On The Record

Freddie Gray died eight years ago of a broken neck, but just how has never been clear. Investigative reporter Justine Barron presents new evidence -- about the arrest of Freddie Gray, the investigation and the prosecution -- in her book, "They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up." Barron will be speaking this Thursday at Red Emma’s Bookstore Coffeehouse. RSVP here . On...

Eyes and body language can give big clues about how someone really feels. What about their laugh? That holds hidden truths, too. We talk to a University of Baltimore researcher about her findings -- and why a simple laugh can reveal if someone is newly in love.  Links: Article about Farley's recent research, link to Farley's ResearchGate . Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story...

Kate Myers of Annapolis has written a funny, irreverent novel with lots of romantic twists that also unspools a mystery about what’s being excavated at a archeological dig on a sunny Greek island … and, it asks the question: Who gets to shape history?   Links:  Friday, August 4: Rehoboth Beach, DE 2-4pm | Browseabout Books Saturday, August 5: Ocean Pines, MD 5pm | Caprichos Books Sunday, August 6:...

Here's a Stoop Story from urban excavation expert Evan Woodard about why he’s dedicated to making history come alive. You can find him on Instagram at Salvage Arc. We have more information about the Stoop Storytelling Series -- including upcoming live events and 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 Reco...

One month ago today, the gun violence plaguing American society reared its head again in south Baltimore. Over the course of ten minutes in the early morning of July 2, 2023, gunfire from multiple, yet unidentified, shooters injured 28 people and killed two. Half of the victims were under the age of 18. The shocking event during Brooklyn Day, a celebration of the neighborhood, threw the community...

Right now, beneath your feet, a century-old system of pipes and drains making up Baltimore City’s water and sewage utilities help deliver water to nearly 2 million people across the region. The system serves the city, Baltimore County, and parts of Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard and Harford counties, too. It is among Baltimore city’s largest and most valuable assets, worth billions of dollars. Late...

Baltimore has 15-thousand vacant properties and lots of plans to address them. Bree Jones buys and rehabs houses a city block at a time to stabilize neighborhoods. How’s it going? Plus, Rebuilding Together Baltimore's free house repairs help seniors and low-income families remain at home. Links: Parity , Rebuilding Together Baltimore Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea t...

Seventy-eight years after the U.S. first deployed atom bombs an award winning producer asks, essentially, why nuclear weapons still exist … and what will the next generation do about them? We ask Robert Frye about his new documentary. Links: The Nuclear World Project , In Search of Resolution , Youth 4Disarmament   Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On...

Here’s a Stoop Story from ... Liz McAlister about … standing up, and standing in the way , for what you believe in. There is more information at Stoopstorytelling.com Tomorrow, from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. Sunday, Baltimore Beat will host its Summer Jam. That happens at The Compound 2239 Kirk Avenue Baltimore. There will be DJs, bands, and beverages--all enjoyed in support of Baltimore Beat: the city’...

For veterans of the military, the transition back to civilian life can be a struggle. Those who served during the United States’ recent conflicts are much more likely to report a difficult time readjusting to life back home , according to Pew Research Center. 47 percent of veterans who served post-9/11 say the transition was difficult, -compared to 21percent of Pre-9/11 servicemembers. And that ca...

What’s behind the rise in tick-borne illness? And what can you do to protect yourself? Nicole Baumgarth   is a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  She arrived last September  to head the public health school's new  Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute . Learn more about the geog...

Laura Lippman ’s new psychological thriller swirls around characters caught as teenagers in headlines about the Prom Mom and the “Cad dad.” She follows them into their 30’s and hurtles toward an end we don’t see coming. Plus, what’s going on with Lippman herself?   Tuesday, July 25, 6:00pm The Ivy Bookshop Presents at Whitehall Mill 3300 Clipper Mill Rd Baltimore, MD LINK Wednesday, July 26, 7:00p...

A good book can capture a child’s imagination. Baltimore County librarian Conni Strittmatter shares summer reading picks for kids, including a graphic novel about a young Vietnamese refugee’s arrival in the U.S. Check out the library's calendar of events . Plus: nonprofit leader Amber Ivey shares a story about a Baltimore girl who makes friends with a robot in "AI... Meets... AI." Titles: "Papá's...

Here’s a Stoop Story from Maya Kosok and Max Romano about a cross-country journey on two wheels.  Check out upcoming Stoop events and the Stoop podcast .  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@wypr.org 4...

When women got their own chance to cycle the Tour de France, nearly four decades ago, they faced skepticism, chauvinism, poor equipment and sparse finances. Baltimore documentarian Jill Yesko’s new film " Uphill Climb " shows how they persevered.   "Uphill Climb: The Women Who Conquered the Impossible Race" can be seen on Discovery Plus and on Peacock, which is also covering the new women’s race t...

For decades, drag performers have made a home in the ancient ridges and valleys of the Appalachian mountains. In Cumberland, Maryland, in the historic Embassy Theatre downtown, you can catch a glimpse of something glamorous and unique to this corner of the Rust Belt. Photographer Michael Snyder, who grew up in nearby Frostburg, first experienced the Cumberland drag scene more than a decade ago. He...

In its report, “ Should I Stay or Should I Go? Retaining the Teachers Baltimore City Students Need ,” the Fund for Educational Excellence spotlights the extraordinary pressures on public-school teachers. We speak with Kwane Wyatt , program director for analysis and engagement at FFEE. Then, Baltimore City teachers Cheryl Owens and Corey Gaber describe how the profession's expectations have grown u...

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched nationwide a year ago. How do counselors in Central Maryland handle calls? What assistance can they offer? We speak with Dan Rabbitt , policy director for Behavioral Health System Baltimore , and senior hotline counselor Chris Niles about de-stigmatizing mental illness and saving lives. You can call, text, or chat 988 24 hours a day.  Links: MD Departme...

A report card  on the health of the Chesapeake Bay released recently  looks beyond the traditional indicators of nitrogen, phosphorus and water, and reviews what’s going on with the people in the bay’s massive watershed. On ecological indicators the new report card by UMCES, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, finds the bay is making progress, though the watersheds of some...

Here is a Stoop Story from Julia Dugan about a mountain trek gone wrong. Want to hear more from the Stoop Storytelling Series ? The latest podcast episode features a story from historian and educator Joanne Martin, who co-founded the National Great Blacks In Wax Museum. Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, M...

Five years ago,  Adrienne Kilby  was looking for a way to make friends and enjoy nature. So, she founded  Baltimore Queer Hike . We speak with Kilby and co-organizer   Shanae Giles   about finding community and celebrating the outdoors. Links: Popular trails in Maryland Trails recommended by the Baltimore Banner This interview originally aired on April 14, 2023. Do you have a question or comment a...

With hundreds of acres to exercise, bike, stroll or gather, Druid Hill Park is a green oasis in Baltimore. But getting to the park requires crossing up to ten lanes of traffic. We speak with Monalisa Diallo, who lives in the Mondawmin neighborhood, and John Kwamya, who serves as Green Space Coordinator for the New Auchentoroly Terrace Association . Plus, artist  Graham Coreil-Allen is president of...

What’s your poultry preference? Soon, options will go beyond just roasted or fried. Upside Foods received USDA approval to sell its cell-cultivated chicken: no animals harmed, grown in a lab. We hear from Eric Schulze , Upside's vice president of Global Scientific and Regulatory Affairs. Plus, a group of Hopkins students is raising awareness about alternative protein production.  Links: Upside Foo...

The recent headlines are alarming. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, shortened as PFAS, have been found in our rivers, drinking water and our bodies. The human-made "forever chemicals" do not easily break down, and pose a lasting health risk to humans and the environment. A report from the U.S. Geological Survey published last week found that the drinking water coming out of faucets in nearly h...

Disability Pride Month started as a celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act--signed into law in July 1990. It marked a significant milestone for the civil rights of Americans with all kinds of disabilities. For people and advocates in the disabled community, Disability Pride month also means celebrating the full breadth of experience of those with disabilities. Make Studio in Baltimore...