When persistent pain invaded Gary Stern’s gut, doctors at two local hospitals focused on the digestive-tract disease he’d had a decade earlier. They didn’t listen to him insist this felt different, and they didn’t order a standard test to check for an ulcer. The misdiagnosis triggered a cascade of surgeries and suffering that took his life. David Black wrote the book Ripped Apart to tell the story. Gary’s wife Carol never left his side, "Doctors need to realize it’s ok to make a mistake. But don’t cover it up. And that’s what they did with Gary. And that’s what ended up being his demise.” And neurologist Dr. David Newman-Toker of the Johns Hopkins ‘Center for Diagnostic Excellence’ tells how patients can guard against medical misdiagnosis. Original air-date: August 3, 2021.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Downtown West Baltimore is in the middle of a serious makeover. The Baltimore Development Corporation is working with developers to forge a 21st-century version of the bustling commercial hub that thrived in that area decades ago. Here’s Colin Tarbert, head of the BDC:

“The vision is to create a whole mix of uses in a fairly small area to recreate that vibrancy.”

Then, owners of two new brick-and-mortar businesses talk about why they’re excited to be part of the renaissance. Lynnette Dodson co-owns Cuples Tea House and Nicole Foster is co-founder and CEO of Cajou Creamery:

“We’re especially proud to be on the 400 block of Howard where there are 5 black-owned businesses that have moved in.”

Links: Cajou Creamery, Cuples Tea House, More about Downtown West Baltimore plans.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

COVID-19 delayed trials and motivated judges to order home monitoring. The trade off? The fees charged to defendants for private electronic supervision as they await trial mounted up.A new law to waive fees for low income people went into effect July 1--but fees are still being charged, until early October. We discuss the obstacles to getting started.

Guests:

Chief Judge John P. Morrissey of the District Court of Maryland

Todd Oppenheim, supervising attorney in the Baltimore City Public Defenders’ Office

Iman Freeman, executive director of the Baltimore Legal Action Team

Delegate Luke Clippinger

Delegate Stephanie Smith

Correction: HB316 passed without Governor Hogan's signature. In the introduction, we incorrectly described the bill as "signed into law."

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

From her days growing up in Liberia, through medical training and now heading Johns Hopkins Center for Health Equity, Dr. Lisa Cooper has tried to understand and explain the ways race and the stress of discrimination shape health care and health outcomes. She’s distilled her work and ideas into a book Why Are Health Disparities Everyone’s Problem?

“Inequality really leads to greater social dysfunction and it’s really because when people live in these different social groups and feel that there’s a constant struggle for survival, that actually leads to more stressors and negative outcomes for everyone.”

Now, Cooper says, she’s eager to translate her health-disparities research to her new appointment to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

Links: "Why Are Health Disparities Everyone's Problem?"

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Here is a Stoop Story from Susan Ellsberry about a life affirming reunification. Listen to more Stoop Stories here and check out their upcoming live events, including next month's show, "Didn't See That Coming!"

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Here is a Stoop Story from Dr. Modupe Mccracken about putting herself first. Listen to more Stoop Stories here and check out their upcoming live events, including next month's show on shocks, surprises, and real-life plot twists.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Growing up in west Baltimore, R. Eric Thomas often felt like an outsider. He was a Black student at a mostly white private school; he was gay in a Baptist family.Thomas’ memoir, "Here For It, or How to Save Your Soul in America," follows humorous and heartfelt detours in his journey of self-acceptance.We hear how R. Eric Thomas got his start with a failed attempt at satire … how code-switching helped him hone his writing … and why his family’s lexicon included an opera from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

The pressures of the pandemic have been piling up on many people. Some feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed; they may have thought of suicide. Quinton Askew, CEO of 211 Maryland, the crisis-call center, says people can now sign up for a weekly phone conversation with a mental-health professional--the first such service in the country.

Then Cheryl Maxwell, program manager for the Black Mental Health Alliance, talks about the foundation that honors her late sister, an artist who died by suicide. And Maxwell says that after so many months of pandemic stresses, she’s hearing hope from people who contact the alliance.:

Cheryl Maxwell BB Clip: “People are ready. They’re ready for sanity, they’re ready for cooperation, they’re ready to feel better about themselves and about people around them.”

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact Maryland’s crisis hotline by calling 2-1-1 and pressing option 1 or texting 898-211. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for those in crisis or those looking to help someone else: 1-800-273-8255. The Crisis Text Line offers emotional crisis support at 741741

Links: 211 Maryland, Black Mental Health Alliance, The Carolyn Anne Foundation,

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

Restaurant workers took a huge hit during the pandemic. The comeback is steady … but slow. Now a special cookbook, called ‘Back of House,’ is dedicated to them, and to raising funds to lighten their hardships.

Photographer J.M. Giordano tells why he chose to depict the ‘behind the scenes’ hustle in gripping black-and-white. And editor Jess Mayhugh explains what’s behind the title, and why the project is an ode to those who labor at all places in a restaurant.

"It’s sort of this ironic idea of people in the front of the line being back of house. You know they didn’t get to work from home, they didn’t get to take time off, you know they were just always working and these photos and these recipes really portray that."

Links: Purchase 'Back of House' here. All proceeds go to the Baltimore Restaurant Relief Fund.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472

COVID infections have risen exponentially among children since July, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. And children under 12 are still not eligible for a COVID vaccine. Dr. Bradley Schlaggar is a pediatric neurologist and the head of Kennedy Krieger Institute. Even if youngsters were not especially vulnerable early in the pandemic, he says, they are now. Plus, the multipronged approach of Kennedy Krieger’s Post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Clinic to helping children and adolescents with lingering COVID symptoms.

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472