WYPR: Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast Podcast

Some see Baltimore’s ‘blue light’ crime cameras as a marker, lighting up the lines around high-crime neighborhoods. For residents living among them, the cameras can be either a welcome crime deterrent--or an affront to their privacy and integrity. On the Lines Between Us, we'll hear from the director of the Baltimore Police CitiWatch program, a city councilman who wants more cameras for his district, and artists who have addressed life among the cameras—and the police presence that attends them.

Maryland is the only state that sets what hospitals can charge. A new proposal to preserve the state’s authority to do that would create incentives for hospitals to keep people healthy We hear from Carmela Coyle of the Maryland Hospital Association state Health Secretary Joshua Sharfstein. "The Women and Minorities in Media" Festival is coming to Towson University. We talk to its founder, Elsa Lankford, and Kelcey Edwards, whose film Wonder Women will be featured. Tom Hall talks to Mike Reiss, a writer for The Simpsons who will help open the Jewish Film Festival tomorrow with his talk about "Jews in Toons."

This morning the House of Delegates begins debating Governor O'Malley's gun control bill. As it stands, the measure would ban assault-style weapons and strengthen the requirements to buy a handgun in Maryland. We talk with two of the delegates involved in the debate: Luiz Simmons, Democrat of central Montgomery County, and Mike Smigiel, Republican of the Upper Shore. A new statewide protocol calls for all emergency medical service providers to be trained in a new form of CPR called high-performance CPR by July 1. In some cases, this new method has been said to double the survival rate of those who suffer a cardiac arrest. Dr. Richard Alcorta, the State EMS Medical Director, tells us about the new approach. The Orioles open their season on the road today against the Tampa Bay Rays. We preview the game and season with sports contributor Mark Hyman. When a scuffle on the playground becomes the impetus for a parental throwdown. Maryland Morning theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews the comedy "God of Carnage" at the Everyman Theatre.

Police Commissioner Anthony Batts and State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein are Baltimore's highest ranking law enforcement officials. They’re here to tell us their strategies for reducing crime in the city, including a new system for witnesses to identify suspects. It's Julia Marciari-Alexander's first day as director of the Walters Art Museum. She’ll give Tom Hall her impressions of Baltimore’s art scene. A performance from Deerbeard, the Baltimore band behind next Monday night's world premiere of "General Assembly: The Musical."

Thirty one years ago next week, Stephanie Roper, a college student home on break in Prince George's county, was tortured and murdered. From the trial of her assailants grew a victims' rights organization that continues to this day. We talk with the founder, Stephanie's mother, as well as the Executive Director. April 1 is a big day for Crisfield on the Eastern Shore. It’s the first day of crabbing season. And reconstruction is set to begin on the City Dock battered by Superstorm Sandy last fall. we check in on the "crab capital of the world." For five years, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra's education offshoot Orch/Kids has been teaching music to Baltimore kids. Tom Hall visits a rehearsal in West Baltimore.

The president’s nomination of Tom Perez to be US Labor Secretary promises to be a high-drama confirmation, but reaction from those who knew him in Maryland is more positive. We talk with a national reporter and two former colleagues. New findings from Johns Hopkins tell us what anti-depression treatments actually target inside the brain. We learn more from lead researcher Honjun Song. Glen Burnie resident Dana Zadia Hardy can do more than win a car on "The Price Is Right." Tom Hall talks to “Ms. Couponista” about how she saves thousands of dollars on food every year. Ray Lewis just signed with ESPN as an on-air analyst. ESPN producer Seth Markman tells how to turn a linebacker into a broadcaster.

The House of Delegates has passed a bill that would create a new tax on gasoline, on top of the existing tax, to fund roads and mass transit. Now the debate continues in the Senate. WYPR statehouse reporter Karen Hosler tells us more. Then, Captain Larry Simns was the voice of Maryland’s commercial watermen for forty years … until his death week before last. We talk with Bob Rich, who helped Larry Simns write a book about his life. And, a play about life’s takeoffs and landings. Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews "Mud Blue Sky" at Center Stage. Plus, this Maryland Day, Tom Hall meets some of the state's most famous African-American figures at Baltimore's National Great Blacks in Wax Museum.

Bicyclists, and motorists, have a stake in how Maryland is updating its Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. We’ll talk to the Maryland Department of Transportation’s project manager, and to the Executive Director of Bikemore, a Baltimore advocacy group. Then, copy editor John McIntyre’s new book is called "The Old Editor Says: Maxims for Writing and Editing." Today, The Baltimore Sun veteran explains some maxims. Like this one: "If you are not possessed of a perpetually filthy mind, you are ill-equipped to edit." And, we talk with an organizer of this week’s Annapolis Film Festival and with a Maryland-based cinematographer behind a documentary about veterans climbing the Himalayas. Plus, the Maryland Morning Culture Calendar.

The growing use of ‘spice’ or K-2, forms of synthetic marijuana, has lawmakers in Annapolis worried. They’re considering several bills to ban artificial marijuana, but drugmakers can easily change the drug’s makeup to get around a ban. We’ll hear from a pharmacologist and a reporter. Nathan gets the latest in the region's tech news with Technically Baltimore reporter Andrew Zaleski. Theater Critic J. Wynn Rousuck reviews the musical "The Last Five Years," now up at the Spotlighters Theatre. Netflix can't replace a show midseason the way the networks can. All its eggs are in the ‘House of Cards’ basket. Is it a good bet? Tom Hall asks Roger Casey, pop culture analyst and president of McDaniel College.

In this week's episode of "The Lines Between Us," we share some of the listener comments and stories we have received over the past few months. From these "Your Stories" and responses, we learn how you see the lines. Then-Former President of Mexico Vicente Fox will be in Baltimore for the Baltimore Speakers Series next Tuesday. We talk with him about how America's War on Drugs plays out in Mexico. And-Tom Hall, Robin Bullock, his guitar, and his mandolin are in the studio!

How do you define childhood lead poisoning? What is fair compensation for a lead-poisoned child? And, what’s fair to landlords who tried to rid their properties of lead? The General Assembly is wrestling with these and other questions. We talk to advocates on both sides. A new study finds that some teenagers are pressured or controlled by their partners through social media. We discuss teen cyber dating abuse with a “safe dating” educator. Samuel Beckett’s final stage direction, in his play called ”Play” is a “Repeat play.” The new Baltimore theater company, The ACME Corporation, will take that line seriously in an upcoming 24-hour production of “Play." Tom Hall talks to director Stephen Nunns.

The Link Between ICUs and PTSD, A World Premiere At Center Stage

Midwives, I'm Irish, Looped, Women's books

Henrietta Lacks' story became well-known after the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" was published in 2010. The book, written by Rebecca Skloot, featured several members of the Lacks family. The discussions that followed after the book's release were focused on ethics, patient consent and racial disparities. But, a new question has been raised: Who gets to tell the family story? Ron Lacks, one of Henrietta Lacks' grandchildren, is one person who is calling for some attention to that very question. Then-You may be seeing snow today...but not the way Eric Erbe sees it. His work with an electron microscope has produced stunning images of snowflakes at 10,000 times magnitude. He'll tell us how his work is helping researchers calculate how much water could be released by large amounts of snow cover...by looking at it from space.

Will The Baltimore Sun have a new owner soon? Tribune Company says it has gotten offers, and it has hired investment bankers to evaluate those offers. We'll get reaction from inside the Sun newsroom … and we talk to former Baltimore County Executive Ted Venetoulis about putting together a local ownership group. Then, Baltimore's Child magazine turns 30 this month. Tom Hall talks with publisher Joanne Giza about why – and how – she started it in her Charles Village home. And Harriet Tubman, unyielding conductor on the Underground Railroad, died one hundred years ago this Sunday. Bassist and composer Marcus Shelby tells us about one of many events marking the centennial – a performance of his jazz oratorio about Tubman’s life.