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‘Police, alone, can't do this:’ DC council member wants to fight violence with better operations

In D.C., homicides are up 38% over last year, and carjackings with a gun are up more than 100%. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser is calling for more police and officer presence in District neighborhoods. But At-Large Council Member Robert White doesn’t think more police is the solution. He thinks the devil is in the details and is proposing a new bill to stem rising crime by improving the city’s crime lab and emergency call center. On the show, Council Member White walks us through his bill — the Whole Go...

‘He was off the planet:’ Md. man survives a coma, vows to fight brain cancer

Bob Brams — a Maryland man and once international lawyer — almost died after he was diagnosed with brain cancer and a surgery led to hemorrhagic stroke. He survived, but was in a coma for months. Brams is now years into recovery and out with a new book, “Forever Optimistic: Fighting Brain Cancer, Finding Your Best Path, and Leading a Life With Purpose.” He comes on the show with his wife Kim to talk about his story and why he’s fighting to find a cure to brain cancer. See Privacy Policy at https...

‘Failure is not an option:’ Bringing life back to Union Station

A year and some change — that’s how long Doug Carr, Union Station Redevelopment Corporation CEO and President, has been at the helm of the D.C. region’s largest transit hub and the effort to redevelop it. In recent years, Union Station has become a shell of its former self — a once bustling and booming place for transportation, shopping, and dining. The pandemic didn’t help. But Carr hopes to change that with a major redevelopment project that promises to make Union Station “cool and enjoyable a...

‘It is a big deal:’ Why Virginia’s state elections matter

Virginia’s off-season election cycle is up and running with early voting starting on September 22. The previous election in the Commonwealth ushered in a new era of state politics — turning Virginia from blue to purple. But since the election of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin in 2021, a lot has changed like the fall of Roe v. Wade. To better understand the 2023 election and its local and national implications, we bring in WTOP reporter Nick Iannelli. He’s been covering the Youngkin administr...

Understanding DC real estate: Is it time to rent or buy?

With interest rates at a 20-year high and a low inventory in the DC real estate market, it’s an interesting time to be a potential home buyer. On the show, I talk to local realtor and social media creator John Coleman. He explains where the market stands and where it might be headed. We also hear from the Director of Communications and Outreach at Housing Counseling Services, Inc., Ronald Clarkson. He talks about programs in the D.C. area that provide zero interest loans to those who qualify. Se...

'Poverty is expensive:' Why this nonprofit wants to turn a profit

The shiny, new DC Central Kitchen HQ in the Buzzard Point neighborhood — with its nearly 7,000-square-foot production kitchen — is glassy, bright, open and marked by modern design. It almost looks like a tech start-up’s headquarters instead of a food kitchen's. And that’s intentional, according to the CEO of DC Central Kitchen Mike Curtin. On the show, Curtin walks us through this new facility and explains why he thinks we need to stop “helping” people in need and start “investing” in people. Fo...

Chronic absenteeism: Kids are skipping class more and more

Students are filing back into cafeterias, gymnasiums and classrooms — but not as many as before. In the last three years, absenteeism has gone up and up nationally and locally. More and more students aren’t showing up to class consistently. To better understand this concerning trend we turn to WTOP Reporter Kate Ryan, who formerly taught high school at Montgomery County Public Schools. Ryan tells us what is going on here, why it matters, and what’s being done to reverse chronic absenteeism. See ...

Do I need to worry about COVID again? What about malaria?

COVID cases are on the rise in the D.C. region. Meanwhile, two new coronavirus variants are popping up and concerning scientists — EG.5 and BA.2.86. On top of that, Maryland reported its first locally transmitted malaria case in over 40 years. Should these emerging variants and disease worry us? For answers, we talk to Andrew Pekosz — virologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Pekosz explains what is going on with COVID and malaria, locally, and he gives us his risk assessmen...

After 50 years, a victim of clergy sex abuse speaks out

The scourge of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church has been well documented. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) is now renewing calls that the Archdiocese of Washington release the names of known, hidden abusers. It's a message Dan Ronan — a survivor of child sex abuse at the hands of a priest — echoes. On the show, Ronan tells his story of how Father Thomas Gannon sexually abused him as an 11-year-old boy in Chicago. He also talks about why Gannon wasn't punished for...

As Commanders eye RFK, DC Council battles over bringing them home

The Commanders are the closest they’ve been to returning to the old-RFK stadium in Washington, D.C. Now that DC-native Josh Harris has bought the team from Dan Snyder and Congress has introduced bi-partisan legislation that would give the District a 99-year lease of the RFK site, the chances of a new Commanders stadium in D.C. is increasing. Yet, the DC Council would need to sign off on a new stadium and a battle is brewing over whether this is a good idea. On the show, we hear from At-Large Cou...

After 26 years, DC’s UFO lobbyist gets his day in Congress

Are we alone? Does extraterrestrial life exist here on earth? Are UFO’s real? Have we made contact with aliens? These questions are usually reserved for the world of science fiction, but they made their way into Congress last week at a House Oversight Committee hearing. For many, the hearing was a bit of a head scratcher, but not for Steve Bassett. He’s the first UFO lobbyist in Washington, DC and after more than a quarter-century of work he got his day in Congress. On the show, he tells his sto...

Before Oppenheimer: How DC became the unlikely birthplace of the atomic age

Years before Robert Oppenheimer led the Los Alamos lab that developed the first nuclear weapons, physicists in Washington, D.C., thrust the world into the atomic age — inside a narrow, zigzagging tunnel running underneath Chevy Chase. It happened at the Carnegie Institute of Science's "atom smasher" in 1939. On the show, institute librarian, Shaun Hardy, and president, Eric Isaacs, tell this little known and unlikely D.C. story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv...

Inside the deal: How the DC Council passed its emergency crime bill

Violent crime is on the rise in DC. Meanwhile, city officials have been at odds over how to address spikes in homicides and gun violence for much of 2023. But last week, the D.C. Council passed a number of crime bills with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s blessing. Ward 2 Council Member Brooke Pinto ushered in the new set of bills. She comes on the show to talk about this legislation, how it will make the city safer and what her plans are for future crime legislation. See Privacy Policy at https://art...

‘Seriously, your porn?’ Va. state senator faces threats over age-verification law

A new age-verification law in Virginia has turned the porn industry in the Commonwealth on its head. State Sen. Bill Stanley knew his law requiring porn websites to verify a user’s age with an ID would ruffle some feathers, but he didn’t expect the threats against his family. The law also faces stiff legal critiques from the Free Speech Coalition — a porn industry trade group that believes the law violates the constitution. On the show, we hear from both sides on the issue. See Privacy Policy at...

Why Md. Gov. Moore says the FBI headquarters shouldn't be in Va.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s recent criticism of the FBI amid its investigation into former-President Donald Trump’s handling of sensitive government documents should play a role in which state is picked for the new FBI headquarters building. Securing the FBI building for Maryland is a top priority for Moore, who is now 6 months into his tenure. On the show, Maryland's first Black governor lays out his pitch for the headquarters and also talks about gun control, vi...

Behind the $500M plan to bring 'modern-day Roman baths' to DC

Last month, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the District had inked a deal with a company seeking to build a massive $500 million complex in the city. No, it’s not for a new Commander’s stadium or swanky hotel. The agreement is with an Austrian-based company that hopes to build an indoor spa and waterpark the size of 10 baseball fields somewhere in the nation's capital. Chief Development Officer at Therme Group US Omar Toro-Vaca is overseeing the possible construction of a DC Therme. He comes ...

Are you working your life away? Why this rising star got off the DC ‘hamster wheel’

Spirituality, mortality, nepotism, mental health and travel are topics covered in Luke Russert’s New York Times bestselling book “Look For Me There.” It chronicles Russert’s journey through grief after losing his father — TV-news giant Tim Russert who died unexpectedly at 58-years-old in 2008. The book is also about how Luke found himself while traveling to six continents and more than 67 countries. Luke comes on the show and tells us what he’s learned. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pr...

‘Rampant homelessness’: How to curb a rise in encampments

The D.C. region saw an 18% increase in homelessness last year. Suburbs experienced the largest jump. It’s the first time homelessness has risen in the greater Washington area in four years. Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless Donald Whitehead said our area has a “rampant homelessness” problem and people are treating it like it’s the new “normal." Whitehead comes on the show to talk about his time living on the streets, why homelessness is on the rise and how we can end ...

NASA commander wants to ‘make the impossible real’ with Artemis II

Artemis II marks a new era of NASA space travel. It’s the first manned mission to the moon’s orbit since 1972 with Apollo 17. Reid Wiseman will lead astronauts Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen on a journey around the moon — a key step toward the Artemis III moon landing mission. The Artemis II Commander and NASA astronaut comes on the podcast to talk about his mission, what’s at stake and why he’s excited to return to space. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Cali...

‘Exceptionally lethal’: Maryland’s battle over concealed-carry permits

More Maryland residents can carry guns in public after the landmark Supreme Court decision on the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen case made it easier for people to get concealed-carry permits. Since then, the number of Maryland residents with approved concealed-carry permits tripled between July 2022 and May 2023. But a law signed by Maryland Governor Wes Moore puts new limits on who can get a permit and where they can conceal carry. Co-Director of Johns Hopkins Center for G...

'Everybody loves a campaign': Raskin weighs Senate run

Personal tragedy and political upheaval have marked the last few years for Maryland U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin. On December 31, 2020 Raksin's son Tommy died. A week later, a violent mob broke into the Capitol on Jan. 6 – forcing Raskin to seek shelter in a congressional hearing room while his youngest daughter barricaded herself in another member’s office. Two years after his son’s death on December 28, 2022, Raskin was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cancer. His cancer is now in remiss...

Another helicopter? Why choppers rule DC skies

Helicopter noise is a sonic mainstay for the D.C. region with more than 80 helicopters flying overhead per day. But for some this sound of rotor is oppressive and damaging, sparking lawmakers like DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton and Virginia U.S. Representative Don Beyer to demand that helicopter pilots fly quieter. To better understand the rules of the sky and how helicopters really operate, we hear from Director of Physical Infrastructure at the Government Accountability Office Heather Kraus...

Why DC’s height act may fall this time

Office buildings in downtown D.C. sit relatively empty when compared to pre-pandemic vacancy rates and it doesn’t look like they'll regain their commercial tenants with the work-from-home revolution holding strong. This new real estate reality has prompted DC Mayor Muriel Bowser to launch her ‘DC Comeback Plan’ which proposes major changes to city zoning and the DC Height Act — a century-old and beloved law that keeps the city skyline low in the nation’s capital. Professor of Urban and Regional ...

Md. town 'held hostage' by White's Ferry dispute

It’s been nearly two and a half years since White’s Ferry took cars across a lazy span of the Potomac River — and residents in Poolesville, Maryland, are still counting the days. For the small town in northern Montgomery County, the shuttered ferry means a lot. On the show, Poolesville Commission President Jim Brown and Poolesville Fair Access Committee (FAC) Chairperson Link Hoewing argue the closed ferry is holding their small town hostage. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and C...

Metro CEO remains ‘bullish’ despite looming ‘death spiral’

It’s been nine months since Metro CEO and General Manager Randy Clarke took the helm at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency. During that time, Metro has increased its bus and rail ridership from pandemic lows, and opened six new rail stations along the Silver Line. But challenges remain. The 7000 series rail-cars have yet to fully return to the system, rail ridership still pales in comparison to pre-pandemic levels, and a looming fiscal gap threatens the system’s ability to maintain ...

Climate activists promise ‘spicy action’ this Earth Day

Last year, Extinction Rebellion DC hung a 20-foot banner across the Wilson Building — the seat of the District government. The banner read “NO NEW FOSSIL FUELS.” The Earth Day demonstration protested the planned installation of new natural-gas lines in the city by Washington Gas. This year, we hear from Extinction Rebellion DC organizer Reilly Polka ahead of Earth Day 2023. Polka talks about the organization's continued fight against Washington Gas, why she wants D.C. to electrify its energy gri...

‘It’s a reckoning:’ Md. Attorney General report on child sex abuse by Catholic priests

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown released a nearly 500 page report on the child sexual abuse committed at the hands of priests, coaches and seminarians within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The report documents more than 600 victims of sexual assault by more that 150 Catholic priests between the 1940’s and early 2000’s. On the show, Attorney General Brown walks through the report’s troubling findings on abuse and a cover up scheme within the Catholic church. Brown also explains where curre...

‘It’s taking out generations:’ Inside the opioid crisis

The opioid epidemic is hard to understand. Those addicted to opiates and their stories are often limited to headlines. But Angel Traynor — founder and director of Serenity Sistas’ Inc. — understands. She’s a former addict, current recovery coach and mother of an addict. Her organization works with and houses addicts in Annapolis, Maryland. On the show, we talk about the opioid crisis, the lives lost and saved, what it’s like being addicted and why Angel has hope for an end to this epidemic. See ...

DC Attorney General on Commanders, crime and hidden fees

DC’s top prosecutor has had a busy start as Attorney General between the city’s forsaken criminal code, rising crime rates and the tall stack of pending cases left by his predecessor, Karl Racine. In an exclusive interview with WTOP, DC Attorney General Brain Schwalb talks about his first 90 days in office, where pending lawsuits — such as the suits against the Commanders and January 6 rioters — and how he plans to lead his office. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California P...