Best WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore Podcasts (2025)

As BMoreArt publishes its 20th bi-annual issue, founder/publisher Cara Ober and Managing Editor Chelsea Lemon Fetzer mark a decade of arts community-building and journalism.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Maryland Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth on urging the President to fund SNAP as shutdown gridlock continues 22:39

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23h ago22:39

22:39

As the latest government shutdown enters day 31, Maryland's Rep. Sarah Elfreth joins Midday to discuss the latest on negotiations and the urgent need of funding for SNAP benefits.On Saturday, the effects of the shutdown are likely to be felt more sharply as federal SNAP benefits end for 42 million Americans, including 680,000 Marylanders.Following …

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Christie Dashiell brings her jazz songbook to the Keystone Korner 11:25

2d ago11:25

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Christie Dashiell, who plays Keystone Korner Baltimore tonight, is a singer/songwriter whose latest CD earned a 2025 Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Vocal Album.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Does the public know enough about data centers to decide their future in Maryland? This group says no. 14:29

2d ago14:29

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The Maryland Data Centers Analysis Group is looking to make better information available to the public and policymaker.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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An inside look at efforts to bring more data centers to Maryland. What does it mean for the state's economy? 22:51

2d ago22:51

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The number of data centers across the country nearly doubled between 2021 and 2024. We take a look at Maryland's effort to attract this lucrative industry to the state.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Midday on Cars: Do you have what you need for winter car care? Plus, is the U.S. being left behind on EVs? 47:32

3d ago47:32

47:32

Midday on Cars takes a look under the hood and answers your questions about your automobile.John Davis, the Host of Motorweek on Maryland Public Television and PBS, joins the show to discuss the outlook for electric vehicles, how tariffs are changing the domestic automotive market and how to care for your car as winter approaches. Davis has hosted …

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Cinema Ethics in Grey Gardens 5:25

3d ago5:25

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Through critical analysis, Aiden explores how money, fame, and style choices can distort truth and harm documentary subjects, raising questions about filmmakers’ responsibilities when telling real people’s stories.About the Host:Scott is a General Studies major at the Community College of Baltimore County with aspirations in zoology and conservatio…

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Rep. Johnny Olszewski, Jr. on impacts of the federal shutdown, and the outlook for a resolution 22:37

4d ago22:37

22:37

Joining Tom now is Maryland Congressman Johnny Olszewski, Jr. He represents Marylanders living in the state's second district, which includes parts of Carroll and Baltimore counties, as well as a sliver of Baltimore City.The second longest government shutdown in history is slogging along into its 28th day. Meanwhile, President Trump is traveling in…

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Comptroller's report says state housing shortage, soaring costs fueling Maryland population exodus 26:00

4d ago26:00

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Tom's first guest today is Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman.A recent 78-page report in the Comptroller’s “State of the Economy” series focuses on the cost of housing, which has risen more than 60% nationwide in just the past six years, and left about half of Maryland residents struggling to afford a place to live.In her introduction to the repor…

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The East Wing teardown and the federal shutdown: perspectives from NYTimes's Luke Broadwater 16:07

5d ago16:07

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Last Friday, Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks joined U.S. Representatives Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw (both D-Va.) and more than 60 of their colleagues in the Senate and House in urging the Trump Administration to immediately reinstate any furloughed employees of agencies that are funded by collected user fees. Because th…

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Maryland leads country in data privacy guardrails as new statewide law goes into effect 32:42

5d ago32:42

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People are increasingly living more of their lives on a screen, interacting with the digital world on social media platforms, games and apps.These online spaces are big business for companies, who sell the enormous amounts of data that most people freely make available when they surf, scroll and click.Corporate America says that the information the…

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Live in Studio A: Ensemble Galilei, previewing four local concerts 22:05

8d ago22:05

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The acclaimed ensemble of traditional musicians performs live in our studio, ahead of their concerts, tonight through Monday, in Annapolis, Baltimore and Rockville.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Rousuck's Review: Peterson solos in 'Peculiar Patriot' at Center Stage 9:16

8d ago9:16

9:16

Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews Liza Jessie Peterson's powerful one-woman show about mass incarceration, at Baltimore's Center Stage.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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As shutdown continues with no end in sight, the ripples bring rough seas to Maryland's shores 17:17

9d ago17:17

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WYPR's statehouse reporter Sarah Petrowich covered losses in revenue in Maryland from the government shutdown and Gov. Wes Moore's efforts to right the state's budget.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Is vacant land in Baltimore City under valued? 36:29

10d ago36:29

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The property tax rate in the city of Baltimore is twice what it is in Baltimore County and other surrounding jurisdictions. The amount of tax that a homeowner or a business pays starts with an assessment of a property’s value, and in Baltimore, that assessment is not made by city officials. Maryland is the only state in the country where the assess…

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An inside look at the Baltimore Banner's investigation into a 'housing hustle' and a spike of foreclosures 14:07

10d ago14:07

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In Baltimore City, the residential vacancy rate hovered between 7 and 8 percent in recent years. Now the city’s billion-dollar plan to get a handle on a vacant housing crisis might be sidetracked by a “housing hustle.”A trio of reporters at our news partner, the Baltimore Banner, have been investigating how out-of-state buyers are using a new type …

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Keisha Blain's 'Without Fear' chronicles the Black women who have championed human rights 48:43

11d ago48:43

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Tom's guest for the hour today is Dr. Keisha N. Blain, a historian and Africana Studies professor at Brown University. She also serves as editor-in-chief of Global Black Thought, a journal of ideas about the Black experience in the US and across the African diaspora.With her deep scholarship in African American history, Dr. Blain has written extens…

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The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's music director, one of the youngest in the country, to conduct through 2031 19:16

12d ago19:16

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Jonathon Heyward began his tenure as the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2023, in a five-year contract that established him as one of the youngest Music Directors of a major symphony in the country and the only Black leader of a major orchestra.Last week, the BSO announced that he has extended that original contract to run thr…

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In 'Never Let Them See You Sweat,' Dr. Leigh Vinocur shows us how to 'harness stress for success' 24:20

12d ago24:20

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We begin today with a conversation about stress. It’s part and parcel of all of our lives. And while the downside effects of stress are readily apparent: worry, anxiety, insomnia. Is there an upside to stress?Dr. Leigh Vinocur thinks that by reframing what stress is and managing it correctly, we can turn stress into a force for good.Dr. Leigh knows…

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Dara Horn on the enduring existence of antisemitism 24:10

13d ago24:10

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Dara Horn is a writer and Jewish scholar who is slated to give the Jerome S. Cardin Memorial Lecture at Loyola University of Maryland this week.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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The root of rising healthcare costs for Marylanders, and how it plays into the government shutdown 24:32

13d ago24:32

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Veteran health reporter Julie Rovner, Washington correspondent for KFF Health News, joins Midday to bust the myths of healthcare and immigration.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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For many Marylanders with connection to Gaza, mixed emotions during an uneasy peace 23:08

16d ago23:08

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Last Monday, President Donald Trump flew to the Middle East to address Israeli lawmakers at the Knesset. He then flew to Sharm Al-Sheikh in Egypt for a signing ceremony of a ceasefire agreement, which included Egypt, Qatar, and Turkiye, countries which helped mediate the deal.The ceasefire has held for the most part, although there is much uncertai…

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Rousuck's Review: 'Jane Austen's Persuasion' at the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company 9:30

16d ago9:30

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Time now for another visit with Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck, who joins Tom in studio every week with her reviews of the Baltimore regional stage. This week, she spotlights the new Chesapeake Shakespeare Company production of Jane Austen's Persuasion.In Sarah Rose Kearns' new adaptation of Austen's classic 1817 novel, directed for CSC by M…

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As his 'Wimpy Kid' series hits #20, Jeff Kinney muses on his success, his craft, and his pre-teen readers 16:00

16d ago16:00

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Tom's next guest is Jeff Kinney. The Maryland native and University of Maryland grad is the author and illustrator of the best-selling children’s book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Expanding on his original online comic strip, Kinney launched the award-winning book series in 2007. He’s published a new installment nearly every year since, and the bo…

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City Council President Zeke Cohen on consequential housing bills, Sisson St. Dump and homeless shelter conditions 33:01

17d ago33:01

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Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen joins Midday to share his perspective on the pressing issues facing city legislators.Cohen talks about the relocation the Sisson Street Waste Facility, and pushback from neighborhood organizations and environmental groups.Plus, now the council will oversee the city’s response to the opioid crisis. Cohen w…

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Jayne Miller on Maryland's emerging gubernatorial race, congressional redistricting and more 15:52

17d ago15:52

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Award-winning investigative reporter Jayne Miller, the host of The Maryland Capital Podcast, joins Midday to talk about Maryland's nascent gubernatorial race, the prospects for new Congressional districts and challenges to two sitting Congressmen.By WYPR 88.1 Baltimore

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Restorative Practices at work in our schools: are they building stronger student communities? 29:07

18d ago29:07

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Joining Tom in the studio now are two long-time Maryland educators and two of the state’s leading advocates for fostering improvements in student behavior and community-building through a social-science approach called “Restorative Practices.” David Hornbeck is the founding chair and executive director of the non-profit Voices for Restorative Schoo…

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After languishing for years, could a plan now be coming together for Baltimore's 28-acre State Center? 19:42

18d ago19:42

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A new initiative seeks to jump-start one of Baltimore’s biggest and most controversial redevelopment projects. The 28-acre State Center site was the subject of development efforts and lawsuits that go back more than 20 years. Could a new plan, backed by Gov. Wes Moore, see wider use for the property?Maryland's Secretary of the Department of General…

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Maryland is seeing a spike in scams online and over the phone. What can you do about it? 48:45

19d ago48:45

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Maryland is among the top 10 states with the largest spike in reports of online scams and fraud in recent years. According to an analysis of FTC data by the investment website BrokerChooser, Maryland saw a 53 percent increase in reports over the past 5 years.Shari Greene joins Midday to discuss the work of the Older and Disabled Persons Unit in the…

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Maryland's debate over charter school funding could soon be settled. Charter school leaders say it's time to look to the future. 23:25

20d ago23:25

23:25

There are about 50 public charter schools in Maryland, educating roughly 24,000 students. 30 of these schools, over half of the total number, are in Baltimore.For some time, there has been a heated debate about funding formulas for public charter schools. Charter schools are independently operated under a contract, or charter, with individual publi…

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Dr. Hahrie Han wants to strengthen democracy. Now, she has help from a MacArthur 'genius' grant. 14:16

20d ago14:16

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Dr. Hahrie Han is a political science professor at Johns Hopkins University and the inaugural director of the SNF Agora Institute.Her research focuses on civic and political participation, organizing to social change.Last week, she was named to the 2025 class of MacArthur Foundation Fellows. She and 21 others were each awarded an $800,000, no-strin…

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Baltimore Jewish Council's Howard Libit on the hostage release, the Gaza ceasefire and the road ahead 10:56

20d ago10:56

10:56

The executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council reacts to Monday's release by Hamas of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, amid a fragile ceasefire agreement and uncertainty about an Israel-Palestine peace.By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Rousuck's Review: 'Hamlet/Black Parade' at the Mercury Theater 10:18

23d ago10:18

10:18

Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom now for another of her weekly reviews of Baltimore regional theater. Today, she spotlights Hamlet/Black Parade, now on stage at The Mercury Theater, an artist-run performance space in the heart of Baltimore's Station North Arts District.Produced by the creative team of Motte & Bailey and adapted and d…

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'Hidden Brain' podcaster Shankar Vedantam on a decade probing the mysteries of the human psyche 38:30

23d ago38:30

38:30

The Hidden Brain Perceptions Tour comes to the Lyric Theater in Baltimore Saturday night. The show starts at 7pm. For ticketing information, click here.By WYPR 88.1 Baltimore

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Carole King's chart-topping career as a singer-songwriter illuminated in Jane Eisner's new biography 30:54

24d ago30:54

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Carole King was a 19-year-old songwriter from Brooklyn when she wrote "Take Good Care of My Baby" for the pop singer Bobby Vee. In 1961, the song would become one of nineteen Top-Ten hits Carole King would go on to write for other artists over four decades.Ten years after that hit, King recorded an iconic album as a performer that garnered multiple…

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For lawmakers, a forgotten graveyard inspires push for juvenile justice reform today 21:51

25d ago21:51

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Recent reporting shed light on a forgotten graveyard in Prince George’s County, part of a dark chapter in Maryland history.In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the cemetery was the final resting place for young people held at the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children—a detention center for Black youth.The property is now h…

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Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, head of Baltimore's Global Refuge, on refugee restrictions and the reshaping of U.S. immigration 26:55

25d ago26:55

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A proposal by the Trump administration to severely limit the number of legal refugees, people who have been vetted and who have followed the rules to enter the country properly, would be a huge setback for thousands of people hoping to escape difficult conditions in their home countries.Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have con…

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What's next for Baltimore's PILOT agreement with city's largest 'eds and meds' 29:53

26d ago29:53

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By WYPR 88.1 Baltimore

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Ultramarathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey brings her love of open water to visual art and a new exhibit 18:49

26d ago18:49

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By WYPR 88.1 Baltimore

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Rep. Olszewski on the shutdown impacts; protecting fed workers, clean energy; restoring health care 24:53

27d ago24:53

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By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Dr. Leana Wen on Tylenol safety, CDC turmoil, new vaccine policies 23:55

27d ago23:55

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By WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore

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Midday, live from Baltimore's New/Next Film Festival 2025 47:50

30d ago47:50

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More information, including tickets, are available at: newnextfilmfest.com.By WYPR 88.1 Baltimore

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Midday with the Mayor: New PILOT agreement with 'eds and meds.' Plus, a step back for major housing bills? 25:33

1M ago25:33

25:33

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott joins Midday to discuss a new agreement between the city and large educational and medical nonprofits to make payments in lieu of taxes. Does the deal satisfy advocates who say institutions like Johns Hopkins University are not paying their fair share? The agreement comes as members of the City Council attempted to ass…

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UBalt Law's Kim Wehle previews the U.S. Supreme Court's consequential upcoming term 23:24

1M ago23:24

23:24

Kim Wehle joins Midday to look ahead to the upcoming docket of the U.S. Supreme Court. Wehle is a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, the author of four books, an in-demand public speaker and commentator, and the host of a popular Substack she calls The Little Law School with Professor Kim Wehle, where she unpacks legal headline…

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Rousuck's Review: 'Water for Elephants' at The Hippodrome 9:08

1M ago9:08

9:08

Midday theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck joins Tom with another of her weekly reviews of the Baltimore regional stage. Today, she tells us about the new touring company production of Water for Elephants, the hit Broadway musical that's now onstage at Baltimore's Hippodrome Theatre.The 2024 musical, which was nominated for seven Tony Awards including B…

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Druid Lake, city rec centers see upgrades and construction. We ask parks Director Reginald Moore about it. 25:12

1M ago25:12

25:12

Reginald Moore, the Director of Baltimore City’s Recreation and Parks Department, joins Midday to discuss the wide array of facilities and resources he shepherds.Moore oversees an ever-evolving list of 51 recreation centers, 4 dog parks, 3 skate parks and more than 4,700 acres of parkland in 262 parks. That portfolio includes everything from the Gr…

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New PILOT deal sees city's largest nonprofits pay more, but is it enough? 14:24

1M ago14:24

14:24

Baltimore City's largest institutions of learning and medicine, such as Johns Hopkins University and University of Maryland Medical Center, make annual payments to the city. PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreements allows Baltimore to recoup costs from massive nonprofits exempt from property tax. According to reporting from WYPR news partner The…

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Former NPR host Ari Shapiro stays on mic with storytelling and song 25:25

1M ago25:25

25:25

Last Friday, Ari Shapiro signed-off as a host of NPR's All Things Considered for the final time, ending a ten-year run in the host chair and a 24-year career that he began as an intern for Nina Totenberg.Shapiro has appeared as a vocalist with the band Pink Martini for many years. He’ll be appearing with them Friday night at the Meyerhoff Symphony …

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Rep. Steny Hoyer on the shutdown, Gaza peace hopes, Ukraine's war 23:05

1M ago23:05

23:05

Veteran Democratic congressman Steny Hoyer joins Midday. He has represented Maryland's 5th District in the House of Representatives since 1981.Congressman Hoyer discusses the likelihood of a shutdown of the federal government, the newly announced Trump proposal for an end to the Israel-Gaza war and the outlook for Russia's three-year-old war on Ukr…