WYPR News Roundup

Mayor Brandon Scott joins us to answer questions about his dispute with Inspector General Cumming, and his role as mayor ahead of the midterms.

We learn more about the latest updates on the Cornell sexual assault case and hear about Maryland’s own laws on accountability for assault.

And Rage Against the Machine guitarist, Tom Morello, joins us to talk about his upcoming Power to the People festival this weekend.

Our partner station, WTMD, will be covering the festival and they share what attendees can expect.

Guests

• Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore
• Lisae Jordan, executive director of Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• Tom Morello, curator of the Power to the People Festival
• Rich Rudel, afternoon host 89.7 WTMD

Related Links

• Democrats, unions, advocates push for support on Question 3 on redistricting
• Judge orders Scott administration to restore database access to the Inspector General and respond to her subpoenas
• Prosecutor reopens probe into Cornell gang rape allegations after accuser files lawsuit
• Cornell rape allegations lead to renewed scrutiny of laws on intoxication and consent
• Tom Morello Announces Power To The People Festival
• Tom Morello set to rage against D.C. machine with Springsteen and other stars

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Elizabeth Nonemaker, Isaac Moss, and Sam Bermes-Dawes. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson were our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer of the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

This week, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore announced a sweeping set of proposed AI regulations.

A reporter from our news partner, the Baltimore Banner, breaks down how practical these proposals are.

We talk about the governor's new executive order to regulate data center development.

A reporter from Inside Climate News breaks down President Donald Trump's executive order revoking Obama-era protections for the Chesapeake Bay.

And a Baltimore filmmaker unveils her new documentary, "Eternity One." She tells the story of one girl growing upon Tangier Island while facing an imminent risk of being wiped out by rising sea levels.

Finally, we talk the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil. We're joined by the team's announcer and a Ravens fan in Rio de Janeiro ahead of Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Guests

• Brenda Wintrode, state government reporter for the Baltimore Banner
• Sarah Petrowich, statehouse reporter at WYPR
• Aman Azhar, reporter for Inside Climate News
• Marnie Ellen Hertzler, director of ‘Eternity One’
• Beth Benner, executive director of the Women's Housing Coalition
• Kyle Youmans, voice of the Baltimore Ravens

Related Links

• Moore proposes AI rules to protect Marylanders, wading into national debate
• Facing data center backlash, Moore lays out a plan but not a pause
• Maryland officials grapple with ‘bizarre’ Trump executive order on Chesapeake Bay
• Baltimore filmmaker Marnie Ellen Hertzler previews her latest film ahead of the 2026 New/Next Film Festival
• Hundreds of Ravens fans fly to Rio de Janeiro for Ravens' first international game since 2023

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Elizabeth Nonemaker, Isaac Moss, and Tory Vandergriff. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson were our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer of the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

After a major shakeup, the Baltimore City Council attempts to realign on safety.

We talk with City Council President Zeke Cohen about the recent ousting of Public Safety Chair Mark Conway, a new response system to 911 calls, the fight against data centers, and more.

State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis discusses what the Supreme Court’s latest ruling on mail-in voting means for Marylanders.

And, the 27th Baltimore Book Festival is taking place this weekend. Artist Derrick Adams and D. Watkins, host of the upcoming WYPR show The Engagement, join us to talk about the power of reading. Adams also shares how his festival event “Reading Is Freedom” supports child literacy.

Stay tuned for The Engagement, premiering on Oct 19 and airing Monday-Thursday on WYPR at 11 a.m.

Guests

• Zeke Cohen, Baltimore City Council President
• Jared DeMarinis, Maryland State Administrator of Elections
• D Watkins, host of WYPR’s The Engagement
• Derrick Adams, founder of Charm City Cultural Cultivation

Related Links

• Baltimore Councilman Mark Conway cites retaliation for his removal as Public Safety Committee chair
• Baltimore council shake-up: Conway removed from key public safety post
• Supreme Court rejects Trump mail ballot restrictions ahead of midterms
• "The City That Reads": Baltimore Book Festival returns to Waverly
• Laverne Cox will discuss new memoir, ‘Transcendent,’ at Baltimore Book Festival

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Sam Bermas-Dawes and Tori Vandergriff. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson were our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer for the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

School is back in session, and we’re looking at the mayor’s report card.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott discusses his approach to reducing violent crime, his efforts to get kids to school on time, and the fight to keep measles at bay.

A recent surge in ICE raids has students and teachers on edge. One Maryland professor, Berhanu Kibret, has been detained for more than a monthand was recently denied bond. We hear from his attorneys about the status of his case.

And we pass the mic to actor Lance Coadie Williams to hear about his role in the new “Bocking” production, just extended at Baltimore's Center Stage.

Guests

• Brandon Scott, mayor of Baltimore
• Ama Frimpong, immigration attorney for We Are CASA
• Ronia Dubbaneh, attorney at Garfield Immigration Law Group
• Saron Berhe, attorney at Garfield Immigration Law Group
• Amy Tondreau, associate professor of Elementary Literacy at University of Maryland
• William Heiser, superintendent of Baltimore County Schools
• Lance Coadie Williams, actor in “Bocking”

Related Links

• Mayor Scott is using ‘aggressive’ legal tactics in his IG dispute. Here’s why.
• Killings Plunge in a City Once Known for Violence
• A Baltimore school told its immigrant families they were safe. Then ICE came to campus.
• University of Maryland pharmacy instructor remains under detention three weeks after airport arrest
• Baltimore County’s new school superintendent wants stability as schools prepare for new year
• Salacious and hysterical ‘Bocking’ premieres at Baltimore Center Stage

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Elizabeth Nonemaker, Malarie Pinkard-Pierre, John Lee, and Iris D’Arcangelo. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson are our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer of the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

As the battles between Maryland and the Trump administration continue in federal court, Maryland’s Attorney General declares victory in the fight to bring the FBI headquarters to Greenbelt. We explore what that means for the shifting relationship between Maryland and the federal government.

Then, a representative from the Maryland ACLU breaks down a new report analyzing police killings in the state.

We discuss what Baltimore TV station WMAR’s transition to an anchorless broadcast means for the future of journalism.

And Baltimore Banner reporter Hayes Gardener shares his coverage on the series of rabid beaver attacks in the state.

Finally, Marcus John, an actor from Maryland’s Eastern Shore, talks about taking on the role of Alexander Hamilton on Broadway, and his own family history in the state.

Guests

• Mark Graber – professor at University of Maryland School of Law
• William Ford – reporter for Maryland Matters
• Shamāiah Manriquez – sister of police killing victim Emmanuel Oates
• Yanet Amanuel – public policy director for ACLU of Maryland
• Mark Greenblatt – professor at Arizona State University
• Hayes Gardner – reporter for the Baltimore Banner
• Marcus John – actor playing Hamilton on Broadway

Related Links

• Brown compiles ‘voluminous’ record of legal challenges to Trump administration policies
• ACLU previews report analyzing deadly encounters with police in Maryland
• ACLU of Maryland Releases Years-Long Database and Report on Police Killings in Maryland
• WMAR anchors bid emotional farewell as station shifts to anchorless streaming
• Inside the hunt for the biting beaver that wasn’t there
• Another beaver attacks a Maryland state park visitor
• Wait for it... an Eastern Shore native is Broadway’s latest Hamilton

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Elizabeth Nonemaker, Malarie Pinkard-Pierre and Tori Vandergriff. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson are our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer of the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

As summer nears its end, Sen. Chris Van Hollen joins the News Roundup to talk about Maryland's shore communities and his fight to lower prescription drug costs and hold U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable.

In the wake of progressive primary wins across the country, Van Hollen also lists the reasons the Democratic Party should part ways with AIPAC. He addresses the dire situation in Sudan, one he’s passionate about, and his effort to halt U.S. weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates funding the Rapid Support Forces.

We continue the conversation on democracy with Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles, two Harvard Law professors. They introduce their latest book, "America Unfinished: 250 Years of Law and Governance."

Secrets about the FBI's crackdown on the Baltimore Black Panthers are also uncovered by Andrea Conte and his new play, "The Records & the Ruse," opening this weekend.

Finally, We Pass the Mic to Stevie Walker-Webb, artistic director of Baltimore Center Stage, who chats with Preston Crowder about his new, audacious play, "Bocking."

Guests

• Senator Chris Van Hollen – Senator for Maryland
• Alexandra Natapoff – professor at Harvard Law School
• Guy-Uriel Charles – professor at Harvard Law School
• Andrea Conte – writer and director of “The Records and the Ruse”
• Stevie Walker-Webb – artistic director for Baltimore Center Stage
• Preston Crowder – playwright of “Bocking”

Related Links

· US senator calls for halt to UAE arms sales over Sudan war

· The Hard Truth My Party Needs to Face

· ‘America Unfinished’ explores the state of the nation at 250

· America at 250: A time to speak law to power

· The Records & The Ruse webpage

· Pearl-clutchers unite: NSFW comedy ‘Bocking’ kicks off Baltimore Center Stage’s new season

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. Elizabeth Nonemaker and Malarie Pinkard-Pierre helped us with production today. Khaleel Rahman is the News Roundup producer. Shanya Mapson and Shawn Murphy are our studio engineers. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

Get in touch! Call or email with your comments, questions, and what you want to hear us cover: [email protected] or 410.735.1616

The future of Maryland’s congressional map is now in the hands of voters.

After a heated debate over congressional redistricting, a new amendment has passed putting the issue on November's ballot. We speak with WYPR's Sarah Petrowich who's covering the new legislation from the State House.

Then, off to the races! There is a shakeup in the world of Thoroughbred racing and the new schedule for Maryland's Preakness. Childs Walker wrote about it for our news partners at the Baltimore Banner and helps us truth squad the latest.

And a favorite election issue - data centers – has taken hold of Frederick County Council. WYPR’s Nathanael Miller briefs us on the ongoing fight over construction.

We Pass the Mic to Bry Reed, a Baltimore writer and City College graduate who discusses the power of reading.

And BTS, the K-pop giants, are headed to Baltimore. We preview their upcoming performance and dive into some hard questions about cultural appropriation in K-pop.

Guests

· Sarah Petrowich – State House reporter at WYPR

· Childs Walker– sports contributor at The Baltimore Banner

· Nathanael Miller – Frederick County reporter at WYPR

· Bry Reed – Baltimore-based writer and contributor at Baltimore Beat

· Stitch –culture writer and author of "Cultural Appropriation in the Age of K-Pop"

Related Links

• Maryland Governor announces Preakness date to move back a week, six-year NBC Sports deal
• Maryland lawmakers pass redistricting constitutional amendment, voters will have final say
• Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes to be part of new Thoroughbred Championship Series. Missing: The Preakness
• Frederick County Executive requests pause on data center land use vote
• Cultural Appropriation in the Age of K-Pop
• Code Switch: K-Pop's Surprising B(l)ackstory

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Isaac Moss, Elizabeth Nonemaker and Malarie Pinkard-Pierre. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson were our studio engineers. Khaleel Rahman is the producer of the News Roundup. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.

Summer is typically a season for taking a break, but work has dominated the news this week.

We begin with the latest on Maryland’s rise in cyclosporiasis cases and the wildfire smoke lingering over the state. Then, we examine why Maryland’s prisons rank among the nation’s deadliest. Correctional officers say a staffing shortage is contributing to the violence.

We also check in with former federal workers at USAID and NIH who are still reeling from last year’s DOGE cuts. Protests and layoffs have rippled through Maryland industry, from universities to video game studios.

Even Major League Baseball may be heading toward a lockout.

Guests

· Scott Maucione –health reporter at WYPR

· Justin Fenton – investigative reporter at The Baltimore Banner

· Sara DiNatale – reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle

· Jeanne Briggs – former director of Democracy, Rights and Governance at USAID

· Raymond Limon – former vice chair and member of the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board

· Kyle Orland – senior gaming editor at Ars Technica

· Paul Mancano - host of “The Banner Baseball Show”

Related Links

· Maryland sees significant increase in cyclosporiasis cases

· Maryland prisons rank among nation's worst for killings

· Smokey air still lingers in Maryland, and more bad days could come

· Fired federal workers face a second nightmare under Trump

· Bethesda, id Software reportedly hit hard by Microsoft layoffs

· Hundreds rally at Bethesda HQ to protest Xbox layoffs, and Ars was there

· How confident are you in the 2026 Ravens? | Banner Ravens Podcast

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Isaac Moss, Elizabeth Nonemaker and Malarie Pinkard-Pierre. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson are our studio engineers. Amy Walters is WYPR's executive producer.

Baltimore’s beating many East Coast cities at a game no one wants to win — higher gas prices. With the U.S. war on Iran continuing, there are few signs of letting up. We offer some advice to get a better deal at the pump. And two transportation projects that haven’t seen the light of day — a tunnel to the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium and the Red Line, which has yet to be built. A simmering standoff between Sinclair chairman David Smith — who also owns The Baltimore Sun — and Maryland Governor Wes Moore heats up again, and for some real American drama we head to the Contemporary American Theater Festival in West Virginia.

Guests

• Melody Simmons, Senior Reporter for The Baltimore Business Journal
• Daniel Zawodny, Transportation Reporter for The Baltimore Banner
• David Sebastiao, Filmmaker for Silent Media Group
• Max Tani, Media reporter for Semafor
• Peggy McKowen, Artistic Director for The Contemporary American Theater Festival

Related Links

• Higher gas tax coming to Maryland amid inflated prices
• The tunnel that wasn’t: Inside the Baltimore Ravens’ proposal for ‘Ravens Loop’
• Not in Service
• Baltimore Sun owner threatens to sue Moore over Epstein comments
• Sinclair’s David Smith threatens to sue Wes Moore as feud intensifies
• Contemporary American Theater Festival

Credits: Matt Bush is the host of WYPR's News Roundup. We had help from Isaac Moss, Elizabeth Nonemaker, and Malarie Pinkard-Pierre. Shawn Murphy and Shanya Mapson were our studio engineers. Amy Walters is WYPR's Executive Producer.