The Baltimore Rapport

Episode #14: Interview with Nan Rohrer, Vice President of Baltimore City’s Downtown Partnership

thebaltimorerapport — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:15:01 +0000

Podcast length: 14 min., 19 sec.

It’s hard not to notice how much Baltimore’s downtown has changed in the last decade: new buildings (Hilton Hotel), new tenants Cubellis, Inc., Key Risk…we even have a whole new neighborhood (Harbor East). These changes have done more than just reshape the city’s skyline– in fact, they reflect a more business-friendly Charm City.

If you like the new vibe downtown has taken-on, then you can thank Baltimore’s Downtown Partnership, a non-profit corporation that aims to create a hospitable community for businesses, property owners, residents, employees, and visitors . As the overseer of the Downtown Management Authority, the Downtown Partnership delivers a range of services that make Baltimore an attractive city to run a business. And by all accounts, it’s done a pretty amazing job.

To find out more about the great work of the Downtown Partnership, the Rapport talked to Nan Rohrer, Vice President of Economic Development and Planning. Nan shared her incomparable knowledge of Baltimore’s economic landscape during a great discussion which touched upon a variety of topics, including the social and economic value of new developments, the effect of public transportation on neighborhood transformation, and the future of development in Baltimore. Listen in to Nan for some knowledge, y’all.

Episode #13: A Baltimore High School’s Real Effort At Changing Students’ Lives – “Learning by Service” on The Rapport.

thebaltimorerapport — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:15:27 +0000

Podcast length: 16 min., 43 sec.

As we try to do on The Rapport as often as possible, we’re focusing this episode of The Baltimore Rapport on a Baltimore City program that’s making a difference in students’ lives… and the community around us. “Learning by Service” is a job skills training program run at the Baltimore Freedom Academy, one of the City’s rapidly achieving public high schools. The school’s external partner, the BFA Foundation, has focused the school’s mission on social justice and student activism. As part of this mission, the “Learning to Work” program places high school juniors in professional working environments 1 day a week for three hours. The students get access to the “real working world” while gaining networking experience.

The Rapport was lucky to have brought in two students, Daondra Warren & Nathan Ikejani, and the program’s manager, Cory Gaber. Mr. Gaber formerly worked for the Student Sharing Coalition, and he left that non-profit to work directly in the City Schools with children on a one-on-one basis. He has expanded the program dramatically, and works with non-profits and government agencies throughout the City to place students enrolled in the program.

If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact Cory at cgaber@baltimorefreedomacademy.org. This is just one of the great programs that’s improving and expanding students’ options, and we hope you enjoy learning more through the podcast.

Episode #12: Taking A Stand Against Baltimore’s Vacant Homes – Mike Mitchell Speaks to The Rapport.

thebaltimorerapport — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 00:03:15 +0000

Podcast length: 14 min., 54 sec.

Owning a home is the American Dream, and no one brings that dream to life better than Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake. For more than 25 years, Habitat has worked with its partner families to build hundreds of affordable homes in and around Baltimore. Demanding nothing more than the sweat-equity of its partner families and the repayment of a 0% interest, no-profit mortgage, Habitat is leading the effort to alleviate the lack of affordable housing in our city.

Spearheading that effort is Habitat’s CEO Mike Mitchell. Mike stopped-in to talk with the Rapport about a variety of topics, including his thoughts Baltimore’s affordable housing dearth and the need for increased code enforcement to prevent neighborhood blight. Mike also gave us the scoop on Habitat’s latest endeavor: the recent construction of nine environmentally-friendly, modular homes in East Baltimore.

This podcast is a must listen for anyone interested in the future of affordable housing in Baltimore.

Episode #11: Baltimore City Soccer Stadium? Mayor’s Chief of Staff Speaks with The Rapport!

thebaltimorerapport — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:15:03 +0000

Podcast length: 9 min., 15 sec.

As more Baltimoreans check-in with The Rapport, we’ve been lucky to expand our podcast guest offerings. Last Friday afternoon, The Rapport spoke with the Baltimore Mayor’s Chief of Staff, Demaune Millard, about the City’s request to study the feasibility of a soccer stadium in Baltimore. When 71,203 fans showed up at M&T Bank Stadium over the summer to watch famed Champion’s League rivals AC Milan and Chelsea FC play an exhibition soccer match, Mayor Sheila Dixon took notice. Prince George’s County Council recently blocked the stadium proposal in its jurisdiction, and D.C. United has exhibited clear intentions that the organization would like to relocate from it’s current home at RFK Stadium. The Sun reported on the City’s request two weeks ago, and we checked in with Mr. Millard to learn of any new updates and to get details on the possibilities.

Chief of Staff to the Mayor, Demaune Millard.

The response, while leaning positive among Baltimoreans, has garnered mixed opinions from the community. Some argue that Baltimore has bigger issues on which to focus. Others, though, posit that stadium construction would bring economic development and new jobs to the city. Here at The Rapport, we’ve approached the issue with cautious optimism. To learn more, we asked Mr. Millard about the following:

The background behind the request to the Stadium Authority
The potential locations for the stadium
The possibility of renaming D.C. United
The effect of a potential stadium build on community redevelopment

So, listeners of The Rapport, what do you think? Would Baltimore benefit from a new multi-use stadium? Let us know in the poll and comments below. Regardless, If you’re a Baltimore soccer fan hoping for a franchise to come this way, then this interview is a must-listen!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Episode #10: Time-Dollars, Community Service Churches, & Baltimore Activism – Jason Lee Speaks with The Rapport.

thebaltimorerapport — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:57:00 +0000

Podcast length: 11 min., 11 sec.

One of the goals we intend to pursue here at The Rapport is to share with our listeners the noble work done by citizen-activists across our City. There are so many good people doing so many good things for Baltimore that we could only hope to dedicate enough space on our site to talk to them all. Since we cannot, what we will do is take time every now and then to recognize their work by sharing their stories with our audience. And Jason Lee has a story worth sharing.

Jason is pursuing both a Juris Doctorate (JD) and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Maryland. Using skill-sets acquired in the classroom, Jason spent time developing energy infrastructure in Burkina Faso working under the auspices of the World Bank’s Lighting Africa initiative. Jason is also active with New Song Urban Ministries, a Christian Community Development program in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of West Baltimore. There, Jason worked to implement a Time Bank program in which the value of volunteer time was quantified and traded.

In this interview, Jason discusses the concept of the Time Dollar as envisioned by Edgar Cahn, some of the successes and challenges he encountered in attempting to set-up the program, and the future work of New Song. Take a listen to Jason’s inspiring story.

Episode #9: Baltimore’s Underlooked Gem – A Sustainable Park System. The Rapport’s Interview with Chris Delaporte.

thebaltimorerapport — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:50:24 +0000

Podcast length: 15 min., 34 sec.

If you care about Baltimore City’s parks, or volunteer activism in general, and you haven’t yet heard of City Paper’s “Best Do-Gooder for 2008” Chris Delaporte, then you definitely want to check out the Rapport’s most recent interview. For nearly 30 years, Chris has worked to improve the conditions of Baltimore’s parks and recreation spaces, serving as the former Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, a founding member of Parks and People, current member of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, and most recently as the infamous Park Advocate.

Using the power of social media to disseminate his message across the city, Chris is mobilizing the next generation of park advocates. Listen-in to what Chris has to say about the state of our Baltimore parks and what you can do to get involved.

Episode #8: Rethinking the Judicial System: Problem-Solving Courts May Save State Money.

thebaltimorerapport — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:30:49 +0000

Podcast length: 13 min. 30 sec.

The Rapport sat down with University of Maryland School of Law Student Chris Madaio to discuss his role as a student-attorney working with Problem-Solving Courts. Advocating within the school’s Community Justice Clinic, Chris has acquired unique experience in helping to design and

Red Hook Community Justice Center - Problem-Solving Court, Brooklyn, NY.

operate community justice projects here in Baltimore. Our discussion with Chris provides:

A background on the implementation and value of Problem-Solving Courts as modeled after a similar project in the Red Hook section of New York City.
An explanation of the non-adversarial nature of problem-solving courts, including an interesting take on the roles played by judges, prosecutors, public defenders and private attorneys.
Chris’ thoughts on former Chief Public Defender Nancy Forster, and how her beliefs about Problem-Solving Courts may have contributed to her own firing.

Take the chance to hear Chris’ excellent insight into the community justice system. And if you’re interested in learning more, Chris is co-hosting a symposium on Problem-Solving Courts on November 6 at the School of Law. Enjoy!

Episode #7: Renewable Energy as the Modern Internet Boom Industry?

thebaltimorerapport — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:28:27 +0000

Podcast length: 13 min., 25 sec. (note: this is our first phone interview, and we’re testing recording quality)

Image owned by HIG Ventures (c)

Here at The Rapport, we’ve seen increased traffic on our renewable energy posts. To follow-up on this early interest, The Rapport hosts interviewed another industry expert – Brendan Dete, a specialist working in the private equity/venture capital markets focused on renewable energy projects. Mr. Dete works for HIG Ventures, and he offers listeners an excellent overview of renewable energy markets, particularly how those markets are affecting Baltimore City residents.

Mr. Brendan Dete of HIG Ventures.

Mr. Dete focuses his discussion on Smart Grid technology. This major topic of discussion is especially important for Maryland residents, as BGE and PEPCO are now in the process of applying for stimulus funds to upgrade Maryland’s electric grid. The upgrade, though, is not without opposition. Mr. Dete explains these trends, and gives The Rapport a generalized background into Smart Grid readers and “time-of-use” pricing schemes (compare Maryland to New Jersey’s greater renewable energy investment).

For Rapport listeners out there who may not be up to speed on the importance of renewable energy in Maryland, Mr. Dete’s interview gives you the explanation you need for informed debate. What do you think about Smart Grids in Maryland? Will the risk of rate hikes affect the 2010 state gubernatorial race? Should we be moving faster? Let The Rapport know in the comments below.

Episode #6: City Schools Permanent Expulsion Policy – The Rapport Takes Note!

thebaltimorerapport — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:50:16 +0000

Podcast length: 11 min., 45 sec.

During the 2008-2009 school year, a Patterson High School student came to school with a chemical bomb that exploded in the student’s locker. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but the action set in motion a new policy for the Baltimore City Public Schools (”City Schools”). Dr. Andres Alonso, City Schools CEO, enacted an administrative policy that set forth conditions for a student’s permanent expulsion from the City Schools (full exclusion for students above the age of 16, and stringent criteria for re-entrance for students under the age of 16). Students who were found to have committed a serious offense that put the lives of other individuals in the building at risk (i.e. fire, bomb, explosive device, etc.) would receive severe consequences for engaging in such behavior.

Baltimore City Public Schools Permanent Expulsion Policy

The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners recently has sought to clarify the new policy. During the September 22nd School Board meeting, the Board heard the first reader of the policy that would codify the process for permanent expulsion (see the Board presentation above). As the Sun’s education blog indicates, the issue seems to have divided the Board – some Commissioners feeling that permanent expulsion is too serious a consequence, while others feel that permanent expulsion is necessary to reduce serious offenses and maintain safe school environments.

As a result of this controversial debate looming as the policy seeks a final adoption vote in late October, The Rapport’s hosts discuss implications that the policy may have on the City Schools’ students. More importantly, The Rapport is interested in engaging listeners – what do you think? Does this policy make sense, is it too harsh, not harsh enough? Take the poll below to give us your opinion. Let us know your full thoughts in the comments below. And, most importantly, consider sending your thoughts to the decision-makers by emailing the School Board (policyreview@bcps.k12.md.us)! We genuinely look forward to your comments, especially all you teachers out there!

UPDATE: Quick clarification on the content of the podcast. As a co-host, I (Bill Ferguson) made a bit of a gross generalization about those who support/oppose the expulsion policy. As several wise listeners pointed out, there are a large number of classroom teachers (or staff members in buildings on a day-to-day basis) that do not support the expulsion policy. Many of these incredible folks want to see a tiered level of targeted interventions for students who are found to have committed these dangerous acts in schools. Additionally, many of these troubled students likely missed out on a number of support programs or interventions that may have prevented these students from committing these acts in the first place. As the schools exist to serve a public, universal purpose to educate, folks against the policy (who are very often working within schools on an everyday basis), believe that the consequence of permanent expulsion may inhibit the very foundations of the public school mission. My generalization about the characteristics of those individuals opposing the policy was a quick remark made without much consideration – an effort to stimulate debate. I certainly apologize if I offended anyone! Regardless, I hope our listeners think about the policy and send comments to the School Board – in support OR in opposition. As we say on The Rapport – effective policymaking requires informed debate amongst stakeholders. We hope you take action and let your voices be heard!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Episode #5: Are You Working for a Better Baltimore? Community Activist, Adam Meister, Tells The Rapport What He Thinks It Takes to be Engaged.

thebaltimorerapport — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:10:52 +0000

Podcast length: 14 min., 27 sec.

Community Activist, Adam Meister, Gives The Rapport His Thoughts

On this episode of The Baltimore Rapport, the hosts sat down with Adam Meister, a Baltimore City community activist, for an enthusiastic chat about community engagement. Adam Meister’s presence in Baltimore City is extensive… and this is saying it mildly. He’s currently most well known for his effort to make light of pertinent public issues facing Baltimore City residents through efforts as the Baltimore Politics Examiner on Examiner.com. Adam also ran for a City Council seat in 2007 (11th council district), and his face and up-front opinions are well known amongst the City’s politically engaged. Adam’s most recent efforts are leading him to create and operate a new media styled online newspaper that he entitles “Baltimore Hourly.”

The Rapport’s interview…

with Adam spanned a wide variety of topics, particularly those that young professionals in the City may be considering next to the watercoller. Among other topics, Adam and The Rapport’s hosts considered issues related to:

Adam’s “Buy a Block” effort
Community association involvement & participation
The Baltimore Hourly online newspaper development
Expanded drinking hour licenses for targeted City businesses
Community investment & community policing (similar to the Charles Village Community Benefits District)

Do you agree with Adam’s opinions? Do you think he’s way off base? Let The Rapport know in the comments below.