Midday

Tom's guest is local author Patrick Smithwick. He has written a poignant and heart-wrenching book about his son Andrew, a veteran, and his descent into mental illness. The book is called War’s Over, Come Home: A Father’s Search for His Son, Two-Tour Marine Veteran of the Iraq War.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

It’s the Midday Newswrap. We’re going to take a look behind the headlines of some of the big local stories of the past week.

Yesterday, a federal grand jury found former Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby guilty on two counts of perjury. WYPR’s Wambui Kamau was in the courtroom in Greenbelt when the verdict was handed down.

Bryan Sears, who covers government for the indispensable news website, MD Matters joins us, as well. His recent reporting of the MD Office of Legislative Audits that raises concerns about the accuracy of voting rolls.

Also, we talk to Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby about the debate over the redistricting of Councilmanic jurisdictions in the city of Baltimore.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Midday Theater Critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Midday every week to review our region's current theater productions.

This week, she reviews "Chess" which runs at the Vagabond Players Theatre until Nov. 19, 2023.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

John Eisenberg, an award-winning former sportswriter and columnist at the Baltimore Sun is the author of ten books. His latest book, "Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football," is a compelling chronicle of the long, slow turn around in attitudes among NFL owners and coaches, who for nearly one hundred years refused to consider Black players as team leaders.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Today on Midday, it’s the Midday Healthwatch with Dr. Leana Wen.

This week Tom talks with Dr. Wen about Paxlovid and any precautions people should take as we move toward the Thanksgiving holiday. They also discuss the pros and cons of using Ozempic for weight loss.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Today is Election Day in Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and several other states which means our country is exactly one year away from the 2024 presidential election.

Two acclaimed political commentators join me with perspective on tonight's election results and what’s ahead for the next year.

E.J. Dionne is a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post and a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. Norman Ornstein is a Senior Fellow Emeritus at the American Enterprise Institute and writes for The New Republic.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

The Baltimore Peace Movement, formerly Baltimore Ceasefire, holds Peace Promise events on four weekends every year that include sacred space rituals, and life-affirming activities that celebrate peace and give voice to the deep-seeded desire to end violence in our city. After each of these weekends, we invite organizers of the Baltimore Peace Movement to share reflections on the events of the previous weekend, and to inspire people to get involved.

Letrice Gant is Deputy Director of the Baltimore Community Mediation Center and one of the organizers of the Baltimore Peace Movement. The next Peace Promise weekend is the first weekend in February.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Dr. James Zogby joins us to discuss how the Biden administrations actions during the Israel-Hamas war might cost the President crucial Arab American votes in 2024.

A recent poll from the New York Times and Siena College found Trump leading Biden in six crucial battleground states.

Zogby is a co-founder of the Arab American Institute, which advocates on behalf of the 3.7 million Arab Americans across the country. He is also the Director of Zogby Research Services, a firm that takes the pulse of public sentiment across the Middle East.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

The Rafah Gate between Gaza and Egypt opened last week, allowing some Americans and nationals from other countries to escape the hell that is the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, White House principal deputy national security adviser Jon Finer said that more than 300 Americans have been able to leave Gaza so far.

This as the death toll in Gaza continues to climb. Over 10,000 people have died in Gaza since the start of the war, according to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, including 4,104 children.

The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday that Yossi Cohen, a former leader of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, met with an unidentified Arab leader to discuss the hostages who are being held by Hamas.

Today on Midday, perspectives on the Israel-Hamas war from Sen. Ben Cardin, the Chair of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee.

We begin with Sen. Cardin, who joins us on Zoom from his office.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.

Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom to share another weekly review of a local theatrical production. This week, she spotlights "The Chinese Lady"at the Everyman Theatre. The show runs through November 19, 2023.

Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.