September 2009
7 posts
The Forgotten Infrastructure - Protecting the Bay →
While municipalities and public works agencies throughout Maryland struggle to repair crumbling water mains and stop sewage spills, they face another rapidly growing infrastructure problem. In this…
Cummings Probes Health Insurance Execs →
On Capitol Hill this week - Congressman Elijah Cummings had some tough questions for major health insurance executives. The Maryland Democrat is trying to figure out how private insurers decide whom…
Sewer Problems Overwhelm City and State... →
From Baltimore to Cumberland, from the Washington suburbs to Cambridge, sewer system operators are under state and federal orders to stop the spills that have damaged Chesapeake Bay tributaries over…
Cardin Bill Would Enact Stringent Bay Clean-up... →
The Environmental Protection Agency was to release today a series of recommendations to jump-start Chesapeake Bay clean up efforts. It didn’t. Instead, Maryland Senator Ben Cardin released his own…
Aging Pipes Hamper Water Delivery →
Thousands of miles of pipes carry drinking water to millions of customers in metropolitan Baltimore and Washington. But the pipes are as much as a century old, many of them have been poorly…
Study Examines Youth Violence →
Earlier this year, the FBI ranked Baltimore as the nation’s second most-violent city. Homicides — which were at a 20-year low — continue to be a major concern. Figures for juvenile violence,…
Environmentalists Deliver 19,000 Signatures to EPA →
A coalition of environmental groups delivered to the Environmental Protection Agency this morning 19-thousand signatures on postcards and letters calling for stronger federal action to clean up…
August 2009
8 posts
Harris Murder Trial Postponed →
The murder trial of Baltimore City Councilman Ken Harris was slated to begin in Baltimore City Circuit Court today, but was postponed. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens reports.
Harris Murder Trial Scheduled to Begin →
Almost a year after he was slain during a holdup in Northeast Baltimore, the alleged killers of former Councilman Ken Harris are scheduled to go on trial today. WYPR’s Fraser Smith reports.
Small Business Owners Wiegh In On Health Care... →
Many Maryland and Virginia small business owners want health care reform so they can afford to insure their employees. They fear they won’t be able to grow or attract good workers without it. Sara…
Partners In Progress Helping Young Women In West... →
Over the past two years, Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services has reported a 20-percent increase in the number of crimes in Baltimore committed by adolescent females. Some advocates argue that…
Inner Harbor Shootings Leave Patrons and Merchants... →
More gunfire at the Inner Harbor sent city officials scurrying to tighten security - particularly against the threat of gangs. But the Saturday night incident seemed to have had little immediate…
Hundreds Turn Out for a Contentious Town Hall... →
Hundreds turned out in Towson last night for a contentious town hall meeting hosted by Sen. Ben Cardin to discuss health care reform. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens was there and filed this report.
O'Malley Endorses Red Line Option →
A billion-dollar East-West transit project, known as the Red Line, got Governor Martin O’Malley’s stamp of approval today. As expected, he chose the alternative that has the line running right into a…
Maryland Maritime Schools Prepare Students for... →
Piracy suddenly became a present-day danger to Americans when the Maersk Alabama came under attack off the coast of Somalia and its captain was held hostage in a lifeboat. After his dramatic rescue,…
July 2009
9 posts
Dixon Re-Indicted →
Breaking News: Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon has been re-indicted in an ongoing City Hall corruption probe. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens reports.
Grand Jury Indicts Holton, Paterakis →
Reaction continues one day after a grand jury indicted Baltimore City Councilwoman Helen Holton and prominent Baltimore businessman, John Paterakis. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens reports.
Barclay Neighborhood Continues to Wait for... →
Residents of Baltimore’s Barclay neighborhood have spent three-and-a-half years planning and waiting for a new redevelopment project to come to their community. WYPR’s Mike Meno reports.
City Buys Historic Theater At Auction →
After years of financial woes, Baltimore’s historic Senator Theatre was auctioned earlier today amid a restless crowd. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens reports.
New Nuclear Reactor For Maryland May Be On The Way →
Maryland may soon be selected for the first nuclear reactor built in the United States since the Three Mile Island meltdown halted nuclear expansion here 30 years ago. The Calvert County project has…
Rebuilding Hope in Sandtown →
Can devastated urban neighborhoods really be reclaimed? In West Baltimore’s Sandtown, Habitat for Humanity has been at it for two decades. It’s the most visible part of a broad effort that includes…
New 'Work Share' Program Helps Companies Avoid... →
It’s a bean counter’s dilemma: how to trim a payroll without laying people off. The state of Maryland has a solution. It’s a program called “Work Share.” Enrolled companies can trim workers hours by…
Youthworks Spreads The News About Trash Pickup... →
Baltimore City is making the first significant changes in the way it picks up trash in more than 40 years this month. And city officials are using every means they can to let people know; including…
Black Guerilla Family Making Inroads on Street, in... →
In April, federal authorities in Maryland indicted 24 members and associates of a prison gang called the “Black Guerilla Family”, or “BGF.” A month later, the U.S. Attorney indicted 42 members and…
June 2009
21 posts
Speed Cameras Trigger Debate Over Referendum in... →
A recently enacted state law — that authorizes local jurisdictions to use cameras to photograph speeders and mail them tickets — has raised questions about the process that allows Marylanders to…
HIV-AIDS Summit Focuses On The Youth →
Baltimore’s HIV infection rate ranks second in the nation, according to federal Centers for Disease Control, with the rate rising among teenagers. Maryland recently held its sixth annual HIV Youth…
NAACP Goes To Web To Curb Alleged Police Brutality →
At a meeting in Baltimore last night, members of the Baltimore chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People announced details of a new initiative meant to document…
Dodging Chrysler's Bankruptcy in Germantown →
The bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler are hitting car dealerships all over the country. Some are closing, while others struggle to survive. GM dealers have a year to sell their inventory….
O's Fans Show Patience Amid Losing String →
The two baseball teams in the region are suffering again this summer, and now the economic downturn is adding to their woes. In Part 1 of his two-part report on the state of the game in this area,…
Lessons Learned from the Morris Appointment →
Sometimes we learn things from crisis. WYPR’s Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith takes a look at lessons that might be learned from Dr. Andres Alonso and his failed attempt to hire for school board…
Fans Support Lagging For Last-Place Nationals →
Summer in the Baltimore-Washington corridor has signaled two things: unpleasant weather and unwatchable baseball. This season finds the region’s two major-league teams again in last place in their…
New Identification Law Draws Fire From Foes →
A new state law, which tightens requirements to obtain a drivers license, went into effect earlier this month. The law has some state legislators and immigration advocacy groups warning of…
O'Malley Unloads On Constellation Suit →
An angry Governor Martin O’Malley slammed Constellation Energy this morning after the utility sued to keep the Public Service Commission from further review of its deal with the French utility, EDF….
Local Officials React to Holocaust Museum Slaying →
James von Brunn, the white supremacist who shot and killed a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Museum and Memorial in Washington, was formally charged with murder today. Meanwhile, Jewish leaders…
Edwards Bill Would Eliminate Health Disparities →
Congresswoman Donna Edwards wants Congress to do more to eliminate racial disparities in health care. She is co-sponsoring a bill that would boost services in Maryland’s low-income communities. Sara…
Maryland Nudists Lobby Congress For Access To... →
Maryland nudists are asking Congress to let them take it all off at public beaches and parks. Tanya Snyder of the Capitol News Connection reports from Washington..
Police and Commuting →
A few Baltimore City employees have a cushy fringe benefit - take home automobiles. And sometimes home is not in Baltimore - or Maryland. WYPR’s Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith comments in his…
Baltimore Gets Closer to Having a Slots Facility →
The Baltimore City Council last night approved legislation that moves the city one step closer to a slots facility. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens reports.
Baltimore's Homeless Population Surging →
Last year, Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon announced a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the city. Now, a year later, a preliminary report of the Baltimore Homeless Census Study says that the…
Former Lieutenant Governor Waethers a Difficult... →
Former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele’s first months as National Republican chairman were quite rocky. So much so, there was a small rebellion in the national committee. WYPR’s Bob…
St. Paul's Seniors Discuss Post-Graduation Plans →
It’s graduation time, and thousands of students are leaving Baltimore area high schools to begin a new phase of their lives. Many of these students have plans, while others are just dreaming of the…
No Re-Match in Third Triple Crown Race →
The Belmont Stakes will be run tomorrow afternoon in New York, adding the third jewel to thoroughbred racing’s triple crown. Fans won’t see a rematch between the Derby winner, Mine that Bird, and…
Local Residents Respond to Obama's Speech in Cairo →
Commentators around the world are taking stock of the speech President Obama delivered today in Cairo. WYPR’s Mike Meno talked to some Muslim and Jewish leaders here in Baltimore about their…
Local Church Attempts to Help Maryland Citizens... →
Maryland is holding up better than the nation as a whole in this recession, but with unemployment approaching 7 percent, there’s still pain. Thousands have lost jobs, or are enduring cuts in hours…
GM Bankruptcy To Have Local Impact →
The nation’s top automaker, General Motors, has a long history in Baltimore. Today, it officially filed for bankruptcy. WYPR’s Senior News Analyst Fraser Smith spoke with our economic affairs…
May 2009
17 posts
Five of Dixon Corruption Charges Dropped →
A Maryland judge earlier today threw out the most serious corruption charges in the upcoming trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens has been following the story and filed…
Fate of PAL Centers Focus Of Budget Debate →
Members of the Baltimore City Council have been holding hearings on Mayor Sheila Dixon’s proposed budget one that includes potential cuts, closings and possible layoffs. WYPR’s Donna Marie Owens…
Maryland Emits More Global Warming Pollution Than... →
It probably comes as no surprise that the United States is the largest source of greenhouse gases in the world. But a new report from the environmental group Greenpeace shows that Maryland produces…
New Book Gives Voice to a Changing Community →
Residents of Baltimore’s Middle East neighborhood have struggled for years to endure in the face of redevelopment on the edge of the Johns Hopkins Medical Campus. Many have been forced to leave the…
Malls Have Difficulty Weathering the Recession →
One of the enduring staples of the American landscape, the shopping mall, has taken its lumps in the current national economic downturn. WYPR’s Milton Kent spent a day in an area mall and has this…