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Three times as many people are dying from opioids as a decade ago. Baltimore City sued on behalf of those lives lost, and to combat overdose deaths in the future: The city has won more than $242 million dollars in restitution so far.

On The Record asked Interim Deputy Mayor J.D. Merrill and Sara Whaley, program director of the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, how it will be spent.

Baltimore City has big plans for opioid restitution funds We go On the Record with the Baltimore City mayor’s office to ask how they plan to spend more than $242 million dollars in opioid overdose restitution funds -- and if there will be more?

On this edition of "Midday at the Movies" with Jed Dietz, founding director of the Maryland Film Festival, and Max Weiss, film critic and Editor-in-Chief of Baltimore magazine: Summer is wrapping up. Were box offices able to make up for low returns earlier in the season?

Plus, we dig into a pair of comedies: the return of Michael Keaton in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" and "Between the Temples."

Midday at the Movies: 'Beetlejuice' returns and 'Between the Temples' Midday at the Movies returns with Jed Dietz and Max Weiss discussing the latest films playing on the big screen, streaming services and at film festivals.

Americans born since 1996 are starting to vote! What do they care about? How do they differ from older voters?

On The Record asks Melissa Deckman, the author of "The Politics of Gen Z."

The youngest voters are part of Gen Z. What are their politics? Americans born since 1996 are starting to vote! What do they care about? How do they differ from older voters? We ask the author of “The Politics of Gen Z.”

Three of Baltimore City’s Safe Streets violence interruption zones celebrated more than 365 days without a homicide on Friday afternoon.

Safe Streets did not experience any homicides in the areas they serve around Park Heights, Franklin Square and Belvedere.

Three sites. Zero homicides. One year. Baltimore City Safe Streets celebrates milestone The sites join Penn-North which celebrated the same milestone earlier this year.

A deal appears to be taking shape that would allow dredge material to be dumped on an island that is home to a state park and migratory birds.

Tradepoint Atlantic, the logistics center in Sparrows Point, is seeking approval to reopen the dredging facility at Hart-Miller Island, which is off Baltimore County’s coast.

In exchange, several people said that Tradepoint is offering $40 million, to be split evenly for recreational improvements to the island and to nearby communities.

According to legislation passed by the 2024 General Assembly, Baltimore County officials have until the end of the year to decide if they support reopening the island for dredging. While other permits and approvals are needed, the project would go no further without the county’s approval.

Read more and listen here to find out what visitors of the island think: https://tinyurl.com/y6xns6j4

Victims of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. and other entities are speaking out in favor of the Child Victims Act as the Maryland Supreme Court is set to hear a case challenging the law next week.

Survivors want Maryland Child Victims Act upheld as it faces Supreme Court challenge The court likely will not hand down a ruling for several months.

About 24,000 fish and other sea creatures were killed in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor this week by a Pistachio Tide that depleted dissolved oxygen levels in the water.

Pistachio Tide kills thousands of fish in Baltimore's Inner Harbor Weather conditions caused an algae bloom and depleted dissolved oxygen levels.

Baltimore County Council Democrats want to throw out a new map of redrawn council districts that was part of a compromise to get the proposed council expansion on the November ballot.

Republican Baltimore County Council members say the Democrats are going back on their word and that it could lead to partisan conflict and chaos on the council.

Republicans on Baltimore County Council say Democrats are setting up distrust and partisan conflict They say Democrats want to back out of an agreement that got GOP votes to put council expansion on the ballot.

The city of Baltimore won yet another settlement from drug manufacturers Wednesday after coming to an agreement with JUUL Labs.

JUUL Labs, which produces e-cigarette products, agreed to pay either $7.5 million by the end of the year or $8 million over three years.

𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 GBMC - Greater Baltimore Medical Center

Baltimore wins settlement with JUUL Labs for alleged deceptive marketing The city could see as much as $8 million from the company.

A Baltimore County ballot question that prompts residents to vote on expanding the county council from seven to nine members has more to it than just that.

The full bill includes a new map of redrawn council districts and proposed changes to the makeup of the county school board.

Councilmembers say these added elements are only recommendations, subject to change if the ballot measure passes. But some state lawmakers and local advocacy groups worry they’ll be ushered in with no public input.

Baltimore County Council expansion would do more than add seats The full measure before voters includes a new district map and changes to the school board that the council says are recommendations. But some worry they could be written into law if voters check “yes”

Operating costs and spending are outpacing revenue at the Maryland Department of Transportation, leaving the state grappling with a projected $1.3 billion gap in its six-year capital spending plan. That draft was released Tuesday.

Draft plan reveals look at Maryland’s $1.3 billion transportation budget cuts The Red Line is unaffected, for now.

Our New/Next Film Festival is returning to Baltimore's historic The Charles Theater for a second year! We've expanded from three days to four, and just put a limited number of All Access Passes on sale:

2024 New/Next Film Festival | TicketHive The New/Next Film Festival, a celebration of emerging film culture presented by Baltimore Public Media, returns Oct. 3-6 to the historic The Charles Theatre. The 2024 festival has expanded to four days to feature more films and visiting filmmakers, and also includes at least two free screenings for....

Next Tuesday, the Maryland Supreme Court will hear the final challenge to the state’s Child Victims Act, which was passed in 2023.

The law, which eliminates the statute of limitations for people to sue their sexual abusers, has come up against staunch lobbying efforts and legal challenges from both the Baltimore and Washington D.C. Catholic Archdiocese.

Maryland Supreme Court set to hear challenge to Child Victims Act The Washington D.C. Archdiocese is bringing a legal challenge to the new law.

Tune into The Stoop Storytelling Series on WYPR, this Sunday at 4 pm and again at 11. Our theme this month is “Work, Life, No Balance.” Five storytellers share tales about the working world. We hear from a first-time teacher, Captain Quackers, and the king of the castle. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

A guilty plea in Pava LaPere murder case that led to new Maryland law.

Jason Billingsley, 33, pleaded guilty to murdering tech entrepreneur Pava LaPere Friday morning in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

It comes days after he pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of April Hurley, a West Baltimore woman, and her partner in a separate home invasion case. Friday’s guilty plea was expected as part of a plea agreement for the two cases.

The crimes committed by Billingsley have already inspired legislative change in Maryland.

Swipe to read more. Tap the link in our bio for the full story.

When there are dozens of ways that youth can be led astray, seduced by social media or maybe more dangerous fascinations, how do you capture their minds and hearts?

‘Beats Not Bullets’ teaches middle- and high-school students skills in the music recording industry as a way to keep them focused on positive activities and lead them toward healthy life choices. Rich Croce and Brandon Lackey, who run the program, explain how it works.

Check out the latest from On The Record through the link in our bio.

Photo creds:
Slide one (top): E. Brady Robinson
Slide one (bottom): Barley Moon Photograph
Slide two: E. Brady Robinson

WYPR's best-kept (not so secret) secret is Luke Spicknall! Today marks his last day at WYPR. Throughout the past 10 years, he has helped create radio magic. Here are a few words from his supervisor and mentor, Ray Hepner:

"Luke started here as an intern with a thirst for radio knowledge. He wanted to learn all he could about how a radio station runs starting with board operation of a show up to setting up automation systems and following F.C.C. rules and regulations. He developed into a “go to” guy by providing answers to Reporters, Hosts, Shows and organizing remote broadcasts. While I am saddened to see him leave I wish him well on his new exciting opportunities!"

Goodbye, Luke! And thank you for your service and dedication to public radio. You'll always have a home here at 88.1 ❤️

There will be no baby bonus and no property tax cut on Baltimore City ballot.

The Maryland Supreme Court upheld lower court decisions on Thursday by ruling that two proposed city charter amendments are inconsistent with state law.

The first, dubbed “the Baby Bonus” would have paid out at least $1,000 in cash payments to new city parents. The other would have instituted a property tax rate cut reducing the Baltimore City property tax rate down from 2.248% (the highest in Maryland) down to 1.2% over the course of seven years.

Swipe to read all the stories. Tap the link in our bio for more.

Baltimore Baby Bonus proposal reaches state supreme court.

A push from Baltimore teachers to put one-time cash payments for new parents into the city’s charter was brought before Maryland’s highest court on Wednesday.

In early July, the city board of elections approved the Baltimore Baby Bonus Fund for November’s ballot with over 14 thousand signatures collected in support. The proposal would give every parent in the city at least $1,000 to spend on anything they need, from strollers to groceries – a move Mayor Brandon Scott and other city officials have pushed back on in court.

The Maryland Child Alliance, a grassroots group of local teachers who created the Baby Bonus, said their goal is to combat child poverty – which affects nearly one-third of Baltimore school-aged children, according to census data.

But on August 9, a circuit court judge ruled in favor of Mayor Scott and the city council to find the Baby Bonus proposal unconstitutional. So the teachers appealed the decision to the state supreme court.

Tap the link in our bio for more.

Catonsville library reopens after $7M renovation.

After a year and a half of anticipation, Catonsville residents got their first glimpse of the newly renovated public library on Wednesday. The $7 million renovation features dedicated children and teen spaces and the library’s first recording booths.

The remodeled facility also has new sprinkler and electrical systems.

Long lines stretching across Frederick Road came as no surprise to Baltimore County Public Library CEO Sonia Alcantara-Antoine.

“This is a community of avid readers, so having the library closed has been tough on them emotionally,” Alcantara-Antoine said.

Tap the link in our bio for more.

Baltimore creates governance structure to handle opioid settlement winnings.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is setting up a robust governance structure to decide how the city will allocate the nearly quarter of a billion dollars it received in opioid settlements and hundreds of millions more that it will likely reap from further settlements.

Scott said the city will initially appropriate $20 million to the health department and $42 million to 12 organizations focused on substance abuse and overdose prevention like Tuerk House and Helping Up Mission.

Tap the link in our bio for more.

With heat ahead, Baltimore DPW prepares to suspend trash collection after worker’s death.

Baltimore City’s Department of Public Works is preparing for a possible pause in trash, recycling, and mechanical street sweeping Wednesday, as the National Weather Service predicts that the heat index could exceed 96 degrees.

The announcement comes less than a month after sanitation worker Ronald Silver II died of heat exhaustion while collecting the city’s trash. During an hours-long hearing before the City Council last week, sanitation workers condemned DPW leaders for being reactive when it comes to worker safety.

Swipe to read all the stories. Tap the link in our bio for more.

Baltimore County school buses are now sporting external cameras designed to catch drivers who illegally pass when students are boarding or exiting.

District leaders teamed up with the local police department to install the monitors from Alabama-based company AngelTrax ahead of the first day of classes Monday. At a press conference in front of Timonium Elementary School, Chief of Police Robert McCullough said driving infractions are an “ongoing problem” for student safety.

Swipe to read all the stories. Tap the link in our bio for more.

📺 Tune in to Midday Maryland on WMAR-2 News Baltimore at noon!

The redevelopment of Harborplace downtown continues to be at the center of debate and speculation.

The Inner Harbor Coalition is a group of residents, architects, stakeholders and others who are vocally against the referendum. Two members of the coalition joined Midday to share their perspectives.

Redevelopment of Harborplace, the debate continues Melody Simmons, reporter for the Baltimore Business Journal, explores the future of Harborplace with opponents to the current design plans.

Business leaders of Tradepoint Atlantic in Sparrows Point and The Costas Inn in Dundalk joined Baltimore County Reporter John Lee on Midday to discuss the economic recovery of Eastern Baltimore County.

The rise and recovery of Eastern Baltimore County Business leaders of Tradepoint Atlantic in Sparrows Point and The Costas Inn in Dundalk join Midday to discuss the economic recovery of Eastern Baltimore County.

🪐 Humans have long looked into the night sky and searched for signs and for meaning in the lights twinkling above us.

And through the years, humankind developed tools to become better stargazers; from Galileo’s astronomical telescope to the Hubble Space Telescope launched into near-Earth Orbit nearly a quarter century ago.

And a couple years ago, the James Webb Space Telescope followed. Webb has high sensitivity instruments making it able to view celestial bodies much farther away than Hubble could see, and has been sending us photos and measurements leading to ground-breaking discoveries.

Astrophysicist Dr. Macarena Garcia Marin joined Midday to talk about Webb’s recent discoveries.

The Webb Telescope's trailblazing study of the cosmos yields new discoveries Astrophysicist Dr. Macarena Garcia Marin joins Midday to discuss the latest images and discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope.

The neighborhoods surrounding the Inner Harbor are some of the fastest growing parts of Baltimore. Now the population of the harbor is growing with the addition of turtles, mallards, a pair of river otters and a school of Atlantic silverside fish — all members of the Chesapeake Bay’s native ecosystem.

The animals and sea life are drawn to the harbor by a new 10,000-square-foot “floating wetlands,” a series of artificial islands set up by the National Aquarium between piers 3 and 4.

Charmaine Dahlenburg, the National Aquarium's Director of Field Conservation, joined Midday to discuss the development of this ambitious harbor project.

National Aquarium activates a 'floating wetland' in the Inner Harbor The National Aquarium has opened a new Wetland Exhibit and Charmaine Dahlenburg, the Director of Field Conservation, joins Midday to share what visitors can expect.

Which vice-presidential candidate appeals more to rural voters?

Cory Vaillancourt is the politics editor for Smoky Mountain News. He joined Midday from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to give insight.

Eyes are on rural voters in 2024's election. Who will they vote for and why? Which vice-presidential candidate appeals more to rural voters? Cory Vaillancourt, the politics editor for Smoky Mountain News, joins Midday from the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to give us more insight.