On The Record

A safe, effective vaccine against Covid-19 could resurrect jobs, send kids back to classrooms--change our lives. But how safe and effective? And how quickly can we have it?<br>Dr. Robert Gallo, the AIDS-research pioneer now leading virus science at the University of Maryland----argues we could get much of the benefit by inoculating people with an old, very cheap drug--the oral polio vaccine developed seven decades ago. Gallo contends it would trigger our ‘innate immunity’--the body’s emergency response when a threat shows up.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Fifty-seven years ago--August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. transfixed those gathered near the reflecting pool on the national Mall ...for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. “I have a dream,” he said, and described it, including “one day right there in Alabama little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today!” <br><br>That was a year and a week after an 11-year-old Black boy and about 30 of his friends brought their dream to a swimming pool in South Baltimore. The late Congressman Elijah Cummings told a Stoop Story about it in 2010.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Nearly a week after Baltimore’s housing commissioner was fired, the public doesn’t know why. We ask Tisha Guthrie, a tenants’ rights advocate, why it’s important, and Councilman John Bullock, chair of the city council’s housing committee, what’s next.<br><br>A wave of evictions is expected when courts resume hearing landlord claims next week. We ask Tisha Edwards, interim director of the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services, whether the $31 million dollars the city has earmarked for tenants is enough.<br><br>For help with eviction prevention, paying your water or energy bills, and more, you can visit bmorechildren.com or call the Baltimore City Community Action Partnership hotline at 410-545-0900.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Just weeks after the Declaration of Independence had been signed, George Washington’s rag-tag Continental Army confronted an immense British military force. Washington needed to retreat from Brooklyn into Manhattan--but how to buy time to do it? Four hundred young fighters from Maryland engaged the redcoats to give cover to the escaping Americans. Author Chris Formant blends historic facts with inference about emotions and motivations. His novel is: "Saving Washington: The Forgotten Story of the Maryland 400 and the Battle of Brooklyn."<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

One hundred years ago, women got the vote in the U.S. Constitution. That didn’t mean all women actually got to vote. In her new book, historian Martha Jones describes how African-American women strategized, organized, preached and marched--sometimes alongside white suffragists and sometimes alone. They tackled racism at the same time they fought sexism. Jones calls her new book Vanguard, because, “Black women are the organizers, they are the foot soldiers, they are the architects, they are the spokespeople for the necessity of African American voting rights."<br><br>Jones traces how Black women built political skills in churches and women’s clubs … and kept struggling for laws that would keep the promise of the Nineteen Amendment.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

From the fear of getting sick to the sadness of canceled plans, children are experiencing a wide range of emotions as the pandemic persists. That stress takes a toll on their mental health.<br><br>Psychologist Sharon Hoover co-directs the University of Maryland medical school’s National Center for School Mental Health. She says more resources are needed.<br><br>We hear the voices of children coping with the pandemic.<br><br>And social worker Ashley Woods describes how she is staying connected to the high school students she serves in Baltimore.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Just as tens of millions of Americans are making plans to vote by mail--came sudden reports of delayed deliveries, vanished equipment, slashed overtime. Much of the country is up in arms about the U.S. Postal Service. The Washington Post reporter Erin Cox fills in details of its slow decline and needed reforms. She tells why the recent appointment of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, and his sweeping changes, have created a perfect storm. Plus, we look at how, when and where Marylanders can cast their ballots.<br><br>For information about voting by mail in Maryland, visit this link. For Erin Cox's reporting, visit this link.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

It’s August … the dog days of summer. Thinking of getting away? Here’s an audio postcard from On the Record producer Melissa Gerr, about her experiences on a recent journey through the air. If you missed your Stoop story today -- or any day -- you can find all the tales right at your fingertips when you visit Stoopstorytelling.com, or the Stoop podcast. Also, there’s a virtual Stoop coming up next month, called: “Of Substance: Real, Personal Stories About Our Complicated and Contradictory Relationships with Drugs and Alcohol.” You can watch it on Facebook Live on Tuesday, September 22, at 7:00 pm.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

A virtual film festival next week will examine housing discrimination through the lens of film.<br><br>Raemond Parrott, of Baltimore’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights, previews the motion pictures and discussions; and tells about the pandemic-related complaints his office is investigating. <br><br>Then, filmmaker Emily Stubb describes “deserted,” a documentary that follows West Baltimore activist Anthony Francis. Francis says growing up in a food desert shapes how children think about connecting to food.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

As water bottles break down and fleece jackets shed fibers in the washing machine, small pieces of plastic enter the ecosystem. What threat does this pollutant pose to the environment? Bay Journal reporter Whitney Pipkin is the author of a recent report on microplastics.<br><br>How is this debris impacting marine life? What steps can we take to reduce plastic pollution? Click here for more information about the documentary "The Story of Plastic". This interview originally aired June 4, 2020.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Humans and cars have always had to share the road. But that territory is in demand as more people spread to the outdoors in order to physically distance during the pandemic. Neighborhood organizer Odette Ramos tells us about Slow Streets, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation's effort to calm traffic and make residential streets safer. And Del. Robbyn Lewis discusses building on the momentum of Slow Streets ... with her newly formed coalition Livable Streets. The group promotes ‘people first’ street design in African American and Latino neighborhoods in Baltimore.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

The right of women to vote was added to the U.S. constitution one hundred years ago. To understand the Nineteenth Amendment, look back fifty years, just after the Civil War, to the provision that opened the vote to Black men. Michael Ross is a professor of constitutional history: “As one newspaper said, there were loopholes through which a coach and four horses could be driven in the 15th amendment, and they knew it. But it was a political calculation that this pared-down version of the 15th amendment was sent to the states.”<br><br>So pared-down, the 1870 amendment did not include women. Writer Elaine Weiss, an expert on the suffrage movement, says women who had worked for the abolition of slavery, felt betrayed. It took decades to heal the rift.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

During segregation, Baltimore’s Ashburton and Forest Park neighborhoods were home to Black and Jewish families. But by the sixties, Jewish residents had begun to move to the suburbs.<br><br>This history--and its recounting in the book by Antero Pietilla “Not In My Neighborhood,” - is what brought together Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg of Beth Tfiloh Congregation and Rev. Terris A. King of Liberty Grace Church of God. Now, they are passing it on through Temple X, an augmented reality app developed by King’s son.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here’s a Stoop Story from social worker and violence-prevention specialist David Ross about a lesson he learned from his favorite teacher. Check out more stories from Stoop Storytelling Series and the Stoop podcast.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Stay-at-home measures help ward off Covid-19, but they take a toll. Some people are experiencing side effects --like depression--after weeks of self-isolation.<br>The Mental Health Association of Maryland launched ‘The Connections Project’ to pair vulnerable seniors with volunteers who provide conversation and care, virtually. Kim Burton, Director of the association’s Older Adult programs, explains how it works. And we hear from volunteer Sharyn Doyle, and Barbara Feldman, who gets calls from her three times a week:<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Efforts to slow transmission of the coronavirus have affected nearly every walk of life. Two chaplains tell us how they’ve creatively adapted their approaches to offer comfort and care to patients and staff during this time of social distancing. Rabbi Jeffrey Orkin is director of pastoral care at Levindale long-term care facility. And Rev. Denise White is staff chaplain at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Because visitors are are allowed in only a few circumstances during the pandemic, she says the solace she can offer patients is even more urgent.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, it is eroding the legal wellness of low-income families. Amy Petkovsek, Director of Advocacy, Training, and Pro Bono for Maryland Legal Aid, says the nonprofit is bracing for an influx of cases.<br><br>How are attorneys handling requests to help people draft wills and fight eviction? Do they have the resources they need? Plus, two clients share their stories.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

When crime surged in 2015 after the Freddie Gray protests, Baltimore police were more determined than ever to rack up more arrests and seize more illegal guns from the streets. A new book chronicles how that empowered cops on the ‘Gun Trace Task Force’--some of whom had been planting evidence, making illegal arrests and robbing drug dealers for years--to step up their own illicit activities. It took a federal indictment to shut down the Gun Trace Task force in 2017. We ask why the authors say prosecutors and police commanders looked away.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Twelve weeks before an important national election, Maryland has only about half the normal number of elections judges and David Garreis thinks many of them may still decide the coronavirus makes working the polls Nov. 3 too risky. Garreis leads the ‘Maryland Association of Elections Officials,’ which wants to replace precinct voting with fewer, bigger voting centers--maybe at high schools--where people from anywhere in that county could vote. It would need the governor’s OK.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here's a Stoop Story from Arthur Sutherland about what he learned from the funny pages. You can hear her story and many others at Stoopstorytelling.com, as well as the Stoop podcast.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

As coronavirus spread, families stayed home, and children missed their scheduled immunizations. Pediatrician Dr. James Campbell warns that skipping these shots may result in an epidemic during a pandemic. Read more about threat of under-vaccination here.<br><br>Then, Stacie Stender, of Jhpiego, an international non-profit, describes how the pandemic disrupted global efforts to contain HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Read more about Jhpiego's work to contain COVID-19 here.<br><br>What does coronavirus mean for battling the spread of other infectious diseases?<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

A small piece of cloth has sparked a big debate in the U.S.: some Americans believe mandates to wear a mask infringe on their personal freedoms. Turns out, this has happened before. Marian Moser Jones, Associate Professor in The University of Maryland School of Public Health, tells us about the ‘anti-mask league of 1918.’ Jones admits that today’s social distancing and mask-wearing mandates can feel inconvenient, but says we can learn from the Spanish Flu pandemic. Plus, how did that deadly flu play out in Baltimore?<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

At the end of this month, hundreds of thousands of Maryland renters may be called to court for failure to pay rent.<br><br>State Senator Shelly Hettlemen represents Baltimore County. She leads a workgroup advocating for a dozen actions to address the looming crisis. Read their reccomendations here. We ask what she's hearing from residents.<br><br>And Adam Skolnik, head of the Maryland Mutli-Family Association, says smaller property owners are shouldering the greatest burden, but finding support from local banks.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

During the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Americans are staying home in order to stay safe. But what if home is the opposite of safe … because you’re trapped inside with your abuser? Fushena Cruickshank from the The Maryland Health Care Coalition Against Domestic Violence, tells us how they’re training healthcare providers to help patients in these dangerous circumstances. And Lauren Shaivitz, director of the non-profit Chana, talks about the unique challenges their clients are facing during lockdown.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here's a Stoop Story from Terry Sapp about the healing power of heavy metal music. You can hear his story and many others at stoopstorytelling.com or on the Stoop podcast.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Who needs camp when you can design a mosaic, carve a statue from soap or compose a song … all from home! The ‘Baltimore Summer Arts Passport’ offers alternatives to ‘a cancelled camp summer’ for thousands of city youth. We talk with Julia di Busolo, executive director of Arts Every Day, who spearheaded the project, and with Dana Carr, executive director of Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Center. She believes the project could set the stage for future instruction.<br><br>For more information about the Baltimore Summer Arts Passport, visit this link. To make a Baltimore Summer Arts Passport donation, visit this link.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

If white Christians take a closer look--at their church’s history, at its pious images, at the sermons they hear--they may begin to see a deeply racist theology embedded in the DNA of their faith. Robert P. Jones’ new book, “White Too Long” calls for a reckoning.<br><br>Jones is the founder and CEO of the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Every day, scores of people in mental or emotional distress call for help. If they dial 9-1-1, what happens? As many argue for curtailing the role of police, what are other options in Baltimore for such emergency calls?<br><br>Adrienne Breidenstine of Behavioral Health System Baltimore describes where gaps in the system let people down, and how they might be filled. And we ask Edgar Wiggins, founder of Baltimore Crisis Response, which is funded by BHS, how it works.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Throughout Maryland’s history, the Bay’s bounty -- and its access to transatlantic trade -- proved irresistible to pirates. In her book “Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay,” Jamie Goodall explores the role of these legendary rebels and describes the fine line between piracy and privateering.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Four hundred years ago, after Galileo heard rumors that lenses in a tube could bring the planets and the surface of the moon into focus, he made detailed observations with a telescope and laid the groundwork for the scientific method. He also brought on himself the wrath of the greatest power in Europe, the Catholic Church, which called his analysis heretical. In a new biography, Galileo and the Science Deniers, astrophysicist Mario Livio compares Galileo’s critics to those who today deny climate change ... or the science behind the coronavirus.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

From gun control to climate change to racial justice, young people are taking action to change the world - organizing marches and rallies, social media campaigns, lobbying lawmakers. What can young people learn from leaders from the past? How can storytelling play a role? Ahead of the Banneker-Douglass Museum's virtual conference for young people, we speak to David Fakunle, chair of the Maryland Lynching Truth and Reconciliation Commission.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here is a Stoop Story from activist Destiny Watford about the power of storytelling to change minds.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Like most of Laura Lippman’s novels, her new book is set mostly in Baltimore … and centers on a smart woman with complicated motives. But this protagonist is not fictional--this is Lippman herself, publishing her first non-fiction since her days as a newspaper reporter. It’s a collection of essays titled My Life as a Villainess. We learn why Lippman considers herself a bad friend, … why she used to steal penny-candy, … how it feels to be asked if your new baby is your grandchild. Essays full of revelations, but not many regrets--not even the grudges.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

The Black Lives Matter movement has emboldened Black communities to demand justice and equity in nearly every realm of American life. nearly every realm of American life. The Baltimore Rock Opera Society has taken that message to the online stage with its portrayal of the evolution of rock and roll ... told using a more accurate, more inclusive arc. We talk with Petula Caesar, producer of ‘Rock Opera 101: American Music’ … and Jonathan Gilmore, its creator, director and lead performer.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

When Spiro Agnew, faced with prosecution for bribes dating back to his days as Baltimore County Executive, resigned the vice presidency in 1973 -- it seemed the glaring end of his political influence. But the book, "Republican Populist: Spiro Agnew and the Origins of Donald Trump’s America," contends Agnew did create a political legacy, and we see it today in Donald Trump’s America. Authors Zach Messitte and Chuck Holden write that Agnew excelled as Nixon’s emissary to the Silent Majority.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

The COVID-19 pandemic may not be a hurricane, a terrorist attack or a war, but it is a disaster. As a disaster psychologist Dr. George Everly has spent four decades responding to the mental-health needs of victims of calamities around the world.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

The many awards and enormous audiences for ‘Hamilton - An American Musical’ have catapulted the show into Broadway history. But what about the American history portrayed on stage … How accurate is that? This month, as TV audiences can view the spectacle at home, we ask University of Maryland historian and Hamilton fan Richard Bell what the creators got right, and what misses the mark. He sees the show as a living, breathing document that can read differently over time, but enthusiastically gives it a passing grade.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here's a Stoop Story from Tiffany about the importance of standing up for what you believe in. You can hear her story and many others at stoopstorytelling.com, as well as the Stoop podcast.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Decades after the Civil War, monuments honoring Confederate soldiers and leaders were erected across the country. University of Maryland law professor Larry Gibson says these monuments were part of the Lost Cause Movement--a campaign to glorify the South and minimize slavery as a cause of the Civil war.<br><br>Gibson argues for more scrutiny when statues and monuments are placed in positions of honor. Are these growing pains over how we view history and who we venerate new? How is Baltimore wrestling with this question?<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Some scientists are calling urgent attention to the way the coronavirus can waft long distances through the air. These are not the droplets that fall to the ground or onto a surface within a few feet. These are tinier gobs of virus, much smaller than a human hair. They can linger indoors, then settle deep in our lungs. <br><br>Dr. Donald Milton, a respiratory disease expert at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, led a group of scientists pointing to such airborne transmission.<br><br>Better ventilation helps, Milton says -- at least open the windows and doors, or better yet, move activities outside.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Before Jaclyn Paul learned to manage her ADHD, her life was a turmoil of missed appointments, clutter, lost bills, late fees, stalled goals and unfinished projects. She struggled to create a social life and a peaceful home for her husband and son. In short, she was in pain. Getting organized was her way out of that pain.<br><br>In her book, "Order from Chaos: The Everyday Grind of Staying Organized with Adult ADHD," Paul writes that everyone needs to find their own reason for tackling it … and their own system for making it work.<br><br>Jaclyn Paul will be doing a virtual reading with the Ivy Bookshop tomorrow evening at 6:30 pm. Registration information here.<br><br>This interview originally aired on January 22, 2020.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

The fight for Black civil rights started long before the 1960s. That’s a central theme in ‘The Black Freedom Struggle,’ a free webinar hosted tomorrow by the Maryland Historical Society. It focuses on the free Black Maryland experience from before the Civil War to the early Twentieth Century.<br>We hear from presenter Christopher Bonner, associate professor of history at the University of Maryland. He describes how Black communities organized and mobilized ... to push back against the gauntlet of laws and restrictions laid down by white lawmakers.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Close to a million Marylanders have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus, meaning many have also lost health coverage, a vulnerable position during a public health crisis. The pandemic prompted officials to open a special insurance enrollment period -- it ends next Wednesday. More than 50-thousand people recently found coverage through the state marketplace.<br><br>Michelle Eberle, head of the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, joins us with advice on choosing a plan and an update on sign-ups.<br><br>Click here to check out your options on the exchange. Call 855-642-8572 with questions.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here is a Stoop Story from Rosemary Raun about what it takes for your voice to be heard. Check out more information about the Stoop Storytelling Series and listen to the Stoop podcast.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

A century from now, what will people remember about life during Covid-19? Allison Tolman of the Maryland Historical Society talks about the new project, ‘Collecting In Quarantine.’ She says it’s important to record stories ‘in the moment’ to capture the nuances of daily life. Plus, UMBC professor Rebecca Adelman tells why she launched the website ‘Coronavirus Lost and Found: A Pandemic Archive' -- a repository of pandemic experiences from around the world.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

It’s been a disruptive year for students. The school year dissolved into distance learning, then summer vacation, and now educators are bracing for a bigger than normal “summer slide” when classes resume.<br><br>Aaron Dworkin, of the National Summer Learning Association, explains how the pandemic is exacerbating summer learning loss, and points parents toward online resources. You can check out "How To Keep Kids Learning When Schools Are Closed," written by NSLA founder, Matthew Boulay, here.<br><br>And Principal Najib Jammal tells how Lakeland Elementary Middle School is bridging the gaps with food distribution, boxes of art supplies, calls home, and more.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Powerful painkillers can often dispatch acute pain, but using them for chronic, persistent pain carries the risk of addiction. Nearly two million Americans have a substance abuse disorder stemming from prescribed opioids.<br><br>So scientists are researching ways to treat pain without drugs. We talk with journalist Yudhijit Bhattacharjee who wrote about them in The National Geographic.<br>And we talk with University of Maryland professor Luana Colloca featured in the article. Her research shows that people experiencing pain and those who aren’t respond similarly to placebos … with very positive effects.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

"There’s an extraordinary need out there, by any measure. Within the first 24 hours of launching the program on Wednesday we had 17-hundred applications either in progress or already submitted.” Baltimore Housing Commissioner Michael Braverman describes a need that reflects the desperation of renters.<br><br>As unemployment climbed during the coronavirus shutdown, rent delinquencies in the city doubled. With federal pandemic funds the city launched a COVID-19 rent support program to curtail the expected wave of evictions. Braverman explains who qualifies. You can call 410-396-3023 with questions. <br><br>Then Charisse Lue, an attorney with the Public Justice Center, describes how the consequences of evictions spread from families to neighborhoods, and how investing in preventing eviction can save the city millions of dollars.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

Here is a spooky summertime Stoop Story from Tom Jub about why 12-year-olds are probably too young to be camp counselors. Check out more Stoop stories and the Stoop podcast here.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>

With all its full-service centers open again, the Y in Central Maryland is welcoming members back, after months of essential activity like meal distribution and childcare for frontline workers. President John Hoey describes how the Y has adapted gyms, camps, and preschools to keep patrons safe.<br><br>You can read the Y Reopening Guide here. Learn more about summer camps here.<p>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 [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472</p>