Best CJay Podcasts (2024)

1
2024 Tony Award-winning arts educator CJay Philip 15:49

2h ago15:49

15:49

CJay Philip, the founder and artistic director of Dance & Bmore, won the 2024 Tony Award for excellence in theater education. This weekend she spearheads the Waterfront Partnership's Baltimore by Baltimore festival. Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

1
WTMD's final First Thursday Festival of 2024 9:24

2h ago9:24

9:24

The signs summer is ending; school is back in session, the birds return from migration and WTMD presents the final First Thursday Festival of the year. Tyler LaPorte, afternoon host and Interim Program Director at WTMD and one of the organizers behind First Thursdays. We ask him what festival-goers can expect later today. The First Thursday Festiva…

1
Mayor Scott on massive opioid settlements, and work conditions of city employees 23:29

2h ago23:29

23:29

Host Tom Hall speaks with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott about the latest in City Hall, including a safety review of the Department of Public Works and governance of opioid settlements. Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

1
Kim Wehle on the power of the president's pardon 48:44

42m ago48:44

48:44

Presidential power is on the ballot this year, according to University of Baltimore law professor Kim Wehle. In her new book, Pardon Power: How The Pardon System Works And Why, the legal scholar writes about the history of the president's pardon and the potential future abuse of the executive power. The pardon could be exponentially more grave in l…

1
The Best American Poetry of 2024 12:39

3h ago12:39

12:39

Tom's guest is Mary Jo Salter, a Professor Emerita in the Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University. She has published nine volumes of poetry and has written essays, lyrics, and children’s books. This year, she’s been chosen as the guest editor of an anthology of verse called The Best American Poetry 2024. Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: …

1
Healthwatch: Baltimore's opioid governance, West Nile and asthma 36:02

3h ago36:02

36:02

On this September edition of Healthwatch, Tom and Dr. Leana Wen discuss leadership of the Baltimore City Health Department, governance of the city's opioid settlements, the reoccurrence of West Nile virus and challenges for asthmatics. Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.…

1
The history of Maryland's maverick in the U.S. Senate 48:32

2h ago48:32

48:32

On Midday today, a look at the life and legacy of Senator Charles Mathias. He was a liberal Republican popular in Maryland for more than two decades and was known by his colleagues as the “conscience of the Senate.” A collection of essays about Sen. Mathias has been released called Mathias of Maryland: Remembering a Lincoln Republican in the Senate…

1
Philip Berrigan and Baltimore's peace activists 48:30

27m ago48:30

48:30

Today on Midday, a conversation about the work of Philip Berrigan, whose writing has been assembled in a new collection, A Ministry of Risk, edited by Brad Wolf. Philip Berrigan was an iconic peace activist, a soldier, a priest, a scholar, and a protester who came to international prominence as part of the Catonsville 9, a group that burned draft c…

1
Former Baltimore prosecutor takes on criminal justice bias 48:32

6h ago48:32

48:32

Debbie Hines is a former prosecutor in Baltimore, and a former Assistant Attorney General for the State of Maryland. In her new book, she focuses on the unfair treatment of people of color by prosecutors at the state and local level. The book is called Get Off My Neck: Black Lives, White Justice, and a Former Prosecutor’s Quest for Reform. Email us…

1
Anne Lamott on the impact of love in our lives in 'Somehow' 48:32

4h ago48:32

48:32

Anne Lamott is a best-selling author whose large body of work resonates with millions of readers. She writes both fiction and non-fiction and she has just published her twentieth book, 'Somehow: Thoughts on Love.' She joined Midday in early April to discuss the book, her motivations for writing and her experiences with love. Email us at midday@wypr…

1
Dr. Christopher Leighton journeys through 'A Sacred Argument' 22:11

2h ago22:11

22:11

Dr. Christopher Leighton, the founding executive director of the Institute for Islamic, Christian and Jewish Studies (ICJS) talks about his memoir, which traces the formation of the ICJS and its efforts to foster religious understanding. It’s called A Sacred Argument: Dispatches from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Encounter. Email us at midday@w…

1
Marilynne Robinson gives more understanding of the book of Genesis 26:19

3h ago26:19

26:19

Tom speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson about her latest book, Reading Genesis, where she illuminates how Genesis is a paradigm for the rest of the Bible and “a meditation on the problem of evil.” Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.…

1
Are corporations gaining profits from America's poorest residents? 48:33

1h ago48:33

48:33

From tax preparation to SNAP benefits, health care to housing, a myriad of government services have been privatized in the name of cost savings and efficiency. But the cost to taxpayers and to recipients is high, and the impact on corporate influence in government is undeniable. Anne Kim writes about the money made on America's poor, in her new boo…

1
Midday News Wrap: Maryland onstage at the DNC. Plus, big dollar opioid settlements 24:12

27m ago24:12

24:12

Maryland Democrats were on the mainstage at this week's Democratic National Convention with speeches from Governor Wes Moore, Congressman Jamie Raskin and Prince George’s County Executive and Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks. Josh Kurtz, founding editor of Maryland Matters joins Midday to reflect on Maryland's impact in Chicago. Then, Baltimore C…

1
As summer winds down, how to savor the warm weather Maryland has left 24:29

7d ago24:29

24:29

If you are looking to make the most of the last weeks of warm temperatures, you might wanna out to the valleys and ridges of western Maryland. Midday is joined by two Marylanders with extensive knowledge of the outdoors. Nature photographer and author Mark Hendricks spent many seasons traversing the ancient Appalachian Mountains crossing Maryland’s…

1
The rise and recovery of Eastern Baltimore County 35:00

33m ago35:00

35:00

The demise of the Bethlehem Steel Plant at Sparrows Point was devastating for the economy of Eastern Baltimore County. Ten years ago, investors bought the 32-hundred acre steel plant property and since then have transformed it into a global logistics center called Tradepoint Atlantic. Thousands of people work there, and there are plans to build a d…

1
Olszewski reflects on the recovery of Eastern Baltimore County 13:43

1h ago13:43

13:43

When Johnny Olszewski ran for Baltimore County Executive he talked about growing up in the shadow of the steel mill, Bethlehem Steel. This steel mill is long gone and today we are discussing Eastern Baltimore County’s ongoing economic recovery, which has been at least partly due to the Tradepoint Atlantic development on the old Bethlehem Steel site…

1
Eyes are on rural voters in 2024's election. Who will they vote for and why? 21:36

6d ago21:36

21:36

Today is the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Democratic delegates officially nominated Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for vice president this week. Cory Vaillancourt joins Midday from Chicago to discuss the latest news in national politics. He is the politics editor for the Smoky M…

1
After a death on the job, Baltimore City Council reviews working conditions for DPW employees 15:30

1d ago15:30

15:30

The death of an employee of Baltimore City's Department of Public Works worker led to an outcry from labor advocates. Now, city councilmembers are reacting, too. The City Council is scheduled to meet August 22 to examine the working conditions at the department. On August 2, Ronald Silver, 36, died of heat sickness after working his trash collectio…

1
As the postseason approaches, can the Orioles make it across the finish line? 11:27

2h ago11:27

11:27

The Baltimore Orioles are set to finish a series in New York City against the hometown Mets today. Afterward, the O’s come back home to start an important four game series tomorrow against the Houston Astros. The O's play the Astros without a star pitcher following yet another injury. Kyle Goon is a sports columnist for The Baltimore Banner, and he…

1
MEDCO plans to issue $1 billion in bonds for Baltimore development 11:35

30m ago11:35

11:35

This year, the Maryland Economic Development Corporation (MEDCO) is on track to hit a record $1 billion in issuance of construction and general bonds. In fact, over $700 million in public and private transactions involving state bonds are expected to close within the next month. J. Thomas Sadowski, the Executive Director of MEDCO, joins Midday to d…

1
Redevelopment of Harborplace, the debate continues 37:07

4d ago37:07

37:07

The redevelopment of Harborplace downtown continues to be at the center of debate and speculation. The masterplan for this site's redevelopment will go before the city's planning commission this Thursday. Harborplace was sold to the private Baltimore developer MCB Real Estate in 2023. MCB unveiled new designs for the site which require a change in …

1
The Webb Telescope's trailblazing study of the cosmos yields new discoveries 24:55

23h ago24:55

24:55

Human have long looked into the night sky and searched for signs, for meaning, in the lights twinkling above us. And through the years, humankind developed tools to become better stargazers; from Galileo’s astronomical telescope to the Hubble Space Telescope launched into near-Earth Orbit nearly a quarter century ago. And a couple years ago, the Ja…

1
Baltimore's sewage system is hit hard by extreme weather 13:04

24h ago13:04

13:04

Baltimore’s sewage system is one of its oldest assets, and its decay has plagued the parts of the city for years. Sewage backups caused by extreme weather or broken pipes leave residents with a costly clean up that can imperil their health. Aman Azhar is a reporter for Inside Climate News. He joins us to discuss the city's sewage infrastructure, it…

1
National Aquarium activates a 'floating wetland' in the Inner Harbor 10:41

18d ago10:41

10:41

The neighborhoods surrounding the Inner Harbor are some of the fastest growing parts of Baltimore. Now the population of the harbor is growing with the addition of turtles, mallards, a pair of river otters and a school of Atlantic silverside fish — all members of the Chesapeake Bay’s native ecosystem. The animals and sea life are drawn to the harbo…

1
Rousuck Review: 'Soft Power' and 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical' 9:42

20m ago9:42

9:42

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share a review of a pair of local theatre productions. Soft Power continues at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va., through September 15, while Beautiful: The Carole King Musical continues at Olney Theatre Center through August 25. (DJ Corey Photography) Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWY…

1
Federal funds rushed into Baltimore during the pandemic. How have they been spent? 38:50

22d ago38:50

38:50

In March of 2021, a year into the COVID pandemic, Baltimore City received a chunk of $65.1 billion dollars in American Rescue Plan (ARPA) grants. Baltimore’s take was $641 million dollars, which Mayor Brandon Scott disbursed to city agencies, quasi-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations who are charged with improving housing, infra…

1
How is drought hurting Maryland's farmers and food supply? 25:29

23d ago25:29

25:29

While temperatures in the Baltimore metropolitan area have been a little lower this week, farmers across the state have been contending with a drought that has extended over the last three years. We begin today with Maryland Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks, to discuss Maryland farmers and food systems that bring fruits, vegetables and other …

1
Can Baltimore grow its economy with everyone in mind? 23:11

23d ago23:11

23:11

The Baltimore metro region lost nearly 23,000 jobs in the first quarter of this year, but 54 new businesses began in Baltimore city during the second quarter, and the city attracted more than $56 million dollars in venture capital investment. My guest today is Colin Tarbert. He is the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, the …

1
New school year sees new leadership in Maryland's statewide union of educators 10:44

24d ago10:44

10:44

The state's largest union of educators, the Maryland State Education Association, sees new leadership heading into the 2024-2025 school year. Paul Lemle and Nikki Woodward bring decades of experience as educators and paraprofessionals to their new role. Reinvigorating the pipeline of teachers is one of the issues top of mind for the new leaders of …

1
What is important to today's teenagers? We hear from students around Baltimore. 48:46

8d ago48:46

48:46

Rising seniors from several local high schools join Midday to discuss the issues they think are important as they prepare to cross into adulthood. The panel of students discusses bullying, mental illness, academic support, school safety and where these young people see themselves in our chaotic world. Shawn Ware is a 17-year-old at the Baltimore Le…

1
Rousuck Review: 'Nine' and 'Back to the Future: The Musical' at The Kennedy Center 8:58

21d ago8:58

8:58

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a theatrical production in the greater Baltimore region. This week, reviews of two musicals at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Nine is based on the groundbreaking 1963 movie, “8 1/2,” by Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, while Back…

1
Tia Hamilton of Urban Reads inspires kids with youth summit 12:35

27d ago12:35

12:35

Tia Hamilton is the owner of Urban Reads, and the publisher of State vs. Us Magazine, a publication for incarcerated people around the country. Tomorrow she is centering students at a youth summit at the Urban Reads Bookstore on Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore’s Waverly neighborhood. Tia speaks with Tom about the youth summit and the importance of b…

1
How would Project 2025 impact political appointees and federal workers? 23:00

27d ago23:00

23:00

ProPublica reporter Alec MacGillis recently wrote about Paul Dans, the former director of Project 2025 which was created to help build the next Republican administration. Dans has Baltimore roots as the son of a Johns Hopkins professor. According to MacGillis, by the time Dans stepped down from his role with Project 2025, much of the work was in pl…

1
Phoenix Recovery Academy focuses on students & sobriety 48:44

5d ago48:44

48:44

The Phoenix Recovery Academy in Frederick is the only high school in Maryland dedicated to supporting and educating teenagers who are battling substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders. The academy is a part of a network of about 45 Recovery Schools across the country, which strive to maintain high quality educational environments while en…

1
Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen: COVID summer wave, and watch out for extreme heat! 23:56

23d ago23:56

23:56

On Midday Healthwatch, our monthly conversations about public health with Dr. Leana Wen, we ask about the uptick in COVID-19 cases in Maryland and across the country. Should we be avoiding gatherings of people inside? Is it time to return to the precautious behavior from earlier in the pandemic? Plus, how to manage hypertension, the ‘silent killer’…

1
Roxane Gay's got a gun: black feminism and gun ownership 24:50

6d ago24:50

24:50

The power to take a life, professor and social commentator Roxane Gay writes, receives greater constitutional and culture value than a women's right to the pursuit of happiness. Gay is the author of the New York Times best-selling books Bad Feminist and Hunger. Her latest work includes the essay Stand Your Ground: A Black Feminists Reckoning with A…

1
Mayor Brandon Scott responds to DPW employee's death 11:20

1M ago11:20

11:20

Mayor Brandon Scott speaks to Midday about the recent death of DPW employee Ronald Silver II. Email us at midday@wypr.org, tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

1
Julia Marciari-Alexander says goodbye to the Walters Art Museum 22:54

1M ago22:54

22:54

Host Tom Hall speaks with Dr. Julia Marciari-Alexander, who for the past eleven years has been the Executive Director and CEO of the Walters Art Museum. Walters Art Museum named two interim co-directors to replace Marciari-Alexander as the organization seeks a new leader. Marciari-Alexander announced she is set to leave next month to take a new pos…

1
Mayor Scott on drop in city's gun violence, and the condition of city workers 25:50

1M ago25:50

25:50

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday to discuss his policy plans for the city's biggest challenges. We ask Scott about decreases in violent crime and car thefts. What is working, according to the mayor, and where is there room for improvement? Plus, are city agencies doing enough to prepare and train city workers? On Friday afternoon, solid w…

1
We ask Baltimore's top cop about homicide drop and the consent decree 48:43

1M ago48:43

48:43

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley joins Midday to discuss historic lows in homicide, violence reduction and the ongoing federal consent decree. Over the weekend, the Baltimore Peace Movement held its quarterly Peace Promise weekend. While Baltimore is seeing an uptick in murders, a tragic annual occurrence during the warmer summer m…

1
Rousuck's Review: 'Grand Horizons' at CCBC Essex 11:25

1M ago11:25

11:25

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. Rousuck takes a look at Grand Horizons, presented by Cockpit in Court at Community College of Baltimore County Essex through August 4. The dynamics of one family are central to the play, and the story is part domestic comedy, part domestic d…

1
Midday at the Movies: Summertime is for blockbusters! 37:20

1M ago37:20

37:20

Today is Midday at the Movies, our monthly focus on new films and film-industry trends with movie aficionados Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore Magazine. This week we talk summer films, including Twisters and Longlegs. What are your favorite movies of the summer? …

1
'The Deceived Ones' reinterprets a Shakespearean classic in Charm City 24:30

1M ago24:30

24:30

Judith Krummeck's The Deceived Ones reinterprets the classic Twelfth Night in a contemporary Baltimore setting. Her new novel chronicles the journey of twins, Vira and Sevastyan, a brother and sister from Ukraine who escape their war-torn homeland and come to Charm City. Vira is a talented musician, who becomes begins working on a new opera at the …

1
'Slow Time' is a love letter to a historic Baltimore neighborhood 24:02

1M ago24:02

24:02

Slow Time is Antje Rauwerda's debut novel. The Goucher College professor set her story in Govans, the northeast Baltimore neighborhood she calls home. The setting comes alive in Rauwerda's story and is as vibrantly described as the characters who live there. At the outset of the story, the book’s protagonists, Danny and Em, know each other only in …

1
Head to WTMD’s First Thursday Festival, or risk FOMO. 3:20

1M ago3:20

3:20

WTMD’s First Thursday Festival returns tomorrow. The homegrown affair takes place every summer at the Canton Waterfront Park and features artists from Maryland. Tyler LaPorte, afternoon host and WTMD Interim Program Director, joins Midday to discuss the the upcoming event and what visitors can expect. (Photos by Cary Evan/CE Imagery and David LaMas…

1
A panel on bikes and transit in Baltimore. How do you get around town? 45:22

1M ago45:22

45:22

In September, a new pilot program is set to help 50 Baltimore City residents, chosen by lottery, receive vouchers ranging from $750 to $2,000 to subsidize the cost of an electric bike. Nearly a quarter of Baltimore households do not have access to a car, but many people just don’t feel safe riding bikes in a city that is way behind in its effort to…

1
How will Project 2025 impact the lives of the poor? 24:44

1M ago24:44

24:44

Tom explores the Presidential Transition Project known as “Project 2025.” His guest is Anne Kim a lawyer, policy expert, journalist and author of the new book, Poverty for Profit: How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor. Additionally, Kim is a contributing editor to Washington Monthly where she recently published Project 2025 is Even Worse Tha…

1
Innovations in organ retrieval pose ethical questions 24:01

1M ago24:01

24:01

Tom talks about a controversial practice being employed to harvest organs for transplant from people who have died called Normothermic Regional Perfusion, or NRP. According to reporting by NPR's Rob Stein, this technique is considered an innovation which produces high quality and less damaged organs for those in need. This innovation is not, howeve…

1
Dr. Ronald Williams seeks to support up-and-coming entrepreneurs 24:54

1M ago24:54

24:54

Today on Midday, a conversation about two workforce development programs in Baltimore. One surveys the landscape of programs for young entrepreneurs, while the other targets under-employed residents who face barriers to employment. Those obstacles can include a criminal record, a substance abuse disorder or no housing. Dr. Ronald Williams is an ass…

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