Midday

Last Monday, Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, flanked by members of the Council, announced some of the bills that are being introduced in the early days of the Council’s new term. There are four new faces on the council who will have their say on city issues. Today, we speak to two of the freshman members. Zac Blanchard represents the 11th district, and Jermaine Jones is District 12’s...

John Grisham's 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 was wrongly convicted, sentenced to death row and eventually exonerated. Grisham’s latest book, his second of nonfiction, again visits the stories of Americans unjustly incarcerate...

A new 70-mile electrical transmission line, the Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project, is drawing scrutiny from the public and lawmakers in the General Assembly. Public information sessions drew large crowds and long lines in the three counties where construction could take place. PSEG, the energy company behind the project, and PJM, the interstate organization that manages the region's electricit...

Today on Midday, its time to talk football. The Baltimore Ravens and the Washington Commanders won this weekend. The Ravens played their longtime division rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium. They came away with a decisive win, 28-14. Midday discusses the latest with Gabe Ortis, a host and producer here at WYPR. He has covered the Ravens on the staff of several news o...

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week, she spotlights "Annie" at the Hippodrome which features a 12-year-old Towson native in the lead role. Theatre-goers have until January 12th to see this classic Broadway musical.

When President Carter entered hospice care in February 2023, he was 98 years old and battling cancer. Many assumed the decision by his family to place him in hospice care indicated he was near death, but the former president died nearly two years later. In October, Carter celebrated his 100th birthday. Today, a conversation with expert on hospice care, palliative care, and the challenges caregiver...

Craig Swagler is the President and General Manager of Baltimore Public Media, the parent company of WYPR 88.1, and WTMD 89.7. He joins Midday to discuss the company's outlook for 2025, including the future of public broadcast funding, ongoing local coverage and community engagement through in-person events.

There is a new County Executive in Baltimore County. Yesterday, State Senator Kathy Klausmeier was sworn in to complete the term begun by Johnny Olszewski, Jr., who is now representing the 2nd Congressional District in Congress. What does her appointment mean for the County and the General Assembly? John Lee, Baltimore County reporter for WYPR, joins Midday to share his reporting on this news.

Legislators are headed to Annapolis this week for the first days of the 2025 session of the Maryland General Assembly. The state's budget problems loom large over the state capitol, and the 47 senators and 141 delegates within. Gov. Wes Moore is scheduled to present his budget proposal next week. What will it mean for initiatives like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the expansive education re...

Tom speaks with a meteorologist and city and county leaders about the region's first snow storm of 2025.

Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom for Midday Healthwatch, where they discuss issues affecting the health and well-being of Charm City residents. We ask her about the latest cases of bird flu, which as been spreading among dairy cows and threatens to jump into human hosts. So far, almost all cases of the flu in the United States have been among farmworkers. We also ask about the stomach bug going around, men...

One of the Maryland Senate’s progressive stalwarts is leaving elected office. State Sen. Jill P. Carter served in the General Assembly for more than two decades, and now is preparing to join the State Board of Contract Appeals. The Baltimore City-native was elected to the Senate in 2018, having previously served in the House of Delegates for 14 years. She spent time as the Director of the Baltimor...

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. In our first show of 2025, the movie crew discusses a few standout features from the end of the year and their favorite films of 2024. In her latest column, Wei...

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week she discusses "Summer, 1976" at the Studio Theatre in Washington. With only two actors, this play revisits the second wave of feminism and the importance of friendship in women's lives. "Summer, 1976" has been extended and runs through January 12.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom to talk about the city's efforts related to public safety, economic development, housing affordability, city services and more. As Baltimore enters 2025, how did the mayor's anti-violence initiatives perform this past year? What is next for the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS)? Plus, how will the city approach its massive payout from settlements with...

Today on Midday, another edition of Smart Nutrition, our series of conversations about diet and health with Monica Reinagel. A new year means resolutions to living healthier in 2025. This year, weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound are an increasingly common part of efforts to get in shape. But what should you know about these medications? How should they fit in with healt...

Today on Midday, two local authors discuss their new books, a collection of short stories and a compendium of daily inspirations to begin your day. We begin with Marian Crotty, an award-winning associate professor of writing at Loyola University Maryland. Her latest book is a collection of eight short stories with strong, quirky, fascinating, female, LGBTQ protagonists, whose hopes and dreams, liv...

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. She shares her take on 'And Then There Were None,' continuing at Everyman Theatre through January 12. This is not the first time the Baltimore city-based theatre has produced a murder mystery during the holidays. What’s their interest in Agathe Christie's classic tales?

It is a custom here on Midday to take time near the end of the year to remember some of the people in our area who passed away over the year. This not an exhaustive list, but simply people I have befriended over the years. I simply want to remember them, and give thanks for the blessing of their friendship. Bob Kent passed away last December. He was a businessman and philanthropist who served on m...

Helicon and a plethora of other artists are set to present their 39th annual Winter Solstice Concerts at Goucher College tomorrow, December 21. For many of the past 39 years, the group preview their performance on WYPR. Helicon is set to be joined by Ken and Brad Kolodner Quartet, Charm City Junction, Scottish National Fiddle Champion Elke Baker, Six-time North American Step-Dance Champion Jonatho...

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. ArtsCentric’s production of Black Nativity continues at Baltimore Center Stage through December 29, 2024. What’s the history of this story?

The season finale of Survivor 47 aired last night on CBS. The winner was Rachel LaMont, a graphic designer from Michigan, but Baltimore’s favorite contestant was WYPR's on-air host Gabe Ortis. On Survivor, he competed valiantly, and took home an amazing experience and great stories.

It has been a busy year in news, and you might have noticed new voices on WYPR reporting on the latest happenings. Marquis Lupton provides the local news you need to know during the afternoons, during Fresh Air, Here and Now, and All Things Considered. Taylor Holbrooks is the new local host of Morning Edition. The pair join us to introduce themselves and talk about what brought them to WYPR.

Two of the musical minds from WYPR's sibling station 89.7 WTMD, Megan Byrd and Tyler LaPorte. Yesterday, they revealed the top 89 songs of the year. Today, here on Midday, we’re going to concentrate on the top ten. M.J. Lenderman, St. Vincent and Billy Strings made the list. Who held the number one spot?

As 2024 draws to a close, we round up a busy year covering the headlines. WYPR reporters take us behind the microphone as they recount covering the stories that made 2024 unforgettable. Scott Maucione was on the scene in the aftermath of the catastrophic collapse of the Key Bridge into the Patapsco River. And, John Lee spoke to locals who remember the 60th anniversary of Beatlemania in Baltimore,...