Coast Guard records reveal history of 'close calls' near the Key and Bay Bridges

As salvage crews work to remove debris from the Patapsco River, investigators are trying to determine why the cargo ship Dali lost power and collided with the Key Bridge last month. The collision caused the bridge’s collapse and the death of six construction workers.  Lee O. Sanderlin, enterprise …

Maryland Legal Aid offers free help to expunge cannabis charges

More than $512 million dollars of adult-use recreational cannabis has been sold in Maryland since July 1, 2023. As legislators created the state's legal cannabis market, they passed legislation to remedy the criminal consequences people historically faced for possession of cannabis. Maryland Legal…

Going beyond Autism Awareness Month, it's awareness every day

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, is typically diagnosed in children by about age five in the U.S., according to the National Autism Data Center. About 1 in 36 American children are affected by autism, up from 1 in 44 from previous data. April is Autism Awareness Month. But at Zoe’s Just Dezzer…

Artist Na Omi Shintani calls attention to incarcerated children

Twelve mattresses are arranged in a circle. Drawn on beds’ white fabric are the outlines of sleeping children. Their hands are curled up by their peaceful faces. That tranquility is betrayed by the title of the installation: "Dream Refuge for children imprisoned." It is on display through May 18th…

Stories from the Stoop: Pledging love and pledging allegiance

In honor of WYPR’s Spring pledge, we’re offering up not one but two stoop stories today. First, a stoop story by Rohaizad Suaidi about fierce love, sacrifice, and pledging support for an adopted country. Then we hear from Gretchen and Warren Hensel, about persistence, timing, and pledging your hea…

A swashbuckling teen battles evil fairies in the 'Saint-Seducing Gold'

Author Brittany Williams grew up in East Baltimore, taking theater classes and performing in the spotlight. Now she’s turned her talent from the stage to the page. In her latest novel, “Saint-Seducing Gold,” Williams brings readers to 17th century London, where a sword-wielding heroine teams up wit…

Why are Maryland's ER wait times so long?

Patients in Maryland’s emergency rooms experience far longer wait times than residents of other states. What does this mean for the more than 1.7 million patients served each year by the state’s 48 emergency departments? What solutions are hospital leaders exploring?  Our guests: Erin Dorrien, vi…

Baltimore's SquashWise combines love of the game and the drive for personal excellence

For a group of Baltimore middle and high school students, squash is more than a vegetable! They participate in SquashWise. The non-profit melds the fast-paced game with personal development and academic excellence. We hear from Abby Markoe, co-founder and executive director, and visit the courts to…

An enslaved family's fight for freedom

Daniel and Mary Bell tried to use the courts to win freedom for their family, so history shows us more details about them than many other enslaved people in the 19th century. We know that Francis Scott Key, who wrote our national anthem, was one of the white people who lined up against freedom for …

'The Black Tax' argues African Americans are overtaxed and underserved

In the early 20th century, Baltimore City codified racial segregation in housing into law, prohibiting African Americans from moving onto blocks where white residents were the majority. As the city grew, the sewer commission methodically avoided building infrastructure in Black neighborhoods. That’…