and directed by Aaron Posner and Teller (of Penn & Teller fame),
The Tempest is a bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s popular — and enchanting — romance, featuring music from the catalog of veteran songwriter Tom Waits, modern dance moves from Pilobolus, and a bevy of astonishing feats of magic.
The Tempest is produced in collaboration with Folger Theatre. It continues at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland until January 29.Click the Round House link for more details.
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It's another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. Tom is joined once again by one of our favorite movie mavens — Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday. She's the author of the best-selling moviegoers' guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies.
Today, as we gear up for next Tuesday's 80th Golden Globe Awards for the year's best in film and television, Ann shares her picks for the best flicks of 2022. Paramount Pictures' Top Gun: Maverick, the military action sequel starring Tom Cruise - soars in at the top of her list.
Ann also spotlights a few new releases with strong women's themes, including director Sarah Polley's powerful Women Talking and German director Marie Kreutzer's historical drama, Corsage.
We'll also look at the financial difficulties that have forced Maryland Film Festival's venerable Parkway Theater to announce it is suspending operations. This news comes on the heels of MFF's announcement last year that it's postponing the annual Maryland Film Festival until 2024, and making changes in the interim to its business model.
Ann Hornaday joins us on our digital line.
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Tomorrow marks the second anniversary of the attack on the US Capitol. January 6th, like September 11th or December 7th, is a date that's emblazoned in the American psyche as a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. The attack on the Capitol — part of a conspiracy to overturn the 2020 presidential election — shook the foundations of American democracy.
A bipartisan House Select Committee that spent 18 months investigating the attack has published an extensive and damning report that lays the blame for the insurrection squarely at the feet of former US president Donald Trump. If Republicans work out their internecine fighting over the Speakership, they have promised investigations in the new Congress that will target Joe Biden and his administration.
Scholars, historians and journalists, as well as federal prosecutors, are still sorting out the actors and their motivations behind the violence on January 6th, 2021.
Today on Midday,a conversation with two scholars who study the influence of Christian nationalists on the events of that day, and how they fit into the panoply of groups that organized and executed the attack.
Dr. Matthew Taylor is the Protestant Scholar at the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies in Baltimore. He focuses on Muslim-Christian dialogue, evangelical and pentecostal movements, religious politics, and American Islam.Matthew Taylor joins Tom in Studio A.
Dr. Bradley Onishi is a religion scholar on the faculty of the University of San Francisco, and the host of a podcast called Straight White American Jesus. His new book is called Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism–And What Comes Next.
He’ll discuss the book tomorrow (Friday, January 6) at noon in an online forum hosted by Matthew Taylor and sponsored by the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies.
Drs. Onishi and Taylor are also the co-hosts of an audio documentary series that examines the role of Christian Nationalists in the Jan. 6 riot at the US Capital. It’s called Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation. You can find it on the Straight White American Jesus podcast.
Bradley Onishi joins us on Zoom, and by phone, from San Francisco…
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Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott was scheduled to join us today but at the last mintute was called away to respond to a violent incident in West Baltimore where five young men had been shot.
Midday host Tom Hall opens the phones to discuss with listeners one of Baltimore's biggest challenges for the new year: curbing the city's relentless rates of homicide and other violent crime.
What do you think of the mayor's efforts to reduce the violence and improve public safety?
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Republicans on Capitol Hill regain control of the House of Representatives today. The GOP holds a small, four-vote majority, which includes George Santos, a newly elected Republican from New York who fabricated virtually everything about his life history. He is facing multiple calls to resign, and several investigations.
An internecine battle for Speaker of the House is underway at this hour. The GOP four-vote majority isn’t enough to overcome the block of five Republicans who have vowed not to support Kevin McCarthy. As many as 15 more may not support McCarthy’s bid as well. Over the last several weeks, and up to last night and this morning, the California Republican has made more and more promises intended to appease his opponents. If Republicans can’t agree on McCarthy on a first ballot, it would be only the second time since the Civil War that multiple ballots would be cast for the office that is third in line for the Presidency.
We will see how this all plays out. Stay tuned for continuing coverage on Here and Now and later today on All Things Considered.
Today on Midday on Politics, as Maryland Governor-Elect Wes Moore prepares to take charge in Annapolis, a conversation about the legacy of Larry Hogan, the popular two-term Republican governor who will hand over the reins of state government to Mr. Moore two weeks from tomorrow.
Joining Tom for the hour are two reporters who have been covering the Hogan Administration: Pamela Wood is the politics and government reporter for our partner news organization,The Baltimore Banner. And Bryan Sears is a veteran Annapolis reporter who covers government affairs for Maryland'sThe Daily Record…
Pamela Wood and Bryan Sears join us on Zoom.
Bryan Sears will host the annual "Eye on Annapolis” conversation with Governor Elect Wes Moore, Senate President Bill Ferguson and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones a week from tomorrow (Wed., January 11), in Annapolis, on the first day of the 2023 General Assembly Session. For more info, click the event link above.
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Happy New Year! It’s the Midday Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen, our monthly conversation about important current issues in public health.
Rates of RSV and influenza (flu) are beginning to fall, but COVID-19 numbers are up around the country. The Maryland Health Department reported more than 1,500 new COVID cases in the last 24 hours, and that number is almost surely an undercount. Thirteen people died from COVID-related disease in the past 24 hours.
Lots of people are opting for masks again, but not many are opting for the bivalent booster to protect against the latest strains of the Omicron variant.
Leana Wen is with us for the hour today to talk about these and other developments in public health.
As always, we welcome your questions and comments about public health.
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is an emergency physician and a former health commissioner of Baltimore. She teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post. She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on November 16, 2022)
Tom's guest today is an artist who defies categorization and whose creative outlets span a number of genres. Dessa is a rapper, a composer, a poet, a writer, and the host of Deeply Human, a podcast about science. She has given TED talks and speeches about entrepreneurship and art and other topics. She’s the author of a memoir in essays called My Own Devices. Her latest book is a collection of poetry with a wild title, called Tits on the Moon.
On this archive edition of Midday, let’s listen to a conversation Tom had with Dessa in November when she was in town serving as an artist in residence at Johns Hopkins University, and giving a concert at the Ottobar in Baltimore.
Dessa joined us in Studio A.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on November 29, 2022)
The elections last month produced historic results as regards representation of African Americans in the electoral hierarchy of Baltimore City and the state of Maryland. The governor, attorney general, state superintendent of schools and state treasurer are all accomplished Black men. Here in Baltimore City, Black male leaders include the Mayor, the City Council President, the comptroller, the city state’s attorney and the police commissioner.
This is not to say that Black women have not also risen to positions in which they have shaped the trajectory of Baltimore and the state. The Speaker of the House in Annapolis, Del. Adrienne Jones and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ endorsements of Wes Moore for Governor were considered a considerable boost to his nascent political career. Not too long ago, the Mayor of Baltimore, the State’s Attorney, the City Council President, even the head of the Enoch Pratt Library were prominent African American women.
In September, the Rev. Kevin Slayton, an activist and preacher who has been involved in politics and policy for years, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sunin which he stated that the representation of African Americans in the halls of power could all be, quote, “the revelation of hopes our ancestors dreamed about.” But for many Black men in America, those dreams are deferred by endemic racism, poverty, and a host of other formidable challenges.
But for many Black men, their dreams are dreams deferred.Dr. Slayton has called for a convening of elected Black officials to explore what can be done to help Black men succeed. What would such a convening look like? What could it accomplish? Tom talked about it last month with Rev. Slayton, the senior pastor at Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church, and an adjunct professor at Lancaster Theological Seminary. He joined Tom in Studio A.
Dr. Lester Spence joined us as well. He’s a professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University, who specializes in the study of black, racial, and urban politics. He spoke with Tom on Zoom.
A little later in the show, Tom spoke via Zoom with Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
This is an encore presentation of Midday. Because our show was pre-recorded, we aren’t taking any new calls or online comments today.
Rev. Slayton began our conversation about the possibility of a convening of Black officials with a nod to history.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on November 2, 2022)
Today, we’ll revisit a conversation Tom had in November with Brandi Collins-Dexter, a keen observer of politics, race and the cultural landscape.
Historically, voter turnout in American elections is horrible, and turnout in midterm elections is particularly lousy. But the midterms in 2018 set records for turnout, and in some states, turnout in this year’s midterms rivaled the historic participation of four years ago.
Does high turnout favor Democrats? There is conflicting data about that. It does appear to have been the case in the runoff election between Sen. Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker in GA, a race in which Sen. Warnock prevailed by nearly 100,000 votes.
Concerns that Democrats will generally benefit from high turnout elections is why so many GOP-dominated state legislators have passed so many laws that target people of color and restrict access to the polls.
Brandi Collins-Dexter’s book takes a new look at the relationship between Black voters and the Democratic party, an alliance that began during the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century. She argues that there are many reasons that old assumptions about that relationship need to be re-examined.
Brandi Collins-Dexter is associate director of research at The Technology and Social Change Project (TaSC), housed in Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. She is the former Senior Campaign Director at Color of Change, a 7 million-member social justice organization. Her new book is a provocative and persuasive collection of essays called Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future.
Brandi Collins-Dexter was raised in Chicago. After several years in Oakland, CA, she now lives in Baltimore. She joined us on Zoom from Dublin, Ireland, six days before the November, 2022 election.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on November 22, 2022.)
Welcome to Midday.
In November, Donald Trump announced his third candidacy for US president, amid growing calls from some Republicans to move past Trump and onto a new generation of leaders. If that happens, and we do move into a post-Trump era, will Maryland Governor Larry Hogan impress Republicans as a model for how the GOP can attract a diverse coalition of support?
Tom's guest on this encore edition of Midday explores that hypothesis in a new book by taking a close look at Hogan’s rise in Maryland politics. Dr. Mileah Kromer directs the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, which runs the esteemed Goucher Poll of Maryland public opinion. In her new book, Dr. Kromer examines how Hogan, a Republican in a deeply Democratic state, won two elections, and, over two terms, enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings of any Governor in the country.
Her book is called Blue-State Republican: How Larry Hogan Won Where Republicans Lose and Lessons for a Future GOP.
Mileah Kromer joined Tom in Studio A…
The conversation was pre-recorded, so we can’t take any new calls or comments today.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on September 30, 2022.)
Welcome back to this encore edition of Midday.
Tom's next guest is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Times best seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities as this year's One Maryland One Book. That’s a program in which Marylanders all over the state read the same book, and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle, in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Naima Coster was in Maryland in October, engaging readers across the state about What’s Mine and Yours. She joined Tom on Zoom from New York before her trip.
A reminder that because our show was pre-recorded, we can’t take any new calls or online comments.
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ABOUT THE ONE MARYLAND ONE BOOK PROGRAM
Every fall, Maryland Humanities calls for suggestions from the public, as well as from educators, librarians and book clubs, about what book should be chosen as the year’s One Maryland One Book selection. The books are selected around a particular theme each year.
Past authors whose work has been chosen as the One Maryland One Book selection include Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, Ross Gay, Lisa See, Mona Hannah-Attisha and Daniel James Brown.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on September 30, 2022)
Welcome to this archive edition of Midday.
Today,we’ll revisit conversations Tom had last September with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling.
Naima Coster is the author of What’s Mine and Yours. It was chosen as the 2022 One Maryland, One Book selection by Maryland Humanities. We’ll talk with Naima a little later in the program. (That conversation is posted separately.)
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in the near future. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards.
Wendy Shaia joined Tom on Zoom.
Because our conversation was pre-recorded, we can’t take any new calls or comments today.
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Hello, and Happy Holidays! Welcome to the Midday Christmas Eve Special, with your host, Tom Hall.
Today, we’ll spend the hour listening to some music and some poetry of the season, plus, a story by Baltimore writer Rafael Alvarez.
Here's a playlist of our selections, in the order you'll hear them in the program:
- MUSIC: I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In. A carol arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker.(from a 2010 CD recording by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral," Tom Hall, conducting.)
- POEM: Ring Out Wild Bells, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (read by former Midday producer Cianna Greaves)
- MUSIC: A Clean Heart. A motet for a cappella chorus by James Lee, III. He’s on the faculty of Morgan State University, and his music is performed all over the world. This is a setting of a text from the Psalms, Create in Me a Clean Heart. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- MUSIC: Ogo ni fun Oluwa, by the great African American composer Rosephanye Powell, sung by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. This is an African Praise Song, on a text from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. The title means "Rejoice! Glory be unto the Lord." (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- READING: "Aunt Lola," written and read by Baltimore writer Rafael Alvarez.
- MUSIC: Ring the Bells, by Rosephanye Powell, commissioned by Tom Hall when he was the Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- MUSIC: Have You Seen the Baby Jesus? by Rosephanye Powell, with soprano Janice Chandler Eteme. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral."
- READING: A Chinese proverb, read by Jamyla Krempel, digital editor at WYPR's partner news organization, the Baltimore Banner.
- MUSIC: Precious Gifts. Music by Dave Brubeck; text by his wife Iola. Most people know Dave as one of the most iconic pianists in the history of jazz. But Dave was also a frequent composer of choral music, in collaboration with Iola. This is one of their beautiful, a cappella gems, in its world premiere recording, featuring the Baltimore Choral Arts Society.
- POEM: The Journey of the Magi, by T. S. Eliot. Read by Tom Hall. The poet was born in St. Louis in 1888, but he moved to Britain as a young man and eventually became an English citizen.
- POEM: "Twas the Night Before Christmas," by Clement Moore; a classic reading by Louis Armstrong.
We hope you enjoy this hour of holiday inspirations. Thanks for listening!
We wish you all a joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy New Year!
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery," a comic rendition of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective in one of his most notorious cases, now lighting up the stage at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre.
Laura Kepley directs the high-energy comedy, which stars Danny Gavigan as Sherlock Holmes and Tony Nam as his loyal co-investigator, Dr. Watson, with Megan Anderson, Bruce Randolph Nelson and Drew Kopas playing multiple supporting roles.
Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery continues in an extended run at Everyman Theatre through January 8.
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Joining Tom now is Jason Gay. He’s the sports and humor columnist for the Wall Street Journal.
His new book touches on a sport or two, but leans heavily into the humor side of the equation. It’s a set of essays called I Wouldn’t Do That If I Were Me: Modern Blunders and Modest Triumphs (but Mostly Blunders).
Jason Gay joins Tom in Studio A…
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On Wednesday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a joint meeting of Congress. Speaking in English, he delivered an impassioned twenty-minute speech in which he said that “Ukrainian courage and American resolve must guarantee the future of our common freedom.”
The speech was greeted rapturously by most members of Congress, who gave the Ukrainian leader prolonged standing ovations. President Biden announced another tranche of aid for Ukraine. Earlier this week, the administration committed, for the first time, to send a Patriot missile defense system. US aid totals more than $100 billion dollars so far. Some Republicans have signaled an unwillingness to continue aid at current levels.
Zelensky’s brief appearance in Washington, which lasted less than 10 hours, overtook other big news in the nation’s capital.
The long awaited final report from the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the US Capitol was to have been released yesterday, but that release has been delayed until today. On Monday, the Select Committee held a its last public meeting and made four referrals to the US Department of Justice recommending that former President Donald Trump be prosecuted for four crimes. The committee also released a 160-page executive summary of its final report, recapped some of the testimony they have heard over the course of their public and private hearings, and introduced some new testimony by Hope Hicks, a former advisor to the former president.
Also this week, the House Ways and Means Committee discovered that unlike other US presidents, Mr. Trump's tax returns while he was in office were not audited, as required by law.
Joining Tom now is Kimberly Wehle, a visiting law professor at American University and the author of several books, including How to Read the Constitution-And Why. Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line…
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Tom's guest today is LaFontaine Oliver, the current president and CEO of Your Public Radio.
His achievements here in Baltimore over the past three years are significant. Since his appointment in 2019 as general manager of WYPR, he has merged this station with Towson-based public music station WTMD and engineered a unique partnership between WYPR and the online news organization, the Baltimore Banner.
Those two initiatives have irrevocably changed the media landscape of this community.
LaFontaine also served for six years on the Board of Directors at National Public Radio, including two terms as board chair. In his work both nationally and here at our stations, LaFontaine has raised up diversity and equity as central, animating operating tenets. As one of the few African Americans in senior leadership positions in the NPR system, he has served as a model and a mentor to public media professionals of color across the country.
Before he became the president and general manager of WYPR, he led WMFE in Orlando, Florida for six years. Prior to that, he was the general manager of WEAA at Morgan State University here in Baltimore.
Next month, LaFontaine Oliver will take the helm at New York Public Radio, the nation's largest public radio organization.
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom today in Studio A for a kind of exit interview, to reflect on his tenure, and to look ahead to where public media is headed in the future.
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Erek L. Barron. He is the US Attorney for the District of Maryland, which makes him the chief federal law enforcement officer in our state. He supervises a staff of nearly 100 attorneys who investigate and prosecute national security threats, terrorism, narcotics trafficking, organized crime, gang violence, public corruption, cybercrime, financial and healthcare fraud and civil rights violations.
Prior to his appointment as US Attorney by President Biden last year, Barron served in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing District 24 for six years, and before that, he was a prosecutor in Prince George’s County and in Baltimore City, with a focus on violent crime.
Mr. Barron is the first African American to hold the post of Maryland US Attorney, and the first Democrat to be nominated for the position in the last 20 years. By this time next month, several important offices at the state and local level will be held by newly elected Democratic officials. Anthony Brown will become the Maryland Attorney General. Wes Moore will become Governor. And Ivan Bates will be sworn-in as Baltimore City State’s Attorney.Coordination with these and other officials is key to addressing the scourge of violence that has plagued cities like Baltimore for years.
US Attorney Erek Barron joins Tom today in Studio A.
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Now, a conversation about maintaining our mental health in this holiday "season to be jolly."
The thing is, not everybody feels jolly, despite one song’s assertion that it’s the most wonderful time of the year. With the days at their shortest, and the pressures that the holidays can bring, it can be a challenge keeping things in perspective and staying psychologically healthy.
Joining Tom now is Dr. La Keita Carter. She’s a psychologist and the vice president of the board of directors of the Black Mental Health Alliance. She’s the owner of the Institute for HEALing, a wellness agency that provides comprehensive and culturally sensitive mental health treatment.
Dr. La Keita Carter joins us on Zoom…
If you or a loved one is facing a mental health crisis, you can find help in Central Maryland by calling the Mental Health & Suicide Hotline at 988.
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Happy Hanukah!
In every election cycle, candidates for offices at the statewide and local levels promise to fund their legislative and programmatic priorities, in part, with savings from identifying waste, fraud and abuse.
In recent months, audits have found plenty of waste in various state and local agencies.
In October, our colleagues Rachel Baye of WYPR and Brenda Wintrode of the Baltimore Banner reported on an audit of the state health department that showed a contractor had cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in overpayments and millions in lost federal dollars.
Brenda also reported on multiple problems at the Maryland Department of Human Services in their system of distributing benefits. It appears that thousands of people received benefits who did not qualify for the programs they were enrolled in.
And in Baltimore City, a recent “Fiscal Report Card” for Fiscal Year 2021 revealed several areas of concern about how the city processes federal grants, inaccuracies in timesheets for city employees and other problems.
Joining Tom to talk about the findings related to the city are Baltimore City Comptroller Bill Henry and the City’s Director of Finance, Michael Moiseyev.
Both guests are with us in Studio A…
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On 88.1, WYPR, broadcasting and streaming live from the performance studio of our sister station, WTMD in Towson, it’s the annual Midday Holiday Concert with Helicon and Friends.
On Saturday, Helicon and a host of other traditional artists will present their 37th annual Winter Solstice Concerts at Goucher College's Kraushaar Auditorium, with shows at 3:30 and 7:30pm.
For many of the past 37 years, the musicians have been appearing here on WYPR the day before those performances with a special musical preview.
Helicon, an acoustic trio formed in 1987 by guitarist Robin Bullock, flutist Chris Norman and master hammer dulcimer player Ken Kolodner, will be joined tomorrow by members of the Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet, which also includes Alex Lacquement and Rachel Eddy, with special returning musician, Scottish National Fiddle Champion Elke Baker.
And Charm City Junction bandleader Brad Kolodner will be joined by Alex Lacquement, Sean McComiskey and Elke Baker.
The Winter Solstice Concerts will also feature six-time North American Step-Dance Champion Jonathon Srour and step-dancer Katie Ortel.
Many, if not quite all, of those folks join host Tom Hall this afternoon here at WYPR's sister station, WTMD.
In addition to today's live radio broadcast and our audio livestream at the WYPR home page, we also streamed live video of today’s Holiday Concert on the WYPR YouTube page, so you can check us out there, too.
Special thanks to Audio Engineer Charlie Hughes, WTMD Assistant Chief Engineer Megan Amoss, WTMD/WYPR Director of Events and Community Engagement Sam Sessa, and the staff of WTMD for hosting Midday at their performance studio in Towson.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. \
Today, she tells us about the North American touring company production of Jagged Little Pill, now on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
Based on singer Alanis Morissette's hit 1995 album of the same name, this new Tony and Grammy Award-winning Broadway musical tells a more complex story of "a perfectly imperfect American family," wrapped in renditions of songs from the potent, platinum-selling album.
With lyrics credited to Alanis Morissette, music & lyrics credited to Morissette and Glen Ballard, and book by Diablo Cody, the high-energy musical is directed by Diane Paulus, with music supervision by Tom Kitt.
Jagged Little Pill continues at The Hippodrome through Sunday, December 18. Click the links for more information.
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How important is customer service to you? In addition to valuing the quality of the product you’re buying, how much do you value the quality of service you received when buying that product?
Tom's first guest today developed a research tool that is used to track people’s overall satisfaction with their consumer experience. Claes Fornell is the Distinguished Donald C. Cook Emeritus Professor of Business at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, and the founder and chairman of the CFI Group. The tool Professor Fornell and his team developed is called the American Customer Satisfaction Index, or ACSI.
Claes Fornell joins us on Zoom from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Then, Tom speaks with Angie Barnett, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland. From porch pirates who steal packages, sometimes within seconds of their being delivered, to internet scams designed to take over your computer and/or your wallet, to all manner of other larcenous schemes, the holidays present opportunities for nefarious characters to prey on folks, especially older folks. We'll talk about what we can do to guard against these scams.
Angie Barnett joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Today on Midday, it's Reporters' Notebook, and Tom catches up with three reporters to discuss some of the great reporting they have done about vacant housing, climate change remediation, and education.
Tom's first guest is Justin Fenjustin fentonton, from our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.He’s been writing about the swarm of foreign investors who are buying some of Baltimore’s huge stock of vacant houses, in the hope of renovating and renting them. But they are running into a myriad of problems.
Justin Fenton joins us on Zoom.
Then, Tom is joined in Studio A by WYPR’s Baltimore County and environment reporter John Lee. He tells us about the historic community of Turner’s Station, and the challenges they are facing with chronic flooding. It’s part of John Lee's new environmental series, Climate Change in Your Backyard.You can find all the reports to date on the WYPR website.
Tom's final guest today is WYPR education reporter Zshekinah Collier, who discusses some of the latest developments in the region's school systems. Zshekinah Collier joins us in Studio A.
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Today on Midday, it’s Midday on Cars,with our good friend, John Davis, the creator, producer and host of MotorWeek,now in its 42nd season. MotorWeekis the longest running automotive show on TV. It's produced by Maryland Public television (MPT) and syndicated on more than 90% of PBS stations across the country.
Gas prices are coming down. From a peak of $5 per gallon in a lot of places earlier this year, we’re back down to a national average of $3.26. That’s lower than it was a year ago at this time.
The inventory of new cars is up. Dealers are trying to sell about 1.6 million new vehicles, the most they’ve had on hand all year.
California has passed into law a requirement that 35% of new car sales be electric vehicles by 2026. That’s just three years away. Will Maryland follow suit, and how quickly will ICEs (internal combustion engines) go the way of the dinosaur?
John Davis is with us for the hour today to take your questions and comments about all things automotive. If you’re in the market for a new car, what are you thinking of buying? What’s your experience been so far on the new or used market? How are you feeling about going electric?
John Davis joins Tom in Studio A…
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Joining Tom now is Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh.
After serving in the Maryland House of Delegates for eight years and the Maryland Senate for 20 years, he was elected to be the state’s chief legal officer in 2014, the same year that Gov. Larry Hogan was elected governor.
Frosh, a Democrat, has not always seen eye-to-eye with the governor, and just a couple of months ago, he was involved in a public dispute with the Baltimore State’s Attorney, Marilyn Mosby, a fellow Democrat.
Next month, he will retire at the end of this, his second term. He’ll be succeeded by Congressman Anthony Brown, who won election as Attorney General by a wide margin in November.
As Attorney General Frosh leaves office, we’ve invited him to the show today to reflect on his tenure in office.
Brian Frosh joins Tom in Studio A...
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The Baltimore City Fire Department has been reeling lately following revelations contained in a damning internal report about a vacant house fire on Stricker Street last January that claimed the lives of three firefighters, the sudden resignation of Chief Niles Ford, and a meeting last week with the City Council in which department heads told members of the City Council that its fleet of vehicles is severely depleted.
To discuss these developments, Tom speaks with Joshua Fannon, a Battalion Chief with the Baltimore Fire Department, and the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 964, the union that represents Baltimore fire officers…
Joshua Fannon joins Tom in Studio A.
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Midday on Musiccontinuesnow in the studio of our sister station, WTMD in Towson, where we are fortunate to be joined by members of the Mount Vernon Virtuosi Cello Gang. The founder of the Virtuosi is Amit Peled, an internationally acclaimed ‘cellist and conductor and, for the past two decades, a professor at Hopkins' Peabody Institute conservatory.
Peled founded the Mount Vernon Virtuosi five years ago to provide professional opportunities for young musicians, and to bring music to people young and old throughout the Baltimore-Washington area, in venues that are not restricted to just concert halls.
The Mount Vernon Virtuosi Cello Gang is a rotating ensemble composed of Peled and five of his gifted Peabody student cellists who frequently tour the country. The Gang currently includes Shawn Hsu, Paul Lee, Rachel Taylor, Natalia Vilchis and Jiaoyang Xu.
For today's Midday mini-concert, the group performs three distinctive works beautifully arranged for six cellos: Georg Golterman's Serenade, Op.119, No. 2; Sergei Rachmaninoff's Vocalise; and a medley arrangement of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah and George David Weiss's What a Wonderful World.
Amit Peled and his Cello Gang's performance today previews their concerts in Montgomery County, Maryland, this weekend. They'll be playing on Saturday, December 10 at 4pm at the Spencerville Church in Silver Spring.On Sunday, December 11, they will play two shows at the Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, at 2:00 and 4:00pm. Click the links for more details.
You can find video of today’s performances by the Mount Vernon Virtuosi ‘Cello Gang on the WYPR YouTube page.
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Today, it’s Midday on Music. A little later we’ll hear from the ‘cellist Amit Peled and his Mt. Vernon Virtuosi ‘Cello Gang. But we begin with the composer and flutistAllison Loggins Hull.
This Sunday afternoon, the celebrated singer-songwriter Toshi Reagon will team-up with the contemporary music ensemble Alarm Will Sound to present the world premiere of a new song cycle by Toshi Reagon and Allison Loggins-Hull. It’s called Love Always. It’s inspired by the African American tradition of elders writing letters to their children.
In addition to composing, Allison Loggins Hull is also an accomplished flute player. She and the flutist and composer Natalie Joachim perform together in a duet called Flutronix. Here’s a sample of their work, from the album City of Breath. The tune is called FlockAllison Loggins Hull joins us on Zoom from Montclair, New Jersey.
Love Alwaysis receiving its premiere at the University of MD’s Clarice Center in College Park. The concert starts at 3:00. It features Toshi Reagon and Alarm Will Sound. Follow the link for more details.
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In his new book,Stop the Road: Stories from the Trenches of Baltimore’s Road Wars, retired city planner E. Evans Paull tells the story of transportation plans that were overtly racist, and disastrously short-sighted. Had it not been for the tenacious efforts of neighborhood activists, some of Baltimore’s most cherished and beloved historic neighborhoods would be very different places today.
Those activists saved places like Fells Point, the Inner Harbor and Canton. Other, mostly Black neighborhoods didn’t survive the onslaught of highways intended to accommodate white suburbanites. Places like Rosemont on the West Side were destroyed. More than 1,500 residents were displaced. Dozens of businesses, even a school were eliminated in the service of a stretch of highway that was begun, but eventually halted after years of organized opposition.
The stories of the infamous Highway to Nowhere and the planned East-West Expressway are chronicled in Stop the Road. Author E. Evans Paull joins Tom today in Studio A…
Klaus Philipsen, an urban planner, community activist and president of the Baltimore architectural firm ArchPlan, Inc., is the author of Baltimore: Reinventing an Industrial Legacy City. He joins us to talk about some of the lessons that can be learned from the mistakes of the past. Klaus Philipsen is with us in Studio A as well.
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Evans Paull discusses Stop the Road and signs copies of his book tonight (Thursday, Dec. 8) from 7-8:30pm at Snug Books in Baltimore. For directions and more information, click here.
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Mobile sports betting has arrived in Maryland. On November 23rd — just in time for the Thanksgiving onslaught of football and the World Cup — Marylanders were allowed to place wagers on their phones. In these early weeks of legalized mobile betting, from TV to Twitter, we have been bombarded with ads trying to entice us to register with one or more of seven “sportsbooks,” as the betting apps are called, which will enable us to bet on all manner of things related to professional and some other sports. Three more state-approved sportsbooks are on the way soon.
Today on Midday, a conversation about what sports betting means for Maryland, what the experience of other states has been, and what worries those who treat people with gambling addictions.
According to the website Gaming Today, in most markets, more than 70% of sports betting is done online. In some states, such as New York and New Jersey, that percentage rises to 90%.
And the amount of money being wagered is astonishing. Last January, the first month that mobile betting was allowed in New York, $1.7 billion dollars was wagered on sporting events.
Tom's first guest is Pamela Wood, who covers Maryland politics and has reported on the state's gaming boom for our news partner, the Baltimore Banner.Pamela Wood joins us on our digital line.
Then, Tom is joined on Zoom by Bennett Conlin, a writer who covers sports betting for the SportsHandle and US Bets online sites. He gives us an overview of how mobile betting is working in nearby states, some of which started their mobile betting programs a while ago.
Later in the program, Tom speaks with Rob White, a licensed clinical professional counselor and director of the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling at the University of Maryland School of Medicine about his concerns with making gambling so easy and accessible. Mr. White joins us on Zoom.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Maryland’s senior senator, Ben Cardin.
The senator is a longtime member of the Foreign Relations Committee. He was at the COP 27 Climate Change Conference last month in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, alongside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as they led their respective US congressional delegations at the summit. When President Joe Biden addressed the gathering, he pledged the US would do its part to avert “climate-hell,” but meeting clean energy goals and helping developing countries transition to clean energy remain a heavy lift.
And, as winter takes hold in Ukraine what’s next for US support of the war effort there? Russia continues to target key infrastructure sites, denying power and water to millions of people across the country. Next month in Washington, when the GOP assumes its narrow majority in the House, Republicans have targeted Ukraine aid, sending signals that they are less inclined to continue US help.
Plus, what do the social unrest and protests in the authoritative regimes in Iran and China portend for the future?Sen. Cardin is also the chair of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. He’s sponsored a bill to re-authorize support for small businesses from the Small Business Administration.
Ben Cardin has been a fixture in Maryland and then national politics since he was first elected to the Maryland General Assembly in 1967. Twenty years later he was elected to the House of Representatives, and twenty years after that, he was elected to the US Senate.
Senator Cardin joins us on Zoom from his Senate office on Capitol Hill.
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It’s the Midday Healthwatch, with Dr. Leana Wen.
COVID numbers are up, compounded by big increases in rates of influenza and RSV. Is there a full blown COVID surge on the way in the US? Experts fear that there may be a surge in China. Will highly transmissible Omicron variants prove to be too much for China’s zero-COVID policy to handle?
And the advances made in telemedicine during the pandemic made healthcare more accessible for millions of people. Will policy makers make sure that access continues?
Democrats and the Biden Administration have promised to lower the cost of prescription drugs. In a column in the Washington Post, Dr. Wen profiled Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, the first Black woman to lead the Center for Medicare and Medicaid, and the woman charged with overseeing the drug pricing program, and a host of other programs.
We'll discuss these and other topics today...
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is a former health commissioner of Baltimore and an emergency physician. She teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post. She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theatre critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, Judy shares her thoughts on Macabaret, the whimsically macabre musical revue now on stage at Baltimore's Stillpointe Theatre.
Written by Scott Keys and Rob Hartmann, Macabaret is a collection of darkly humorous story-songs dealing with everything from murderous spouses and evil cows to the Andrews Sisters and OJ Simpson. The Stillpointe Theatre cast is directed by Amanda Rife, with musical direction by Stacey Antoine.
Macabaret continues at Stillpointe Theatre through December 10. Click the show link for more information.
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Today, we begin the hour with another installment of Midday at the Movies, our monthly convo about films and filmmaking. Tom's guest is one of our favorite film aficionados: Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater, who joins us on Zoom.
(Our other regular movie maven, Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday, was unable to join us today, but she'll return next month.)
The Maryland Film Festival was in the news last month for reasons that have disappointed movie fans who look forward to the annual long weekend of screenings every spring. The Board of Directors of the festival announced on the festival website that the 2023 event will not take place until 2024, saving the organization some money, and giving time for the board and staff to do some thinking about the best way to adjust to the realities of a pandemic-impacted movie industry that has not recovered from the collective hit to the solar-plexus that COVID 19 comprised.
We’ve talked a lot on this show about how movie-going habits have changed; streaming is having an obvious effect, and competition remains fierce.
Join our conversation. We’d like to know your reaction to the news that the Maryland Film Festival has been postponed until 2024. What’s your take on deciding whether to go to a theater or to stream the films you want to see?...
And we'll also be talking about some of the many new films — from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and the #MeToo movement docudrama, She Said, to director Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans — that are being released by year's end so they can be considered for the Oscars.
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Joining Tom now is Democratic Congressman and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. He has represented southern Maryland's 5th District in the House since 1981 and was just re-elected to his 22nd term, making him far and away the longest-serving member of Congress in Maryland's history.
And he has also earned an important place in American history. He has been an influential and consequential part of Democratic leadership for nearly half of his four decades in Congress.
Along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Whip James Clyburn, Hoyer will step aside from his two-decade tenure in senior leadership when the new Congress convenes next month. On Wednesday, Representatives Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Pete Aguilar of California were elected by the Democratic caucus to be the new leadership team.
Rep. Steny Hoyer joins us on Zoom from his office in Washington, D.C.
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Once again, murders in our city continue to be committed with alarming, frightening and painful frequency. As you’ve undoubtedly heard, more than 300 people have been killed in Baltimore for the 8th consecutive year.
The horrible count stands at 308 as of this morning. That’s exactly the number of people killed up to this date last year. 652 people have been wounded by gunfire in 2022, three fewer than as of this date in 2021.
There are bright spots to point to. In the Western district, typically one of the city’s most violent, homicides are down 35%. That’s the district where a pilot program of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy has been in place for the past 11 months.
On Monday here on Midday,Tom spoke with Shantay Jackson,the director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement about her team’s work implementing the violence prevention plan that Mayor Brandon Scott rolled out in the summer of 2021.
Tomorrow on Midday, Tom will speak with Mayor Scott.
Tom's guest today is Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison. He was appointed as our city’s top cop in 2019 after successfully overseeing a decrease in crime in his native New Orleans.
Commissioner Harrison, who is recovering from a bout of influenza, joins us on Zoom…
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The elections this month produced historic results as regards representation of African Americans in the electoral hierarchy of Baltimore City and the state of MD. The governor, attorney general, state superintendent of schools and state treasurer are all accomplished Black men. Here in Baltimore City, Black male leaders include the Mayor, the City Council President, the comptroller, the city state’s attorney and the police commissioner.
This is not to say that Black women have not also risen to positions in which they have shaped the trajectory of Baltimore and the state. The Speaker of the House in Annapolis, Del. Adrienne Jones and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks’ endorsements of Wes Moore for Governor were considered a considerable boost to his nascent political career. Not too long ago, the Mayor of Baltimore, the State’s Attorney, the City Council President, even the head of the Enoch Pratt Library were prominent African American women.
A few weeks ago, the Rev. Kevin Slayton, an activist and preacher who has been involved in politics and policy for years, wrote an op-ed in the Baltimore Sunin which he stated that the representation of African Americans in the halls of power could all be, quote, “the revelation of hopes our ancestors dreamed about.” But for many Black men in America, those dreams are deferred by endemic racism, poverty, and a host of other formidable challenges.
Dr. Slayton has called for a convening of elected Black officials to explore what can be done to help Black men succeed. What would such a convening look like? What could it accomplish? That’s what we want to talk about today, here on Midday.
Rev. Kevin Slayton is the senior pastor at Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church, and an adjunct professor at Lancaster Theological Seminary. He joins Tom here in Studio A…
Also joining us is Dr. Lester Spence, a Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University, who specializes in the study of black, racial, and urban politics. Dr. Spence joins us on Zoom.
And later in the program, we welcome Rep. Kweisi Mfume to the conversation. Congressman Mfume earlier this month won re-election to serve in Congress representing the 7th District. He speaks with us on Zoom.
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And now, another installment in our occasional series, Midday in the Neighborhood, which we are producing in conjunction with our partners at the Baltimore Banner.
Today, we turn our focus to Little Italy, a historic neighborhood filled with great places to eat, and families whose legacies extend back for generations.
Joining Tom in Studio A is Baltimore Banner neighborhood reporter Clara Longo de Freitas, who covers communities on the east side of the city…
Mary Ann Campanella joins us as well, via Zoom from her home in Little Italy. A lifelong resident and community activist in the enclave, she is featured in a recent Banner story that Clara and Jasmine Vaughn-Hall wrote about people who are living in their childhood homes…
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Last week, for the eighth consecutive year, Baltimore reached the grim milestone of more than 300 homicides in the year, with a month still to go. There are those who insist on telling the story of our city by focusing on the number of murders. But to tell it only through the lens of crime is, of course, to tell our city’s story incompletely, and it does a disservice to those who help make Baltimore’s story a positive one.
But the murder rate is definitely something to which political and law enforcement leaders should be held accountable. Mayor Brandon Scott made promises about the rate at which violence in our city would be reduced that he has not been able to keep. Two years ago, Scott promised a 15% annual reduction in the number of annual murders. That goal remains merely an aspiration.
It's not that the Mayor hasn’t thought about how to improve this situation. In July of last year, he released a five year, comprehensive violence prevention plan. At the heart of this plan is GVRS, or Group Violence Reduction Strategy, launched in partnership with the Baltimore Police Department, the State’s Attorney’s Office and federal partners.
A pilot program of GVRS has been in place for almost a year in the Western Police District. Has it been effective, and is it ready to be scaled up to other areas in the city?
The plan is overseen by Shantay Jackson, who directs the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, or MONSE. Last June, a year after the plan was released, Ms. Jackson faced a frustrated Baltimore City Council, many of whose members expressed impatience with the pace of improvement.
As 2022 nears a close, we’ve invited Director Jackson to be with us today to explain what the Group Violence Reduction Strategy is, and to assess its value moving forward.
MONSE Director Shantay Jackson joins us on Zoom…
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(This conversation first aired on September 28, 2022)
Good afternoon and welcome to an archive edition of Midday.
This past Wednesday - the night before Thanksgiving - a beloved Baltimore television newsman made his final appearance in a newscast, before retiring after a 52-year career. Stan Stovall is an award-winning news anchor who has been a fixture on local television for decades. In 1971, at a station in Phoenix, Arizona, Stan became the youngest anchor in the United States, and the first African American anchor in the state of Arizona. He was 18 years old. His career behind the desk and in the field has taken him to Philadelphia and St. Louis, and as a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs, he has reported from Southeast Asia, Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
But it is his work at WMAR and WBAL that has endeared him to generations of viewers in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
Stan first joined the team at WBAL in 1978, and after about six years, he moved to WMAR TV, the ABC affiliate in Baltimore, where he sat at the anchor desk for 13 years. He re-joined WBAL in 2003. For a while, he anchored the morning broadcast, which began at 5:00 AM, and every day, he came back to the station to lead the 5:00 PM newscast. In 2013, he was named anchor of the 6:00 and 11:00 broadcasts.
This past September, he was inducted into the Gold Circle by the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, in honor of his 50 + years in TV broadcasting. A Gold Circle award is an honor that has been bestowed on only 23 people.
Having made the decision to step away from the anchor desk, we thought it would be great to ask Stan to reflect on his career. As you will hear him explain when he spoke with Tom Hall in late September, the exact date of his final broadcast was a closely held secret.
This Thanksgiving weekend is the first weekend in what we hope will be Stan's long and happy retirement.
Stan Stovall joined Tom in Studio A.
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It's the 7th anniversary edition of the universally beloved What Ya Got Cookin'? Pre-Thanksgiving Special here on Midday.
Thursday will mark the third Thanksgiving with COVID hovering over the table. COVID infections and infections from other viruses are on the rise. The Maryland Department of Health reports 18 deaths from COVID related disease in the last 24 hours. Twenty-three people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in Maryland yesterday. But lots of people have been vaccinated and boosted against COVID, and life is a whole lot more normal than it was over the last two Thanksgiving Days.
Our mission here on Midday is simple: we've got two wonderful chefs at your disposal to share recipes and tips to help make your Thanksgiving dinner a delicious and memorable affair.
John Shields is a chef and the proprietor of Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen at the Baltimore Museum of Art. His latest book is The New Chesapeake Kitchen…
Chef Damian Mosley is the creative force behind Blacksauce Kitchen, which you can find at the Waverly Farmer’s Market and at their storefront on 29th Street in Remington…
And we’ll also check in with Tom's mom, Rosemary Hall, to find out what she’s bringing to Thanksgiving with his nephew in South Carolina.
Whatever you love about Thanksgiving, we’d love to hear about it. What are your family food traditions? Which of the six million ways to make cranberry sauce will you choose tomorrow? Who’s coming to your place, or whose place are you going to?Let’s talk, and let’s share with each other the things we love about Thanksgiving, culinary or otherwise.
A FEW OF THE RECIPES MENTIONED ON TODAY'S SHOW:
Rosemary Hall (Tom's mom) recommends:Katie Lee’s (Food Network) Santa Brownie Bites
Chef John Shields recommends:
Champagne Cabbage & ApplesJohn notes: “Not that I really understand the concept, but some people just do not like sauerkraut—go figure. But I found a solution--a little devious, but a solution nevertheless. And here it is: a braised champagne “kraut,” with ginger, caraway, and a goodly amount of tart apples. The secret is rinsing the sauerkraut well under cold water, and then the kraut naysayers will enjoy a plateful extolling the virtues of cabbage, and, of course, champagne. Honestly, whether you like kraut or not, this dish really is a crowd pleaser.”
Serves 8
6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 jars (2 pounds each) sauerkraut, rinsed in cold water several times and drained
2 cups dry champagne
1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350°F.In a heavy ovenproof pot, melt the butter, and if using, render the bacon for a few minutes. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic.
Sauté for 4 minutes. Add the apples and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
Place the rinsed sauerkraut into the pot. Pour in the champagne, caraway seed, salt, and pepper. Toss together and bring to a boil.
Cover tightly and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Maple-Glazed Sweet PotatoesJohn notes: “Sweet potatoes play a major role in the kitchens of the Bay, and I play the role of chief cook at family holiday gatherings. I would be in the doghouse if I did not prepare this traditional dish, in which the cooked sweet potatoes are glazed with an orange-scented maple syrup and topped with black walnuts. Be careful about eating the sweet potatoes piping hot: They tend to stick to the lips.”
Serves 4 to 6
6 large sweet potatoes
¾ cup (firmly packed) brown sugar
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
¼ cup maple syrup
Grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
½ cup chopped black walnuts
Preheat the oven to 375°F.Generously butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and boil until just tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Drain and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into quarters and spread in the baking dish.
Combine the brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, butter, maple syrup, orange zest, and orange juice in a heavy-bottomed pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil, and cook until the mixture forms a syrup, about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup over the yams and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potatoes and boil until just tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Drain and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them into quarters and spread in the baking dish.
Combine the brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, butter, maple syrup, orange zest, and orange juice in a heavy-bottomed pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar, bring to a boil, and cook until the mixture forms a syrup, about 5 minutes.
Pour the syrup over the yams and sprinkle with the chopped nuts.
Cover the baking dish tightly with foil.Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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Donald Trump has announced his third candidacy for the US presidency, amid growing calls from some Republicans to move past Trump and on to a new generation of leaders. If that happens, and we do move into a post-Trump era, will Maryland Governor Larry Hogan impress Republicans as a model for how the GOP can attract a diverse coalition of support?
Tom's guest today explores that hypothesis in her new book by taking a close look at Hogan’s rise in Maryland politics. Dr. Mileah Kromer directs the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College, which runs the esteemed Goucher Poll of Maryland public opinion.
Dr. Kromer examines how Hogan, a Republican in a deeply Democratic state, won two elections, and over two terms, enjoyed some of the highest approval ratings of any Governor in the country.
The book is called Blue-State Republican: How Larry Hogan Won Where Republicans Lose and Lessons for a Future GOP.
Mileah Kromer joins Tom today in Studio A…
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The Maryland State Board of Elections will meet this afternoon to certify the results of the state's November 8 midterm elections, so the results should be official by about 3:00.
Tom's guest for the hour today is Sen. Chris Van Hollen. The Democrat from Montgomery County won a resounding victory on November 8, being re-elected to a second term and besting his Republican challenger, Chris Chaffee, by about 30 points.
Sen. Van Hollen’s margin of victory was slightly larger than that of Governor-elect Wes Moore, who also garnered sizeable support in reliably Republican districts throughout the state. What does an electoral result like this mean, in terms of the mandate the Senator and his fellow Democrats have been given, as he returns to a Capitol Hill that will be markedly different than it’s been during his first term?
Republicans will control the House and House Democrats will have new leadership. Democrats still control the Senate, and their majority could be increased by one, if Sen. Raphael Warnock is able to hold off a challenge in the Georgia runoff race with the Republican nominee, Herschel Walker.
Senator Chris Van Hollen joins us on Zoomfrom his office on Capitol Hill.
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Now, we turn to a grammarian who has written a terrific book that recounts her experience at the Grammar Table, a pop-up resource about grammar questions she set up at a card table in the park near her Manhattan apartment in 2018, and which she has since carried to all 50 states. The book is called Rebel With a Clause: Tales and Tips from a Roving Grammarian.
We're delighted that the book's author, Ellen Jovin, is with us, and that we’re setting up the Grammar Table, virtually, here on Midday.
So, word-nerds, let’s hear from you! What are your questions about grammar and usage? How do you handle the Oxford comma? Are you a single-spacer or a double-spacer in-between sentences? And most importantly, how do feel about or my personal favorite: the distinction between the restrictive and nonrestrictive appositive?
Ellen Jovin joins us on Zoom, from New York…
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Yesterday, a judge blocked the plea deal that had been reached between the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office and defense attorneys for the teenage squeegee worker charged in the murder of Timothy Reynolds on July 7th.
We begin the hour today with David Jaros, a law professor and faculty director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Dave Jaros joins Tom here in Studio A…
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It's time again for a visit with Midday's peripatetic theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the North American touring company production of Pulitzer-Prize winning playwrightKatori Hall's 2019 Broadway hit, Tina: the Tina Turner Musical, currently in the middle of a 6-day run at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
The show, co-written by Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, is filled with Tina Turner's greatest hits, and portrays the singer's many challenges on her journey to becoming the Queen of Rock n Roll.
Acclaimed director Phyllida Lloyd leads the show's 30-member cast, with Zurin Villanueva and Naomi Rodgers sharing the title role. Music direction is by Alvin Hough, Jr.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical continues at the Hippodrome Theatre through Sunday, November 20. Follow the show link for more information.
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With Thanksgiving just a week away, we thought it was a good time to touch base with Monica Reinagel, the Nutrition Diva. She can set us straight about some myths concerning weight gain and weight loss, and she can offer some tips for not inflicting too much damage to the waistline at Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays.
Monica Reinagel is a licensed nutritionist and the author of six books, including Nutrition Diva’s Secrets for a Healthy Diet. She’s the host of the Nutrition Over Easy website, and the creator of the weekly Nutrition Diva podcast, which has been one of Apple Podcasts/iTunes' most highly ranked health and fitness podcasts since it debuted in 2008.
She also co-hosts a podcast called Change Academy, with fitness and movement coach Brock Armstrong.
Monica Reinagel joins us on Zoom, and she welcomes your questions and comments as well...
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Tom's guest today is an artist who defies categorization and whose creative outlets span an array of genres.
Dessa is a Minneapolis-born rapper, composer, poet, writer, and the host of Deeply Human, a podcast about science. She has given TED talks and speeches about entrepreneurship and art. She’s the author of a memoir in essays called My Own Devices. Her latest book is a collection of poetry called Tits on the Moon.
Here's a link to a Dessa composition called Velodrome, in a recording of a live performance with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Dessa is spending a few days at Johns Hopkins University here in Baltimore as an artist in residence. She’s giving a concert at the Ottobar at 8pm this Thursday night, sharing the bill with a great local band, Outcalls.
Dessa joins Tom today in Studio A …
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Tom's guest today is an artist who defies categorization and whose creative outlets span an array of genres.
Dessa is a Minneapolis-born rapper, composer, poet, writer, and the host of Deeply Human, a podcast about science. She has given TED talks and speeches about entrepreneurship and art. She’s the author of a memoir in essays called My Own Devices. Her latest book is a collection of poetry called Tits on the Moon.
Here's a link to a Dessa composition called Velodrome, in a recording of a live performance with the Minnesota Orchestra.
Dessa is spending a few days at Johns Hopkins University here in Baltimore as an artist in residence. She’s giving a concert at the Ottobar at 8pm this Thursday night, sharing the bill with a great local band, Outcalls.
Dessa joins Tom today in Studio A …
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Yesterday, the Baltimore Banner reported that the teenager currently charged as an adult with first degree murder in the killing of Timothy Reynolds would be offered a deal to plead guilty to manslaughter, and have his case transferred to juvenile court. A judge must approve the deal. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Mr. Reynolds was wielding a bat during an interaction with some squeegee workers in July near the Inner Harbor, which ended with his murder.
Following that tragic incident, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott convened a group of business leaders, city officials, health care workers and young people who squeegee to develop recommendations as to how to move those who squeegee off city streets and into alternatives.
The group is called the Squeegee Collaborative, and they have released an action plan that Tom discusses today with two of the co-chairs of the Collaborative.
Joe Jones is the founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Families…
John Brothers is the President of the T Rowe Price Foundation…
They join Tom in Studio A.
The Collaborative's recommendations, like many that have been suggested in the past, are designed to create alternative opportunities for squeegee workers. A little later in the program, we hear from Donte Johnson, the general manager of the Revival Hotel, recently rated by Fodor’s as one of the 21 best hotels in the United States. Johnson, as part of his "squeegee diversion program," has hired several squeegee workers to offer them training in the hospitality industry.
Donte Johnson joins us on Zoom.
And we invite listener comments and questions as well.
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Yesterday, the Baltimore Banner reported that the teenager currently charged as an adult with first degree murder in the killing of Timothy Reynolds would be offered a deal to plead guilty to manslaughter, and have his case transferred to juvenile court. A judge must approve the deal. A hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
Mr. Reynolds was wielding a bat during an interaction with some squeegee workers in July near the Inner Harbor, which ended with his murder.
Following that tragic incident, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott convened a group of business leaders, city officials, health care workers and young people who squeegee to develop recommendations as to how to move those who squeegee off city streets and into alternatives.
The group is called the Squeegee Collaborative, and they have released an action plan that Tom discusses today with two of the co-chairs of the Collaborative.
Joe Jones is the founder and CEO of the Center for Urban Families…
John Brothers is the President of the T Rowe Price Foundation…
They join Tom in Studio A.
The Collaborative's recommendations, like many that have been suggested in the past, are designed to create alternative opportunities for squeegee workers. A little later in the program, we hear from Donte Johnson, the general manager of the Revival Hotel, recently rated by Fodor’s as one of the 21 best hotels in the United States. Johnson, as part of his "squeegee diversion program," has hired several squeegee workers to offer them training in the hospitality industry.
Donte Johnson joins us on Zoom.
And we invite listener comments and questions as well.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is a young singer from Los Angeles who is taking the jazz world by storm. Her name is Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, who performs as Tawanda.
Tawanda is the co-winner of the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. She’s singing a set here in Baltimore at Keystone Korner on Wednesday night, and she joins us here on Midday today on Zoom, from Los Angeles…
Tawanda's new album is called Smile. She will be performing one set only on Wednesday night at 7:30 at Keystone Korner. Click here for ticketing info.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is a young singer from Los Angeles who is taking the jazz world by storm. Her name is Tawanda Suessbrich-Joaquim, who performs as Tawanda.
Tawanda is the co-winner of the 2021 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. She’s singing a set here in Baltimore at Keystone Korner on Wednesday night, and she joins us here on Midday today on Zoom, from Los Angeles…
Tawanda's new album is called Smile. She will be performing one set only on Wednesday night at 7:30 at Keystone Korner. Click here for ticketing info.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, a segment we call Midday in the Neighborhood. Before the COVID pandemic, we took the time, now and then, to introduce listeners to various neighborhoods throughout the city of Baltimore. There are 278 named communities in our city, and many of them are not well known to folks city-wide.
Our series went on hiatus after COVID struck, and we're leased to revive it today with the help of our partner news organization, the Baltimore Banner.
Banner reporter Jasmine Vaughn-Hall joins us. She covers West Baltimore, and along with her colleague, Clara Longo de Freitas, she has posted a story this morning on the Banner website about two neighborhoods in Baltimore: Allendale in the Southwest part of the city, and Little Italy, just east of the Inner Harbor.
Jasmine Vaughan-Halljoins us on Zoom.
Also with us is Betty Fenner-Davis, a fashion and costume designer who has returned to Allendale, the community she grew up in, and who is featured in Jasmine's and Clara's story today.
Betty Fenner-Davis joins us by phone.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, a segment we call Midday in the Neighborhood. Before the COVID pandemic, we took the time, now and then, to introduce listeners to various neighborhoods throughout the city of Baltimore. There are 278 named communities in our city, and many of them are not well known to folks city-wide.
Our series went on hiatus after COVID struck, and we're leased to revive it today with the help of our partner news organization, the Baltimore Banner.
Banner reporter Jasmine Vaughn-Hall joins us. She covers West Baltimore, and along with her colleague, Clara Longo de Freitas, she has posted a story this morning on the Banner website about two neighborhoods in Baltimore: Allendale in the Southwest part of the city, and Little Italy, just east of the Inner Harbor.
Jasmine Vaughan-Halljoins us on Zoom.
Also with us is Betty Fenner-Davis, a fashion and costume designer who has returned to Allendale, the community she grew up in, and who is featured in Jasmine's and Clara's story today.
Betty Fenner-Davis joins us by phone.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin the hour with Midday on Politics.
The US Senate will stay in Democratic hands, following the victory of incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada. She beat a Trump-endorsed and heavily financed Republican opponent, Adam Laxalt.
Attention has turned to the House, where control hinges on several races in California that are yet to be decided. And, any time attention turns away from Donald Trump, he tends to do his best to redirect it back where it belongs. For more than a week, he has hyped a big announcement for tomorrow, when he may announce his candidacy for president.
A whole bunch of Republicans want him to keep that decision out of the headlines until the Senate runoff election in Georgia between incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock and the Trump-backed Republican, Herschel Walker, is over. But Mr. Trump doesn’t have a long tradition of accepting the counsel of many Republicans. And he certainly doesn’t have a very successful history in advocating for Republicans in the House and Senate.
Tom's guest is Eugene Scott, a national political reporter with the Washington Post.
Eugene Scott joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin the hour with Midday on Politics.
The US Senate will stay in Democratic hands, following the victory of incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto in Nevada. She beat a Trump-endorsed and heavily financed Republican opponent, Adam Laxalt.
Attention has turned to the House, where control hinges on several races in California that are yet to be decided. And, any time attention turns away from Donald Trump, he tends to do his best to redirect it back where it belongs. For more than a week, he has hyped a big announcement for tomorrow, when he may announce his candidacy for president.
A whole bunch of Republicans want him to keep that decision out of the headlines until the Senate runoff election in Georgia between incumbent Democrat Raphael Warnock and the Trump-backed Republican, Herschel Walker, is over. But Mr. Trump doesn’t have a long tradition of accepting the counsel of many Republicans. And he certainly doesn’t have a very successful history in advocating for Republicans in the House and Senate.
Tom's guest is Eugene Scott, a national political reporter with the Washington Post.
Eugene Scott joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Politics.
Tom's first guest today isHeather Mizeur. She is a former delegate from Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly. For the past several years, she and her wife have lived on a farm near Chestertown. In 2014, she ran for governor, losing to Anthony Brown in the Democratic primary. And this year, she ran for the US Congress in the first district, against the incumbent Republican Rep. Andy Harris. Harris prevailed in that race, as he has on 6 previous occasions.
Harris won by a large margin, drawing 56.7% of the vote to Mizeur’s 40.8%, according to the MD State Board of Elections' unofficial results as of Friday (11/11). That margin is about the same as the one Democrat Jesse Colvin lost by in 2018, the last midterm challenge to Harris. But Heather Mizeur mounted a vigorous and broad-based campaign in the heavily Republican district. She raised more money than Rep. Harris, and she actively engaged his supporters.
We've invited Mizeur to join us today to reflect on the campaign, and the lessons that she learned, and the lessons that we all can learn. Heather Mizeur joins us on Zoom from Chestertown.
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Pamela Wood, who covers politics and government for WYPR's partner news organization, the Baltimore Banner,about the transition between MD Gov. Larry Hogan's administration and the incoming administration of Governor-elect Wes Moore.
Pamela Wood joins us on Zoom.
Then, we take a look at the latest developments in the epic battle to retain or acquire a majority in the US Congress. Tom's final guest today is Theo Meyer, a national political reporter with the Washington Post,and co-author of the Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Politics.
Tom's first guest today isHeather Mizeur. She is a former delegate from Montgomery County in the Maryland General Assembly. For the past several years, she and her wife have lived on a farm near Chestertown. In 2014, she ran for governor, losing to Anthony Brown in the Democratic primary. And this year, she ran for the US Congress in the first district, against the incumbent Republican Rep. Andy Harris. Harris prevailed in that race, as he has on 6 previous occasions.
Harris won by a large margin, drawing 56.7% of the vote to Mizeur’s 40.8%, according to the MD State Board of Elections' unofficial results as of Friday (11/11). That margin is about the same as the one Democrat Jesse Colvin lost by in 2018, the last midterm challenge to Harris. But Heather Mizeur mounted a vigorous and broad-based campaign in the heavily Republican district. She raised more money than Rep. Harris, and she actively engaged his supporters.
We've invited Mizeur to join us today to reflect on the campaign, and the lessons that she learned, and the lessons that we all can learn. Heather Mizeur joins us on Zoom from Chestertown.
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Pamela Wood, who covers politics and government for WYPR's partner news organization, the Baltimore Banner,about the transition between MD Gov. Larry Hogan's administration and the incoming administration of Governor-elect Wes Moore.
Pamela Wood joins us on Zoom.
Then, we take a look at the latest developments in the epic battle to retain or acquire a majority in the US Congress. Tom's final guest today is Theo Meyer, a national political reporter with the Washington Post,and co-author of the Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time again for our visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she spotlights the new production of Jordan E Cooper's Ain't No Mo,' now running at Baltimore Center Stage.
The no-holds-barred satirical comedy — a collection of often outlandish sketches about being Black in America — is directed at Center Stage by Lili-Anne Brown. The play is produced in association with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC. A separate production began previews on Broadway on November 9.
Ain't No Mo' continues at Baltimore Center Stage through November 20. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time again for our visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she spotlights the new production of Jordan E Cooper's Ain't No Mo,' now running at Baltimore Center Stage.
The no-holds-barred satirical comedy — a collection of often outlandish sketches about being Black in America — is directed at Center Stage by Lili-Anne Brown. The play is produced in association with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC. A separate production began previews on Broadway on November 9.
Ain't No Mo' continues at Baltimore Center Stage through November 20. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, it’s another installment in our occasional series, Midday on Ethics.**
A computational biologist from Johns Hopkins named Steven Salzberg published a commentary last week on the Hub, a Johns Hopkins University news website, in which he warned of the dangers of creating “superbugs” in labs for purposes of research.
Dr. Salzberg has long been a critic of so called “gain of function” research. What is that, and why do others share Dr. Salzberg’s concerns?
That’s where we’ll begin today on this edition of Midday on Ethics. Tom's guest is our good friend Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Dr. Jeff Kahn joins us today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, it’s another installment in our occasional series, Midday on Ethics.**
A computational biologist from Johns Hopkins named Steven Salzberg published a commentary last week on the Hub, a Johns Hopkins University news website, in which he warned of the dangers of creating “superbugs” in labs for purposes of research.
Dr. Salzberg has long been a critic of so called “gain of function” research. What is that, and why do others share Dr. Salzberg’s concerns?
That’s where we’ll begin today on this edition of Midday on Ethics. Tom's guest is our good friend Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Dr. Jeff Kahn joins us today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
All four of the victors in statewide races here in Maryland made history last night. Governor-elect Wes Moore became only the third African American to be elected Governor in the United States, and the first Black man to lead our state. His running mate, Lt. Governor elect Aruna Miller, is the first immigrant to be elected statewide. Anthony Brown will be Maryland’s first African American Attorney General, and Brooke Lierman will become the state’s first woman to be installed as Comptroller in January.
None of their victories were unexpected. Election-denying candidates backed by former President Donald Trump in MD fared poorly, as did Trump-backed candidates in Pennsylvania, but other races here and across the country are still too close to call.
Today on Midday, recapping and reflecting on the midterms with two keen political observers: Jayne Miller, a veteran reporter who retired this past summer after more than 40 years as an investigative journalist with WBAL-TV. She is with us here in Studio A.
And Josh Kurtz, the founding editor of Maryland Matters, a leading online journal covering news across the state. He joins us on Zoom.
What’s your take on the elections? What issues were most important to you?
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It’s Election Day in America. If you are not registered to vote, you can register when you go to your polling place. Go to the Maryland Board of Elections website to confirm where your polling place is, and bring some form of ID that proves you live in the district you’re voting in.
If you are using a mail-in ballot, you have until 8:00 tonight to drop your ballot in one of the drop boxes in your jurisdiction. If you are going to mail your ballot, it must be postmarked by 8:00 tonight.
Nationally, more than 42 million people have already cast ballots. As of this morning, just under 400,000 people had submitted mail-in ballots here in MD. Another 382,000 voted early, in person. It will be more than a week before we have the final tallies in MD races. It could take even longer in other states.
We hope you will join us tonight for Election Night in Maryland. Tom will be here in Studio A, beginning when the polls close at 8:00. NPR will cover the national races that will determine control of Congress and several Governor’s seats. He'll have election results from across Maryland, as they become available. Again, our special live coverage begins at 8:00.
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Today here on Midday, we’re going to turn our attention to one of the features of city life here in Baltimore that make our city a great and unique place: our city’s markets.
Our system of markets is the oldest in the country, dating from the 1780s. Lexington Market gets a lot of attention as the city’s largest market, but the other city markets scattered throughout the city are also vibrant food emporiums and community hubs.
Tom's guest for the hour today is Paul Ruppert. He is the president and CEO of theBaltimore Public Markets Corporation, the non-profit company runs the city’s six historic markets. They include: Broadway Market, Cross Street Market, Hollins Market, Northeast Market, Avenue Market and the separately incorporated Lexington Market, which is currently re-opening after a four-year, $45 million renovation project.
Paul Ruppert joins Tom in Studio A.
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Baltimore Ceasefire 365 is a community-based organization that for the past five years has been working to end violence in Baltimore. On four weekends each year, they hold events to promote non-violence, and to help those who are in danger or in mourning. And on the Mondays following each Ceasefire Weekend, we have been checking in with Ceasefire 365’s co-organizers.
This past weekend (November 4-6) was another such Ceasefire Weekend, and today, we're delighted to welcome once again, Letrice Gant, who is also Deputy Director of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center. That’s a non-profit organization that since 1995 has been providing free conflict resolution services to communities across the city.
Letrice Gant joins us on Zoom…
Letrice bears witness to our weekly reading of the names of those who lost their lives to violence in Baltimore last week...and she talks about some of the changes the Ceasefire movement is now undergoing to bring a more positive and uplifting message to the communities it serves...
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The last day of voting in this contentious election season is tomorrow. Among the issues Maryland voters will decide is the future of recreational marijuana. What will the impact on youth be, if the referendum passes and cannabis is legalized?
And, as winter approaches, a possible surge in COVID cases isn’t the only cause for concern. Pediatric wards in hospitals around the country are packed with children suffering from RSV, and the flu is back in force as well. What’s the best way to prepare for the challenges that attend colder weather?
Dr. Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is a former health commissioner of Baltimore and an emergency physician. She teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post. She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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The Baltimore Classical Guitar Society is presenting two acclaimed guitarists in concert tomorrow night. One of them is Tom's next guest, Grisha Goryachev. He’s a native of St. Petersburg, Russia, and he is considered a master of not just the classical guitar, but of the fiery and passionate style of Flamenco as well. Grisha Goryachev joins us here in Studio A, and we're happy to say he has brought his guitar…
Grisha Goryachev shares the stage tomorrow night with the fine young guitarist Andrea Gonzalez. Their show begins at 8:00 at the Linehan Concert Hall at UMBC. It’s part of the series produced by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society. Follow the link for details.
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Today, we begin the hour with another installment of Midday at the Movies, our monthly convo about films and filmmaking. We're pleased to have with us again movie mavens Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post, who joins us in Studio A, and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director (ret.) of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater. Jed is with us on Zoom.
Today, we spotlight several new films, including Till, the powerful drama about the events surrounding the 1955 lynching of a 14 year-old Black youth in Mississippi that shocked the nation and ignited the American civil rights movement; and Armageddon Time, a scathing critique of American society.Both films are showing in local theaters only.
Other films mentioned in the conversation today are Todd Field's Tar, a drama starring Cate Blanchett as a fictional female orchestra conductor undergoing an emotional crisis; director Nina Menkes' new documentary about sexism in film, Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power. which Ann Hornaday discusses in her recent piece in the Post; and Alaska Daily, a new ABC series streaming on Hulu about a journalist (Hillary Swank) who seeks a fresh start working for a newspaper in Anchorage, Alaska, that's investigating the disappearance of young Native American women, The series was created by Tom McCarthy, the Oscar-winning creator of “Spotlight.”
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It's time for another visit from Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us every week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's new production of James Goldman's 1966 play, The Lion in Winter, a classic but still-resonant tale of power, political ambition and treachery, told through the travails of the 12th-centuury English king, Henry II, and his wife, Eleanor of Aquitane.
The historical drama, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning 1968 film starring Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn, touches on themes that recur in today's rancorous pre-election American politics.
The play is directed at The Everyman by the theater's founder and artistic director, Vincent Lancisi. His seven-member cast is led by Jefferson Russell as Henry II, and Deborah Hazlett as Eleanor. In supporting roles as the three royal sons are Zack Powell as Geoffrey, Ben Ribler as John and Grant Emerson Harvey as Richard, with Ryan Dalasung playing the young French king, Philip II, and Hannah Kelly playing Alais, Philip's sister (and Henry II's mistress).
The Lion in Winter continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre through November 13.
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Tom's next guest is Devin Allen, the self-trained Baltimore-born artist and photographer who has achieved international renown for his compelling images of social justice protests.
Devin Allen's photo of the 2015 Freddie Gray uprising, and his 2020 image of a Black Trans Lives Matter protest, were separately featured on the covers ofTime Magazine, making him one of just a handful of amateur photographers to have had their work published on that prestigious platform.
His photographs have also appeared in New York Magazine, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Aperture, and are part of the permanent collections of the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, the Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Jule Collins Smith Museum at Auburn University.
He is the founder of Through Their Eyes, a youth photography educational program. He has been honored by The Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture for dynamic leadership in the Arts and Activism. He was the winner of the inaugural 2017 Gordon Parks Foundation Fellowship. Also in 2017, he was nominated for an NAACP Image Award as a debut author for his bookA Beautiful Ghetto.
His new book is called No Justice, No Peace: From the Civil Rights Movement to Black Lives Matter. It's a themed collection of his own photographs with essays on the struggle by a variety of writers interspersed among them, as well as selected historical images by the late great Black photographer, Gordon Parks.
Devin Allen will be speaking about the book and signing copies Thursday evening (tonight) at 5:30 at Spark Baltimore in the Power Plant Live complex in Baltimore. It’s sponsored by our news partners,The Baltimore Banner. For more details on the event, click here.
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Today, we begin the hour with another installment of Midday with the Mayor, our live monthly conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about important issues on his, and the city's, agenda.Today's topic list includes:
- departures of some of the mayor's senior staff;
- school-based violence intervention;
- upgrades to the city's procurement systems; and
- the city's new Cherry Hill Recreation Center.
Your comments and questions are welcome.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Historically, voter turnout in American elections is horrible, and turnout in midterm elections is particularly lousy. But the midterms in 2018 set records for turnout, and with six days left in this cycle, there are indications that turnout this year will rival the historic participation four years ago.
For a long time, common wisdom held that high turnout favored Democrats. At least that’s what Republicans thought, which is why so many GOP dominated state legislators passed so many laws that targeted people of color and restricted access to the polls.
Tom's guest today is Brandi Collins-Dexter, a keen observer of politics, race and the cultural landscape. In her new, first book, she takes a fresh look at the relationship between Black voters and the Democratic party, an alliance that began during the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century. She argues that there are many reasons that old assumptions about that relationship need to be re-examined.
Brandi Collins-Dexter is associate director of research at The Technology and Social Change Project (TaSC), housed in Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy. She is the former Senior Campaign Director at Color of Change, a 7 million-member social justice organization. Her new book is a provocative and persuasive collection of essays called Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future.
Brandi Collins-Dexterwas raised in Chicago. After several years in Oakland, California, she now lives in Baltimore.
She joins us today on Zoom from Dublin, Ireland…
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Today, it’s Midday on Development. Every so often, we talk to the folks who are involved in some of Baltimore’s commercial and residential projects that in many cases are game-changers for the neighborhoods in which they are being built, and for the city at large.
Certainly, there are few game-changing projects in Baltimore that rival the enormity and significance of Port Covington, the 200-acre waterfront development in South Baltimore that will eventually provide a new headquarters for the Under Armour company, and 14 million square feet of retail, residential and office space, along with parks and open areas.
To view videos of the new neighborhood, including a CG fly-through, click here.
Tom's first guest is MaryAnne Gilmartin, the founder and CEO of MAG Partners. Her development firm is working on finding tenants for all of the first tranche of new buildings in the Port Covington neighborhood that are just a few months away from completion.
MaryAnne Gilmartin joins us on Zoom from New York…
Later in the program, Tom talks with Melody Simmons, a business development and real estate reporter for the Baltimore Business Journal. The veteran journalist updates us on some of the other big projects underway here in Baltimore.
Melody Simmons joins Tom in Studio A.
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Reminder: Election Day is next Tuesday!
Early voting continues through Thursday at 8:00 PM. If you want to request a mail-in ballot by mail, the deadline to postmark your request is today (Tuesday). You have until Friday to ask for a mail-in ballot via e-mail.If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register when you vote early, or on election day. Bring a form of identification that proves you live in your jurisdiction.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, a conversation about age and leadership.
President Joe Biden turns 80 in less than a month. He’s the oldest president in US history. He himself has said it’s reasonable for people to worry about whether he is capable of handling the demands of the office. Speculation abounds as to whether or not he will seek a second term. The results of the midterm elections next week will undoubtedly affect his decision. If he decides to run, he would be 86 years old by the end of this second term.
And he’s not alone as an older leader in government. More than a quarter of the members of Congress are in their 70s and 80s. The median age of federal judges is 68.
Experience is valuable, of course, but is advanced age - in a US president, a legislator, a jurist - on balance, an asset or a detriment?
A recent investigative series in Business Insider takes a comprehensive look at that question.The series is called Red, White, and Gray: How America's Gerontocracy is Weakening Democracy.
Tom's first guests are two of the authors of the series. Dave Levinthal is a deputy editor who oversees political investigative reporting and enterprise stories. He also writes about politics, power and policy. Kimberly Leonard is one of the many reporters who contributed to this 31-part series. She covers politics and policy.
Later in the hour, our conversation is joined by Dr. Jeremy Walston, the director of the Johns Hopkins Human Aging Project. That's an ongoing clinical research program whose stated aim is "to increase the length of time that older adults spend in good health without cognitive or functional decline."
Dave Levinthal and Kimberly Leonard join us on Zoom. Dr. Jeremy Walston joins Tom in Studio A.
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Tom's guest for the hour today is the journalist and author, April Ryan. She is the Washington, DC Bureau Chief and Senior White House correspondent for The Grio, and a political analyst for CNN. Previously, she reported for the American Urban Radio Networks.
A native of Baltimore and a graduate of Morgan State University, April is the longest serving Black female White House correspondent covering urban issues from one of the most prestigious beats in all of journalism. She has covered every President since Bill Clinton.
She is also the author of four books, including The Presidency in Black and White (2015); Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House (2018); andAt Mama’s Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White (2016).
Her latest book is an homage to African American women, many of whom she has covered, all of whom she admires. It’s called Black Women Will Save the World: An Anthem.
April Ryan joins us on Zoom from her home in Baltimore.____________________________________________
April Ryan will be discussing her new book tomorrow (Saturday Oct. 29) when she delivers the keynote address at the Enlighten, Inspire, Empower Summit at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Pikesville, presented and hosted by India McCleod. (The event is sold out, but check the link for availability.)
Ms. Ryan will also be speaking at the Enoch Pratt Free Library at 7pm on Monday, November 7, in conversation with University of Baltimore President Kurt Schmoke. Click the link for details.
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It's time for another visit with Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, Judy tells us about Maryland Ensemble Theatre's new production of The Lifespan of a Fact.
The 2018 stageplay, written by Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell and Gordon Farrell, is an adaptation of a book by John D'Agata and Jim Fingal that explores the complexity of sorting truth from fiction in writing and in public narratives.
Gené Fouché directs the three-person cast, featuring Sean Byrne, Jack Evans and Laura Stark.
The play contains adult themes and is recommended for mature audiences.
The Lifetime of a Fact continues at MET in Frederick, Maryland, through October 30.
Click the links above for showtimes and ticketing information.
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Tom's next guest is Marc Nathan. He's the proprietor of Cards, Comics and Collectibles, a comic book store in Reistertown, and the founder of the Baltimore Comic-Con, a festival that celebrates all things comic book.
For 23 years Comic-Con has attracted fans of comics from all over the world to the Baltimore Convention Center. This year’s edition begins Friday and runs through Sunday. Click the links for more details.
Marc Nathan join us on Zoom with a preview…
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More than 600,000 Maryland voters have requested a mail-in ballot, and early voting is now underway. Early voting locations are open every day, 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM, including this weekend. Voters have until next Thursday to cast an in-person ballot in advance of Election Day on Novemberf 8th.
Today on Midday, the final installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Gordana Schifanelli, a lawyer from Kent Island who is the Republican nominee for Lt. Governor, running with MD Delegate Dan Cox, the Republican gubernatorial nominee.
In 2020, Schifanelli led the effort to oppose Dr. Andrea Kane, an African American Superintendent of Queen Anne’s County Schools. Dr. Kane left the school system after being criticized for her support of the Black Lives Matter movement and for advocating for racial dialogue in the majority white county.
Ms. Schifanelli holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics and a Masters in economics and finance from the University of Belgrade, in Serbia. She emigrated to the United States in the 1990s, and earned a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law. In addition to practicing law in a firm with her husband, she was until last year an adjunct faculty member at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis.
Gordana Schifanelli is 51 years old, and the mother of three sons. She and her family live in Stevensville.
Gordana Schifanelli joins us on Zoom.
***A reminder: Early voting polling places are open from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM today (Thursday, October 27) through next Thursday, November 3. You can register to vote on the day you vote, if you come to the polling location with proof of your place of residency.
Election Day is a week from Tuesday, on November 8.***
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Early voting in Maryland begins tomorrow.
Next on Midday, it's another in our series of "Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Aruna Miller, a former Maryland Delegate (representing District 15 from 2011-2019) and now the running mate for Lt. Governor with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Wes Moore.
Before her tenure in Annapolis, Miller worked as an engineer in Montgomery County transportation department in Montgomery County for more than two decades. Recently, she served as the Executive Director of Indian American Impact.
Aruna Miller holds a degree in civil engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology. She is 57 years old, married, with three daughters. She lives in Darnestown. Wes Moore announced her as his running mate in December of last year.
Aruna Miller joins us on Zoom.
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Early voting in Maryland begins tomorrow.
The Elections Project at the University of Florida reports that in states where early voting has already started, turnout is high. What will that mean in key battleground states like Georgia, Ohio, Arizona and Pennsylvania?
What does it portend here in Maryland, in statewide races for Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller?
A little later in the program, Tom's guest will be Aruna Miller, a former Delegate and Democratic running mate for Lt. Governor withher party's gubernatorial nominee, Wes Moore.
But we begin today with Pamela Wood, a colleague at our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner, where she covers Maryland politics and government.
Pamela Wood joins us on Zoom.
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Today, we continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022 with the Democratic nominee for Maryland Attorney General.
Brian Frosh, the Democratic incumbent, will retire in January.
Tom had planned to speak with Republican nominee Michael Peroutka during the first half of the program today, but the candidate's office called to cancel his appearance an hour before our broadcast.
As a result, Tom's sole guest today is the Democratic nominee for MD Attorney General, Congressman Anthony Brown. He served in the Maryland General Assembly and then as Lt. Governor in the Martin O’Malley administration, from 2007-2015. He ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 2014, and he was elected to Congress in 2016.
He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He is a decorated military veteran with more than 2 years of military service.
Congressman Brown is 60 years old. He and his wife are the parents of three adult children.
Rep. Anthony Brown joins us on Zoom at half-past the hour (the interview begins at 21:25 into the posted audio file), following Tom's reflections on the Michael Peroutka candidacy and the upcoming elections.
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We continue now with Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022, with the Republican nominee for Maryland's third congressional district.
Joining Tom is Yuripzy Morgan, a lawyer and former WBAL talk show host, who is running against the Democratic incumbent, Rep. John Sarbanes.
This is the Republican's second try for public office. She ran for Congress in the 2nd district in 2016, losing in the primary to Pat McDonough.
Yuripzy Morgan is a graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington, and the University of Maryland Law School. She runs a private law practice. She is 38 years old, married, and the mother of two children. She and her family live in Severna Park.
Yuripzy Morgan joins us on Zoom.
Early voting in Maryland begins this Thursday, October 27.
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Early voting in Maryland begins this Thursday.
Today, we continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022, Tom's guests are the Democratic and Republican nominees for Maryland's 3rd congressional district.
The district includes Howard and most of Anne Arundel Counties, plus a slice of Carroll County. It used to include parts of Baltimore City and Montgomery County, but the lines were re-drawn this year.
In the second half of the today's program, Tom speaks withYuripzy Morgan, the Republican nominee.
But we begin with Congressman John Sarbanes, a Democrat who is running for re-election. Rep. Sarbanes has served in the House since 2007. He serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the House Oversight and Reform Committee. He also chairs the Democracy Reform Task Force, which was the driving force behind HR1, the For The People Act.
John Sarbanes is 60 years old. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School. He lives in Towson. He and his wife are the parents of three adult children.
John Sarbanes joins us on Zoom.
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Today, a conversation about the media and the Big Lie.
Former President Donald Trump’s repeated false assertions about the results of the 2020 election — that it was rigged by Democrats and that he, not Joe Biden, was the actual winner — have been ingrained in the public psyche for more than two years. Trump began making his outrageous claims even before the election was called for Joe Biden.
It wasn’t Trump’s first lie, of course. The Washington Post kept a running tally of the false or misleading statements made by the former President during his four years in office. The ignominious total: 30,573.
Trump made 492 suspect claims in his first 100 days in the White House. On the day before the 2020 election, the Post reports he made 503 false or misleading claims on that one day alone.
In her new book, Confidence Man, journalistMaggie Haberman makes the point that the media wasn’t prepared to cover a candidate or a President who lied so frequently, or so brazenly. If that’s true, are we prepared now?
Trump’s propensity for malicious fiction predated his time in politics by decades. But his Big Lie about the election is without doubt the most pernicious of the many falsehoods he has uttered throughout his career. It led to a riot at the US Capitol and the deaths of five people. Has it also brought democracy to the brink of collapse?
There is ample evidence that it has. The Big Lie has been picked up and embraced by a slew of Trump’s fellow Republicans, as many as 370 across the country who are on the ballot next month.
Here in Maryland, two candidates for statewide office, Dan Cox, who is running for Governor, and Michael Peroutka, who is running for Attorney General, are election deniers. Five candidates for the House of Representatives, one candidate for the US Senate, and Cox’s running mate are also election deniers.
Tom's two guests today have done yeomen’s work in helping voters discern between that which is false and that which is true, and we're delighted they have joined us today to talk about how the media should approach coverage of people who deny the truth, for whatever reason.
Jonathan Lemire is the host of Way Too Earlyon MSNBC and the White House Bureau Chief for POLITICO. He’s the author of The Big Lie: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics After 2020. He joins us on Zoom from New York.
David Folkenflik covers the media for NPR, and contributes to the NPR Web series called Untangling Disinformation. He is the author of Murdoch's World: The Last of the Old Media Empires. He joins us on Zoom from Montclair, NJ.
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Next on Midday, a visit with our peripatetic theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today she's back, just in time for Halloween, to tell us about Edgar Allan Poe's 'Blood Sweat and Fears,' the first live stage production by the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre. The non-profit company produces Poe's works for educational and mass media presentations, including a series of podcasts for WYPR called Poe Theater on the Air.
The new show, directed by Jay Brock, features dramatizations of three of the master of macabre's well-known short stories:“Berenice,” “A Predicament,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” It's being presented on stage through FPX Events at the Flagship Cinema multiplex in Dundalk, which is located at 7938 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224.
Click the theater or FPX links for more details.
Parental advisory: The show contains some adult themes, including murder. Not recommended for children under 13.
J. Wynn Rousuck joins us on Zoom.
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Much of the conversation about crime tends to fixate on the perpetrators, and how or even if they are prosecuted. So much of the discussion about public safety is centered around getting criminals off the streets and incarcerated to keep them away from the rest of us.The victims of crimes are often left out of the conversation.
Today on Midday, we are going to center them. What do we owe victims of crime? What is our legal and moral obligation to people whose lives have been upended by violence?Tom's guests today argue that not only is taking care of crime victims the right thing to do, it’s also the smart thing to do as part of a strategy to reduce violence.
In the summer of 2021, the National Public Safety Partnership published a report that was focused on under-served survivors, particularly boys and men of color. The report assessed what services various agencies in the City of Baltimore were providing to survivors of violent crime, and how those services should be improved and expanded.How best can cities like ours implement a trauma-informed approach that increases access to services for victims and promotes healing between communities of color and the police?
Heather Warnken is the Executive Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the lead author of the above-mentioned report by the National Public Safety Partnership.
Lydia Watts is the Executive Director of ROAR, “Rebuild, Overcome and Rise,” a victims services organization at the University of MD, Baltimore…
Heather Warnken and Lydia Watts join Tom on zoom.
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We're focusing on Baltimore County today on Midday.
Tom's next guest is Kristen Griffith, a former Carroll County Times reporter who currently covers education in Baltimore County for WYPR's partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner.
She helps us size up the roster of candidates for the Baltimore County School Board, and discusses some of the key issues facing the county school system, from transit to student safety.
Kristen Griffith joins us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, our focus is on Baltimore County.
We begin with another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Johnny Olszewski, Jr., the Democratic Baltimore County Executive who is running for a second term against Republican challenger, former Delegate Pat McDonough.
After a close primary contest in 2018, Olszewski cruised to victory in the General Election, beating Insurance Commissioner Al Redmer by 15 points.
Mr. Olszewski is 40 years old. He holds an undergraduate degree from Goucher College, a master’s degree from the George Washington University and a PhD from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Before taking office as County Executive in 2018, he represented the county in the Maryland House of Delegates, from 2006-2015.
We invited former Del. McDonough to appear on today’s program and he declined our invitation.
County Executive Olszewskijoins us on Zoom.
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Tom's guest for the hour today is one of the most distinctive and fascinating voices in contemporary literature, whose new book is being published today. George Saunders won the 2017 Man Booker Prize for his novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, the acclaimed book that told a terrific story about a grieving Abraham Lincoln, with a wholly original approach to its structure and narrative arc.
Before the success of Lincoln, Saunders secured his reputation among the top rank of writers as a master of the short story. His 2013 collection, The Tenth of December,was a finalist for the National Book Award, and proclaimed one of the 10 best books of the decade by the New York Times** Book Review.
In his last book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, a non-fiction masterclass in analysis of Russian short stories, Saunders observed, “To write a story that works, that moves the reader, is difficult, and most of us can’t do it. Even among those who have done it, it mostly can’t be done.”In his new book, Saunders proves, repeatedly, that in his hands, it absolutely can be done.
This collection of nine stories is called Liberation Day.The stories surprise and delight, and they challenge readers to abandon basic assumptions about reality and fantasy, and to re-imagine fundamental tenets of the short story form itself. These are stories that are not only thought-provoking; they create an occasion to understand the readers’ relationship to the writer in a different way.
George Saunders has been a guest on our show several times, and we're delighted to welcome him back to Midday to talk about this new collection.
He joins us on Zoom from New York.
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Election Day (Tuesday, November 8) is just 22 days away.
In addition to choosing candidates for statewide offices and Congress, Maryland voters will decide several issues that have been put to referendum.
And Baltimore City voters will also have several ballot questions that pertain exclusively to the city government.
One of those question concerns term limits for city elected officials, another has to do with moving control of the city police department from the state to the city; and another has to do with changing the city charter to allow for a new office that will keep track of paying the city’s bills.
Tom's next guest is Bryan Sears, the government reporter for the Maryland Daily Record. He’s here to help us make sense of some of the key Ballot Questions that Maryland voters will soon be deciding.
Bryan Sears joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's first guest today is New York TimesWhite House correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman.
She began her career in the mid-1990s covering New York politics for the New York Postand the Daily News. She has known Donald Trump and many of those in his orbit since then, and when Trump was elected U.S. president, her reporting was essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the chaotic tenure of the 45th president. In 2018, that reporting led to a Pulitzer Prize for her and a team of Times colleagues. She and others at the Times were finalists for Pulitzers in 2021 and again this year.
Her new book is a number one best-seller. It’s called Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America. It was released two weeks ago, months, even years after several very thoughtful books about the Trump Presidency, and a bunch of less-than thoughtful books by journalists and family members. Tom believes this one was worth the wait.
Haberman reports that Trump’s political instincts were shaped early in a career in which scandal and acclaim were never distant. Her account is a comprehensive, insightful study of where and how Trump developed his attitude, his world view, and his political tactics.
We're delighted to welcome Maggie Haberman to the show to talk it about it.
She joins us on Zoom from New York…
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Midday on Books continues with Tom's next guest, Dan Fesperman.
After a long career as a journalist and foreign correspondent for the Baltimore Sun, he turned his attention to writing award-winning thrillers, often set in the foreign locales he covered for the Sun.
His latest novel is a terrific page-turner, set in Berlin, Germany, around the time of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 It’s called Winter Work.
Tom's conversation with Dan Fesperman was recorded last week, so we’re not able to take any calls or online comments today.
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It’s Midday on Books.A little later in the hour, Tom speaks with Dan Fesperman, a former journalist with the Baltimore Sun who for many years has had a successful career as an author of thrillers, and he's written a new one that's terrific.
But we begin with one of the most original and compelling voices on the literary scene today. Mohsin Hamid has written five novels and a collection of essays. Two of his previous novels, Exit West and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, were New York Times best sellers and finalists for the Booker Prize.
His latest book explores the dynamics of race, and the notion of transformation. It is spare and powerful; ingenious, touching, and completely engrossing. It’s called The Last White Man.
Mohsin Hamid joined us on Zoom from Lahore, Pakistan. His conversation with Tom was recorded last week, so we’re not able to take any calls or on-line comments today.
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It's time again for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she brings us reviews of two notable DC productions.
The first is the revival of esteemed playwrightMary Zimmerman's The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci, now on stage at Shakespeare Theatre Company. The highly visual production, directed by the playwright, celebrates the interplay of science, art, and the human spirit as it brings to life the writings of the 15th century Italian artist, engineer and inventor.
The Notebooks of Leonardo DaVinci continues at Shakespeare Theatre Company through October 29.
Judy's second review today spotlights the classic Tony-Award-winning Broadway musical, Guys and Dolls, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. The popular musical is getting a lavish new production at theKennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage. It's being directed by Marc Bruni and features an all-star cast, led by Tony Award® winner James Monroe Iglehart as Nathan Detroit, Tony Award® winner Jessie Mueller as Miss Adelaide, Steven Pasquale as Sky Masterson, and Tony Award® nominee and Grammy Award® winner Phillipa Soo as Sarah Brown.
Guys and Dolls continues at The Kennedy Center through October 16.
Follow the links for more information.
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Today, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022.
Tom's guest is Heather Mizeur. She is the Democratic candidate for Congress in the First District, which encompasses the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as well as parts of Baltimore, Harford, and Carroll counties. The seat is currently held by Andy Harris, the lone Republican in Maryland's Congressional delegation.
We invited Rep. Harris to join us today and he declined our invitation.
Heather Mizeur came to statewide attention in 2014 when she made a strong showing in the Democratic primary for Governor. After a career as a staffer in the House and Senate on Capitol Hill, Mizeur was elected to the Takoma Park City Council in 2003. She represented District 20 in Maryland's House of Delegates from 2007-2015.
Heather Mizeur is 49 years old. She and her wife live on their organic farm just outside of Chestertown.
Heather Mizeur joins us on Zoom…
The deadline to register to vote in Maryland is next Tuesday. Mail-in voting has begun. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Nov. 1st, if you apply by mail; Nov. 4th, if you do it online. Early voting starts Oct. 27 and Election Day is November 8th.
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Paul Simon wrote Old Friends — the song that opens Midday today — when he was 26 years old and singing with his young friend, Art Garfunkel. Tomorrow, Simon celebrates his 81st birthday.Old friends are treasures. They ground us, they sustain us, they’re always there when we need them. There’s nothing quite like an old friend. But what does it take to make new friends? As we get older, does it get harder to make new connections that flourish into friendships?
We are fed a steady diet of stories and songs that celebrate the joys of romantic love. But what about platonic love? What about those friendships that don’t involve romance? Do we know as much about navigating the vagaries of those important relationships?
In her recent book, Dr. Marisa G. Franco, a psychologist on the faculty of the University of Maryland's Honors Program, argues that the answer to that question is “no.” “Platonic love,” she writes, “lies at the lowest rung of the hierarchy our culture places on love.” And she has some suggestions for making and keeping new platonic friendships, which she undergirds with fascinating data.
Dr. Franco writes, for example, that “Out of 106 factors that influence depression, having a confidante is the most powerful. Loneliness is more fatal than a poor diet or lack of exercise; as corrosive as smoking fifteen cigarettes a day. Friendship literally saves our lives.”
Her book is called Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep - Friends.
Dr. Marisa G. Franco joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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Nearly 2 million people are incarcerated in the United States. More than twice that many are in the parole and probation system. Women make up 10% of those who are incarcerated, but they are the fastest growing population in prisons. And the racial disparities in the system are acute. One third of all Black American men will spend some time in jail or in prison.
Today on Midday, a conversation with Bill Keller, a former managing editor and columnist for the NY Times, and the founding editor-in-chief and board member of The Marshall Project, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that reports on the American criminal justice system.
Keller’s new book explores the US system of incarceration, how it compares to other countries, what it costs, and what could be done to improve it. And its title asks a basic and important question: What’s Prison For? Punishment and Rehabilitation in the Age of Mass Incarceration.
Because of COVID precautions, Bill Keller joins us in WYPR's Studio B, while Tom is in the adjacent Studio A.
Bill Keller will be speaking about his book tonight (Tuesday, October 11) at 6pm at the Ivy Bookshop's Back Patio. The Ivy Bookshop is located in North Baltimore at 5928 Falls Road, Baltimore, MD 21209. Follow the link to register for the free event, to purchase the book and for more event details.
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Tom's next guest is Nancy Luse. She’s an Assistant Editor for Frederick Magazine and a former reporter for the Frederick News-Post.
She is the co-curator of an exhibition of classic black-and-white news photographs shot during the 1970s to 90s by photojournalists at the News-Post, where Nancy worked "back in the day" as a features editor.
The exhibition is called Unshuttered: Celebrating Frederick News-Post Photojournalism, and it's at the Gaslight Gallery in Frederick until October 30th.
Nancy Luse joins us on Zoom to tell us more about the exhibition and its remarkable photographs.
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On this Indigenous People’s Day holiday, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022.
Today, Tom's guest is Del. Neil Parrott. He is a Republican candidate for the 6th US congressional district, which includes Frederick, Hagerstown, Cumberland and the area stretching to the western border of the state. He is running against incumbent Congressman David Trone, a Democrat.
This election is a rematch of the 6th district contest in 2020, when Congressman Trone beat Del. Parrott by 20 points. But the boundaries of the district were changed this year after Republicans challenged a map designed by Democrats in the Maryland General Assembly.
The 6th had previously included parts of heavily Democratic Montgomery County, but that’s no longer the case, and the race between Del. Parrott, a Republican, and Representative Trone, a Democrat, is considered the tightest Congressional race in Maryland.We invited Rep. Trone to join us, but his campaign did not respond to our invitation.
Neil Parrott was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2011. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park and an MBA from Mount St. Mary’s University. He is 52 years old. He lives in Hagerstown with his wife and three children.
Neil Parrott joins us on Zoom.
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Anne Wiggins Brown — whom we hear at the opening of this segment singing "Summertime" from the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess — is one of the many great artists to come out of Baltimore’s rich musical community.
Porgy and Bess composer George Gershwin chose the then-23 year-old Brown to sing the title role of Bess in his opera, a role that helped launch her storied career.This weekend, Opera Baltimore will celebrate the great soprano with a festival and concert. Among the featured performers will be the great soprano, composer and educator, Adrienne Danrich.
Joining Tom now in Studio A with a preview is the Artistic and General Director of Opera Baltimore, Julia Cooke.
The Opera on the Avenue festival begins at 10:30 Saturday morning just off Pennsylvania Ave on Cumberland Street. The performance by Adrienne Danrich is tomorrow night at 7:30 at University Baptist Church in Charles Village here in Baltimore. Click the link for more info.
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Today, we begin the hour with another installment of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. We're pleased to have with us again movie mavens Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post, who joins us on Zoom, and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater. He's with us in Studio A.
Today, they spotlight several new films, including The Woman King; Don't Worry, Darling; and Catherine Called Birdy, and review some of the other new movies showcased at last month's Toronto International Film Festival.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about the new production of Pulitzer Prize- and Obie Award-winning playwright Katori Hall's 2007 drama, Hoodoo Love, on stage now through October 9th at Baltimore's Spotlighters Theatre.
Directed at Spotlighters by Rain Pryor, the play tells the story of Toulou, a Black woman who flees the Mississippi cotton fields of the 1930s to pursure her dream of becoming a blues singer in Memphis. It's a love story laced with magic, and stars Sharon Carter Brown as Toulou, Andromeda Bacchus as Candy Lady, Mark Wallace as Ace of Spades, and Nikolas Hubbard as Jib.
Hoodoo Love continues at Spotlighters Theatre through October 9. Follow the link for more information.
NOTICE: The play contains depictions of sexual assault, rape, and sexual violence, and mature subject matter in dialogue and action. Parental discretion is advised.
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Tom's next guest is Alice Volpitta, a water quality and monitoring scientist who has served since 2019 as Harbor Water Keeper for Blue Water Baltimore, the local not-for-profit clean water watchdog group.
She has an update on the status of the State’s oversight of Baltimore City's troubled wastewater treatment plants.
Alice Volpitta joins us on Zoom.
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We begin the hour today with Midday with the Mayor, and another of Tom'smonthly conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about key issues facing the city and residents of Charm City.
Among the topics on the agenda today: the city's new police districts; some progress in reducing gun violence; continuing concerns about the city's wastewater treatment facilities; and the mayor's latest allocations of funds from the federal American Rescue Plan.
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Today it's Midday on the Law.
The U.S. Supreme Court kicked off its new term on Monday, a term that many expect will include some blockbuster rulings on par with the overturning of Roe v Wade, the controversial decision from last term. This year, cases on voting rights, the environment, gay rights, freedom of speech and other issues may result in the court swinging US law farther to the right.
Joining Tom to talk about the High Court's agenda and other legal news is University of Baltimore law professor Kimberly Wehle. This year, she is a visiting professor at American University’s Washington College of Law. She’s a former Assistant US Attorney, and the author of three excellent books, one on the constitution, one on voting, and her latest offering: How to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
Kim is also the host of a YouTube show called Simple Politics with Kim Wehle.
Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
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Come January, the State of Maryland will have three new elected officials in three key statewide offices: Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller. Governor Larry Hogan is term-limited and cannot run again. Attorney General Brian Frosh is retiring, and the incumbent Comptroller, Democrat Peter Franchot, did not seek re-election to a fifth term, opting to run for Governor instead.
Today, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates 2022, with the two contenders who are running to succeed Mr. Franchot as Maryland State Comptroller.
Republican Barry Glassman is completing his second term as Harford County Executive. He joins us on Zoom…
Democrat Brooke Lierman is completing her second term as a Delegate in the Maryland House representing Baltimore City. She joins Tom here in Studio A…__________________________________________
Del. Lierman and County Executive Glassman will appear together in a forum sponsored by the Maryland Association of CPAs and the Maryland Bar Association on Tuesday morning, October 18, at 8:00am at Goucher College. Tom Hall will be moderating that event. The public is invited, but you need to register, and you can do that by clicking here.
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And now, another edition of the Midday Healthwatch, Tom's monthly conversation with public health advocate Dr. Leana Wen. She's an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s also a former Health Commissioner of the city of Baltimore, and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, as well as a commentator for CNN and a columnist for the Washington Post. Her latest book is called Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Today, Dr. Wen discusses whether the pandemic is really over, as President Biden recently asserted in his 60 Minutes interview on CBS. His statement stirred controversy. Health officials noted that nearly 400 people are still dying every day, and stocks of the three companies that produce vaccines tumbled down 9%. But does he have a point?
The new bivalent booster that targets the omicron variant certainly presents an opportunity to enter a new phase in handling the disease. Who should get it, and when? And, what’s the best way to handle the side effects of the boosters that some people experience?
Plus, the nursing shortage persists in hospitals across the country. Dr. Wen has some observations about how to attract and retain these vital health care professionals.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom.
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Joining Tom now is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Times best seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities as this year’s One Maryland One Book. That’s a program in which Marylanders all over the state read the same book, and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Ms. Coster will be appearing throughout the state next week, beginning this Sunday afternoon, when she’ll talk about What’s Mine and Yoursat the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
Naima Coster joins us today on Zoom from New York…
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Joining Tom now is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Times best seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities as this year’s One Maryland One Book. That’s a program in which Marylanders all over the state read the same book, and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Ms. Coster will be appearing throughout the state next week, beginning this Sunday afternoon, when she’ll talk about What’s Mine and Yoursat the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
Naima Coster joins us today on Zoom from New York…
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Joining Tom now is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Times best seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities as this year’s One Maryland One Book. That’s a program in which Marylanders all over the state read the same book, and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Ms. Coster will be appearing throughout the state next week, beginning this Sunday afternoon, when she’ll talk about What’s Mine and Yoursat the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
Naima Coster joins us today on Zoom from New York…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is Naima Coster, the author of the New York Times best seller, What’s Mine and Yours, which has been chosen by Maryland Humanities as this year’s One Maryland One Book. That’s a program in which Marylanders all over the state read the same book, and have the opportunity to talk about it with other readers, and with the author.
Naima Coster’s novel explores the dynamics of family and community, and the divisions that course through the lives of sisters and their circle in a story that pivots from North Carolina to California, France, and elsewhere.
Ms. Coster will be appearing throughout the state next week, beginning this Sunday afternoon, when she’ll talk about What’s Mine and Yoursat the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.
Naima Coster joins us today on Zoom from New York…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, conversations with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling. Naima Coster is the author of What’s Mine and Yours. We’ll talk with Naima a little later in the program.
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of MD School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in the near future. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards.
Tomorrow at 4pm, Dr. Shaia will talk about it at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore. Click the link for more info.
Wendy Shaia joins us here on Midday today, on Zoom, from Gambrills, Maryland.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, conversations with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling. Naima Coster is the author of What’s Mine and Yours. We’ll talk with Naima a little later in the program.
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of MD School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in the near future. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards.
Tomorrow at 4pm, Dr. Shaia will talk about it at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore. Click the link for more info.
Wendy Shaia joins us here on Midday today, on Zoom, from Gambrills, Maryland.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, conversations with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling. Naima Coster is the author of What’s Mine and Yours. We’ll talk with Naima a little later in the program.
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of MD School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in the near future. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards.
Tomorrow at 4pm, Dr. Shaia will talk about it at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore. Click the link for more info.
Wendy Shaia joins us here on Midday today, on Zoom, from Gambrills, Maryland.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, conversations with two novelists who have written books about racial inequality, liberation and integration. They are very different stories, but they are both insightful, provocative, and compelling. Naima Coster is the author of What’s Mine and Yours. We’ll talk with Naima a little later in the program.
We begin with Dr. Wendy Shaia, who serves on the faculty of the University of MD School of Social Work, and as the Executive Director of the Social Work Community Outreach Service. For years, she’s done anti-racism work, and she’s written numerous scholarly articles.
Her first novel is set in Baltimore in the near future. It imagines a secret organization of Black men and women who train and organize for armed resistance to white supremacy. It is part dystopian fiction, and part ripped from the headlines. Part Wakanda and part Consent Decree. Part Black Panther Movement and part Unite the Right.
It's called The Black Cell,and it’s been chosen as a finalist in the 2022 American Fiction Awards.
Tomorrow at 4pm, Dr. Shaia will talk about it at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore. Click the link for more info.
Wendy Shaia joins us here on Midday today, on Zoom, from Gambrills, Maryland.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Now, another in Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates, 2022, produced as a service to Maryland voters in the runup to the November 8 general election.
Midday host Tom Hall speaks with The Working Class Party of Maryland's nominees for Maryland Governor, David Harding, and for Maryland lieutenant governor, Cathy White.
David Harding has lived and worked in Baltimore for many decades, as a steelworker, shipyard worker, and as a computer operator for the Maryland Department of Health. He has been active in two unions.
Cathy White has worked in many different jobs, babysitting and cleaning other people's homes, working in a pizza joint, a pet hotel, a nursing home, and a warehouse. She has worked at a photofinishing factory for the last 35 years.
Both candidates helped gather the signatures needed to win certification of the Working Class Party as Maryland's newest political party. The party was certified by the State Board of Elections in March, 2020, after submitting more than 10,000 valid petition signatures to the state elections office. David Harding was the chairman of the petition effort.
Our interview was conducted on September 16, 2022. Mr. Harding spoke with Tom in the WYPR studio, while Ms. White joined on Zoom. This conversation is being distributed exclusively on Midday's Web and podcast platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Now, another in Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates, 2022, produced as a service to Maryland voters in the runup to the November 8 general election.
Midday host Tom Hall speaks with The Working Class Party of Maryland's nominees for Maryland Governor, David Harding, and for Maryland lieutenant governor, Cathy White.
David Harding has lived and worked in Baltimore for many decades, as a steelworker, shipyard worker, and as a computer operator for the Maryland Department of Health. He has been active in two unions.
Cathy White has worked in many different jobs, babysitting and cleaning other people's homes, working in a pizza joint, a pet hotel, a nursing home, and a warehouse. She has worked at a photofinishing factory for the last 35 years.
Both candidates helped gather the signatures needed to win certification of the Working Class Party as Maryland's newest political party. The party was certified by the State Board of Elections in March, 2020, after submitting more than 10,000 valid petition signatures to the state elections office. David Harding was the chairman of the petition effort.
Our interview was conducted on September 16, 2022. Mr. Harding spoke with Tom in the WYPR studio, while Ms. White joined on Zoom. This conversation is being distributed exclusively on Midday's Web and podcast platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Now, another in Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates, 2022, produced as a service to Maryland voters in the runup to the November 8 general election.
Midday host Tom Hall speaks with The Working Class Party of Maryland's nominees for Maryland Governor, David Harding, and for Maryland lieutenant governor, Cathy White.
David Harding has lived and worked in Baltimore for many decades, as a steelworker, shipyard worker, and as a computer operator for the Maryland Department of Health. He has been active in two unions.
Cathy White has worked in many different jobs, babysitting and cleaning other people's homes, working in a pizza joint, a pet hotel, a nursing home, and a warehouse. She has worked at a photofinishing factory for the last 35 years.
Both candidates helped gather the signatures needed to win certification of the Working Class Party as Maryland's newest political party. The party was certified by the State Board of Elections in March, 2020, after submitting more than 10,000 valid petition signatures to the state elections office. David Harding was the chairman of the petition effort.
Our interview was conducted on September 16, 2022. Mr. Harding spoke with Tom in the WYPR studio, while Ms. White joined on Zoom. This conversation is being distributed exclusively on Midday's Web and podcast platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Now, another in Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates, 2022, produced as a service to Maryland voters in the runup to the November 8 general election.
Midday host Tom Hall speaks with The Working Class Party of Maryland's nominees for Maryland Governor, David Harding, and for Maryland lieutenant governor, Cathy White.
David Harding has lived and worked in Baltimore for many decades, as a steelworker, shipyard worker, and as a computer operator for the Maryland Department of Health. He has been active in two unions.
Cathy White has worked in many different jobs, babysitting and cleaning other people's homes, working in a pizza joint, a pet hotel, a nursing home, and a warehouse. She has worked at a photofinishing factory for the last 35 years.
Both candidates helped gather the signatures needed to win certification of the Working Class Party as Maryland's newest political party. The party was certified by the State Board of Elections in March, 2020, after submitting more than 10,000 valid petition signatures to the state elections office. David Harding was the chairman of the petition effort.
Our interview was conducted on September 16, 2022. Mr. Harding spoke with Tom in the WYPR studio, while Ms. White joined on Zoom. This conversation is being distributed exclusively on Midday's Web and podcast platforms.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is LaFontaine Oliver, the president of the Your Public Radio Corporation and the General Manager of WYPR. He has also just completed a term as chairman of NPR's Board of Directors.
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom in Studio A to talk about some of the issues facing Your Public Radio as WYPR wraps up its Fall Membership Campaign.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is LaFontaine Oliver, the president of the Your Public Radio Corporation and the General Manager of WYPR. He has also just completed a term as chairman of NPR's Board of Directors.
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom in Studio A to talk about some of the issues facing Your Public Radio as WYPR wraps up its Fall Membership Campaign.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is LaFontaine Oliver, the president of the Your Public Radio Corporation and the General Manager of WYPR. He has also just completed a term as chairman of NPR's Board of Directors.
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom in Studio A to talk about some of the issues facing Your Public Radio as WYPR wraps up its Fall Membership Campaign.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is LaFontaine Oliver, the president of the Your Public Radio Corporation and the General Manager of WYPR. He has also just completed a term as chairman of NPR's Board of Directors.
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom in Studio A to talk about some of the issues facing Your Public Radio as WYPR wraps up its Fall Membership Campaign.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Baltimore Center Stage's new production of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, often described as the finest American play ever written.
The classic 1938 theater piece, which tells the story of the people in a fictional American small town, is reimagined in the new production in a way that draws inspiration from our own town, Baltimore.
Directed by Obie Award winner Stevie Walker-Webb (who directed BCS’s acclaimed The Folks at Home), Our Town chronicles a community, in their "growing up, their marrying, their living and their dying," and shines a poignant light on the beauty of the individual.
Our Town continues at Baltimore Center Stage through October 9th. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Baltimore Center Stage's new production of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, often described as the finest American play ever written.
The classic 1938 theater piece, which tells the story of the people in a fictional American small town, is reimagined in the new production in a way that draws inspiration from our own town, Baltimore.
Directed by Obie Award winner Stevie Walker-Webb (who directed BCS’s acclaimed The Folks at Home), Our Town chronicles a community, in their "growing up, their marrying, their living and their dying," and shines a poignant light on the beauty of the individual.
Our Town continues at Baltimore Center Stage through October 9th. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Baltimore Center Stage's new production of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, often described as the finest American play ever written.
The classic 1938 theater piece, which tells the story of the people in a fictional American small town, is reimagined in the new production in a way that draws inspiration from our own town, Baltimore.
Directed by Obie Award winner Stevie Walker-Webb (who directed BCS’s acclaimed The Folks at Home), Our Town chronicles a community, in their "growing up, their marrying, their living and their dying," and shines a poignant light on the beauty of the individual.
Our Town continues at Baltimore Center Stage through October 9th. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Baltimore Center Stage's new production of Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, Our Town, often described as the finest American play ever written.
The classic 1938 theater piece, which tells the story of the people in a fictional American small town, is reimagined in the new production in a way that draws inspiration from our own town, Baltimore.
Directed by Obie Award winner Stevie Walker-Webb (who directed BCS’s acclaimed The Folks at Home), Our Town chronicles a community, in their "growing up, their marrying, their living and their dying," and shines a poignant light on the beauty of the individual.
Our Town continues at Baltimore Center Stage through October 9th. Follow the links for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol last year delayed the hearing it had originally scheduled for yesterday due to hurricane Ian, which began slamming parts of Florida yesterday. Severe damage and flooding are making Ian one of the worst storms in US history. No new date for the committee hearing has yet been announced.
Today on the Midday Newswrap,we focus on what the committee is expected to cover in what could be its final public hearing, as well as what else is going on in Congress as the midterm elections draw ever closer.
Election Day is November 8th.
Tom's guest is Theo Meyer. He’s a national political reporter for The Washington Post and a co-author of the Post's The Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol last year delayed the hearing it had originally scheduled for yesterday due to hurricane Ian, which began slamming parts of Florida yesterday. Severe damage and flooding are making Ian one of the worst storms in US history. No new date for the committee hearing has yet been announced.
Today on the Midday Newswrap,we focus on what the committee is expected to cover in what could be its final public hearing, as well as what else is going on in Congress as the midterm elections draw ever closer.
Election Day is November 8th.
Tom's guest is Theo Meyer. He’s a national political reporter for The Washington Post and a co-author of the Post's The Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol last year delayed the hearing it had originally scheduled for yesterday due to hurricane Ian, which began slamming parts of Florida yesterday. Severe damage and flooding are making Ian one of the worst storms in US history. No new date for the committee hearing has yet been announced.
Today on the Midday Newswrap,we focus on what the committee is expected to cover in what could be its final public hearing, as well as what else is going on in Congress as the midterm elections draw ever closer.
Election Day is November 8th.
Tom's guest is Theo Meyer. He’s a national political reporter for The Washington Post and a co-author of the Post's The Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The House Select Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol last year delayed the hearing it had originally scheduled for yesterday due to hurricane Ian, which began slamming parts of Florida yesterday. Severe damage and flooding are making Ian one of the worst storms in US history. No new date for the committee hearing has yet been announced.
Today on the Midday Newswrap,we focus on what the committee is expected to cover in what could be its final public hearing, as well as what else is going on in Congress as the midterm elections draw ever closer.
Election Day is November 8th.
Tom's guest is Theo Meyer. He’s a national political reporter for The Washington Post and a co-author of the Post's The Early 202 newsletter.
Theo Meyer joins us on our digital line from Washington…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Midday today, Tom's guest for the hour is an award-winning news anchor who has been a fixture on local television for decades. Stan Stovall will be retiring soon as an anchor at WBAL Television. In 1971, as an anchor at a station in Phoenix, Arisona, Stan was the youngest anchor in the United States. He was 18 years old.
His career as a newsman — behind the desk and in the field — has taken him to Philadelphia, St. Louis, and as a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs, he has reported from Southeast Asia, Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
But it is his work at WMAR and WBAL that has endeared him to generations of viewers in the Baltimore metropolitan area. This past weekend, he was honored with a prestigious Gold Circle award by the National Capital/Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for his 50+ years in TV broadcasting -- an honor that has been bestowed on only 23 people.
And having made the decision to step away from the anchor desk, we thought we would take a minute to ask Stan to reflect on his career, and give our listeners a chance to share their reflections as well.
Stan Stovall joins Tom today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Midday today, Tom's guest for the hour is an award-winning news anchor who has been a fixture on local television for decades. Stan Stovall will be retiring soon as an anchor at WBAL Television. In 1971, as an anchor at a station in Phoenix, Arisona, Stan was the youngest anchor in the United States. He was 18 years old.
His career as a newsman — behind the desk and in the field — has taken him to Philadelphia, St. Louis, and as a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs, he has reported from Southeast Asia, Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
But it is his work at WMAR and WBAL that has endeared him to generations of viewers in the Baltimore metropolitan area. This past weekend, he was honored with a prestigious Gold Circle award by the National Capital/Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for his 50+ years in TV broadcasting -- an honor that has been bestowed on only 23 people.
And having made the decision to step away from the anchor desk, we thought we would take a minute to ask Stan to reflect on his career, and give our listeners a chance to share their reflections as well.
Stan Stovall joins Tom today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Midday today, Tom's guest for the hour is an award-winning news anchor who has been a fixture on local television for decades. Stan Stovall will be retiring soon as an anchor at WBAL Television. In 1971, as an anchor at a station in Phoenix, Arisona, Stan was the youngest anchor in the United States. He was 18 years old.
His career as a newsman — behind the desk and in the field — has taken him to Philadelphia, St. Louis, and as a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs, he has reported from Southeast Asia, Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
But it is his work at WMAR and WBAL that has endeared him to generations of viewers in the Baltimore metropolitan area. This past weekend, he was honored with a prestigious Gold Circle award by the National Capital/Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for his 50+ years in TV broadcasting -- an honor that has been bestowed on only 23 people.
And having made the decision to step away from the anchor desk, we thought we would take a minute to ask Stan to reflect on his career, and give our listeners a chance to share their reflections as well.
Stan Stovall joins Tom today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On Midday today, Tom's guest for the hour is an award-winning news anchor who has been a fixture on local television for decades. Stan Stovall will be retiring soon as an anchor at WBAL Television. In 1971, as an anchor at a station in Phoenix, Arisona, Stan was the youngest anchor in the United States. He was 18 years old.
His career as a newsman — behind the desk and in the field — has taken him to Philadelphia, St. Louis, and as a journalist with a keen interest in international affairs, he has reported from Southeast Asia, Central America, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.
But it is his work at WMAR and WBAL that has endeared him to generations of viewers in the Baltimore metropolitan area. This past weekend, he was honored with a prestigious Gold Circle award by the National Capital/Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, for his 50+ years in TV broadcasting -- an honor that has been bestowed on only 23 people.
And having made the decision to step away from the anchor desk, we thought we would take a minute to ask Stan to reflect on his career, and give our listeners a chance to share their reflections as well.
Stan Stovall joins Tom today in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to follow-up on a Midday exclusive story we brought you last week about Question K, a voter referendum issue that will appear on ballots in Baltimore city in the November election.
Question K asks voters to decide whether or not city officials should be limited to two terms in office, beginning in 2024. Sounds simple enough, right? You hold an office for two terms, and you can’t run for that office again unless you wait four years.
When we first read the Question on a draft of the city ballot posted recently on the Maryland Board of Elections website, it never dawned on us that a candidate who is term-limited in one office would not be allowed to run for another office.
For example, if someone serves as City Council President, after two terms, one assumes she could run for Mayor.That is exactly the intention of the organization who collected signatures to get the Question on the ballot. Last week, Tom spoke about the merits of term limits with former Mayors Sheila Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, who served as Mayor for three terms in the late 1980s and 1990s. Mayor Schmoke pointed out that the language of the Question on the ballot disallows a person from running for any office after having served 8 years.
That’s not what term limit proponents said when they wrote the actual language that will become part of the charter if this Question passes. That language specifically says that this provision “shall not preclude an elected official from seeking other elected office” in Baltimore City.
So what are we voting for?And who is calling for the vote?
That organization is called People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement. It’s chaired by Jovani Patterson, a former Republican candidate for Baltimore City Council President, and the effort is largely funded by David Smith, the chair of Sinclair Broadcasting, a media company that owns Fox 45 and other stations around the country.
So, today, let’s talk about three things:
Are term limits a good idea?
It’s legal, but is it proper for a media organization to actively promote changes to Baltimore City law?
What happens when the language of what we’re voting for is different than the statute that will result from that vote?
We’ll take the last question first. Tom spoke this morning withJim Shea, the Baltimore City Solicitor, and we begin with their recorded conversation.
Then, two veteran political observers weigh in on Question K.
Larry Gibson of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Carey School of Law, who joins us in Studio A; and Jayne Miller, who retired recently from WBAL Television, who joins us on Zoom.
During the conversation, we are also joined on the phone by Question K proponent Jovani Patterson, chair of People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement, which is sponsoring the ballot initiative.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to follow-up on a Midday exclusive story we brought you last week about Question K, a voter referendum issue that will appear on ballots in Baltimore city in the November election.
Question K asks voters to decide whether or not city officials should be limited to two terms in office, beginning in 2024. Sounds simple enough, right? You hold an office for two terms, and you can’t run for that office again unless you wait four years.
When we first read the Question on a draft of the city ballot posted recently on the Maryland Board of Elections website, it never dawned on us that a candidate who is term-limited in one office would not be allowed to run for another office.
For example, if someone serves as City Council President, after two terms, one assumes she could run for Mayor.That is exactly the intention of the organization who collected signatures to get the Question on the ballot. Last week, Tom spoke about the merits of term limits with former Mayors Sheila Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, who served as Mayor for three terms in the late 1980s and 1990s. Mayor Schmoke pointed out that the language of the Question on the ballot disallows a person from running for any office after having served 8 years.
That’s not what term limit proponents said when they wrote the actual language that will become part of the charter if this Question passes. That language specifically says that this provision “shall not preclude an elected official from seeking other elected office” in Baltimore City.
So what are we voting for?And who is calling for the vote?
That organization is called People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement. It’s chaired by Jovani Patterson, a former Republican candidate for Baltimore City Council President, and the effort is largely funded by David Smith, the chair of Sinclair Broadcasting, a media company that owns Fox 45 and other stations around the country.
So, today, let’s talk about three things:
Are term limits a good idea?
It’s legal, but is it proper for a media organization to actively promote changes to Baltimore City law?
What happens when the language of what we’re voting for is different than the statute that will result from that vote?
We’ll take the last question first. Tom spoke this morning withJim Shea, the Baltimore City Solicitor, and we begin with their recorded conversation.
Then, two veteran political observers weigh in on Question K.
Larry Gibson of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Carey School of Law, who joins us in Studio A; and Jayne Miller, who retired recently from WBAL Television, who joins us on Zoom.
During the conversation, we are also joined on the phone by Question K proponent Jovani Patterson, chair of People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement, which is sponsoring the ballot initiative.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to follow-up on a Midday exclusive story we brought you last week about Question K, a voter referendum issue that will appear on ballots in Baltimore city in the November election.
Question K asks voters to decide whether or not city officials should be limited to two terms in office, beginning in 2024. Sounds simple enough, right? You hold an office for two terms, and you can’t run for that office again unless you wait four years.
When we first read the Question on a draft of the city ballot posted recently on the Maryland Board of Elections website, it never dawned on us that a candidate who is term-limited in one office would not be allowed to run for another office.
For example, if someone serves as City Council President, after two terms, one assumes she could run for Mayor.That is exactly the intention of the organization who collected signatures to get the Question on the ballot. Last week, Tom spoke about the merits of term limits with former Mayors Sheila Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, who served as Mayor for three terms in the late 1980s and 1990s. Mayor Schmoke pointed out that the language of the Question on the ballot disallows a person from running for any office after having served 8 years.
That’s not what term limit proponents said when they wrote the actual language that will become part of the charter if this Question passes. That language specifically says that this provision “shall not preclude an elected official from seeking other elected office” in Baltimore City.
So what are we voting for?And who is calling for the vote?
That organization is called People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement. It’s chaired by Jovani Patterson, a former Republican candidate for Baltimore City Council President, and the effort is largely funded by David Smith, the chair of Sinclair Broadcasting, a media company that owns Fox 45 and other stations around the country.
So, today, let’s talk about three things:
Are term limits a good idea?
It’s legal, but is it proper for a media organization to actively promote changes to Baltimore City law?
What happens when the language of what we’re voting for is different than the statute that will result from that vote?
We’ll take the last question first. Tom spoke this morning withJim Shea, the Baltimore City Solicitor, and we begin with their recorded conversation.
Then, two veteran political observers weigh in on Question K.
Larry Gibson of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Carey School of Law, who joins us in Studio A; and Jayne Miller, who retired recently from WBAL Television, who joins us on Zoom.
During the conversation, we are also joined on the phone by Question K proponent Jovani Patterson, chair of People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement, which is sponsoring the ballot initiative.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to follow-up on a Midday exclusive story we brought you last week about Question K, a voter referendum issue that will appear on ballots in Baltimore city in the November election.
Question K asks voters to decide whether or not city officials should be limited to two terms in office, beginning in 2024. Sounds simple enough, right? You hold an office for two terms, and you can’t run for that office again unless you wait four years.
When we first read the Question on a draft of the city ballot posted recently on the Maryland Board of Elections website, it never dawned on us that a candidate who is term-limited in one office would not be allowed to run for another office.
For example, if someone serves as City Council President, after two terms, one assumes she could run for Mayor.That is exactly the intention of the organization who collected signatures to get the Question on the ballot. Last week, Tom spoke about the merits of term limits with former Mayors Sheila Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, who served as Mayor for three terms in the late 1980s and 1990s. Mayor Schmoke pointed out that the language of the Question on the ballot disallows a person from running for any office after having served 8 years.
That’s not what term limit proponents said when they wrote the actual language that will become part of the charter if this Question passes. That language specifically says that this provision “shall not preclude an elected official from seeking other elected office” in Baltimore City.
So what are we voting for?And who is calling for the vote?
That organization is called People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement. It’s chaired by Jovani Patterson, a former Republican candidate for Baltimore City Council President, and the effort is largely funded by David Smith, the chair of Sinclair Broadcasting, a media company that owns Fox 45 and other stations around the country.
So, today, let’s talk about three things:
Are term limits a good idea?
It’s legal, but is it proper for a media organization to actively promote changes to Baltimore City law?
What happens when the language of what we’re voting for is different than the statute that will result from that vote?
We’ll take the last question first. Tom spoke this morning withJim Shea, the Baltimore City Solicitor, and we begin with their recorded conversation.
Then, two veteran political observers weigh in on Question K.
Larry Gibson of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, Carey School of Law, who joins us in Studio A; and Jayne Miller, who retired recently from WBAL Television, who joins us on Zoom.
During the conversation, we are also joined on the phone by Question K proponent Jovani Patterson, chair of People for Elected Accountability & Civic Engagement, which is sponsoring the ballot initiative.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Education. Students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, as well as throughout the state, have been back at the books for about a month now. As is our custom, we like to check in with school leaders at the beginning of the school year to see how the academic year is going so far.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Sonja Santelises. She was appointed CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools in 2016, making her the longest-serving schools chief in the City in the past 30 years. Dr. Santelises joins us on Zoom…
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Dr. Darryl L. Williams, the Superintendent of Schools for Baltimore County Public Schools. He was appointed to his position on May 21, 2019, by the County Board of Education. Dr. Williams also joins us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Education. Students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, as well as throughout the state, have been back at the books for about a month now. As is our custom, we like to check in with school leaders at the beginning of the school year to see how the academic year is going so far.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Sonja Santelises. She was appointed CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools in 2016, making her the longest-serving schools chief in the City in the past 30 years. Dr. Santelises joins us on Zoom…
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Dr. Darryl L. Williams, the Superintendent of Schools for Baltimore County Public Schools. He was appointed to his position on May 21, 2019, by the County Board of Education. Dr. Williams also joins us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Education. Students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, as well as throughout the state, have been back at the books for about a month now. As is our custom, we like to check in with school leaders at the beginning of the school year to see how the academic year is going so far.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Sonja Santelises. She was appointed CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools in 2016, making her the longest-serving schools chief in the City in the past 30 years. Dr. Santelises joins us on Zoom…
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Dr. Darryl L. Williams, the Superintendent of Schools for Baltimore County Public Schools. He was appointed to his position on May 21, 2019, by the County Board of Education. Dr. Williams also joins us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on Education. Students in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, as well as throughout the state, have been back at the books for about a month now. As is our custom, we like to check in with school leaders at the beginning of the school year to see how the academic year is going so far.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Sonja Santelises. She was appointed CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools in 2016, making her the longest-serving schools chief in the City in the past 30 years. Dr. Santelises joins us on Zoom…
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Dr. Darryl L. Williams, the Superintendent of Schools for Baltimore County Public Schools. He was appointed to his position on May 21, 2019, by the County Board of Education. Dr. Williams also joins us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We open with a selection from Albeniz's Granada...as performed by Tom's next guest, Emmanuel Barrueco. He is an internationally acclaimed performing artist and teacher. He lives here in Baltimore, and he serves on the faculty of the Peabody Institute. He has toured the world and recorded many albums. He and his wife are the founders of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, which is sponsoring a prestigious competition this weekend.Emmanuel Barrueco joins us on Zoom…
The Final Round of the Baltimore International Guitar Competition continues this weekend, tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon. For more information about the public concerts, follow the link.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We open with a selection from Albeniz's Granada...as performed by Tom's next guest, Emmanuel Barrueco. He is an internationally acclaimed performing artist and teacher. He lives here in Baltimore, and he serves on the faculty of the Peabody Institute. He has toured the world and recorded many albums. He and his wife are the founders of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, which is sponsoring a prestigious competition this weekend.Emmanuel Barrueco joins us on Zoom…
The Final Round of the Baltimore International Guitar Competition continues this weekend, tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon. For more information about the public concerts, follow the link.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We open with a selection from Albeniz's Granada...as performed by Tom's next guest, Emmanuel Barrueco. He is an internationally acclaimed performing artist and teacher. He lives here in Baltimore, and he serves on the faculty of the Peabody Institute. He has toured the world and recorded many albums. He and his wife are the founders of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, which is sponsoring a prestigious competition this weekend.Emmanuel Barrueco joins us on Zoom…
The Final Round of the Baltimore International Guitar Competition continues this weekend, tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon. For more information about the public concerts, follow the link.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We open with a selection from Albeniz's Granada...as performed by Tom's next guest, Emmanuel Barrueco. He is an internationally acclaimed performing artist and teacher. He lives here in Baltimore, and he serves on the faculty of the Peabody Institute. He has toured the world and recorded many albums. He and his wife are the founders of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, which is sponsoring a prestigious competition this weekend.Emmanuel Barrueco joins us on Zoom…
The Final Round of the Baltimore International Guitar Competition continues this weekend, tonight, tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon. For more information about the public concerts, follow the link.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin today with the Mexican American poet, novelist and essayist, Erika L. Sánchez.
Her book, I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is being made into a film. It was a New York Times best selling young adult novel, and a finalist for the National Book Award.
Ms. Sánchez is the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Chair, and Writer-in-Residence in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Her latest book is a fascinating memoir, a collection of essays that chronicles her childhood in a poor immigrant household, through her journey to become a successful writer, and a happily married mother.
It’s called Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir.
Erika L. Sánchez joins us on Zoom from Chicago…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin today with the Mexican American poet, novelist and essayist, Erika L. Sánchez.
Her book, I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is being made into a film. It was a New York Times best selling young adult novel, and a finalist for the National Book Award.
Ms. Sánchez is the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Chair, and Writer-in-Residence in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Her latest book is a fascinating memoir, a collection of essays that chronicles her childhood in a poor immigrant household, through her journey to become a successful writer, and a happily married mother.
It’s called Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir.
Erika L. Sánchez joins us on Zoom from Chicago…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin today with the Mexican American poet, novelist and essayist, Erika L. Sánchez.
Her book, I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is being made into a film. It was a New York Times best selling young adult novel, and a finalist for the National Book Award.
Ms. Sánchez is the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Chair, and Writer-in-Residence in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Her latest book is a fascinating memoir, a collection of essays that chronicles her childhood in a poor immigrant household, through her journey to become a successful writer, and a happily married mother.
It’s called Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir.
Erika L. Sánchez joins us on Zoom from Chicago…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We begin today with the Mexican American poet, novelist and essayist, Erika L. Sánchez.
Her book, I am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter is being made into a film. It was a New York Times best selling young adult novel, and a finalist for the National Book Award.
Ms. Sánchez is the Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Chair, and Writer-in-Residence in the Department of Latin American and Latino Studies at DePaul University in Chicago.
Her latest book is a fascinating memoir, a collection of essays that chronicles her childhood in a poor immigrant household, through her journey to become a successful writer, and a happily married mother.
It’s called Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir.
Erika L. Sánchez joins us on Zoom from Chicago…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Next, an exclusive update to a conversation Tom had on Wednesday's Midday show with former Baltimore mayors Sheilah Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, about an important November ballot initiative.
Mayor Schmoke, a seasoned attorney who now serves as president of the University of Baltimore, pointed out something very interesting about Question K, the ballot referendum that if approved this November, would impose a two-term limit on city office holders in Baltimore.
Here’s what Articles 3-5 of the actual charter amendment (the law) will say regarding term limits if the ballot measure passes:
"Term Limit.
(City Council members, City Council President, Mayor and Comptroller) shall not hold office for more than two (2) consecutive full terms of office and in no event shall hold the office for more than eight (8) years during any twelve (12) year period. This provision shall not preclude an elected member / President / Mayor / Comptroller from seeking other elected offices within Baltimore City after two consecutive terms as member / President / Mayor / Comptroller. In the event that an elected [official] takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected [official] shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter."
Here’s what’s on the ballot summary provided to the Board of Elections, and that voters will see:
"Question K is for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period. In the event that an elected member takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected member shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter. This amendment would be effective beginnin g with persons elected to the 2024 Baltimore City Election."
The language highlighted in bold in the charter amendment above is omitted from the ballot summary.
Tom explains why, when it comes to voting on charter amendments, what it says on the ballot isn’t always a complete summary of what would end up being law.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Next, an exclusive update to a conversation Tom had on Wednesday's Midday show with former Baltimore mayors Sheilah Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, about an important November ballot initiative.
Mayor Schmoke, a seasoned attorney who now serves as president of the University of Baltimore, pointed out something very interesting about Question K, the ballot referendum that if approved this November, would impose a two-term limit on city office holders in Baltimore.
Here’s what Articles 3-5 of the actual charter amendment (the law) will say regarding term limits if the ballot measure passes:
"Term Limit.
(City Council members, City Council President, Mayor and Comptroller) shall not hold office for more than two (2) consecutive full terms of office and in no event shall hold the office for more than eight (8) years during any twelve (12) year period. This provision shall not preclude an elected member / President / Mayor / Comptroller from seeking other elected offices within Baltimore City after two consecutive terms as member / President / Mayor / Comptroller. In the event that an elected [official] takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected [official] shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter."
Here’s what’s on the ballot summary provided to the Board of Elections, and that voters will see:
"Question K is for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period. In the event that an elected member takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected member shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter. This amendment would be effective beginnin g with persons elected to the 2024 Baltimore City Election."
The language highlighted in bold in the charter amendment above is omitted from the ballot summary.
Tom explains why, when it comes to voting on charter amendments, what it says on the ballot isn’t always a complete summary of what would end up being law.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Next, an exclusive update to a conversation Tom had on Wednesday's Midday show with former Baltimore mayors Sheilah Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, about an important November ballot initiative.
Mayor Schmoke, a seasoned attorney who now serves as president of the University of Baltimore, pointed out something very interesting about Question K, the ballot referendum that if approved this November, would impose a two-term limit on city office holders in Baltimore.
Here’s what Articles 3-5 of the actual charter amendment (the law) will say regarding term limits if the ballot measure passes:
"Term Limit.
(City Council members, City Council President, Mayor and Comptroller) shall not hold office for more than two (2) consecutive full terms of office and in no event shall hold the office for more than eight (8) years during any twelve (12) year period. This provision shall not preclude an elected member / President / Mayor / Comptroller from seeking other elected offices within Baltimore City after two consecutive terms as member / President / Mayor / Comptroller. In the event that an elected [official] takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected [official] shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter."
Here’s what’s on the ballot summary provided to the Board of Elections, and that voters will see:
"Question K is for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period. In the event that an elected member takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected member shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter. This amendment would be effective beginnin g with persons elected to the 2024 Baltimore City Election."
The language highlighted in bold in the charter amendment above is omitted from the ballot summary.
Tom explains why, when it comes to voting on charter amendments, what it says on the ballot isn’t always a complete summary of what would end up being law.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Next, an exclusive update to a conversation Tom had on Wednesday's Midday show with former Baltimore mayors Sheilah Dixon and Kurt Schmoke, about an important November ballot initiative.
Mayor Schmoke, a seasoned attorney who now serves as president of the University of Baltimore, pointed out something very interesting about Question K, the ballot referendum that if approved this November, would impose a two-term limit on city office holders in Baltimore.
Here’s what Articles 3-5 of the actual charter amendment (the law) will say regarding term limits if the ballot measure passes:
"Term Limit.
(City Council members, City Council President, Mayor and Comptroller) shall not hold office for more than two (2) consecutive full terms of office and in no event shall hold the office for more than eight (8) years during any twelve (12) year period. This provision shall not preclude an elected member / President / Mayor / Comptroller from seeking other elected offices within Baltimore City after two consecutive terms as member / President / Mayor / Comptroller. In the event that an elected [official] takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected [official] shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter."
Here’s what’s on the ballot summary provided to the Board of Elections, and that voters will see:
"Question K is for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period. In the event that an elected member takes office as a result of a removal or vacancy as described in §§ 2 or 6 of this Article, that elected member shall only be eligible to hold that office for the remainder of the predecessor’s unexpired term and one (1) consecutive full term thereafter. This amendment would be effective beginnin g with persons elected to the 2024 Baltimore City Election."
The language highlighted in bold in the charter amendment above is omitted from the ballot summary.
Tom explains why, when it comes to voting on charter amendments, what it says on the ballot isn’t always a complete summary of what would end up being law.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Baltimore's Vagabond Players production of Stop Kiss, a 1998 drama by playwright Diana Son.
This complex tale of love, endurance and compassion is directed at Vagabond Players by Belle Burr, andis recommended for mature audiences because it contains descriptions of assault and hate crime.
(Today's review contains an audio clip in which the word "dyke" is used.)
Stop Kiss continues at Vagabond Players through September 25. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Baltimore's Vagabond Players production of Stop Kiss, a 1998 drama by playwright Diana Son.
This complex tale of love, endurance and compassion is directed at Vagabond Players by Belle Burr, andis recommended for mature audiences because it contains descriptions of assault and hate crime.
(Today's review contains an audio clip in which the word "dyke" is used.)
Stop Kiss continues at Vagabond Players through September 25. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Baltimore's Vagabond Players production of Stop Kiss, a 1998 drama by playwright Diana Son.
This complex tale of love, endurance and compassion is directed at Vagabond Players by Belle Burr, andis recommended for mature audiences because it contains descriptions of assault and hate crime.
(Today's review contains an audio clip in which the word "dyke" is used.)
Stop Kiss continues at Vagabond Players through September 25. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Baltimore's Vagabond Players production of Stop Kiss, a 1998 drama by playwright Diana Son.
This complex tale of love, endurance and compassion is directed at Vagabond Players by Belle Burr, andis recommended for mature audiences because it contains descriptions of assault and hate crime.
(Today's review contains an audio clip in which the word "dyke" is used.)
Stop Kiss continues at Vagabond Players through September 25. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on the Law. On Monday, Adnan Syed was released from prison and allowed to go home, with a GPS monitor, after 23 years behind bars. His conviction for murdering Hae-Min Lee in 1999 was vacated. He was not exonerated of the crime, although that may happen.
Mr. Syed’s case was chronicled in the podcast, Serial,and in an HBO documentary series. Mr. Syed remains, at this moment, charged with killing Hae-Min Lee, his high school classmate and former girlfriend.
The Baltimore City States Attorney’s Office has 28 days to decide whether or not to re-try Mr. Syed. Mr. Syed has always maintained he was not the person who murdered Ms. Lee.
Tom's guest today is Erica J. Suter, the director of the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Assistant Public Defender in the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.
Ms. Suter is the lawyer for Adnan Syed, and it was her advocacy and the work of Becky Feldman, the Chief of the Sentencing Review Unit in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, that persuaded Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn to overturn Mr. Syed’s conviction.
Erica J. Suter joins us here in Studio A…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on the Law. On Monday, Adnan Syed was released from prison and allowed to go home, with a GPS monitor, after 23 years behind bars. His conviction for murdering Hae-Min Lee in 1999 was vacated. He was not exonerated of the crime, although that may happen.
Mr. Syed’s case was chronicled in the podcast, Serial,and in an HBO documentary series. Mr. Syed remains, at this moment, charged with killing Hae-Min Lee, his high school classmate and former girlfriend.
The Baltimore City States Attorney’s Office has 28 days to decide whether or not to re-try Mr. Syed. Mr. Syed has always maintained he was not the person who murdered Ms. Lee.
Tom's guest today is Erica J. Suter, the director of the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Assistant Public Defender in the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.
Ms. Suter is the lawyer for Adnan Syed, and it was her advocacy and the work of Becky Feldman, the Chief of the Sentencing Review Unit in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, that persuaded Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn to overturn Mr. Syed’s conviction.
Erica J. Suter joins us here in Studio A…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on the Law. On Monday, Adnan Syed was released from prison and allowed to go home, with a GPS monitor, after 23 years behind bars. His conviction for murdering Hae-Min Lee in 1999 was vacated. He was not exonerated of the crime, although that may happen.
Mr. Syed’s case was chronicled in the podcast, Serial,and in an HBO documentary series. Mr. Syed remains, at this moment, charged with killing Hae-Min Lee, his high school classmate and former girlfriend.
The Baltimore City States Attorney’s Office has 28 days to decide whether or not to re-try Mr. Syed. Mr. Syed has always maintained he was not the person who murdered Ms. Lee.
Tom's guest today is Erica J. Suter, the director of the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Assistant Public Defender in the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.
Ms. Suter is the lawyer for Adnan Syed, and it was her advocacy and the work of Becky Feldman, the Chief of the Sentencing Review Unit in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, that persuaded Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn to overturn Mr. Syed’s conviction.
Erica J. Suter joins us here in Studio A…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It’s Midday on the Law. On Monday, Adnan Syed was released from prison and allowed to go home, with a GPS monitor, after 23 years behind bars. His conviction for murdering Hae-Min Lee in 1999 was vacated. He was not exonerated of the crime, although that may happen.
Mr. Syed’s case was chronicled in the podcast, Serial,and in an HBO documentary series. Mr. Syed remains, at this moment, charged with killing Hae-Min Lee, his high school classmate and former girlfriend.
The Baltimore City States Attorney’s Office has 28 days to decide whether or not to re-try Mr. Syed. Mr. Syed has always maintained he was not the person who murdered Ms. Lee.
Tom's guest today is Erica J. Suter, the director of the Innocence Project Clinic at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Assistant Public Defender in the Maryland Office of the Public Defender.
Ms. Suter is the lawyer for Adnan Syed, and it was her advocacy and the work of Becky Feldman, the Chief of the Sentencing Review Unit in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, that persuaded Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn to overturn Mr. Syed’s conviction.
Erica J. Suter joins us here in Studio A…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ballot for Baltimore City residents in the November election will include several referendums, the last of which, Question K, reads: “for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period.”
The President of the United States is limited to two terms. The Governor of Maryland is limited to two terms. County executives in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County are limited to two terms. Should the Mayor of Baltimore and other city officials be term-limited too?
We want to hear what you think about this idea. Elections give voters the chance to term-limit most elected officials every four years. Do we need a law in the city charter that will do it automatically?
Tom's guests today bring a perspective to this issue that is born of direct experience.
Kurt Schmoke served as the Mayor of Baltimore for three terms, from 1987-1999, after serving as the Baltimore City State’s Attorney…
Sheila Dixon served as Mayor for three years, from 2007-2010, after serving as City Council President…
They join us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ballot for Baltimore City residents in the November election will include several referendums, the last of which, Question K, reads: “for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period.”
The President of the United States is limited to two terms. The Governor of Maryland is limited to two terms. County executives in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County are limited to two terms. Should the Mayor of Baltimore and other city officials be term-limited too?
We want to hear what you think about this idea. Elections give voters the chance to term-limit most elected officials every four years. Do we need a law in the city charter that will do it automatically?
Tom's guests today bring a perspective to this issue that is born of direct experience.
Kurt Schmoke served as the Mayor of Baltimore for three terms, from 1987-1999, after serving as the Baltimore City State’s Attorney…
Sheila Dixon served as Mayor for three years, from 2007-2010, after serving as City Council President…
They join us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ballot for Baltimore City residents in the November election will include several referendums, the last of which, Question K, reads: “for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period.”
The President of the United States is limited to two terms. The Governor of Maryland is limited to two terms. County executives in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County are limited to two terms. Should the Mayor of Baltimore and other city officials be term-limited too?
We want to hear what you think about this idea. Elections give voters the chance to term-limit most elected officials every four years. Do we need a law in the city charter that will do it automatically?
Tom's guests today bring a perspective to this issue that is born of direct experience.
Kurt Schmoke served as the Mayor of Baltimore for three terms, from 1987-1999, after serving as the Baltimore City State’s Attorney…
Sheila Dixon served as Mayor for three years, from 2007-2010, after serving as City Council President…
They join us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ballot for Baltimore City residents in the November election will include several referendums, the last of which, Question K, reads: “for the purpose of establishing a two-term limit for Baltimore City elected officials, including the Mayor, Comptroller, City Council President, and City Council members. None of these elected officials shall hold office for more than eight (8) years during any 12-year period.”
The President of the United States is limited to two terms. The Governor of Maryland is limited to two terms. County executives in Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and Howard County are limited to two terms. Should the Mayor of Baltimore and other city officials be term-limited too?
We want to hear what you think about this idea. Elections give voters the chance to term-limit most elected officials every four years. Do we need a law in the city charter that will do it automatically?
Tom's guests today bring a perspective to this issue that is born of direct experience.
Kurt Schmoke served as the Mayor of Baltimore for three terms, from 1987-1999, after serving as the Baltimore City State’s Attorney…
Sheila Dixon served as Mayor for three years, from 2007-2010, after serving as City Council President…
They join us on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are delighted today to welcome back to Midday the writer Elizabeth Strout. She is the best-selling author of nine novels and many short stories. In 2009, she won the Pulitzer Prize for a terrific book, Olive Kitteridge. A film adaption of that book on HBO starred Frances McDormand and won eight Emmy Awards.
Elizabeth Strout has revisited two of her iconic characters in subsequent books. We met Olive Kitteridge once more in Olive Again, and Olive makes an appearance in Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, too. In this new book, Strout keeps us current with another one of her magnificent characters, Lucy Barton. It’s the fourth novel in which Lucy figures prominently.
Like her book, Oh William!from last year, Strout centers this one on Lucy’s friendship with her first husband, a successful scientist named William Gerhardt. The setting is a small town in Maine, where Lucy and William have sequestered themselves at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Lucy is a rich, wonderful character, and Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful writer who brings us into Lucy’s loving and insightful mind with grace and compassion.
The new novel is out today. It’s called Lucy by the Sea.
Elizabeth Strout joins us on Zoom from New York City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are delighted today to welcome back to Midday the writer Elizabeth Strout. She is the best-selling author of nine novels and many short stories. In 2009, she won the Pulitzer Prize for a terrific book, Olive Kitteridge. A film adaption of that book on HBO starred Frances McDormand and won eight Emmy Awards.
Elizabeth Strout has revisited two of her iconic characters in subsequent books. We met Olive Kitteridge once more in Olive Again, and Olive makes an appearance in Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, too. In this new book, Strout keeps us current with another one of her magnificent characters, Lucy Barton. It’s the fourth novel in which Lucy figures prominently.
Like her book, Oh William!from last year, Strout centers this one on Lucy’s friendship with her first husband, a successful scientist named William Gerhardt. The setting is a small town in Maine, where Lucy and William have sequestered themselves at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Lucy is a rich, wonderful character, and Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful writer who brings us into Lucy’s loving and insightful mind with grace and compassion.
The new novel is out today. It’s called Lucy by the Sea.
Elizabeth Strout joins us on Zoom from New York City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are delighted today to welcome back to Midday the writer Elizabeth Strout. She is the best-selling author of nine novels and many short stories. In 2009, she won the Pulitzer Prize for a terrific book, Olive Kitteridge. A film adaption of that book on HBO starred Frances McDormand and won eight Emmy Awards.
Elizabeth Strout has revisited two of her iconic characters in subsequent books. We met Olive Kitteridge once more in Olive Again, and Olive makes an appearance in Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, too. In this new book, Strout keeps us current with another one of her magnificent characters, Lucy Barton. It’s the fourth novel in which Lucy figures prominently.
Like her book, Oh William!from last year, Strout centers this one on Lucy’s friendship with her first husband, a successful scientist named William Gerhardt. The setting is a small town in Maine, where Lucy and William have sequestered themselves at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Lucy is a rich, wonderful character, and Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful writer who brings us into Lucy’s loving and insightful mind with grace and compassion.
The new novel is out today. It’s called Lucy by the Sea.
Elizabeth Strout joins us on Zoom from New York City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We are delighted today to welcome back to Midday the writer Elizabeth Strout. She is the best-selling author of nine novels and many short stories. In 2009, she won the Pulitzer Prize for a terrific book, Olive Kitteridge. A film adaption of that book on HBO starred Frances McDormand and won eight Emmy Awards.
Elizabeth Strout has revisited two of her iconic characters in subsequent books. We met Olive Kitteridge once more in Olive Again, and Olive makes an appearance in Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel, too. In this new book, Strout keeps us current with another one of her magnificent characters, Lucy Barton. It’s the fourth novel in which Lucy figures prominently.
Like her book, Oh William!from last year, Strout centers this one on Lucy’s friendship with her first husband, a successful scientist named William Gerhardt. The setting is a small town in Maine, where Lucy and William have sequestered themselves at the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
Lucy is a rich, wonderful character, and Elizabeth Strout is a wonderful writer who brings us into Lucy’s loving and insightful mind with grace and compassion.
The new novel is out today. It’s called Lucy by the Sea.
Elizabeth Strout joins us on Zoom from New York City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8 at the age of 96, was honored in a state funeral Monday morning in London, attended by leaders from around the globe.
Hundreds of thousands lined the streets; millions more viewed the somber ceremonies on television, as the Queen's regally bedecked casket was driven from Buckingham Palace's Westminster Hall to its final resting place at the royal family's 900 year-old Windsor Castle.
Later Monday, in a private ceremony, she was interred in the Royal Vault in Windsor's St. George's Chapel, beside her husband Prince Phillip, who died last year,
NPR’s London Correspondent Frank Langfitt has been covering the somber events and he joins us on our digital line from London.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8 at the age of 96, was honored in a state funeral Monday morning in London, attended by leaders from around the globe.
Hundreds of thousands lined the streets; millions more viewed the somber ceremonies on television, as the Queen's regally bedecked casket was driven from Buckingham Palace's Westminster Hall to its final resting place at the royal family's 900 year-old Windsor Castle.
Later Monday, in a private ceremony, she was interred in the Royal Vault in Windsor's St. George's Chapel, beside her husband Prince Phillip, who died last year,
NPR’s London Correspondent Frank Langfitt has been covering the somber events and he joins us on our digital line from London.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8 at the age of 96, was honored in a state funeral Monday morning in London, attended by leaders from around the globe.
Hundreds of thousands lined the streets; millions more viewed the somber ceremonies on television, as the Queen's regally bedecked casket was driven from Buckingham Palace's Westminster Hall to its final resting place at the royal family's 900 year-old Windsor Castle.
Later Monday, in a private ceremony, she was interred in the Royal Vault in Windsor's St. George's Chapel, beside her husband Prince Phillip, who died last year,
NPR’s London Correspondent Frank Langfitt has been covering the somber events and he joins us on our digital line from London.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Queen Elizabeth II, who died September 8 at the age of 96, was honored in a state funeral Monday morning in London, attended by leaders from around the globe.
Hundreds of thousands lined the streets; millions more viewed the somber ceremonies on television, as the Queen's regally bedecked casket was driven from Buckingham Palace's Westminster Hall to its final resting place at the royal family's 900 year-old Windsor Castle.
Later Monday, in a private ceremony, she was interred in the Royal Vault in Windsor's St. George's Chapel, beside her husband Prince Phillip, who died last year,
NPR’s London Correspondent Frank Langfitt has been covering the somber events and he joins us on our digital line from London.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is journalist Jack Brewster.He’s a senior analyst for NewsGuard, a media monitoring organization based in New York.
In this month’s edition of Newsguard’s Misinformation Monitor, he and his colleagues report about misinformation on Tik Tok, an Internet domain that is wildly popular with young people in particular, and which, according to the report, is chock-full of posts that include conspiracy theories and all manner of bad information.
Jack Brewster joins us on Zoom from Ridgefield, Connecticut.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is journalist Jack Brewster.He’s a senior analyst for NewsGuard, a media monitoring organization based in New York.
In this month’s edition of Newsguard’s Misinformation Monitor, he and his colleagues report about misinformation on Tik Tok, an Internet domain that is wildly popular with young people in particular, and which, according to the report, is chock-full of posts that include conspiracy theories and all manner of bad information.
Jack Brewster joins us on Zoom from Ridgefield, Connecticut.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is journalist Jack Brewster.He’s a senior analyst for NewsGuard, a media monitoring organization based in New York.
In this month’s edition of Newsguard’s Misinformation Monitor, he and his colleagues report about misinformation on Tik Tok, an Internet domain that is wildly popular with young people in particular, and which, according to the report, is chock-full of posts that include conspiracy theories and all manner of bad information.
Jack Brewster joins us on Zoom from Ridgefield, Connecticut.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining Tom now is journalist Jack Brewster.He’s a senior analyst for NewsGuard, a media monitoring organization based in New York.
In this month’s edition of Newsguard’s Misinformation Monitor, he and his colleagues report about misinformation on Tik Tok, an Internet domain that is wildly popular with young people in particular, and which, according to the report, is chock-full of posts that include conspiracy theories and all manner of bad information.
Jack Brewster joins us on Zoom from Ridgefield, Connecticut.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Election day in Maryland is less than two months away. Early voting starts Oct. 27. Election day is Nov. 8. If you are requesting a mail-in ballot, you have until Nov. 1 to request one by mail, and Nov. 4 to request one on-line.
Today, the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College released a wide-ranging poll, commissioned by WYPR and the Baltimore Banner, that shows the Democratic candidates for the state’s top three offices in commanding leads over their Republican challengers. The poll also explored what issues remain top of mind for Maryland voters.
Dr. Mileah Kromer is the director of the Hughes Center. She joins Tom in Studio A to tell us what the numbers reveal…
On Wednesday night (Sept. 21), Goucher College and our partners, the Baltimore Banner will hold the first in a series of “Promote the Vote” events. Mileah Kromer will talk about the results of the WYPR/Banner poll from 6-8. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Election day in Maryland is less than two months away. Early voting starts Oct. 27. Election day is Nov. 8. If you are requesting a mail-in ballot, you have until Nov. 1 to request one by mail, and Nov. 4 to request one on-line.
Today, the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College released a wide-ranging poll, commissioned by WYPR and the Baltimore Banner, that shows the Democratic candidates for the state’s top three offices in commanding leads over their Republican challengers. The poll also explored what issues remain top of mind for Maryland voters.
Dr. Mileah Kromer is the director of the Hughes Center. She joins Tom in Studio A to tell us what the numbers reveal…
On Wednesday night (Sept. 21), Goucher College and our partners, the Baltimore Banner will hold the first in a series of “Promote the Vote” events. Mileah Kromer will talk about the results of the WYPR/Banner poll from 6-8. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Election day in Maryland is less than two months away. Early voting starts Oct. 27. Election day is Nov. 8. If you are requesting a mail-in ballot, you have until Nov. 1 to request one by mail, and Nov. 4 to request one on-line.
Today, the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College released a wide-ranging poll, commissioned by WYPR and the Baltimore Banner, that shows the Democratic candidates for the state’s top three offices in commanding leads over their Republican challengers. The poll also explored what issues remain top of mind for Maryland voters.
Dr. Mileah Kromer is the director of the Hughes Center. She joins Tom in Studio A to tell us what the numbers reveal…
On Wednesday night (Sept. 21), Goucher College and our partners, the Baltimore Banner will hold the first in a series of “Promote the Vote” events. Mileah Kromer will talk about the results of the WYPR/Banner poll from 6-8. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Election day in Maryland is less than two months away. Early voting starts Oct. 27. Election day is Nov. 8. If you are requesting a mail-in ballot, you have until Nov. 1 to request one by mail, and Nov. 4 to request one on-line.
Today, the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics at Goucher College released a wide-ranging poll, commissioned by WYPR and the Baltimore Banner, that shows the Democratic candidates for the state’s top three offices in commanding leads over their Republican challengers. The poll also explored what issues remain top of mind for Maryland voters.
Dr. Mileah Kromer is the director of the Hughes Center. She joins Tom in Studio A to tell us what the numbers reveal…
On Wednesday night (Sept. 21), Goucher College and our partners, the Baltimore Banner will hold the first in a series of “Promote the Vote” events. Mileah Kromer will talk about the results of the WYPR/Banner poll from 6-8. Follow the link for more information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is Jenenne Whitfield, the newly appointed director of AVAM, the American Visionary Arts Museum.
She comes to Baltimore from Detroit, where she headed the Heidelberg Project. She succeeds AVAM’s founding director, Rebecca Hoffberger, who led the museum for three decades.
If you’re not familiar with AVAM, it’s worth the trip to Key Highway here in Baltimore to check it out. It’s dedicated to intuitive, self-taught artistry, and it has garnered kudos from all sorts of national news outlets since it opened 30 years ago.
Jenenne Whitfield joins us in Studio A…
AVAM's next mega exhibition, which will be up for a year, opens on October 8. It’s called ABUNDANCE: Too Much, Too Little, Just Right.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is Jenenne Whitfield, the newly appointed director of AVAM, the American Visionary Arts Museum.
She comes to Baltimore from Detroit, where she headed the Heidelberg Project. She succeeds AVAM’s founding director, Rebecca Hoffberger, who led the museum for three decades.
If you’re not familiar with AVAM, it’s worth the trip to Key Highway here in Baltimore to check it out. It’s dedicated to intuitive, self-taught artistry, and it has garnered kudos from all sorts of national news outlets since it opened 30 years ago.
Jenenne Whitfield joins us in Studio A…
AVAM's next mega exhibition, which will be up for a year, opens on October 8. It’s called ABUNDANCE: Too Much, Too Little, Just Right.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is Jenenne Whitfield, the newly appointed director of AVAM, the American Visionary Arts Museum.
She comes to Baltimore from Detroit, where she headed the Heidelberg Project. She succeeds AVAM’s founding director, Rebecca Hoffberger, who led the museum for three decades.
If you’re not familiar with AVAM, it’s worth the trip to Key Highway here in Baltimore to check it out. It’s dedicated to intuitive, self-taught artistry, and it has garnered kudos from all sorts of national news outlets since it opened 30 years ago.
Jenenne Whitfield joins us in Studio A…
AVAM's next mega exhibition, which will be up for a year, opens on October 8. It’s called ABUNDANCE: Too Much, Too Little, Just Right.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tom's next guest is Jenenne Whitfield, the newly appointed director of AVAM, the American Visionary Arts Museum.
She comes to Baltimore from Detroit, where she headed the Heidelberg Project. She succeeds AVAM’s founding director, Rebecca Hoffberger, who led the museum for three decades.
If you’re not familiar with AVAM, it’s worth the trip to Key Highway here in Baltimore to check it out. It’s dedicated to intuitive, self-taught artistry, and it has garnered kudos from all sorts of national news outlets since it opened 30 years ago.
Jenenne Whitfield joins us in Studio A…
AVAM's next mega exhibition, which will be up for a year, opens on October 8. It’s called ABUNDANCE: Too Much, Too Little, Just Right.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, we begin the hour with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, Tom's monthly conversation with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, about key issues facing the city.
Today's topics include: lessons learned during the E. coli contamination incident and the DPW response; the Squeegee Collaborative Community Conversation; and Gov. Hogan's proposal to hand over the State Center complex to Baltimore City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, we begin the hour with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, Tom's monthly conversation with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, about key issues facing the city.
Today's topics include: lessons learned during the E. coli contamination incident and the DPW response; the Squeegee Collaborative Community Conversation; and Gov. Hogan's proposal to hand over the State Center complex to Baltimore City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, we begin the hour with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, Tom's monthly conversation with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, about key issues facing the city.
Today's topics include: lessons learned during the E. coli contamination incident and the DPW response; the Squeegee Collaborative Community Conversation; and Gov. Hogan's proposal to hand over the State Center complex to Baltimore City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, we begin the hour with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, Tom's monthly conversation with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, about key issues facing the city.
Today's topics include: lessons learned during the E. coli contamination incident and the DPW response; the Squeegee Collaborative Community Conversation; and Gov. Hogan's proposal to hand over the State Center complex to Baltimore City.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's world-premiere production of Dinner and Cake, a debut work by Vietnam-born playwright/actor Tuyết Thị Phạm about race, politics and a family's struggle to bridge deep cultural divides.
Paige Hernandez directs the complex, bi-lingual play for Everyman, which also features Carolina Đỗ as Mỹlinh, Định James Đoàn as Mr. Trần; Helen Hedman as Mrs. Joyce Drumming; Bruce Randolph Nelson as Mr. Murray Drumming; and the playwright Tuyết Thị Phạm as Mrs. Trần.
Dinner and Cake continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre through October 2. Follow the links for showtimes and ticketing information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's world-premiere production of Dinner and Cake, a debut work by Vietnam-born playwright/actor Tuyết Thị Phạm about race, politics and a family's struggle to bridge deep cultural divides.
Paige Hernandez directs the complex, bi-lingual play for Everyman, which also features Carolina Đỗ as Mỹlinh, Định James Đoàn as Mr. Trần; Helen Hedman as Mrs. Joyce Drumming; Bruce Randolph Nelson as Mr. Murray Drumming; and the playwright Tuyết Thị Phạm as Mrs. Trần.
Dinner and Cake continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre through October 2. Follow the links for showtimes and ticketing information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's world-premiere production of Dinner and Cake, a debut work by Vietnam-born playwright/actor Tuyết Thị Phạm about race, politics and a family's struggle to bridge deep cultural divides.
Paige Hernandez directs the complex, bi-lingual play for Everyman, which also features Carolina Đỗ as Mỹlinh, Định James Đoàn as Mr. Trần; Helen Hedman as Mrs. Joyce Drumming; Bruce Randolph Nelson as Mr. Murray Drumming; and the playwright Tuyết Thị Phạm as Mrs. Trần.
Dinner and Cake continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre through October 2. Follow the links for showtimes and ticketing information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's world-premiere production of Dinner and Cake, a debut work by Vietnam-born playwright/actor Tuyết Thị Phạm about race, politics and a family's struggle to bridge deep cultural divides.
Paige Hernandez directs the complex, bi-lingual play for Everyman, which also features Carolina Đỗ as Mỹlinh, Định James Đoàn as Mr. Trần; Helen Hedman as Mrs. Joyce Drumming; Bruce Randolph Nelson as Mr. Murray Drumming; and the playwright Tuyết Thị Phạm as Mrs. Trần.
Dinner and Cake continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre through October 2. Follow the links for showtimes and ticketing information.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, it’s Midday on the Family.How can we raise children to value diversity and equity? And why do some kids grow up to be adults who are racist?
When the American Psychological Association met this summer for their annual conference in Minneapolis, one of the panel discussions was about the Science of Racism. Researchers and clinicians discussed how racism is studied, who is studying it, and what the data is revealing. One of the panelists at that session is also a good friend of Midday, and we're delighted to welcome her back to the show.
Dr. Charissa Cheah is a developmental psychologist who is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Asian Studies, and the director of the Culture, Child and Adolescent Development Lab at UMBC.
Dr. Charissa Cheah joins us on Zoom from Ellicott City…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, it’s Midday on the Family.How can we raise children to value diversity and equity? And why do some kids grow up to be adults who are racist?
When the American Psychological Association met this summer for their annual conference in Minneapolis, one of the panel discussions was about the Science of Racism. Researchers and clinicians discussed how racism is studied, who is studying it, and what the data is revealing. One of the panelists at that session is also a good friend of Midday, and we're delighted to welcome her back to the show.
Dr. Charissa Cheah is a developmental psychologist who is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Asian Studies, and the director of the Culture, Child and Adolescent Development Lab at UMBC.
Dr. Charissa Cheah joins us on Zoom from Ellicott City…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, it’s Midday on the Family.How can we raise children to value diversity and equity? And why do some kids grow up to be adults who are racist?
When the American Psychological Association met this summer for their annual conference in Minneapolis, one of the panel discussions was about the Science of Racism. Researchers and clinicians discussed how racism is studied, who is studying it, and what the data is revealing. One of the panelists at that session is also a good friend of Midday, and we're delighted to welcome her back to the show.
Dr. Charissa Cheah is a developmental psychologist who is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Asian Studies, and the director of the Culture, Child and Adolescent Development Lab at UMBC.
Dr. Charissa Cheah joins us on Zoom from Ellicott City…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, it’s Midday on the Family.How can we raise children to value diversity and equity? And why do some kids grow up to be adults who are racist?
When the American Psychological Association met this summer for their annual conference in Minneapolis, one of the panel discussions was about the Science of Racism. Researchers and clinicians discussed how racism is studied, who is studying it, and what the data is revealing. One of the panelists at that session is also a good friend of Midday, and we're delighted to welcome her back to the show.
Dr. Charissa Cheah is a developmental psychologist who is a professor in the Department of Psychology and Asian Studies, and the director of the Culture, Child and Adolescent Development Lab at UMBC.
Dr. Charissa Cheah joins us on Zoom from Ellicott City…
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to talk about sex.
Tom's guest is Deborah Roffman, a human sexuality educator and consultant who has been talking about sex to kids and their parents and teachers for 50 years. She’s a longtime faculty member at the Park School here in Baltimore, and she has worked with more than 400 schools and community groups across the country, helping kids with their needs around healthy sexual development.
She's authored four books about sexuality, includingSex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Sex; Talk to Me First. Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go-To” Person About Sex; and But How Did I Get In There In the First Place? Talking to Your Young Child About Sex.
Her latest is The Science of Babies: A Little Book for Big Questions About Bodies, Birth and Families, a colorful board book designed for parents to share with their 3½ - 6 year-olds to introduce them to ideas about conception, gender and human development.
Deborah Roffman joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to talk about sex.
Tom's guest is Deborah Roffman, a human sexuality educator and consultant who has been talking about sex to kids and their parents and teachers for 50 years. She’s a longtime faculty member at the Park School here in Baltimore, and she has worked with more than 400 schools and community groups across the country, helping kids with their needs around healthy sexual development.
She's authored four books about sexuality, includingSex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Sex; Talk to Me First. Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go-To” Person About Sex; and But How Did I Get In There In the First Place? Talking to Your Young Child About Sex.
Her latest is The Science of Babies: A Little Book for Big Questions About Bodies, Birth and Families, a colorful board book designed for parents to share with their 3½ - 6 year-olds to introduce them to ideas about conception, gender and human development.
Deborah Roffman joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to talk about sex.
Tom's guest is Deborah Roffman, a human sexuality educator and consultant who has been talking about sex to kids and their parents and teachers for 50 years. She’s a longtime faculty member at the Park School here in Baltimore, and she has worked with more than 400 schools and community groups across the country, helping kids with their needs around healthy sexual development.
She's authored four books about sexuality, includingSex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Sex; Talk to Me First. Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go-To” Person About Sex; and But How Did I Get In There In the First Place? Talking to Your Young Child About Sex.
Her latest is The Science of Babies: A Little Book for Big Questions About Bodies, Birth and Families, a colorful board book designed for parents to share with their 3½ - 6 year-olds to introduce them to ideas about conception, gender and human development.
Deborah Roffman joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Midday, we’re going to talk about sex.
Tom's guest is Deborah Roffman, a human sexuality educator and consultant who has been talking about sex to kids and their parents and teachers for 50 years. She’s a longtime faculty member at the Park School here in Baltimore, and she has worked with more than 400 schools and community groups across the country, helping kids with their needs around healthy sexual development.
She's authored four books about sexuality, includingSex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent’s Guide to Sex; Talk to Me First. Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go-To” Person About Sex; and But How Did I Get In There In the First Place? Talking to Your Young Child About Sex.
Her latest is The Science of Babies: A Little Book for Big Questions About Bodies, Birth and Families, a colorful board book designed for parents to share with their 3½ - 6 year-olds to introduce them to ideas about conception, gender and human development.
Deborah Roffman joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Black student enrollment in college grew exponentially, from fewer than 300,000 students in 1966 to two and half million in 2010. But in the decade between 2010 and 2020, overall college enrollment fell, and Blackenrollment plummeted even more.
The Supreme Court will take-up two affirmative action cases this term, which begins in three weeks. If race-based consideration in college admissions is disallowed, what will that mean for diversity on college campuses moving forward?
We’ll consider that question a little later in the show, but first, we begin with Oyin Adedoyin, who writes about campus culture for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She joins Tom here in Studio A. Her article in this month’s issue is entitled “What Happened to Black Enrollment?”
And Tom is joined on Zoom by Jon Marcus, a writer and editor focusing on higher education for The Hechinger Report,which covers inequality and innovation in education. He published a story last month called “How Higher Education Lost its Shine.”
Tom's guests for the second half of the show are Dr. Glenn Altschuler, a professor of history and an administrator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and David Wippman, the president of Hamilton College, a private liberal arts institution in Clinton, New York. They are co-authors of a recent article in The Hill called,“What colleges are up against if the Supreme Court bans affirmative action.”
Both men join Tom on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Black student enrollment in college grew exponentially, from fewer than 300,000 students in 1966 to two and half million in 2010. But in the decade between 2010 and 2020, overall college enrollment fell, and Blackenrollment plummeted even more.
The Supreme Court will take-up two affirmative action cases this term, which begins in three weeks. If race-based consideration in college admissions is disallowed, what will that mean for diversity on college campuses moving forward?
We’ll consider that question a little later in the show, but first, we begin with Oyin Adedoyin, who writes about campus culture for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She joins Tom here in Studio A. Her article in this month’s issue is entitled “What Happened to Black Enrollment?”
And Tom is joined on Zoom by Jon Marcus, a writer and editor focusing on higher education for The Hechinger Report,which covers inequality and innovation in education. He published a story last month called “How Higher Education Lost its Shine.”
Tom's guests for the second half of the show are Dr. Glenn Altschuler, a professor of history and an administrator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and David Wippman, the president of Hamilton College, a private liberal arts institution in Clinton, New York. They are co-authors of a recent article in The Hill called,“What colleges are up against if the Supreme Court bans affirmative action.”
Both men join Tom on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Black student enrollment in college grew exponentially, from fewer than 300,000 students in 1966 to two and half million in 2010. But in the decade between 2010 and 2020, overall college enrollment fell, and Blackenrollment plummeted even more.
The Supreme Court will take-up two affirmative action cases this term, which begins in three weeks. If race-based consideration in college admissions is disallowed, what will that mean for diversity on college campuses moving forward?
We’ll consider that question a little later in the show, but first, we begin with Oyin Adedoyin, who writes about campus culture for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She joins Tom here in Studio A. Her article in this month’s issue is entitled “What Happened to Black Enrollment?”
And Tom is joined on Zoom by Jon Marcus, a writer and editor focusing on higher education for The Hechinger Report,which covers inequality and innovation in education. He published a story last month called “How Higher Education Lost its Shine.”
Tom's guests for the second half of the show are Dr. Glenn Altschuler, a professor of history and an administrator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and David Wippman, the president of Hamilton College, a private liberal arts institution in Clinton, New York. They are co-authors of a recent article in The Hill called,“What colleges are up against if the Supreme Court bans affirmative action.”
Both men join Tom on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, Black student enrollment in college grew exponentially, from fewer than 300,000 students in 1966 to two and half million in 2010. But in the decade between 2010 and 2020, overall college enrollment fell, and Blackenrollment plummeted even more.
The Supreme Court will take-up two affirmative action cases this term, which begins in three weeks. If race-based consideration in college admissions is disallowed, what will that mean for diversity on college campuses moving forward?
We’ll consider that question a little later in the show, but first, we begin with Oyin Adedoyin, who writes about campus culture for The Chronicle of Higher Education. She joins Tom here in Studio A. Her article in this month’s issue is entitled “What Happened to Black Enrollment?”
And Tom is joined on Zoom by Jon Marcus, a writer and editor focusing on higher education for The Hechinger Report,which covers inequality and innovation in education. He published a story last month called “How Higher Education Lost its Shine.”
Tom's guests for the second half of the show are Dr. Glenn Altschuler, a professor of history and an administrator at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York; and David Wippman, the president of Hamilton College, a private liberal arts institution in Clinton, New York. They are co-authors of a recent article in The Hill called,“What colleges are up against if the Supreme Court bans affirmative action.”
Both men join Tom on Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, a conversation about race and real estate. Tom's first guests are here today to talk about an experience they had that demonstrates the continuing problems that Black homeowners and homebuyers encounter in the housing market.
Dr. Nathan Connolly and Dr. Shani Mott teach at Johns Hopkins University. Nathan Connolly is an Associate Professor of History who studies, among other things, redlining and race. He’s the Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Hopkins, and the author of book called A World More Concrete: Real Estate and the Remaking of Jim Crow South Florida. Shani Mott is a lecturer in the Africana Studies Department. She studies the use of racial language in fiction and non-fiction in American popular culture.
They live with their three children in Homeland, an affluent neighborhood in northeast Baltimore. They are African American. And what happened when they attempted to re-finance the mortgage on their home is the subject of a lawsuit that alleges discrimination in the appraisal process.
They join Tom in Studio A.
Later in the hour we are joined as well by Dr. Andre Perry. He’s a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and a scholar-in-residence at American University. He’s the author of Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.
Andre Perry joins us on Zoom from National Harbor.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, a conversation about race and real estate. Tom's first guests are here today to talk about an experience they had that demonstrates the continuing problems that Black homeowners and homebuyers encounter in the housing market.
Dr. Nathan Connolly and Dr. Shani Mott teach at Johns Hopkins University. Nathan Connolly is an Associate Professor of History who studies, among other things, redlining and race. He’s the Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Hopkins, and the author of book called A World More Concrete: Real Estate and the Remaking of Jim Crow South Florida. Shani Mott is a lecturer in the Africana Studies Department. She studies the use of racial language in fiction and non-fiction in American popular culture.
They live with their three children in Homeland, an affluent neighborhood in northeast Baltimore. They are African American. And what happened when they attempted to re-finance the mortgage on their home is the subject of a lawsuit that alleges discrimination in the appraisal process.
They join Tom in Studio A.
Later in the hour we are joined as well by Dr. Andre Perry. He’s a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and a scholar-in-residence at American University. He’s the author of Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.
Andre Perry joins us on Zoom from National Harbor.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, a conversation about race and real estate. Tom's first guests are here today to talk about an experience they had that demonstrates the continuing problems that Black homeowners and homebuyers encounter in the housing market.
Dr. Nathan Connolly and Dr. Shani Mott teach at Johns Hopkins University. Nathan Connolly is an Associate Professor of History who studies, among other things, redlining and race. He’s the Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Hopkins, and the author of book called A World More Concrete: Real Estate and the Remaking of Jim Crow South Florida. Shani Mott is a lecturer in the Africana Studies Department. She studies the use of racial language in fiction and non-fiction in American popular culture.
They live with their three children in Homeland, an affluent neighborhood in northeast Baltimore. They are African American. And what happened when they attempted to re-finance the mortgage on their home is the subject of a lawsuit that alleges discrimination in the appraisal process.
They join Tom in Studio A.
Later in the hour we are joined as well by Dr. Andre Perry. He’s a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and a scholar-in-residence at American University. He’s the author of Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.
Andre Perry joins us on Zoom from National Harbor.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, a conversation about race and real estate. Tom's first guests are here today to talk about an experience they had that demonstrates the continuing problems that Black homeowners and homebuyers encounter in the housing market.
Dr. Nathan Connolly and Dr. Shani Mott teach at Johns Hopkins University. Nathan Connolly is an Associate Professor of History who studies, among other things, redlining and race. He’s the Director of the Program in Racism, Immigration, and Citizenship at Hopkins, and the author of book called A World More Concrete: Real Estate and the Remaking of Jim Crow South Florida. Shani Mott is a lecturer in the Africana Studies Department. She studies the use of racial language in fiction and non-fiction in American popular culture.
They live with their three children in Homeland, an affluent neighborhood in northeast Baltimore. They are African American. And what happened when they attempted to re-finance the mortgage on their home is the subject of a lawsuit that alleges discrimination in the appraisal process.
They join Tom in Studio A.
Later in the hour we are joined as well by Dr. Andre Perry. He’s a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and a scholar-in-residence at American University. He’s the author of Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.
Andre Perry joins us on Zoom from National Harbor.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's special edition of Midday, a remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she served for 70 years as the matriarch of the Royal Family and Britain's ceremonial head of government. She is succeeded on the throne by her son, now King Charles III, who addresses the nation on Friday at 1pm (Eastern).
Tom gets perspectives on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth from University of Baltimore president and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who hosted the Queen during her visit to Baltimore in 1991.
We'll also be joined on Zoom from Somerset, England by Dr. Tony Steele-Perkins, a retired physician in the Royal Navy who served as the Surgeon Commander on the Royal Yacht Britannia from 1983-1985. In that capacity, he provided medical services to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
And we'll get historical perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's impact on Britain and the world, and what will likely follow her reign, from two scholars of British history:
Dr. Amy Froide, Chair of the History Department at UMBC, who is currently doing research at the Huntington Library in San Merino, California (which houses the largest collection of British papers outside of England); and
Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo, Research Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Both scholars join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's special edition of Midday, a remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she served for 70 years as the matriarch of the Royal Family and Britain's ceremonial head of government. She is succeeded on the throne by her son, now King Charles III, who addresses the nation on Friday at 1pm (Eastern).
Tom gets perspectives on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth from University of Baltimore president and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who hosted the Queen during her visit to Baltimore in 1991.
We'll also be joined on Zoom from Somerset, England by Dr. Tony Steele-Perkins, a retired physician in the Royal Navy who served as the Surgeon Commander on the Royal Yacht Britannia from 1983-1985. In that capacity, he provided medical services to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
And we'll get historical perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's impact on Britain and the world, and what will likely follow her reign, from two scholars of British history:
Dr. Amy Froide, Chair of the History Department at UMBC, who is currently doing research at the Huntington Library in San Merino, California (which houses the largest collection of British papers outside of England); and
Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo, Research Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Both scholars join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's special edition of Midday, a remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she served for 70 years as the matriarch of the Royal Family and Britain's ceremonial head of government. She is succeeded on the throne by her son, now King Charles III, who addresses the nation on Friday at 1pm (Eastern).
Tom gets perspectives on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth from University of Baltimore president and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who hosted the Queen during her visit to Baltimore in 1991.
We'll also be joined on Zoom from Somerset, England by Dr. Tony Steele-Perkins, a retired physician in the Royal Navy who served as the Surgeon Commander on the Royal Yacht Britannia from 1983-1985. In that capacity, he provided medical services to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
And we'll get historical perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's impact on Britain and the world, and what will likely follow her reign, from two scholars of British history:
Dr. Amy Froide, Chair of the History Department at UMBC, who is currently doing research at the Huntington Library in San Merino, California (which houses the largest collection of British papers outside of England); and
Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo, Research Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Both scholars join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's special edition of Midday, a remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at the age of 96. Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she served for 70 years as the matriarch of the Royal Family and Britain's ceremonial head of government. She is succeeded on the throne by her son, now King Charles III, who addresses the nation on Friday at 1pm (Eastern).
Tom gets perspectives on the extraordinary life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth from University of Baltimore president and former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, who hosted the Queen during her visit to Baltimore in 1991.
We'll also be joined on Zoom from Somerset, England by Dr. Tony Steele-Perkins, a retired physician in the Royal Navy who served as the Surgeon Commander on the Royal Yacht Britannia from 1983-1985. In that capacity, he provided medical services to the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.
And we'll get historical perspectives on Queen Elizabeth's impact on Britain and the world, and what will likely follow her reign, from two scholars of British history:
Dr. Amy Froide, Chair of the History Department at UMBC, who is currently doing research at the Huntington Library in San Merino, California (which houses the largest collection of British papers outside of England); and
Dr. Julie Anne Taddeo, Research Professor of History at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Both scholars join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ongoing water contamination problem in West Baltimore will likely prove to be a rare, acute problem. But Baltimore is not without its chronic problems, too. One of them is the challenge of vacant and abandoned housing.
Our city has the third highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. This is according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative, which has compiled data from sources that include research done by the University of Baltimore’s Neighborhood Indicator’s Alliance and Open Baltimore, the city government’s repository of data.
The report seeks to better understand the “measurable” costs to the city of carrying a large inventory of houses that do almost nothing to add to the city’s tax base, but do, do a lot to add to crime and bad health outcomes for the people living in those neighborhoods that are rife with blight.
The new report is called The Costs of Baltimore’s Vacant Housing.Tom's first guests today are its co-authors, Mary Miller and Mac McComas, who join us today in Studio A.
Mary Miller is a senior fellow at the 21st Century Cities Initiative. After a long career at T. Rowe Price, she served as Under Secretary for Domestic Finance in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. In 2020, she placed third in a crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primary for Mayor…
Mac McComas is the Senior Program Manager at the 21st Century Cities Initiative, and co-author of the book, Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities.
(Full disclosure: Mary Miller and Tom Hall have been friends for 30 years. Mac McComas is also a friend, and a member of the WYPR Board of Directors.)
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Hallie Miller of our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner. She covers housing and city services for the Banner, and she joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ongoing water contamination problem in West Baltimore will likely prove to be a rare, acute problem. But Baltimore is not without its chronic problems, too. One of them is the challenge of vacant and abandoned housing.
Our city has the third highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. This is according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative, which has compiled data from sources that include research done by the University of Baltimore’s Neighborhood Indicator’s Alliance and Open Baltimore, the city government’s repository of data.
The report seeks to better understand the “measurable” costs to the city of carrying a large inventory of houses that do almost nothing to add to the city’s tax base, but do, do a lot to add to crime and bad health outcomes for the people living in those neighborhoods that are rife with blight.
The new report is called The Costs of Baltimore’s Vacant Housing.Tom's first guests today are its co-authors, Mary Miller and Mac McComas, who join us today in Studio A.
Mary Miller is a senior fellow at the 21st Century Cities Initiative. After a long career at T. Rowe Price, she served as Under Secretary for Domestic Finance in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. In 2020, she placed third in a crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primary for Mayor…
Mac McComas is the Senior Program Manager at the 21st Century Cities Initiative, and co-author of the book, Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities.
(Full disclosure: Mary Miller and Tom Hall have been friends for 30 years. Mac McComas is also a friend, and a member of the WYPR Board of Directors.)
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Hallie Miller of our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner. She covers housing and city services for the Banner, and she joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ongoing water contamination problem in West Baltimore will likely prove to be a rare, acute problem. But Baltimore is not without its chronic problems, too. One of them is the challenge of vacant and abandoned housing.
Our city has the third highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. This is according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative, which has compiled data from sources that include research done by the University of Baltimore’s Neighborhood Indicator’s Alliance and Open Baltimore, the city government’s repository of data.
The report seeks to better understand the “measurable” costs to the city of carrying a large inventory of houses that do almost nothing to add to the city’s tax base, but do, do a lot to add to crime and bad health outcomes for the people living in those neighborhoods that are rife with blight.
The new report is called The Costs of Baltimore’s Vacant Housing.Tom's first guests today are its co-authors, Mary Miller and Mac McComas, who join us today in Studio A.
Mary Miller is a senior fellow at the 21st Century Cities Initiative. After a long career at T. Rowe Price, she served as Under Secretary for Domestic Finance in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. In 2020, she placed third in a crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primary for Mayor…
Mac McComas is the Senior Program Manager at the 21st Century Cities Initiative, and co-author of the book, Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities.
(Full disclosure: Mary Miller and Tom Hall have been friends for 30 years. Mac McComas is also a friend, and a member of the WYPR Board of Directors.)
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Hallie Miller of our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner. She covers housing and city services for the Banner, and she joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The ongoing water contamination problem in West Baltimore will likely prove to be a rare, acute problem. But Baltimore is not without its chronic problems, too. One of them is the challenge of vacant and abandoned housing.
Our city has the third highest rate of vacant and abandoned properties in the country. This is according to a new report from the Johns Hopkins 21st Century Cities Initiative, which has compiled data from sources that include research done by the University of Baltimore’s Neighborhood Indicator’s Alliance and Open Baltimore, the city government’s repository of data.
The report seeks to better understand the “measurable” costs to the city of carrying a large inventory of houses that do almost nothing to add to the city’s tax base, but do, do a lot to add to crime and bad health outcomes for the people living in those neighborhoods that are rife with blight.
The new report is called The Costs of Baltimore’s Vacant Housing.Tom's first guests today are its co-authors, Mary Miller and Mac McComas, who join us today in Studio A.
Mary Miller is a senior fellow at the 21st Century Cities Initiative. After a long career at T. Rowe Price, she served as Under Secretary for Domestic Finance in the U.S. Treasury Department during the Obama Administration. In 2020, she placed third in a crowded field of candidates in the Democratic primary for Mayor…
Mac McComas is the Senior Program Manager at the 21st Century Cities Initiative, and co-author of the book, Unlocking the Potential of Post-Industrial Cities.
(Full disclosure: Mary Miller and Tom Hall have been friends for 30 years. Mac McComas is also a friend, and a member of the WYPR Board of Directors.)
Later in the hour, Tom speaks with Hallie Miller of our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner. She covers housing and city services for the Banner, and she joins Tom in Studio A.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to another edition of Midday on Higher Education, our continuing series of conversations with university and college presidents across the state of Maryland.
Today, Tom's guest for the hour is Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, a chemist and university professor whose tenure as the new president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County began August 1. The first woman to hold the post, she succeeds Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, who retired this spring after 30 years at the helm of the prestigious Baltimore institution.
Dr. Ashby comes to UMBC's Catonsville campus from Duke University, where she served as the Dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, a division of Duke with nearly 40 departments and programs and a faculty of 700. She has also held positions at the University of North Carolina and Iowa State University.
UMBC is recognized as one of only 146 R1 institutions, the highest ranking afforded to the country’s most prestigious research institutions. UMBC has also been a model of diversity and inclusion, which have long served as fundaments of Dr. Ashby’s career as a leader and a scholar as well. UMBC has produced more Black M.D. and Ph. D. degree-earners than any other college in the country.
Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby joins us on Zoom from the president's office at UMBC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to another edition of Midday on Higher Education, our continuing series of conversations with university and college presidents across the state of Maryland.
Today, Tom's guest for the hour is Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, a chemist and university professor whose tenure as the new president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County began August 1. The first woman to hold the post, she succeeds Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, who retired this spring after 30 years at the helm of the prestigious Baltimore institution.
Dr. Ashby comes to UMBC's Catonsville campus from Duke University, where she served as the Dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, a division of Duke with nearly 40 departments and programs and a faculty of 700. She has also held positions at the University of North Carolina and Iowa State University.
UMBC is recognized as one of only 146 R1 institutions, the highest ranking afforded to the country’s most prestigious research institutions. UMBC has also been a model of diversity and inclusion, which have long served as fundaments of Dr. Ashby’s career as a leader and a scholar as well. UMBC has produced more Black M.D. and Ph. D. degree-earners than any other college in the country.
Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby joins us on Zoom from the president's office at UMBC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to another edition of Midday on Higher Education, our continuing series of conversations with university and college presidents across the state of Maryland.
Today, Tom's guest for the hour is Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, a chemist and university professor whose tenure as the new president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County began August 1. The first woman to hold the post, she succeeds Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, who retired this spring after 30 years at the helm of the prestigious Baltimore institution.
Dr. Ashby comes to UMBC's Catonsville campus from Duke University, where she served as the Dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, a division of Duke with nearly 40 departments and programs and a faculty of 700. She has also held positions at the University of North Carolina and Iowa State University.
UMBC is recognized as one of only 146 R1 institutions, the highest ranking afforded to the country’s most prestigious research institutions. UMBC has also been a model of diversity and inclusion, which have long served as fundaments of Dr. Ashby’s career as a leader and a scholar as well. UMBC has produced more Black M.D. and Ph. D. degree-earners than any other college in the country.
Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby joins us on Zoom from the president's office at UMBC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to another edition of Midday on Higher Education, our continuing series of conversations with university and college presidents across the state of Maryland.
Today, Tom's guest for the hour is Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby, a chemist and university professor whose tenure as the new president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County began August 1. The first woman to hold the post, she succeeds Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, who retired this spring after 30 years at the helm of the prestigious Baltimore institution.
Dr. Ashby comes to UMBC's Catonsville campus from Duke University, where she served as the Dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, a division of Duke with nearly 40 departments and programs and a faculty of 700. She has also held positions at the University of North Carolina and Iowa State University.
UMBC is recognized as one of only 146 R1 institutions, the highest ranking afforded to the country’s most prestigious research institutions. UMBC has also been a model of diversity and inclusion, which have long served as fundaments of Dr. Ashby’s career as a leader and a scholar as well. UMBC has produced more Black M.D. and Ph. D. degree-earners than any other college in the country.
Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby joins us on Zoom from the president's office at UMBC.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, it’s the Midday Healthwatch.Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University. She’s also a former Health Commissioner of the city of Baltimore, and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, as well as a commentator for CNN and a columnist for the Washington Post. Her latest book is called Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom to discuss the new COVID boosters, masking in schools, new worries about E.coli contamination in West Baltimore's water, and other public health issues. And as always, she answers your questions.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, it’s the Midday Healthwatch.Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University. She’s also a former Health Commissioner of the city of Baltimore, and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, as well as a commentator for CNN and a columnist for the Washington Post. Her latest book is called Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom to discuss the new COVID boosters, masking in schools, new worries about E.coli contamination in West Baltimore's water, and other public health issues. And as always, she answers your questions.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, it’s the Midday Healthwatch.Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University. She’s also a former Health Commissioner of the city of Baltimore, and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, as well as a commentator for CNN and a columnist for the Washington Post. Her latest book is called Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom to discuss the new COVID boosters, masking in schools, new worries about E.coli contamination in West Baltimore's water, and other public health issues. And as always, she answers your questions.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
And now, it’s the Midday Healthwatch.Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and visiting professor at George Washington University. She’s also a former Health Commissioner of the city of Baltimore, and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, as well as a commentator for CNN and a columnist for the Washington Post. Her latest book is called Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom to discuss the new COVID boosters, masking in schools, new worries about E.coli contamination in West Baltimore's water, and other public health issues. And as always, she answers your questions.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was a rain-soaked Tuesday morning, but for folks in West Baltimore, it was water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. E. coli bacteria has been detected in part of the water supply, and joining Tom with an update is Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Baltimore Department of Public Works…
John Bullock joins us as well. He is the member of the Baltimore City Council who represents the ninth district, which includes Sandtown-Winchester and Harlem Park, the two areas most directly affected by the DPW's Boil Water Advisory…
Both our guests join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was a rain-soaked Tuesday morning, but for folks in West Baltimore, it was water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. E. coli bacteria has been detected in part of the water supply, and joining Tom with an update is Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Baltimore Department of Public Works…
John Bullock joins us as well. He is the member of the Baltimore City Council who represents the ninth district, which includes Sandtown-Winchester and Harlem Park, the two areas most directly affected by the DPW's Boil Water Advisory…
Both our guests join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was a rain-soaked Tuesday morning, but for folks in West Baltimore, it was water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. E. coli bacteria has been detected in part of the water supply, and joining Tom with an update is Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Baltimore Department of Public Works…
John Bullock joins us as well. He is the member of the Baltimore City Council who represents the ninth district, which includes Sandtown-Winchester and Harlem Park, the two areas most directly affected by the DPW's Boil Water Advisory…
Both our guests join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It was a rain-soaked Tuesday morning, but for folks in West Baltimore, it was water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. E. coli bacteria has been detected in part of the water supply, and joining Tom with an update is Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Baltimore Department of Public Works…
John Bullock joins us as well. He is the member of the Baltimore City Council who represents the ninth district, which includes Sandtown-Winchester and Harlem Park, the two areas most directly affected by the DPW's Boil Water Advisory…
Both our guests join us via Zoom.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
(The original broadcast of this program on January 7, 2022, featured musical examples of Paul McCartney’s work. Due to copyright laws, we could not include them on this Webpost or on Midday's podcast. The audio we've posted contains the complete conversation between Tom Hall and Paul Muldoon.)
Rolling Stone Magazine called Paul McCartney's"Yesterday" “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turned 80 in June of 2022, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. In a prolific musical career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a new, two-volume set of books that place the words to the songs next to McCartney's back stories for each of them.
Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon. Muldoon was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. We’ll talk about that book as well later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joins us on Zoom from New York…
(Because this conversation was recorded, we can't take any call or comments today.)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
(The original broadcast of this program on January 7, 2022, featured musical examples of Paul McCartney’s work. Due to copyright laws, we could not include them on this Webpost or on Midday's podcast. The audio we've posted contains the complete conversation between Tom Hall and Paul Muldoon.)
Rolling Stone Magazine called Paul McCartney's"Yesterday" “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turned 80 in June of 2022, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. In a prolific musical career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a new, two-volume set of books that place the words to the songs next to McCartney's back stories for each of them.
Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon. Muldoon was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. We’ll talk about that book as well later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joins us on Zoom from New York…
(Because this conversation was recorded, we can't take any call or comments today.)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
(The original broadcast of this program on January 7, 2022, featured musical examples of Paul McCartney’s work. Due to copyright laws, we could not include them on this Webpost or on Midday's podcast. The audio we've posted contains the complete conversation between Tom Hall and Paul Muldoon.)
Rolling Stone Magazine called Paul McCartney's"Yesterday" “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turned 80 in June of 2022, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. In a prolific musical career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a new, two-volume set of books that place the words to the songs next to McCartney's back stories for each of them.
Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon. Muldoon was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. We’ll talk about that book as well later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joins us on Zoom from New York…
(Because this conversation was recorded, we can't take any call or comments today.)
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(The original broadcast of this program on January 7, 2022, featured musical examples of Paul McCartney’s work. Due to copyright laws, we could not include them on this Webpost or on Midday's podcast. The audio we've posted contains the complete conversation between Tom Hall and Paul Muldoon.)
Rolling Stone Magazine called Paul McCartney's"Yesterday" “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turned 80 in June of 2022, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. In a prolific musical career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a new, two-volume set of books that place the words to the songs next to McCartney's back stories for each of them.
Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon. Muldoon was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. We’ll talk about that book as well later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joins us on Zoom from New York…
(Because this conversation was recorded, we can't take any call or comments today.)
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(This conversation first aired on January 12, 2022)
Back in January of this year, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta to speak about the importance of voting rights, and the need for federal legislation to overcome the dozens of state laws that have been enacted and the hundreds of laws that are being considered to restrict voting.
Currently, legislation on voting rights continues to be at a standstill in the United States Congress with the stalling of two bills that seek to support voting access: The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and theFreedom to Vote Act. As American voters look forward to the 2022 midterm elections in November, we must also remember the significant progress made thus far for access to the ballot box.
Today on Midday,we revisit a conversation about an important and often overlooked dimension in the history of voting rights: the long fight for Black women’s suffrage.
Tom's guest is the acclaimed legal and cultural historian, Martha S. Jones. She has written a broad, insightful survey of the unsung heroes of the movement for equality, a movement that started two centuries ago, and which included scores of remarkable women whose importance and impact are made clear by Dr. Jones’ compelling narrative.
The book is called Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All.
Dr. Martha S. Jones joined us for the hour on Zoom, from her home in Baltimore.
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(This conversation originally aired on December 8, 2021)
The House Select Committee investigating the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 has interviewed hundreds of witnesses and made several criminal referrals to the US Justice Department for witnesses who have refused to appear before the Committee. Meanwhile, hundreds of rioters have been indicted and many imprisoned for their role in the attempt to subvert democracy.
A federal jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, found 12 individuals and five organizations liable for $26 million in damages stemming from the Unite the Right Rally in 2017.
Did the mob that stormed the US Capitol simply coalesce around the fantasy that the election was stolen from Donald Trump?
What effect do monetary verdicts and criminal penalties have on the neo Nazi and White supremacist organizations that are behind this tragic deadly violence?
Can the roots of the violence be traced back to rage about government that began in the 1970s?
Today, we'll listen back to a conversation Tom had back in December, 2021, with Dr. Kathleen Belew. She’s an assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, where she is also the faculty affiliate at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. She is the author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.
Published by University of California Press
And along with Ramón Gutiérrez, she is the editor of, and contributor to, a new collection of essays called A Field Guide to White Supremacy, in which she and other leading scholars explore how different forms of White supremacy and hatred manifest in events like those that took place on January 6th, and extend to domestic partner violence, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-immigration, and anti-Semitism.
The authors chronicle how hate groups have moved from the fringe to the mainstream in America, and they send a clear warning that the violence we’ve seen in recent years may well be repeated.
Kathleen Belew joined us on our digital line from Chicago.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on April 26, 2022)
Good afternoon and welcome to an encore edition of Midday.
Tom's guest today is Dorothy Roberts, a professor of law and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of four books, including Killing the Black Body,about systemic abuse of African American women, and Fatal Invention, which explores the relationship between race, science and politics.
Her new book argues that the nation's foster care system, putatively designed to protect children, instead deprives Black parents of fundamental rights and leads to traumatic consequences for Black children. The child welfare system, she argues, is “more accurately described as the family policing system,” and she calls for it to be dismantled.
The book is called Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—And How Abolition Can Build a Safer World.
Dorothy Roberts joined us on Zoom from Philadelphia.
Our conversation was pre-recorded, so we can’t take any new calls or online comments.
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Tom's guest today is Eric Holder, who served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States during the first six years of the Obama Administration. He was the first African American to serve in that position. Today, he is working to advance voting rights with the organization he founded in 2016 and now chairs called the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
The NDRC works to remedy the gerrymandering that causes so many areas of the country to be poorly represented in Congress. Holder contends that voter suppression is as old as the republic itself, and he believes basic fixes are needed to counter the anti-democratic impulses that lead to laws that target people of color to make voting harder.
When the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in its 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, many states responded by enacting draconian voter restriction laws. Mr. Holder says it made him realize that the Supreme Court and the Congress are facing what he calls a “modern day existential crisis,” and that our democracy can only be pulled back from the brink of disaster by rigorous reforms to the most basic tenet of our representative government: voting.
In his new book, Mr. Holder and his co-author Sam Koppelman observe that the country is operating with an “unrepresentative Senate, a gerrymandered House, an anti-democratic Electoral College and a stolen Supreme Court.” And they offer prescriptions for reforms.
The book is called Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote-A History, A Crisis, A Plan.
Eric Holder joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
This conversation was recorded on June 28, 2022, so we aren't taking any listener calls today.
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(This conversation originally aired on April 27, 2022)
Welcome to an archive edition of Midday. We’re going to listen to a conversation Tom had in the spring of 2022 with Dr. Terry Anne Scott, the chair of the History Department at Hood College and a good friend of the Midday** show.
Dr. Scott has written a book that is as difficult as it is important. It chronicles the evolution of mob violence in Texas at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The NAACP has documented more than 4,700 lynchings across America from the 1880s through the 1960s.
Terry Anne Scott has found evidence, in just the state of Texas, of 469 Black people, as well as 140 white people, 111 Mexicans and at least one Native American who were victims of mob violence in roughly that same time period.
Her book traces how these killings, once furtive, clandestine acts, eventually became popular public spectacles, and she examines what that means for our understanding of the legacy of racial violence and discrimination in America.
A warning: we’ll be talking today about a book that includes graphic descriptions of torture and murder. It is difficult to hear about and to comprehend the cruelty of the White mobs that inflicted painful deaths on so many people. But understanding the depravity of these acts is fundamental to understanding what Black people faced and feared on a daily basis. Dr. Scott’s book is the result of important research that we think is very important to share.
It's called Lynching and Leisure: Race and the Transformation of Mob Violence in Texas. It's published by University of Arkansas Press.
Terry Anne Scott joined us on our digital line from Frederick, Maryland.
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(This conversation originally aired on July 28, 2022)
Welcome to this encore edition of Midday. Tom's guest for the hour is the award-winning author and journalist Mark Leibovich. He was the Chief National Correspondent for the New York Times for 10 years, before moving to The Atlantic this past spring.
He’s the author of four books, including the number one NY Times bestseller, This Town, in which he chronicles the incestuous relationship between Washington media and the political class.
His latest book was number one on the bestseller list just two weeks after it was published in July. It examines the unprecedented and often inexplicable spell cast on the Republican party by Donald Trump, whose demands for fealty and obsequiousness know no bounds. As Leibovich deftly observes, official Washington not only curried favor with Mr. Trump, it groveled with a degree of servility unmatched in American political history.
Leibovich offers an insightful glimpse into a world where Trump’s supporters remain enthralled, despite the revelations of the January 6th Committee, or the ignominy that Trump continues to heap upon himself as he repeats, over and over, a medley of malicious lies about the election he lost.
The book is called Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission.
Mark Leibovich joined us in July on Zoom from Washington, DC…
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(This conversation originally aired on February 22, 2022)
Welcome to Midday. Tom's guest today on this encore edition is Jabari Asim, one of the country’s most imaginative and versatile writers, whose body of work encompasses fiction and non-fiction, poetry, plays and children’s literature.
He’s a former editor of The Crisis , the journal of the NAACP, and the Washington Post,where he wrote a syndicated column. He is the author of acclaimed non-fiction books, including The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t and Whyand We Can’t Breathe: On Black Lives, White Lies, and the Art of Survival. He is the author of the novel, Only the Strongand a collection of short stories called A Taste of Honey.
Professor Asim directs the MFA program at Emerson College in Boston, where he is also the Elma Lewis Distinguished Fellow in Social Justice.
Jabari Asim’s latest book is a historical novel set in 1852 in the American South. It chronicles the lives and loves, the longing for liberation, and the heartbreak and violence visited upon a community of enslaved people. This book is a profound masterpiece, peopled with a fascinating cast of characters who never lose touch with their dreams, in spite of unthinkable trauma. And one of the things that makes them so compelling is the fact that, as Tom observes at the top of the show, they never let the trauma of enslavement define them.
It’s called Yonder.
Jabari Asim joined us on our digital line in February from Boston.
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Today, we revisit a conversation Tom had in May with John Waters. He’s the director of 16 films, a visual artist with museum shows to his credit, a spoken word artist who performs in venues around the world, an actor, and a pitchman for haute couture. He is also a Son of Baltimore and one of America’s most original and enduring voices in the arts, with a deep artistic palette.
Waters is the author of several books of non-fiction, including his memoir, Mr. Know it All, a road trip diary called Carsick, and Role Models, his compendium of profiles of people who have influenced his work.
Waters’ non-fiction commentary is fascinating, funny, insightful and often a bit outrageous. His latest book is his first novel, a book that dials up the outrageousness in a big, wild way. His protagonist is as despicable as they come, and the entourage of people in her orbit are as odd as anyone we encountered in the cult classic movies John Waters made more than 50 years ago.
It's called Liarmouth, which Waters describes as a “feel bad romance.”
John Waters joined Tom on our digital line from his home in Baltimore.
Because our show was pre-recorded, we can’t take any new calls or comments, and before we listen to the conversation, we want you to know that John’s book makes more than a few explicit sexual references, and he and Tom refer to a few of them.
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(This conversation originally aired on May 23, 2022)
Welcome to an encore presentation of Midday.
Today, a conversation about aging. We are, as a general rule, living longer. The average life expectancy of Americans in 1960 was just over 69 years. In 2022, it’s 79 years. A team of physicians and researchers at Johns Hopkins have formed a group called the Johns Hopkins Human Aging Project, that looks into ways that we can stay healthy as we get older, exploring medical and technological fixes for what might ail us.
This past May, Tom spoke with two researchers at the Aging Project about the work they are doing.Dr. Jeremy Walston is the director of the Johns Hopkins Human Aging Project and Raymond and Anna Lubin Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at Johns Hopkins.Dr. Peter Abadir is a scholar at the Human Aging Project. He is an associate professor of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and he holds a joint appointment in the School of Engineering.They both joined us on Zoom.
Folks over 65 who would like to volunteer for the Human Aging Project can contact the team by email at hap@jhu.edu, or by calling the Healthy Aging Studies Unit at 410-550-2113.
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(This conversation originally aired on June 9, 2022)
“Let me be very clear to all of you, and I've been very clear to the president. He bears responsibilities for his words and actions, no ifs, ands or buts. I asked him personally today, does he hold responsibility for what happened? Does he feel bad about what happened? He told me he does have some responsibility for what happened and he needs to acknowledge that.”
— House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, speaking withfellow Republicans about Donald Trump’s culpability for the attack on the Capital on January 6th 2021.
The House Select Committee investigating that attack and efforts to overturn the election held its first public hearing on the 9th of June, 2022. It was a prime-time event, viewed by 20 million people.
Today, on this archive edition of Midday, we’re going to listen to a conversation Tom had, on the afternoon of that first hearing, with New York Timesnational correspondent Alexander Burns. With his Times colleague, Jonathan Martin, Alex has written a compelling and comprehensive book about the last year of the Trump administration, including the months preceding the insurrection, through the first months of the Biden Administration.
Burns and Martin make a strong case for the fragility of the basic architecture of American Democracy. They argue that government cannot function in a two-party system in which neither party is internally coherent and serious about governing. Their book is full of excellent reporting and trenchant insights. And given, what we have all since learned from testimony by many witnesses presented by the January 6th Select Committee, we thought it would be interesting to re-visit Tom's conversation with Alex, and think about all that led up to that terrible day, in which for the first time in our history, we did not experience a peaceful transfer of power between one administration and the next.
The book is called This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future. Alexander Burns joined us on the phone from Washington, DC
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about Captain Hook: My Story, or How I Clawed My Way to the Top, playwright Peter Boyer's modern re-imagining of the classic villain in J.M. Barrie's beloved Peter Pan.
Directed at Baltimore's Spotlighters Theatre by Miriam Bazensky, the production stars Melissa Fortson in the title role.
Captain Hook, My Story...continues at Spotlighters Theatre through August 21st. Click the theater link for more information.
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In a ruling that surprised and angered Justice Department officials, yesterday, a federal judge in Florida instructed the DOJ to suggest redactions as a first step in a possible release of the affidavit related to the search warrant for the search of Donald Trump’s Palm Beach home. That search resulted in the removal of more than a dozen boxes of documents, some of which were highly classified.
Justice Department officials have until next Thursday at noon to suggest to the judge material that should be kept from public view if he ultimately decides to allow the release of the affidavit, a move that would be highly unusual, in a case that has already proven to be highly unusual in every aspect.
Tom spoke a couple of days ago here on Midday with the legal scholar Kim Wehle about the possibility of the affidavit being released, and she thought it very unlikely that it would be. Investigators are worried about witnesses who have come forward, and about showing defendants who may be indicted what their prosecutorial strategy may be. NPR will have the latest on this story as it develops, so stay tuned.
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On Midday today, our focus is on state politics.
The Maryland State Board of Elections recognizes five political parties. What recognition means is that, in addition to Republicans and Democrats, candidates from the Green Party, the Libertarian Party and the Working Class Party do not need to collect 10,000 signatures in order to be placed on the ballot. Independent candidates, who are not affiliated with any party, do have to collect signatures to qualify.
In this election cycle, an independent who aspired to be on the ballot for Governor failed to get enough signatures. But the Green Party, the Libertarians and the Working Class Party have all nominated candidates in the race for Governor, and today on Midday, we will continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates with the Green Party nominee, Nancy Wallace. She has been a member of the Green Party since 2003.
Her campaign is inspired by the environmental activist Greta Thunberg, and it is centered on environmental issues. Ms. Wallace has worked as an environmental lobbyist on Capitol Hill. In the 1990s she served as the Sierra Club’s Washington Director of the International Population Program and since then she has worked in the tech field supporting a number of different federal agencies.Nancy Wallace grew up in Bethesda. She holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University. She is 66 years old. She has mentored three at risk children over the past 25 years.
This is her second campaign for elective office. She ran for Congress in the 8th district in 2016. Her Lt. Governor running mate is Pat Elder, a former teacher and real estate professional from St. Mary’s County.
Nancy Wallace joins us on Zoom from Bethesda.
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Last May, the US Department of Justice sued a company called Envigo RMS, the owner of a dog breeding facility in Cumberland, VA, for multiple violations and acts of animal cruelty. Some 4,000 beagles were put in the custody of the Humane Society of the United States, which has been working to find homes for the dogs ever since.
Tom's first guest today is Lindsay Hamrick, the director of the organization's shelter outreach and engagement. She joins us on Zoom from Concord, New Hampshire.
Then, Tom speaks with Dr. Sarah Balcom, a veterinarian who teaches at the University of MD joins us to take your questions about how to care for the critters in your life.
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Harriet Hageman, a Trump-endorsed candidate, handily beat Liz Cheney in the Wyoming Republican Congressional primary, and Sarah Palin will likely advance in the process in Alaska. So, Trump’s electoral influence continues to be formidable. Election deniers have won Republican nominations for state offices around the country, including here in Maryland.
The former President and his circle face continuing legal challenges. Allen Weisselberg, a longtime executive at the Trump Organization, is expected to plead guilty in a tax fraud case tomorrow. Mr. Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has been identified as a target of a criminal inquiry in Georgia; Lindsey Graham, one of his most vocal supporters in the Senate has been ordered by a judge to testify in that case.
Donald Trump’s explanations about the classified material found during the warrant execution at his Mar-a-Lago resort continue to change. And last week, Trump reportedly pled the Fifth 400 times during a deposition in a New York case. The Washington Post reports that Mr. Trump is having a hard time finding lawyers to take his cases, but, it should be noted, his plethora of legal entanglements have been something of a fundraising bonanza for Mr. Trump, who has been collecting donations for his legal defense fund.
Tom's guests today are two astute observers of the legal predicaments of Mr. Trump and his closest associates.
He speaks first with Nicholas Wu, a congressional reporter for POLITICO. Nicholas Wu joins us on our digital line from Washington DC.
Then, Tom talks with Kim Wehle, an author and legal scholar from the University of Baltimore School of Law. She’s a visiting professor at the American University Washington College of Law, and the author of several books, the most recent of which is called How to Think Like a Lawyer And Why.She is also the host of Simple Politics with Kim Wehle, a talk show on YouTube. She discusses the legal consequences that Mr. Trump may face as the multiple investigations involving him continue.
Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line from New York.
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Now, we turn to the author and educator Britt Hawthorne. She is an anti-bias and antiracist facilitator who has written a book with Natasha Yglesias called Raising Anti-Racist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide(Simon and Schuster).
Britt Hawthorne joins us from Houston.
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Most Maryland students and teachers will return to their classrooms in the next couple of weeks. Most jurisdictions across the state and around the country are experiencing a teacher shortage that is unprecedented in American education. Nationwide, it’s estimated that 300,000 teachers have left the classroom. In Maryland alone, more than 5,500 teachers have left the profession this year. This shortage is most certainly top of mind for local superintendents.
Mohammed Choudhury is the Superintendent of Schools for the Maryland Department of Education. He joins Tom to talk about the reasons teachers are leaving the profession, and what can be done to fill the pipeline to replace them.
We reach Mohammed Choudhury on Zoom.
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It’s the Midday Healthwatch, with Dr. Leana Wen.
The start of school is just around the corner, and theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia has issued new guidelines for the new school year. Monkeypox testing is more widely available than it’s been, but vaccines are still hard to come by. President Biden had what appears to be a rebound case of COVID after taking the antiviral drug, Paxlovid, but it’s still recommended for certain people. Who should take this medication, and when?
Lots of things to speak with Dr. Wen about today. She is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is a former health commissioner of Baltimore and an emergency physician. She teaches at theGeorge Washington University School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post.She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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Yesterday, Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed for the first time the court-approved search that was conducted at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Monday. He spoke for two minutes and did not take any questions from reporters.
The Attorney General announced that he had personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter. The New York Times reports that according to three unnamed sources, Mr. Trump had received a subpoena last spring asking for documents that Trump had improperly removed from the White House.
Regarding the search, Garland said this:“...
The department does not take such a decision lightly. Where possible, it is standard practice to seek less intrusive means as an alternative to a search and to narrowly scope any search that is undertaken."
As to what the DOJ was looking for when they executed the warrant, Mr. Garland said:
“Much of our work is by necessity conducted out of the public eye. We do that to protect the constitutional rights of all Americans and to protect the integrity of our investigations. Federal law, longstanding department rules, and our ethical obligations prevent me from providing further details as to the basis of the search at this time.”
Garland announced that he had petitioned a federal court in Florida to unseal the search warrant and supporting documents in this case, if Mr. Trump agreed to their release. Late last night, Mr. Trump said he would allow it, and in fact, he encouraged their release.
Today on Midday, a Reporter’s Notebook about some of the local stories that are top of mind this week. We’ll talk with reporters from the Baltimore Bannerand MD Mattersabout what they’ve been looking into.
We begin with Pamela Wood, who covers Maryland politics for the Baltimore Banner.
Then, Tom speaks with Bruce Depuyt of MD Matters, whohas an update on the ballot recounts that are taking place in three jurisdictions where some tight races have yet to be settled.
Next, Tom turns to Liz Bowie, the education reporter for WYPR's partner, the Baltimore Banner.
And Tom winds up this Reporters Notebook edition of Midday in a conversation with Penelope Blackwell, breaking news and accountability reporter at the Bannerabout her story on the sharp rise in applications for concealed carry gun permits in Maryland.
All of our guests join us on Zoom.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she tells us about the Folger Theater's new production of William Shakespeare's magical comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, now on stage at The Playhouse, the custom-built theater within the majestic Great Hall of the National Building Museum. The play is directed by Victor Malana Maog, with choreography by Alexandra Beller and costume design by Olivera Gajic.
The Folger Theatre's A Midsummer Night's Dream continues at the National Building Museum through August 28. Click the theater link for more information.
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Tom's next guest is Dr. Nancy Proctor, the chief strategy officer and founding executive director of The Peale Museum here in Baltimore.
The Peale is the oldest museum building in the United States. It’s gone through many changes since it opened in 1814, and on Saturday, it will celebrate another historic change when it opens for the first time after a five-year, five and-a-half million-dollar renovation.
Nancy Proctor joins us on Zoom…
The grand reopening celebration is free; it starts Saturday morning at 10:00 and runs till 4pm. For more information, click here.
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It’s Midday on the Arts. A little later, Tom speaks with the founding executive director of the Peale Museum, which is re-opening to the public on Saturday after a major renovation. And J Wynn Rousuck will have a theater review.
But we’ll begin today with two local film makers who are the creators of a web series called Turf Valley.It chronicles the lives of some stay at home dads, in episodes that are each 6 or 7 minutes long. Here’s a sample.
Tom Ventimiglia and Adam Rogers are the creators of Turf Valley.
They join us on our digital lines.
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Now, we're happy to welcome back to the show Shelonda Stokes, the president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, to talk about the BOOST Program for African American retailers…
She joins us on Zoom along with two entrepreneurs who are benefiting from the BOOST program:
Bryan Robinson is the arts studio proprietor of The Black Genius Art Show.
LaTonya Turnage is the founding owner of Elite Secrets Bridal Boutique.
They also join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, conversations about promoting African American entrepreneurship and building Black business. A little later in the show, Tom speaks with Shelonda Stokes, the president of the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore about the BOOST Program, which promotes Black retailers in downtown Baltimore. We'll meet a couple of those business owners, as well.
But Tom's first guest is Dr. Gina Merritt. She is the owner of a real estate development firm called Northern Real Estate Urban Ventures, LLC, and she’s the founder of Project Community Capital, which connects low income residents with jobs from contractors who are hiring for local development projects.
Gina Merritt joins us on Zoom…
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The WNBA superstar basketball player, Brittney Griner has been detained in Russia for the past six months, and last week, she was sentenced to nine years in prison for bringing a cannabis product into the country. Former Marine Paul Whelan has been in prison in Russia for more than three and a half years, accused by Russia of espionage, a charge he vehemently denies.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken took the unusual step of stating publicly the US willingness to engage in a prisoner swap to return Griner and Whelan to American soil. But while Griner and Whelan are the two detainees that have drawn the most attention, there are 67 Americans who are known to be wrongfully detained in countries around the world.
Sarah Krivanek, an American school teacher, for example, has also been detained in Russia for the past 9 months. Emad Sharghi, a businessman, has been sentenced on espionage charges to 10 years in an Iranian prison. Alirio Zambrano is being detained in Venezuela.
Today on Midday, conversations with advocates for those who are being held hostage or being detained by a government.
Tom's first guest is Diane Foley, whose son James Foley was kidnapped, tortured and killed by ISIS while covering the war in Syria ten years ago. Diane Foley started the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation in his memory to advocate for the return of journalists and other hostages.
Diane Foley joins us on Zoom from Foundation headquarters in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Then, Tom speaks with Neda Sharghi and Hannah Sharghi, the sister and daughter of Emad Sharghi about their family’s experience trying to bring their loved one home from his wrongful imprisonment in Iran, and their efforts on behalf of others through the Bring Our Families Home campaign.
Neda and Hanna Sharghi join us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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Today, it's Midday on the Law. Tom's guest for the hour is David Jaros, associate professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and Faculty Director of the School's Center for Criminal Justice Reform.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby did not prevail in the primary election held last month, so she will not return to office for a third term in January. She will, however, return to federal court next month to face charges that she committed perjury when she applied to use funds from her retirement account for a down payment on some property in Florida, and that she lied on a mortgage application.
How did the indictment on these charges, which were announced in January, affect her chances in the primary, in which she placed last in a three person race? Would the charges brought against her by federal prosecutors have been brought against someone who was not a public official? Should elected leaders be held to a higher standard than the rest of us?
Mosby’s successor will be Ivan Bates. He will not face opposition in the general election in November, so he will be sworn-in as the next State’s Attorney on January 2nd. One of Marilyn Mosby’s most controversial decisions during her tenure was the decision to pursue a fifth trial in the controversial case of Keith Davis, Jr., who is accused of murdering Kevin Jones in 2015. Mr. Davis is scheduled to be tried again in May, 2023. He remains in jail, despite the fact that Ivan Bates has said he would not pursue a new trial. Will he remain there for the next five months?
And in the case of the murder of Timothy Reynolds, the bat-wielding motorist who confronted some squeegee workers near the Inner Harbor last month:is the charge of first degree murder against the 15-year-old boy who allegedly shot him the appropriate charge for this young defendant?
We discuss these three cases today. Professor David Jaros joins Tom in Studio A. And we invite listeners to join the conversation as well.
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It's time for another visit with Middaytheater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about American Prophet: Frederick Douglass in His Own Words, the powerful new biographical musical drama now playing at Washington's Arena Stage.
The world premiere production is directed and co-written byCharles Randolph-Wright. His co-writer and the musical's composer and lyricist is Marcus Hummon.
The show is choreographed byLorna Ventura, with music direction, orchestrations, and additional arrangements byJoseph Joubert.
American Prophet continues at Arena Stage in DC until August 28th. Follow the theater link for more information.
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Welcome to another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. Today, Tom is joined by Ann Hornaday, a movie critic with the Washington Post, and author of the bestselling filmgoers' guide,Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies.
Today we'll take a closer look at director Jordan Peele's new sci-fi horror flick, Nope, and try to sort through some of the new crop of summer movies, from Ron Howard's new real-life rescue adventure, Thirteen Lives, and Dan Kwan's rollickingEverything Everywhere All at Once, to Lisa Dunham's Sharp Stick, her new movie about, no surprise, female sexual awakening. Ann Hornaday joins us on our digital line from Baltimore.
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Tom's next guest is Baltimore businessman Lenzie Johnson. He'sthe Chief Operating Officer at L&J Waste and Recycling, a local company that hires young people from the Roca program.
Roca is a non-profit violence interruption program that's focused on helping young African American men, young mothers, and Central American youth who are fleeing violence, to cope with the trauma of urban violence and get their lives on track.
Lenzie Johnson joins Tom on Zoom from his office in West Baltimore…
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Welcome to another edition of Midday with the Mayor, host Tom Hall's monthly conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about key issues facing the citizens of Baltimore.
Today, Tom asks the mayor about the annual Public Safety Report summarizingprogress on the mayor's Multi-Year Violence Prevention Plan; an update on the squeegee workers collaborative; a new city-wide count of the homeless; new allocations for American Rescue Plan funds, including nearly $15 million to the city's Clean Corps initiative to clean up and beautify targeted city neighborhoods; and this week's National Night Out events across the city.
Mayor Brandon Scott joins us on Zoom from his office in City Hall.
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Today on Midday, another edition of our election-year series, Conversations with the Candidates, 2022.
In the race for Governor, Democrats nominated Wes Moore, a popular author and non-profit executive, making his first run for public office. Republicans voted for Dan Cox, an election denier and acolyte of Donald Trump. Mr. Moore is heavily favored to win, but at a unity rally in Silver Spring on Monday, Democrats vowed not to take anything for granted, and to run vigorous campaigns up and down the ballot.
Mr. Moore and Del. Cox will not be the only candidates on the ballot. There are five registered parties in Maryland. In addition to Democrats and Republicans, Libertarians, Green Party and Working Class candidates may appear on general election ballots, along with Independents. This year, the Green Party has nominated Nancy Wallace, a lawyer and environmentalist. The working class candidate is David Harding, who ran unsuccessfully for Baltimore Mayor in 2020. An independent named Kyle Sefcik will be on the ballot as well.
The Libertarian Party of Maryland's candidate is David Lashar, who is Tom's guest today.
David Lashar is an IT executive who served for as the Chief Information Officer at the MD Department of Health, where he later served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff. His running mate is Christiana Logansmith, a Navy veteran and businesswoman. This is Mr. Lashar’s second try at public office. He ran as a Libertarian for Congress against John Sarbanes in 2018.
David Lashar is 59 years old. He holds a BA from Dartmouth College in Russian Studies and an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University. He lives in Annapolis. He and his wife Margaret are the parents of a teenage daughter.
David Lashar joins us today in Studio A.
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In the 2022 US elections across the country, more than 160 Republican primary candidates for offices up and down the ballot are election deniers who have embraced Donald Trump’s malicious fiction about the 2020 Presidential contest.
On Monday (Aug 1), the Brennan Center for Justice in New York reported that 12 election denier candidates in swing states with secretary of state races this year have raised $7.3 million dollars for their campaigns. Overall, more than twice as much money has been raised in this cycle than was raised in 2018.These campaigns are premised in the deliberate fallacy that elections in America are rigged, a fallacy perpetrated by Donald Trump over the last several years.
Tom's guest for the hour today is a seasoned Washington reporter and author who has covered Mr. Trump for the Associated Press, POLITICO and MSNBC. Jonathan Lemire has written a terrific new book that examines the origins and the legacy of Donald Trump’s prevarication.
It’s called The Big Lie: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics After 2020.
Jonathan Lemire is the host of Way Too Early on MSNBC, and the White House Bureau Chief for POLITICO. He joins us on our digital line from New York…
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Last Monday, we talked here on Middayabout a proposal by a coalition called Renew Baltimore to have voters approve two charter amendments that would dictate a dramatic reduction in the property tax rate in Baltimore city. The proposal would reduce the rate by 44% over a period of six years, from 2.248% to 1.25% per $100,000 of value.
The property tax rate in the city of Baltimore is roughly twice as high as any other jurisdiction in MD. For decades, candidates for public office in the city have feigned interest in reducing taxes for homeowners and businesses, and some modest reductions have taken place from time to time.
Renew Baltimore thinks that decisive, dramatic action is needed, and they want to enshrine it in the city charter so the annual reductions can’t be reversed by whomever happens to be in elected office at the time.
Last week, Tom spoke with Andre Davis, a former federal judge and Baltimore Solicitor, and the economist Anirban Basu, the CEO of the Sage Policy Group, who are members of the Renew Baltimore Coalition. They spoke in favor of the proposal.
They have been collecting signatures on a petition to bring the matter to referendum in November. They need to collect 10,000 signatures. The deadline for that effort is today (Monday, August 1).
We'd like to continue that conversation today on Midday with two people who oppose the specific plan put forth by Renew Baltimore.
Robert Cenname is the Budget Director of Baltimore City…
Matt Gallagher is the former Chief of Staff for Gov. Martin O’Malley. He’s the President of the Goldseker Foundation...
They both join Tom in Studio A..
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It's time again for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights the new production of the hit 1966 Broadway hit musical, Sweet Charity, on stage now at the Cockpit -in-Court Theater, on the Essex campus of Community College of Baltimore County.
Directed at CCBC by Eric Potter, using the original choreography of the show's legendary creator, Bob Fosse, Sweet Charity is a romantic comedy centered on a hapless but determined young woman named Charity Hope Valentine, who is seeking love — and her identity — in 1960s New York City. The Tony Award-winning musical (Best Choreography) has a powerful pedigree, with book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman, and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
It's based on an original screenplay by visionary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, with Tullio Pinelle and Ennio Flaiano.
Cockpit in Court Summer Theatre presents Sweet Charity now through August 7. For more information and ticketing, follow the theater link.
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Next, it's Midday's "Back to the Garden," our seasonal guide to home gardening and plant care...
Joining us now is Carrie Engel, the Greenhouse Manager at Valley View Farms in Cockeysville…
And Farmer Chippy, the founder and farmer at Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm in Northwest Baltimore.
They both join us on Zoom...
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In health news, more than 100 cases of monkeypox, a rare contagious virus, have been reported in Maryland. More than 4,600 cases have been reported across the US. Vaccines against the disease are effective, but here in the Baltimore area, they are in short supply.
Dr. Letitia Dzirasa is the Health Commissioner of Baltimore City.
Dr. Dzirasa joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's guest for the hour today is the award-winning author and journalist Mark Leibovich. He was the Chief National Correspondent for the New York Times for 10 years, before moving to The Atlantic three months ago.
He’s the author of four books, including the number one best seller, This Town, in which he chronicles the incestuous relationship between Washington media and the political class.
His latest book, published this month, is another number one best seller that examines the unprecedented and often inexplicable spell cast on the Republican party by Donald Trump, whose demands for fealty and obsequiousness know no bounds. As Leibovich deftly observes, official Washington not only curried favor with Mr. Trump, it groveled with a degree of servility unmatched in American political history.
Leibovich offers an insightful glimpse into a world where Trump’s supporters remain enthralled, despite the revelations of the January 6th Committee, or the ignominy Trump continues to heap upon himself as he repeats, over and over, a medley of malicious lies about the election he lost.
The book is called Thank You for Your Servitude: Donald Trump’s Washington and the Price of Submission.
Mark Leibovich join us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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And now, a story about determination and cooperation that led to a good outcome for a city resident, her neighbors, and the city’s plan to redevelop one of Baltimore’s historically Black neighborhoods.
Almost 20 years ago, Sonia Eaddy and her husband Curtis’s home in Poppleton, on Baltimore’s West Side, was scheduled to be demolished to make way for new development. But last week, Mayor Brandon Scott and other city officials announced an agreement had been reached that would allow the Eaddys and some of their neighbors to keep their homes, and make possible a different kind of development that enjoys the support of the community.
Sonia Eaddy joins us on Zoom…
Also with us today is Dr. Nicole King. She is an associate professor and chair of the Department of American Studies and director of the Orser Center for the Study of Place, Community, and Culture at UMBC. She is an activist who worked with members of the Poppleton community to help broker the deal that was announced last week. She joins us on Zoom.
And Alice Kennedy is the Baltimore City Housing Commissioner. She also joins us on Zoom…
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It took a few days, and even now, there are some results in the primary election of July 19th outstanding, and races that haven’t been called. The deadline for jurisdictions to report their results is Friday, but historically, that deadline has been somewhat malleable.
In the Republican primary for Anne Arundel County Executive, Jessica Haire has a lead over Herb McMillan of about 1,000 votes. In the Democratic primary for Baltimore County States Attorney, incumbent Scott Shellenberger is still ahead of progressive candidate Robbie Leonard by about 2,000 votes, with about 11,000 votes left to count as of yesterday morning.
The races in primaries to determine the candidates who will oppose 7 of the 8 incumbent Congressmen in the MD delegation have all been called. In the fourth district, Democratic Congressman Anthony Brown did not seek re-election. He has been nominated in the race for Attorney General. The other 6 Democratic incumbents all cruised to easy victories. The lone Republican in the delegation, Andy Harris, ran unopposed.
Joining Tom now is Jean Marbella, an investigative and enterprise reporter for the Baltimore Sun. She joined the paper in 1987, so she’s seen an election or two.
Jean Marbella joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's next guest is Anthony Barksdale. In 2013, he retired after a career as an interim Commissioner and senior commander in the Baltimore Police Department. Earlier this month, Mayor Brandon Scott appointed him Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. In that role, he will oversee several city agencies including the police department and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement. He will be in charge of implementing the Consent Decree between the City and the Justice Department, and he will also implement the Mayor’s Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan.
Anthony Barksdale joins us on Zoom...and by telephone... from City Hall.
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Today, conversations about reducing violent crime in Baltimore. A little later in the broadcast, Tom speaks with the city’s new Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, Anthony Barksdale, who oversees the police and fire departments, the Office of Emergency Management, and the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement.
But Tom's first guest is Sean Kennedy. He’s a visiting fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a conservative think tank. He’s written a new report called Baltimore’s Preventable Murders: The Role of Prior Convictions and Sentencing in Future Homicides.which calculates that a number of murders that have taken place in Baltimore in recent years would not have occurred if the perpetrators of those crimes had been incarcerated according to statutory guidelines.
Many of those perpetrators received lesser sentences because of plea bargains, which according to the Vera Institute,“make up the vast majority of criminal justice transactions today.” The Brennan Center reports that we already imprison 2 million people and that “83% of the world’s population of life-without-parole prisoners is living behind American bars.” Would extending sentences for violent criminals make us safer?
Sean Kennedy joins Tom in Studio A…
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The property tax rate in the city of Baltimore is roughly twice as high as any other jurisdiction in MD. For decades, candidates for public office in the city have feigned interest in reducing taxes for homeowners and businesses, and some modest reductions have taken place from time to time.
Now, a group of civic leaders have entered into the conversation determined to take decisive, dramatic action with a proposal to cut the tax rate nearly in half over a period of six years, and to change the city charter so the annual reductions can’t be reversed by whomever happens to be in elected office at the time.
The group has organized itself as a coalition called “Renew Baltimore.” Today on Midday: a conversation about their proposal, and its implications for businesses, homeowners and the city coffers.
Andre Davis is a retired federal judge who served as Baltimore City Solicitor. He joins us on Zoom…
Anirban Basu is the Chairman and CEO of the Sage Policy Group and the host of The Morning Economic Report on WYPR. He joins us on Zoom as well…
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Today on Midday, we’re going to talk taxes, and a proposal to dramatically reduce the property tax rate in Baltimore City.
But we begin with a quick update on MD's 2022 primary election with WYPR’s John Lee, who covers Baltimore County…
John Leejoins us on our digital line from Baltimore.
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Tom's guest today is Eric Holder, who served as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States during the first six years of the Obama Administration. He was the first African American to serve in that position. Today, Holder is working to advance voting rights with the organization he founded in 2016 and now chairs called the National Democratic Redistricting Committee.
The NDRC works to remedy the gerrymandering that makes so many areas of the country poorly represented in Congress. Holder contends that voter suppression is as old as the republic itself, and he believes basic fixes are needed to counter the anti-democratic impulses that lead to laws that target people of color to make voting harder.
When the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in its 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, many states responded by enacting draconian voter restriction laws. Mr. Holder says it made him realize that the Supreme Court and the Congress are facing what he calls a “modern day existential crisis,” and that our democracy can only be pulled back from the brink of disaster by rigorous reforms to the most basic tenet of our representative government: voting.
In his new book, Mr. Holder and his co-author Sam Koppelman observe that the country is operating with an “unrepresentative Senate, a gerrymandered House, an anti-democratic Electoral College and a stolen Supreme Court.” And they offer prescriptions for reforms.
The book is called Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote-A History, A Crisis, A Plan.
Eric Holder joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
This conversation was recorded on June 28, 2022, so we aren't taking any listener calls today.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage. Today, she spotlights the six plays being showcased at this year's Contemporary American Theater Festival in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
This year's plays include Whitelisted, by Chisa Hutchinson;The Fifth Domain, by Victor Lesniewski; Babel, by Jacqueline Goldfinger; Ushuaia Blue, by Caridad Svich; The House of the Negro Insane, by Terence Anthony; and Sheepdog, by Kevin Artigue.
The Contemporary American Theater Festival continues through July 31 at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
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Joining Tom now is the great singer, Maria Muldaur. Her career spans more than 56 years, 43 solo albums, six Grammy nominations and countless world tours. It was in 1974, when she cemented her place in music history with this mega-hit, "Midnight at the Oasis.
"Maria Muldaurwill be appearing tonight at Keystone Korner in Baltimore, and she joins us now on the phone…
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Tom's first guest today on Midday isLisa Snowden. She’s the editor-in-chief of the Baltimore Beat,a Black-owned and Black-controlled newspaper and online journal. After a brief run a few years ago, it will be back next month with substantial philanthropic funding, a new team and a focus on underserved and under-represented communities.
Lisa Snowden joins us on our digital line from Baltimore.
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One of the longest and weirdest primary election campaign season is over. In this low turnout election, more than a half a million people requested mail-in ballots, and not one of them has been counted. A Maryland law, unique in the country, requires that election officials wait until tomorrow at 10:00 in the morning to start counting the ballots in the form that most voters chose to cast them.
So, on this morning after, what do we know, and what do we know that we don’t know? We do know that this was an unprecedented election in many respects, and to reflect on that we're delighted to be joined by two great friends who have spent more than a few years observing Maryland politics.
Josh Kurtz is the founding editor of Maryland Matters.
Jayne Miller is an award-winning investigative reporter at WBAL TV 11.
Jayne has announced that she’s retiring from WBAL TV at the end of this month, after after more than 40 years at the station. In today's final segment, she talks with Tom about her long career covering Baltimore, and what’s next.
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It’s Primary Election Day in Maryland. Polls opened at 7:00 Tuesday morning. They will remain open until 8:00 tonight. If you’re voting with a mail-in ballot, you have until 8:00 tonight to drop your ballot in a drop box, or have it postmarked.
If you are an eligible voter who has not yet registered to vote, it’s not too late. You may register at your polling place. Go to the MD Board of Elections website to find out where your polling place is.
Polling places for some voters have changed since the last time we voted, because MD adopted new districts, based on data from the 2020 Census. The districts proposed by Democrats in the General Assembly were challenged in court, and the legal wrangling took some time to sort out, causing election officials to delay the primary until today. It was originally scheduled to take place three weeks ago, on June 28th.
So, if you’re a voter who is a little confused about what’s going on this time around, you’re not alone. And, as it turns out, there’s been plenty of confusion on the part of some election officials as well. Tom's next guest is Joan Jacobson, a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun and the author of two books. She lives in Baltimore City, and she encountered all sorts of problems in her efforts to get a correct mail-in ballot. She is visiting family in Florida, where she joins us on Zoom…
Then, Tom speaks with Brenda Wintrode, who covers state government, agencies and policies for our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner…
While polls close at 8:00 tonight, acceptance and concession speeches, a usual part of election nights, will likely not take place tonight. Results in the statewide races may not be known for several days, or longer, given that about a half a million voters requested mail-in ballots, and officials can’t begin to count them until Thursday morning.
When we have questions about voting, and the history of voting in Maryland, we turn to John Willis. He served as MD Secretary of State from 1995 - 2003. He is executive in residence at the University of Baltimore, and a scholar of all things electoral in MD and beyond. John Willis joins us on Zoom…
Again, the polls close at 8:00 tonight. Matt Tacka and Tom Hall will have live coverage of some of the early returns tonight starting at 8:00, and stay tuned to WYPR for complete coverage of Primary results on Wednesday and throughout the days ahead as we track the results and find out who the major party nominees will be.
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We begin today with a conversation with astronauts Jessica Watkins, and Kjell Lindgren, two members of the Space X Crew 4 that rocketed to the International Space Station on April 27 aboard the Space X Falcon/Dragon capsule.
Along with Robert Hines and Samantha Cristoforetti, an astronaut from the European Space Agency, they are now nearly three months into what is expected to be a five to six month expedition.
Dr. Watkins has made history as the first African American woman to go to the ISS. She has been chosen as one of the astronauts who will be on NASA’s next big project: Artemis, which will return humans to the moon.
Tom spoke with Dr. Watkins and Dr. Lindgren Monday morning, via Skype. Here’s that conversation.
You can also watch the entire video of the interview at these locations:
YouTube (nasa.gov) https://youtu.be/d4S-9C0BDf4
AVAIL https://images.nasa.gov/details-iss067m261991257_Expedition_67_InFlight_WYPR_220718
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It’s the Midday Healthwatch, with Dr. Leana Wen.
The BA.5 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is causing COVID cases to spike yet again. How long will this current uptick last? Today on Midday, what this new, highly transmissible variant tells us about the future of COVID.
Vaccines are readily available for children, but parents don’t appear to be eager to get their kids a jab.
And what about monkeypox? Is it a pandemic? Have we heeded the lessons of the Coronavirus well enough to handle this latest virus?
Dr. Leana Wen is one of America’s most trusted and knowledgeable public health experts. She is a former health commissioner of Baltimore and an emergency physician. She teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She writes a column for the Washington Post.She’s a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Wen joins us on Zoom…and we welcome your questions and comments as well.
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Nike coined the famous phrase, “Just do it.” For William Donald Schaefer, a powerhouse of Maryland politics at the local and state level for 50 years, it was “Do it now.”
That phrase, for years, scribbled on memos to Mr. Schaefer’s cowering staff, is also the title of a new musical based on Schaefer’s life.
The musical opens a sold-out debut run at the Fells Point Corner Theatertonight. It’s part of the Baltimore Playwrights Festival.
It’s the brainchild of the musician/composer Jonathan Jensen, and the actor/director Rich Espey. They join Tom here in Studio A.
Check the Fells Point Corner Theater website for additional options for acquiring tickets for the sold-out show, which runs through July 31st.
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And now, a conversation with the man in charge of keeping Baltimore’s 262 parks, 43 recreation centers, and dozens of pools, athletic fields, tennis and basketball courts and hiking trails in good order.
Reginald Moorewas appointed the executive director of the Department of Recreation and Parks in 2017.
Rec and Parks Director Reginald Moore joins us on Zoom.
You are welcome to join us too. What’s your favorite park? Have you checked out one of the recently rehabbed pools? Let us know what you like to do for fun in our city...
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An arrest has been made in the investigation into the murder of Timothy Reynolds, who was fatally shot during an altercation with boys who were squeegeeing in the Inner Harbor last week.
Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison joins Tom on Zoom from his office in downtown Baltimore with the latest on the investigation…
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critisJ. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Mean Girls,the hit Broadway musical whose touring company production is now on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theater.
The satirical musical comedy about high-school social pecking orders is the product of an award-winning creative team, including director Casey Nicholaw (Aladdin, The Book of Mormon), composer Jeff Richmond (“30 Rock,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde), and book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock,” Bossypants).
Mean Girls continues at the Hippodrome through Sunday, July 17. Follow the links for more information.
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Today, we continue a series of conversations with educational leaders in the state of Maryland. We began our Midday on Higher Educationseries in 2018, speaking with college and university presidents throughout Maryland about the ways their institutions, large and small, fit into the communities in which they are located, and what they contribute to the state’s workforce and quality of life. We suspended these conversations for the most part during the pandemic, and I am happy to revive them today with Dr. Anthony Jenkins, the president of Coppin State University.
Coppin State is one of four Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Maryland, and along with Morgan State, one of two here in Baltimore. Dr. Jenkins grew up in Washington, DC. He comes to Baltimore after serving as the President of West Virginia State University.
He was appointed President of Coppin State in May, 2020, when his campus was empty of students due to the coronavirus. Students have been back for a while, but Coppin is dealing with a decline in enrollment, a situation that most schools are experiencing across the country.
Dr. Anthon Jenkins joins us on Zoom.
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Now, we turn to the Baltimore-based author and journalist Baynard Woods. His last book, written with Brandon Soderberg, was a chronicle of corruption in the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force. It’s called I Got a Monster: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Corrupt Police Squad.
His latest book is a memoir that chronicles his reckoning with the legacy of his own family’s moral corruption as slave holders in South Carolina, and how he has tried to come to grips with his own culpability in advancing, however unwittingly, white supremacy. It’s an unflinching exploration of how an anti-racist attempts to reconcile the racist past of his family and people he was close to.
It's called Inheritance: An Autobiography of Whiteness.
Baynard Woods joins us on Zoom. _______________________________________
Baynard Woods will be signing copies of his book tomorrow night (Thursday, July 14) from 6-8pm at the Urban Reads Bookstore at 3008 Greenmount Ave., Baltimore 21218. Follow the link for more information.
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We begin today with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, our monthly series of live conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, in which he addresses Tom's questions about important issues facing the city.
Last week, the Mayor released what he called a one-year progress report on his violence prevention plan. He calls the last 18 months a “foundational” period for his Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, and he asserts that the agency charged with making Baltimore streets safer has made significant achievements.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scottjoins us on Zoom from his office at City Hall…
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In 1985, in response to complaints about squeegeeing, the Baltimore City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting selling goods or services on the street by a vote of 18-1. The bill was initially opposed by the seven African American members of the council at that time, but they were eventually convinced that the bill wasn’t a racist attempt to fine and jail young Black men. Concerns at the time included the bill might also prohibit members of the Nation of Islam from selling pies, or other vendors from selling newspapers.
That same year, and remember this is almost 40 years ago, the city’s Neighborhood Progress Administration created a pilot program to train youths, aged 9 to 13, about courtesy, proper clothing, grooming, correct use of squeegee equipment and safety measures.A steady stream of programs and initiatives followed in subsequent Mayoral administrations, the most recent of which is a 90 day “Squeegee Action Plan” introduced by the Scott administration last November.
Police say they have identified a 15 year old “person of interest” in the death of Timothy Reynolds, a 48-year-old mechanical engineer from Hampden, who was killed on Thursday during an altercation with a group of squeegee people.The debate about squeegeeing continues, beginning with what to call the mostly boys and men who populate several corners throughout the city. Are they squeegee kids? Some aren’t kids, but many are. Are they squeegee workers? Many would suggest that they are at best, panhandling and at worst, extorting money from intimidated drivers. Some have taken to calling them squeegee thugs, which perhaps makes them feel better somehow. Some of the people who squeegee have, in fact, robbed drivers and vandalized cars. Most cars get through squeegee corners without incident, and many drivers give these young men money. The practice of squeegeeing continues because it is profitable for most of the people doing it.
As we have done on several other occasions here on Midday, let’s spend the hour today talking about what squeegeeing means for the young people who do it, for the quality of life in our city, and for the capacity of city government to address the challenges of poverty and employment.
So, let us know what you think…our number is 410.662.8780. You can email us at midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
Joining Tom today are two city officials who are on the front lines of Baltimore’s efforts to create alternative opportunities for the people who are squeegeeing.
Faith Leach is the Deputy Mayor of Equity, Health and Human Services. In that role, she oversees Recreation and Parks, Library Services, Homeless Services, immigrant affairs, the City’s COVID-19 public health response, and the Mayor’s Office of African American Male Engagement…
Dr. Andrey Bundleyis an experienced educator who serves as the Director of the Mayor’s Office of African American Male Engagement…
They join us on Zoom from City Hall..
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Now, Tom turns to an author, advocate and activist who is working for justice and reconciliation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Catholics.
Francis DeBernardo has been the executive director of New Ways Ministry for 26 years. He’s also the author of a book about a gay Franciscan priest renowned for having died trying to save victims of the terrorist attack in New York on 9/11.
It’s called Mychal Judge: Take Me Where You Want to Go. Francis DeBernardo joins us on Zoom (and later, by phone).
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Today, conversations about advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community. A little later in the show, Tom speaks with Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, a national organization that advocates for LGBTQ Catholics.
But we begin with Londyn Smith de Richelieu, the first trans member of Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott’s cabinet, and the director of the Mayor’s new Office for LGBTQ Affairs. She joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Welcome to another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking, with two of our favorite movie mavens: Ann Hornaday, a film critic with the Washington Post, and author of the bestselling filmgoers' guide,Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theatre.
Today they'll join Tom to help sort through the new crop of summer movies, from blockbuster action films and charming animations to thoughtful documentaries on the issues of the day.
And we ask our listeners: What films are you watching this summer?
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It's Midday on the Arts.Now, more music, or in this case a musical about music, in a way. Our theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who visits each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage, joins Tom today to share her impressions of an unusual new production of Meredith Willson's 1957 classic, The Music Man, now on stage at the Olney Theater Center.
What sets this production apart is that half of the musical's cast is deaf, and the other half hearing, and the presentation uses ASL (American Sign Language) and English supertitles along with conventional song and dialogue. It's complicated, but effective, Judy says.
Starring acclaimed deaf actor James Caverly in the title role, the musical is co-directed by Michael Baron and Sandra Mae Frank, with music direction by Christopher Youstra and special "Artistic Sign Language" direction by Michelle Banks.The Music Man continues at Olney Theatre Center through July 24. Follow the theater links above for showtimes and ticketing information.
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Now, Tom welcomes back to the show one of the best jazz musicians in the business. Todd Marcus is a virtuoso bass clarinetist, composer and arranger. His latest album was released last Friday. It’s called In the Valley, and it features music he composed for his nine-piece big band, inspired by Todd’s visits to Egypt, to perform and to visit family.
Todd Marcus joins us on Zoom from his home in Sandtown-Winchester…
Todd and the band will be performing in Baltimore a week from tonight - July 14th - on the Art in the Parks series in Bolton Hill. And the next night, on July 15, the band is playing in the sculpture garden of the National Gallery of Art.
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Today, it’s Midday on the Arts. A little later, we’ll have a review from our theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, and Tom will speak with the acclaimed jazz clarinetist, Todd Marcus. He released a new album with his band last week. It’s called In the Valley, and we’ll get a preview with Todd today on Midday.
But we begin with Jari Villanueva. He’s the musical director of the Hotel Paradise Orchestra, a 1920s-style jazz and swing band that performs throughout the Baltimore area.
Here’s a taste: This is the band’s 2020 take on a tune called Zulu Wail.
The Hotel Paradise Orchestra's next show is later this month, on July 24th at 3pm at the Roland Park Community Center. It’s called a “Cupcake Concert.” Admission includes a concert, and a buffet of items from each of the five dessert groups. You can reserve tickets by calling 410-235-1566 or by emailing Lynn Summerall at lsummerall77@gmail.com.
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The January 6th committee will continue its series of public hearings next week. Has the committee made the case for a criminal indictment of former President Donald Trump, based on his possible liability for the insurrection at the Capital last year, and the attempt to subvert the 2020 election?
Joining Tom now is Robert Weisberg. He’s a professor of criminal law at the Stanford Law School and a founder and faculty co-director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, which does research on criminal law and the criminal justice system.
He joins us on Zoom from his office in Stanford, California.
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A little more than a week after President Biden signed a gun safety bill that was touted as the most significant piece of gun legislation to clear Congress in 30 years, yet another young man opened fire on a crowd, this time, at a fourth of July parade in an affluent suburb of Chicago.
The shooter, reportedly disguised as a woman, fled to his mother’s home, took her car, and took off. Police apprehended him about a few hours later.
The attack appears to have been planned for several weeks. He shot 70 rounds of ammunition, killing seven people. Dozens of others were injured in the chaos.
On June 23rd, the day before the House sent the gun bill to the President for his signature, in a closely watched case in New York, the Supreme Court loosened restrictions on carrying concealed weapons.
Yesterday, MD Gov. Larry Hogan directed Police to “immediately suspend” the criteria for reviewing applications for permits to carry concealed weapons, dumping the so-called ‘good and substantial reason’ standard. As Nathan Sterner has been reporting, Hogan said his direction was “in line with actions taken in other states in response to the recent supreme court ruling.”
In fact, New York moved immediately to expand permit requirements and revise their statutes to limit guns in certain locations. MD Senate President Bill Ferguson has vowed to enact similar legislation in the 2023 session.
We begin today with where Congress, the Court and the country are on the subject of guns.Theodoric Meyer of the Washington Postjoins me. He is a national political reporter and a co-author of the Early 202 newsletter. He's been covering the debate over gun control legislation, as well as developments in the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
Theodoric Meyer joins us on Zoom from Washington, D.C.
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It has by no means been smooth sailing for Maryland election officials trying to keep the 2022 primaries on track. Contentious fights about redistricting forced primary election day to be delayed from June 28th to the 19th of July, in the middle of vacation season, at a time when Marylanders are not at all used to casting a ballot.
Add to the mix the confusion over what the final district maps looks like, and threats to election workers throughout the country in 2020 that have dampened enthusiasm for signing up to work the polls.But despite all of that, early voting starts Thursday. Mail in ballots have begun to be collected at drop boxes and through the mail. Polls are scheduled to open at 7:00 AM, two weeks from today.
Today on Midday,a look at what’s different about how, where and when we will cast our ballots this year, and some historic perspective about how MD voters, vote.
A little later, Tom speaks with Armstead Jones, who oversees voting in the city as Elections Director at the Baltimore City Board of Elections; and Hank Greenberg, the Maryland State Director of AARP, which represents the senior demographic that traditionally votes in greater numbers than any other age group. In 2020, 51% of voters aged 18-24 cast a vote. But 76% of seniors, aged 65-74, made sure their voices were heard.
But we begin with the man who knows more about Maryland electoral history than any other person. John T. Willis served as MD Secretary of State from 1995 - 2003. In the 1990s, he served on the MD Commission to Revise the Election Code. And in 2001, he was the Chair of Maryland’s Special Committee on Voting Systems and Election Procedures, which led to landmark election reform measures. He is now executive in residence at the University of Baltimore's School of Public and International Affairs.
John Willis and all our guests join us today on Zoom…
Baltimore City residents: If you have requested but not yet received your mail-in or absentee ballot, call the Baltimore City Board of Elections at 410.396.5581.
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We turn now to the 2022 Dream Big Contest, a competition inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s ”I Have a Dream Speech.” Students from Baltimore City and Baltimore County grades 5-12 were asked to submit poems, essays and videos describing their dreams for themselves and for their communities.
Now in its fifth year, the contest is co-sponsored by Lyric Baltimore’s Education Foundation.
Tom is joined on Zoom by two of the 12 finalists honored at the Awards Ceremony at the Lyric this past April 18 (broadcast by event co-sponsor WBAL-TV11 on Apr. 24):
Asia Webster entered as a 9th grade student at Baltimore City College. She was honored for her essay, If I Had a Dream. Asia is a Youth Cultural Arts Organizer for the Youth Resiliency Institute, where founder/artistic director Navasha Dayadescribes Asia as "a wonderful improvisational actor, prolific writer, and a bit obsessed with Starbucks..."
Carrie Snowden was an 11th grader at the Baltimore Design School; her submission was a video called Carrie’s Story, which you can see on this Youtube link; Carrie is a member of the Bmore Youth Arts Advocacy Council, a program of Arts Every Day, which advocates for more arts instruction and engagement in Baltimore City Public Schools.
Also joining Tom on Zoom is Denise Kumani Gannt. She is the Director of Education and resident artist with Lyric Baltimore, and one of the prime movers behind the "Dream Big" Contest.
For more information about the "Dream Big" Contest, send an email to:education@mdlyric.org
These conversation were previously recorded, so we can't take any live calls, emails or Tweets.
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Good afternoon and happy holiday. Welcome to this Fourth of July edition of Midday.Today, on this day when we celebrate the idea and the ideals of America: conversations about social justice and civil rights. A little later in this broadcast, we’ll hear from some young people who were finalists in the Big Dream Contest held earlier this year at the Lyric Theater.
But we begin with Maya Davis and Allison Tolman, two of a group of 13 scholars who have put together a show about the history of the civil rights movement in Maryland called Passion and Purpose: Voices of Marylands' Civil Rights Activists.It’s at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, formerly known as the MD Historical Society.
Maya Davis is the Director of the Riversdale House Museum,the former 19th Century Plantation home of George and Rosalie Calvert. She’s an expert in African American history; she serves as a Commissioner on the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission and she is a board member of the Prince George’s County Historical Society and the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
Allison Tolman is the Vice President of Collections and Interpretation at the Maryland Center for History and Culture...
(This conversation was recorded in late June, 2022, so we aren’t able to take any calls or comments today.)
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Maryland voters head to the polls next week. Mail-in voting has already begun. Early voting starts Thursday. Election day is two weeks from Tuesday.
Today, it’s a special installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates 2022. Two of the three leading candidates in the Democratic primary for Governor join Tom for the hour to discuss the issues on the minds of Marylanders.
In early June, a poll published by the Baltimore Sun identified Comptroller Peter Franchot, non-profit executive Wes Moore and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez leading a 10-person field in the Democratic primary. Those three candidates polled in the low double-digits. A large number of respondents said they had not made up their minds.
In a poll released on Tuesday of this week, commissioned by WYPR, the Baltimore Banner and Goucher College showed the race between Mr. Franchot, Mr. Moore and Mr. Perez to be even closer than it was in early June. Those three candidates are now in a statistical tie. The other candidate who is closest to them is former Attorney General Doug Gansler, who is about ten points behind.
We invited the top three candidates to appear on Tuesday of this week. Peter Franchot’s spokesperson declined our invitation citing a schedule conflict. We tried a different date, today, and once again citing a schedule conflict, the Franchot campaign declined our invitation.
And so, we are pleased to welcome Wes Moore and Tom Perez to today’s conversation. They join us on Zoom.
Wes Moore is a best-selling author who has worked in the private and non-profit sector. He was most recently the CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, a national philanthropic organization. And, full disclosure: he once hosted Future City,a public affairs show on WYPR. He has chosen as his running mate former Delegate Aruna Miller from Montgomery County…
Tom Perez is a lawyer who headed the Civil Rights Division in the US Justice Department, and served as MD labor secretary during the O’Malley administration. He was also appointed US Labor Secretary during the Obama Administration, and he was the chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC). He has chosen as his running mate Shannon Sneed, a former Baltimore City Councilwoman…
We begin with an opportunity for each candidate to say hello and explain why they deserve your vote.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she's here with her take on Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's updated production of Much Ado About Nothing, the ever-popular Bard comedy that's now on stage at the open-air PFI Historical Park.
Directed by Seamus Miller, the 16-member cast includes Anna DiGiovanni and Dylan Arredondo (pictured above), who joined us here on Midday last week to talk about the production, as well as Molly Moores, Kate Forton, Jose Guzman, Ryan Tumulty and Abigail Funk, among others.
Much Ado About Nothing continues at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company's "In-the-Ruins" venue at PFI Historical Park in Ellicott City, Maryland until July 24. Follow the theater link for program and ticketing information.
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Last Friday, in a 6-3 decision, the US Supreme Court overturned fifty years of federally guaranteed abortion rights. The controversial ruling has been denounced by President Biden and abortion rights activists. But opponents of abortion, including many religious groups, celebrated the decision as a victory in their decades-long campaign to end legalized abortion in America.
Joining Tom now is Archbishop William Lori. In addition to leading the Archdiocese of Baltimore, he serves as the chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops…
He joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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We begin today with our Newsmaker guest, Dr. Sonja Santelises, the CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools. Earlier this month, the Office of Inspector General for Education did an audit of city high schools after complaints that grades had been changed inappropriately. Over a period of four years, between 2016-2019, the audit found more than 12,000 grades had been changed, and it said its investigation revealed, quote, “misunderstandings, misapplications and non-compliance of grade-changing procedures.”
Gov. Larry Hogan has referred the matter to prosecutors and called for Dr. Santelises to resign. Of course, grades are changed for a variety of reasons.
Dr. Sonja Santelises joins us on Zoom to discuss this and other issues affecting the city's public school system.
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Today, another installment in Midday's election-year series, Conversations with the Candidates: 2022.
We had hoped to have our guests join Tom in Studio A, but we learned this morning that isn’t possible. So, the three candidates in the Democratic primary for Baltimore State’s Attorney join us today on Zoom.
The incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, is seeking the nomination to run for a third term…
Ivan Bates is a Baltimore defense attorney who has previous experience as a city prosecutor…
And Thiru Vignarajahis a former city, state and federal prosecutor. He is currently the CEO of Capital Plus Financial…
Each candidate begins with brief opening remarks, summarizing why they are running, and why they deserve the voters' support.
The candidates are with us for the hour. We won’t take any calls today, but we will try to work-in some listener emails and Tweets.
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Joining Tom now is the author, screenwriter, and columnist D Watkins. He is a New York Times best-selling author of four books, and an editor at large and columnist at Salon, and the winner of several awards. He was also one of the writers on the HBO mini-series, We Own This City,based on a book by the Baltimore Banner’s Justin Fenton and produced by David Simon, the creator of The Wire, among other critically acclaimed shows.
D Watkins’ latest book is a searing, vivid portrait of his life before and since he’s achieved success as a writer. Growing up in East Baltimore, he was involved, for a while, in the kind of things that often get kids in that part of our city killed or thrown in jail. Watkins chronicles a childhood, adolescence and young adulthood in which uncertainty and fear were constant companions. He explores his often-troubled relationship with his father, and he takes a hard look at the culture of manliness and stoic toughness that leads to a particular brand of toxic masculinity.
The book tracks his journey from scared kid to streetwise hustler to loving father, and it provides trenchant insight into the experience of growing up where, in Watkins’ words, “violence was his own personal painkiller.”
It's called Black Boy Smile: A Memoir in Moments.(2022, Legacy Lit /Grand central Publishing)D Watkinsjoins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
D Watkinsjoins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Midday begins today with a look at the first part of a new Goucher Poll, conducted in collaboration with The Baltimore Banner and WYPR, that takes the pulse of the Maryland electorate, with just 10 days to go before early voting begins in the 2022 statewide primary elections.
The Goucher College Poll was conducted by telephone from June 15 to 19, 2022. It surveyed 502 registered Democrats and 507 registered Republicans living in Maryland and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.
Joining Tom to help unpack some of the key findings in the new poll are two astute observers of Maryland politics:Mileah Kromeris director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Centerat Goucher College, which runs the Goucher Poll. She is also an Assistant Professor in the the Department of Political Science and International Relations at Goucher.
Pamela Wood is the Maryland politics and government reporter at The Baltimore Banner.
They join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, we continue WYPR's Special Coverage of the historic Supreme Court ruling overturning 50 years of constitutional protections for abortion rights.
Writing for the High Court majority that overturned Roe v Wade in a 6-3 decision announced Friday, Justice Samuel Alito said that the decision “returns the authority to regulate abortion to the people” meaning states can decide whether or not abortions will be allowed. A poll released this morning by PBS shows 56% of Americans oppose the ruling.
In his noon-hour remarks from the White House on Friday, President Biden said the only way to restore abortion rights is to codify the provisions of Roe into law. The current Congress will not make that happen. Here in Maryland, women will have access to abortion, but Governor Larry Hogan is refusing to release money approved by the legislature to expand the number of people who can perform abortions.
Initially, the General Assembly wrote the law so that training would begin in July of 2023. A new urgency has arisen to begin training these providers because of the SCOTUS decision, and legislators want to start next month instead of next year, but the Governor isn’t budging.
Among Tom's guests today are Baltimore City Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, who represents the 10th District in South Baltimore; Professor Mary Fissell, a medical historian at Johns Hopkins University; and Miriam Burg, a Rabbi and Jewish educator who works with pregnant women.
We were told that Catholic Archbishop William Lori would be able to join us today as well, but this morning, his spokesperson said he would not be available. We hope to have him on at another time.
But we begin with Karen J. Nelson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland, a major provider of reproductive health services across the state. Like our other guests, Ms. Nelson joins us on Zoom…
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Today, during the first half of the noon Midday hour, we continue WYPR's Special Live Coverage of the historic rulingending abortion rightshanded down Friday morning in a 6-3 decision by the conservative majority of the US Supreme Court.
Ahead of President Joe Biden's scheduled remarks on the ruling at 12:33pm, Midday host Tom Hallspeaks with Prof. Margaret Johnson, co-director of the Center on Applied Feminism at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and director of the law school’s Bronfein Family Law Clinic.
Later in the half hour, Tom speaks with Maryland State Delegate Emily Shetty (Democrat, Dist.18) about the ruling's human and political impacts.
Then, WYPR News reporter Rachel Baye joins us with excerpts from her interview Thursday with Karen Nelson, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Maryland, who notes that while abortion will remain legal in Maryland, she is expecting the large influx of residents from states that have banned abortions to put a significant strain on Maryland's reproductive health resources.
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Our continuing live, local coverage of Friday's historic Supreme Court ruling resumes during the 3pm hour. Midday host Tom Hall returns for a full hour of live conversation and listener interaction.
Tom's guests this hour include Stacey Lee, associate professor of the Practice at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School;
Dr. Lisa Cooper, founding director of the Center for Health Equity, part ofthe Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and
WYPR reporterJohn Lee, who joins us to share some of his interviews with Heather Mizeur, aformer Maryland State Delegate and currently a Democratic primary candidate for Maryland's 1st District US Congressional seat, and Dave Harden, a rival Democratic primary candidate for that 1st District seat. The incumbent 1st District congressman, Republican Andy Harris, declined John's request for an interview, but his office released a statement supporting the Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Stay tuned to WYPR this weekend for more of NPR's special coverage of the Supreme Court ruling striking down abortion rights. Midday's live coverage will continue during our regular noon-1pm broadcast on Monday, June 27.
For a list of pro-choice events and demonstrations happening this weekend, go to the wewontgoback.com Website.
For information on the anti-abortion movement, visit the March for Life site.
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Time now for another visit with Midday's award-winning theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom every week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.
Today, she spotlights Once on This Island, a coming-of-age musical that opened on Broadway in 1990, with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. The show's 2017 return to Broadway won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival.
The musical is getting a lively new production at Cockpit in Court, the Summer Theatre venue at Community College of Baltimore County's Essex campus. The show is directed by Tom Wyatt.
Once on This Island continues at Cockpit in Court through Sunday, June 26. For show and ticketing info, follow the theater link.
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We turn now to the theater, and to the new production of Shakespeare's ever-popular comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, being staged by Baltimore's Chesapeake Shakespeare Company-In-the-Ruinsat the PFI Historic Park in Ellicott City, and directed by Seamus Miller.
Joining Tom to talk about the play are two members of the cast: Chesapeake Shakespeare Company member Anna DiGiovanni, who plays "Beatrice", and Dylan Arredondo, who plays the role of "Benedick." They connect with us on Zoom.
Much Ado About Nothing continues at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company through July 24. Follow the theater link for show and ticketing information.
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We begin today with another edition of Midday with the Mayor, our monthly series of live conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, in which he addresses Tom's questions about important issues facing the city.
Among the topics we discuss today are the city's ongoing strategies for fighting crime, City Council battles over the budget, municipal staff shortages, the latest allocations of federal American Rescue Plan funds, and last weekend's celebrations of Juneteenth, the AfrAm Festival and Father's Day.
Mayor Brandon Scott joins us on Zoom from his office in City Hall.
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Now, another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Joining Tom is Sam Cogen. He is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Sheriff of Baltimore City. Unlike the Baltimore Police Commissioner, who is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, the Sheriff is elected.
Sam Cogen has had a 25-year career in the Sheriff’s office. He holds a degree from Goucher College in sociology with a focus on criminal justice. He joined the Sheriff’s Department in 1997, and moved through the ranks to become Assistant Sheriff. He is 48 years old, he’s married, and he has a daughter in college. Mr. Cogen resigned from the Sheriff’s department last November to concentrate on a campaign to replace his former boss, the incumbent, John Anderson, who has held the office for 32 years. The winner of next month's primary election will be unopposed by a Republican in the general election.
We invited Sheriff Anderson to appear on Midday to discuss his candidacy. He did not respond to repeated requests.
Sam Cogen did respond, and we are happy to welcome him to the program. He joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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The House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol continued its series of televised public hearings on Tuesday.
The hearing concluded with emotional testimony from elected officials in Arizona and Georgia and from election workers who were subjected to harassment by Donald Trump and his supporters as the president plotted to overturn his loss in the 2020 election.
Joining Tom now on our digital line is Luke Broadwater, who covers the US Congress for the New York Times.
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Welcome to this Summer Solstice edition of Midday. Today is the longest day of the year, and the official beginning of summer, and for all that summer has to recommend it, it is also a time when crime typically spikes in cities throughout the United States.
Like cities across the country, Baltimore continues to reel from brazen acts of violence in communities across our city. A 15 year-old from Howard County has been arrested and charged with shooting into a crowd at the Inner Harbor over Memorial Day Weekend. One person died and two others were injured. 25 year-old Army Reserve Sergeant Ryan Harris was killed near his apartment on Calvert Street. Trevor White, a 40 year-old bar owner who helped develop communities in East Baltimore as part of ReBuild Metro, was killed in Northeast Baltimore. Three weeks ago, 83 year-old Marjorie Tyson was struck in the arm by a stray bullet while she sat in bed reading.
Over the weekend, five people were killed and 10 were injured.
We are running out of ways to describe this level of mayhem. For years, official after official has described crime in Baltimore as “out of control,” as voters elect them, time after time, on their promises to control it.
Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael S. Harrison. He was appointed as our city’s top cop in 2019 after successfully overseeing a decrease in crime as the police chief in his native city of New Orleans.
Commissioner Harrison joins us regularly to let us know what the police are doing to address the problems that according to a recent poll are the top concern of 90% of our citizens.
To reach the Baltimore City Police Department's Illegal Dirt Bikes Tip Line, call: 443-902-4474.
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Happy Juneteenth! It’s another edition of our monthly Midday Healthwatch, with Dr. Leana Wen.
The latest surge in the COVID-19 variant known as omicron is beginning to show signs it is receding, but the highly transmissible BA.2 variant has led the CDC to estimate that nearly 60% of Americans have already been infected. For children, the infection rate is even higher: closer to 75%.
And help for our youngest children is on the way. On Friday, an advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines for children under the age of five. The CDC signed off on the panel’s recommendation on Saturday. This comes as a relief to many parents, and it presents a dilemma for many others, who may be vaccinated themselves, but who are hesitant about vaccinating their kids.
Dr. Wen is herself the parent of two children under the age of five. She is a former health commissioner of Baltimore, an emergency physician, and she teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. Dr. Wen is also a columnist for the Washington Post,a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on June 18, 2021)
Tom's guest on this archived edition of Midday is the author and historian Annette Gordon Reed. She is best-known for her study of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Her book, The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, won sixteen book prizes, including the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.
Her latest book is a beautiful peroration on the meaning of the holiday known as Juneteenth, which marks the anniversary of a significant historical event: on June 19th, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas, declaring that all slaves were free, two months after General Robert E Lee had surrendered to Gen. Ulysses S Grant in Appomattox, Virginia. Juneteenth celebrations of this belated emancipation originated among African American communities in Texas, and now take place around the country.
Gordon-Reed's book is at once an homage to her home state of Texas, and a wholly original and fascinating exploration of how history and legend and myth all shape what we learn when we’re young, how our understanding evolves as we grow older, and how social dynamics inform the evolution of societal understanding. Professor Reed writes with erudition and grace, authority and humility, weaving a touching personal memoir into the stark reality of a harsh historical record.
Her book is called On Juneteenth.
Annette Gordon Reed joined Tom on Zoom from her home in New York. They spoke just a few days before President Biden signed a congressional bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday.
Because this conversation was recorded earlier, we can’t take any calls or comments.
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Here's a list of some local public events happening this weekend in observance of Juneteenth:
The historic Hosanna School Museum hosts the Annual Upper Bay Juneteenth Festival in Darlington on Saturday from 12-6pm.
Hosanna School Museum was the first of three Freedmen’s Bureau schoolhouses erected in Harford County. The building was used as a school, community meeting place and church. In 1879, Harford County School Commissioners assumed operation of the school and Hosanna remained an active schoolhouse for African American children until 1946.
Juneteenth Community Walk on Saturday, starting at 10:30am at the Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church.
On Sunday: Freedom Day Festival from11am-6pm at German Park and a Juneteenth Festival at the Dovecote Café in Reservoir Hill.
Juneteenth Festival Sunday from 3-7pm at the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center.
The annual AFRAM Festival in Druid Hill Park on Saturday and Sunday.
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It's time for another visit with Midday's award-winning theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about Bakkhai, playwright and classicist Anne Carson's new version of the classic Greek tragedy by Euripides, now in a live production at Baltimore Center Stage.
Featuring original music by Diana Oh and choreography by Willa Noel Montague, the play is directed at Center Stage by Michael Donahue, with a cast that also includes Kambi Gathesha, Shauna Miles, Alexander Sovronsky, Christopher Sears and Michael Maloney.
Bakkhai continues at Baltimore Center Stage thru June 19. For information on showtimes and ticketing, follow the the play link.
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And now it's Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking, with two of our favorite film aficianados: Ann Hornaday, a film critic with the Washington Post, and author of the bestselling filmgoers' guide,Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theatre.
Ann and Jed discuss some of the newly- and soon-to-be released films that moviegoers in growing numbers are returning to the movie theaters to see, including Top Gun: Maverick, Cha Cha Real Smooth, and director Baz Lurhman's Elvis, an exuberant new take on the life of the legendary rock-n-roll singer.
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Tom also mentions a series of public events happening this weekend in observance of Juneteenth, a federal holiday celebrating the end of slavery and the liberation of Black culture. Here are some of those weekend events we want to let you know about:
The Historic Hosanna School Museum Hosts Annual Upper Bay Juneteenth Festival in Darlington on Saturday from 12-6pm.
Hosanna School Museum was the first of three Freedmen’s Bureau schoolhouses erected in Harford County. The building was used as a school, community meeting place and church. In 1879, Harford County School Commissioners assumed operation of the school and Hosanna remained an active schoolhouse for African American children until 1946.
Juneteenth Community Walk on Saturday, at 10:30 at the Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church
On Sunday: Freedom Day Festivalat 11:00am-6:00pm at German Park and a Juneteenth Festival at the Dovecote Café in Reservoir Hill
Juneteenth Festival Sunday from 3-7pm at the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center
AFRAM Festival inDruid Hill Park on Saturday and Sunday.
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We begin today with a friend and colleague from our partner news organization, The Baltimore Banner.
Emily Sullivan is an award-winning reporter who is a former member of the WYPR news team, and who’s now covering City Hall for the Banner.
Emily Sullivan joins Tom on our digital line to discuss some of the key findings from the Baltimore Banner's new "Baltimore Now" poll, conducted for the Banner in late May by Goucher College.
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Today on Midday, we take up an issue that has flummoxed Congress for about as long as gun regulation: that is, immigration, and what to do about the southern border.
At the center of the debate is Title 42, a 1940s-era law that allows federal health authorities to prohibit migration into the US to prevent the spread of contagious diseases.
The CDC — the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia — invoked Title 42 in March, 2020, at the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. Critics call it “a border-control tool masquerading as a public health order.” The Biden Administration moved to discontinue the policy, but last month, a Louisiana Federal District Judge ordered that the policy stay in place, in part, because the administration had failed to adequately consider how much migration would surge when the policy ends, and the cost to states to provide services to the migrants who are seeking asylum. That ruling is under appeal.
We begin our discussion today withSheriff Mark Lamb. He has been the Sheriff of Pinal County, Arizona since 2017. He is a close ally of former President Trump and a vocal critic of the Biden Administration’s handling of immigration. He is the founder of a group of sheriffs called “Protect America Now,” and he is a self-described “constitutional conservative.”
Later in the hour, Tom gets another perspective on Title 42 from two local immigration advocates: Krish Vignarajah, the President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, and Ruben Chandrasekar, the executive director of the International Rescue Committee in Maryland.
All our guests join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, we are going to switch gears - so to speak - from the news of the day, and talk about Cars.
Tom's guest is John Davis, the creator, producer and host of MotorWeek, now in its 41st season. The weekly automotive magazine show is produced at Maryland Public Television (MPT) and syndicated on PBS stations across the country.
Gas prices are brutal, and there’s no end to the high prices in sight. What can we do to maximize our mileage, and given the damage we do every time we fill up, is now the time to take the plunge and go electric?
For the past many months, it’s been a challenging time to be in the market for a new set of wheels. We’ll talk about the current state of inventory for both new and used cars, and what we should look for when we’re ready to buy.
John Davis is with us for the hour today to take your questions and comments about all things automotive…
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights Everyman Theatre's world-premiere production of Crying on Television, the new play by Baltimore-based writer and humorist R. Eric Thomas.
The Thomas rom-com about race, media culture and real friendship is directed by Reginald L. Douglas, with a cast that includes Paige Hernandez as Ellison, Erika Rose as Taffy, Starr Kirkland as Mackenzie, and Dwayne Washington as Chris.Crying on Television continues at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre until June 26. The play will also be available as a streaming video for ticketed patrons starting on June 17. Follow the theater link for showtimes and ticket info.
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We begin today with a conversation about an exciting development that will transform and enrich the media landscape in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Bannerwill begin publishing soon. The Banner is a multi-platform news organization, launched under the aegis of the non-profit Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, that has attracted top talent from Baltimore and around the country, and it may turn out that it’s riding something of a wave in journalism. Non-profit newsrooms are springing-up and succeeding across the country in cities large and small. The Institute for Non-Profit News reports that in 2020, “Web traffic to nonprofit news sites grew by 43%.”
The Bannerenjoys the substantial financial and philosophical support of Stewart Bainum, a wealthy entrepreneur who has made a multi-year, multi-million-dollar commitment, and serves as chairman of the Venetoulis Institute. Soon, anyone who values first-rate local journalism will have the opportunity to support this enterprise as well, with subscriptions and contributions.
Kimi Yoshino is an award-winning journalist who has come to Baltimore to be the Banner’s Editor in Chief after more than two decades at the Los Angeles Times…
Imtiaz Patel was a senior executive at the Wall Street Journal for several years. He’s also been a consultant with the Philadelphia Enquirer and USA Today. He is the CEO of the Baltimore Banner…
They both join us on Zoom from the Banner headquarters in Baltimore.
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“Let me be very clear to all of you, and I've been very clear to the President. He bears responsibilities for his words and actions — no ifs, ands or buts. I asked him personally today, does he hold responsibility for what happened? Does he feel bad about what happened? He told me he does have some responsibility for what happened and he needs to acknowledge that.”
—House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, speaking withfellow Republicans about Donald Trump’s culpability for the attack on the Capital on January 6th of last year.
The US House of Representatives' Special Committee investigating that attack and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election will hold its first public hearing tonight. WYPR will carry NPR’s live coverage beginning at 8:00pm
Today on Midday,a conversation with New York Times national correspondent Alexander Burns about a compelling and comprehensive book he co-authored with his Times colleague, Jonathan Martin, about the last year of the Trump administration, including the months preceding the insurrection, through the first months of the Biden Administration.
Burns and Martin make a strong case for the fragility of the basic architecture of American democracy. They argue that government cannot function in a two-party system in which neither party is internally coherent and serious about governing. It is a book full of excellent reporting and trenchant insights.
It’s called This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden, and the Battle for America’s Future.
Alexander Burns joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC…
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Today , it's Midday on Maryland Politics, with a little over a month to go before statewide primary elections.Tom's guests today are two of the most astute observers of the state and local political scenes...
Steve Raabe is the founder and president of OpinionWorks, an independent research, strategy and opinion survey firm based in Annapolis, Maryland. Raabe discusses some of the key issues an concerns driving the Maryland electorate this election season. He joins us by phone from Annapolis.
Later, Justin Fenton, investigative reporter with The Baltimore Banner, the new online local news platform launching next week, joins Tom to talk about how rising crime and the debate over police reform are major factors in this year's election campaigns. He joins us on the phone from Baltimore.
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Today, another in Midday's continuing series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
Ms. Mosby is standing for re-election to a third term as Baltimore’s top prosecutor. She is one of three candidates in the July 19th Democratic primary, a race that pits her against the same two opponents she beat, handily, in 2018: Ivan Bates and Thiru Vignarajah.
Marilyn Mosby drew national attention when she indicted the six officers in the Freddie Gray case in 2015. None of those indictments resulted in a conviction, but Ms. Mosby became one of the country’s highest-profile progressive prosecutors. Her policies have drawn the ire of those on the political right, including Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who has been an outspoken critic.
That is not to say that those on the left have been completely enamored with Ms. Mosby. Advocates for Keith Davis, Jr., have mounted a highly organized and vocal campaign to pressure Ms. Mosby to drop her plans to try Mr. Davis for murder for the fifth time.But in addition to controversies surrounding her decisions as the State’s Attorney, Ms. Mosby has been no stranger to personal controversy as well. She is scheduled to stand trial in federal court in September for perjury and making false statements on a mortgage application. She has called the investigation that led to her indictment politically and racially motivated.
Marilyn Mosby is 42 years old. She is a graduate of Boston College Law School and Tuskegee University. She served as Assistant State's Attorney for Baltimore from 2005 to 2012. She became a litigator for Liberty Mutual Insurance in 2012, a position she held until she announced her plans to run for State’s Attorney the following year. She’s married to Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby. They are the parents of two teenage daughters.
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosbyjoins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
And as always, we welcome listener calls, emails and Tweets.
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This coming Sunday, the Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society presents its inaugural vocal ensemble performance as part of its 30th anniversary celebration. The Grammy award-winning jazz quartet, New York Voiceswill make its Charm City debut in a 5pm concert at the Baltimore Museum of Art.
Joining Tom now with a preview of NYV's June 12 performance, and a little more background on this acclaimed jazz vocal ensemble, is Darmon Meader, the group's co-founder, musical director and its tenor. Other members include Peter Eldridge, baritone, and sopranos Lauren Kinhan and Kim Nazarian.Darmon Meader joins us on Zoom from Hudson Valley, New York.
For ticketing information on the New York Voices performance at BMA on Sunday, June 12 at 5pm, click here.
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Prospects for new gun legislation, battling US inflation and continuing to support Ukraine in its war with Russia are front-and-center issues on Capitol Hill.
Tom's guest now is Senator Ben Cardin, who has served as Maryland's senior senator since 2007.
Sen. Cardin joins us on Zoom.
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We begin Midday today with an update on the latest CDC data showing an uptick in COVID-19 infection and hospitalization in Baltimore City and surrounding counties in recent days.
Joining us to explain what the numbers tell us about the state of the COVID pandemic in our region is Dr. Letitia Dzirasa. She is a Hopkins-trained pediatrician and since 2019, she has served as the Commissioner of Baltimore City's Health Department.
Dr. Dzirasa joins us on Zoom from Baltimore City...
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We open this segment of Midday with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach - from his Cello Suite in G Major, played by the great English ‘cellist, Steven Isserlis.
Mr. Isserlis, who is also the author of the recently published authoritative musical guide, The Bach Cello Suites: A Companion, is appearing in recital in Baltimore this Sunday afternoon (June 5) with the pianist Jeremy Denk.
Their concert is part of the Candlelight Concert Society Series. They’ll play in the beautiful Linehan Hall, on the campus of UMBC in Catonsville. For performance and ticketing information, click here.
Steven Isserlis joins us on Zoom from New York City.
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The Baltimore 10 Mileris tomorrow. That’s a great race that will attract about 3,500 runners. Great course – a little hilly, but it goes through Druid Hill Park and around Lake Montebello, so it’s pretty, and it’s always got a great vibe.
Today on Midday, we are asking runners and people who do any kind of exercise, a simple question that we ask with all due respect, “What hurts, today?” Because, let’s face it: whether you're a runner or not, something hurts.
And happily, Tom's guest today is a wonderful doctor on the line ready to answer your questions about all things orthopedic.Dr. Miho Tanakais an orthopedic surgeon, the Director of the Women’s Sports Medicine Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and an Associate Professor at the Harvard Medical School. She is also the team physician for the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Ballet.
Dr. Tanaka joins us on our digital line from Boston...
And listeners, you're welcome to join us too…We’re inviting your calls, emails and tweets about whatever issue you might be having.
The Baltimore 10-Miler launches tomorrow morning from Druid Hill Park. If you’re running that race, or if you’re into cycling, or soccer or weightlifting or tennis or whatever, give us a call…
And this note about free fitness classes every Saturday this month in Patterson Park. Propel Fitness Water has assembled teams of trainers in cities around the country for the workouts. They start tomorrow; to check out the schedule, click here.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she tells us about the new production of The Fantasticksby Baltimore's Vagabond Players.
This perpetually popular musical romantic comedy, with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones, premiered off-Broadway in 1960, and is renowned as the world's longest running musical. Its original off-Broadway production ran for 42 years (until 2002), logging 17,162 performances. It has long been a staple of regional, community and school productions, with some 250 new stagings each year.
The Fantasticks is directed at Vagabond Players by Jimi Kinstle, with a cast featuring Quentin Patrick as The Boy (Matt), Jeff Burch as The Girl's Father (Bellomy), B. Thomas Rinaldi as The Man Who Dies (Mortimer), Kathryn Falcone as The Narrator (El Gallo), Ana Lane as The Girl (Luisa), Ari Juno as The Mute, Jim Hart as The Boy's Father (Hucklebee) and John Sadowsky as The Old Actor (Henry).
The Fantasticks continues at Vagabond Players through June 19th. Follow the links for showtimes and ticketing info.
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On Wednesday (June 1), in Tulsa, Oklahoma, another gunman. Another mass shooting. Four people shot to death. The shooter committed suicide. It was the 233rd mass shooting this year in the United States.
The funerals for the 21 victims murdered last week in Texas by an 18 year-old shooter wielding assault-style weapons continue today in the small, largely Latino community of Uvalde.
Questions about the police response at the scene remain, and questions as to whether or not Congress will respond with some form of federal gun regulation legislation are top of mind for Americans on both sides of the gun rights debate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has signaled a willingness to get Republicans to agree to some sort of deal. He has authorized Sen. John Cornyn to work with Democrats on legislation. In the past, on many occasions, McConnell has indicated a willingness to strike a deal, but ultimately, he has blocked any attempts by Democrats to pass even the most broadly popular provisions of gun regulations.
Speaking yesterday in Kentucky, McConnell said he would support a deal that addressed mental health issues and had strong constitutional protections.
His focus on mental health takes a familiar page out of the Republican playbook. Ten years ago, after the massacre of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, and again this week, in the aftermath of the shootings in Uvalde and Buffalo, NY, Republicans responded to attempts to pass red flag laws, background checks, or age limits for purchasing firearms by insisting that these tragedies are the product of a mental health crisis in America, not lax gun regulations.
That is the assertion we are going to examine today, here on Midday. Is it accurate to ascribe mental health issues as the sole or primary reason these shooters commit these atrocities?
Tom's guests today will help us shed some light on this question.
Michael Greenberger is the director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security. He joins us on Zoom from Baltimore…
Dr. Joel Dvoskinis a clinical and a certified forensic psychologist. He joins us on Zoom from Tucson, Arizona.
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Everyone over the age of 18 with income, property and other personal assets should consider preparing a legal document known as the last will and testament.
It's the only way to be sure those assets are properly distributed (and taxed) after one's death, according to Tom's next guest, Baltimore County's Register of WillsAlexis Burrell-Rohde.
Ms. Burrell-Rohdejoins us on Zoom from her County Courthouse office in Towson with insights on the importance of estate planning and what resources are available to residents.
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Tom's next guest today is Ryan Coleman, the president of the Randallstown Chapter (#7032) of the NAACP.
Mr. Coleman says his group is very concerned about the persistently high rates of violent crime in Baltimore City and elsewhere in the state. He talks about what he’s asking Governor Larry Hogan to do to make Maryland citizens safer.
Ryan Coleman joins us on Zoom from Randallstown, MD.
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Today on Midday: a focus on Baltimore County. Tom's Newsmaker guest is County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr..
They’ll talk about the COVID uptick and plans for new public schools, and his support for County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt, despite a no confidence vote by members of the County Police Union. There have been fewer homicides in the County compared to last year, but there’s been an increase in car jackings, in the county and around the country. What is the County Executive’s strategy for public safety? And what is the status of the County Executive's long-touted Blue Ribbon Commission on Ethics and Accountability?
Those issues and more, as Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. joins us from his office in Towson.
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Today, it’s another in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Bowie Mayor Tim Adams. He’s running in the Democratic primary for Maryland Comptroller.
His opponent in that race is Del. Brooke Lierman, who represents Baltimore in the General Assembly. Barry Glassman, the Harford County Executive, is running unopposed in the Republican Comptroller primary.
The Maryland Comptroller is an office that doesn’t change hands very frequently. Louis Goldstein had the job for nearly 40 years. The current Comptroller, Peter Franchot, was first elected to that office in 2007. He is running in the Democratic primary for Governor.
Tim Adams was elected Mayor of Bowie in November, 2019, the first African American to hold that position in the city’s history. He also serves as President and CEO of Systems Application & Technologies, Inc., or SATECH, a firm he founded in 1989. It serves the national security sector. It’s headquartered in Upper Marlborough.
Mr. Adams holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Xavier University, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of New Orleans, and an honorary Doctorate from Bowie State University. He is also a lifetime member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. If elected Comptroller, Mr. Adams would be the first Black comptroller and the first paraplegic to hold statewide office in Maryland.
Tim Adams is 62 years old. He lives in Bowie, Maryland. He is married to the Honorable Sheila R. Tillerson Adams. They are the parents of twins, Timothy and Kayla. An older daughter, Tiara, passed away in 2020. They have a young grandson, Nehemiyah.
Tim Adams joins us on our digital line from Bowie.
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on January 7, 2022)
We begin with the familiar opening bars of Yesterday, the song that Rolling Stone Magazine called “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turns 80 on June 18th, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. (His current concert tour brings him to Camden Yards in Baltimore on June 12th.) In a writing career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them, from Beatles-era classics to songs he’s written in the decades since, are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a two-volume set of books published last summer in which McCartney offers context and back stories for each of the songs.
Welcome to Midday. Today on this encore presentation of our show, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon, who was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. He and Tom talk about that book as well, later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joined us on Zoom from New York…
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(This conversation was originally broadcast on April 26, 2022)
Good afternoon and welcome to an encore edition of Midday.
Tom's guest today is Dorothy Roberts, a professor of law and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of four books, including Killing the Black Body, about systemic abuse of African American women, and Fatal Invention, which explores the relationship between race, science and politics.
Her new book argues that the nation's foster care system, putatively designed to protect children, instead deprives Black parents of fundamental rights and leads to traumatic consequences for Black children. The child welfare system, she argues, is “more accurately described as the family policing system,” and she calls for it to be dismantled.
The book is called Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—And How Abolition Can Build a Safer World.
Dorothy Roberts joined us on Zoom from Philadelphia.
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It's time for another visit with theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage. Today, she spotlights The Joy That Carries You, now getting a world premiere production at Olney Theater Center.
Co-written by two local playwrights, Awa Sal Secka and Dani Stoller, the uplifting drama combines sharp comic dialogue with sparkling spoken-word poetry to tell a resonant tale of love and family.
The play is directed by Jason Loewith and Kevin McAllister, and its cast includes playwright Dani Stoller with Billie Krishawn, Lolita Marie, Susan Rome, Michael Russotto, Bru Ajueyitsi and James J. Johnson.
The Joy That Carries You continues at The Olney Theatre Center through June 12. Follow the links above for showtimes and ticket info.
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Nearly 45 million Americans have amassed $1.6 trillion dollars in student loan debt. The Biden Administration is expected to announce its plan for student debt relief soon, perhaps as early as this weekend.
One of the ideas the President is considering is an executive order that would forgive $10,000 of each borrower's debt, which would wipe out loans for 4.6 million borrowers.
More than 1 in 5 borrowers have defaulted or stopped making payments on their loans. A payment moratorium has been in effect since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020. It expires in August.
We begin our conversation with Cory Turner, an education correspondent and Senior Editor at NPR who has covered the student-loan debt issue extensively over the past year. Corey joins Tom on our digital line from Silver Spring…
Then, Tom gets the perspectives of two African American doctors who hold appointments at Yale University, and some student debt, as well.
Dr. Jessica Isom is a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine…
Dr. Carmen Black is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, also at the Yale School of Medicine.
The two physicians co-wrote an essay in Newsweek Magazinerecently that argues for framing student debt as a racial justice issue. One of the debt relief options President Biden is reportedly considering is to cap the income at which borrowers would have their debt reduced or eliminated.
Dr. Jessica Isom and Dr. Carmen Black are recommending a different approach. They both join us on Zoom.
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The trauma that the country feels in the aftermath of these all-too-common mass shootings is palpable, raw and not quickly relieved. And imagine what the medical staffs of the hospitals experienced as victims of these attacks are rushed into their facilities.
And another kind of trauma continues to afflict them: COVID infection numbers are climbing again. For people who have been vaccinated, there is a tendency to think of the pandemic in the past tense. But for front-line health care workers, it is not at all a thing of the past.
Even before hospitals faced the challenges of COVID 19, there were challenges that many health care professionals were unable or unwilling to overcome. In January of this year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that healthcare was among the top three professions in monthly "quits rate." That month alone, 33,000 health care workers quit their jobs, leaving hospitals, and the remaining workers, scrambling.
On today’s installment of Midday on Ethics, we’re going to talk about moral resilienceand why it is such an important component for the people our healthcare is entrusted to. And we'll tell you about The Nurse Antigone Project, a collaborative arts project spotlighting the unique challenges front-line nurses have endured during the COVID pandemic.
Tom's guests today are two scholars from the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn is the director of the Berman Institute, and our regular guest here on Midday for our Midday on Ethics programs.
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn join us on Zoom from Baltimore.
Dr. Cynda Rushton is the Anne and George L. Bunting Professor of Clinical Ethics at the Institute, and a Professor of Nursing and Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. She is the creator of the Rushton Moral Resilience Scale, and the editor and author of Moral Resilience: Transforming Moral Suffering in Healthcare.
Dr. Cynda Rushton joins us on Zoom from Boston.
The next performance of The Nurse Antigone takes place tonight (Wednesday, May 25), originating in New York City, from 5-7pm. To register for the free Zoom event, click here.
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We begin today with Elizabeth Williamson, a feature writer for the New York Timesand the author of Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth.
Elizabeth joined Tom in March to talk about her very important book, and you can hear their Midday conversation here.
As we know, another American tragedy occurred Tuesday at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, when a murderous rampage by an 18-year-old man with multiple weapons left at least 19 children and two teachers dead.
Elizabeth Williamson joins us on Zoom…
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The Fraternal Order of Police held a vote of no-confidence last night regarding Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt, and called for her dismissal.
The County school system is grappling with persistent transportation problems and a nationwide driver shortage.
And concerns over Baltimore County teacher pay and school safety sparked a protest rally last week outside a school board meeting.
Tom's next guest is WYPR’s John Lee, who covers all things Baltimore County for the station's award-winning news team. John joins us on our digital line with details on these and other developments.
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Now, we turn to Mark Reutter, a senior editor and investigative reporter with the Baltimore Brew. One of the stories he has been covering, for years, is the development at Port Covington, announced with great fanfare in 2016.
But the scope and parameters of the project have changed since then, and Mark joins us on Zoom with an update on the most recent turns in the huge development project.
Check out Mark Reutter's coverage of Port Covington on the Baltimore Brew Website.
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Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner, and in anticipation of all those summer crab feasts folks are looking forward to, we thought we’d take a look at the status of crabs in the Chesapeake Bay.
Since 1990, the MD Department of Natural Resources has conducted a Baywide Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, to determine the size of the blue crab population in the Bay. And this year, the news is not great. The survey found fewer crabs than at any time in more than 30 years. Why is that, and what can be done to increase the crab population in the Bay?
Tom's guest is Michael Luisi, DNR's Acting Director of Fishing and Boating Services. He joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.
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We are, as a general rule, living longer. The average life expectancy of Americans in 1960 was just over 69 years. In 2022, it’s 79 years. A team of physicians and researchers at Johns Hopkins University have formed a group to study ways that we can stay healthy as we get older, exploring medical and technological fixes for what might ail us.
Dr. Jeremy Walston is the director of the Johns Hopkins Human Aging Project and Raymond and Anna Lubin Professor of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Walston joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
Dr. Peter Abadir is a scholar at the Human Aging Project. He is an associate professor of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and he holds a joint appointment in the School of Engineering.
Dr. Abadir joins us on Zoom as well.
Folks over 65 who would like to volunteer for the Human Aging Project can contact the team by email at hap@jhu.edu, or by calling the Healthy Aging Studies Unit at 410-550-2113.
For more information on pathways to staying healthy in your later years, follow the link to Hopkins' Aging Well Website.
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We open with Kenny Rogers singing Through the Years, one of the many hit songs written by Tom's next guest, Steve Dorff.
The winner of more than 40 BMI Awards, Dorff is an inductee to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and he has written more than 20 top 10 hits for iconic artists like Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Anne Murray, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Dusty Springfield. He’s also composed countless scores for movies and television shows like Growing Pains, Murphy Brown, Murder She Wrote and the Clint Eastwood film, Every Which Way But Loose.
He is giving concerts tonight and tomorrow night at 8pm in Annapolis to benefit the Classic Theater of Maryland. Follow the link for ticket information.
Steve Dorff joins us on Zoom from Annapolis…
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Time now for another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking.
Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theatre, joins Tom to talk about the Cannes Film Festival, running May 17-28 in France, where one of the showcased new films is Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 blockbuster action film. Tom Cruise returns in his starring role as the cocky test pilot and flight instructor. The film opens locally on May 27.
Jed and Tom also review some of the best new theatrical and streaming releases, including the HBO series Julia, based on Julia Child's extraordinary life and her groundbreaking public TV show The French Chef, which essentially invented food television.
And we note with sadness the passing of Vangelis, the acclaimed Greek musician and movie-score composer (Chariots of Fire, Bladerunner), who died Tuesday while being treated for COVID-19. He was 79.
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The White House has taken a number of steps to address the current shortage of infant formula.
President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to make sure ample supplies of formula can be created in the US and he has directed the USDA and the Defense Department to coordinate picking up and delivering formula from abroad. The first shipments are scheduled to arrive in the next few days. The government has loosened red tape surrounding WIC benefits so vulnerable families can buy different brands and different sizes. The President has asked the FTC and the Attorney General to crack down on price gouging, and the FDA has committed to quickly inspect and re-open the Abbott plant in Sturgis, Michigan that was closed after a bacterial infection was found there.
But even with these measures, it may take a while for formula to find its way to store shelves. What options do parents who are dealing with this crisis have in the meantime? Many parents have many questions, and Tom's first guest today is here to help.
Dr. Ashanti Woods is a pediatrician at Mercy Care Physicians here in Baltimore.
Dr. Woods joins us on Zoom.
If you have a question, we’ll do our best to get it answered… call 410.662.8780. Email: midday@wypr.org Or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of Maryland;s regional stage. Today she tells us about The Legend of Georgia McBride, playwright Matthew Lopez's quirky, tuneful 2014 comedy about show biz & social norms, now on stage at The Maryland Ensemble Theatre in Frederick, Maryland.
Directed by MET's Associate Artistic Director, Julie Herber, the play features cast members Steve Cairns, Eric Jones, Ray Hatch, Michael Mattox, and Jeremy Myers.
The Legend of Georgia McBride continues at The Maryland Ensemble Theatre in Frederick through June 12. Follow the links above for show details and ticketing information.
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And now, a conversation about a guy that back in the day in Baltimore, struggled, scraped and faked his way through school, fought at the drop of a hat, and found himself on the opposite side of legal more than a few times. He was far and away the least likely to succeed. But succeed he did.
Leonard "Boogie" Weinglass was a charmer, a delinquent, a star athlete, a gambler, a partier and a patron. He was a Dinerguy, immortalized in Barry Levinson’s classic movie. He was a salesman with a knack for fashion and food who became one of the most successful and transformative figures in American retail.
He founded the Merry Go Round chain of clothing stores, which grew to include 1,500 stores and 15,000 employees. He transformed the fashion industry. And he has lived one of the wildest lives you can imagine.
Tom's guest is Michael Olesker. He has written a terrific new book about Boogie Weinglass. It’s called Boogie: Life on a Merry-Go-Round.
Mike will be talking about it at The Ivy Bookshop tonight and Boogie Weinglass, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday,will be there to join in the conversation. Follow the link for event details.
Mike Olesker joins us now on the phone...
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We begin today with some breaking news that will alter the media landscape in the Baltimore metro area. WYPR and the Baltimore Banner,a multi-platform news organization that is expected to begin publishing this summer, announced this morning that the two organizations have entered into a joint operating agreement.
LaFontaine Oliver, the president of the Your Public Radio Corporation and the General Manager of WYPR, joins Tom now from WYPR's Studio B.
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We open this part of the show with the music of the composer and performer Dan Deacon: a track called Sat by a Tree from his 2020 album, Mystic Familiar. Deacon is one of dozens of Baltimore musicians featured in a new film about the Baltimore music scene that is receiving its world premiere Thursday night at the Charles Theater here in Baltimore.
It’s called Do Whatever You Want All the Time: The Baltimore Music Scene 2005-2020. Tom's next guests are the creative spirits behind this great project: Sam Sessa, the Baltimore Music & Community Engagement Manager and host of Baltimore Hit Parade at WYPR's sister station, WTMD, and Julia Golonka, a filmmaker and co-producer of the movie.
There will be free public screenings at 7pm this Thursday at the Charles Theatre, and at 6 pm & 7:30 pm on June 23 at Maryland Art Place.
Sam Sessa and Julia Golonka join us on Zoom from the studios of WTMD.
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It's Midday with the Mayor, another in Tom Hall's series of monthly conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about key issues facing the city.
With the national spotlight shining on Baltimore in this Preakness Week, City Hall is rocked by yet another ethics controversy, as the city's Ethics Board ruled that City Council President Nick Mosby violated ethics rules on campaign solicitations. Tom asks the mayor about that ruling, plus: new initiatives on SMART policing; drawing new police-district boundaries; allocating $8 million in federal funds to help curb the city's gun violence; redevelopment progress at Pimlico; and the latest data on how many city employees have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Mayor Brandon Scott joins us on Zoom from City Hall.You're welcome to join the conversation: call 410.662.8780. Email: midday@wypr.org. Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
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Tom's guest today is John Waters. He’s the director of 16 films, a visual artist with museum shows to his credit, a spoken word artist who performs in venues around the world, an actor, and a pitchman for haute couture. He is also a Son of Baltimore and one of America’s most original and enduring voices in the arts, with a deep artistic palette.
His early films in the 1970s —Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingosand Female Trouble — earned him monikers like “The King of Sleaze,” “The Pope of Trash,” “The Duke of Dirt,” and the classic, “Prince of Puke.”
It should also be noted, BTW, that when it comes to names, the French Government calls him "an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters."
His visual art has been featured in museum shows, he’s been nominated for a Grammy and his 1988 film, Hairspray, was adapted as a musical that won 8 Tony Awards.
As an actor, he has a role in this season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,and he will be touring his stand-up show in the fall.
Waters is the author of several books of non-fiction, including his memoir, Mr. Know It All, a road trip diary called Carsick,and his compendium of profiles of people who have influenced his work, Role Models.His non-fiction commentary is fascinating, funny, insightful and often a bit outrageous.
Waters's latest book is his first novel, a book that dials up the outrageousness in a big, wild way. His protagonist is as despicable as they come, and the entourage of people in her orbit are as odd as anyone we encountered in the cult classic movies John Waters made more than 50 years ago.
The novel is called Liarmouth, which Waters describes as a “feel-bad romance.”
John Waters joins Tom on our digital line from his home in Baltimore.
You are welcome to join us as well. Call: 410.662.8780. Email: midday@wypr.org. Tweet: @MiddayWYPR
A word about our conversation today: the book has more than a few explicit sexual references, and we will likely refer to a few of them…
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Today on Midday, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Jon Baron, who is running in the Democratic primary for Maryland Governor.
Mr. Baron has experience in both government and the nonprofit sector. Before running for Governor, he was the Vice President of Evidence Based Policy for Arnold Ventures, which describes itself as a non-partisan philanthropic organization that works in criminal justice, education, health and public finance. Before that, Mr. Baron served as the President of the Coalition for Evidence Based Policy, an organization he founded in 2001. He also served on a Presidential Commission, in various roles at the Department of Defense, and as the lead staffer for the House Committee on Small Business.
Mr. Baron is a graduate of Rice University. He holds a Master’s Degree from Princeton and a Law degree from the Yale Law School. He is 58 years old. He and his wife Jessica have lived in Montgomery County for 24 years. They are the parents of two grown children.
This is Mr. Baron’s first campaign for elective office. He has chosen Natalie Williams, the Senior Director of Public Affairs at the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education, as his Lt. Governor running mate.
Jon Baron joins us on our digital line from Bethesda.
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(This conversation first aired on December 8, 2021)
The House Select Committee investigating the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 has interviewed hundreds of witnesses and made several criminal referrals to the US Justice Department for witnesses who have refused to appear before the Committee. Meanwhile, hundreds of rioters have been indicted and many imprisoned for their role in the attempt to subvert democracy.
A federal jury in Charlottesville, Virginia, found 12 individuals and five organizations liable for $26 million in damages stemming from the Unite the Right Rally in 2017.
Did the mob that stormed the US Capitol simply coalesce around the fantasy that the election was stolen from Donald Trump?
What effect do monetary verdicts and criminal penalties have on the neo Nazi and White supremacist organizations that are behind this tragic deadly violence?
Can the roots of the violence be traced back to rage about government that began in the 1970s?
Today, we'll listen back to a conversation Tom had back in December, 2021, with Dr. Kathleen Belew. She’s an assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, where she is also the faculty affiliate at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. She is the author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.
And along with Ramón Gutiérrez, she is the editor of, and contributor to, a new collection of essays called A Field Guide to White Supremacy, in which she and other leading scholars explore how different forms of White supremacy and hatred manifest in events like those that took place on January 6th, and extend to domestic partner violence, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-immigration, and anti-Semitism. The authors chronicle how hate groups have moved from the fringe to the mainstream in America, and they send a clear warning that the violence we’ve seen in recent years may well be repeated.
Kathleen Belew joined us on our digital line from Chicago.
(Because this conversation is recorded, we can't take any call or comments today.)
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(This program first aired on January 12, 2022)
Back in January of this year, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta to speak about the importance of voting rights, and the need for federal legislation to overcome the dozens of state laws that have been enacted and the hundreds of laws that are being considered to restrict voting.
Before the President spoke, Vice President Kamala Harris advocated for an end to the filibuster that might clear the path for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. And then, President Biden also called for changes to the filibuster that would make passage of the voting rights legislation possible. That was the first time he had taken that position publicly. It’s a position that is not shared by at least two members of the Democratic caucus: Senator Joe Manchin, and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.
The war in Ukraine, soaring inflation and other issues have for the moment overwhelmed the policy agenda of the Admininistration. Voting rights appear to have taken a back seat.
Today on Midday, we revisit a conversation about an important and often overlooked dimension in the history of voting rights: the long fight for Black women’s suffrage. Tom's guest is the acclaimed legal and cultural historian, Martha S. Jones. She has written a broad, insightful survey of the unsung heroes of the movement for equality, a movement that started two centuries ago, and which included scores of remarkable women whose importance and impact are made clear by Dr. Jones’ compelling narrative.
The book is called Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All.
Dr. Martha S. Jones joined us for the hour on Zoom from her home in Baltimore.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage. In keeping with today's housing theme, she spotlights Dream Hou$e, playwright Eliana Pipes' energetic satire about how two LatinX sisters deal with cultural assimilation, capitalism, and the American home-ownership dream, now running at Baltimore Center Stage.
The world-premiere production, staged in partnership with Atlanta's Alliance Theatre and New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre, is directed at Center Stage by Laurie Woolery.
Dream Hou$e continues at Baltimore Center Stage through this Sunday, May 15. Follow the theater link for showtimes and ticketing information.
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This week brought news of some positive signs in the area of real estate development in Baltimore. As five buildings near completion in the Port Covington Project on the city’s Southern tip, it was announced that two development firms have been chosen to lease and provide marketing for the next phase of the project. MAG Partners is based in New York. It is a woman-owned firm. MacFarlane Partners is a Black-owned firm based in San Francisco.
And on Monday, the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore released its annual report that shows a slight uptick in the number of businesses and residents in the area around the Inner Harbor.
But when it comes to the other 276 neighborhoods in Baltimore, the story is often not about growth, but decay. Tom's guests today lead two organizations that are turning that trajectory around.
Sean Closkey is the founding president of ReBUILD Metro, which is working to transform neighborhoods on Baltimore's East side.
Bree Jones is the founder and CEO of Parity, a development company that restores abandoned properties on the West side of town.
Sean Closkey joins us on our digital line; Bree Jones joins us on Zoom.
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For decades, political discourse in Baltimore has included condemnation of the fact that there are “two Baltimores,” one in which opportunity abounds and the other in which systemic racism and inequity create insurmountable barriers.
Tom's guest today has lived in both Baltimores, and he has written a fascinating memoir that paints a vivid portrait of these two disparate worlds, and of himself. It is a portrait that is richly detailed, expertly researched, and beautifully enlarged by insight, candor and a fair dollop of iconoclasm.
Dr. Lawrence Jackson is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of English and History at Johns Hopkins University, and the founding director of the Billie Holiday Center for the Liberation Arts. He’s the author of several books on the history of African American writers and critics, the Black crime novelist Chester B. Himes, and the author Ralph Ellison. He also wrote a book about his family’s history in Virginia after the Civil War. His latest book is, in part, another work of family history. It's called Shelter: A Black Tale of Homeland, Baltimore.
Dr. Lawrence Jackson joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
Dr. Jackson will discuss the book (again) with Tom Hall Wednesday night (May 11) with an audience at The Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore, a place that figures prominently in the book. The event is co-sponsored by The Ivy Bookshop, and starts at 7:00. For more information, click here.
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This past weekend, Baltimore Ceasefire 365 coordinated a number of events to call attention to the pain and trauma caused by the excessive levels of violence in our city. Ceasefire Weekends are held four times a year, and after each one, we pause here on Midday to reflect on how all of us can act to reduce violence and heal those who are broken by it.
Joining Tom today are Erricka Bridgeford. She’s a co-organizer of Baltimore Ceasefire 365 and the Executive Director of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center, which she co-founded in 1995 with Tom's other two guests:
Letrice Gant is another co-organizer of Baltimore Ceasefire and the Mediation Center’s Deputy Director…
Michelle Herringis also a co-organizer of Baltimore Ceasefire and the Mediation Center’s Neighborhood Peace Coordinator…
They all join us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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It’s been two weeks since the stunning announcement that one of the richest men in the world, Elon Musk, has entered into a deal to purchase Twitter for roughly $44 billion dollars. The deal will take three to six months to close. If either side backs out, the other side gets a billion dollars as a breakup fee. Financial analysts have pointed to some potential problems with the way Musk is financing the deal, but there are no clear indications at this point that he won’t be able to pull this off.
As to what will happen after that, it’s hard to say. But that won’t stop us from trying today...
Tom's guest is Angelo Carusone, the President and CEOof Media Matters for America, a media watchdog. Mr. Carusone has joined a large chorus of observers who fear that Musk, who describes himself as a “free speech absolutist,” will open the platform to all manner of hate speech and disinformation.
What do you think? Is this good news or bad news for the world’s nearly 300 million Twitter users?
Angelo Carusone joins us on our digital line from Los Angeles.
You can join us as well: Call 410.662.8780 email: midday@wypr.org. Or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
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Today, it’s another installment in our election-year series, Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is John B. King, Jr.. He is an educator who served as the U.S. Secretary of Education from 2015-2017, during the last couple of years of the Obama Administration. Following that, he was appointed President and CEO of the Education Trust, a national non-profit that advocates on behalf of students of color and students from low-income families.
From 2011-2015, Dr. King was the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York.
Dr. King holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard, a master’s degree and doctorate in education from Columbia, and a law degree from the Yale Law School.
He is 47 years old. He is married to a fellow educator, Melissa Steel King. They have two school aged children, and they live in Silver Spring.
This is John King’s first campaign for public office. He is one of ten contenders in the Gubernatorial primary.
Dr. King has chosen Michelle Siri, the Executive Director of The Women’s Law Center of Maryland, as his running mate for Lt. Governor.
John King joins us on Zoom from Silver Spring, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us as well…call 410.662.8780; email: midday@wypr.org; Tweet: @MiddayWYPR
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Now it's time for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of the Maryland stage. Today, she spotlights the new touring company production of Ain't Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations, lighting up the stage this week only, at Baltimore's historic Hippodrome Theatre.
The smash-hit 2019 Broadway musical — nominated for 12 Tony® Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography — follows The Temptations’ extraordinary musical careers from their Detroit roots to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. During a decade of civil unrest and political turmoil, their smart-stepping, smoothly harmonized performances won the group 42 Top Ten Hits — with 14 reaching number one.
Ain’t Too Proud was written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, is directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and features the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!). The musical also features many of the group’s greatest hits, including Ain't Too Proud to Beg, My Girl, Just My Imagination, Get Ready, Papa Was a Rolling Stone, and others.
Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of the Temptations continues at the Hippodrome Theatre through Sunday, May 8. For showtimes and ticket info, click here.
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Joining Tom now is the songwriter and spoken word artist Wordsmith. His music is heard on Netflix hits like Russian Doll and The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and in performances with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, where he is an artistic partner. He is performing a concert tomorrow night here in Baltimore that’s part of a multi-city tour that takes him coast to coast.
He’ll be collaborating with Kory Caudill, a recording artist, composer and pianist from Nashville, in a show called A Concert for the Human Family, at 6pm Friday night at the Church on the Square in Baltimore. Follow the links for more information.
Here's a sample of the work Kory and Wordsmith do together: "I Pray," (from Wordsmith's new album, "Progressions," Music by Kory Caudill and Words by our guest, Wordsmith and by Marc Costanzo.
And on June 1, Wordsmith performs with the Baltimore Symphony in a special Symphony in the City concert in Baltimore's Patterson Park. Again, check the links for more info and tickets.Wordsmith joins us today on Zoom from Baltimore.
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A report on the political news website Punchbowl yesterday examined how prominent the issue of abortion has been in the midterm primaries. The answer is, “Not so much.” In December 2021 and January and February of this year, when Gallup asked respondents what they thought the most important problem was facing the United States today, fewer than half of one percent answered “abortion.” In March, that number went to zero.
If reaction to the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court about its upcoming decision in an abortion case is any indication, that number has probably gone up this week. From an issue barely mentioned in primary races to what some are hoping will be the defining issue of the midterm elections, the future of abortion rights is on everybody’s minds again.
Joining Tom to discuss the political ramifications of this week’s stunning developments at the Supreme Court is Domenico Montanaro, senior political editor and correspondent for National Public Radio.
Domenico joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC…
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Time now for Midday on Personal Finance. Tom welcomes back the award-winning syndicated personal finance columnist for the Washington Post, Michelle Singletary. Her column is called The Color of Money. She is also the author of several books. Last year, we spoke about her latest, a hands-on, step by step guide to navigating out of financial problems when our money plans are upended by unexpected things like a pandemic, for example. It’s called What to Do With Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide.
And, as recent events have demonstrated, global medical crises aren’t the only reason people find themselves behind the eight ball. Inflation, supply chain issues and war create trouble that is reflected in many aspects of our economy and our lives.
If you have questions about how to save, how to invest and how to handle the challenges of debt, or anything related to personal finance, this is your chance to ask an expert!
Join us…Call 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org Tweet: @MiddayWYPR
Michelle Singletary joins us on our digital line from Bowie, Maryland.
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Politico's publication Monday night of a leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion in a Mississippi abortion rights case set off a firestorm of criticism from abortion-rights supporters, and paroxysms of joy from abortion rights opponents. In a 98-page draft of an opinion that was not supposed to made public until the Court majority signed off on a final version, Justice Samuel Alito stated bluntly, “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision....”
He's referring, of course to the two landmark Supreme Court cases that have defined laws about abortion access: Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood.
Reaction from Democrats on Capitol Hill was swift. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed to call a vote on legislation that would codify in law a woman’s right to end her pregnancy.
Joining Tom now is Sen. Chris Van Hollen. He is a co-sponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, a version of which passed in the House last September.
Sen. Van Hollen was first elected to the Senate in 2016. He is standing for re-election this year. His opponent in the Democratic primary is Michelle Smith, a policy analyst at USAID and an audio engineer. Ten Republicans will appear on the ballot in July in the race to be the nominee to oppose Sen. Van Hollen in November.
Sen Chris Van Hollen joins us on Zoom from his office on Capitol Hill.
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And now, another in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Del. Brooke Lierman. She’s running in the Democratic primary for Maryland Comptroller.
Her opponent in that race is Bowie Mayor Tim Adams. Barry Glassman, the Harford County Executive, is running unopposed in the Republican Comptroller primary.
The Maryland Comptroller is an office that doesn’t change hands very frequently. Louis Goldstein had the job for nearly 40 years. The current Comptroller, Peter Franchot, was first elected to that office in 2007. He is running in the Democratic primary for Governor.
Brooke Lierman was elected to the House of Delegates in 2014. She serves in a leadership role on the Environment and Transportation Committee, and on joint committees on Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays, the Committee to end homelessness, and the committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. She has also served on the Appropriations Committee and the Joint Committee on Pensions.
After graduating from Dartmouth College, Del. Lierman worked as a grassroots organizer and on the political campaigns of several progressive candidates. She received a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, and after a Federal District Court clerkship, she joined the law firm of Brown, Goldstein & Levy, where she is “of counsel,” with a focus on civil rights and disability rights.Brooke Lierman is 43 years old. She and her husband live in Baltimore. They are the parents of two young children.
Brooke Lierman joins us on our digital line from Baltimore. You are welcome to join us as well! Call us: 4109.662.8780 Email us: midday@wypr.org Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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On Monday night (May 2, 2022), Politicopublished what appears to be a draft of a Supreme Court ruling overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which has allowed legal abortion for the past 50 years.
Joining Tom now to put this story in context for us is Kimberly Wehle. She is on the faculty of the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the author of several books, including her latest:How to Think Like a Lawyer and Why: A Commonsense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas…
Kim Wehle join us on Zoom from Chevy Chase, MD.
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Welcome to this special Web-only installment of our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Jerome Segal, a socialist who founded the Bread and Roses Party in 2020, who is running as a Democrat in the primary for Governor.
Dr. Segal ran for the US Senate in 2018, and for President in 2020. He holds a PhD in Philosophy, he is the author of several books, and in addition to experience as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, he has worked on Capitol Hill, and in the Executive Branch of the Federal government.
Dr. Segal holds a PhD. in Philosophy from the U of Michigan, a Master’s in Public Policy from the U of Minnesota and a BA from the City College of New York.
He is 78 years old. He’s married and the father of a son. He has chosen Justin Dispenza, a city councilman in Galena, Maryland, as his Lt. Governor running mate.
Jerome Segal spoke with Tom on Friday, April 29th, 2022.
Maryland's Primary Election Day is July 19th. Early voting begins on July 7th.
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Today, it's another edition of the Midday Healthwatch, our monthly focus on the latest COVID news and other public health issues, with Dr. Leana Wen.
On the 11th of April, the testing positivity rate for COVID 19 in MD stood at 2.42%, nearly twice what it was three weeks earlier. It’s nearly doubled again in the last three weeks.
The BA.2 variant is highly transmissible. The CDC estimates that nearly 60% of Americans have already been infected. For children, the infection rate is even higher: closer to 75%. And now, two more variants, BA 4 and BA5 are causing big spikes in South Africa. What’s on the horizon for the US?
Of course, with the rise in infections, many fewer people are becoming seriously ill than in the past. But serious illness and death for immunocompromised patients is still a major concern.
Dr. Wen is with us for the hour to talk about all the latest COVID news. The former Baltimore City health commissioner is an emergency physician now serving as visiting professor at GW University's Milken Institute of Public Health. She's a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, a health columnist for The Washington Post, and a medical analyst for CNN. And she is the author of a compelling memoir, Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health(Metropolitan Books, 2021).
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
And we take your questions and comments as well: Call us: 410.662.8780. Email us: midday@wypr.org. Or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Midday on the Arts concludes with a visit from our theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage. Today, she shares her take on William Shakespeare's Henry V, now getting a rousing new production at Baltimore's Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.
With its themes of strident nationalism, war and "band of brothers" bravado, Henry V is one of the Bard's most muscular and popular history plays. This CSC production is directed with timely resonance by Alec Wild.
Henry Vcontinues at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company through May 15. For showtimes and ticketing information, click here.
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As Midday on the Artscontinues, Tom's next guests are a brother and sister classical music duo who are part of a large family of talented musicians. Sheku Kanneh-Mason is a cellist who shot to fame when he was invited to play at the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. His sister, Isata Kanneh-Mason is an award winning pianist, who, like her brother, plays concerts all over the world.
They are currently touring together, and they’ll be playing in Baltimore Sunday night. Here’s a sample of their beautiful artistry from their first CD as a duo, Muse,performing Samuel Barber's Sure on This Shining Night.
Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason join Tom on Zoom from their tour venue in Kansas City, Missouri.
Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason are performing Sunday night at Shriver Hall, on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. The concert starts at 5:30. For program and ticketing information, click here.
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It’s Midday on the Arts. Coming up later in the hour, we’ll hear from the young cellist who burst on the classical music scene when he performed at the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle. Sheku Kanneh-Mason and his sister Isata, a wonderful pianist, will be performing in Baltimore this weekend, and they both join us. We’ll also check in with theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck who will give us her take on Henry V, the latest production at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company.
But we begin with David Simon, the journalist, author and filmmaker. He is the creative force behind The Wire, The Deuce, Show Me a Hero, Treme and many other acclaimed TV series and movies. We'll talk about his latest project: the HBO limited series We Own This City,based on the book by Justin Fenton, about the notorious criminal enterprise that was embedded in the Baltimore City Police Department called the Gun Trace Task Force.
The first episode is available on HBO Max. New episodes will stream over the next five weeks.
David Simon joins us on Zoom.
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Today, it’s another installment in Midday's series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest for the hour is Peter Franchot. He was first elected to the General Assembly in 1986. He represented part of Montgomery County in the House of Delegates for 20 years. In 2006, he was elected Comptroller of MD. In 2018, he won the race for his fourth term in that office by the largest margin of any statewide candidate in MD history.
He has decided not to stand for election to a fifth term as Comptroller. Instead, he’s running in the Democratic primary for Governor.
Mr. Franchot has often been at odds with Democratic leaders during his 35 years in Annapolis. He opposed slot machines when legislation to legalize them was introduced in 2008. He joined Gov. Larry Hogan and then Treasurer Nancy Copp to end the contract to develop the State center complex in Baltimore. And in 2019, in a dispute with Democratic leaders, the legislature stripped the Comptroller’s office of some of its regulatory role over alcohol and tobacco.
Mr. Franchot is one of 10 contenders in Maryland's gubernatorial primary, and internal polls from his campaign and the campaign of Rushern Baker show him in the lead, with 71 days left until early voting begins.
Before entering elective politics, Mr. Franchot served in the Army during the Vietnam War, and later worked for Ralph Nader, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and as a staff director for then-Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts.
Peter Franchot is 74 years old. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and a law degree from Northeastern University. He and his wife, Anne Maher, are the parents of two grown children, and three grandchildren. They are longtime residents of Takoma Park.
Mr. Franchot has chosen former Prince George's County Councilwoman Monique Anderson-Walker as his running mate for Lt. Governor.
Peter Franchot joins us today on Zoom from Takoma Park.
You are welcome to join us, as well. Call us: 410.662.8780. email us: midday@wypr.org. Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Tom's guest today is Dr. Terry Anne Scott, an associate professor of history, the chair of the History Department at Hood College, and a good friend of the Midday show.
Dr. Scott has written a book that is as difficult as it is important. It chronicles the evolution of mob violence in Texas at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The NAACP has documented more than 4,700 lynchings across America from the 1880s through the 1960s. Professor Scott has found evidence — in just the state of Texas — that 469 Black people, as well as 140 white people, 111 Mexicans and at least one Native American were victims of mob violence in roughly that same time period.
Dr. Scott’s book traces how these killings — once furtive, clandestine acts — eventually became popular public spectacles, and she examines what that means for our understanding of the legacy of racial violence and discrimination in America.
Her book is called Lynching and Leisure: Race and the Transformation of Mob Violence in Texas. It's published by University of Arkansas Press.
CONTENT ADVISORY: We talk today about a book that includes graphic descriptions of torture and murder. Understanding the depravity of these acts is fundamental to understanding what Black people faced and feared on a daily basis. It is difficult to comprehend the cruelty of the White mobs that inflicted these painful deaths on so many people. But Dr. Scott’s book is the result of important research that we think is very important to share.
Terry Anne Scott joins us on our digital line from Frederick, Maryland.
You're welcome to join us as well. Call us: 410.662.8780. email us: midday@wypr.org Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Tom's guest today is Dorothy Roberts, a professor of law and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of four books, including Killing the Black Body,about systemic abuse of African American women, and Fatal Invention, which explores the relationship between race, science and politics.
Her new book argues that the nation's foster care system, putatively designed to protect children, instead deprives Black parents of fundamental rights and leads to traumatic consequences for Black children. The child welfare system, she argues, is “more accurately described as the family policing system,” and she calls for it to be dismantled.
The book is called Torn Apart: How the Child Welfare System Destroys Black Families—And How Abolition Can Build a Safer World.
Dorothy Roberts joins us on Zoom from Philadelphia.
You're welcome to join the conversation. Call: 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org. Tweet: @MiddayWYPR
A week from Thursday, on May 5th, Dorothy Roberts will be the keynote speaker at a conference sponsored by the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and its Department of the History of Medicine, called Reckoning with Race and Racism in Academic Medicine— another subject on which Professor Roberts has written extensively. For more information on the in-person and virtual symposium and for a link to register, click here.
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On Midday today, another in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Harford County Executive Barry Glassman. He is a Republican who is running unopposed in the Republican primary for Maryland Comptroller, the agency executive elected to serve as steward of the state's tax and financial affairs. There are two Comptroller candidates in the Democratic primary: Del. Brooke Lierman and Bowie Mayor Tim Adams. Tom will be speaking with them in the coming weeks.
Maryland Comptroller is an office that doesn’t change hands very frequently. Louis Goldstein had the job for nearly 40 years. The current Comptroller, Peter Franchot, was first elected to that office in 2007. He is running in the Democratic primary for Governor.
Barry Glassman is a sheep farmer who began his political career in 1990 when he was first elected to the Harford County Council. He served in the MD House of Delegates from 1999-2008, and in the MD Senate from 2008-2014. He has served as the President of the MD Association of Counties. He will soon complete his second term as County Executive.
Mr. Glassman holds a Bachelor’s Degree in political science from Washington College. Before entering politics, he was a claims adjuster for BGE. He has been active in the Harford County 4-H Club, the Harford County Farm Bureau and the Level Volunteer Fire Company.Barry Glassman is 60 years old. He and his wife are the parents of an adult son, and the grandparents of a young grandson.
Barry Glassman joins us on our digital line from Bel Air, MD.
You are welcome to join us as well…call us: 410.662.8780 email us: midday@wypr.org or Tweet: @MiddayWYPR.
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It's Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. Tom is joined again today by two of our favorite movie mavens: Ann Hornaday is film critic for the Washington Post and author of Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies, now available in paperback; she joins us on our digital line.
And joining us on Zoom is Jed Dietz, the founder and retired director of the Maryland Film Festival, which is about to begin its first IN-PERSON festival since 2019.
On today's program, we're also joined by the MD Film Festival's Artistic Director Christy LeMaster,who helps usspotlight some of the many short films, docs and features being showcased this year.
The Festival opens on April 27 and runs through May 1 at the Parkway. Check out the Festival schedule here.
Among the films highlighted today is HBO Max's new limited series, We Own This City, a 6-part dramatization of reporter Justin Fenton's best-selling book about the Baltimore Police Department's infamous Gun Trace Task Force scandal. A special Festival screening of the first episode of the series, on Thursday at 7pm, will be followed by a community panel discussion, including executive producers and writers George PelecanosandDavid Simon (The Wire), writer D Watkins, and reporter Justin Fenton, author of the book We Own This City.
We get a sneak preview of Episode One of host and series co-writer D Watkins' official We Own This City Podcast, (which drops Monday), in which he interviews actor Jon Bernthal, the actor who portrays GTTF's Sgt Wayne Jenkins in the HBO Max series.
We also discuss Navalny, the new documentary by director Daniel Roher about jailed Russian dissident and Vladimir Putin rival Alexei Navalny. The doc is being screened at MFF at 9:30 Thursday night.
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Today on Midday, we continue our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Thiru Vignarajah, who is running in the Democratic primary for Baltimore City State’s Attorney.
This is his third try for public office. He ran for State’s Attorney in 2018, and he ran for Baltimore Mayor in 2020. His opponents in the 2018 race are the same people he is facing this time around: the incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, and former prosecutor and defense attorney, Ivan Bates. A fourth candidate, Roya Hannah has announced her intention to run in the general election as an independent.
Mr. Vignarajahserved as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore. He also headed the Major Investigations Unit in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and he was the Deputy Attorney General for Maryland for about two years. He was a partner at the law firm, DLA Piper, and since August of last year, he has been the CEO of Capital Plus Financial, a community development financial institution (CDFI) that works to close the wealth gap for people of color.
Mr. Vignarajah is 45 years old. He attended Yale University and Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review. He was also a clerk for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Thiru Vignarajah joins us on Zoom.
You are welcome to join us as well…give us a call at 410.662.8780. email us: midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Today on Midday: strategies to help people who are homeless.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Sam Tsemberis, a clinical psychologist and the founder of Pathways Housing First Institute. He is the creator of what’s come to be known as the “Housing First” model, which Tsemberis calls the “vaccine for homelessness.”
Sam Tsemberis joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles, California.
Then, Tom speaks with Katie Allston, the president and CEO of Marian House, a Baltimore organization that has been helping formerly incarcerated women with housing and support services since 1982. On Friday night, they will celebrate their 40th anniversary with an event at the R House Garage in Remington, hosted by the actor Rachel Hilson and Denise Koch of WJZ Television.
We also hear from recent Marian House graduate Juanita “Nita” Bowie.
Juanita Bowie and Katie Allston join us on Zoom from Baltimore...
The United Nations estimates that more than 11 million people have been displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Roughly half of them have fled their homes to other places in Ukraine, but nearly 5 million people have fled to other countries, including the United States.
Airbnb is coordinating with federal officials to provide free, temporary housing for refugees from Ukraine here and throughout Europe.
Tom's next guest is Liz DeBold Fusco, the Communications Lead for North America for Airbnb. She joins us on Zoom from Colts Neck, New Jersey.
BTW, local musicians are collaborating to help Ukraine. Tomorrow night, members of the Baltimore Symphony will partner with The Creative Alliance for a concert at the Meyerhoff. For more info, click here.
And on Saturday night, An Die Musik in Baltimore will present pianist Lisa Weiss, hammer dulcimer virtuoso Ken Kolodner, klezmer clarinetist Seth Kibel, and mandolin master Joel-Michael-Schwartz in a concert to benefit Ukraine.
For information on that concert, click here.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage.
Today, she spotlights a mostly faithful and lively new adaptation of Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson's 1883 adventure novel, Treasure Island, in a world-premiere production on stage at the Classic Theatre of Maryland (formerly Annapolis Shakespeare Company).
CTM's founder and artistic director Sally Boyett and resident director Donald Hicken wrote the streamlined new adaptation. Their family-friendly play runs about two hours, including an intermission.
Treasure Island continues at Classic Theatre of Maryland in Annapolis through April 24. Follow the theater link above for showtimes and ticketing information.
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Today on Midday, a conversation about public safety and strategies for ending the gun violence that plagues so many Baltimore neighborhoods.
Tom's first guest is Maryland Delegate Chanel Branch. She is a Democrat. In 2020, she was appointed as one of three delegates to represent Baltimore City in District 45, replacing Cheryl Glenn, who went to jail when she was convicted on corruption charges.
Del. Branch served alongside her father, House Majority Whip Talmadge Branch, who was first elected in 1995. On Friday, Talmadge Branch announced he will not seek re-election. Chanel Branch is running to retain her seat, as is the other incumbent, Del. Stephanie Smith.
Other challengers in the 45th district include Jackie Addison, George Johnson and Caylin Young.
We’ve invited Del. Branch to the show today to talk about a bill she introduced (HB 1430)during the 2022 session establishing Gun Courts. The Delegate has personal experience with the tragedy of gun violence. Her son, Tyrone Ray, was murdered in 2017.
Del. Chanel Branch join us on Zoom…
Then, Tom speaks with Shantay Jackson, the head of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE), about the city's new efforts to create a Community Violence InterventionEcosystem in Baltimore.
Shantay Jackson joins us on Zoom from her office in City Hall.
Join us…
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Today, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest for the hour is Judge Katie Curran O’Malley. In October, 2021, she retired after 20 years as a Baltimore District Court judge to run in the Democratic primary for Maryland Attorney General. The incumbent AG, DemocratBrian Frosh, will retire at the end of this term.
Judge O’Malley was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1991, and she began her legal career that year as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Baltimore County. She was appointed as a Judge on the Baltimore District Court in 2001 by Gov. Paris Glendening.
Her opponent in this year's primary election is Congressman Anthony Brown, who served for eight years as Lt. Governor in the administration of Judge O’Malley’s husband, Gov. Martin O’Malley. Judge O’Malley’s father, J. Joseph Curran, Jr. also served as Lt. Governor (with MD Governor Harry Hughes) and won election five times to serve as Maryland Attorney General, from 1987 to 2007 — the longest tenure of any Attorney General in the state's history.
Katie Curran O’Malley holds an undergraduate degree in international studies from Towson University and a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
She is 59 years old. She and her husband live in Baltimore. They are the parents of four grown children.
Judge O’Malley joins us on our digital line from Baltimore.
And you are welcome to join us as well…Call: 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.orgTweet us:@MiddayWYPR
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III, who has served as the president of University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) for 30 years. He will retire from that position at the end of June. He will be succeeded by a scholar and Dean from Duke University, Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby.
Dr. Hrabowski is UMBC’s fifth president, and by far, the most impactful. For years, he has been regularly included on the lists of the world’s most influential people and top leaders. He has been an unparalleled visionary as an educator, and a joyful and tireless champion of diversity and equity in academia and in society at large.
He transformed UMBC’s modest, somewhat sleepy Catonsville campus into an academic powerhouse, which is now recognized as one of only 146 R1 institutions, the highest ranking afforded to the country’s most prestigious research institutions. And he has created opportunities for students from diverse and non-traditional academic backgrounds. For years, UMBC has produced more Black M.D. and Ph. D. degree-earners than any other college in the country.
Freeman Hrabowski’s commitment to civil rights and social justice has been life-long. He grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. Before he was a teenager he was marching with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and he counted among his friends the girls who were murdered in the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in 1963.
Dr. Freeman Hrabowski joins us on our digital line from the UMBC campus in Catonsville.
You're welcome to join us as well, by phone: 410.662.8780 email: midday@wypr.org or Tweet: @MiddayWYPR
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Today, we're going to talk about Title IX.
What's Title IX? It's a statute within the Education Act passed by the US Congress in 1972 which states that:
"No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
That has been the law of the land for 50 years. And in recognition of that milestone, a group of journalists from the University of MD have spent four months looking closely into whether Title IX is doing what it set out to do when it comes to high school sports. They have published a series of reports called “Unlevel Playing Fields.”
Three guests join me today to talk about this investigation and what it has revealed.
Sandy Banisky is a former editor at the Baltimore Sun, and the Abell Professor in Baltimore Journalism for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. And, full disclosure, Sandy also serves as a member of the board of directors of WYPR…
Mark Hyman has been a good friend of Midday for many years. He is a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun and other publications, and he’s written three books on youth sports. He is the director of The Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the University of MD…
Lauren Rosh is a senior at the University of MD, and the managing editor of Testudo Times, which covers sports at the school. She is one of more than 20 student reporters who contributed reporting to this project.
The report was a collaborative effort by the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
All our guests join us on Zoom from College Park, Maryland.
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Last month, to the surprise of many, the United States Senate passed, by voice vote, a measure that would keep Daylight Saving Time year round. No more falling back in November and springing forward in March. The bill still has to clear the House. Neither Speaker Nancy Pelosi nor President Biden has said whether or not they support it.
We tried this once before. In 1974, Congress tried permanent Daylight Saving Time in an effort to save energy, by increasing daylight hours at the end of the day. Americans hated it, and we’ve been changing our clocks twice a year ever since. Recent polling, however, indicates much broader support for the idea.
Today on Midday, a conversation about the merits and pitfalls of permanent daylight saving time, or the counter proposals: making standard time permanent, or staying with the system we’ve got.
We begin our discussion with a Delegate from the Maryland General Assembly who has introduced a bill that would keep the clocks set to Daylight Saving Time all year in Maryland.Del. Brian Crosby represents District 29B, in St. Mary’s County. He's a Democrat who serves as the vice chair of the Economic Matters Committee in the House of Delegates.
Delegate Crosby joins Tom on Zoom from St. Mary's County.
Later in the hour, Tom talks with Dr. Beth Ann Malow, a professor of neurology and pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center who has studied what happens when we switch back and forth between standard and daylight time. She's also the director of Vanderbilt’s sleep division.
Dr. Malow joins us on Zoom from Nashville, Tennessee.
Then, for another perspective on the issue of making Daylight Saving Time permanent, Tom speaks with Lisa VanBuskirk. She's the Maryland and Anne Arundel County chapter leader of Start School Later,a nonprofit advocacy group that is concerned with kids starting their school day in the dark.
Lisa VanBuskirk joins us on Zoom…
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It's time again for a visit with Middaytheater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage. Today Judy spotlights a new production of playwright Kate Hamill's 2016 adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, Sense and Sensibility, live on stage at Baltimore's Everyman Theatre.
Hamill's spirited but faithful adaptation of the 1811 best-seller follows the adventures (and misadventures) of the Dashwood sisters - sensible Elinor, hypersensitive Marianne and good-natured Margaret, the youngest - after the death of their father and sudden loss of fortune.
The play is directed at Everyman by Susanna Gellertand features a ten-member ensemble cast playing more than two dozen characters. Sense and Sensibility continues live on stage at Everyman Theatre in a newly extended run through May 8. For showtimes and ticketing information, click the theater links.
A digital streaming version will be available for ticketed patrons starting April 22 and continuing through May 15.
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The 2022 Session of the Maryland General Assembly came to a close last night in Annapolis, at midnight, with most of the business of the legislature wrapped-up before Sine Die and the bang of the final gavel.
Governor Larry Hogan called this year’s session the best he’s had in his eight years in office. Senate President Bill Ferguson agreed that it was successful. He described it as “historic.”
At this hour, Governor Hogan is holding a bill signing ceremony at the State House in Annapolis in which he will sign 79 bills into law. Several others will become law without his signature, and many will become law as a result of overrides of the Governor’s vetoes.
Joining Tom first to discuss some of the key legislative achievements of the session is Delegate Luke Clippinger, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City and the 46th District, and who chairs the House Judiciary Committee. Del. Clippingerjoins us on Zoom.
Then, Tom turns to Josh Kurtz, the founding editor of Maryland Matters, the online news journal covering Maryland politics and government, for more wide-ranging analysis of the 2022 session. Mr. Kurtz, a veteran journalist and State House-watcher, also joins us on Zoom.
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It's the Midday Healthwatch, our monthly focus on public health issues with Dr. Leana Wen.
For weeks, the state testing positivity rate for COVID 19 has been below 2%. But it’s starting to creep up again. As of this morning, it stands at 2.42%, nearly twice what it was three weeks ago.
At last week’s Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, about a dozen political A-listers, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Congressmen Adam Schiff and Joaquin Castro tested positive for the coronavirus. Do the rising numbers and high profile cases indicate that we should once again avoid large gatherings? Dr. Wen says, “No.” She writes in the Washington Post, “At this point in the pandemic, we have to accept that infections will keep occurring.”
Is another Coronavirus surge in the cards? The BA.2 sub-variant strain is even more transmissible than the original omicron variant, which itself spread much more quickly than the delta variant. During the last surge, nearly half of Americans contracted the virus, but many fewer people became seriously ill than in previous surges. If there is another surge, are we better prepared, this time around?
Dr. Leana Wen is with us for the hour to talk about all the latest COVID news.The former Baltimore City Health Commissioner is an emergency physician who's now a visiting professor at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, a medical analyst for CNN, a health columnist for the Washington Post and a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. She is also the author of a compelling memoir, Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
As always, we welcome your questions or comments for Dr. Wen! Call us: 410.662.8780. Email us at midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
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I’m not going to talk about it. I’m going to be clear up top, I’ve talked about it enough. I kept talking about it. I kept thinking about it. I don’t want to talk about it, and you can’t make me talk about it...But I have a question…Do you want to talk about?..." --The comedian and actor Jerrod Carmichael, in his SNL monologue last week.
“The Slap” as it’s come to be known, happened nearly two weeks ago, and we have not yet discussed it here on Midday. There is plenty of other news to ponder, and there have been plenty of people jumping-in to talk about what should happen to Will Smith, how Chris Rock handled the situation, and what the Academy coulda and shoulda done in the moment, and since.
Members of the Academy board are meeting in Los Angeles at this hour to discuss disciplinary measures against Mr. Smith.
We’re going to jump in now.
Joining Tom to talk it over is Dr. Theopia Jackson. She is the immediate past president of the Association of Black Psychologists. She connects with us on Zoom.
And Ann Hornaday is a film critic for The Washington Post. She joins us on our digital line.
And if you want to talk about it, give us a call, send us an email, or Tweet us.
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Today, a conversation about problems with Baltimore’s water system. Aging infrastructure, ineffective accounting and billing, and high costs to rate-payers are just some of the challenges facing the City's Department of Public Works (DPW).
Two weeks ago, problems got worse. The Maryland Secretary of the Environment, Ben Grumbles, ordered that the authority over the operations of the Back River wastewater treatment plantbe taken away from the city, and transferred to the state. Late last month, state inspectors found that the Back River plant was discharging polluted water in violation of the Clean Water Act. Their scathing report on the plant cited "the precipitous decline of the functioning of several critical processes at the Plant in comparison with prior inspections.”
Yesterday, when Tom asked Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott about why problems at the city-owned Back River and Patapsco wastewater treatment plants hadn’t been addressed, the mayor noted that the problems pre-date his administration:
"We know the Back River and Patapsco wastewater issues in Baltimore, the issues have been there you know they don't just predate my administration but the administration that came before me and the one that came before that, and the one that came before that. We are committed to working with MDE and MES to get this facility into compliance. I actually personally met with the secretary right before this decision was made, and said that we want to continue to work with them.
But we know this is not an overnight fix. We're going to work collaboratively with them to combine resources to ensure that we're being good stewards of this service, right? And making sure that we are supporting our Chesapeake Bay. We know that there are supply-chain issues and staffing shortages that have made getting Back River...into compliance difficult."
— Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, speaking with Tom Hall here on Midday, yesterday.
We think it’s important to know what’s going on at these wastewater facilities, why these alleged violations of the Clean Water Act are serious, and what the city is going to have to do to solve these longstanding problems.
To help us understand, Tom invited two environmental advocates to join us for part of the hour today. Alice Volpitta of Blue Water Baltimore is the Baltimore Water Keeper. Blue Water Baltimore is part of the lawsuits that are currently in the courts…Angela Haren is a Senior Attorney at the Chesapeake Legal Alliance. She also happens to be a former Baltimore Water Keeper…
Alice Volpitta and Angela Haren join us on Zoom.
We apologize for the technical difficulties on Friday that delayed the publication of this post.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Roususk, who joins us every week with her reviews of the regional stage. Today's she tells us about Pretty Woman: The Musical, the touring company production of the hit Broadway show that's currently lighting up the stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
Based on the popular 1990 movie of the same name (which starred Richard Gere, and featured Julia Roberts in the title role), Pretty Woman: The Musical opened on Broadway in 2018 and closed a year later after 485 performances.
The touring company production's creative team is led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), and features the original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s late director, Garry Marshall and screenwriter J. F. Lawton.
Pretty Woman: The Musical continues at the Hippodrome Theatre through Sunday, April 10. Follow the theater links for showtimes and ticketing.
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Tom's next guest is Young Vo, a Baltimore-based artist, animator, and illustrator whose new children's picture book, Gibberish, has just been published by Levine Querido.
Vo's debut story of a young Asian immigrant who struggles to understand the language of his newly adopted home country mirrors Vo's own experience after coming to the United States as a young refugee from Vietnam.
Young Vo joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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It's Midday with the Mayor, and Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scottjoins Tom Hall for another of their monthly live conversations about key issues on the mayor's and the city's agenda.
In today's installment, they discuss the major points in Mayor Scott's State of the City address, the $45 million in state anti-crime funds, the problems at two of the city's wastewater treatment plants, a new city initiative to support the families of incarcerated citizens, and this week's post-COVID re-opening of City Hall, among other topics.
Mayor Brandon Scott joins us on Zoom from City Hall.
And you're welcome to join us as well. Call 410.662.8780. email us at midday@wypr.org or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR.
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One of these days, it’s gonna get warm and sunny, and when it does, a lot of us will head Back to the Garden.
That's what we're doing today on Midday, in another of our seasonal conversations about what we're all growing around our homes, in our yards and our community gardens. And joining us once again with answers to all of your plant and gardening questions is Carrie Engel, the veteran plant specialist and Greenhouse Manager at Valley View Farms Nursery and Garden Center in Cockeysville, Maryland.
And a little later in this hour we'll also be joined by Richard Francis, better known as "Farmer Chippy,"the director of The Plantation Park Heights Urban Farm, and the Agrihood in Northwest Baltimore.Carrie EngelandFarmer Chippyjoin us on Zoom.
Let us know what’s on your mind, and what’s going to be in your garden this year…
Join us! Call 410.662.8780 email: midday@wypr.org Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Yesterday, Governor Larry Hogan signed into law a revised mapwith new boundaries for Congressional districts, after a judge in Anne Arundel County threw out the original map drawn by Democrats last December. When MD Attorney General Brian Frosh changed his decision to appeal that ruling, the Governor agreed to the new maps, saying in a statement, that the maps, quote, “weren't, in my opinion, as good as the ones drawn by the citizen commission, and we shouldn't have wasted so much time—but they are a huge improvement.” The commission he referred to was a bipartisan group the Governor appointed.
A number of redistricting maps created by Republicans have been thrown out in court around the country because they were found to be unconstitutional due to gerrymandering. The decision in MD is the first time a map drawn by Democrats met the same fate.
The maps for state legislative districts remain in limbo. In a separate case, Republicans challenged those maps in court as well. The Court of Appeals is expected to rule in that case soon. Primary elections are scheduled for July 19th. Early voting will begin on July 7th.
Today on Midday, we continue with our election-year interview series, Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Wes Moore, who is one of 10 candidates in the Democratic primary for Governor.
This is Wes Moore’s first run for elective office. His career has included military service, with a tour in Afghanistan, a stint as a White House Fellow, and work in the financial industry. He is the author of several books, including the best-selling The Other Wes Mooreand Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City, his account, co-written with journalist Erica L. Green, of what led up to, and what happened after the 2015 Freddie Gray uprising. He founded an organization called BridgeEdU, which helps students navigate the college experience, and before he entered the primary race, he was the CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, a national anti-poverty organization.
Wes Moore holds an Associate’s degree from Valley Forge Military College, and an undergraduate degree in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. In 2001, he was elected a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University.Mr. Moore is 43 years old. He and his wife Dawn have two young children. They live in Baltimore.
Mr. Moore has tapped Aruna Miller, a former Maryland Delegate who represented Montgomery County in the General Assembly from 2010-2018, as his Lt. Governor.
Wes Moore joins us on Zoom from Prince George's County, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us, too.Call us: 410.662.8780. Email us: midday@wypr.org Tweet us @MiddayWYPR
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The American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore has garnered international attention as a unique, national museum and education center dedicated to "intuitive, self-taught" artistry. It is the brainchild of Rebecca Hoffberger, its founder and director for the past 27 years.
Last summer, Rebecca announced that she would be retiring as the museum’s director and primary curator. Earlier this month, the Museum announced that Jenenne Whitfield, the president and CEO of the Heidelberg Project in Detroit, will become the museum’s director in September.
Rebecca Hoffberger joins us on Zoom from her home in Baltimore County…
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The images from Ukraine are shocking and horrifying. Civilians bound and murdered, left on the streets of Bucha. A ghostly parade of bombing survivors in Mariupol, ash covered, reminiscent of people fleeing lower Manhattan after the 9/11 attacks. A family gunned down on the street as they fled across a burned-out bridge over the Irpin River. Children, numb with fear after days on end hiding in dank and freezing basements.
A recent headline in the Economist stated, “The Invasion of Ukraine Is Not the First Social Media War, But It Is the Most Viral.” “Ukraine is the most wired country ever to be invaded,” the article observes.
As images and accounts from Ukraine generate millions of views, they comprise an instant e-history of this heart-breaking conflict.
Tom's guest today studies how Internet-based social media have changed our understanding of the distant and recent past, and how technology has upended how we learn and communicate our understanding of history.
Jason Steinhauer is a public historian, the founder of the History Communication Institute, a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center and a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
He’s also the founder and host of The History Club podcast on Clubhouse, which has more than 100,000 members, and he’s the author of History Disrupted: How Social Media and the World Wide Web Have Changed the Past.
Jason Steinhauer joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who brings us her reviews of the regional stage each week, joins Tom today to spotlight The Folks at Home, a new comedy now getting its world premiere at Baltimore Center Stage.
Written by Baltimore's own R. Eric Thomas(whoseother new play, Crying on Television, is premiering at Everyman Theatre next month), The Folks at Homeis a TV sitcom-inspired romp about race, marriage and family ties that's directed by Obie Award-winner Stevie Walker-Webb. The cast includes Alexis Bronkovic, Brandon E. Burton, E. Faye Butler, Jane Kaczmarek, Eugene Lee, Christopher Sears and Roz White.
The Folks at Home continues on stage at Baltimore Center Stage through April 10. For showtimes and ticket info, click here. The play will also be livestreamedApril 6-10. For livestream tickets, click here.
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As Ukraine continues its war with Russian invaders, tensions in the Middle East are once again on the rise. Eleven people have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank during the past week-and-a-half. Several others were severely injured.
Today on Midday,a conversation with a Jewish progressive advocate for peace in the Middle East.Tom's guest is Daniel Sokatch. He’s the CEO of the New Israel Fund, an organization which advocates for equality in Israel for all citizens, recognizing and reinforcing pluralism and a tolerance for diversity and protecting the access of minorities to democratic channels and human rights. That is, to say the least, a tall order.
Mr. Sokatch has written a book that attempts to rise to that challenge, examining in an even-handed way the situation in Israel and the occupied territories, the complicated history of the region, and possible solutions to what has been an unsolvable problem for generations.
It’s called Can We Talk About Israel? A Guide for the Curious, Confused and Conflicted.
Daniel Sokatch joins Tom on Zoom today from San Francisco…
Daniel Sokatch and Tom Hallwill continue their conversation about the book and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an event at Beth Am Synagogue in Baltimore a week from Sunday, on April 10th at 4:00pm.
For more information and to register for the free event, click here.
And Ramadan Mubarak to all of our Muslim listeners. We wish you a peaceful and healthy Ramadan, as this evening marks the beginning of Islam's holiest month.
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Today, it’s another installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Maryland Congressman Anthony Brown (D., Dist. 4) who has announced that he will not stand for re-election to the House of Representatives, but rather, run in the Democratic primary for Maryland Attorney General. The incumbent, Democrat Brian Frosh, will retire at the end of this term.
Anthony Brown served as the Lt. Governor in the administration of Gov. Martin O’Malley for two terms, from 2007-2015. Prior to that, he was in the General Assembly for eight years where he served as Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and the Majority Whip in the House of Delegates. He was elected to Congress in 2016, representing Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties. In 2014, he ran for Governor, losing to Republican Larry Hogan.
Rep. Brown holds an undergraduate degree and a law degree from Harvard. A decorated military veteran, he is a retired Colonel in the United States Army Reserve, where he served for more than 25 years, including a tour in Iraq where he earned a Bronze Star. He was admitted to the Maryland bar in 1994. He was a clerk in the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
Anthony Brown is 60 years old. He and his wife Karmen live in Largo. They are the parents of three adult children.
Congressman Anthony Brown joins us on Zoom. You are welcome to join us as well with your comments or questions.Call us: 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Tom's next guest is a scholar of Urban Education who is the creator of the Hip Hop Ed social media movement, which explores the intersection of hip hop and education. Dr. Christopher Emdin is the author of several books, including the New York Times best-seller, For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood and the Rest of Y’All Too, and STEM, STEAM, Make Dream.
Dr. Emdin is a Professor of Education at the University of Southern California, where he holds an endowed chair in Curriculum Theory, and he directs youth engagement and community partnerships at the USC Race and Equity Center.
Dr. Christopher Emdin joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles, California.
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Today, a conversation about racial inequality in the practice of medicine. A few months ago, a friend of Tom Hall, Ruby Hearn, put him in touch with a physician named Dr. Richard Reynolds. In the 1950s, as a young resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Reynolds and the Chief Resident, Dr. Wilbur Mattison, were the first to admit African Americans to the Whites-only ward at Johns Hopkins. Ruby thought Tom might be interested in Dr. Reynolds’ experience.
He was.
Dr. Reynolds and Tom first spoke last December. In his early 90s, the retired physician was spry and engaging. He had written an essay about his experience on that night, nearly 65 years ago, which has since been published in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Magazine. We made plans for him to be on Midday after the first of the year to discuss what happened, along with two medical historians, to understand what it took for Hopkins and other medical institutions around the country to desegregate their patient wards.
Unfortunately, those plans could not be realized. Dr. Reynolds had surgery in January. He was optimistic about recovering from that procedure, and we made plans to record an interview last week, but his health took a turn for the worse, and he entered hospice care. We are sad to report that Richard Reynolds passed away last Friday, at the age of 92.
Today on Midday, we'll continue the conversation that Dr. Reynolds began in his magazine essay, and we’ll talk about the Hard Histories at Hopkins project, in which the university examines its history of racial inequity and inequality.
Tom's guests are two medical historians who knew Dr. Reynolds.
Dr. Jeremy Greene is a physician at Johns Hopkins who is a professor of medicine and the history of medicine, and the Director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Social Medicine…
Dr. Ezelle Sanford, III is an Assistant Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon University and a Visiting Assistant professor at Johns Hopkins. He studies the intersection of African American, medical, and urban histories, with a particular interest in the histories of race, science, and medicine from the 19th century to the present…
Dr. Jeremy Greene and Dr. Ezelle Sanford join us on Zoom.
You are welcome to join us as well…Call at 410.662.8780. email Midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR
For those of you interested in further exploring today's topic, the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine will be sponsoring a conference called Reckoning with Race and Racism in Academic Medicine. It takes place on May 5 and 6, 2022. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
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Primary elections in Maryland have been delayed until July 19. Last week, a judge in Anne Arundel County Circuit court rejected the lines for new Congressional districts drawn by Democrats in the MD General Assembly. This morning, Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson introduced a new map to a joint hearing of the Senate and House of Delegates. Judge Lynne Battaglia, whose ruling last week called the original map “an extreme partisan gerrymander,” has scheduled a hearing for Friday morning to consider the new district boundaries.
There is an assumption that whenever the primaries are held, and in the general election in November, turnout will be light. The turnout in midterm elections tend to hover around 41%, less than in Presidential contests, and this year, the effects of new voting laws may also serve to suppress turnout.
In response to Donald Trump’s fabrications about his not losing the 2020 election, 19 states have passed laws that make it harder to cast a ballot.
But what happens to the foundations of democracy when political leaders are elected by only a fraction of the citizens they serve?
Tom's guest today is E.J. Dionne. He has co-authored a persuasive and compelling book that makes the argument for mandatory participation in elections. It’s been the law for years in Australia and about two dozen other countries, and it’s an idea that has garnered support from many people, including President Barack Obama.
E.J. Dionne is a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post,a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a professor at Georgetown University and the author of several books. He’s also been a wonderful friend of this show over the years. His co-author is Miles Rapaport, the Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School. He’s also a former secretary of state of Connecticut.
Their book is called 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting.E.J. Dionne joins us on Zoom from Bethesda, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us as well…call us at 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org. Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
Co-authors E.J. Dionne and Miles Rapoport will be appearing at an event sponsored by the Agora Institute at Johns Hopkins University this afternoon at 4:30pm, and again at an event at Greedy Reads in Remington tonight at 7:00pm. Click the "event" links for more information.
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Before we begin the latest installment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022,a word about the redistricting plan created by the Maryland General Assembly: it ain’t happening, at least for now.
On Friday, Judge Lynn A. Battaglia ruled in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court that the map for new Congressional districts submitted by the Democratic-controlled legislature is unconstitutional and “a product of extreme partisan gerrymandering.” She ordered the General Assembly to redraw maps by Wednesday. The legislature, which was represented by The Maryland Attorney General’s office, may appeal the ruling.
This is the first time a court has found a congressional map in violation of the state constitution. Minutes after the ruling was announced, Gov. Larry Hogan called on the General Assembly to pass the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission maps. That’s the commission the Governor appointed. WYPR’s Joel McCord is following this story, and he’ll keep us up to speed as it develops.
Tom's guest today doesn’t have to worry about congressional or state legislative district maps, at least for the time being, because she is running statewide. Laura Neuman joins us for the hour. A former Republican, she is one of 10 candidates in the Democratic primary for Maryland Governor.
In 2013, while serving as the CEO of the Howard County Economic Development Authority, she was appointed Anne Arundel County Executive when John Leopold resigned after a misconduct scandal. She held that position for almost two years. She was unsuccessful in her bid for a full term.
Before she entered politics, Laura Neuman was a successful tech entrepreneur. She received an MBA from Loyola University Maryland. She was accepted into that program with a GED, and having never attended college. She is also a graduate of the Executive Program at Stanford Business School. She is a venture capitalist and an executive in residence at the University of MD College Park, an advisor to a management firm based in Pittsburgh, and she serves on several boards and commissions.
Laura Neuman is 57 years old. She is the mother of two teenage daughters. She lives in Baltimore.
We welcome your comments and questions for the candidate. Call us at 410.662.8780, email us at midday@wypr.org or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR
Laura Newman joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.
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It's time again for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage. Today, she spotlights two new community theater productions.
The first is A Doll's House, Part 2,playwright Lucas Hnath's modern-day, 2017 sequel to Henrik Ibsen's iconic 1879 play about a married woman's quest for self-fulfillment in a male-dominated world, on stage at Fells Point Corner Theatre now through April 10. Steven Goldklang directs the production, which stars Holly Pasciullo and Tom Piccin as Nora and Torvald Helmer.
The second play is Sunset Baby,a 2013 work by the Tony Award-winning playwright Dominique Morisseau, now in a new production at Baltimore's Arena Players, the oldest continuously operating African American theater in the nation. Morisseau's powerful play about an aging Black revolutionary and his wayward daughter is directed by Mari Andrea Travis, and stars Curtis McNeil and Jha’Neal Blue. Sunset Baby runs through April 3.
Follow the theater links above for more information and ticketing.
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Today on Midday, we are going to talk about the case of Keith Davis, Jr., who is accused by the Baltimore State’s Attorney of murdering Kevin Jones in 2015.
Mr. Davis has already been tried four times for this murder. Two of those trials ended in hung juries. The other two, including the most recent one, ended in guilty verdicts that were overturned. Mr. Davis remains in jail while awaiting his fifth trial, which is currently scheduled for May, although it could be delayed.
This case has garnered a lot of public attention, largely due to the efforts of Mr. Davis’ wife, Kelly, and a passionate and vocal group of advocates who for years have been critical of State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby and the prosecutors in her office. These advocates have been working to bring the details of the case to wide attention.
One of those advocates is DeRay Mckesson, who joins us today. DeRay is an activist and co-founder of Campaign Zero, an organization founded to combat police violence. Campaign Zero has taken-up the cause of Mr. Davis, claiming that Ms. Mosby’s prosecution is due to what the group calls “vindictiveness and personal and political animus.” That was the language used in a motion to dismiss the case filed on March 8 by Deborah Katz Levi, the Director of Special Litigation at the MD office of the Public Defender.
We made the State’s Attorney’s Office aware of the fact that we would be talking about this case today on Midday. Citing that it is an on-going legal matter, they declined to participate in the conversation.
Here’s what’s happened in the case so far: Kevin Jones was shot to death in June of 2015, as he walked to work at Pimlico Race Course in Northwest Baltimore. In 2016, Keith Davis was tried on charges of armed robbery of a cab driver, a charge for which he was acquitted. He was, however, convicted of illegal possession of a firearm and sentenced to five years in prison. In 2017, he was charged in the murder of Kevin Jones. Davis’ trial in May of that year ended in a hung jury.
He was re-tried in that case several months later. In that trial, he was found not guilty of first-degree murder, but guilty of second-degree murder. That verdict was overturned because the court found that the prosecution had not informed the defense and the jury of the background of one of the witnesses, a jailhouse informant.
A third trial, in June of 2018, also ended with a hung jury. A fourth trial, in February of 2020 ended in a guilty verdict. Mr. Davis, who maintained his innocence, was sentenced to 50 years in prison. That guilty verdict was overturned because of problems with questions that were posed to potential jurors. Each of these trials were presided over by different judges, and prosecuted by different lawyers from the State’s Attorney’s office. Last December, Mr. Davis turned down a plea bargain that would have reduced his sentence to 15 years. As mentioned earlier, Mr. Davis remains in jail, awaiting a fifth trial.
We do not know whether or not Keith Davis killed Kevin Jones. There is certainly ample evidence that he did not, but two juries have been convinced by evidence at trial that he is responsible for Mr. Jones’ death. Ms. Mosby has said that prosecutors are pursuing this case to bring justice to Mr. Jones’ family. Mr. Davis’ supporters are seeking justice for him, as well.
(In an unrelated case, Mr. Davis has been charged with attempted murder for an alleged fight he had in jail with another inmate. That fight took allegedly place in June 2020. Mr. Davis wasn’t charged until May, 2021. The delay is cited by Mr. Davis’ lawyer as proof that Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby waited until Mr. Davis was granted another trial in the other murder case before charging him with something else. Again, this is according to a motion to dismiss his case filed on his behalf.)
Host Tom Hall notes that he has not attended the trials, and does not claim to know every detail of this complicated case. Tom has, however, read recent motions filed to the court by the State’s Attorney’s office and the public defender, Deborah Katz Levi, on behalf of Mr. Davis.
DeRay Mckesson is here to explain why he and his organization, Campaign Zero, think the case against Mr. Davis should be dismissed. DeRay is the host of the Pod Save the People Podcast and the author of On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope. In 2016, he was a candidate in the Democratic primary for Baltimore Mayor.
Tom Hall has known DeRay for several years, and believes him to be a thoughtful advocate for whatever causes he champions. He is happy to give him the opportunity to share his perspective and to respond to some of the points the State’s Attorneys have made in the motions they filed in this case a couple of weeks ago.
DeRay Mckesson joins us now on our digital line.
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Today on Midday, we continue our election-year interview series, Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Ivan J. Bates. He announced last November that he is running in the Democratic primary for Baltimore City State’s Attorney.
Last Monday night, Thiru Vignarajah announced that he is joining the race. It is assumed that the incumbent, Marilyn Mosby, will seek reelection for a third term, but she has not made an official announcement, nor has she filed the paperwork to be on the ballot. A fourth candidate, Roya Hannah has announced her intention to run in the general election as an independent.
In 2018, Ivan Bates came in second in the race for State’s Attorney behind Ms. Mosby and ahead of Mr. Vignarajah.
Mr. Bates served in the United States Army, and in 1992, earned his BA in journalism at Howard University. He earned his Law Degree at William and Mary in 1995 and he was admitted to the Maryland bar that year. After clerking for Judge David B. Mitchell on the Circuit Court of Baltimore City, he was offered the position of assistant state’s attorney in Baltimore. He worked in the Juvenile Crime Division and later, the Homicide Division. Since 2006, when he started his own law practice, Bates & Garcia, P.C., he has been a successful defense attorney.
Ivan Bates is the divorced father of a young daughter. He lives in Locust Point. He is 53 years old.
We welcome your comments and questions for the candidate: Call us: 410.662.8780. Email us at midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Tom's Newsmaker guest on Midday today is Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael S. Harrison...
The scourge of violence in Baltimore continues. Since the beginning of the year, the number of homicides and non-fatal shootings has outpaced the horrific numbers from last year.
The FBI has mandated that the city change the way it collects crime data. Will that change improve the efficacy of the fight against violent crime? (For more information on the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), click here.)
What does the BPD hope state legislators will do to help make Baltimore streets safer, and what financial help from the federal government can the department expect? And with the city’s top prosecutor standing trial in federal court in May, has the relationship between federal law enforcement and city police been damaged?
Baltimore PoliceCommissioner Michael Harrison joins us on Zoom from Police Headquarters in Baltimore.
We welcome your comments and questions for the Commissioner. Call us: 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org. Or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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The Dirt Bike Tip Line is (443)-902-4474. You can also send an email to: dirtbiketips@baltimorepolice.org. And check out the website: https://www.baltimorepolice.org/community/dirt-bike-violators.
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As Midday on the Arts continues, Tom's next guest is R. Eric Thomas, a playwright, author, screenwriter, and humorist who is a Baltimore native.
He has not one, but two plays that will be given their world premieres here in his hometown. They are both comedies. The Folks at Homeopened at Baltimore Center Stage last night. Crying on Televisionopens at the Everyman Theater on May 31st.
Eric Thomas joins Tom on Zoom…
(Because their conversation was pre-recorded, we can’t take any calls or on-line comments.)
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Today, it’s Midday on the Arts. A little later this hour, we’ll check in with a playwright from Baltimore, R. Eric Thomas, who will premiere two new plays at two different theaters here in Baltimore this spring. Both Baltimore Center Stage and the Everyman Theater will be featuring his newest work.
But first, Tom welcomes to the show an extraordinary, Grammy Award-nominated musical artist, Nathalie Joachim. She's a Haitian American flutist, composer and singer, and she’ll be in Baltimore this Sunday afternoon performing a work that draws inspiration from her Haitian heritage, and other great Haitian women artists.
It’s called Fanm d'Ayiti, which means “Women of Haiti.”
To hear a selection from the work, "Papa Loko (Interlude, September 24, 1918)," click here.
Nathalie Joachim joins us on Zoom from Chicago.
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Natalie performs Fanm D-Ayitiwith acclaimed string ensemble Spektral Quartet this Sunday, March 20th at 3:30pm, at Second Presbyterian Church, 4200 St. Paul St, Baltimore, MD 21218. It's part of the church's Community Concerts at Secondseries, presentedin partnership with Komite D'Ayiti.
To register for this free event (and the LIVESTREAM), click here.
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It's time for a visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of the regional stage.
This week, Judy spotlights the new touring company production of Dear Evan Hansen, the multiple Tony- and Grammy Award- winning Broadway musical that Judy first reviewed when it premiered at Washington's Arena Stage in July, 2015.
Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy, Tony, Olivier and Academy Award-winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal). Stephen Christopher Anthony stars in the title role.
The musical's new North American touring company production is now on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre through Sunday, March 20. For ticket info, click here.
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It's Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking, and Tom is joined again by two of our favorite movie buffs: Ann Hornaday, the film critic for The Washington Post and author of the best-selling movie-goers guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and the historic Parkway Theatre.
Today, on this special Oscars edition, Ann and Jed discuss the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science's top contenders and their own predictions for which films, which actors and which filmmakers will take home the gold on Oscars night, Sunday, March 27.
And we welcome your predictions as well! Give us a call: 410.662.8780. email: midday@wypr.org or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR.
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Yesterday, the Maryland Court of Appeals postponed the date for primary elections that had been scheduled for June 28th. They will now be held on July 19th. The deadline for candidates to file to be on the ballot has also been pushed back from March 22nd to April 15th.
The delays are related to the fact that various courts are hearing challenges to the re-districting maps for Congressional districts and State House and Senate seats that were passed by Democrats in the General Assembly, and which are opposed by Governor Larry Hogan and Republicans. Election officials worried that they wouldn’t be able to get ballots ready in time for the earlier dates.
Today on Midday, a conversation with a gentleman whose name will be on the ballot in the Democratic primary for Governor, whenever the election is held. In this latest installment of our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022,Tom's guest is Tom Perez, who has had a career in politics in elective office and in the executive branches of both the state and federal governments.
Mr. Perez served in the Civil Rights Division of the US Justice Department in the late 1980s, and he led that division during the Obama administration. He was elected to the Montgomery County Council for one term before his appointment as the Maryland Secretary of Labor during the O’Malley administration. In 2013, President Obama tapped him to be the US Secretary of Labor. He was also the chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2017-2021.
Tom Perez holds an undergraduate degree from Brown University and a law degree from Harvard. He and his wife are the parents of three adult children.
Mr. Perez has chosen former Baltimore City Councilwoman Shannon Sneed as his running mate.Tom Perez joins us on Zoom from Takoma Park, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us as well. Call us at 410.662.8780. Email: midday@wypr.org or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR.
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We turn now for a look at fiscal concerns at the local level with today's Midday Newsmaker guest, Bill Henry, who is the Comptroller of Baltimore City.
Mr. Henry, Mayor Brandon Scott and City Council President Nick Mosby hold the three city-wide elected offices in Baltimore.
In addition to his supervision of city-wide auditing, his oversight of several key departments and his role on the city's Board of Estimates, the Comptroller’s Office serves as a fiscal watchdog by keeping residents informed about how their tax dollars are being spent.
Bill Henry joins us on Zoom from his office in Baltimore's City Hall.
You're welcome to join us as well. Call us at 410.662.8780, email us at midday@wypr.org, or tweet us @MiddayWYPR.
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US inflation is at a 40-year high. Rising gas prices are one of the indicators of which many Americans are all too acutely aware. There has been an outpouring of support in the United States and around the world for Ukraine. The heroic response to Russia’s invasion by Ukraine's armed forces and civilians, and the determination and resolve of the country’s President, have been inspiring.But Russia’s political isolation, and the unprecedented economic sanctions the West has levied against Russia have roiled energy markets, and it remains to be seen how long Americans, Europeans and others will be willing to tolerate high prices and further disruption in the supply chain that the war is causing.
Joining Tom now is Rachel Siegel, who covers the Federal Reserve and the economy for the Washington Post.
Rachel Siegeljoins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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Now, we turn our attention to a singer-songwriter you likely know as an actor. Kiefer Sutherland will be playing music from his new album - his third - called Bloor Street,Tuesday night at the Ram’s Head in Annapolis, Maryland, performing with special musical guests Marc Copely and Rocco Deluca.
Check out the video of the title cut from that new album, here...
Tom reached Kiefer Sutherland by phone on the road a couple of weeks ago to talk about his music, how he's balancing his studio and acting careers, and his experiences playing songs on the road.
(Since this conversation is pre-recorded, we can't take any calls today)
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Today, it’s Midday on the Arts. A little later in the show, Tom speaks with the actor Kiefer Sutherland. In addition to his work on television and in film, he’s an accomplished singer-songwriter. He’s playing some tunes from his latest album tomorrow night in Annapolis, and he’ll join us to talk about it today on Midday.
But we begin with the powerful and acclaimed African American writer, Kiese Laymon. He’s published a novel, Long Division, a collection of essays called How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in Americaand a best-selling memoir, Heavy,which chronicles his childhood in Mississippi, his struggles growing up, and his complicated relationship with his brilliant and demanding mother.
Laymon is a professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Mississippi. He’ll be offering a workshop for writers Tuesday night (3/15) as one of the featured artists at this year’s CityLit Festival. (Follow the link to register for his Master Class event.)
Kiese Laymon joins us on Zoom from Virginia.
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The 19th Annual CityLit Festival continues on March 29 with a program called How We Break Free: The Birth of Promise at the Motor House and on April 1, a program called Killing Rage: A Festival of Poets at Busboys and Poets in Baltimore. Follow the links for more info.
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And now, it’s anotherinstallment in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Doug Gansler, a Democrat who is running in the primary for Governor.
Mr. Gansler served as Assistant US Attorney and as the Montgomery County State’s Attorney before being elected as the Maryland Attorney General in 2006. He served two terms in that office, and ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for Governor in 2014. He lost that race to Anthony Brown, who in turn lost in the general election to Larry Hogan.
Doug Gansler is 59 years old. He grew up in Chevy Chase. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University where he was a star lacrosse player. He holds a law degree from the University of VA. He is married and the father of two grown children.
Mr. Gansler has chosen former Hyattsville Mayor Candace Bacchus Hollingsworthas his running mate. Mayor Hollingsworth is the youngest and the first African American Mayor in the history of Hyattsville.
Doug Gansler joins us on Zoom from Chevy Chase, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us as well. You can call us at 410.662.8780, email us at midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR.
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On Thursday afternoon, a few minutes after 5:00pm, the US Attorney’s Office in Baltimore released a superseding indictment against Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. The indictment expands on the charges handed down in January, concerning Ms. Mosby’s purchase of two properties in Florida.
Joining Tom now with legal analysis of these new charges is David Jaros, associate professor of law and Faculty Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Professor David Jaros joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Tom's guest for the hour today is Elizabeth Williamson, a reporter for the New York Timeswho has written a book that traces the lineage from conspiracy theories that surrounded the mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 through every other major trauma that has occurred since, up to and including the insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
The book is disturbing and important. It chronicles the inhuman and insidious work of people like Alex Jones, the founder of Info Wars, and those who perpetuate his fabricated explanations of tragic events. It lays bare the horrific reality that our country has millions of gullible people, many of whom are willing to viciously demean and defame families whose loved ones are victims of violence. They comprise a loyal audience who have funded Jones and his ilk for decades, and as Williamson masterfully demonstrates, they are part of an “enduring feature of American life” since our country’s earliest days.
The book is called Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth.
Elizabeth Williamson joins us on our digital line from Washington, DC.
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Next on Midday, we shift our focus from the international arena to state politics. Tom's guest is Dayvon Love, the director of public policy at Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, a social justice advocacy organization that works to improve the conditions of Black people in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
With just over four weeks left in the 2022 Maryland General Assembly, Dayvon Love joins us on Zoom to discuss LBS' priorities for the balance of the legislative session.
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Just as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has galvanized bi-partisan support for Ukraine in the US Senate, the devastating destruction Russia has unleashed on the independent democratic people of Ukraine has prompted similar bi-partisan efforts in the House of Representatives to provide strategic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
Joining Tom now is Rep. Kweisi Mfume, who represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional district. Rep. Mfume is also a member of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, and he joins us on Zoom from the US Capitol.
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The UN estimates there are 2 million refugees who have fled their homes in Ukraine. Many have crossed into neighboring countries on Ukraine’s western border.
Yesterday, President Bidenannounced a ban on Russian oil and gas entering the US. The average price of a gallon of gas in MD stands today at $4.23. A steady stream of international companies has stopped doing business in Russia. Yesterday, McDonald’s, Starbucks and Coca Cola became the latest American corporations to suspend operations.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported that the defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant, near the northern border of Ukraine, has been disconnected from the power grid. The plant is under Russian military control. Workers worry they may not be able to cool spent fuel that is stored there.
More than 200,000 people are without heat, electricity and water in the southern city of Mariupol, where fighting continues. Russian troops continue their very slow progress toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv.
Tom's first guest today is Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Maryland's Democratic junior senator and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Senator Van Hollen joins us on Zoom.
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In an essay in the Washington Post yesterday, Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine writes, “For decades, world leaders bowed their heads at war memorials across Europe and solemnly proclaimed: “Never again.” The time has come to prove those were not empty words.”
Tom's next guest is retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman. As a member of the National Security Council in the Trump Administration, Col. Vindman disclosed that President Trump tried to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky into investigating Joe Biden. That disclosure led to Trump’s first impeachment.
Col. Vindman is the author of a memoir called Here, Right Matters: An American Story. And in an article in the journal, Foreign Affairsposted on Sunday, Vindman calls for a Lend-Lease-type plan for the Ukrainian military.
Alexander Vindman joins Tom on Zoom from his home in Woodbridge, Virginia, to talk about how that might work…
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Today, another in our series of Conversations with the Candidates: 2022. Tom's guest is Ashwani Jain. He is a candidate in the June 28 Democratic primary for Maryland Governor.
This is Mr. Jain's second attempt at elective office. He lost a race for the Montgomery County Council in 2018. He worked in a variety of roles in the Obama Administration, including in then-Vice President Joe Biden’s office, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel. He has also worked in the non-profit sector. He is currently the Program Director for the National Kidney Foundation.
Mr. Jain is 32 years old. He holds undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Business Management from the University of MD, and a master’s degree in political management from George Washington University. He is single, and lives in Potomac.
Mr. Jain has chosen LaTrece Hawkins Lytes as his running mate. His campaign describes Ms. Lytes as a longtime MD resident, wife, mother and community activist.
Ashwani Jain joins us on Zoom from Potomac, Maryland.
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In the middle of January, the US was reporting more than 900,000 new cases of COVID 19 every day. The daily case count now averages less than 50,000.
Here in Maryland, two months ago the testing positivity rate was nearly 27%. Now, it stands at less than 2%. Maryland and the District of Columbia have the nation’s lowest daily case rate.
The vaccination rate is creeping up very, very slowly. More than a year into vaccine availability, only about 65% of Americans are fully vaccinated, well behind dozens of other countries.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revised its guidelines for masking in public spaces, changing the metrics it emphasizes as they determine what is best practice at this stage of the pandemic. Writing in the Washington Post,Dr. Leana Wen says, “The CDC finally got masking right.”
Dr. Wen is a former Baltimore City health commissioner and Tom's guest today for another edition of the Midday Healthwatch. She is an emergency physician. She teaches at the George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health. She’s a columnist for The Washington Post,a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom…
And we welcome your questions and comments…
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This is theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck with a special online review of Single Carrot Theatre’s production of "Is Edward Snowden Single?"The show is being performed at the former Windup Space.
"Is Edward Snowden Single?" is the only play I’ve ever seen where the actors tell the theatergoers they can use their cellphones at any time during the performance.
That’s the first indication that this play — written by Washington D.C. native Kate Cortesi — is a bit out of the norm. And it gets more out of the norm as it continues.
The actresses who play the two lead characters also play a slew of other characters. At times they even play each other. This may be the playwright’s way of showing that the protagonists — Mimi and April, roommates and best friends since college — are so close, each knows how the other thinks and acts.
But “Is Edward Snowden Single?” isn’t just a play about friendship, or just a play about two friends putting on a play, which is also what’s going on. Thematically, Mimi and April tell us early on, this is a play about integrity. I’ll let them explain. Here is a bit of dialogue between Meghan Stanton and Saraniya Tharmarajah as Mimi and April:
MIMI (to the audience) How would you define integrity? (pause)(to April) See? No one knows. Should we tell a story about something nobody knows what it is? (to the audience) It means follow through.
APRIL Totally, totally...except it’s more like the opposite of that. Follow-through helps you achieve a goal and be a success. Integrity means doing the right thing even if it sets you back. (I guess integrity could mean “following through on being a good person.”)
MIMI (That’s what I meant. Follow-through of the soul.)
APRIL (Cute.) Integrity is what you do when no one’s looking.
MIMI Okay.
APRIL Or what you cop to when (re: the audience) everyone’s looking.
MIMI Yup.
APRIL Integrity is honesty, moral uprightness. I think of it almost like areversing spell against vanity, exploitation, corruption, and greed.
MIMI Hot. We are proud to present the story of...
APRIL AND MIMI ...How Mimi learned that integrity...
MIMI ...is important. APRIL ...exists.
There’s a third actor in the play, Parker Matthews, who portrays Edward Snowden, the NSA whistleblower. Snowden appears on live video that is projected on surfaces around the Windup Space. Initially, his image is projected on a rack of clothing; in a later scene, his face is projected on the face of a large teddy bear.
Mimi appears to have no interest in politics or in Snowden, but watching a 2014 televised interview, she fantasizes that he begins to flirt with her. You can hear the change in actor Parker Matthews’ voice, and her reaction to it:
EDWARD SNOWDEN I was shocked that anyone in the UK government would go so far for so little. If the UK had been pursuing, say—(the magic is back) You, Mimi, then shoot, girl. I’d violate theGeneva Conventions, too.
MIMI I’d violate all the conventions with you.
EDWARD SNOWDEN That could get… unethical.
MIMI I’ve got lots of secret intelligence if you’ve got the skills to— hack it.
Romantic fantasy aside, the parallel that the playwright tries to establish between Mimi and Snowden is way out of proportion. Snowden released classified documents that revealed NSA infringement of privacy rights. He is still living in exile.
Mimi works in a coffee shop and has evidence of repeated thefts from the cash register by an employee. Blowing the whistle will have some consequences for the employee. At most. No human rights violations, no huge, overriding political considerations.
But while comparing Mimi to Snowden may be far-fetched, the play’s innate theatricality is exactly the type of imaginative, wild-and-crazy stuff that Single Carrot does best. Director Alix Fenhagen takes the play’s stage directions and adds her own wild-and-crazy touch.
The script suggests that Snowden be played by a puppet. Instead, Fenhagen and video designer Sean Anthony Preston use live projections — a choice that is not only tougher technically, but also more in keeping with the real Snowden’s motivation.
Snowden acted out of concern over the abuse of individual privacy. Doing double duty as a cameraman, Parker Matthews spends a lot of the play running around the Windup Space with a video camera. At any moment, this cameraman might be filming/spying on anyone on stage — or in the audience.
Under Fenhagen’s direction, Meghan Stanton and Saraniya Tharmarajah handle the play’s multi-casting with a switch of a prop or two, and a change of voice or posture. They frequently play several characters, of varying ages and genders, in a single short scene.
There’s thematic justification for multi-casting. Are any of us who we appear to be? And don’t we all contain aspects of the people close to us?
Despite Single Carrot’s excellent work, “Is Edward Snowden Single?” can be confusing. The stage directions acknowledge that it may be — quote — “barely comprehensible.” It may — quote — “[leave] the audience behind.” The playwright’s okay with that.
Integrity, it seems, isn’t just an issue for Snowden and Mimi; the play’s structural integrity is also at issue. And yet, at Single Carrot, director Fenhagen and company almost make up for this with a strong dose of technical ingenuity and inventive artistry.
“Single Carrot Theatre’s production of “Is Edward Snowden Single?” continues at the Windup Space on North Avenue through March 12. The show is also available virtually. I’m Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck. Thanks for listening!
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Today, we continue our 2022 series of Conversations with the Candidates. Between now and the primary in June, we’ll be talking to candidates vying for their party’s nominations for some of MD’s most high-profile offices.
Tom's guest today is Rushern Baker, III, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Maryland Governor.
Mr. Baker entered politics in 1994, serving in the Maryland House of Delegates until 2003. He lost his first two elections for Prince George’s County Executive, but he succeeded the two-term incumbent Jack Johnson in 2010. Soon after that election, federal prosecutors arrested Johnson on corruption charges. Mr. Baker was widely credited with improving the county’s image and ending its “pay to play” legacy.
Rushern Baker is 63 years old. He holds a Bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Howard University. He was married for more than 30 years to Christa Beverly, a civil rights lawyer who passed away in 2021 after a long struggle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Mr. Baker was her primary caregiver. They are the parents of three grown children.
Mr. Baker has chosen as his running mate Nancy Navarro, a three-term Montgomery County Council member.
Rushern Baker joins us on Zoom.
You're welcome to join us as well. Call us at 410.662.8780. You can email us at midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
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Now, we turn to Adam Harris, a staff writer for The Atlantic. He’s the author of The State Must Provide: Why America's Colleges Have Always Been Unequal--and How to Set Them Right,and he’s been writing in TheAtlantic about the spate of bomb threats directed at HBCUs around the country, including here in Baltimore. On the first of February, the first day of Black History month, 14 HBCUs received bomb threats, and they continued during the month.
The FBI reports that from the first of the year to the middle of February, 57 institutions across the country were targeted.
Adam Harris joins us on our digital line from Manassas, Virginia.
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Russian troops have gained control of the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine. A 40-mile convoy of troops that has been observed for days appears to be stalled on its way to Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. Russia has kept up a steady stream of indiscriminate bombing, killing thousands of civilians, according to Ukrainian government officials, utilizing weapons that are banned by the Geneva Convention, and causing the most rapid mass migration of displaced people in this century.
It's been a week since Russia began its aggression into Ukraine, and an estimated one million refugeeshave already poured into neighboring countries on Ukraine’s Western border. UN officials say that if the Russian invasion continues, as many as four million more refugees could follow.
Joining Tom now is Krish Vignarajah, the president and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, an aid organization based here in Baltimore…
Krish Vignarajah joins us on Zoom.
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We’ve been talking about this year’s Maryland General Assembly Session in Annapolis. Tom turns now to Ovetta Wiggins, who covers the State House and Maryland politics for The Washington Post.
Ovetta Wiggins joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.
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Next, we turn our attention to Maryland state government.
Two Republican leaders in the Maryland General Assembly join Tom to talk about their legislative agenda and how things are going, at the halfway mark in this year’s Session in Annapolis.
Sen. Bryan Simonaire is the Senate Minority Leader. He represents District 31, Anne Arundel County.
Del. Haven Shoemaker is the Minority Whip in the House of Delegates. He represents District 4, Carroll County.
Both lawmakers join us on Zoom.
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"Tonight, we meet as Democrats, Republicans, independents, but most importantly, as Americans with a duty to one another, to America, to the American people, to the Constitution. And an unwavering resolve that freedom will always triumph over tyranny..."
— President Joe Biden, State of the Union Address, 3.01.2022
President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address Tuesday night, with a war in Ukraine raging, a pandemic waning, and inflation and a stalled agenda threatening to sabotage Democratic chances in the November mid-term elections.
Joining Tom to share her thoughts on the speech is Asma Khalid. She covers the White House for NPR, and she is a co-host of the NPR Politics Podcast…We reach Asma Khalid in Washington, DC on our digital line.
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It's time again for theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck to join us with her weekly reviews of the regional stage. Today she spotlights A.D. 16,a musical romantic fantasy now getting its world premiere at Olney Theatre Center.
Set in Bible-era Nazareth, A.D. 16 imagines a romance between two Nazarene teens - a 16 year-old Mary Magdalen and that interesting boy next door — Jesus.
With story, music and lyrics by Cinco Paul (Despicable Me),and book by Bekah Brunstetter,A.D. 16 is directed by Stephen Brackett and features an ensemble cast, with Phoenix Best as Mary and Ben Frankhauser as Jesus.
A.D. 16 continues at Olney Theatre Center through March 20. For more information and ticketing, click here.
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Today, we resume a series that we've presented during every recent election cycle. Our Conversations with the Candidates 2022interviews will allow voters to hear directly from the candidates for federal, state and city offices up and down the ballot. Tom Hall will sit down for extended discussions with candidates between now and the June 28th primary elections, and we’ll archive these conversations on this special WYPR Webpage.
Today Tom's guest is Del. Dan Cox, one of four candidatesin the Republican Primary for Governor. He was elected in 2019 to represent Carroll & Frederick Counties in the House of Delegates. He serves on the Judiciary Committee. In 2016, he ran for Congress and lost to Rep. Jamie Raskin, who still holds that seat in the 8th district. Mr. Cox is a lawyer, who holds a degree from the University of Maryland University College, and a law degree from Regent University School of Law.Del. Cox has chosen Gordana Schifanelli, a lawyer from Queen Anne’s County, as his running mate.Del. Cox is 47 years old. He and his wife Melissa are the parents of 10 children. They live in Frederick County.Del. Dan Coxjoins us on Zoom. We’ll take a few calls a little later in the program…
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When Joe Biden was running for President, he promised that if given the opportunity, he would nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court. Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring at the end of the current term of the court, and on Friday, the President announced he would nominate Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, whose career has taken her to many corners of the legal profession as a lawyer and as a judge.
Joining Tom to talk about this pick, and Judge Brown’s prospects in an evenly divided Senate, is Kim Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, a former Assistant US Attorney, and the author of three excellent books: one on the constitution, one on voting, and her latest offering: How to Think Like a Lawyer--And Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas.
Kim is also the host of an Instagram show called #Simple Politics, and she's a frequent contributor to The Bulwark,Politico and The Atlantic.
Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line from Bethesda, Maryland.
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With Thursday's full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces, the world order has been shaken. Hours after the invasion began, President Joe Biden announced a second tranche of sanctions against Russia, which include measures against several more Russian banks and wealthy individuals. He asserted that the NATO alliance has never been stronger, and he warned that there will be hardships to bear throughout the world.
There are reports this morning that Russian forces are closing in on Kyiv, the capital and Ukraine’s largest city.
Today, analysis and reflections on the invasion.
Tom's first guest is Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon, a scholar of Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. She holds a Master’s degree in Regional Studies from Harvard University, and she’s a Penn PhD Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon joins us on Zoom from Richmond, Virginia.
Then, Tom speaks with Eric Hontz, a Baltimore businessman who works in Ukraine, and whose wife was born and raised in the Donbass region of Ukraine. Mr. Hontz, who serves as the Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia at CIPE, the Center for International Private Enterprise in Washington, DC, discusses the economic and personal impacts of the Russian aggression.
Eric Hontz joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Today on Midday, reactions to Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to launch a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.
Ahead of by President Joe Biden's remarks from the White House Thursday afternoon on US and NATO responses to the invasion, Tom is joined by Senator Ben Cardin, Maryland's Democratic senior senator, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Finance Committees and chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission (for Security and Cooperation in Europe).
Senator Cardin joins us on Zoom.
Tom speaks next with Dr. Charles Gati, Senior Research Professor of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Dr. Gati was a former senior advisor with the Policy Planning Staff of the US Department of State and a former professor at Union College and Columbia University. He has written and spoken extensively on the former Soviet Union, Russia and Eastern European political affairs.
Dr.Charles Gati joins us on Zoom from Washington, D.C..
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And now, Tom's Newsmaker guest is Al Hutchinson, the president and CEO of Visit Baltimore, the city's official destination sales and marketing organization.
Charm City is playing host for the first time to the annual CIAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament this week (2/21-2/26). Visit Baltimore hopes the event will draw thousands of tourists and kickstart the return of local tourism.
Al Hutchinson joins us on Zoom (and his mobile) from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, venue for the CIAA tournament…
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On today's Midday NewsWrap, an update on the situation in Ukraine.
Tensions in Ukraine continue to rise. Yesterday, the upper house of the Russian Parliament allowed President Vladimir Putin to take military action outside of Russia, and in defiance of international law, the Kremlin recognized the independence of two statelets in Ukraine, and sent troops there.
President Biden announced what he described as a “first tranche” of sanctions against two Russian banks and three wealthy Russian families in response to what the President described as “the beginning of an invasion” of Ukraine.
Joining Tom on our digital line from Odessa, Ukraine is NPR London correspondent Frank Langfitt.
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Tom's guest for the hour today is Jabari Asim, one of the country’s most imaginative and versatile writers, whose body of work encompasses fiction and non-fiction, poetry, plays and children’s literature. He’s a former editor of The Crisis , the journal of the NAACP, and the Washington Post,where he wrote a syndicated column. He is the author of acclaimed non-fiction books, including The N Word: Who Can Say It, Who Shouldn’t and Whyand We Can’t Breathe: On Black Lives, White Lies, and the Art of Survival.
He is also the author of the novel, Only the Strongand a collection of short stories called A Taste of Honey. Professor Asim directs the MFA program at Emerson College in Boston, where he is also the Elma Lewis Distinguished Fellow in Social Justice.
Jabari Asim’s latest book is a historical novel set in 1852 in the American South. It chronicles the lives and loves, the longing for liberation, and the heartbreak and violence visited upon a community of enslaved people. This book is a profound masterpiece, peopled with a fascinating cast of characters who never lose touch with their dreams, in spite of unthinkable trauma. And one of the things that makes them so compelling is the fact that they never let the trauma of enslavement define them.
The novel is called Yonder.
Jabari Asim joins us on our digital line from Boston.
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Tom's next guest is Imani Black. She is an oyster farmer who comes from a long line of oystermen from the Eastern Shore. Her degree is in Marine Biology, and her passion is bringing the story of African American participation in aquaculture to the next generation of Black women.
In 2020, she founded an organization called Minorities in Aquaculture to encourage women of color to pursue careers in aquaculture.
Imani Black joins us on Zoom from College Park, Maryland.
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Joining Tom now is another gifted storyteller. Tara Roberts is a National Geographic Explorerand the host of Into the Depths,a 6-episode podcast that launched last month. It follows a group of Black scuba divers called Diving With a Purposeas they search for the wreckage of ships that were used to bring enslaved Africans to the Americas. Tara's account of the group's expedition is the cover story in National Geographic Magazine's March 2022 issue.
Tara Robertsjoins us on Zoom from Durban, South Africa.
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Happy President’s Day! Today on Midday, conversations with three groundbreaking chroniclers of African American history who are telling important stories in unique ways.
A little later in the program, I’ll speak with Tara Roberts, a National Geographic Explorer who hosts a podcast devoted to the search for lost slave ships. I’ll also speak with Imani Black, a marine biologist and oyster farmer who is bringing people of color into the world of aquaculture.
But we begin today with Evan Woodard. He’s a professional photographer, self-described historian, privy digger, and relic hunter based here in Baltimore who is the founder of a company called Salvage Arc. His discoveries include everything from 18th century pottery to 19th century out houses. Check out images of some of them on his Instagram site, @SalvageArc
Evan Woodard joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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It's time for our visit with theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of local stage presentations. This week, she tells us about the national touring company production of the Broadway hit, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, now on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
Directed by Lauren L. Sobon, with book by Colman Domingo, Robert Cary, and Des McAnuff and musical direction by Erika Gamez, the touring production features a 23-member cast, including Brittny Smith, Charis Michelle Gullage and Amahri Edwards-Jones. The three leads portray the late Donna Summers (who died of lung cancer in 2012) at different stages of her three-decade career as a top-40s pop star and "disco queen," and perform more than 20 of Summers' biggest hits.
Summer: the Donna Summer Musical is running through Sunday, February 20. For more information and ticketing, click here.
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Tom's first guest todayis Amanda Litman, a Democratic operative who worked on the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton, and the gubernatorial campaign of Charlie Christ in Florida in 2014.
In 2017, on the day of Donald Trump’s inauguration, she and a friend, Ross Morales Rocketto, founded a political action committee called Run for Something,dedicated to helping young, first-time candidates navigate the vagaries of running for elective office.
There are plenty of offices to choose from. By Litman’s count, there are about a half a million elected positions in the United States. Litman advises people who are running for their State Legislatures and Congress, but she also takes under her wing people running for school boards, library boards, water-abatement boards and a host of other local offices that can directly and significantly affect communities large and small, urban and rural, red and blue.
Amanda Litman also hosts the Run for Something podcast, and she wrote a book, a how-to guide for people who want to leave the sidelines and jump into the fray. It’s called Run for Something: A Real-Talk Guide to Fixing the System Yourself. Amanda Litman joins us on Zoom from Brooklyn, New York.
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr.
Mr. Olszewski has a full plate of issues to contend with. The County has relaxed some COVID restrictions. Masks are no longer required in public buildings. As of the end of the month, masks will no longer be required in County government buildings too.
It’s budget season in Baltimore County; hundreds, maybe thousands of people are expected to participate in budget hearings. A consultant hired to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of County government offered 171 ways that the County could save hundreds of millions of dollars.
School construction is back on the front burner. Dulaney and Towson high schools are due for facelifts. The County has more than $160 million to work with from the American Rescue Plan, but not all problems can be solved with money alone.
Like other jurisdictions around the country, Baltimore County is experiencing more violent crime than in years past.
The County is Maryland’s third largest jurisdiction. After some speculation that he might run for governor, Mr. Olszewski announced last spring that he will stand for election for a second term as County Executive. He is the only Democrat who has filed to run in the primary. Kimberley Stansbury and Darren Badillo have filed to face-off against each other in the Republican primary.
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszeski, Jr,. joins us on Zoom from his office in Towson.
We welcome your questions or comments for the County Executive.
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An important addendum to yesterday’s show:
Tom interviewed three members of the leadership team at the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development. They spoke about the vacant house on Stricker Street in South Baltimore that was recently the scene of the terrible tragedy in which three Baltimore firefighters were killed when that home collapsed while they were fighting a fire there.
Justin Fenton is one of several excellent reporters who have been hired by the Baltimore Banner,an online platform that is scheduled to launch later this spring. In the meantime, the Banner is publishing a newsletter with stories of local interest, and this morning, Justin posted a story that tells the history of the house on Stricker Street where the firefighters were killed. He found that It is owned by a woman in Huntingdon, PA, whose husband, Robert Shore, Sr., left it to her when he passed away in 2016.
Fenton reports that the house was declared vacant by the city in 2010. That same year, the tax liens on the house were sold at public auction to First National Assets. This is a company that buys the right to collect back taxes that are owed by homeowners around the country. First National Assets foreclosed on the property in 2013, but Justin Fenton reports that a year later, the city had the foreclosure overturned because First National Assets had not paid the back taxes that were owed on the property. The city tried to sell it at three subsequent tax sales, but no buyers have been interested.
To read Justin Fenton’s story in the Baltimore Bannernewsletter, click here.
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Last month, three firefighters — Paul Butrim, Kelsey Sadler and Kenny Lacayo — died while fighting a fire in a vacant house in South Baltimore. That tragedy put the issue of Baltimore’s vacant houses back in the headlines, and top of mind for many.
For many others in our city, vacant houses and blight have been part of their lives for decades. Over the years, city officials have tried to address the problem of abandoned homes in a number of different ways. One idea currently being discussed in the Baltimore City Council is to revive the Dollar House program, a program that was implemented more than 40 years ago.
Since 2016, the Maryland Dept of Housing and Community Development claims to have demolished or stabilized 5,000 units, and they promise that 400 more are in the pipeline for demolition. But there are still 14,990 vacant houses in Baltimore City, according to the latest tally by the Mayor's office.
Two weeks ago, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scottordered a review of what city agencies are doing about those vacant houses, which the Mayor has promised will “inform a plan to deal with Baltimore’s vacant housing stock." The review is to be completed by the beginning of next month.
Today on Midday, a conversation with the senior leadership of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development about the plan to rid the city of blight, and the overall strategy for creating safe, quality affordable housing for the thousands of Baltimore City residents who need it.
Joining Tom on Zoom today are: Alice Kennedy, the Housing Commissioner; Jason Hessler, the Deputy Commissioner for Permits & Litigation; andKate Edwards, the Acting Deputy Commissioner for Development.
As always, we welcome listener questions and comments. Our call-in lines are out-of-service today, but you can email us at Midday@wypr.org, or Tweet us @MiddayWYPR
A note to our listeners: We experienced some technical difficulties with the recording of the first several minutes of today's live Midday broadcast. As a result, host Tom Hall provides a recap in today's podcast of the brief dialogue that took place before normal recording began, with our apologies to you and to our guests.
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Tom's Midday Newsmaker guest today is Dr. Darryl L. Williams, the Superintendent of the Baltimore County Public School System. He was appointed to the post in 2019, and he has been contending with problems caused by COVID-19 nearly ever since.
The pandemic has led to almost every school system in the country facing staffing shortages, and enrollment numbers have dipped here and across America.
It’s budget season for the state’s third largest school system. Last month, Dr. Williams proposed a budget that would add nearly 400 positions next year. A report released last fall by an independent consulting firm suggested that the County school administration is bloated, and it suggested changes that could save the system tens of millions of dollars.
Dr. Darryl L. Williams joins us on Zoom for the hour today to discuss these and other issues...
And we welcome listener comments and questions!
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Happy Valentine’s Day! Today on our show, it’s Midday on Romance. A little later, Tom speaks with a medieval historian who has written a history of love in what she calls five fantasies. Barbara Rosenwein looks at love through the ages and how human beings fall in love and stay in love.
Of course, in order for that to happen, you’ve got to meet someone with whom you are inclined to be in love. An apartment search company called Rent Café has just published the results of a survey that names the best places to “mingle as a single.”
Baltimore comes in 5th in the country because of the high number of single households. 69% of households in Baltimore are headed by single folks, about four points behind Detroit, the leader in this regard at 73%.
Tom's first guest is in the business of bringing some of those singles together into meaningful relationships. Kimberly Simonettiis a commercial photographer, dating expert, and the co-founder of The Match Pro, a matchmaking service in Towson.
Kimberly joins us on Zoom…and we welcome your love stories!
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Next, Tom turns to a historian of the middle ages, who has just published her second book in a series exploring the history of human emotions. Dr. Barbara Rosenweinis Professor Emerita at Loyola University Chicago. Her latest book is called Love: A History in Five Fantasies. It looks at love through the lens of Like-Mindedness, Transcendence, Obligation, Obsession and Insatiability. It’s a fun and fascinating take on how our notions of love have evolved through the ages.
Barbara Rosenwein joins us on our digital line from Evanston, Illinois.
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Next on today's Midday on Books, Tom welcomes back to the program the award-winning author of more than 60 books for children, Carole Boston Weatherford.
She is the winner of two Caldecott Medals and a Newbery Award. Her last book on the Tulsa race massacre won the Coretta Scott King Author Award and Illustrator awards from the American Library Association.
She will be appearing in a virtual event at the Enoch Pratt Library next Thursday, February 17 at 6pm to introduce her latest book, The Faith of Elijah Cummings: The North Star of Equal Justice. For more information and to register for the free event, click here.
Tom also talks with Carole about two other biographies for children she's had published recently: Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi Calls the House to Order, and Call Me Miss Hamilton, about Mary Hamilton, the late Black civil rights activist and union organizer.
Carole Boston Weatherford joins us today on Zoom from her birth city, Baltimore.
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It's Midday on Books today, and Tom's first guest is Tessa Hadley, an award-winning British writer whose short stories are familiar to many readers of The New Yorker,where she’s been a contributing writer for 20 years.
She is the author of eight novels, the latest of which is an explosive exploration of loyalty and betrayal, love and passion, and individual and cultural transformation. It’s called Free Love.
Tessa Hadley joins us on Zoom from her home in Cardiff, Wales.
(This conversation was recorded earlier this week, so we're not able to take any calls.)
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Time now for another visit with our theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of important local stage productions. Today, she tells us about Everyman Theatre's world premiere of Behold, A Negress, Jacqueline E. Lawton's historical drama about the intimate relationship between a White artist in late-18th century Paris and her muse, a formerly enslaved Black woman.
Directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo and starring Everyman resident company actor Hannah Kelly as the artist, Marie, and Jessica Natalie Smith as the muse, Madeleine, the play explores the intersection of race, art and feminism during times of social unrest and political upheaval.
Behold, A Negress continues at Everyman Theatre through February 27. Video streaming option available beginning February 18. For showtimes and ticketing info, click here.
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Today, it’s Midday on Parenting. We begin with a conversation about a movement known as “Gentle Parenting.” It advocates an approach to raising children based on understanding, empathy and respect, and which shuns traditional parental notions of corporal discipline and autocratic control over children's behavior.
A series of Tik Tok videos by a former TV news reporter, Kayla Sullivan, has gone viral. More than 34 million viewers have seen Kayla’s mock news reports chronicling her toddler’s tantrums. Here’s a sample.
Joining Tom now is Kristen MacNeil. She’s a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst with a background in School Psychology, and the founder of the Gentle Parenting Institute...
Kristen MacNeil joins us on Zoom from Buffalo, New York.
Then, Tom is joined by Dr. Charissa Cheah. She’s a developmental psychologist, a professor of psychology and an affiliate faculty member in the Asian Studies Department at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.Dr. Cheah is also the director of UMBC's Culture, Child, and Adolescent Development Laboratory.
Dr. Charissa Cheah joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
We welcome listener comments and questions.
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If you or a loved one has contemplated suicide, operators on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provide 24/7 free and confidential support.Give them a call at 1-800-273-8255.
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Tom's guest today is Dr. Charles Chavis, Jr. He’s the author of a new book that places Maryland squarely in the middle of the long and horrific legacy of racial lynching in America. As Dr. Chavis vividly portrays, lynchings did not only take place in the Deep South, and they were not only a technique of terror employed in the 19th century. Here in Maryland, lynchings were occurring throughout the state into the mid-1930s.
Dr. Chavis' book is called The Silent Shore: The Lynching of Matthew Williams and the Politics of Racism in the Free State. (The Johns Hopkins University Press)
The author is an associate professor and director of African American Studies at George Mason University. He also directs the John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice and Race at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution at George Mason. He is the national co-chair of the United States Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Movement and the vice chair of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Charles Chavis joins us on our digital line from Fredericksburg, Virginia.
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Dr. Chavis is also the producer of a new documentary short film, Hidden in Full View , directed by Samson Binutu, that tells the story of the Matthew Williams lynching and other themes explored in The Silent Shore.
The 7-minute doc, which is now streaming online and also available for public screenings, is the first in a series that follows the stories of brave local citizens who sought historical truth in their quest for restorative racial justice. The series is a project of the Breathe With Me Revolution and George Mason University.
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Now, we turn our attention to a controversial legislative proposal, being advanced in Annapolis by State Senator Bill Ferguson, that would order clubs on The Block in Baltimore to close several hours earlier than they currently close. The Block, a stretch of E. Baltimore Street, is Baltimore’s adult-entertainment district, located adjacent to Baltimore City Police headquarters, and according to police, it is frequently the scene of violent crime, particularly in the wee hours of the morning.
Baltimore City Councilman Eric Costello joins us. His district — District 11 — includes The Block, and he is supporting the proposed curfew.
Thiru Vignarajah joins us as well. He is acting as a spokesperson for business owners on The Block, who oppose the plan to force them to close early. Mr. Vignarajah is a former MD Deputy Attorney General who now serves as the CEO of Capital Plus Financial, a community development financial institution that works to close the wealth gap for people of color. He's also a former candidate in the Democratic primaries for Baltimore State’s Attorney and Mayor…
Also joining us is Sara Wantland. Her family owns the Club Pussycat on The Block.
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It’s the early weeks of Year Three of the COVID-19 pandemic, and following a surge caused by the omicron variant, the pandemic numbers in America are once again heading in the right direction. New cases and hospitalizations are down. The New York Times reports that since the pandemic began in January 2020, at least 1 in 4 people who live in the United States have been infected.
More than 901,000 people in the US have died.
We begin today with Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She was appointed to head the federal disease-fighting agency by President Biden in December 2020, and took the reins in January 2021.
Dr. Walensky joins us on Zoom from CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Since 2017, four times each year, a wonderful organization - Baltimore Ceasefire 365 - organizes events over the course of a weekend that send out a call to end violence, and for everyone in Baltimore to commit to be a part of creating the change we want to see in our city.
Ceasefire Weekends bring people together to acknowledge the pain and heartbreak that the homicides in our city cause for the families and friends of the victims of violence, and to raise up the voices of those who are working for peace.
Joining Tom to discuss the Ceasefire Weekend, and to share witness on our weekly reading of the Names of Baltimore homicide victims, is Letrice Gant, a co-organizer of Baltimore Ceasefire 365.
She joins us on Zoom.
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About a month ago, the Food and Drug Administration authorized booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, and it lowered the time frame for everyone getting a booster from six months to five months after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The CDC made a final recommendation to allow it soon thereafter.
About a month from now, it’s expected that the Pfizer vaccine will be approved for children as young as six months old.There is some progress to be happy about in the fight against COVID. In mid-January, the United States was reporting more than 900,000 new cases of COVID 19 per day. Over the weekend, that number had receded to about 304,000. The positivity rate here in MD was nearly 27% last month. As of this morning, it stands at just above 6%.
But more than a year into vaccine availability, only about 64% of Americans are fully vaccinated. Dozens of other countries have much higher rates of vaccination. With vaccines now available for virtually everyone except newborns, the question is, will Americans take full advantage of the opportunity? And will wealthy countries like the US assist less wealthy countries to get their people fully vaxed?
Today, it’s the Midday HealthWatch. Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, who has been sharing her time and expertise with Midday listeners for years, ever since she served as the Health Commissioner of Baltimore. Dr. Wen is an emergency physician who teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She’s also a columnist for the Washington Post,a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Zoom.
And we welcome your questions and comments…
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom each week with her reviews of important local stage productions. This week, Judy spotlights the new production of White Noise, a powerful drama about romance, race and politics by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Suzan-Lori Parks.
Park's 2019 play is now on stage at Studio Theatre in Washington, DC, with Reginald L. Douglas directing a cast that features Tatiana Williams, Quinn Franzen, RJ Brown, Katie Kleiger and Jefferson A Russell.
White Noise continues at Studio Theatre in DC through February 20. Follow the links for more information, showtimes and ticketing.
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It's Midday At the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking, and Tom is joined again by two of our favorite movie buffs: Ann Hornaday, the film critic for The Washington Post and author of the best-selling movie-goers guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and the historic Parkway Theatre.
They'll discuss the continuing impact COVID-19 is having on Hollywood production and brick-and-mortar movie box office revenues. A new survey shows that more than half the American public is not yet comfortable returning to live screenings.
They'll also talk about the best of last month's 2022 Sundance Film Festival, including the documentary We Need to Talk About Cosby, now streaming on Showtime, and the critically acclaimed feature Jockey, opening February 11 at Baltimore's Charles Theater and regional cinemas. Plus, they'll spotlight the powerful new documentary, Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America, now playing in select theaters.
Seen any great films recently? Let us know!
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Now, Tom welcomes to the show an author whose literary debut is getting a lot of buzz. Her debut collection of stories centers on two Taiwanese American women who have been best friends since the second grade. As adults, Fiona Lin and Jane Shen lead very different lives, but there is a poignant and complex bond that binds them together, through good times and bad.
Author Jean Chen Howrites with compassion, insight and authority. Her new book is called Fiona and Jane.
Jean Chen Ho joins us on our digital line from Los Angeles.
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Jean Chen Ho will be part of an on-line panel with the authors Jessamine Chan and Weike Wang sponsored by the Asian American Writers Workshop on Friday, February 4 at 7:00pm. For more information and to register for the event, click here.
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It’s Midday with the Mayor.Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom Hall for the first half of our show.
It’s a sad week for our city. Yesterday, the three firefighters who were killed while fighting a fire in a vacant house that collapsed were honored at a memorial service and laid to rest at Dulaney Memorial Gardens in Timonium. Mayor Scott, Governor Larry Hogan and others spoke at the service.
January was one of the most violent months in city history. Thirty-six people were victims of homicide. Last weekend alone, 20 people reported robberies in Baltimore. Police have made nearly 60 arrests and served more than 50 warrants for crimes committed previously, but in Baltimore and around the country, violence reduction strategies that are focused on long-term solutions are frustrating the Mayor, and people hoping for more immediate progress.
Tom discusses these and other issues today with Mayor Brandon Scott, who joins us on Zoom from his office in City Hall.
We welcome your questions and comments.
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Today on Midday, It’s Midday on Politics. We'll be previewing Governor Larry Hogan’s final State of the State speech tonight, and talking with two political journalists about what bills are moving forward in these first few weeks of the General Assembly Session.
One of those bills is called the Juvenile Interrogation Protection Act, and Tom's first guest is its sponsor, State Sen. Jill Carter, a Democrat who represents Baltimore City and District 41 in Annapolis.
Sen. Carter joins us on Zoom from Baltimore City.
Governor Larry Hogan will give his 8th and final State of the State speech at 7pm tonight (Wednesday, Feb. 2). Hogan is the first Maryland Republican Governor to serve two terms since the 1950s. He has remained very popular among Republicans, Democrats and Independents, but he is term limited and prohibited from running for a third term.
Because of the pandemic, like last year, he will not deliver his remarks to a live audience. He has chosen the room in Annapolis known now as the Old Senate Chamber, where George Washington resigned his military commission in an emotional and historic speech two days before Christmas in 1783.
Washington ended his tearful remarks by saying, “I take my leave of all the employments of public life.” That didn’t quite work out. Six years later, Washington was elected the first President of the United States.
Whether or not Gov. Hogan will tear-up tonight remains to be seen, but it is doubtful that he will announce he is leaving public life. His frequent appearances on national cable shows have fueled lots of speculation that he is preparing for a Presidential run in 2024.
Mr. Hogan is being courted by Mitch McConnell and other GOP leaders to run for office sooner than that, They would reportedly like him to challenge Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen in 2022.
Joining Tom now are two veteran political journalists. Bryan Sears covers government for The Daily Record…
Bryan joins us on Zoom from Crofton, Maryland.
And Jeff Salkin is the host of Direct Connection and State Circle on Maryland Public Television. State Circle is now in its 40th season…
Jeff joins us on our digital line from Columbia, Maryland.
You are welcome to join us…
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Today on Midday on the Media, we mark WYPR's 20th anniversary in conversation with Your Public Radio Corporation's president, WYPR general manager and NPR board chairman, LaFontaine E. Oliver.
LaFontaine joined WYPR in 2019, bringing his broad experience in both commercial and public radio, and a perspective that is both local and national. In the years before coming to WYPR, he was the general manager of a station in Orlando, Florida, and WEAA, which is celebrating its 45th year as the voice of the community at Morgan State University.
We invite LaFontaine to join us a couple of times a year to discuss important developments at WYPR and across the media landscape. Today, he and Tom spend the hour talking about where WYPR's been the past 20 years, and where it's headed. They'll discuss the station's abiding commitment to the community, the recent acquisition of public radio music station WTMD-FM 89.7, its initiatives in pursuit of greater diversity, equity and inclusion, and Your Public Radio's agenda for the coming years.
And as always, we welcome your comments and questions...
LaFontaine Oliver joins Tom remotely from WYPR's Studio B.
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Joining Tom now for today's News Wrap segment is Missy Ryan. She is a foreign affairs reporter with years of experience. She covers diplomacy and national security for the Washington Post.
Ryan was in Ukraine earlier this month, and she has been keeping a close eye on the increasingly tense situation there, where Russia has stationed more than 100,000 troops and amassed tanks and other military equipment along its border with the independent Eastern European state.
Missy Ryan joins us on Zoom from Washington, DC.
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We begin today with Tom's Newsmaker guest, Dr. Sonja Santelises. She is the CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools. We make it a point to check-in with her periodically for an update on what’s happening in our schools.
Tom talks with Dr. Santelises about how the school system is responding to the ongoing surge in omicron variant infections, protocols for COVID mitigation in the classrooms, and which schools are transitioning back to virtual learning.
And we take your questions and comments.
Dr. Sonja Santelises joins us on Zoom from her office in Baltimore City.
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Tom's next guest is Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins us each week with her reviews of regional stage productions. Today she tells us about a new production of William Shakespeare's 1598 comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, that's live on stage at Baltimore's Spotlighters Theatre.
Much Ado's storyline, propelled by some of the Bard's wittiest wordplay, revolves around two romantic couplings that occur when a group of soldiers comes to town. Michael Blum adapted the play and directs its diverse,18-member cast through a procession of scenes set in an Edwardian steampunk style.
Much Ado About Nothing continues at Spotlighters Theatre until February 6. For times, ticketing and COVID-safe protocols, click here.
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We open this segment with the music of Steve Gunn, one of the artists featured in a recent episode of Essential Tremors,a terrific and very popular podcast from WYPR's Podcast Central that explores the musical influences of composers and performers across a full spectrum of musical genres.
The podcast debuted in 2018, and it's just dropped its 50th episode.
Joining Tom now to talk about the podcast's concept, and how it's worked for the past three-plus years, are Essential Tremors' creators and co-hosts:
Matt Byars is the drummer and sound processor in the DC-based band The Caribbean, and plays as Attorneys General and The Jarvik 6; he is also a middle school English teacher. He was previously a contributor to WYPR’s “The Signal.” Matt was raised in Kentucky and has lived in Baltimore since the mid-1990s.
Lee Gardner has been a professional journalist and music writer for more than 25 years. He’s the former music editor, and editor in chief, of Baltimore City Paper. Lee is currently a senior reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education in Washington, DC. His writing has appeared in or on The Wire, Newmusicbox, Nylon, National Public Radio, and numerous altweeklies. He was born in Tennessee.
Lee Gardner and Matt Byars join us on Zoom from Baltimore.
Essential Tremors streams on WYPR's Podcast Central and other platforms. It's alsobroadcast on WYPR on the second Sunday of every month at 7:00 PM on 88.1 FM and at wypr.org.
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The Maryland General Assembly began its 2022 Session a couple of weeks ago. Today on the Midday Newswrap, we begin with an update on the early goings-on in Annapolis, with two of our colleagues from the WYPR News Department: State House reporter Callan Tansill-Suddath and News Director Joel McCord.
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Jason Mitchell, the Director of the Baltimore City Department of Public Works.
Mitchell comes to Baltimore from Oakland, Califoirnia, where he served as the assistant city administrator. He became acting director at the Baltimore DPW in May of last year, and he was confirmed by the City Council in July. Before the search for his job got underway, the City Council approved a 30% pay increase for the Director position. His salary of $245,000 makes Mr. Mitchell the fourth highest paid employee in city government, behind Visit Baltimore CEO Al Hutchinson, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and City Administrator Christopher Shorter.
The DPW faces a number of difficult challenges, chief among them a severe labor shortage, which has led to backlogs and a cutback of many services. Recycling, for example, is now collected every two weeks instead of every week, street sweeping has been severely curtailed, and workers are having a difficult time keeping up with requests to address illegal dumping. The department was also saddened last month when Jake Rogers, an employee in the Solid Waste Bureau, was shot to death at his home, in front of his three young children.
The department is also dealing with on-going problems with the water billing system, and last week, the State Department of the Environment sued the city over problems at wastewater treatment plants. The Department is under a federal Sanitary Sewer Consent Decree as well.
DPW Director Jason Mitchell joins us on Zoom…
Listeners are welcome to join us as well, with their comments and questions.
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As in most states around the country, the moratorium on evictions in Maryland ended last year, and certain kinds of evictions have increased ever since.
On Tuesday (1/25), the Baltimore City Council held a hearing about evictions. Lawmakers in the General Assembly in Annapolis will consider some measures to protect tenants from evictions during this year’s session.
Today on Midday, we explore what’s happening nationally and here in Maryland.
Tom's first guest is Emily Lemmerman. She’s a research specialist at the Princeton University Eviction Lab, a research center that tracks evictions in six states and 31 cities. Researchers there report that since March 2020, when the pandemic took hold, nearly 698,000 people have been evicted in those states and cities. (Baltimore and Maryland are not included in that sample.) Last month, 558 people were evicted from their homes throughout the state.
Emily Lemmerman joins us on Zoom from New York City.
Tom's next guests are tenant advocates.
Matthew Hill is an attorney and the team leader of the Human Right to Housing Project at the Public Justice Center here in Baltimore.
Tisha Guthrie is a renter and an organizer with United Workers and Baltimore Renters United.
They both join us on Zoom from Baltimore.
Then, we get the perspective of landlords. In December of 2019, weeks before the pandemic took hold, there were more than 59,000 “failure to pay rent” court filings. There were 22,589 evictions in Maryland in 2019. By 2021, a year in which an eviction moratorium was in place for eight months, that number dropped to 5,546.
Tom's next guest is Grason Wiggins, the Senior Government Affairs Manager for the Maryland Multi-Housing Association, a trade group representing landlords and property owners across the state.
Grason Wiggins joins us from Annapolis, Maryland.
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Now, a conversation about the legal ramifications of COVID 19.
If you contract the virus at work and you are unable to work for a period of time, or worse, you suffer from the effects of Long COVID, or you even die of the disease, can your employer be held liable? This is an argument that took place in Washington at the beginning of the pandemic. Republicans were unsuccessful in their attempt to include corporate liability protection in the CARES Act in 2020. More than 30 states have passed legislation that makes it illegal to sue for damages.
Tom's next guest is Professor Diane Hoffman. She’s the director of the Law and Health Care Program at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Professor Hoffman joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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Tom's first guest today is the legendary reporter and author Carl Bernstein, who, with his Washington Post colleague, Bob Woodward, broke the story of the Watergate break-in, which led to the resignation of Richard Nixon and the birth of modern investigative journalism.
Bernstein has written two memoirs about that iconic story, and a book about his parents’ encounters with McCarthyism during the 1950s. His latest book is an homage to newspapers, and a poignant reflection on how he came to love the craft of journalism and the art of storytelling.
The book chronicles Bernstein’s start in the newspaper business as a precocious 16-year-old copyboy at the Washington Star, and the subsequent five years in which he met people who left an indelible mark on his approach to reporting, and in which he acquired the nascent skills he would hone in a career that has spanned more than 60 years.
The book is a terrific read, and an important testament to the value of journalism written by people who are deeply connected to the communities they cover.
It’s called Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom.
Carl Bernstein joins us on Zoom from New York…
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Maryland's senior senator, Ben Cardin.
Senator Cardin is a longstanding member of the Foreign Relations Committee. President Joe Biden is reportedly considering sending troops to NATO countries near Ukraine, NATO is sending ships and aircraft to the area, and the State Department is beginning to draw down personnel from the US embassy in Kyiv. Is an invasion inevitable? And if it happens, what further actions should the US and NATO take?
And here at home, Republicans are united in their opposition to federal action that would restore provisions of the Voting Rights Act. Democrats can’t find consensus on a way forward. There may be a possibility of bipartisan action on reforming the way votes are counted in the Electoral College.
Voting rights is just one of several issues important to most Democrats that have been stalled by Republicans and two Senators in their own caucus. What’s the future for bills to extend the child tax credit, address climate change, subsidize child and elder care, and reduce the cost of prescription drugs?
Senator Ben Cardin joins us for the hour. And we welcome yo0ur questions and co0kmments fgor the Senator.
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It's another edition of Midday on Ethics.
Two weeks ago, a surgical team at the University of Maryland Medical Center transplanted the heart of a genetically altered pig into a 57-year-old man, David Bennett. Mr. Bennett, so far, appears to be doing well.
Xenotransplantation, or transplanting animal organs into humans, has long fascinated physicians and scientists, and the success of the operation in Baltimore has raised the hopes of many in the medical community that major breakthroughs in xenotransplantation are imminent.
It's also raised a score of ethical questions, and when ethical questions present themselves, we turn to our good friend, Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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It’s another edition of Midday with the Mayor.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins us once a month here on Midday to discuss important issues affecting the city and its people.
The news of the death of DaShawn McGrier, a Safe Streets violence interrupter in East Baltimore, was another tragic reminder of the intractability of the violence that some Baltimore neighborhoods continue to experience year after year. McGrier was one of three men who were killed Wednesday night on E. Monument Street. A fourth shooting victim remains in the hospital.
Tom talks with the Mayor about what this latest tragedy means for the city and for his holistic approach to violence reduction. They also discuss new initiatives to reduce crime in known hot spots, the Gun Trace Task Force Report, and the Mayor's priorities as he begins his second year in office.
Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom today on Zoom from his office in City Hall.
We welcome your questions and comments for the Mayor.
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It's time again for our weekly visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joinsTom with her review of the new touring production of the hit 2018 Broadway musical,The Prom, now on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.
Billed as "a musical comedy about big Broadway stars, a small town, and a love that unites them all," The Prom's touring company comes to Baltimore helmed by a Tony Award® -winning director and choreographer, Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon). And the musical's creative team — book co-writer Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone), co-writer and lyricist Chad Beguelin (Aladdin), and composer Matthew Sklar (Elf) — were all Tony Award nominees. In 2019, the musical earned seven Tony nominations in all, and won that year's Drama Desk Award for Best Musical.
The Prom continues at The Hippodrome through Sunday, January 23. Follow the show link for curtain times and ticketing.
Please note that The Hippodrome requires patrons to show proof of vaccination for admission, and to wear masks during the performance. Read the Hippodrome's COVID Safety protocols for more details.
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Now, we turn our attention to a scathing report issued last week that gives a comprehensive account of the failure of the Baltimore Police Department to identify and root-out the corrupt cops who continually broke the law for years as part of the Gun Trace Task Force.
Joining Tom now is journalist Justin Fenton. He covered the unfolding GTTF story for the Baltimore Sun, and he’s written a book about it called We Own This City, A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption. An HBO series based on the book will air this spring. He's continuing his coverage for The Baltimore Banner,a new media platform that is scheduled to launch in a few months.
Justin Fenton joins us on Zoom from Baltimore.
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The Maryland State Health Department is reporting nearly 8,900 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours. 68 fewer people are currently hospitalized for COVID, knocking that number below 3,000 for the first time in a while. Positivity rates that were closer to 30% a couple of weeks ago are now reported to be 18%.
We’ve been reporting these findings for two years. How accurate are the numbers that the Health Department collects, and if they are understated, as most experts assert that they are, how should they be used to shape public policy around issues like testing, mask mandates, and vaccine authentication?And what should we make of the heated political rhetoric that still surrounds the debate about the origins of the Coronavirus?
We're pleased to welcome back to the show Dr. Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist and Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. She recently published an article in the journal Survivalwith recommendations about what governments and scientific institutions should do to address uncertainties about the origins of the COVID-19 virus.
We'll discuss those possible origins, and her policy recommendations, as Dr. Gigi Gronvall joins us on our digital line from Baltimore.
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Tom's guest is the acclaimed photographer, Mel D. Cole. Celebrated for his compelling images of music and soccer celebrities, his new book of photographs marks a dramatic change of focus. It's titled “American Protest: Photographs 2020–2021.” It features stunning scenes from the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted across the country following the May 25, 2020 police killing of George Floyd.
Also published on Cole's website are photo and video essays about events in New York City and Richmond, Virginia, as well as powerful images he captured of the insurrectionist assault on the US Capitol on January 6th, 2021.
Mel D. Cole joins us on Zoom from New York City.
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It’s been a couple of months since vaccines were approved for young children, ages 5-11, but parents are not rushing to get their kids inoculated. Nationally, only about 17% of kids have gotten their jab so far. And with the arrival of the omicron variant, hospitalizations for children under the age of 18 have rocketed to the highest they’ve been since the pandemic began.
Today on Midday, a conversation about the impact of COVID on kids, particularly those with disabilities. Tom's guest is Dr. Brad Schlaggar, a pediatric neurologist, and the president and CEO of the Kennedy Krieger Institute here in Baltimore. Kennedy Krieger is one of the world’s most highly respected centers for the neurological, rehabilitative and developmental needs of children, adolescents and adults.
We welcome your comments and questions for Dr. Bradley Schlaggar, who joins us on Zoom from his office in Baltimore.
For information on Kennedy Krieger's vaccine clinic for people with disabilities and their caregivers, click here.
(Full disclosure: Dr. Schlaggar also serves on the WYPR Board of Directors.)
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Tom's guest today is Dr. Thomas Scalea. He’s a professor of Trauma Surgery and Director of the Program in Trauma at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. And for the past 25 years, he's been Physician-in-Chief of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC).
For Dr. Scalea and his staff, the terrible numbers of homicide and non-fatal shootings that have plagued Baltimore for many years are not abstractions. Many of the victims of these shootings are rushed to Shock Trauma right after they are attacked. Many are saved because of a variety of techniques developed at Shock Trauma to treat serious injuries, techniques that have been adopted all over the world.
Dr. Scalea and his team have also cared for tens of thousands of people injured in car accidents and falls. He has traveled to Haiti and China to help earthquake victims, he has trained thousands of US Air Force personnel, and he has worked with military physicians in Afghanistan.
We welcome your questions or comments for Dr. Scalea.
Dr. Thomas Scalea joins us on Zoom.
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“A man has not begun to live until he can rise above the narrow confines of his own individual concerns, to the broader concerns of all humanity.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at the New Covenant Baptist Church, in Chicago, Illinois, on April 9, 1967.
Dr. King would be murdered in Memphis less than one year later.
Today on Midday, on this Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and MLK Day of Service, we’ll meet three people for whom every day is a day of service.
Tom's first guest is DeRay Mckesson, a Baltimore native who has risen to national prominence as an activist on behalf of social justice. He is the host of Pod Save the People, the author of On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope and one of the leaders of Campaign Zero, whose mission is to eliminate police violence. DeRay McKesson joins us on Zoom from New York.
Tom speaks next with Chaplain Asma Inge-Hanif. She is a nurse practitioner and activist who has worked in underserved communities for more than 30 years. She heads the Muslimat Al Nissa Shelter, one of the nation's only shelters for Muslim women fleeing domestic abuse, and directs the Inge Benevolent Ministries and Healthy Solutions Holistic Health Center.
Tom's final guest today is Rev. Dr. Alvin Hathaway, who recently retired as pastor of Baltimore's historic Union Baptist Church. The veteran community organizer is now working to restore a historic school building in his West Baltimore community — PS 103 Henry Highland Garnet School — into a new community center to be known as the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center.
Rev. Dr. Hathaway joins us on Zoom.
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Tom takes a moment during today's Day of Service tribute to remember Dante Barksdale, an outreach coordinator for Baltimore City's Safe Streets program who was shot to death on the Sunday of MLK Weekend one year ago:
"As I said just after he was murdered, as a 'violence interrupter,' Dante dedicated the last ten years of his life to de-escalating disputes and intervening in situations where he convinced people who were considering violence to consider an alternative. He repeatedly placed himself in dangerous situations, using his skill, intelligence and compassion to show people a better way; a safer way; a way forward.
"He was trying to make Baltimore better. He refused to give up on young people who had, in some instances, given up on themselves. Dante knew the pressures and stresses that people in communities of color experience, and how those challenges can sometimes lead to bad decision-making. He knew about this because of his own life experience, and because of his empathy and his love. Several months after Dante was killed, another Safe Streets volunteer, Kenyell Wilson, was shot to death in his Cherry Hill neighborhood.
"Dante Barksdale was 46 years old. Kenyell Wilson was 44."
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And this news about the passing of another notable figure. On Sunday night, Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced the death of one of the last remaining Tuskegee Airmen. Brigadier General Charles McGee, who flew 409 fighter combat missions in WW II, the Korean War and in Vietnam, has died at the age of 102."
— Tom Hall
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After a months-long investigation, a federal grand jury has handed down a four-count indictment alleging that Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby committed perjury on financial forms.
Two counts of the indictment allege that Ms. Mosby falsely certified that she had experienced adverse financial consequences due to the Coronavirus.
The other two counts allege that Ms. Mosby, the city's top prosecutor, made false statements on loan applications for properties she bought in Florida.
Ms. Mosby addressed the charges at a Baltimore news conference at 1pm on Friday.
Tom discusses the legal and ethical implications of Ms. Mosby's indictment today with two scholars at the University of Baltimore: David Jaros, the Faculty Director of the Center for Criminal Justice Reform in the UBalt School of Law, and Roger Hartley, the Dean of UBalt's College of Public Affairs.
But Tom's first guest is A. Scott Bolden, a partner at the Washington, DC law firm of Reed, Smith LLP, who is serving as Marilyn Mosby’s attorney.
Our guests join us on Zoom.
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It's another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. Tom is joined once again by two of our favorite film aficianadoes: Ann Hornaday, the movie critic for The Washington Post and author the best-selling filmgoers' guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival.
Today, Ann and Jed remember the extraordinary, groundbreaking contributions of Sidney Poitier, the first Black actor to win an Academy Award, who died January 6 at the age of 94.
Then they size up the Golden Globe Awards, which have lost some of their luster in recent years. And they review some of the best films of 2021 and the best new theatrical and streaming releases of 2022.
Among the movies they discuss today are The Power of the Dog, Licorice Pizza, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Don't Look Up, The Lost Daughter and Red Rocket.
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And this note about an event this weekend honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On Sunday afternoon at 1:00, Jews United for Justice and a consortium of synagogues and other Jewish organizations are presenting on online program called The Enduring Relevance of “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” with the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Taylor Branch, the activist Tara Huffman, Tre’ Murphy of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and students from the Baltimore School for the Arts. For more information on this event, click here.
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Every day at 10:00 in the morning, the Maryland Department of Health publishes the latest data about COVID-19 in our state. Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the state recorded more than 11,000 new cases of the virus.
Between yesterday and today, we added 10,587 cases to that frightful total, which does not include results of self-tests that anyone may have administered. The 7-day average positivity rate in the state stands at 25.45%, slightly lower than yesterday, but by comparison, in the first week of November 2021, before the omicron variant raised its nasty head, the rate in MD was 2.92%.
Of all the ways of calculating the severity of the pandemic, most public health officials point to the number of hospitalizations as the metric that sheds light, not just on the number of people who are seriously ill, but also the strain those patients put on the medical infrastructure. As of this morning, MD Hospitals are caring for 3,428 patients with COVID 19. Many have other conditions as well.
That’s far and away the most patients hospitalized at one time since the pandemic began, and hospitals need our help.Tom guest is Bob Atlas, the president and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association, which represents all of Maryland’s hospitals and health systems.
Bob Atlas joins us on Zoom from Elkridge, Maryland.
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On Tuesday (January 11), President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Atlanta to speak about the importance of voting rights, and the need for federal legislation to overcome the dozens of state laws that have been enacted and the hundreds of laws that are being considered to restrict voting.
Before the President spoke, Vice President Kamala Harris advocated for an end to the filibuster that might clear the path for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act. And then, President Biden also called for changes to the filibuster that would make passage of the voting rights legislation possible. This was the first time he had taken that position publicly. It’s a position that is not shared by at least two members of the Democratic caucus. How either piece of legislation actually gets passed remains an open question.
Today on Midday,a conversation about an important and often overlooked dimension in the history of voting rights: the long fight for Black women’s suffrage. Tom's guest is the acclaimed legal and cultural historian, Martha S. Jones. She has written a broad, insightful survey of the unsung heroes of the movement for equality, a movement that started two centuries ago, and which includes scores of remarkable women whose importance and impact are made clear by Dr. Jones’ compelling narrative.
The book is called Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Now out in paperback, Prof. Jones' latest book has earned numerous awards, including the L.A. Times Book Prize for History.
Dr. Jones is the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor and professor of history at Johns Hopkins University. She’s the author of three books and an editor of a collection of essays called Toward an Intellectual History of Black Women.
Dr. Jones is also the director of the Hard History at Hopkins Project. The Hard History Project aims to closely and honestly examine the history of this world-renowned institution, and reckon with the findings. Those findings are sometimes troubling.
Two years ago, in a Washington Post opinion piece, Dr. Jones presented evidence that contradicted a long-held view of her university’s namesake. Her research led the university to confirm that Johns Hopkins, long thought to be an anti-slavery abolitionist, owned slaves. Six months later, a group of scholars questioned Dr. Jones’ conclusions, and the debate on this issue continues.
And in a related story, last week the Washington Post reported on a new database its staff has compiled documenting more than 1,700 members of Congress from the 18th, 19th and even 20th centuries who enslaved people.
Dr. Martha S. Jones joins us for the hour, on Zoom, from Washington, DC..
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Today, it’s Midday on Tech.The Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, took place last week in Las Vegas. It was on-line only last year. It was a hybrid deal this year: in-person and online, and although the crowd in Vegas was considerably smaller than in years past, when it comes to CES, small is a relative term. It still drew 40,000 people. By comparison, in 2020, when the pandemic was still just an occasional news story, 170,000 people showed up to CES.Dana Wollman Engadget.com.jpeg (1200x1200, AR: 1.0)A host of big-name tech companies also opted for a digital rather than in-person presence at the show, including Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, the parent company of Facebook.Here on Midday when CES is over, we like to catch up with our good friend Dana Wollman, the editor in chief of Endgadget, who shares with us her staff’s picks for the best of CES 2022.
Dana Wollman joins us on Zoom from New York City…
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The surge of cases of COVID 19 caused by the highly transmissible omicron variant continues in Maryland and around the world. More than 3,300 people in Maryland are currently hospitalized because of COVID, and the statewide positivity rate hovers close to 30%.
Yesterday, about one of every three Baltimore City Schools shifted their instruction to on-line only. The plan is to return to in-person classes next Monday.A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Tom's first guest today is Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Health Department.
Dr. Dzirasa joins us on Zoom from her office in Baltimore.
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Today on Midday, a preview of the 2022 Session of the Maryland General Assembly**, which begins Wednesday.
A number of issues will be front and center as legislators head back to Annapolis, chief among them drawing new boundaries for state electoral offices. COVID will, of course, loom large logistically and legislatively. Federal funds from the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure bill have the state operating with a $6 billion dollar surplus at the moment, which will be a tempting target for lawmakers.
The 90-day session will be the final opportunity for Gov. Larry Hogan to place his legislative stamp on Maryland. At this hour, the Governor is holding a press conference to discuss the upcoming session. Eight Democrats and three Republicans are running to replace Hogan next year, who is prohibited from running again because of term limits. With the exception of those lawmakers who are retiring, all Delegates and Senators are up for re-election.
The most high-profile member of the General Assembly to announce her retirement is Tom's first guest today. Del. Maggie McIntosh is the Chair of the Appropriations Committee. She’s been in the House of Delegates for nearly 30 years, and she has been one of the most consequential legislators in modern MD history. Twenty years ago, she became the first woman to serve as House majority leader. She was the first woman chair of the House Environmental Matters Committee. Del. McIntosh became the first woman to chair the powerful Appropriations Committee in 2014, and she was the first openly LGBTQ member of the General Assembly.
Chairwoman McIntosh joins us on Zoom from her home in Baltimore…
Then, we hear Tom's interview with Sen. Cory McCray, recorded last Friday. Sen. McCray represents the 45th District, and he chairs the Baltimore City Senate Delegation. That delegation includes Senators Antonio Hayes, Jill Carter, Mary Washington, Charles Sydnor and Bill Ferguson, the Senate President. Senator McCray is also the first vice-chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.
Sen. CoryMcCray joined us on Zoom.
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(The original broadcast of this program featured musical examples of Paul McCartney’s work. Due to copyright laws, we could not include them on this Webpost or on Midday's podcast. The audio we've posted contains the complete conversation between Tom Hall and Paul Muldoon.)
Rolling Stone Magazine called Paul McCartney's"Yesterday" “the best song of the 20th century.” It’s been covered and recorded by thousands of artists, and it is universally loved.
Paul McCartney wrote it in 1965, when he was 23 and in the middle of his stint with The Beatles. Sir Paul turns 80 in June, and he’s still writing, recording and performing. In a writing career that began in 1956, McCartney has written or co-written more than 400 songs. The lyrics to 154 of them are included in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, a new, two-volume set of books that place the words to the songs next to McCartney's back stories for each of them.
Today on Midday, Tom's guest is the wonderful poet Paul Muldoon. Muldoon was tapped by Paul McCartney to help him with the book. Muldoon wrote an introduction, and edited conversations with McCartney into the essays that accompany each song.
Paul Muldoon is perfectly positioned to curate such a collection. He is a song lyricist himself, and a member of a band called Rogue Oliphant. He even teaches a course in songwriting at Princeton University, where he’s been on the faculty for 35 years.
He is also the author of 14 poetry collections and the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His latest collection is called Howdie-Skelp. We’ll talk about that book as well later in the program.
Paul Muldoon joins us on Zoom from New York…
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Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom on Zoom for another of her weekly reviews of the region's thespian offerings. Today, in this Web-only critique, she spotlights Once Upon a One More Time, a fairy-tale musical that's getting its world premiere on stage at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC.
In this satirical musical fantasy, written by Jon Hartmere, a group of classic fairy-tale princesses, gathered at their fortnightly book club, experience a catharsis after reading Betty Friedan's radical feminist manifesto, The Feminine Mystique. With the recorded music of pop princess Britney Spears as their soundtrack, the newly empowered princesses set about redefining themselves in an uproarious assault on storybook sexism.
Once Upon A One More Time, whose 13-member cast is directed by the Creative Team of Keone and Mari Madrid, continues at the Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Harman Center for the Arts in Washington DC until Sunday, January 9.
Click the theater link above for showtime and ticket information.
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Today, following NPR's live coverage of the remembrances in the US House of Representatives on the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, Tom is joined by WYPR correspondent John Lee, who shares his report on how some members of Maryland's congressional delegation have reflected on the extraordinary events of January 6th and their implications for the American democracy.
And we welcome our listeners' comments on the January 6th anniversary.
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Today on Midday, it's another edition of Smart Nutrition, with our good friend Monica Reinagel — a licensed nutritionist who hosts podcasts, blogs and on-line programs at Nutrition Over Easy.com.
A survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 42% of Americans gained an average of 29 pounds during just the first year of the pandemic. (Perhaps all those sourdough starters we were using to make bread had some less-than-ideal endings.) As is always the case, many of us resolve to lose some weight and get in better shape as the new year begins.
And, of course, we’d all like to see a quick turnaround, but if we follow the science, as they say, slow and steady is our best bet.
This is the time of year we hear a lot from weight-loss companies. Some of those companies are hearing back from a lot of unsatisfied customers. What’s behind the backlash against some of those wellness apps?
Monica Reinagel joins us on Zoom to talk about successful weight control and sensible eating.
A little later in the program, we're joined on Zoom by Michelle Petties, a colleague of ours here at WYPR and the author of a compelling memoir of her journey with weight gain, and weight loss. It's called Leaving Large: The Stories of a Food Addict.
We invite our listeners to join the conversation...
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Tom's guest today is Congressman Jamie Raskin, who represents Maryland’s 8th District, which includes parts of Montgomery, Carroll, and Frederick Counties.
Raskin came to national prominence early last year when he was tapped by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the lead manager in Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial. Trump was charged with “incitement of insurrection” for the purpose of overturning the results of the 2020 election.
As Rep. Raskin writes in his new book, although the Senate demonstrated the most bipartisan support ever for conviction in a presidential impeachment trial, Mr. Trump “beat the constitutional spread,” in Raskin’s words, and avoided conviction. The final vote was 57-43, 10 votes short of the number needed to convict.
Rep. Raskin is a member of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the Capitol. The committee has interviewed more than 300 witnesses in private sessions. It plans to hold public hearings in the coming weeks.
This Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of the insurrection at the Capitol. But for the Raskin family and legions of their friends, last Thursday marked the one-year anniversary of a terrible tragedy. The Congressman’s son, Tommy, a 25-year-old student at the Harvard Law School, succumbed to depression and died by suicide.
The riot at the Capitol occurred just a week after Tommy Raskin’s death. Jamie Raskin has written a book that weaves the story of Tommy’s life into the Congressman’s work as the lead impeachment manager, reflecting on his personal anguish, and the national anguish that the country experienced as the very foundations of democratic rule were threatened.
The book is called Unthinkable: Trauma, Truth, and the Trials of American Democracy.
Congressman Raskin joins us on Zoom from his home in Takoma Park.
If you or someone you know needs help now, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
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Today, in our first show of the new year, it’s the Midday HealthWatch. Tom's guest is Dr. Leana Wen, who for years has been so generous sharing her time and expertise with Middaylisteners.
Dr. Wen is an emergency physician and former Baltimore City Health Commissioner. She teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She’s also a columnist for the Washington Post, a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
This morning, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds, and it lowered the time frame for everyone getting a booster from six months to five months after the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will review the FDA panel’s ruling. They’re expected to make an official recommendation on Wednesday.
Over the New Year’s weekend, the US was reporting nearly 300,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day. That number has climbed to more than 400,000 daily cases as of today and it’s likely much higher, given the number of people who are self-testing for the virus, and not reporting positive results. And it’s not all due to the omicron variant. The Delta variant still accounts for more than 41 percent of cases in the United States, as of the week that ended on Christmas Day.
The positivity rate in Maryland is nearly 27% and Maryland hospitals are under orders to limit various procedures so that scarce medical personnel can concentrate on patients with severe COVID-related disease. Maryland reported more than 14,000 new cases in the last 24 hours. More than 2,700 people are currently in Maryland hospitals; that’s nearly 200 more than on Sunday.
As we mentioned, children over the age of 12 will soon be eligible to get a booster. But, first things first: nationally, only 32% of kids above the age of 5 have received their first shot.
And, a year into vaccine availability, only about 62% of Americans are fully vaccinated, well behind dozens of other countries.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Skype for the hour to discuss these and other COVID-related developments...
And as always, we welcome your questions and comments.
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(This conversation originally aired on December 7, 2021)
Welcome to this archive edition of Midday. Tom Hall's guest today is the acclaimed writer, Ann Patchett. She is the winner of many awards, including the 2002 Pen Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction, and her work has been translated into more than 30 languages.
She is the author of eight best-selling novels, the latest of which, The Dutch House, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Her break-out book was a novel she published in 2001 called Bel Canto, which was made into a movie in 2018. She is the author of several non-fiction titles, including Truth and Beauty, a memoir of her friendship with the writer Lucy Grealy, and a wonderful collection of essays called This is the Story of a Happy Marriage.
She also co-owns Parnassus Books, an independent bookshop in her hometown of Nashville, with her business partner, Karen Hayes.
Her new book was published two days before Thanksgiving. It’s another collection of essays called These Precious Days. Like her fiction, Patchett’s non-fiction work is musical, powerful and compassionate. She has a great ear, and a quiet, unfailing eye. And like her fictional characters, the real-life friends and family that Patchett writes about are people you are simply delighted to meet.
Ann Patchett joined us on the line from Nashville…
This conversation was recorded earlier, so we’re not able to take any calls or comments today.
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(This conversation originally aired on September 15, 2021)
Good afternoon and welcome to this archive edition of Midday. Tom Hall's guest is Jelani Cobb, one of the most important public intellectuals of our time, a scholar and commentator who has offered invaluable insights in the study of racial equality in America in several books, and as a contributor and staff writer at The New Yorker. Dr. Cobb also teaches journalism at Columbia University, and is a frequent commentator on MSNBC.
Jelani Cobb’s latest book is about the Kerner Commission. The commission’s report was released in 1968, just one month before the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The commission was established by President Lyndon Johnson in the wake of nearly two dozen riots that had taken place in cities across America over the preceding three years.
In his televised address to the nation on the evening he announced the commission in July 1967, President Johnson said:
"The only genuine, long-range solution for what has happened lies in an attack— mounted at every level—upon the conditions that breed despair and violence. All of us know what those conditions are: ignorance, discrimination, slums, poverty, disease, not enough jobs. We should attack these conditions—not because we are frightened by conflict, but because we are fired by conscience. We should attack them because there is simply no other way to achieve a decent and orderly society in America."
Jelani Cobb makes a compelling case for the Kerner Commission’s relevance today. In his trenchant and enlightening introduction to the report, he contends that “Kerner establishes that it is possible for us to be entirely cognizant of history and repeat it anyway.”
The racial injustice and inequity that the Kerner Report described more than 50 years ago still create barriers to advancement for people of color. Much of the analysis of the racial dynamic in America that the report offers rings as true today as it did in its day.
His book is called The Essential Kerner Commission Report. His co-editor is Matthew Guariglia.Jelani Cobb joined us on our digital line from New York.
Because our conversation was recorded earlier, we can’t take any calls or on-line comments.
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(This conversation was originally aired on November 12, 2021)
Welcome to this archive edition of Midday.
Tom Hall's guest today is the acclaimed author, Louise Erdrich. She is one of the most gifted and compelling writers in American literature today. Readers all over the world are irresistibly drawn to her bevy of complex and endearing characters who navigate the world in fascinating and unexpected ways, and whose stories are told with grace, compassion and persuasive authority.
Erdrich is the author of 18 novels to date, a collection of short stories, three collections of poetry, more than a half-dozen children's books, and two works of non-fiction. She has won the National Book Critics Circle Award three times; she has also won a National Book Award.
In April of 2020, Tom spoke with Louise Erdrich on this program about her novel, The Night Watchman. This year, the novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. That wonderful novel drew its inspiration from the true story of her grandfather, a leader of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in the 1950s.
Her new novel, published in November, takes place in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2019 and 2020. It also explores Indigenous identity and the complexities of the relationship between native and white cultures. Most of the characters in this book are employees or customers at a store inspired by Birchbark Books, a bookstore Louise Erdrich owns. The novel even includes a character who is an author named Louise. It’s called The Sentence.
Louise Erdrich joined us on Zoom from Minneapolis.
(Our conversation was pre-recorded, so we’re not taking any new calls or on-line comments today.)
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(This conversation originally aired October 15, 2021)
Welcome to this archive edition of Midday. Today, we revisit a conversation host Tom Hall had this past fall with the acclaimed author, Alice McDermott. She is the winner of a National Book Award. Three of her novels have been finalists for the Pulitzer Prize, and she’s garnered many other prizes and accolades in a career that has spanned 40 years, and counting.
Alice McDermott is an insightful and brilliant observer of the passing parade, and her prose is simply a delight to encounter. Books like Charming Billy, After This, Someone, or her most recent novel, The Ninth Hour have afforded her readers some of the most enjoyable and enlightening experiences available in modern fiction.
Alice McDermott has long been revered as a teacher of writing as well, serving for many years on the faculties of theJohns Hopkins Writing Seminars and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Her latest book is a work of non-fiction, in which she proffers what might be dubbed a Bill of Rights for readers, and a How-To Guide for writers. It is a celebration of great writing, and an investigation into what makes great writing, great.
It’s called What About the Baby?: Some Thoughts on the Art of Fiction. Alice McDermott joined us on our digital line from her home in Bethesda, Maryland.
(Because our conversation was recorded earlier, we aren’t able to take any calls or comments today.)
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(This conversation originally aired on October 22, 2021)
Welcome to this archive edition of Midday. Tom's guest today is Elizabeth Strout. She is the best-selling author of eight novels and many short stories. She won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for her wonderful novel, Olive Kitteridge. A film series adaption of that book, starring Frances McDormand on HBO, won eight Emmy Awards.
Elizabeth Strout’s novel, Olive Again, re-visited Olive Kitteridge. Her latest novel, published in October, puts us in touch again with another one of her magnificent characters, Lucy Barton, who figured prominently in two of her previous novels, My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything is Possible.
This third Lucy Barton novel centers on Lucy’s first husband, a successful scientist named William Gerhardt. It’s in part a road-trip story. Lucy and William, long divorced, set-off together on a journey to find a sister who William only recently discovered he had.
Elizabeth Strout often writes about people with big hearts who live in small towns. When we encounter Lucy and William in this novel, they are prosperous New Yorkers who struggle with reckoning about their small-town roots. Lucy and William are fantastic, complicated, wondrous characters who are crafted with compassion and grace and first-rate writerly skill.
The novel is called Oh William! Author Elizabeth Strout joined us on Zoom last fall from Nashville, Tennessee.
This conversation was pre-recorded, so we aren’t able to take any calls or on-line comments.
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Hello, and Happy Holidays! Welcome to the Midday Christmas Eve Special, with your host, Tom Hall.
Today, we’ll spend the hour listening to some music and some poetry of the season, plus, a story by Baltimore writer Rafael Alvarez.
We've put together a playlist of our selections, and you can find them below in the order you'll hear them in the program:
- MUSIC: I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In. A carol arranged by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker.(from a 2010 CD recording by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society, "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral," Tom Hall, conducting.)
- POEM: Ring Out Wild Bells, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (read by Midday producer Cianna Greaves)
- MUSIC: A Clean Heart. A motet for a cappella chorus by James Lee, III. He’s on the faculty of Morgan State University, and his music is performed all over the world. This is a setting of a text from the Psalms, Create in Me a Clean Heart. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- MUSIC: Ogo ni fun Oluwa, by the great African American composer Rosephanye Powell, sung by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. This is an African Praise Song, on a text from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria. The title means "Rejoice! Glory be unto the Lord." (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- READING: "Aunt Lola," written and read by Baltimore writer Rafael Alvarez.
- MUSIC: Ring the Bells, by Rosephanye Powell, commissioned by Tom Hall when he was the Music Director of the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral.")
- MUSIC: Have You Seen the Baby Jesus? by Rosephanye Powell, with soprano Janice Chandler Eteme. (from "Christmas at America’s First Cathedral."
- READING: A Chinese proverb, read by WYPR Digital producer, Jamyla Krempel.
- MUSIC: Precious Gifts. Music by Dave Brubeck; text by his wife Iola. Most people know Dave as one of the most iconic pianists in the history of jazz. But Dave was also a frequent composer of choral music, in collaboration with Iola. This is one of their beautiful, a cappella gems, in its world premiere recording, featuring the Baltimore Choral Arts Society.
- POEM: The Journey of the Magi, by T. S. Eliot. Read by Tom Hall. The poet was born in St. Louis in 1888, but he moved to Britain as a young man and eventually became an English citizen.
- POEM: "Twas the Night Before Christmas," by Clement Moore; a classic reading by Louis Armstrong.
We hope you enjoy this hour of holiday inspirations. Thanks for listening!
We wish you all a joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy New Year!
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It is my custom on this program to take some time near the end of the year to remember, briefly, some of the people in our local area who have passed away during the year. As always, this is not an exhaustive list. I simply want to mention a few of the people in the area who I was blessed to know, and who our community was blessed to have.
Leslie Starr died in February. She was a wonderful musician, friend and colleague; one of the first people I met in 1982 when I arrived in Baltimore to lead the Baltimore Choral Arts Society. Leslie and I did countless concerts together. I will always remember her quiet countenance, her consummate skill, and her warm way. Leslie was 70 years old.
George Wills also died in February at the age of 84. George was a charmer; gregarious, preternaturally positive, and a person who lifted the spirits of all. George was also a terrific water colorist, and a great lover of music and the arts.
And when it comes to music and the arts, there are few people in the history of our town who matched the dedication, commitment and accomplishments of Buddy Zamoiski, who passed away in February at the age of 93. A passionate philanthropist for Johns Hopkins and many other organizations, Buddy was a singular, driving force behind the growth of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The BSO as we know it today is simply unimaginable without his leadership and his tenacity.
The wonderful painters, Ruth Pettus and Raoul Middleman passed away as well. Ruth was just 63 years old when she died in March, but she produced an acclaimed body of work that fascinated, provoked and delighted legions of fans. Raoul was 86 when he passed away in October. His work is acknowledged in museums and galleries around the world as distinctive and brilliant. Raoul and Ruth both loved music too, and a good laugh.
In my years as a musician, I had the pleasure of working with many wonderful singers. Jason Ryan’s powerful bass voice was deep, rich and resonant, and he could always be counted on to anchor the choral chord. Jason passed away in March.
Our friend and former colleague, Fraser Smith died in April. Fraser was WYPR’s resident sage and Senior News Analyst. He was our mentor, our guide, and our north star. His keen insight into politics and people was honed from years of skilled listening and superb reporting. He was a gentleman, and a model of gentility. Fraser Smith was 83 years old.
Bishop Douglas Miles was an extraordinary man, an erudite religious scholar, and a persuasive, compelling and imaginative social justice activist whose work as an organizer and as a mentor to other activists form an important and indelible legacy. One of the founders and longtime leaders of Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development, Doug was one of our city’s most eloquent and effective crusaders for racial equity and fairness. He was 72 years old when he passed away in August.
Earlier this month, Ernie Imhoff, described as the “heart and soul” of the Baltimore Evening Sun died at the age of 84. Ernie was my wife’s boss at the paper when we met in the mid-1980s. He became our wise and wonderful friend, an inspiration for us as journalists, and a model for us as people.
For the blessing of knowing all of these bright lights of Baltimore, I am grateful, for what they’ve meant to me, and for how they enlivened and enhanced our city.
-- Tom Hall
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It's time for another visit from Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom this week with her review of A Strange Loop, playwright Michael R. Jackson's Pulitzer Prize-winning 2020 musical that's getting a new production at Woolly Mammoth Theater Company in Washington, D.C.
The first musical written (book, music and lyrics) by Jackson, a gay Black playwright, A Strange Loop tells the story of a gay Black playwright struggling to write his first musical... about a gay Black playwright struggling to write his first musical...
Music direction is by Rona Siddiqui, with choreography by Raja Feather Kelly. Stephen Brackett directs the cast, featuring James Jackson Jr., Jason Veasey, John-Michael Lyles, Jaquel Spivey, L Morgan Lee, John-Andrew Morrison and Antwayn Hopper.
A Strange Loop is produced by Woolly Mammoth Theater Company in association with Playwrights Horizons and Page 73 Productions. The musical continues at Woolly Mammoth through January 9, 2022.
Please note: Tonight’s (Thursday's) performance has been cancelled due to COVID exposure in the company, and there are no performances tomorrow or Saturday due to the holiday. Performances are expected to resume Sunday. Check the theater’s website for updated information. For show schedule and ticket information, click here.
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Today on the Midday Newswrap, Tom's guest is Luke Broadwater. As a reporter for the Baltimore Sun, he led the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for their breaking coverage of former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh and the scandal that landed her and two associates in jail. Luke now covers Congress as a correspondent for The New York Times.
Luke discusses COVID and the fast-moving omicron variant's impact on the congressional community; the Senate leadership's efforts to secure the votes for passage of President Biden's Build Back Better Act, the House Select Committee's ongoing probe of the January 6th insurrection at the US Capitol, and other developments on Capitol Hill.
Luke Broadwater joins us on Zoom from Columbia, Maryland.
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A week and a half ago, a man shot his girlfriend in Federal Hill here in Baltimore, then drove to Columbia, where he murdered his ex-wife, before taking his own life.
Last month in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, a man murdered his wife in their home, and after shooting the woman’s mother and the family dog, committed suicide. The woman was a nurse in a domestic violence center.
Recent surveys indicate that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Today on Midday, conversations about intimate partner violence; how the problem has been exacerbated by the pandemic, how the holiday season is of particular concern to advocates for domestic violence, and how women of color are disproportionately impacted.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Tiara Willie. She’s an assistant professor in the Department of Mental Health at The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her research focuses on gender-based violence, and trauma-informed policies, programs, and interventions.
Tom's second guest, joining us later in the hour, is Bill Mitchell. He lives in Ellicott City, and for the past 16 years, he has been a passionate advocate for victims of domestic violence. He is the author of a book called When Dating Hurts: What We Learned About Dating Violence After Our Daughter’s Tragic Death, in which he shares the tragic story of his daughter Kristin's murder in a case of dating violence. He hosts a podcast and a Website of the same name.
Bill Mitchell joins us on Zoom todiscuss his crusade to educate people about the dangers of intimate partner violence.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or Maryland’s 24-hour Hotline, House of Ruth: 410-889-RUTH (7884).
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Next week, Will Baker will retire as the president of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a position he has held since 1982. He joined the organization six years prior to that, as an intern, fresh out of college. The foundation is the largest nonprofit conservation organization dedicated solely to preserving, protecting, and restoring the Chesapeake Bay.
Will Baker joins us on Zoom to reflect on his tenure, and the future of the Bay.
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Before the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus made businesses reconsider plans to return to their workplaces, people who have had the luxury of being able to work at home were beginning to consider the upside and downside of returning to in-person employment. There’s no question that the world has changed a lot in the nearly two years since since the pandemic began. If and when folks do return to the workplace, have the rules for office etiquette changed too?
Tom's first guest today is Thomas P. Farley, an etiquette expert who writes a syndicated column called “Ask Mister Manners,” and who appears in the media and consults with companies about workplace etiquette.
Thomas Farley joins us on Zoom from New York City.
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Today, it's Midday on Sports, and Tom's guest is the best-selling author and multi-media sports commentator, John Feinstein.
When Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their gloved hands at the 1968 Olympics, they did so knowing that they would pay an enormous price. 50 years later, when basketball superstars LeBron James and Kevin Durant talked about politics, a conservative media personality admonished them to “shut up and dribble.” Colin Kaepernick’s quiet protest against police misconduct in 2016 cost him his career.
As John Feinstein chronicles in his new book, there are many, many more athletes, coaches and front office personnel in professional sports whose trailblazing activism happened behind the scenes. Feinstein explores the racial dynamics of sports at the highest level, and finds that when it comes to equity for people of color, sports reflects what we know to be true in other businesses: we have a long way to go.
His new book is called Raise a Fist, Take a Knee: Race and the Illusion of Progress in Modern Sports.
John Feinstein joins us today on Zoom from Potomac, Maryland.
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Today, Tom is joined live on Zoom by Helicon, the renowned traditional music trio that includes Ken Kolodner, Robin Bullock and Chris Norman, along with members of the old-timey, roots music group Charm City Junction and The Ken & Brad Kolodner Quartet, for our annual Holiday Concert.
Helicon has been delighting their fans here in Baltimore with a Winter Solstice Concert for 36 years. They continue this great Baltimore holiday tradition with two live, COVID-safe performances tomorrow (Saturday, December 18) at 3:30 and 7:30 pm, at Goucher College’s Kraushaar Auditorium.
In addition to Helicon, the Winter Solstice Concert shows will feature Charm City Junction, with Brad Kolodner, Alex Lacquement, Patrick McAvinue, and Sean McComiskey. The vocalist Rachel Eddy, fiddler Elke Baker, and North American step-dance champion Jonathon Srour will also be part of the festivities. For ticket information, click here.
Guests on today’s Midday Holiday Concert include: Helicon: Ken Kolodner, on hammer dulcimer, and fiddle; Robin Bullock, on piano, guitar, cittern and mandolin; Chris Norman, onwooden flutes, tin whistle, piano, and small bagpipes. Plus: Brad Kolodner plays the clawhammer banjo with Charm City Junction and The Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet.; Alex Lacquementplays upright bass with Charm City Junction and The Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet; Sean McComiskey plays button accordion with Charm City Junction, andElke Bakerplays fiddle withThe Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet.
Songs you’ll hear on today’s Holiday Concert:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (traditional; arranged by Helicon) / Christmas Eve (Ireland): everyone joining in
Lay Down Your Arms (Doron Levenson, Israel): featured on the CD, On a Cold Winter's Day** -- Helicon with Elke & Alex:
Black Eyed Susie (Old-time) from Ken & Brad's 2020 CD, Stony Run -- Ken/Brad & Alex
Gesu Bambino (Italy, arranged by Helicon) -- Helicon
Hop High, My Lulu Gal (Old-time) - led by Brad on banjo with everyone playing - from Charm City Junction's last CD, Duckpin
Enjoy the music, and Happy Holidays!
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom this week with her review of The Skin of Our Teeth, Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer-Prize winning play that's getting a lively new production at Baltimore'sEveryman Theatre.
First produced on Broadway in 1942 as the world was being engulfed by war, Wilder's innovative play imagines how humanity survives a global apocalypse and emerges stronger on the other side.
Noah Himmelstein directs Everyman Theatre's ensemble cast, starring resident company actors Felicia Curry as Sabina, Jefferson Russell as Mr. Antrobus and Beth Hylton as Mrs. Antrobus.
The Skin of Our Teeth continues at The Everyman Theatre through January 2. A streaming option will be available later in this run. For ticket information, click here.
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Tom's guest today is the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Joseph Ellis, whose latest book - his 13th - examines the American revolution and its two abiding legacies: independence and slavery.
Many participants in the fight for independence worried that the central challenge was not winning the war, but surviving its aftermath. Ellis observes that at the time, there was no such thing as an American identity, and that a cohesive consensus about nationhood and the institutions of democracy remained elusive following the war. In our time, events since the last Presidential election would indicate that consensus remains elusive to this day.
The book is called The Cause: The American Revolution and Its Discontents, 1773-1783.Joseph Ellis joined us on Zoom from Woodstock, Vermont.
Tom's conversation with Joseph Ellis was recorded earlier, so we can’t take any calls or comments today.
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More than 800,000 Americans have died from complications related to COVID 19. More than 200,000 of those deaths occurred after vaccines were available. Despite that availability, more people died in 2021 than had died in 2020. The vast majority of those who have perished recently had not been vaccinated.
The Maryland Department of Health website was the victim of a cyber attack earlier this month. The only data that is current on the site concerns hospitalizations and vaccines. More than 1,100 people are currently in the hospital because of COVID. Several area public schools are reporting a significant uptick in cases, and nationwide, the country is experiencing a surge of cases because of the delta variant. The omicron variant has now been detected in 77 countries and 35 US states, including Maryland.
Today on Midday, we take a look at the problem of post-COVID conditions, commonly known as Long Haul COVID. Many people who are infected with COVID-19, even with relatively mild cases, experience repercussions from that infection for many months after they are first diagnosed. A study published in October by researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine estimated that more than half of people who are infected with COVID 19 will experience post-COVID symptoms up to six months after recovering from the initial disease.
A team at Johns Hopkins Medicine works with long haul COVID patients to address a range of problems that include persistent fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, nausea, and a host of other debilitating conditions. A little later in the show, Tom speaks with two advocates who work with Long Haul COVID patients.
We begin with the co-directors of the Johns Hopkins Post-Acute COVID-19 Team, or JH PACT, an inter-departmental collaboration that operates clinics for patients with a variety of post-COVID conditions.
Dr. Alba Azola is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Hopkins School of Medicine…
And Dr. Ann Parker is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Hopkins.
Tom is then joined by Emily Taylor, the Director of Advocacy and Community Relations at Solve M.E., an organization dedicated to ending chronic fatigue syndrome. Solve M.E. co-founded the Long COVID Alliance.
Tom's final guest today is Chimére Smith. She is a former middle school teacher in Baltimore who now serves as an advocate for people in urban communities who suffer from Long COVID. Chimére Smith testified before Congresslast Spring about her experience with Long Haul COVID. (Her testimony to the House Energy & Commerce Health Committee hearing on April 28, 2021 titled "The Long Haul: Forging a Path through the Lingering Effects of COVID-19," can be read here.
We invited listeners who are struggling with the long-term effects of COVID to give us a call, or send us an email or Tweet, and tell us their story…
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Tom's next guests are two African American women who are helping to address homelessness in Baltimore, and helping women learn the skills they need to build houses, and build wealth.
LaQuida Chancey is the founder and CEO of Smalltimore Homes, an enterprise that works to provide people living in poverty with a variety of affordable paths to home ownership.
Shelley Halstead is the founder and CEO of Black Women Build, a not-for-profit organization that fosters home ownership and wealth-building by training Black women in carpentry, electrical, and plumbing skills to restore vacant and deteriorated houses in West Baltimore.
LaQuida Chancey and Shelley Halstead join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, conversations about building community through solar energy and affordable housing. A little later, Tom speaks with two African American women who are helping to address homelessness in Baltimore, and helping women learn the skills they need to build houses, and build wealth. LaQuida Chancey of Smalltimore Homes and Shelley Halstead of Black Women Build will join Tom in the second half of our show today.
We begin with two women whose work revolves around the sun.
Kimberly Armstrong is the Maryland Program Director for Solar United Neighbors. She is also a member of the Environmental Justice Partnership, and the Baltimore chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy.
Kristal Hansley is the first Black woman CEO in the community solar industry. She is the founder and CEO of WeSolar, Inc., which makes affordable community solar accessible to under-resourced communities.
Kimberly Armstrong and Kristal Hansley join us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, it’s Midday on Cars! Tom's guest is John Davis, the creator, producer and host of MotorWeek, now in its 41st season. It’s produced at Maryland Public Television (MPT) here in Maryland and syndicated on PBS stations across the land.
For the past many months, it’s been a challenging time to be in the market for a new set of wheels. Computer chips are still scarce, and that continues to affect the price of both new and used cars. This past weekend was mild in the Baltimore metro area, but Winter is Coming, as they used to say on Game of Thrones. What should we be sure to check before the weather gets seriously cold?
John Davis is with us for the hour today to take your questions and comments about all things automotive…You can give us a call at 410.662.8780, Tweet us: @middayWYPR or email us at midday@wypr.org.
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And lastly on today's edition of Midday on the Arts, our theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom for another of her weekly reviews of the region's thespian offerings. This week, she has reviews of two plays now running concurrently at Baltimore Center Stage.
The first is ArtsCentric's ambitious production of Dreamgirls, the 1980s hit Broadway musical about a trio of young female singers aspiring to success. The sprawling cast is directed by Artscentric's founder and artistic director, Kevin S. McAllister. Musical Supervision is by Cedric D. Lyles, with choreograophy by Shalyce Hemby.
The second play is the Center Stage production of Fires in the Mirror, playwright Anna Deavere Smith's powerful, one-woman evocation of the strife between Black and Jewish communities that erupted in New York City in the summer of 1991. The Center Stage production is directed by Nicole Brewer. (Tom Hall spoke about Fires with Nicole Brewer, Center Stage Artistic Director Stephanie Ybarra and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, along with two scholars, here on Midday earlier this month).
The play is being presented in partnership with the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut.
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins us today on Zoom.
Both productions are running at Center Stage until December 19. For ticketing information for Dreamgirls, click here. For Fires in the Mirror, click here.
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Next on today's Midday on the Arts:
Baltimore's Everyman Theater is presenting The Skin of Our Teeth, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Thornton Wilder that premiered on Broadway on November 18, 1942, at a time when the world was convulsed by global war. The new production at Everyman opens tonight, Dec 10, a few days after the 80th anniversary of Japan's 1941attack on Pearl Harbor. That event led the US to go to war and was a major inspiration for Thornton Wilder to write the The Skin of Our Teeth.
The comic play, a groundbreaking and still-resonant satirical work that addresses the anxieties sparked by a world in chaos, continues at the Everyman through January 2nd. For ticket info, click here.
Joining Tom now to talk about the challenges and rewards of working on Everyman's new production of The Skin of Our Teeth are Noah Himmelstein, Everyman's Assistant Artistic Director and the director of the play, and Felicia Curry, an ET resident company actor who plays the lead role of Sabina.
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It’s Midday on the Arts. A little later in this hour, Tom checks in with our theater critic, J Wynn Rousuck, for her reviews of two shows at Baltimore Center Stage. Tom will also talk to some folks from Baltimore's Everyman Theater about their new production of Thornton Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth.
But we begin with two classically trained string players who have reimagined the repertoire and the audience for their instruments. In 2004, two high school buddies from Broward County, Florida, formed the duo Black Violin. Here’s Wil B on viola and Kev Marcus on violin with a little taste of Black Violin from their 2020 release, a holiday album called Give Thanks. This is their take on the classic, Joy to the World.
Black Violin is in the middle of a national tour that has them playing the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall here in Baltimore tonight (Dec.10), for one show only. They’ll be joined on stage by DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes. Their show starts at 8:00. For ticketing information, click here.
Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus join us on Zoom from south Florida. Their conversation with Tom was recorded earlier this week, so we can't take any calls.
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The intractable rate of violent crime is certainly one of our city’s most pressing problems, and the Mayor has said repeatedly it is his highest priority. Yesterday, the Mayor announced his “Action Plan” for the next three years. He made no mention of the fact that he has yet to reach his goal of a 15% annual reduction in homicides.Today on Midday, a discussion of what many view as another public safety issue: what to do about Squeegee Kids.It’s an issue that strikes people viscerally, and it often divides along racial lines.Squeegee Kids or Squeegee workers or Squeegee people, or Squeegee whatever you want to call them, have been an on and off topic that has preoccupied people at various times over the last 40 years.
Before we begin our conversation, a little background:
In 1985, then-police Commissioner Bishop L. Robinson advocated for a bill that would make windshield washing on the street illegal, and subject to a $50 fine for offenders over the age of 18. The City Council passed that bill, divided along racial lines. A subsequent version of the bill that included training on safety and courtesy to drivers, IDs, uniforms, and designated areas for offering squeegee services was signed into law by Mayor William Donald Schaefer.The rationale was one of public safety. A year after the bill passed, a young boy named Howard Bradshaw was hit by a truck and killed on Maryland Avenue while squeegeeing.For years, the supposed prohibition about squeegeeing has largely been ignored.
In 2017, then-Mayor Catherine Pugh formed the “Squeegee Corps,” an initiative that was similar to the 1985 iteration. It lasted less than a year. Mayor Jack Young announced another program in 2019. I spoke about it on Midday with Tisha Edwards, who was at the time, the director of the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success. She said the aim of that program was to eliminate squeegeeing, which she described as panhandling.
This year, two days before Thanksgiving, Mayor Brandon Scott announced his plan to address the Squeegee issue. It is a 90-day plan in which the city will "intensify its outreach and engagement efforts." A statement announcing the plan said, “Mayor Scott will launch a Boys and Men of Color Cabinet that will engage academic, business, and community partners to build a comprehensive strategy for connecting the City’s disconnected boys and men of color to opportunity. The new strategic framework will be presented to the public in early 2022.”
Former Democratic State Senator Jim Brochin represented Baltimore County in the MD Senate from 2003-2019. Now an insurance broker in Cockeysville, Sen. Brochin co-founded and co-directs Fair Maps Maryland, a group that supports Gov. Hogan's redistricting recommendations. Recently, he called for residents of Baltimore County to boycott the city until it acts to remove squeegee kids from its streets. Midday invited Sen. Brochin to the program today to explain his position.
We asked more than a half-dozen members of the Scott administration to appear on this program to talk about it too, and they declined. Our guess is that they’re listening right now. The offer to have someone from the administration explain the Mayor’s proposal still stands. Give us a call.
We are joined by Professor Lawrence Brown, a research scientist in the Center for Urban Health Equity at Morgan State University. He’s the author of The Black Butterfly: The Harmful Politics of Race and Space in America, a book that explores the racial and spatial divide in Baltimore.
We would very much like to hear from you, as well.Are you intimidated by Squeegee kids when they approach you at traffic lights? Do you give them money and encourage them? Do you think that what they’re doing is akin to panhandling, or does it represent entrepreneurial enterprise? Should people stay away from Baltimore as long as the Squeegee kids are at some of the corners in the city?
Sen. Jim Brochin and Dr. Lawrence Brown join us on Zoom.
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As we approach the first anniversary of the insurrection at the US Capitol, more than 700 people have been indicted and more indictments are expected. 129 rioters have entered guilty pleas. Several have been sentenced to prison terms.Did the mob that stormed the Capitol simply coalesce around the fantasy that the election was stolen from Donald Trump? Or can the roots of the violence be traced back to rage about government that began in the 1970s?
In Charlotteville, Virginia, on the day before Thanksgiving, a federal jury found twelve defendants and five organizations liable for $26 million dollars in damages stemming from the Unite the Right rally.What effect will this verdict have on the future of the neo-Nazi and White supremacist organizations that sparked the tragic, deadly violence in 2017?
Tom's guest today is Dr. Kathleen Belew. She’s an assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, where she is also the faculty affiliate at the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture. She is the author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America.
And along with Ramón Gutiérrez, she is the co-editor of, and contributor to, a new collection of essays called A Field Guide to White Supremacy, in which she and other leading scholars explore how different forms of White supremacy and hatred manifest in events like those that took place on January 6th, and extend to domestic partner violence, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, anti-immigration, and anti-Semitism. The authors chronicle how hate groups have moved from the fringe to the mainstream in America, and they send a clear warning that the violence we’ve seen in recent years may well be repeated.
Kathleen Belew joins us on our digital line from Chicago.
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Tom's guest today isAnn Patchett, one of the most gifted writers in contemporary American literature.
She is the winner of many awards, including the Pen Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize for Fiction, and her work has been translated into more than 30 languages.She is the author of eight novels. Her most recent, The Dutch House,was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. (Tom spoke with the author about that work here on Midday in September, 2019.)
Her latest book is a wonderful collection of personal essays called These Precious Days. It’s a rich assortment of stories and reflections about dear friends, family, marriage; the art of writing, the joy of reading, how to hold tight, and when to let go. The real-life cast of characters in these essays is as fascinating and endearing and compelling as the diverse array of people she invents in her fiction, and she writes about them with tremendous grace, compassion and skill.
Ann Patchett joined Tom on Zoom last week from her home in Nashville, Tennessee, where she co-owns Parnassus Books, an independent bookstore.
(Because this conversation was recorded, we wont be taking any calls today.)
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The trends in the coronavirus pandemic are heading up again, and this is before any possible uptick that may or may not happen with the new omicron variant. The positivity rate here in Maryland has been above 5% for about a week, and the number of daily new cases in our state has hovered around 17 or 18 hundred each day, many more than in the past several months.
Children over the age of five are now eligible to get a jab, and everybody over the age of 18 qualifies for a booster. Nationally, nearly a year into vaccine availability, only about 60% of Americans are fully vaccinated, well behind 60 other countries. Places like Portugal, Cuba, Cambodia, Iceland, and Australia all have much higher rates of fully vaccinated people. And of course, now, with booster shots recommended for those who have received the original dose, the definition of what “fully vaccinated” is may have to change.
Today on Midday, it’s the Midday HealthWatchwith Dr. Leana Wen, who is always so generous with her time and willingness to answer our questions about COVID-19. Dr. Wen is an emergency physician and former Baltimore City Health Commissioner. She teaches at the George Washington University School of Public Health. She’s also a columnist for the Washington Post, a medical analyst for CNN, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Lifelines: A Doctor's Journey in the Fight for Public Health.
Dr. Leana Wen joins us on Skype…
And, as always, we welcome your questions and comments…
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In our final segment today, Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom live with her review of the new touring production of Tootsie, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that's based on the multiple Oscar-winning 1982 film.
The gender-bending romantic comedy, a farcical romp through the issues of sexual identity, sexism, sexual harassment and gender stereotypes, is live on stage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre through Sunday, December 5. For ticketing information, click here.
COVID-safe protocols are in effect at the Hippodrome, and patrons must wear masks and present proof of vaccination to be admitted.
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At the conclusion of today's review, J. Wynn Rousuck offers a brief remembrance of Stephen Sondheim, the titan of Broadway musical theater who died last week at the age of 91. Judy's commentary on the legendary lyricist, whom she met and interviewed two decades ago, appears in today's online edition, and in this coming Sunday's print edition of the Baltimore Sun.
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André De Shields has been called “the King of Broadway.” His many Broadway roles range from the title character in “The Wiz” to his current Tony Award-winning role, Hermes, the Greek messenger god, in “Hadestown.”
Now André De Shields is back in his hometown of Baltimore to perform three concerts with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, beginning tonight. (Follow the links for ticketing information.
Theater critic J Wynn Rousuck spoke with André De Shields last week.
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We begin today with another edition of Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking. We're joined again by two of our favorite movie aficionados: Ann Hornaday, film critic for The Washington Post and author of the great movie-goers guide, Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies, and Jed Dietz, the founder and former director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater.
Our guests discuss a new survey showing American moviegoing crowds have still not returned in pre-COVID numbers to their local moviehouses — and the numbers suggest that a sizeable percentage of them might never return.
We also consider a few of the best new holiday-season releases, including Belfast - at the Charles and area theaters only - director Kenneth Branagh's semi-autobiographical memoir of growing up amid the sectarian violence of Northern Ireland in the 1960s; The Humans, an indie gem from director/playwright Stephen Karam (based on his Tony Award-winning play) that's now streaming on SHOWTIME; and The Power of the Dog, director Jane Campion's powerful western drama starring Benedict Cumberpatch, now showing at the Parkway and streaming on Netflix.
Ann Hornaday joins us on our digital line. Jed Dietz joins us on Zoom.
Some other notable new releases we didn't have time to talk about:
Cmon C'mon, a movingdrama about the relationship between a troubled journalist and his young nephew, shot in moody black and white by director Mike Mills, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman, and now playing at the Charles and local theaters;
House of Gucci, director Ridley Scott's lavish tale of decadence, betrayal and murder in the family of the legendary designer, starring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver and Al Pacino, now at the Parkway and other local theaters;
Get Back, director Peter Jackson’s 3-part, 8-hourdocumentary about The Beatles, now streaming on Disney Plus; and
West Side Story, director Steven Spielberg's long-awaited remake of the 1957 hit Broadway musical (later an Oscar-sweeping 1961 film) featuring music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a new screenplay by Tony Kushner. The film opens in theaters (only) on December 10.
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Tom's next guest is an emerging star in the world of country music, and a native daughter of Baltimore. Midday first checked in with Brittany Spencer in an interview last summer, right before she made her second appearance at the famed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Since then, much has happened in her career. After years of singing back-up for other artists, she is now headlining her own tour. She’ll be playing at The 8X10 Club in Baltimore Sunday night. And a couple of weeks ago, she was featured on the Country Music Association Awards broadcast singing with two other Black country artists, Mickey Guyton and Madeline Edwards, in a performance of her hit song, “I Love My Hair.”
Brittney Spencer joins Tom on Zoom for the second half of this hour. Their conversation was recorded last week, so we’re not able to take any calls or comments.
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Today on Midday, another edition of Midday with the Mayor, our monthly conversation with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott.
Among the topics addressed in today's discussion (which was pre-recorded on Tuesday, November 30) are the mayor's plans for allocating $35 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds toward closing the city's digital divide and providing better Internet access, especially in currently under-served West Baltimore neighborhoods; another $30 million in ARPA funds on a COVID-recovery workforce development program; and a new job training program for the city's "squeegee kids."
Mayor Brandon Scott joined us on Zoom from his office in City Hall.
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This morning (December 1), the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a landmark case that could change access to legal abortions in the United States.
A law in Mississippi called the Gestational Age Act,passed in 2018, prohibits a woman from having an abortion if she has been pregnant for more than 15 weeks.
The law was challenged by the only remaining place in Mississippi that provides abortions, a clinic in the state’s largest city, Jackson, called the Jackson Women’s Health Clinic.
If the court decides the Mississippi law is constitutional, the legal precedent established in the Court's 1973 ruling in the case of Roe v. Wadewill be eliminated. Recent polls show that 70% of Americans support the right to an abortion guaranteed in Roe v Wade, but the current Court, with six conservative Justices and three liberal Justices, may decide to overturn that historic ruling. A decision in the case is expected by summer.
Joining Tom today with analysis and perspective is the legal scholar Kim Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, a former Assistant US Attorney, and the author of two excellent books, How to Read the Constitution-And Why,and What You Need to Know About Voting-And Why.Wehle is also the host of the Instagram & YouTube Show called #Simple Politics.
Kim Wehle joins us on our digital line from her office in Baltimore.
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Tom's next guest is the actor and filmmaker Sonja Sohn. She is best known for her portrayal of Baltimore Police Detective Kima Greggs in The Wire, the critically acclaimed HBO series.
Her latest documentary film is about a real-life Baltimore detective, Sean Suiter, who died while on duty in November 2017. It’s called The Slow Hustle, and it explores the lingering questions that surround Suiter’s death. It will air on HBO beginning a week from tonight.
Sonja Sohn joins us on Zoom from North Carolina's Outer Banks.
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A grim reminder that the COVID crisis is not yet a thing of the past came last week when health officials in South Africa were the first to announce the appearance of a new variant, named omicron, which has since been identified in more than 15 countries. CBS News is reporting today that the new variant appeared in Europe at least a week before it was detected in southern Africa. It is only a matter of time before it is detected in the US.
The World Health Organization has warned that the new variant poses a “very high risk” globally, but questions about how transmissible it is, how virulent it may be, and if our current regimen of vaccines provide enough protection remain unanswered. Yesterday, President Biden said that the omicron variant is a “cause for concern, not a cause for panic.”
The US and many other nations have banned travel from South Africa and 7 other countries in southern Africa, a decision that has been met with derision in the affected countries.This new development is just the latest challenge facing health care providers across the country.
Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Kevin Sowers, who serves as both the president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. In that capacity, he oversees six hospitals, andJohns Hopkins Community Physicians, which has more than 40 outpatient sites throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C.
[Full disclosure: Tom Hall's wife, Linell Smith, works in the Marketing and Communications Department at Johns Hopkins Medicine.]
Kevin Sowers joins us by phone from his office in Baltimore.
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Today on Midday, a variety of perspectives on Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities, the 1992 play about Black-Jewish relations in America that's getting a new production at Baltimore's Center Stage. Opening night is Thursday.
Tom's first guest today is the playwright who created Fires in the Mirror: the writer, actor and educator, Anna Deavere Smith. In addition to the one-woman plays she has written and performed, her acting credits include dozens of well-known television and film roles. She has been awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, and in 2012, President Barack Obama awarded her the National Humanities Medal.
Anna Deavere Smith has revolutionized theater with work based on intensive interviews with people around the subjects she explores. She transforms these interviews into powerful shows that capture the nuances and complexities of the issues she takes-up.Her work has examined, among other topics, health care, the school-to-prison pipeline, and racial tension in Los Angeles following the acquittal of white police officers who beat Rodney King in 1991. In 1992, she wrote and performed Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identities, which explored the violence that broke out in a New York City neighborhood after a Hasidic Jew lost control of the car he was driving and killed an African American child. The play was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a recipient of a 1993 Drama Desk Award.
Anna Deavere Smith joins us on Zoom from New York City.
Baltimore Center Stage is presenting Fires in the Mirror in a live stage production that runs through December 19. A little later in this hour, Tom speaks with Center Stage's artistic director and with the director of the new production.
But first, Tom is joined by two eminent scholars who help us explore the relationship between the African American and Jewish communities in America:
Dr. Susannah Heschel is the Eli M. Black Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at Dartmouth College.Her father, Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, was a close confidant and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Heschel will be speaking in Baltimore a week from tonight about the current state of inter-religious dialogue in this year’s Manekin-Clark Lecture, sponsored by the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies. Her talk is entitled “Recapturing the Prophetic Tradition: A Challenge for Interreligious Dialogue.” The event begins at 7:00pm at Kraushaar Auditorium at Goucher College, and will also be streamed on YouTube. To register for the talk, click here.
Prof. Susannah Heschel joins us today on Zoom from Hanover, New Hampshire.
Dr. Charles Chavis is the Founding Director of the John Mitchell, Jr. Program for History, Justice, and Race at George Mason University’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. He’s also an Assistant Professor of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and History at George Mason. His new book will be published next month. It’s called The Silent Shore: The Lynching of Matthew Williams and the Politics of Racism in the Free State.Dr. Charles Chavis, Jr. joins us on Zoom from Virginia.
Tom's final guests today are two artists who are bringing Anna Deavere Smith’s extraordinary play, Fires in the Mirror: Crown Heights, Brooklyn and Other Identitiesto life at Baltimore Center Stage. Stephanie Ybarra is the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage. Nicole Brewer is directing the production. They join us on Zoom with their perspectives on this groundbreaking drama.
The one-woman play opens on Thursday night and runs through December 19.
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(This conversation originally aired on September 13, 2021)
Welcome to an archive edition of Midday.
Nearly 70% of Americans have a Facebook account, and Facebook’s unrelenting mission is to add even more people to its huge list of subscribers, and to keep all of us glued to those accounts for as long as possible, every day.
Executing that mission has made Facebook insanely profitable. The company is also unquestionably problematic and unapologetically purposeful in its manipulation and marketing of our personal data, most of which we disclose quite freely.
The Federal Trade Commission has updated its antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant, arguing that it should be broken up into smaller companies, separating, for example, Facebook from Instagram and What’s App.
Tom's guests are two award-winning reporters for The New York Times,Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang. In a disquieting book published in June, they examine Facebook in the period between the 2016 and the 2020 elections.
Forty-four percent of Americans say they got their information about political candidates from the behemoth social network. And a lot of the time, that information is spurious, generated by foreign states like Russia, and sometimes, the candidates themselves. The deleterious effect on basic democratic institutions is immeasurable, and as Kang and Frenkel document, Facebook’s efforts to curb it are ineffective, and contrary to Facebook’s business model.
Facebook’s reach into the global community is unmatched and its unchecked power presents a conundrum to those who would break it up or attempt to regulate it. The book is called An Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination.
In recent months, a whistleblower named Frances Haugen testified before Congress and released internal documents which show that the harmful effects of Instagram on young girls were known to the company, and other damning revelations. Today’s show was recorded before that testimony, and before the company announced that it was creating a new umbrella company, called Meta.
Cecilia Kang joined us on Zoom. Sheera Frankel joined us on our digital line. Because our conversation was recorded earlier, we’re not able to take calls and comments today.
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It's the 6th anniversary of the universally beloved What Ya Got Cookin-Thanksgiving Edition, here on Midday.
Last Thanksgiving, the rule of thumb was cancel, or keep it super small. COVID infections are once again on the rise, but lots of people, even those as young as five, have been vaccinated and boosted, so many more people are venturing back to the Thanksgiving table.
Our mission here on Midday is simple: we've got three wonderful chefs at your disposal to share recipes and tips to help make your Thanksgiving dinner a delicious and memorable affair.
John Shields is a chef and the proprietor of Gertrude's Chesapeake Kitchen at the Baltimore Museum of Art. He's also the host of Coastal Cooking on MD Public Television and PBS. John's latest book is The New Chesapeake Kitchen.
Chef Damian Mosley is the creative spirit behind Blacksauce Kitchen, which you can find at the Waverly Farmer’s Market and at their storefront on 29th Street in Remington.
A little later in the show, we’ll check-in with Debonette Wyatt, the chef and owner of My Mama’s Vegan, a new Vegan restaurant on Greenmount Avenue here in Baltimore. So if you are not a turkey eater, we’ll be showing you some love a little later.
And speaking of My Mama’s, we’ll also check in with Tom's mama, Rosemary Hall, to find out what she’s bringing to Thanksgiving with his brother in Tennessee...
Whatever you love about Thanksgiving, we’d love to hear about it. What are your family food traditions? Which of the six million ways to make cranberry sauce will you choose tomorrow? Who’s coming to your house, or whose house are you going to, and what COVID precautions will everybody be taking?Let’s talk, and let’s share with each other the things we love about Thanksgiving, culinary or otherwise.
Some community notes:
The Y of Central MD’s annual Turkey Trot Charity 5k is happening again tomorrow. You can run it. You can walk it. You’ll enjoy it either way, and you’ll help the Y provide meals and services to folks throughout Central MD. To sign up, click here.
And this note about some musical happenings at An Die Musik, the performance venue in Baltimore’s Mt. Vernon neighborhood. The John Lamkin Quintet will play a set Friday night; TK Blue and the Mentors Trio will play Saturday night, and on Sunday afternoon and evening, the Eric Byrd Trio will play “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” a great show for families. You need to be vaccinated to attend in person. You can stream all of these shows too. Check it all out at An Die Musik's Website.
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Here are three of John Shields' classic Thanksgiving recipes:
Thelma’s Crab and Artichoke DipThis rich and satisfying dip recipe is from Baltimore’s Thelma Tunney. It teams blue crabmeat with tender artichoke hearts in a lightly spiced mayonnaise-based sauce and is actually prepared like a casserole. When guests find out Thelma has been invited to a potluck party they are also attending, their mouths start watering in anticipation of this dip. Thelma often serves this dish as an entree baked in individual ramekins accompanied by a fresh garden salad and a hot crusty baguette. When you serve it as a dip, provide plenty of baguette slices or crackers for dipping.
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Freshly ground black pepper
1 jar (16 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and cut into small pieces
1 pound backfin or special crabmeat, picked over.
½ cup chopped parsley
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 6-cup casserole dish. Combine the cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, lemon juice, cayenne, and black pepper in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Gently fold in the artichoke hearts, crabmeat, and parsley. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve at once. Serves 8 to 10.
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Champagne Cabbage and ApplesNot that I really understand the concept, but some people just do not like sauerkraut—go figure. But I found a solution--a little devious, but a solution nevertheless. And here it is: a braised champagne “kraut,” with ginger, caraway, and a goodly amount of tart apples. The secret is rinsing the sauerkraut well under cold water, and then the kraut naysayers will enjoy a plateful extolling the virtues of cabbage, and, of course, champagne. Honestly, whether you like kraut or not, this dish really is a crowd pleaser.
6 tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (optional)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 jars (2 pounds each) sauerkraut, rinsed in cold water several times and drained
2 cups dry champagne
1 teaspoon caraway seed (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a heavy ovenproof pot, melt the butter, and if using, render the bacon for a few minutes. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes. Add the apples and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
Place the rinsed sauerkraut into the pot. Pour in the champagne, caraway seed, salt, and pepper. Toss together and bring to a boil.
Cover tightly and bake in the oven for 1 hour. Serves 8.
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Emily’s Favorite Black Rock Orchard Apple Pie
2 ¾ cups flour
¾ cup butter
1 large egg
¼ cup milk
10 large tart apples
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup cereal flakes (corn, wheat, or a similar type of cereal)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place the flour in a mixing bowl and cut butter in with a pastry cutter, or the tips of your fingers, or in a food processor. If using a food processor, use the pulse feature, taking care to only get a coarse mixture. You don’t want to over-process. Beat the egg and the milk together and mix with the flour mixture to form a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two pieces and refrigerate.
Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples into a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and mix with the apple slices.
Roll out one ball of dough to fit the bottom and sides of a 12X9-inch Pyrex baking pan. Sprinkle with the cereal flakes, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges of the dough. Spoon the apple mixture over the flakes. Roll out the remaining dough and place over the apples. Seal by pinching the edges together and brush with a little milk to help brown the top of the pie.
Place pie in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Remove pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Pie may be served warm or cold. Serves 10 to 12.
Adapted from John Shields’ Chesapeake Chef column in Edible Chesapeake Magazine Fall 2008 Edition.
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Now, we turn our attention to two of Maryland’s most prominent voices in the world of poetry.
A little later in the program, Tom speaks with our state’s poet laureate, Grace Cavalieri. But we're joined first by Baltimore poet Kondwani Fidel. Last year, he released his debut poetry EP “The Mud Was Made For Us.” He’s also the author of the non-fiction book, The Anti-Racist: How to Start the Conversation About Race and Take Action,and he’s featured in the short film, Hummingbirds in the Trenches. He holds a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing and Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore. He’s a professor at Coppin State University.
Kondwani Fidel joins us on Zoom.
Poet, playwright and author Grace Cavalieri has served as Maryland’s poet laureate since 2018. She’s written 26 books and chapbooks of poetry, and she’s had more than two dozen plays produced in theaters across the country. Her latest books are called Grace Art: Poems and Painting, and The Secret Letters of Madame de Staél . Grace is also the founder of The Poet and the Poem, a radio show and later, a podcast that she has hosted for 44 years. It’s currently available through the Library of Congress.
Grace Cavalieri joins us on Zoom from Annapolis.
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The COP26 UN Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow, Scotland, ended 10 days ago, with deep divisions between some of the world’s largest contributors to global warming still intact.
President Joe Biden tried to re-assert American leadership on climate, and following his return from Scotland, the House passed his bipartisan infrastructure bill, which contains $47 billion in environmental funding, including money to help clean up the Chesapeake Bay and to deal with the effects of climate change. That alone is the largest spending package on environmental provisions in American history, and days later, the House sent the much larger Build Back Better Act to the Senate which, at the moment, contains more than $550 billion dollars in climate provisions.
Joining Tom to discuss the COP 26 Conference and the way forward in confronting climate change is May Boeve (pron. BOO-vee), the co-founder and executive director of the environmental advocacy group, 350.org.
May Boeve joins us on Zoom from Oakland, California.
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Today it’s Midday on Development.A little later in this hour, Tom speaks with Klaus Philipsen, an architect, urban planner and the president of ArchPlan, Inc., a design firm in Baltimore. He also hosts The Community Architect blog and he's the author of Baltimore: Reinventing an Industrial Legacy City.Philipsen discusses the proposal to revive the old "dollar house" homesteading program in Baltimore City and the different urban development strategies that might help move the needle on the more than 15,000 vacant properties scattered throughout the city.
Klaus Philipsen joins us on our digital line.
But we begin with a Baltimore developer who has for several years built homes and commercial properties in Remington, an historic neighborhood that borders the Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus. He’s also involved in reviving Lexington Market on Baltimore’s West Side and other projects.
Thibault Manekin is the co-founder of Seawall Development. Drawing on his experience running basketball leagues in South Africa and other countries that was premised on the assumption that playing together heals deep-seated wounds, Manekin has thought about how to bridge the Black and White divide in Baltimore, and transform not just buildings, but lives.
He's just published a new book, Larger Than Yourself: Reimagine Industries, Lead With Purpose, & Grow Ideas into Movements.
Thibault Manekin joins us on Zoom.
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Today on Midday, Tom's Newsmaker guest is Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
So far this year, 303 people have been victims of homicide in Baltimore City, and 639 other people have shot. By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard the reports of what everyone refers to as the “grim milestone” we passed earlier this week when five-year old Nivea Anderson became the city’s 300th homicide victim. The last time our city made it through a year without more than 300 people losing their lives to violence was two years before that poor little girl was born.
Governor Larry Hogan announced the state would fund a $100,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people who killed Evelyn Player, a 69-year-old woman who was stabbed to death at Southern Baptist Church in East Baltimore on Tuesday. The Governor remains critical of city leadership and their efforts to reduce crime.
Those leaders — the Mayor, the State’s Attorney and the Commissioner — have pledged that they are all on the same page when it comes to confronting this deadly dilemma. Three weeks ago, Mayor Brandon Scott announced he was allocating $50 million dollars of American Rescue Plan funds to the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement to support Violence Intervention programs and other initiatives.
We welcome listener calls, emails and Tweets.
Commissioner Michael Harrison joins us on Zoom.
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It's time for another visit from Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom this week with her review of The Great Leap, playwright Lauren Yee's 2018 socio-political fable about personal ambition, set amidst a Sino-American "friendship" basketball match in 1989, on the eve of China's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Tiananmen Square. The play is getting a regional premiere at Bethesda's Round House Theatre. Jennifer Chang directs the live-on-stage performances with a cast that includes Grant Chang, Eric Hissom, Lois Shih and Randy Nguyen Ta.
The Great Leap continues at Round House through Dec. 5. Streaming begins Nov. 26. Patrons must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination upon entry and wear masks while attending performances at the theatre, with limited exceptions. Click here for full details.
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In the fall of 1968, just a few months after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was gunned down on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, an extraordinary thing happened in northwestern Montgomery County. A Black Methodist church in a community called Quince Orchard, and two nearby White Methodist churches decided to merge into one congregation. Cities across the country, including Baltimore, were dealing with unprecedented racial tension in the aftermath of the riots and uprisings that erupted after King’s murder, just as these three churches began a nearly unprecedented odyssey together.
A film that tells this amazing story will air on Maryland Public Television this coming Monday as part of MPT’s Standing Against Racism: Fostering Unity Through Dialogue initiative. It’s called Finding Fellowship, and Tom's guest today is the film’s director and co-producer, Jason Green.
He is also an attorney and former associate counsel in the Obama White House who is co-founder and senior vice-president of Skillsmart, a local technology firm. Jason Green joins us on our digital line from Gaitherburg, Md.
The documentary"Finding Fellowship" will air on MPT at 9pm on Monday, November 22, and at two other times as well, and it will be available after the broadcast for streaming on-demand. For more information, click here.
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Every ten years, following a national census, Congressional seats are re-allocated, and Congressional district boundaries are re-drawn to assure that each member of the House represents roughly the same number of constituents. As the population of the US shifts, certain states will lose seats in the House, while others will gain them. New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia and California will all lose a seat in the next Congress. Oregon, Colorado, Montana, Texas, Florida and North Carolina will each gain seats.
The 2020 Census showed that the state of Maryland grew by more than 400,000 people, although the City of Baltimore has lost 35,000 residents during the last 10 years.And with that population loss comes a loss of clout on Capitol Hill.Maryland will retain the eight-member House Delegation it currently holds, and on Dec. 6th, the General Assembly will meet in a special session to determine what voters those eight districts will include.
Last January, Republican Governor Larry Hogan appointed members to a commission called the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission. That body submitted proposed maps for Congressional and state districts to the Governor a week and a half ago. (see link below)
A separate commission, appointed in July by Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson and House Speaker Adrienne Jones - both Democrats - has released its own set of maps, including four different proposals for Congressional districts. (see link below)
Today on Midday: where we are in the redistricting process, how we got here, and what we can expect moving forward.
A little later in the program, we're joined by Dave Daley, a senior fellow at the non-partisan group FairVote and the author of two books about gerrymandering and re-districting, the latest called Unrigged: How Americans are Battling Back to Save Democracy.Daley recaps the history of how the current Maryland Congressional map was devised 10 years ago.
We also hear from Josh Kurtz, a journalist who covers all things legislative in Maryland as the founding editor of Maryland Matters, one of the state's leading political news journals.
But we begin with former Maryland State Senator Jim Brochin. Brochin, a Democrat, has teamed up with former Republican Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman to form Fair Maps Maryland, a group that advocates for the legislature to adopt the recommendations that Gov. Hogan’s commission has put forward. Fair Maps Maryland is being advised by Doug Mayer, a former communications strategist for the Governor.
Jim Brochin joins us on the phone from Towson, Maryland.
Here are links to the two separate redistricting commissions and their respective proposed maps:
Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission
Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission
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Tom's guest for the hour today is Celeste Headlee, an award-winning public media journalist and author who is heard frequently as a guest host on NPR and American Public Media. Her TEDx Talk about how to have better conversations has been viewed more than 26 million times, and she has served as a consultant to companies around the world on race, diversity and inclusion.
She is the author of three books, the latest of which arrives just in time for those potentially difficult conversations around the Thanksgiving dinner table. It’s called Speaking of Race: Why Everybody Needs to Talk About Racism-And How to Do It.
Celeste Headlee joins us now from Bethesda, Maryland, on our digital line.
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Ms. Headlee will be speaking about her book tonight at 7:00 in the Wheeler Auditorium at the Enoch Pratt Central Library. It’s part of the Baltimore Festival of Jewish Literature. There’s an on-line option available as well. For more information and tickets, click here.
And on Sunday afternoon at 2:30, the Festival will present an interactive event for children at the Oregon Ridge Nature Center. Noa Baum, the Israeli author and storyteller, will talk about her book, How the Birds Became Friends. For more information, click here.
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Today on Midday, we examine the challenges facing nursing homes, home-care providers and the elder-care industry as a whole.
Nursing homes, like hospitals and other care providers, are facing severe staff shortages. The pandemic has led to labor shortages throughout the economy. Restaurants have had to scale back hours because they can’t find enough servers and cooks. The supply chain has been disrupted by not enough truck drivers to meet the demand, and school systems across the country are scrambling to certify and hire bus drivers.
A report issued last week by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living says that nursing homes are down 221,000 jobs since the pandemic began. This decline of 14% in the workforce dwarfs any other sector. A survey showed that 78% of nursing homes and 61% of assisted living communities have serious concerns about their ability to remain open.What does this mean for the elderly who need help in both community based and at-home settings?
Joining Tom to discuss these issues are:Joseph DeMattos, Jr. He’s the President and CEO of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland; andAllison Roenigk Ciborowski, the President and CEO of Leading Age Maryland, a network of non-profits that encourage innovation and collaboration in care for the aging.
_________________________________________________________________For family members providing care at home, here are some important resources:
Baltimore City Division of Aging 410-396-2273
Baltimore County Dept. of Aging 410-887-2594
Maryland Dept. of Aging (for other jurisdictions) 410-767-1100
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Tom Hall's guest today is the acclaimed author, Louise Erdrich. She is the author of 18 novels, a collection of short stories, three collections of poetry, more than a half a dozen children's books, and two works of non-fiction. She has twice won the National Book Critics Circle Award; she has also won a National Book Award, and last June, she won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel, The Night Watchman.
Ms. Erdrich is one of the most gifted and compelling writers in American literature, and readers all over the world are irresistibly drawn to the bevy of beautiful, complex and endearing characters who navigate her worlds in fascinating and unexpected ways, and whose stories are told with grace, compassion and persuasive authority.
Just last year, Louise Erdrich spoke with Tom Hall on this program about her then-newly published novel, The Night Watchman. That wonderful tale drew its inspiration from the true story of her grandfather, an activist leader of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in the 1950s.
Her new novel, published on Tuesday, takes place in contemporary Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the pandemic rages on and around the time of the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests. Many of its characters are employees or customers at a store inspired by Birchbark Books, a bookstore Louise Erdrich owns. The novel even includes a character who is an author named Louise...
It’s called The Sentence.
Louise Erdrich joins us on Zoom from her home outside Minneapolis.
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Is it time to bring back Baltimore's "Dollar House" program of the 1970s?
WYPR’s Aaron Henkin — the award-winning producer and host of Out of the Blocks, which ended a nine-year run a few months ago — looked into that question, submitted by listener Tracy Gosson, for a recent episode of Aaron's new podcast, The Maryland Curiosity Bureau.
Aaron joins Tom to discuss the podcast, and in a clip from the Dollar House episode, he talks with Lilly Hyman, a homeowner who bought her house through the city's popular but short-lived Dollar Homesteading Program in 1975, and with others involved with city housing issues, then and now. Their comments suggest that a new program of urban homesteading could be in store for Baltimore, a city still contending with more than 16,000 vacant homes.
You can hear brief excerpts from Aaron Henkin's new "Maryland Curiosity Bureau" podcast on Thursday mornings here on WYPR, during Morning Edition. You can drop Aaron a question of your own. What do you wonder about life in the Baltimore region? You can share your question, vote on what you want Aaron to report on next, and find the podcast on wypr.org/curiosity.
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Today on Midday, a few different takes on the subject of housing.
A little later, WYPR’s Aaron Henkin, the host of WYPR's new podcast The Maryland Curiosity Bureau, will join me to talk about his reporting on the Baltimore dollar house program.Then, our theater critic, J Wynn Rousuck, will review a production of Rent, the Tony Award and Pulitzer prize-winning musical that opened on Broadway 25 years ago.
But we begin with Nneka N’namdi, an activist who is working to eliminate blighted housing in our city. The Dollar House program in the 1970s was seen as a big step forward. The Vacants to Value initiative in the administration of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake made some progress, but the number of vacant properties, about 16,000, hasn’t changed significantly over the last decade.
Nneka N’namdi describes herself as a “technoartivist,” who is applying her tech and creative skills to the cause of restoring neighborhoods that are ravaged by blight. She is the founder of the non-profit, Fight Blight BMore.
Nneka N'namdi joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's next guest is Derecka Purnell. She is an activist and human rights lawyer with a law degree from Harvard University. She's a scholar-in-residence with Columbia University's Initiative for Social Justice, and a columnist for The Guardian.She's also the author of a new book that challenges our long-held assumptions about policing and incarceration. In fact, she argues that police departments and prisons should be abolished.
She writes, "Abolition is not the mere absence of police and prisons. It’s a paradigm, aspiration and organizing practice to make those institutions obsolete,” and she links the abolitionist movement to decolonization, disability justice, Earth justice and socialism.
The book is called Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom.
Derecka Purnell will engage in an on-line conversation about the book on Thursday night (Nov. 11) with our good friend, D Watkins. To register for the free event, which is hosted by Charm City Books, click here.
Ms. Purnell joins us now on our digital line from Washington, DC.
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President Biden was here in Baltimore two weeks ago for a CNN town hall at Baltimore Center Stage, and this afternoon, he’ll be in town again to tout the infrastructure bill that passed after months of grueling, messy internecine fights within his party. With the aid of 13 Republicans, House Democrats passed the package that the Senate had passed last August. The bill passed without the support of “The Squad,” six progressives who refused to surrender the leverage they had fought to maintain by tying the infrastructure bill to a larger package that includes climate change provisions, child and elder care, and other major programs.
The fate of that larger bill is still quite up in the air. But today, the President has chosen to return to Baltimore to talk about the bill that has passed.
This time, he’ll be at the Port of Baltimore in Dundalk. Joining Tom now to talk about what that legislation may accomplish is Kevin DeGood. He is the Director of Infrastructure Policy at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank in Washington, DC.
Kevin DeGood joins us on Zoom.
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Tom's next guest today is a long-time advocate for police reform. Ray Kelly is the former director of the No Boundaries Coalition, which works on behalf of people in the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor in West Baltimore. Ray was a leader of the West Baltimore Commission on Police Misconduct. He also served as the chair of the Community Oversight Task Force, which was mandated by the 2017 consent decree with the Justice Department to oversee police misconduct complaints.
Ray now serves as the Executive Director of the Citizens Policing Project, and he was appointed by Mayor Brandon Scott to be on the Local Control Advisory Board, a group of about a dozen community leaders that will map the process of returning control of the Baltimore Police Department to the city. It has been largely under state control since the mid-1860s.
Ray Kelly joins us on Zoom…
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Tom's Newsmaker guest today is the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, Marilyn Mosby. A week and a half ago, she released the names of 91 current and former Baltimore City Police Officers she says can’t be trusted to testify in trials. The Baltimore Sun reports that 26 of the officers on the "Do-Not-Call" list are on active duty. Twenty-four of those officers have criminal cases that are pending in courts in Baltimore City, or in Anne Arundel or Howard counties. The list also includes officers convicted in the Gun Trace Task Force scandal who are in prison, and many who are no longer with the department.
The release of the list comes after defense attorneys sued the State’s Attorney’s office to make the names of these officers public. They contend that more than 300 officers may be compromised, and are pushing for Ms. Mosby to release more names.
The State’s Attorney’s office is also contending with a worker shortage. Three years ago, 217 prosecutors handled the city’s caseload. Now, only 164 prosecutors do.
And, in addition to managing the backlog of trials that have been delayed by COVID, the State’s Attorney’s office is working with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project to exonerate people who were wrongfully convicted in the past.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby joins us on Zoom.
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According to the MD Center for Economic Policy, MD spends about $1 billion dollars per year incarcerating roughly 20,000 people convicted of crimes. A third of them come from the city of Baltimore. In 2015, our state spent $17 million dollars locking up people from one neighborhood alone: Sandtown Winchester in West Baltimore.
For many of those who are given long sentences, their lives end while they are behind bars. An essay in the Baltimore Sun a couple of months ago about palliative care for prisoners when they are diagnosed with terminal illnesses caught our attention, and today, we’d like to explore the issue of death with dignity for those who are imprisoned.
Tom's first guest is Dr. Raya Elfadel Kheirbek. She is the author of the essay mentioned above, and the Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Kheirbek joins us on Zoom.
Then, Tom is joined by three activists working with an organization called the Humane Prison Hospice Project.
LadyBird Morgan is a registered nurse and the co-founder of the Project. She joins us on Zoom.
Marvin Mutch is a Senior Advisor and policy advocate for the Project. He also joins us on Zoom.
And Edgar Barens joins us as well via Zoom. He serves as an advisor to the Humane Prison Hospice Project. He’s a filmmaker whose 2014 documentary called Prison Terminal was nominated for an Academy Award.
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Baltimore Ceasefire 365 is a volunteer organization founded 4 years ago to try to end the epidemic of violence in Baltimore, where so far this year, according to the Baltimore Police Department, 289 people have been murdered.
Four weekends each year, the group holds events to encourage those who would do harm to act peacefully, and to help those who are in danger or in mourning. On the Monday following each Ceasefire weekend, we check in with one of Ceasefire 365’s co-organizers.
Letrice Gant, also one of the group's co-founders, joins us today, on Zoom, to discuss the weekend and the state of the Ceasefire movement. She also bears witness with us as we read our weekly list of those who have lost their lives to violence in Baltimore during the past seven days.
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It's time for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom Hall this week with her review of Scharf's Shorts, a collection of short works by local playwright Mark Scharf, presented live in-the-round to open the Spotlighters Theatre's 59th season.
Erin Klarner & Jen Sizer direct an ensemble cast in the eight-play bill: Monument: Nick Cherone & Sean Eustis; Our Place: Glen Charlow & Terri Laurino; Like White on Rice: Beverly Shannon, Mike Papa, & Nick Cherone; Wilderness: Sam David & Glen Charlow; Replay: Mike Papa & Sean Eustis; Off the Grid: Terri Laurino & Sam David; Making Time: Terri Laurino & Nick Cherone; and The Last Ten: Beverly Shannon & Sean Eustis.
Scharf's Shorts continues LIVE on stage at Spotlighters Theatre through through November 7. For ticket information, click here.
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It’s Midday at the Movies, our monthly look at films and filmmaking, with Ann Hornaday, film critic for the Washington Post and author of the best-selling movie-goers' guide,Talking Pictures: How to Watch Movies; and Jed Dietz, the founding director of the Maryland Film Festival and Parkway Theater.
How are independent movie houses faring as COVID numbers go down? Have you headed back to theaters yet? And what does the tragedy on the set of the film Rusttell us about how movies are being made during the pandemic? We’ll have tips on new films to check out, too, from Dune (Part One) and King Richard to The French Dispatch, *Souvenir II and Belfast, plus two new documentaries, Attica and Julia.*
Ann Hornaday joins us on our digital line; Jed Dietz joins us on Zoom.
Let us know what films you've been watching!
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