Maryland Capital with Jayne Miller

The plan to redevelop Harborplace is facing some hurdles. A group of residents has filed a lawsuit to challengethe process that led to the selection of a developer, MCB Real estate.

An effort is underway to save the two pavilions from  demolition.

A big tax break is in the works which is drawing public pushback.

And the big question: are therealternatives to turning over more public park space to a private developer. The plan includes moving  the Constellation. And closing  streets.

My conversation is with Michael Brassert, founder of the Inner Har...

Recent polling by UMBC shows 88% of Maryland voters have declining trust in government and want big money out of politics.

My latest podcast from Maryland Capital – what voters are thinking as their head to election day.

The economy: fair to poor.

Data Centers: NO.

Open primaries: Most say yes.

Redistricting: Most say no.

 My conversation is with Mileah Kromer, director of the UMBC Institute of Politics and assistant professor in the Department of Political Science. She notes GOP in Maryland has a bench problem. And “voters aren’t stupi...

There is a campaign underway in Howard County Maryland to increase the supply of housing and make it more affordable.  Currently more than 50% of teachers, as an example,live elsewhere because they can’t afford to live in the county.

Median homes price is more than$600,000. Median rent is $2100.

Barriers: zoning, the stigma of affordable housing (even in a progressive county), layers of regulation, and slow progress on new construction.

The county will have a new county executive after November. Housing activists have a playbook ready.

My conversation is with Nikki Hig...

Solar energy is on its way to becoming the energy of the future. It is surpassing fossil fuels in some countries. It is getting cheaper. Buy solar panels today, you’re buying your own energy.  

Despite resistance from the Trump administration, the states mostly control its use and expansion.

In this podcast we talk about cost, the politics, community solar and multi gigawatt solar fields.

Might the Maryland legislature achieve greater strides to cleaner, renewable energy in the next session?

My conversation is with Sachu Constantine, executive director of Vote Solar, a n...

After years of sitting increasingly vacant, the two pavilions at Harborplace are set to be demolished later this year.

It will clear the way for the planned redevelopment of the site by MCB Real Estate.

But questions remain about financing, the need for more apartments in Baltimore, and the state of downtownBaltimore.

Plus, where will the hundreds of millions of dollars in public investment come from to redesign downtown streetsand stabilize the infrastructure. And private investors still ask –what about The Wire?

My conversation is with someone whoknows the plan and th...

Donald "Donny" Stepp was defendant in the Baltimore Police Gun Trace Task Force scandal that surfaced 9 years ago. He was a bail bondsman who helped GTTF ringleader Wayne Jenkins sell stolen drugs. He now works to connect people to substance abuse treatment. His is a story of managing life's challenges and taking advantage of a second chance.

Ever wonder why authors use a pen name? Where they get their material?

My latest podcast is a conversation with Maryland based author Dylan Allen (a pen name).

She has written 18 romance-suspense novels.She started writing them to have characters that looked like her. (She’s not white). Dylan is a West African immigrant. And immigration influences her writing.

Her latest book released this summer is “To Catch A Sinner” which she writes under the name Lucy Wilson-Tagoe.

Who gets to tell the story. The sinner who lived it orthe saint who st...

More than 700,000 new titles will be published this yearby traditional publishers.

And what better time to read a book than in the summer.

Sara Goodman Confino is a Maryland author whose new bookis titled “Off the Record.”

It is set in the 1960’s during the Cold War when the main character– a young female reporter-- hada very difficult time breaking into the male dominated profession of journalism.

Sara is a former high school teacher who taught Englishand journalism in Montgomery County. The state of journalism is also part of our conversation.

It's been nearly three years since the Archdiocese of Baltimore filed for bankruptcy. This was as the Child Victim's Act went into effect which lifted the statute of limitations on sex abuse claims against the church.

Currently, the Archdiocese and thecommittee of sex abuse survivors are meeting weekly this summer to resolve competing plans to settle the bankruptcy on behalf of more than 900 people who have filed claims.

The gap is wide. The committeeproposes $740 mil. The Archdiocese proposes approximately $246 mil. $44 mil of which is from the Archdiocese, the rest from insurance.

The bankruptcy...

"Dirt bike culture is Baltimore culture." From my conversation with Brittany Young, founder of B-360, a non-profit organization that sees opportunity in young people who ride dirt bikes.

Its 2026 summer camp is starting now where young people learn auto mechanics, STEM, and safety.

Baltimore police are cracking on dirt bike riders. B-360 has a different plan to keep people out of traffic.

Baltimore is just one of two cities that is independent.

No governance relationship with its surrounding counties like Atlanta, Miami, Pittsburgh. The list goes on.

Would more regional alliances in the Baltimore areadeliver better services in a more cost effective way?

Housing, transit, public safety, education, water—all areregional services in other parts of the country.

Plus – a land value tax might help level the playingfield.

My conversation is with Zac Blanchard, member of theBaltimore City Council, District 11.

Closing the gap between wages and the rising cost of living.

More than 60 years ago, when Lyndon Johnson was president, he signed the Economic Opportunity Act which created Community Action Agencies. They grew out of the War on Poverty and are funded by Community Service Block Grants. There are 19 of them across Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia. But they are under threat by cuts to federal funding.

My conversation is with Angela Martin, executive director of Maryland Community Action Partnership.

The 151st running of the Preakness is in Laurel due to the reconstruction at Pimlico.

The future holds questions.

What will the new Pimlico look like? What other purposes might the new facility serve?

Should the date be changed so Derby winners don't skip it?

Is the state subsidy too much or too little?

Conversation is with Bill Knauf, president Maryland Jockey Club.

Legislators gave consumers a small break on their utility bills. in the 2026 session. But it may be progress on solar energy that’s a bigger winner.

Changes in permitting should make it easier forresidential rooftop and plug-in solar.

Challenges remain to hit clean energy goals—includingconvincing legislators that renewable energy is faster and more cost efficient to deploy.

And getting past the culture of big fossil fuel powerplants.

Plus..stop raiding the clean energy fund into which weare all paying

My conversation is with Emily Scarr, MarylandPIRG andJosh Tulkin, Mary...

Is it time for an upgrade of the structure of citygovernment? Baltimore is one of the few cities that still has a Board of Estimates.—created in 1898! Is the budget  just tweaked from year to year? Should policeget the lion’s share of the budget? Can a new process get the public more involved in the city's fiscal strategy?

My conversation is with Nate and Adam Golden who have done excellent research and work through their organization, Maryland Institute for Progressive Policy - MDIPP.org

The days of big manufacturers in Maryland -- steel, auto--are gone. While the industry looks very different today, it is still a key part of the state's economy.

110,000 workers. Most companies have less than 100 employees.

Life sciences one of the most successful sectors.

How does the industry grow? What's the pathway for a middle school student to become a manufacturer?

Conversation is with Mike Kelleher,  CEOof the Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership

What attracts people to live in a city. Baltimore hasseen decades of population loss. So what reverses it?

For one—new housing. Affordability. A sense of community.A new trend—people who buy want to stay in their houses longer.

My conversation is with Meghan McCorkell. Executive Director of Live Baltimore, an organization focused on attracting buyers and renters. The organization recently released a new report on how new and renovated housing can grow the population.

With the war on Iran causing rising oil prices, alternative energy development is all the more important.

Including: wind energy.

But the US has fallen way behind other countries includingChina, which leads the world in wind energy.

What are its benefits, cost, and what has to happento move projects ahead, which are currently blocked by the Trump administration.

My conversation is with Rebecca Rehr, who coordinates thework of the OffshoreWind Alliance (She is also Director of Climate Policy and Justice atthe Md. LCV).

And Mike McHale, an official with IBE...

Recently, the Sheraton Hotel closed. The latest blow tothe vitality of downtown Baltimore.

So what is the vision to breathe new life?

To fill vacant offices. To attract new business andretail. And residents.

My conversation is with Zeke Cohen, Baltimore CityCouncil president. We focus on who needs to lead. How to better connect downtown’s sections. And fix the permitting system to make it easier to do business.

Maryland State Senator Cory McCray is also an author—recently publishing a book about his own experience breaking the cycle of repeatedcontact in the juvenile justice system.

"The Apprenticeship that Saved My Life" tells of thementorship, discipline, and financial literacy he gained through an apprenticeship with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).It led to his career.

We have college tours, why not apprenticeship tours?

It’s a great conversation for those looking for moreeffective resources for youth.

Like other parts of the country, Maryland also has a K-shaped economy.

Who's spending?

Who's not?

What businesses are hurting?

My conversation is with Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman.

Covering ideas to grow the private sector (cut down on 'Smith Island cake' layers of regulation)

Make it easier to open and run a small business

And Baby Bonds to help close the wealth gap.

Maryland imports about 80% of its electricity which leads to a debate about how to generate electricity in-state. Regulators recently agreed to fast track review of gas-fired plants proposed by Constellation. Clean energy advocates strongly oppose. And what about the regional grid operator PJM?

My conversation is with Brittany Baker, Maryland Director Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

This podcast is a recap of some of the of some of theinterviews I’ve done on issues of housing, energy, new vision for Baltimore, and how to make a city more walkable--a major issue for downtown Baltimore.

Just a few of the people and ideas I tryto cover. And looking forward to 2026.

You can find all of my podcasts on Spotify and Apple

Howard County Maryland is one of the wealthiest countiesin the country. Average home sales price - $640,000.

Like many places it needs more affordable housing to meet the needs of its workforce--and requires creative solutions.

How about home sharing?  The challenges are especially steep now with restrictions placed by the Trump Administration on housing support.

My conversation is with Jennifer Broderick, executivedirector of Bridges to Housing Stability—a non profit that advocates foraffordable housing..

A recent investigative piece by the Baltimore Banner revealed a pattern of racial disparity in traffic stops. This has been a persistent issue in the county and a task force set up to address it -- just a handful of very brief meetings. The overriding question: Do people still care?

My conversation is with Ben Conarck and Greg Morton of the Baltimore Banner.

Baltimore City has not one waterfront but two. The Middle Branch of the Patapsco River--11 miles of shoreline now being restored to protect against the effects of climate change. It is an area under new development--from Baltimore Peninsula to Westport.

The marshland restoration is led by South Baltimore Gateway Partnership. Funding partly comes from casino revenue.

My conversation is with Brad Rogers, Executive Directorof SBGP and Samantha Rose, Senior RestorationManager.

My conversation focuses on the rising cost of electricity, which is not likely to abate, and the demand from data centers and electrification and other factors.

There is the potential for rolling brownouts by 2027 due to the lack of stable generation in Maryland.

And can clean energy be achieved with the Trump administration pushing back?

My conversation is with BGE’s  Director ofClean Energy Solutions, Divesh Gupta, and Sonya Harbaugh, BGE Director of Strategy.

There is a campaign underway to expand the use of restorative practices in schools in Maryland. The aim is to change school culture to emphasize respect and accountability, reduce absenteeism, address mental health issues. My conversation is with David Hornbeck, former state superintendent of schools in Maryland and Philadelphia and leading advocate for restorative practices.

The Baltimore Banner--in just its 3rd year of operation--includes in its mission events like Impact Maryland, coming up on October 14th. It's a day long discussion of the economy, housing, education from the people who have to make the decisions.

My conversation includes the Banner's recent expansion to Montgomery County and its success as a non-profit model in journalism.

Guests are Bob Cohn, president and CEO of the Banner and Sharon Nevins, Chief Revenue officer and Executive Director of Impact Maryland.

A significant hearing is coming up on October 6 in the bankruptcy proceeding involving the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Should the Archdiocese be granted charitable immunity to fend off the claims filed by sex abuse survivors?

The Archdiocese filed for bankruptcy following the passage of the Child Victims Act, which lifted the statute of limitation for victims of sex abuse in Maryland institutions.

Conversation is with Jonathan Schochor, attorney representing people who have filed claims.

A recent report found that vacant land in Baltimore could be underassessed by as much as $484 mil. The same problem could exist statewide in Maryland.

This on a top of a property tax system that puts Baltimore City's rate as double the rate of all other jurisdictions.

Might a shift to a land value tax address the problem?

My conversation is with Greg Miller, author of the report published for the Center for Land Economics, Vanessa Beck of Baltimore Thrive, and Stephen Janis and Taya Graham, producers of the documentary "Tax Broke".

Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. Diversion of research dollars. Access to vaccines.

The impact of the Trump administrations policy and funding decision can add stress to families already stretched thin.

My conversation is with Casey Baynes, founder and CEO of Casey Cares, an organization that helps families of children with serious illness and medical conditions.

There are nearly a dozen communities in Baltimore in which half of the residents don't have access to a car. Can they succeed without one?

My conversation is with Marty Schwartz, president of Vehicles for Change which works to get people cars they can afford and trains people to be automotive technicians--jobs that are in high demand. His organization is also one of the non-profits that is scrambling to make up for loss in federal funding.

Baltimore's Black Arts District aims to restore the cultural and entertainment legacy of Pennsylvania Avenue, once the heart of Black entertainment and bring new investment to one of the city's most challenged communities. It seeks to support Black artists and creatives so that one doesn't have to leave Baltimore to succeed. (A well circulated belief)

My conversation is with Lady Brion, executive director.

Recent underground fires have put Baltimore's 100 year old conduit system under scrutiny--again. What's going on down there? How long to replace the old system? All in the face of growing demand for electricity which flows though the conduit's wires.

My conversation is with two representatives of BGE--the conduit's biggest user. Nick Alexopulos, senior manager of communications and Sterling Sumwalt who oversees the conduit work for the utility.

Autism --its cause and effects--is a main focus of the agenda of HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr. Controversial and disputed. My conversation separates fact from fiction and underlines the concern of what will happen to research. My guest is Dr. Roma Vasa, Director of Psychiatric Services, Center for Autism Services, Science and Innovation at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore.

Baltimore is not seeing the aggressive ICE raids and street encounters of Los Angeles but the effort to detain and deport the City's migrants is underway. My conversation is with Mark Parker, Baltimore City Council member who represents the SE district, home to the largest number of immigrants.

Think of what's happened to play--kids' play. In some countries, it's enshrined in the culture. In the US, it's increasingly been commercialized--leading to 'pay to play' and leaving some kids behind. My conversation is with Mel Brennan, the creator of an interesting TEDx talk--How to Win the World Cup in 2026.

The Maryland legislature amended the Child Victim's Act to lower the amount of damages victims of sex abuse in institutions and churches can claim. It has caused a 'stampede' of new court filings to beat the the new limit. And has raised concerns about whether it is unconstitutional. My conversation is with attorney Jonathan Schochor, who represents sex abuse victims of the Catholic Church,

The "Abundance Agenda" is working its way into politics. My conversation is with Nick Stewart, a Democrat running for County Executive in Baltimore County, one of Maryland's most populous jurisdictions. "Government has overpromised and underdelivered"