On The Record

Sharing and messaging through social media apps is the modern version of passing a note in class. It’s how kids communicate. We speak with parenting and technology expert Devorah Heitner about setting healthy boundaries for Internet use while giving children space to explore. Her latest book is, " Growing Up In Public: Coming Of Age In A Digital World .” This program originally aired on October 23...

Marie Louise Kelly , cohost of NPR's All Things Considered, has a resume as long as any journalist today. In her latest book, It. Goes. So. Fast.: The Year of No Do-Overs , she tries to find time for her oldest son as he prepares for college. We also speak with Leslie Gray Streeter , author of a new series of columns for the Baltimore Banner about being a single mother. She discusses facing stigma...

Stained glass is not just for churches. In Baltimore, if you look for it, you’ll find it all over -- elaborate skylights, charming transoms, colorful portholes. We ask Linda Rabben , an anthropologist and author, what the artful glass tells us about class, race, and social networks in Charm City.  Links: Through a Glass Darkly book , Peale Museum Exhibit for Through a Glass Darkly, Baltimore Archi...

Here's a Stoop Story from Falkenhan’s Hardware owner Deb Falkenhan , about the quirky Christmas traditions in her family, and in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood.  Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@w...

Baltimore City will end the year with the fewest homicides in nearly a decade. According to the city’s Public Safety Accountability Dashboard , 260 people have lost their lives in Baltimore this year. The city has not been under 300 murders since 2014, when there were 211 homicides. Last year more than 330 people were murdered.  Is the tide turning? If so, why? We speak with Mayor Brandon Scott ab...

Families who practice more than one religion can be faced with a lot to navigate, especially during holiday season. Inclusion, creating community, representation -- are all important considerations that can receive a hyper focus at this time. The Interfaith Families Project in Montgomery County has deep experience navigating through differences. Their community, which meets virtually and in-person...

The Baltimore Regional Water Governance Task Force may be the most consequential governmental work group you have never heard of. The group was created through by Maryland General Assembly legislation earlier this year to recommend alternative governance models for Baltimore city’s gigantic water and sewage system. Last Friday, consultants hired to work with the task force released a draft report...

Looking for a last-minute gift? How about a book? Baltimore County librarian Conni Strittmatter shares her suggestions for children and teens, including a sci-fi space drama. Then, Meghan McCorkell of the Enoch Pratt Free Library offers popular picks for adult readers, such as a thriller set in a gothic mansion and a cocktail recipe book!   Books for kids: "Something, Someday," by Amanda Gorman "D...

Weavers, jewelers, paper-makers, leather workers, candlemakers, cooks, bakers and more--an array of Maryland makers now fill the shelves of the new store by ‘Shop Made in Maryland.’ We talk to Co-Founder and Chief Localist Stacey Price and Tiera Chin , the owner of Yorktown Spice. Links: Shop Made in Maryland , Made in Baltimore , Yorktown Spice . Do you have a question or comment about a show or...

Here's a Stoop Story from Judith Pojda about following your instincts … and being brave enough to see where that takes you.  Hear her story and others, and find the Stoop Podcast at Stoopstorytelling.com Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Pro...

Where is your favorite place to eat out in Baltimore? The city hosts a food scene as multifaceted and charming as the city itself. Matti Gellman writes about food and the restaurant industry for our news partner , The Baltimore Banner . But she reports on more than what's on your plate. Gellman's interests include the area's growing food deserts and barriers to food security. Her perspective is a...

Wherever you are, whoever you’re with, the winter holiday season often augurs a refreshing drink in hand. But alcohol is not an indispensable ingredient for a good time. Many Americans, around 1 in 3 according to Gallup polling, totally abstain from alcohol. So what are your options if you are looking for something to drink that is more sophisticated than a soda but less potent than the holiday eg...

Law-enforcement agencies, including those in Maryland, are making more use of facial recognition technology. This software attempts to identify human faces by matching images or video from surveillance cameras to massive databases of pictures. Proponents say it’s an important tool to keep the public safe. Privacy advocates say it’s a dangerous tool, far too likely to misidentify people. Some point...

Can Maryland cut greenhouse gasses more than half by 2031?  Jamie DeMarco , Maryland director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network , tells us why they, and 40 other businesses and organizations want Gov. Moore to "Get it Done by '31." Links: CCAN letter to Gov. Wes Moore , Chesapeake Climate Action Network . Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On th...

At the COP 28 UN Climate Change conference in Dubai--the final hours of talks. Gina Castillo , Climate Policy and Research Advisor for Baltimore-based Catholic Relief Services was in attendance, along with her colleague Nikki Gamer , Senior Public Affairs Manager for CRS. They give us an update. Links: UN COP28. Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On th...

Last year’s New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen Supreme Court decision forces some states to remove concealed carry permitting requirements. A recent study used modeling to analyze the consequences. We speak with Daniel Webster, Bloomberg Professor of American Health and Distinguished Research Scholar at the Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School. Links: Study...

Maryland’s gun control law--requiring a handgun license--was found unconstitutional by a federal appeals court late last month. The case was heard by a three-judge panel. Now Maryland’s Attorney General Anthony Brown is seeking a rehearing before the entire 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. We speak to Dylan Segelbaum , courts reporter at our news partner The Baltimore Banner . Links: Maryland AG...

A three-act opera about learning to sing and a lot else: meditating, hanging out, goofing off, healing from trauma and the pandemic. We ask the experimental theater company The Acme Corporation's artistic director Lola B. Pierson about their first show in three years. And composer Allison Clendaniel talks about scoring the show - with music, song and found sounds. Links: Acme Corporation tickets ....

Here's a Stoop Story from Shira   about the importance of representation, remaining open to conversation, and creating community. Find information about the next live Stoop Storytelling here , coming up Tuesday Dec. 12 at the Senator Theater. Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers m...

From rowhomes in Baltimore to tobacco barns in Southern Maryland, the survival of historic buildings depends on training the next generation of masons, carpenters, and roofers.  We speak with preservationists and business owners, and hear about a national initiative to promote jobs in the historic trades. Guests: - Nicholas Redding , president and CEO of Preservation Maryland and The Campaign for...

We go On the Record with Kevin Lindamood , CEO of Health Care for the Homeless and Jeff Griffin , executive director of the Franciscan Center . Covid relief funds have ended, but the need for nutritious food, healthcare and housing has not. How are the two nonprofits managing to provide what people need? Links: Franciscan Center , Franciscan Center Capital Campaign;   Health Care for the Homeless...

Climate change, driven by human activity, has upset the balance of ecosystems and natural processes the world over. In the Chesapeake Bay, changes to the natural environment that usually occur over hundreds or thousands of years are taking place in the span of a lifetime. Sea-level rise is causing salty ocean water to crawl farther and farther into the bay and onto nearby coastlands. Jeremy Cox is...

In a new novel, all the threads of Ana’s life— marital infidelity, a gender-fluid child, tensions with her mother—braid together as she celebrates her sixtieth birthday. Lisa Gornick’s fifth novel is "Ana Turns." She and Alice McDermott, whose latest novel is "Absolution," will discuss their books in a virtual event on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. Details here. Do you have a question or comment about...

That gritty crime drama you’ve been drafting in you head for years…or the sci-fi adventure you plot before bed…What will become of them? What does it take to turn an idea into a book?  We speak with Amy Kaplan , president of the Maryland Writers’ Association . She is the author of several books and short stories, including her most recent, a coming-of-age fantasy titled, “ The Mark of the Goddess...

Have you enjoyed splashy fall colors this season? People who are colorblind miss out on some of that autumn bliss. EnChroma glasses allow those with ‘color vision deficiency’ see a fuller spectrum. We ask Don McPherson , inventor of  the glasses, how they work -- and learn about a new test for color blindness. You can find the test here . EnChroma Glasses are available on loan at Brookside Gardens...