Midday

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...

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: @M...

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 exploratio...

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...

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 productiv...

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 c...

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...

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: @MiddayW...

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...

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...

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: @Midd...

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 mid...

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 w...

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 Ombr...

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...

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 he...

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....

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 Blo...

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 u...

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...

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 a...

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 Adv...