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***We are pleased to announce that Midday is expanding to five days a week.  Beginning November 6, the Friday 1 PM slot on 88.1 WYPR and its sister stations in Frederick and Ocean City will be home to the Midday News Review, with Karen Hosler as host.  The News Review will feature a panel of reporters and analysts who will chew over the local news of the week and respond to listeners who call or email.  We gratefully accept any suggestions for this new venture.***

Midday
February 8 - February 12

Monday, February 8
Noon-1:00 1:00-2:00
More snow may be headed to Baltimore and central Maryland, adding another layer to the two to three feet that fell from the skies over the mid-Atlantic on Friday into Saturday. Today on Midday: how Marylanders, from the new mayor of Baltimore to citizens with shovels across the state, coped with the big snow over the weekend, and how they're preparing for more this week. We'll try to get a sense of the snow's impact from the metropolitan area to western Maryland. Please join us to share your stories, and your assessment of the government response to the big storm of 2010.


Tuesday, February 9
Noon-1:00
Every twenty years, the Maryland legislature is required to put a "Constitutional Convention" question on the ballot--asking voters if the state's Constitution should be tweaked, or even ripped up and written anew.  We'll get some history from Dan Friedman, author of The Maryland State Constitution: A Reference Guide, and debate the "ConCon" with state senator Allan H. Kittleman and J.H. Snider, who writes about democratic reform and runs the "Marylanders for a State Constitutional Convention" blog.

1:00-2:00
In the new book Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, social psychologist Melanie Joy writes about what she calls "carnism," an invisible belief system that underlies our--inconsistent--behavior toward animals.


Wednesday, February 10
Noon-1:00
In a series for the Salt Lake Tribune called "Sickened by Service," Matthew LaPlante reports that the Department of Veterans Affairs requires service members to prove that their illnesses are "service-connected" before providing medical care or compensation--leaving millions of veterans to fend for themselves.  We'll speak with LaPlante, as well as Christopher Sweet, whose wife, a U.S. Air Force technical sergeant, died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from leukemia she may have obtained from exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan, and Susan Burke, one of the lead attorneys for the plaintiffs in a class-action suit over this issue going on here in Maryland.

1:00-2:00
TBA


Thursday, February 11
Noon-1:00
While there are signs we're moving out of the recession, with a slight decrease in national unemployment numbers, many Marylanders are still out of a job.  Please join us for this "radio resume" hour, when we'll talk with men and women looking for work, and invite our listeners to share their stories--and their CVs.

1:00-2:00
Just in time for Valentine's Day, the love doctor will make a house call to Studio A.  Our guest, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, will clue us in on the chemistry of love, lust, and attachment--why you fall for one person rather than another.  She's speaking on the subject tonight at 7:30 at the Maryland Science Center.


Friday, February 12
1:00-2:00
Midday's Weekly News Review.

Midday
February 1 - February 5

Monday, February 1
Noon-1:00
In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for steps to end the policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." We'll get perspective on the issue from military academy alumni who want to end the policy.  We'll talk with military academy alumni who are members of their respective GLBT associations.  Our guests include Dan Choi, member of Knights Out (West Point), Skip Muller of USNA Out (Naval Academy), Greg Mooneyham of Blue Alliance (Air Force Academy), and Andrea Hollen, Knights Out member and a past founding board member of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

1:00-2:00
The Poker Bride: The First Chinese in the Wild West is the new book by University of Maryland-Baltimore County journalism professor Christopher Corbett.  In it, he anchors the tale of Chinese immigration to the Old West around a concubine named Polly, who was smuggled to San Francisco, then wagered--and lost--in a poker game.


Tuesday, February 2
Noon-1:00
Crime, low graduation rates, and unemployment continue to hinder Baltimore's lower income communities. We'll talk with Harriet Meyer, president of the Ounce of Prevention Fund, and Margaret Williams, executive director of the Maryland Family Network, about their work to tackle these issues through early childhood intervention.

1:00-2:00
Joining us in Studio A is U.S. Army Captain Jason Wingeart, on leave from the Charkh district of the Logar province in Afghanistan. The Baltimore County native will tell us about his work training police, supporting local government, and protecting villagers from insurgent attacks.


Wednesday, February 3
Noon-1:00
Is health care stalling on Capitol Hill?  We'll get the latest from Jonathan Weiner, professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Peter Beilenson, Health Officer for Howard County, who argues that reform on the state level may be the way to go.

1:00-2:00
Food writer, teacher, and cookbook author Andrew Schloss wants you to cook more, but he doesn't want you to spend all of your time in the kitchen. In his latest book The Art of the Slow Cooker, he offers recipes and suggestions for finding a slow cooker that will allow you to spend more time with your friends and family.


Thursday, February 4
Noon-1:00
It's the Classroom, Stupid: A Plan to Save America's Schoolchildren is a new book by our guest Kalman Hettleman. A former member of the Baltimore school board, he outlines why the elimination of school boards could be the key to improving public education in America.

1:00-2:00
Baltimore City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake will be sworn in as Baltimore's mayor today--very shortly after the trial of Sheila Dixon comes to a close.  Fern Shen of the Baltimore Brew will give us the latest from the courthouse and City Hall, and Donald Norris, chairman of the department of public policy at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, and Sheri Parks, associate professor of American studies at the University of Maryland-College Park, will offer their analysis in Studio A.


Friday, February 5
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review.  On this week's panel: Fraser Smith, WYPR's senior news analyst and Maryland Daily Record columnist; Annie Linskey, State House reporter for the Baltimore Sun; and Mark Reutter of the Baltimore Brew.

Midday
January 25 - January 29

Monday, January 25
Noon-1:00
The Maryland Department of the Environment developed new rules regulating storm water run-off in an effort to help clean up the Chesapeake Bay.  Opponents to the measures, however, say that these actually run counter to the state's "Smart Growth" philosophy.  We'll take up the debate with Robert Summers, deputy secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment; Dru Perkins Schmidt, executive director of 1000 Friends of Maryland; and Michael C. Powell, attorney for the Maryland Builders Association.

1:00-2:00
Americans are getting much less sleep than they have been in the past.  We'll learn how this affects our waking lives--often negatively--when we speak with Naresh Punjabi, Adam Spira, and Brian Caffo, a multi-disciplinary research team from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health that has been making new connections between sleep apnea and chronic diseases.


Tuesday, January 26
Noon-1:00
Two weeks after the deadly earthquake in Port-au-Prince, we'll follow up with aid workers and journalists in Haiti, from Maryland humanitarian organizations World Relief, Jhpiego, Catholic Relief Services, and the U.S.N.S. Comfort hospital ship.  From Studio A in Baltimore, Morgan State University political science professor Max Hilaire will offer his analysis.

1:00-2:00
Last week, a divided United States Supreme Court struck down decades-old restrictions on corporate campaign spending, a move that some say will "open the floodgates" on corporate influence in government.  In this hour, we'll look at the legality of this decision, as well as its potential ramifications.  Our panel will include Robert Percival, professor at the University of Maryland School of Law; Ryan O'Donnell, executive director of Common Cause Maryland; and Kenneth Gross, former associate general counsel of the Federal Election Commission.  We'll also speak with David Bossie, president and chairman of the board of Citizens United.


Wednesday, January 27
Noon-1:00
President Obama has proposed stricter rules for the largest banks to bar them from making reckless investments.  Will this prevent banks from becoming "too big to fail"?  We'll get perspective from Kenneth Stanton, associate professor of finance at Coppin State University and Paul Leiman, adjunct professor of business and leadership ethics at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.

The websites our guest Paul Leiman mentioned about government regulation of banks:
Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission
Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council

1:00-2:00
Can partisan media retain professional standards of reporting?  We'll talk with Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik about governing in the age of Fox News, and speak with Paul Starr, a Princeton University sociology professor who authored an article on the subject for the Atlantic.


Thursday, January 28
Noon-1:00
This year's Detroit Auto Show was the first since the bailout of the auto industry by the federal government. How did the big three automakers fare?  Plus, what will the expansion of the General Motors plant in White Marsh mean for our area?  We'll find out from John Davis, host of Maryland Public Television's Motor Week.

1:00-2:00
In the age of email, Facebook messaging, and Tweets, is the handwritten missive a thing of the past?  Samara O'Shea, professional letter-writer and author of For the Love of Letters: A 21st-Century Guide to the Art of Letter Writing, hopes not.


Friday, January 29
1:00-2:00
Midday's Weekly News Review.  On this week's panel: Andy Green, opinion editor for the Baltimore Sun; Marta Hummel Mossburg, senior fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute; and Matthew Weinstein, Baltimore region and federal issues director for Progressive Maryland.

Midday
January 18 - January 22

Monday, January 18
Noon-1:00
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, we'll speak to relief workers from Maryland humanitarian organizations who are on the ground in Port-au-Prince.

1:00-2:00
Your hairdresser, personal trainer, or the clerk you talk with at the video store comprise some of the "consequential strangers" in your life.  We'll learn about the importance of these people in our lives from Melinda Blau, co-author of the book Consequential Strangers: the Power of People Who Don't Seem to Matter... But Really Do.


Tuesday, January 19
Noon-1:00
In difficult times we look to leaders who are decisive and up to the challenges that face them.  In their book The Secrets of Resilient Leadership, our guests George Everly and Douglas Strouse provide insights about ways to be resilient personally, and in leading others.

1:00-2:00
Since the first cases of the H1N1 swine flu were reported in Maryland--and dire predictions were made for the winter--we haven't heard much about the virus's impact on the state.  Was it all hype?  We'll perform a swine flu check-up with Andrew Pekosz, associate professor in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Dr. Gregory Branch, Health Officer for Baltimore County.


Wednesday, January 20
Noon-1:00
On the anniversary of President Obama's inauguration, we'll look back at the accomplishments and challenges of his first year.  Our panel will include Max Hilaire, chairman of the department of political science at Morgan State University, and Matthew Crenson, professor of political science at the Johns Hopkins University and co-author of Presidential Power: Unchecked & Unbalanced.

1:00-2:00
It's alive--and it sings and dances. Mel Brooks's classic comedy Young Frankenstein has been turned into a stage musical, and the national touring company is now on stage at the Hippodrome. We'll talk with Roger Bart, Brad Oscar, and Cory English, three of the stars of the tour, who also appeared in the Broadway production.


Thursday, January 21
Noon-1:00
Paul Tough is the award-winning author of Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America.  He'll be speaking at the Bolton Street Synagogue tonight about the Harlem Children's Zone, a massive attempt to provide 24/7 support services to the parents and children in a 97-block area of Harlem who are struggling to better their lives--and whether this concept could work in Baltimore. We'll talk with Tough about Geoffrey Canada, the Harlem Children's Zone, and potential applications in our city.  We'll also hear from Nicole Johnson, the Director of Elev8 Baltimore, formally The East Baltimore Integrated Service in Schools.

1:00-2:00
In this hour, we'll kick off our "Maryland County of the Month" series with a spotlight on Wicomico.  We'll get a tour of all that's fun and funky in this Eastern Shore county.


Friday, January 22
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review.  On this week's panel: Len Lazarick, editor and publisher of MarylandReporter.com; Fern Shen of the Baltimore Brew; and Jean Marbella, government and politics editor for the Baltimore Sun.

Midday
January 11 - January 15

Monday, January 11
Noon-1:00
The American public seems to be shifting its attitude toward marijuana, with many calling for legalization of the drug for medical and recreational use.  Mike Meno, assistant director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project, will paint the national picture for us, while Dr. Dan Morhaim, a member of the state House of Delegates, will tell us about the legislation he's preparing for the 2010 General Assembly session.

1:00-2:00
Naval Academy political science professor Howard Ernst, author of Fight for the Bay, is an outspoken advocate for cleaning up the Chesapeake.  He has criticized politicians and environmentalists for their lackluster efforts to restore the estuary.  In this hour, we'll learn why he feels a "dark green" environmental awakening is needed to save the bay.


Tuesday, January 12
Noon-1:00
On the eve of the start of the 2010 legislative session, we'll preview the political season with Karen Hosler, host of the Midday News Review; Len Lazarick, editor and publisher of MarylandReporter.com; and Douglas Tallman, Annapolis bureau chief for The Gazette.

1:00-2:00
A culinary tour of some of the state's most unique dinners: From shad in Vienna to haggis in Dowell, we'll find out what's on the menu in Maryland.


Wednesday, January 13
Noon-1:00
Wall Street is reporting record earnings after taxpayers rescued the financial industry from the brink of disaster.  Should these large bonuses be paid to Wall Street bankers while Main Street still struggles?  We'll look at the ethics of the situation with Lindsay Thompson, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School with expertise in human values in business.

1:00-2:00
What does a murder at Harvard in 1849 tell us about American scientific education?  During the McCarthy era, is it possible we were more afraid of our own scientists than Communists?  These provocative questions about how America perceives scientists, what they do for us--and to us--are at the heart of the book Master Mechanics & Wicked Wizards: Images of the American Scientist as Hero and Villain from Colonial Times to the Present by our guest Glen Scott Allen.


Thursday, January 14
Noon-1:00
Much global conflict today stems from the quest for oil.  In the future, will such disputes flow from the search for water?  We'll face down the "hydro-crisis" with Steven Solomon, author of the new book Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power, and Civilization.

1:00-2:00
Creating and sharing meals together can strengthen relationships--so says our guest this hour, Father Leo Patalinghug, founder of the Grace Before Meals movement. Grace Before Meals: Recipes for Family Life is also the name of his cookbook.  In it, he encourages families to cook, talk, and share blessings at the dinner table.


Friday, January 15
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review.  On this week's panel: Joel McCord, Annapolis bureau chief for the WYPR News Department; John Wagner, who covers Maryland politics and government for the Washington Post; and Laura Smitherman, business editor at the Baltimore Sun.

Midday
January 4 - January 8

Monday, January 4
Noon-1:00
We'll review the crime statistics of 2009 with Baltimore City Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld, III, and hear his plans for decreasing violent crime in 2010.

1:00-2:00
Since the advent of Twitter, Facebook, and blogs, slang and abbreviations have infected our writing.  As polished prose becomes rarer, we'll get tips on how to bring our grammar up to snuff from Mignon Fogarty, author of The Grammar Devotional.


Tuesday, January 5
Noon-1:00
Baltimore, like many cities, has been dealing with budget shortfalls and subsequent cuts.  We'll look at the city's $190 million budget deficit with City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and City Councilman William Cole.

1:00-2:00
Gone are the days when America had a wealth of manufacturing jobs. This hour, we'll consider what the next major source of job creation for Americans might be with Jay Hancock, Baltimore Sun business columnist; Phil Phan, professor and vice dean for faculty and research at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School; and Marty Nemko, career coach and contributing editor to U.S. News & World Report.


Wednesday, January 6
Noon-1:00
In the wake of an attempted attack on a flight into Detroit on Christmas Day, the United States Transportation Security Administration has been working to get new--stricter--anti-terrorist security regulations into effect.  We'll evaluate the effectiveness and legality of these measures with Michael Greenberger, director of the Center for Health and Homeland Security at the University of Maryland School of Law; Michael Dresser, transportation columnist for the Baltimore Sun; and Jay Stanley, Public Education Director for the Technology and Liberty Program of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Here's an example of the image produced by a full-body "millimeter wave" scan (.jpeg provided by the Transportation Security Administration):


1:00-2:00
A new study from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that Maryland women make less money than their male counterparts--and even less comparatively than they did in 2002.  We'll look into possible explanations for this statistic and talk about the role of women in today's workforce with Joanne Saltzberg, CEO of Women Entrepreneurs of Baltimore; Karren Pope-Onwukwe, a member of the state Alliance of Black Women Attorneys; and Stephen Shore, assistant professor of economics at the Johns Hopkins University.


Thursday, January 7
Noon-1:00
Yesterday afternoon, Sheila Dixon announced that she will resign her post as Baltimore mayor as part of a complicated plea agreement.  We'll unpack the arrangement and get listener reaction with Donna Marie Owens, who covered the trial for WYPR and National Public Radio; David Gray, professor of law at the University of Maryland; and Byron Warnken, professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

1:00-2:00
In our second hour, we'll look to the future of city leadership and get listener reaction with Brian Morton, who writes the "Political Animal" column for the Baltimore City Paper, and Doug Donovan, who reports for Baltimore Magazine and WYPR.  We'll also hear from Baltimore Sun City Hall reporter Annie Linskey, who spoke with Mayor Dixon the night before she announced her resignation.


Friday, January 8
1:00-2:00
As the Maryland political and legislative season begins, Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon's career is coming to an abrupt end.  On the first Midday News Review of 2010, we'll discuss these stories--and more--with Marta Hummel Mossburg, columnist for the Washington Examiner; Fern Shen of the Baltimore Brew; and Peter Jensen, editorial writer at the Baltimore Sun.

Midday
December 28 - January 1

Monday, December 28
Noon-1:00
Best known for his role as B.J. Hunnicutt on the television series M*A*S*H, our guest Mike Farrell is an actor, activist, and author.  In 2008, he drove himself across country on a book tour in rusty, rented Prius he nicknamed Mule.  His account of that road trip is documented in his book Of Mule and Man.  Originally broadcast 10-14-09

1:00-2:00
Frank Bruni, former New York Times restaurant critic, will discuss his long, complicated relationship with food--the subject of his memoir Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater. Originally broadcast 11-02-09


Tuesday, December 29
Noon-1:00
Looking for work: As the recession drags on, Dan will talk with men and women who have become unemployed about their experiences trying to find a new job.

1:00-2:00
Since the Public Health Service launched its first sex education campaign in the United States in 1918, discussions about sex ed, its uses, and its limits have been a constant in American society, and debate over the issue has become increasingly heated over the last forty years.  Alexandra Lord has traced all of this in her forthcoming book Condom Nation: The U.S. Government's Sex Education Campaign From World War I to the Internet.


Wednesday, December 30
Noon-1:00
With the latest incarnation of Sherlock Holmes now in the theaters, we'lll learn about societies in and around Maryland devoted to the literary sleuth.  Our guests are Lynn Whitall, founder of the The Society of the Naval Treaty in Annapolis, William Hyder, member of the Six Napoleons of Baltimore, and Beth Austin, member of Watson's Tin Box of Ellicott City.

1:00-2:00
Open Phones on Midday: In this hour, we invite our listeners to call in and share their thoughts. Joining Dan in the studio will be three members of Milkshake, the local kids rock group that's just been nominated for a Grammy award: Lisa Matthews (vocals), Mikel Gehl (guitar), and Brian Simms (accordion).


Thursday, December 31
Noon-1:00
Film historians, fans, and critics consider 1939 to be Hollywood's greatest year.  More classic films were released in that year than at any other time in Hollywood's history.  On the seventieth anniversary of that landmark year, we'll remember the films of 1939 with Michael Sragow, film critic of the Baltimore Sun, and Greg Mank, film historian.  Originally broadcast 07-16-09

1:00-2:00
Please enjoy special holiday programming from National Public Radio during this hour.


Friday, January 1
There will be no Midday News Review this week.  We wish our listeners a happy new year.

Midday
December 21 - December 25

Monday, December 21
Noon-1:00
Over 19,000 children and adults in Maryland are stuck on the Developmental Disabilities Waiting List for services. We'll shine a light on this crisis with Laura Howell, executive director of the Maryland Association for Community Services; Jennifer Bishop, who has a child on the Waiting List; and Nancy Bernard, an eighty-year-old woman whose adult daughter is in her care.  Renata Henry, Maryland's Deputy Secretary of Behavioral Health and Disabilities, will tell us about the challenges facing his agency. Is an increase in the state alcohol tax the solution?

Visit the website for the "End the Wait Now" campaign.


1:00-2:00
On the anniversary of the Romanian revolution, Sheilah Kast, host of WYPR's Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast, and her husband Jim Rosapepe, state senator and former U.S. ambassador to Romania, will share their new book, Dracula Is Dead: How Romanians Survived Communism, Ended It, and Emerged since 1989 as the New Italy.


Tuesday, December 22
Noon-1:00
As Congress races to pass health care reform legislation before its Christmas recess, Bradley Herring, assistant professor in the department of Health Policy and Management at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, will explain the latest developments.  We'll also talk with two legislators from Maryland: Congressman John Sarbanes and Senator Ben Cardin.

1:00-2:00
We'll get reaction to last night's long-awaited vote by the Anne Arundel County Council on constructing a slot machine parlor at Arundel Mills Mall--and look at the rejection of a slots parlor in Baltimore City--with Baltimore Sun reporter Nicole Fuller and Charles Robinson of Maryland Public Television.  During the hour, we'll hear from all the newsmakers: developer David Cordish; Don Fry, chairman of the state Video Lottery Facilities Location Commission; and Ron Dillon, member of the Anne Arundel County Council.


Wednesday, December 23
Noon-1:00
Teaching kids about war and peace: We'll learn about the Christmas truce of World War I, when enemies stepped out of their trenches to celebrate the holiday together, from Jim Murphy, author of the new children's book Truce: The Day The Soldiers Stopped Fighting.

1:00-2:00
In this hour, we invite our listeners to share their thoughts.  Joining Dan in the studio will be Cyrus Chestnut, local jazz pianist.  He's just released a new gospel album, Spirit, inspired by the music he learned in a Baltimore church.


Thursday, December 24
There will be no Midday today.  We invite our listeners to enjoy holiday programming from National Public Radio.


Friday, December 25
There will be no Midday News Review this week.  We wish our listeners a merry Christmas.

Midday
December 14 - December 18

Monday, December 14
Noon-1:00
A deadly West Baltimore rowhouse fire has focused attention on the city's policy of closing firehouses in order to save money.  We'll talk with Baltimore City Fire Chief James Clack about what's being done to stop these closures.

1:00-2:00
Want to digitize your home movies or Polaroid photographs to share with family and friends?  Just in time for holiday gift-giving, we'll learn about making the transformation from old media to new from tech guru and Digital Cafe host Mario Armstrong and Tim Wisniewski, visual materials archivist at the Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives of the Johns Hopkins University.  Plus, Gary Gebler, owner of Catonsville record store Trax on Wax, will tell us about the resurgence of some old technology: vinyl.


Tuesday, December 15
Noon-1:00
New technology is making it possible to release vast stores of natural gas from underneath the Marcellus shale formations that stretch from West Virginia to New York.  But how is accessing these resources impacting the environment?  We'll talk with Rona Kobell, environmental reporter for the Bay Journal, about this issue.  We'll also hear from Lee Fuller, policy director for Energy In Depth, a trade organization representing oil and gas producers.

1:00-2:00
You may have seen their billboards, asking if you're "good without God," when entering or leaving Baltimore City via I-95.  In this hour, we'll speak with members of the Baltimore Coalition of Reason, a collection of local organizations working to increase public awareness of atheism in the region.  Our guests will be Karen Elliott, president of the Baltimore Ethical Society; Catherine Blackwell, president and founding member of the UMBC Secular Student Alliance; and Fred Edwords, national director of the United Coalition of Reason.


Wednesday, December 16
Noon-1:00
Joe DeFrancis, the former president of the Maryland Jockey Club, will tell us about his effort to get back in the game by bidding on the Laurel Park and Pimlico race tracks--a move that thickens the plot on slots.  And C. Fraser Smith, WYPR's senior news analyst, will be on hand to help untangle the whole mess.

1:00-2:00
Do Americans see enough representation of their own communities on local television stations?  We'll look at the future of the network affiliate model when Baltimore Sun media critic David Zurawik stops by for his monthly visit.


Thursday, December 17
Noon-1:00
We'll explore the "Not In My Backyard" phenomenon with P. Michael Saint, co-author of NIMBY Wars: The Politics of Land Use.

1:00-2:00
The Lyric Opera House is working to bring opera back to their stage by sharing resources with other opera companies.  We'll learn about this innovative approach from Jim Harp, director of opera and educational activities at the Lyric.  Then we'll talk with Baltimore Sun classical music critic Tim Smith about the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's recording of Leonard Bernstein's Mass which has just been nominated for a Grammy award.  Finally, we'll hear the soaring voices of the Baltimore City College Choir as they join us live in Studio A to share some songs of the season.


Friday, December 18
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review with Karen Hosler.  On this week's panel: Andy Green, opinion editor at the Baltimore Sun; John Wagner, who covers Maryland politics for the Washington Post; and C. Fraser Smith, WYPR's senior news analyst.  We'll talk about Maryland's budget woes--and whether federal aid is a feasible solution--and review all the news of the week.

Midday
December 7 - December 11

Monday, December 7
Noon-1:00
We'll get reactions from across Maryland to President Obama's announcement of his new Afghanistan strategy.  Our guests will include former Congressman Wayne Gilchrest, Senator Ben Cardin, and Captain Jason Wingeart, a Maryland native stationed in Afghanistan.

1:00-2:00
Maryland transportation secretary Beverly Swaim-Staley calls it the toughest job in state government.  We'll talk with Ralign Wells, the newly named Maryland Transit Administrator, about his rise from weekend bus operator in 1989 to head of the transit authority in 2009.


Tuesday, December 8
Noon-1:00
From working with midwives in Afghanistan to fighting HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Jhpiego (pronounced "ja-pie-go"), an international non-profit health organization affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, has been spreading innovative health care practices around the globe from its headquarters in Baltimore for thirty-five years.  We'll speak with Dr. Leslie Mancuso, President and CEO, Dr. Alain Damiba, Vice President of Global Programs, and Nancy Caiola, who oversees all of the Afghan midwifery training programs.  Plus, we'll try to hook up with a Jhpeigo field worker in Africa.

1:00-2:00
Precious is generating a lot of discussion about its portrayals of African-American families, sexual and physical abuse, education and social services.  We'll get reactions to the film from David Miller, Chief Visionary Officer of the Urban Leadership Institute; Sheri Parks, associate professor of American studies at the University of Maryland; and Kelly McCants-Price, child psychologist and mental health consultant.


Wednesday, December 9
Noon-1:00
After yet another delay in the construction of a slot machine parlor at Arundel Mills Mall, we'll try to make sense of the hold-up with Nicole Fuller, who covers Anne Arundel County for the Baltimore Sun; David Cordish, a developer who won the contract in Arundel; Joseline Castanos, vice president of Stop Slots at Arundel Mills Mall; and Ronald Dillon, Jr., a member of the Anne Arundel County Council.

1:00-2:00
Noted arts critic Terry Teachout will join us to talk about his new book Pops: A Life of Louis Armstrong before appearing tonight at the Enoch Pratt Free Library (6:30pm at the Central Library).


Thursday, December 10
Noon-1:00
During the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, we'll take up the same debate that's going on internationally, on Capitol Hill, and locally in Maryland: caps on carbon emissions.  Are they a smart environmental measure, or an economic mistake?  We'll hear from Shari T. Wilson, Maryland's secretary of the environment, and Phil Phan, professor and vice dean for faculty and research at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.  Plus, Baltimore Sun reporter Tim Wheeler will update us on the progress of the summit.

1:00-2:00
As the Bravo reality competition series Top Chef crowns its new winner, we'll speak with contestant Bryan Voltaggio, executive chef at the popular Frederick restaurant Volt, and his brother Michael, also a "cheftestant" and Maryland native.  Anne Tallent, editor at b free daily, will join Dan in the studio.


Friday, December 11
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review.  On this week's panel: David Nitkin, Maryland news editor for the Baltimore Sun, Joel McCord, State House bureau chief for the WYPR News Department; and Erin Cox, reporter for the Annapolis Capital.

Midday
November 30 - December 4

Monday, November 30
Noon-1:00
Why do we make mistakes?  And could we do a little better?  We'll learn about the captivating science of human error from journalist Joseph T. Hallinan, author of the book Why We Make Mistakes: How We Look Without Seeing, Forget Things in Seconds, and Are All Pretty Sure We Are Way Above Average.  Originally broadcast 04-06-09

1:00-2:00
"Let's get lost," Chet Baker famously sang.  Though MapQuest and GPS have made it easy for us to find our way, these technologies may be ruining our natural sense of direction. In his new book You Are Here: Why We Can Find Our Way to the Moon but Get Lost in the Mall, our guest Colin Ellard explores our evolving navigation skills.  Originally broadcast 08-27-09


Tuesday, December 1
Noon-1:00
In July of 2004, a month after graduating from high school, Brian Boyle's life changed in an instant.  A collision with a dump truck caused multiple injuries that resulted in his dying on the operating table eight times.  Three years later, Brian crossed the finish line at the 2007 Ironman World Championships.  Brian Boyle spoke with us early this year about his accident and amazing recovery.  Originally broadcast 01-05-09

1:00-2:00
Barbara Robinson, who represents Maryland's 40th legislative district in the House of Delegates, is an entrepreneur, educator, and the author of five books.  Before her appearance at the Enoch Pratt Free Library back in September, she stopped by Studio A to discuss And Still I Cry, her memoir of domestic abuse.  Originally broadcast 09-23-09


Wednesday, December 2
Noon-1:00
And on the seventh day... the jury reached a verdict.  Now that Sheila Dixon has been found guilty of fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary, we'll get reaction to her trial from reporters, legal experts, analysts, and elected officials.  What's next for the mayor--and for the city of Baltimore?  We invite you to call or write in with your comments.  Our panel in the first hour: Donna Marie Owens, who covered the trial for WYPR and National Public Radio; David Gray, professor of law at the University of Maryland; and Brian Morton, who writes the "Political Animal" column for the Baltimore City Paper.

1:00-2:00
Our panel in the second hour: Andrew Levy, trial attorney and adjunct instructor at the University of Maryland School of Law; Brendan Kearney, legal affairs reporter for the Maryland Daily Record; Lester Spence, professor of political science at the Johns Hopkins University; and Curt Anderson, a member of the House of Delegates representing Maryland's 43rd district.


Thursday, December 3
Noon-1:00
According to a new study, the No Child Left Behind program has boosted math achievement but not reading.  Before Congress decides to mend or end the program, we'll consider its effectiveness with Andres Alonso, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, and Mariale Hardiman, former principal of Roland Park Elementary School and assistant dean at Johns Hopkins University.

Both our guests will be taking part in a panel discussion of this subject at Hopkins on Monday, December 7, at 6:30pm: "What's Next After No Child Left Behind." This program is the first in a series called "Shaping the Future: Addressing the most challenging issues in education."

1:00-2:00
In this hour, we open the phones to our listeners to share their thoughts.


Friday, December 4
1:00-2:00
The Midday News Review.  On the panel this week: Dan Rodricks, host of Midday; Sunni Khalid, managing editor of the WYPR News Department; and Laura Smitherman, State House reporter for the Baltimore Sun.

Midday
November 23 - November 27

Monday, November 23
Noon-1:00
We'll get updates from the Mitchell Courthouse as the trial of Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon continues, and continue our conversation about the city's Arabbers.  In this hour, executive director of the University of Baltimore's Entrepreneurship Programs Jim Kucher will consider whether arabbing is a sustainable business model.

1:00-2:00
A conversation about the meaning of work with English professor Mickey Hess, who shares his experience as an adjunct instructor in the memoir Big Wheel at the Cracker Factory.  Then, a look at the Towson University Marching Band.  Before they head off to New York City to take part in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, we'll talk with John Miliauskas, their director, and Laura Stemler, a member of the band.


Tuesday, November 24
Noon-1:00
Vacant houses are a serious problem in Baltimore City.  In this hour, we'll look at two proposed solutions.  Back in March, Washington, D.C. increased the property tax rates on its abandoned houses by 100%.  We'll learn about the situation there from Ruth Samuelson, staff writer for the Washington City Paper, and debate whether this move could work here with Matt Gonter, contributor to the Baltimore Slumlord Watch blog, and Josh Dowlut, president of Federal Fidelity Mortgage Corporation.

1:00-2:00
Why do journalists go to dangerous places and risk their lives for the stories we see on the evening news?  Greg Dobbs, former ABC newsman, will tell us why.  He describes his adventures as a reporter in the book Life in the Wrong Lane: Why Journalists Go In When Everyone Else Wants Out.


Wednesday, November 25
Noon-1:00
A conversation with comic-turned-director Bobcat Goldthwait about his black comedy, World's Greatest Dad, starring Robin Williams, and his journey from stand-up comedian to film auteur.  Originally broadcast 09-01-09

1:00-2:00
In his coming-of-age memoir In Black In White, our guest L. T. Woody chronicles his journey from the tough streets of Baltimore's Harlem Park neighborhood to the ivy-covered halls of a New England boarding school.  Originally broadcast 09-29-09


Thursday, November 26
Midday will not air today.  Please enjoy National Public Radio's Thanksgiving holiday programming, and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!


Friday, November 27
The Midday News Review will not air this week.  Please enjoy National Public Radio's Thanksgiving holiday programming.

Midday
November 16 - November 20

Monday, November 16
Noon-1:00
UMBC president Freeman Hrabowski III was just named one of the nation's ten best college presidents by Time magazine.  In this hour, we'll revisit our conversation with Hrabowski about the school's transformation from academic start-up to nationally respected research institution--and the goals he continues to pursue, like bringing more minorities to the sciences.  Originally broadcast 08-26-09

1:00-2:00
Why do you fall in love with one person rather than another?  Our guest, Rutgers University research professor of anthropology Helen Fisher, says it might come down to understanding your personality type.  She explores this hypothesis in her book Why Him? Why Her?.


Tuesday, November 17
Noon-1:00
Last week, Baltimore health officials closed down the largest arabber horse stable in the city.  We'll look at the long-standing dispute between these mobile street vendors and the authorities with Daniel Van Allen, president of the Arabbers Preservation Society; Stacy Segal, equine protection specialist for the Humane Society of the United States; and Shawnte Chase, a Baltimore arabber whose horses were seized in last week's closure.

1:00-2:00
Music is the focus of this hour of Midday.  Opera impresario Giorgio Lalov will tell us about about the debut of the Baltimore Opera Theatre, and music director Jose Luis Novo will join us to talk about the Annapolis Symphony, which released a new CD this fall.  We'll also hear from local lobbyist-turned-pop singer Chip Weinman.


Wednesday, November 18
Noon-1:00
Baltimore area home sales increased 36% in the month of October.  Economists and commentators cite statistics like these as signs that the recession is coming to an end.  But what do "economic indicators" such as these actually mean, on both the state and local levels?  We'll examine the significance of such numbers with Phil Phan, professor and vice dean for faculty and research at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and hear from several state agencies about the figures they're following.

1:00-2:00
Some football stories: We'll learn about Navy football during the dark days following JFK's assassination from Michael Connelly, author of the new book The President's Team.  Then, a look at The Blind Side, the story of Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman Michael Oher, from NPR blogger Linda Holmes.  And, finally, In his new book That First Season: How Vince Lombardi Took the Worst Team in the NFL and Set It on the Path to Glory, former Baltimore Sun sports columnist John Eisenberg chronicles how, under Lombardi's guidance, the Green Bay Packers went from laughing stock to football dynasty.


Thursday, November 19
Noon-1:00
Former Baltimore County Executive Ted Venetoulis will stop by Studio A in advance of the release of his new book, Hail to the Cheat.  We'll talk about his long political career, activism work, and what he sees as the future of journalism.

1:00-2:00
Former governor Robert Ehrlich has described Maryland as the "bluest of blue states."  With Republican victories in nearby states, however, could a GOP resurgence take place in Maryland?  Guest host Karen Hosler will talk with Audrey Scott, newly elected chairwoman of the Maryland Republican Party, and Susan Turnbull, head of the state Democratic Party, about the future of two-party politics here.


Friday, November 20
1:00-2:00
The Midday Weekly News Review.  This week's panel will include Fern Shen of the Baltimore Brew and Andy Green, opinion editor for the Baltimore Sun.

Midday
November 9 - November 12

Monday, November 9
Noon-1:00
On the Monday after the House of Representatives passed its version of health care reform legislation, we'll look at the bill's particulars and discuss its historical and political importance with Dr. Peter Beilenson, Health Officer for Howard County; members of the House; and our listeners.

1:00-2:00
Skipjack: the Story of America's Last Sailing Oystermen chronicles a year spent with three watermen.  Written by our guest, Christopher White, the book offers a portrait of the vanishing world of the Chesapeake Bay sailing captains.


Tuesday, November 10
Noon-1:00
In 1925, Henry Ford proclaimed ethanol "the fuel of the future."  Today, American University professor James Day argues that when it comes to the fuel, "we face a political lynch mob rooted more in fantasy and self-interest than scientific and economic laws."  Maryland's farmers, however, still advocate for the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.  We'll get a status report on ethanol use now, and its potential for the future, from Day and Bob Dinneen, president of the Renewable Fuels Association.

1:00-2:00
It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  Our favorite food nerd Henry Hong, author of the "Eat Me" column in the Baltimore City Paper, will join us once again to talk turkey, side dishes, and, of course, pie. We'll also look at efforts to reclaim the pumpkin as a food--rather than a holiday decoration.


Wednesday, November 11
Noon-1:00
To mark Veterans' Day, we'll speak with Beth Bailey, Temple University history professor and author of the new book America's Army: Making the All-Volunteer Force, about the U.S. military since the end of the draft.

1:00-2:00
Director John Waters; his longtime casting director, Pat Moran; and production designer Vince Peranio will join us for a preview of Waters's upcoming benefit for the Maryland Film Festival--when he'll talk shop with fellow local show business trailblazers Barry Levinson and David Simon.


Thursday, November 12
Noon-1:00
Could tougher laws make drunk driving a thing of the past?  We'll look at Maryland's current sentencing and treatment practices, and calls for new legislation with Caroline Cash, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Maryland; Michael Dresser, transportation writer for the Baltimore Sun; Tim Newnan, clinical director of Together Recovery Works, a treatment provider in the Harford County DUI Court Program; and Richard Lurye, a criminal defense attorney in Montgomery County who specializes in DUI cases.

1:00-2:00
For sixteen years, Mark McEwen was a weatherman for the CBS Morning News.  In 2005, he had a stroke--the acute cerebrovascular attack that kills 9 out of 10 people who suffer from it.  McEwen will join us in Studio A to discuss his health, his broadcast career, and his work as an advocate for stroke prevention.


Friday, November 13
1:00-2:00
The Midday weekly News Review.  This week's panel will include regular Midday host Dan Rodricks; WYPR senior news analyst C. Fraser Smith; and Sarah Breitenbach, reporter for the Howard County Times.

Midday
November 2 - November 5

Monday, November 2
Noon-1:00
What happens next with the financial institutions at the epicenter of the economic crisis? We'll take a look at efforts to regulate banks deemed "too big to fail" with Michael Greenberger, professor of law at the University of Maryland and an advisor to the United Nations on financial reform, and Paul Leiman, adjunct professor of business and leadership ethics at the Johns Hopkins University's Carey Business School.

1:00-2:00
Frank Bruni, former New York Times restaurant critic, will discuss his long, complicated relationship with food--the subject of his new memoir Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater.


Tuesday, November 3
Noon-1:00
The number of Americans who think global warming is linked to pollution is at its lowest point in three years, according to a new Pew Research Center poll.  The sharpest decline occurred this year--just as ocean temperatures hit record highs.  We'll speak with Dr. Cindy Parker, co-director of the Program on Global Sustainability and Health at Johns Hopkins, and James Hoggan, author of the new book Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming, about this shift in public perception, and hear from atmospheric physicist and global warming skeptic Dr. S. Fred Singer.

1:00-2:00
Is local food production that won't hurt the environment possible in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?  Our panel--Bobby Prigel of Baltimore County's Bellevale Farm; Carole Morrison, former contract poultry farmer for Perdue; and Darree Sicher, founding member of the United Sludge-Free Alliance--will talk about how agriculture and industry affect the Bay.


Wednesday, November 4
Noon-1:00
As the Vatican announces plans to make it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism, Bishop Eugene Taylor Sutton and Sister Mary Charles of the All Saints Sisters of the Poor will join us to talk about the "swinging door" between the Catholic and Episcopalian churches.

1:00-2:00
The Baltimore Sun had an outstanding team of reporters covering World War II, and their dispatches were the public's prime source of news in the pre-Internet era. Joseph Sterne, author of the new book Combat Correspondents: The Baltimore Sun in World War II, will share stories from that time.


Thursday, November 5
Noon-1:00
The standard for criminal responsibility used today in Maryland courts has been around for centuries.  But with everything we now know about the human brain, what does criminal responsibility really mean, and where can one draw the line between mental illness and "evil"?  We'll discuss the "bad vs. mad" question in this hour with Dr. Thomas Oglesby, Chief Medical Officer for the Circuit Court of Baltimore City; Susan Steinberg, director of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Forensic Services; and Chris Dreisbach, Johns Hopkins university ethicist.

1:00-2:00
Six-foot-three author Arianne Cohen will unlock for us the mysteries of elevated stature, as she does in her work The Tall Book: A Celebration of Life on High.

For information on Baltimore's Tall Club, please visit their website.


Friday, November 6
1:00-2:00
Midday's weekly News Review, hosted by Karen Hosler, will debut at this time.  Our inaugural panel will include Baltimore Sun financial columnist Jay Hancock; Washington Examiner columnist Marta Hummel Mossburg; and WYPR News Department managing editor Sunni Khalid.

You can contact Midday by sending your email to midday@wypr.org.
Midday is produced by Marcus Charleston, Claire Caplan, and Tyrus Collins.