Maryland needs this podcast. Now.

Does the world need another podcast? In Maryland, some folks improbably think the answer is YES.

Three longtime colleagues and friends – Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz and David Nitkin – are joining forces to launch Maryland Now, a new podcast that will go beyond the headlines to explore the forces shaping Maryland’s politics, policy and public life.

Hosted by veteran journalists and public‑affairs leaders with more than 60 years of combined experience, the show brings depth, context and historical perspective to the issues facing Maryland today. Each episode will blend reporting, interviews, and insider knowledge for a unique perspective on major topics. Listeners will hear directly from those shaping decisions in Annapolis and across the state: agency heads, lawmakers, advocates, strategists, and longtime policy experts.

Nitkin, Kurtz and Henry draw on their decades covering and working in Maryland government to connect past decisions to current debates — revealing how we got here, what’s been tried before and what’s at stake now. And each week, you’ll be able to find the podcast and read a transcript of key portions here at Baltimore Fishbowl, which is the media partner for Maryland Now

Season One will provide deep dives into housing, energy, the state budget, public health, and more – many key issues facing the 2026 General Assembly session. The conversations are smart, candid, and grounded in real reporting — not hot takes.
If you want to understand Maryland — its politics, its communities, and its future — Maryland Now is for YOU.

Please take a moment to listen to the intro episode, and to subscribe. You can find Maryland Now wherever you get your podcasts.

More about the hosts

Dori Henry

Dori is senior vice president of Blended Public Affairs, which is the sponsor of Season One of Maryland Now. Previously, she was chief of staff and communications director for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. She has served in senior communications roles in state and federal government, including as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor under Secretary Tom Perez during the Obama Administration. Dori started her career as reporter covering the General Assembly and state government for the Daily Record. 

Josh Kurtz

Josh Kurtz is best known as the founder of Maryland Matters, the nonprofit news website focusing on state and local government and politics. Maryland Matters has been around since 2017, but Josh has been writing about Maryland for one news outlet or another for 30 years now. He has also been an editor at Capitol Hill publications, Roll Call, and Environment and Energy Daily, as well as a reporter for newspapers in New York, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

David Nitkin

David’s name became known years ago when the then-governor of Maryland banned all of state government from speaking to him because of reporting he was doing at The Sun. He went on from State House Bureau Chief to become the Sun’s state political editor, White House correspondent and then head of all Maryland news operations. He then turned to policy and politics, working for Howard County Executive Ken Ulman and Attorney General Brian Frosh. He’s been the executive editor at Baltimore Fishbowl since 2017.

Party Like It’s 1999: How One Bill Reshaped Maryland’s Energy Market – Maryland Now

Maryland Now opens its debut season with a deep examination of how a single piece of legislation from 1999 reshaped Maryland’s electricity market and helped set the stage for some of the energy challenges the state faces today. Hosts Dori Henry, Josh Kurtz, and David Nitkin walk through the political forces, policy decisions, and long-term consequences that contribute to the high electric bills Marylanders are opening this winter. With energy prices rising sharply and lawmakers under pressure to respond, this episode connects the past to the present and highlights why the 2026 legislative session is so pivotal.Episode OverviewMarylanders across the state are seeing unusually high utility bills after weeks of freezing temperatures. At the same time, the General Assembly has kicked off a session that will be dominated by energy policy, affordability, and the search for solutions.This episode explores why electricity prices are spiking, how data centers and the grid operator's planning failures are driving demand, why there are no short-term fixes, the political pressure of an election year, the influence of utilities, lobbyists, and major industrial players, and how consumers often get sidelined in complex policy debates.But mostly, the episode travels back to 1999, when Maryland lawmakers — under pressure from Enron, industrial giants, and legislative leaders — passed a sweeping deregulation bill that fundamentally changed how electricity is generated and sold.You’ll hear insights from three major players from that 1999 legislative debate — and from a consumer advocate who helps Marylanders struggling with their utility bills. They break down the rushed negotiations, the rate freezes, the political maneuvering, and the ripple effects that still shape Maryland’s energy landscape.Key Topics CoveredThe 2026 energy crisis, including why bills are rising so quickly, how data centers and grid constraints are straining supply, and the steep learning curve lawmakers face.The political landscape, including election-year urgency for the governor and General Assembly, partisan divides over renewables, regulation, and market design, and the lobbying power of BGE, Constellation, Exelon, and others.The 1999 deregulation battle, including Enron’s national push for market competition, how legislative leaders fast-tracked a complex bill, why most lawmakers didn’t fully understand the implications, and the rate freezes that delayed competition and set up future price shocks.Why This Episode MattersMaryland’s electricity system is under significant strain, and the decisions made in 1999 still influence energy debates happening in Annapolis today. Connect With the ShowQuestions, comments, or story ideas: marylandnow@blendedpublicaffairs.comLinks & ResourcesMaryland Now is brought to you by Blended Public Affairs and produced by Carper Cre8tive.Blended Public Affairs: https://www.blendedpublicaffairs.comCarper Cre8tive: https://www.natecarpercreative.com (00:00) – Introduction (02:37) – The 1999 Deregulation Debate (02:38) – (21:14) – Rate Freezes and Consequences (26:41) – Consumer Protection Issues (32:54) – Current Crisis and Lessons Learned (35:57) – Conclusion

1. Party Like It’s 1999: How One Bill Reshaped Maryland’s Energy Market 37:55
2. Maryland Needs This Podcast — Now 03:18