Midday

Cannabis is big business, and more than $420 million dollars of medical and recreational use cannabis was sold in Maryland in the first eight months of the year.

When the General Assembly made recreational cannabis legal, it established a new Office of Social Equity, to assure that members of traditionally marginalized communities have access to the resources they need to establish businesses in this lucrative industry.

Joining Tom to discuss social equity in the cannabis business is Audrey Johnson, the executive director of Maryland's Office of Social Equity.

Next, Tom turns to Wendy Bronfein, the Co-Founder and Public Policy Director at Curio Wellness to discuss legislative initiatives to address finance and tax problems for the cannabis industry.

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

Governor Wes Moore has committed to reviving the Red Line, the east-west transit project that would connect Woodlawn in the west to Bayview in the east.

During the last Red Line development process, the business community did not play a large role in the planning. With the relaunch of this transit project, business leaders pledge to be more proactively engaged and supportive of the Red Line.

Tom's guests in this conversation are Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold, PNC Bank's Regional President Laura Gamble and Real Estate developer and attorney Jon Laria. Gamble and Laria serve as Co-Chairs of the Advance Baltimore's Transit Future Campaign, which is an initiative of the Greater Baltimore Committee.

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

Today on Midday, multiple perspectives on the conflict in the Middle East.

Tom starts with Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger, then we hear from Sam Sokol, a Tel-Aviv based reporter for Haaretz.

Later in the show, he speaks with Dr. Mitchell Bard, who is the Executive Director of the nonprofit American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise and is also the father of a 26-year-old Israeli Army Reservist.

To wrap up the show, we take a look forward with Steven Simon, a Senior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, who addresses what comes next in his latest article for Foreign Affairs Magazine.

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

After the Covid-19 public health emergency ended in May, millions of Marylanders have faced challenges with resuming Medicaid eligibility, according to reporting by Maryland Matters.

Danielle Brown of Maryland Matters joins Tom to explain in-depth the challenges for Medicaid users and the Maryland Department of Health.

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

The Baltimore Banner conducted an analysis of the impact of speed cameras on I-83 in Baltimore City.

Joining Tom to discuss the results of The Banner's analysis are reporters Hallie Miller and Ryan Little.

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

Tom starts with a conversation about the UAW strike against the big three auto makers: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.

At the heart of the argument between workers and upper management is the discrepancy between executive and worker compensation. Car makers have been highly profitable businesses since the government bailout during the Obama administration. But workers contend that those profits have been earned on their backs, while executive compensation has soared.

Joining Tom to discuss this is Paul Glastris, Editor in Chief of Washington Monthly.

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

Since their Carnegie Hall debut 13 years ago, Meng Su and Yameng Wang of the Beijing Guitar Duo have appeared around the world in recitals and with orchestras. They’ve got a new album out: Claire de Lune, which includes music of French composers. The pair, who first met at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, China, are currently on a tour of twelve cities across the United States. 

The duo will perform at Towson University Saturday night as a part of a series presented by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society. 

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

Today is Midday's Newswrap, and we start with Emily Hofstaedter of the WYPR news team. She is covering the Baltimore City Council’s deliberations about a new map for councilman districts and a financial penalty for environmental crimes in Curtis Bay.

Tom continues with Tim Prudente, enterprise reporter for the Baltimore Banner, on the latest Catholic abuse case coming out of St. Benedict's Church in Southwest Baltimore.

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

It's time again for a visit with Midday's theater critic, J. Wynn Rousuck,who joins Tom each week with her reviews of Maryland's regional stage.

This week she reviews the Baltimore Rock Opera Society’s production of “The Gold Night," which runs until October 21.

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

Tom's guests are Carole Boston Weatherford, an award-winning author, and her award-winning son, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, who is an acclaimed illustrator. They have collaborated on a powerful book about their family’s journey in Maryland, from enslavement to freedom. It’s called Kin: Rooted in Hope. 

Carole and Jeffrey will speak about the book tonight at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture.

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