Midday

Today, another in our frequent series of conversations with the political leadership of the city of Baltimore. We've had regular check-ins with Mayor Brandon Scott, Comptroller Bill Henry, and members of the Baltimore City Council, as well as the Council President, Nick Mosby, who is Tom's guest, once again, for the full hour today.

The Council’s most recent legislative initiative aspires to change the power dynamic between tenants and landlords, and address housing insecurity in our city. Housing advocates have concerns about a bill that is currently on Mayor Brandon Scott’s desk, that will create alternatives to security deposits.And looking ahead, the council is exploring ways to strengthen city-based businesses, as many of them struggle to cope with the financial impact of the COVID 19 pandemic.

And as he manages these challenges, how is the City Council president managing the personal challenge he and his wife — State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby — are facing from a federal probe of their financial affairs?

Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby joins us on Zoom, and listeners are welcome to join the conversation as well.

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

(Originally broadcast on February 19, 2021)

Today, on this archive edition of Midday, Tom speaks with the award-winning writer, Chang-rae Lee. He is the author of six novels. The Surrendered, which he published in 2008, was a Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Another book, On Such a Full Sea was a Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and the winner of the Heartland Fiction Prize. His latest novel is a stunning, wild tale whose protagonist is a 20-year-old, somewhat aimless college student from New Jersey named Tiller Bardmon. The book is a collection of Tiller’s reflections on the relationships he has with a charismatic businessman, and later, a young mother and her son. It’s called My Year Abroad.

Tom spoke with Chang Rae Lee on Zoom.

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

Now, we continue our recap of the 2021 Session of the Maryland General Assembly, which concluded, Sine Die, at midnight last night in Annapolis. In addition to a billion-dollar stimulus bill, and a budget that got a big boost from the federal government’s American Rescue Plan, the legislature passed a package of historic police reform measures, along with many other bills.

Joining Tom for analysis of the session are Ovetta Wiggins, who covers Maryland politics for the Washington Post, and Rachel Baye, who covers the Statehouse as part of our news team here at WYPR. Ovetta joins us on Zoom; Rachel joins us on our digital line.

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

Last night, the Maryland General Assembly finished the work of its 2021 Session, a session unlike any other, given the pandemic’s effect on how business was conducted, and in several respects, what business was conducted.

We begin today with a look back at the 2021 Session. A little later, Ovetta Wiggins, who covers the Statehouse for the Washington Post and Rachel Baye, WYPR’s Statehouse reporter, will join Tom with a recap of some of the highlights of the 2021 Session.

But first, we turn to Senator Bryan Simonaire, the Republican Minority Leader in the Upper Chamber. He represents District 31, in Northeast Anne Arundel County.He joins us on Zoom.

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

Use of the coronavirus vaccine developed by Johnson & Johnson is being put on hold, following six cases of blood clots that may be related to the vaccine. The FDA and CDC have recommended pausing the use of the J&J vaccine, a recommendation that the state of Maryland and the City of Baltimore have announced they will implement until further information about the potential risk of the vaccine is determined.

To explain the significance of the J&J vaccine pause and what it could mean for the national and local vaccination programs, Dr. Leana Wen joins Tom on Skype. She is a visiting scholar at George Washington University's School of Public Health and the author of the forthcoming book, Lifelines: A Doctor’s Journey in the Fight for Public Health.

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

Tonight marks the beginning of Ramadan, Islam's month-long observance of fasting, prayer and family celebrations. Tom's next guest is a Muslim activist and author who emigrated to the United States from Pakistan in 2003. She’s written a book about her experiences in the United States, as she has assimilated into American culture, and risen to leadership positions in the American Muslim Community.

Her name is Saima Adil Sitwat, and her book is called American Muslim: An Immigrant’s Journey.Saima Sitwat joins us on Zoom…

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

It’s Midday with the Mayor, another in our regular series of live conversations with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott.

Voters will weigh-in on returning the Baltimore police department to local control in a referendum in an upcoming election. Mayor Scott’s efforts to re-imagine public safety in Baltimore include forming a task force to consider how to cut the budget of the BPD to re-direct some of those resources to other agencies.

Later today, the Mayor will announce a pilot program to cut down on illegal dumping. And, we’ll get an update on city efforts to administer COVID vaccines.

Mayor Brandon Scott joins Tom Hall today on Zoom.

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

Tom's next guest is the internationally acclaimed violinist, Jennifer Koh. Before the pandemic took hold, she was concertizing around the globe, in demand as one of the most brilliant artists of her generation. But when the pandemic began, bookings vanished. A New York Times profile published the day after Christmas referred to the “Cultural Depression” that Jennifer and legions of other performers were experiencing, as unemployment among performing artists outpaced the rest of the workforce, including restaurant and hospitality workers.

Most theaters and concert venues throughout the US remain closed, and while the US Labor Department reported that non-farm payrolls increased by 916,000 workers last month, freelance artists continue to be left out of the ever-so gradual economic recovery, even as vaccinations against COVID 19 become more commonplace.

Jennifer Koh has maintained an on-line presence throughout the pandemic. This Sunday, April 11th at 5:30pm, she’ll be playing a live on-line recital that will be streamed by the Shriver Hall Concert Series. Ticket holders to the digital concert will have access to the performance for a week. Click here for more information.

Jennifer Koh joins us today from New York, on Zoom…

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Tom's first guest today is the author of a book about three accomplished Black women, Alberta King, Louise Little and Berdis Baldwin. It’s part biography of these women, and part clarion call for recognition of all Black women.

Anna Malaika Tubbs writes that erasure, misrecognition and historical amnesia are, sadly, part of the formation of African American female identity, and her book is part of her effort to erase that erasure. In exploring the revolutionary power of these women, who came of age between the two World Wars, Tubbs shows how their stories inspire the struggle for survival today.Alberta King, Louise Little and Berdis Baldwin were each accomplished in their own right, and in their own way. Between them, they raised many children, three of whom grew up to be among the most significant figures in the American Civil Rights movement.

The book is called The Three Mothers: How the Mothers of Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin Shaped a Nation.Anna Malaika Tubbs joins us on Zoom from Los Angeles, California.

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

Tom's Newsmaker guest today is Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

Howard County will open a mass COVID-19 vaccination site soon at the Mall in Columbia. Two other sites have been up and running for some time now. Like leaders in other jurisdictions, County Executive Ball will be addressing the negative economic impacts the pandemic has had on the county with the aid of funds from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.

Many Howard County students and teachers are back in their classrooms and school sports will return next week. The county has ended its contract with the federal immigration and border control agency - ICE - to detain suspects at the detention center in Jessup. A referendum to repeal the County’s new sanctuary county law will appear on the ballot in 2022. And plans to fortify Ellicott City against future flooding are progressing with the announcement of some new state aid.

County Executive Calvin Ball joins us on the line today from his office in Ellicott City.

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