On The Record

Reading creates empathy, drives literacy, and in some cases offers an escape. Freedom Reads , a program to be installed this week in juvenile and correctional facilities in Maryland, will bring dozens of new books -- and all the imagination they conjure -- to young people in the system. We talk to its founder, Reginald Dwayne Betts, and new secretary of Juvenile Services, Vincent Schiraldi. Links:...

Here's a Stoop Story from Towanda Carter about always reaching … always believing, … never failing to believe in yourself. You can hear more stories 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 Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/...

Govans Presbyterian church has big plans for Juneteenth this year! It involves two church choirs, performers from the Baltimore Symphony Musicians Foundation, and selections of Jazz, gospel and R&B! We get a preview from co-creators Lea Gilmore, who is a vocalist and the Minister for Racial Justice & Multicultural Engagement and music director at Govans, and Jonathan Jensen , BSO bassist....

A report card on the health of the Chesapeake Bay released today 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 of t...

Today we Pass the Mic to LGBTQ advocate and educator Jabari Lyles . His guest -- Londyn Smith de Richelieu , Baltimore City’s new Director of LGBTQ Affairs -- talks about the need to change the culture and attitude toward trans folks from within City Hall. Then Lyles is joined by Legacy Forte , head of BMORE BLXCK, talking about resources they provide for Black trans youth and Toby , a trans tenth...

Here is a Stoop Story from Phillip Pack about overcoming decades of racism at Bethlehem Steel and why working together means much more than just finishing the job For more information about the Stoop Storytelling Series - including upcoming live events and the Stoop podcast - go to Stoopstorytelling.com   Tomorrow, the Charles Street promenade is back -- not a festival but a pedestrian takeover of...

Today: an update on the federal consent decree the Baltimore Police Department undertook six years ago. We speak with members of the monitoring team about progress on training, use of force, and sexual assault investigations. Plus, 500 officers short, what happens to community engagement?  Guests: Kenneth Thompson , monitor Seth Rosenthal , deputy monitor Evan Shea , subject matter expert Links: O...

This sprightly invasive insect, native to parts of China and Vietnam, was first sighted in the United States in 2014. Since then, the Spotted Lanternfly has spread to 14 states, including nearly every county in Maryland. Its voracious appetite and rapid population growth has made it a high-priority invasive pest for scientists and pest management agencies across the nation. Kenton Sumpter , an ent...

How’s your highway commute? Or -- does your bus arrive on time? Is there enough room? The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board has a new plan called 'Resilience 2050: Adapting to the Challenges of Tomorrow ,' and wants to know what users think about it. We talk with Mike Kelly , Baltimore Metropolitan Council president and Todd Lang , Director Of Transportation Planning at BMC, to learn more. P...

Memorial Day was first celebrated nationwide on May 30, 1868, just a few years after the end of the American Civil War. The holiday commemorates U.S. military personnel who died in conflicts past and present, domestic and abroad. Many of those who serve today were inspired by the men and women who came before them. Harriet Straus is one of those people. Her military and later civilian career in nu...

Here is Stoop Story from Angie about finding genuine connection and love. Next Thursday you’ll have the chance to hear more Stoop Stories ! The Stoop is partnering with the Queer Jewish Arts Festival and the Creative Alliance to present, “Glitter, Gefilte, Guilt and Guts: Stories by People who are Jewish, Queer, and Here!”  The event is Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 7:30 pm at the Creative Alliance. ...

Communities have come together to celebrate the diversity of Asian experiences throughout Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As part of Baltimore's Asia North festival, "LGBTQIA(sian)" will explore the intersection of Asian and queer identities through theater. Rohaizad Suaidi is an adjunct professor of theater at Towson University and the University of Maryland Baltimore County....

Prenatal care leads to better health outcomes for both mothers and babies. A new partnership in Baltimore offers prenatal care to patients experiencing homelessness and connects families to essential services. Plus, a look at the Healthy Babies Equity Act, which goes into effect this summer.  Guests: Dr. Iris Leviner , the Director of Pediatrics and Family Medicine for Health Care for the Homeless...

In the fight against gun violence, Baltimore police are deploying units called District Action Teams. We speak with journalist Brandon Soderberg , whose new article in Baltimore Magazine delves into how they operate. Read: After The Gun Trace Task Force Scandal, BPD Established New Plainclothes Units. Are They More Of The Same? Then, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison on the goals of D...

People with disabilities face challenges everyday in a world that mostly caters to able-bodied folks. For people of color those challenges are multiplied. We hear from three advocates - Crystal Brockington , Janice Jackson and Keyonna Mayo , from the IMAGE Center for People with Disabilities, about their life experiences and what they do to teach empathy and understanding. Links:  IMAGE Center , ...

As federal and state housing assistance dries up, parts of Maryland are seeing rates of eviction surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The Washington Post reports that in Montgomery County , the number of evictions in January and February were three times higher than in the same time period last year. In a recent investigation, the Baltimore Banner took a closer look at evictions in Anne Arundel County...

That was a Stoop Story from Rona Kobell about a chance encounter with danger during a reporting trip to the Chesapeake Bay. Find more information 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 Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/her...

In the Chesapeake Bay and across the state, a rich array of turtle species call Maryland home. But turtles are in danger because of the effects of climate change and destruction of their natural environment. A 2022 study from Tel Aviv University found 58% of the world’s turtle species are threatened by extinction. World Turtle Day was created in 1990 as an annual observance to help people celebrat...

The late congressman Elijah E. Cummings famously said: “Our children are the living messages we send to a future we will never see.” The Elijah Cummings Youth Program, in its 25th year, is his testament to that. We speak with executive director Kathleen St. Villier, and students Ryen Eley and Benjamin Caplan , about the experience. Links: Elijah Cummings Youth Program , Justice is Not Just Us podc...

On Monday, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski ruled out a run for the United States Senate and instead backed fellow Democrat and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks in the race.  Olszewski is in his second term as Baltimore County’s chief executive. Last month, he presented his $4.9 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2024. The county council is scheduled to vote on th...

Policy director Jed Weeks and development director Sonya Thomas from Bikemore talk about Bike to Work week (and month!) and discuss how the nonprofit is working to convince commuters to choose two wheels instead of four for their travel. Plus, how they advocate for transportation policy change. Then Bong Delrosario , director of transportation policy and programs for the Maryland Department of Dis...

One in five Americans report experiencing mental illness, according to the National Institutes of Health . That's equivalent to approximately 55 million Americans. But there are significant barriers to accessing mental health treatment, including stigma and cost of care. Darius Sanders is Senior Clinical Social Worker and Therapist in the Outpatient Psychiatric Mental Health Program at the Kennedy...

Mothers Day is Sunday. For many people that might mean planning a brunch or giving special gifts or cards. There are lots of ways to show appreciation and acknowledge the special person who holds that place in the family. Maybe it is an aunt, or grandmother, or another loving person who fills the role. Yet for others, the holiday may trigger a sense of loss -- or hurt, or even regret.  Marjorie Ni...

Here’s a Stoop Story from Wendry Rumrill about … the fierce love of a mother for her son … and for herself. Find more information 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 Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@wypr.org...

The pandemic worsened America’s maternal mortality crisis , with the burden of death disproportionately felt by communities of color. We speak with Dr. Doee Kitessa , an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center and an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  Then, the Maryland Child Alliance is collecting signatures to put a 'baby bon...