Interviews

What is happening on Maryland roads? Have you noticed people speeding more than ever, tailgating at high rates of speed, waving in and out of lanes? And this isn't just cars, but big trucks too.

On this week's 1430 Connection, the focus is on the craziness happening on Maryland roads. WNAV’s Donna Cole interviews Greg Shipley, spokesperson for the Maryland State Police about what MSP is seeing, what data is telling them and how that data relates to enforcement efforts. Also, a brief discussion about MSP’s H2Oi enforcement efforts in Ocean City.

For more information on the Maryland State Police, visit https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx

On this week's 1430 Connection, WNAV’s Donna Cole has a conversation with Glenn Fueston, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services. They discuss Governor Hogan’s recent announcement of a $3.4 million grant for local projects that support efforts to reduce crime in Maryland, where those funds will go and what programs will be offered. Also, how data helped to identify how to use that funding. Also, how the pandemic has impacted crime and how this office has continued to provide its services.

For more information on the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim..., visit http://goccp.maryland.gov/

On the most recent 1430 Connection, the focus is on the Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center. WNAV’s Donna Cole has a conversation with Leah Berry, the manager of the Prisoner Re-Entry Program for the Annapolis based non-profit, which offers a variety of services including conflict resolution, mediation, facilitation and community conferencing.

For more information on the Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center, visit https://www.aacrc.info/

On the most recent 1430 Connection, the focus is on the Annapolis Fire Department (AFD) and its new public information officer. WNAV’s Donna Cole has a conversation with Capt. Bud Zapata about his new role in the department, AFD’s social media, his experience with coronavirus, holiday safety tips and Text 911.

For more information on the Annapolis Fire Department, visit https://www.annapolis.gov/190/Fire

A note from WNAV’s Donna Cole about this week’s 1430 Connection – “with the radio show I host, I'll often get an idea well before, like months or years before, I do the show. This is one example and I cannot thank my guests enough for their input because I know this might've been hard. This is about art, about people, about tragedy and about finding something that helps us heal. Art is most definitely a friend. It’s provides routine, an escape, a place that takes us away and yet doesn’t always. It can speak what we can’t. This show is about exactly that.”

On this week's 1430 Connection, the focus is on art and the power of it. WNAV’s Donna Cole interviews Rachael Pacella, a reporter who survived the mass shooting at The Capital Gazette, and Sgt. Luis Rosa-Valentin an Army veteran, who survived an IED explosion in Iraq (he lost both legs, an arm, some vision and his hearing). Both Rachael and Luis explain how art became part of their lives, what it does for them, what type of art they like best and for Luis, how it figured into where he’s currently studying.

Throughout this interview, you’ll see photos of their art – ceramics by Rachael and drawings/paintings by Luis. One of these paintings by Luis came with some further explanation – it’s the one that shows him and another soldier and he explained, “this was my only commission and I did it for the medic that saved me. It's charcoal and acrylic paint.”

On this week's 1430 Connection, the focus is on an Anne Arundel County firefighter who is recovering from COVID-19 and how he gives back to the community through books. WNAV’s Donna Cole talks with Firefighter Paramedic Brian Holtslander on his experience with coronavirus, what he learned from it and what others might be able to and how some of this has changed from early on to today. While Holtslander indicated he can’t be sure where he contracted the virus, there was an outbreak at a facility he works part-time as a nurse – that facility is not in Maryland. They also talk about the Little Libraries program.

WNAV reached out Capt. Russ Davies, spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department on the COVID-19-related precautions the department takes to safeguard its personnel. Davies emailed, “We have a robust contact patient tracing system in place through the fire department Risk Management Division and our Infection Control Officer. To this point, we don't believe we have had any patient to provider transmissions. We have had 26 people test positive since the beginning of the pandemic. The N95 mask and gowns were part of our regular available personal protective equipment (PPE) prior to the pandemic. We instituted its use by providers on Patients Under Investigation (PUI) patients early on. Potential PUI patients were identified by our 911 call takers very early on, starting when PUI patients were identified by international travel, and then the questions have been adapted as the CDC guidelines dictate.”

In the interest in transparency, this interview was recorded on Monday, prior to President Trump's diagnosis. The 1430 Connection airs every Friday at 2 on WNAV.

Ed Clark is the founder and president of the Wildlfe Center of Virginia. He was also a key player in the state of Virginia banning carbofuran in advance of the nationwide carbofuran ban by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The Delmarva Peninsula includes Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Why doesn't Virginia have the carbofuran/eagle issue, but Maryland and Delaware do? They did, but Virginia ban of carbofuran ahead of the EPA & requiring registration for it seems to have made a significant difference. All of what happened is explained in this two-part interview.

For more information on the Wildlife Center of Virginia, visit https://www.wildlifecenter.org/

For more information on the carbofuran/eagle problem in Maryland, visit https://www.annapoliscreative.com/the-carbo-wars/

On this week's 1430 Connection, the topic is the Kinera Foundation. WNAV’s Donna Cole interviews Kate McCloskey, executive director of the Stevensville-based nonprofit which provides support to families that have special health care needs through parent support groups, access to therapies, and much more. The discussion includes what programs and support does Kinera offer and how is the organization supporting their clients through the pandemic, with schools online, rather than in-person.

For more information on the Kinera Foundation, visit www.kinera.org

On this week's 1430 Connection, the topic is the history of commercial broadcasting and the 100th anniversary of the first commercial broadcast. WNAV’s Donna Cole interviews Brian Belanger, curator of the National Capital Radio and Television Museum in Bowie, Maryland. The discussion starts with the birth of amateur radio, then to KDKA’s first broadcast, through to today and how radio and regulations have changed along the way. Also, what visitors to the National Capital Radio and Television Museum can expect to see. It is free to visit and currently planning its reopening (it’s been closed due to the pandemic).

For more information on the National Capital Radio and Television Museum, visit https://ncrtv.org/

Tornado Damage Reported in Multiple Areas Along the South River

A storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service has concluded the tornado that hit the Edgewater on Thursday evening began as an EF-1, then weakened to an EF-O as it made its way along the South River, causing further damage in several Annapolis neighborhoods. The agency said the tornado was on the ground for just over 6 miles and about 10 minutes.

The National Weather Service report states, “tornadic damage began after the storm crossed Beard’s Creek off the South River. Trees were first downed near the intersection of Edgewater Drive and Park Avenue, just north of Lee Airport.

Tornadic damage began after the storm crossed Beard's Creek off the South River. Trees were first downed near the intersection of Edgewater Drive and Park Avenue, just north of Lee Airport. The tornado intensified as it moved east into central Edgewater, and reached its peak EF-1 strength in the area of the community bounded by Solomons Island Road (Route 2), Virginia Avenue, and Ridge Avenue. In this area damage was blown in all directions, siding was torn from the wall of one home, and some roof flashing was damaged on another. A commercial fence was blown down to the North. However, most of the damage was to trees. Most of the trees in this area had at least some large branches ripped from their upper sections. About 10 trees in this wooded community were entirely uprooted or snapped. Some of those trees fell into power lines, and at least 2 power poles were snapped because of this. A few homes and vehicles were damaged from falling trees and branches.

As the tornado crossed Solomons Island Road, it weakened to an EF-0 but continued to cause scattered tree damage with uprooted or snapped trees that were thrown generally left of the tornado track. Damage was noted on both sides of Warehouse Creek along Leeland Road and South River Landing Road.

The tornado continued across South river and into Hillsmere shores. A large tree was uprooted on the Key School soccer field with numerous large branches strung across the 100-yard field to the left of the track. One large branch caused damage to the protective netting and metal framing attached to a scoreboard situated on the west side of the soccer field. The damage path continued east across Hillsmere drive where a half dozen 30-40 foot tall pine trees where (sp) uprooted and criss-crossed in a northeast and southeast fashion.

Further northeast along Sunset Drive, scattered tree damage was observed with several large trees snapped. One large tree was uprooted and puncturing a roof resulting in water intrusion inside the home. Additional scattered tree limb damage was observed immediately to the east northeast with limbs noted thrown to the left of the track.

As the tornado tracked east, scattered tree limb damage was observed along Thomas Point Road and through the Arundel on the Bay community. A few large trees were observed to be snapped and uprooted along Cohasset Ave near Walnut Ave. Tree damage became minor near the shoreline of the bay between Linden Ave and Walnut Ave.

While wind damage from this storm was examined between Crofton, Davidsonville, and Riva, that tree damage was unidirectional, largely oriented from west east, and falling generally in the direction of the storm's motion.”

The Anne Arundel County Office of Emergency Management has opened the damage assessment portal, which is a tool for gathering data on the damages caused by the storm.

Damage assessment is a critical process that occurs after a severe incident or disaster. Preeti Emrick, the Director of the Office of Emergency Management, emphasizes that “data collection helps determine the severity of impact an incident or disaster has on individuals and communities which can help us prepare for future events.”

Residents and businesses can report any damage that was incurred as a result of the severe weather event by filling out the Anne Arundel County Damage Assessment Data Collection form (https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSd5NsGDWvbzD6xUlK…/viewform) through September 14, 2020.