WAMC News Podcast: Recent Episodes
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It was three days before Christmas 2008, while most listeners were still asleep, that Ian Pickus showed up to work on Morning Edition at WAMC for the first time. Now, 17 years later, including the last dozen as News Director, Ian bids farewell.
We speak with Rep. Pat Ryan of New York's 18th district about the Epstein files and the sudden summer break.
A new “Frontline” documentary offers a deep dive on this pivotal moment in American history. “Trump’s Power And The Rule of Law” is the latest from filmmaker Michael Kirk.
We talk politics, and what comes next after the "big, beautiful bill," with Mass. Rep. Richard Neal.
We speak with longtime Congressional reporter and analyst David Hawkings about what happens after the "big, beautiful bill" was signed.
We talk Mass. politics and beyond with Western New England University political science professor Tim Vercellotti.
We speak with Mass. Rep. Jim McGovern, a progressive Democrat from the 2nd District who is fiercely opposed to the "big, beautiful bill."
We break down the New York City mayoral primary result with Errol Louis, host of "Inside City Hall" on Spectrum News.
One person was left standing after a pivotal four-way Democratic primary for mayor of Albany on Tuesday. Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs kicked off her bid to replace outgoing three-term Mayor Kathy Sheehan back in November 2023 — and in the end, more than 52 percent of voters of backed her.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo appears poised to complete a stunning political comeback in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for New York City mayor. That’s according to a new Marist Poll, which finds Cuomo is the top choice of 38 percent of likely voters. We speak with Dr. Lee Miringoff, Director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion.
We speak with former New York state Senator Mike Martucci, the new Region 2 administrator for the EPA.
Amid renewed efforts to strip funding from public media in Washington, we speak with Mike Janssen, an editor at public media trade news outlet Current, about how the funds are actually used.
We speak with "Capitol Pressroom" host David Lombardo about the uncertain future for special elections in New York.
We sit down with Quebec Delegate General in New York David Brulotte at a time when the U.S.-Canada relationship is under a microscope.
A special election in Saratoga Springs featuring one candidate and a write-in incumbent heads to court on Friday.
A familiar voice for decades on these airwaves is signing off. Renee Montagne, who joined the network in 1981 and hosted both All Things Considered and Morning Edition, is stepping down after thousands of interviews, overseas reporting trips, and more than a few journalism awards. But before she goes, she’s here to look back and ahead.
New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang is raising the alarm after President Trump fired a number of IGs from federal agencies.
We break down New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's $252 billion budget proposal with WNYC capitol reporter Jon Campbell.
We listen back to a 2020 interview with one of baseball's newest Hall of Famers, pitching great CC Sabathia.
As a new president takes office, a new member of Congress from upstate New York, Democrat Josh Riley, is hoping to move beyond partisanship.
We listen to New York Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address and offer analysis of the Democrat's proposals.
We speak with New York state Senator Dan Stec, a Republican from the 45th district who wants to go to Congress to represent the 21st House district.
The New York state legislative session kicked off Wednesday, and WAMC brought together legislative leaders, lawmakers, analysts and reporters to set up the 2025 agenda.
As we get ready for another legislative session in Albany and an unusual mayoral election in New York City, longtime political reporter and observer Errol Louis is taking a deep dive into another troubled era. In a three-part podcast series, the host of You Decide With Errol Louis explores the highs and lows of John Lindsay’s time in office.
The new legislative session is just days away in Albany. WNYC capitol reporter Jon Campbell joins us for a preview.
In Washington County, a small newspaper that nearly went out of business in 2019 is expanding. Formerly The Greenwich Journal and Salem Press, the paper has split into two, and Editor and Publisher Darren Johnson says he has reimagined its purpose and audience.
We speak with outgoing Mass. state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, who is leaving the 3rd Berkshire House district after 12 terms.
A University of Massachusetts Amherst analysis of climate data from the National Weather Service shows several Northeast communities experienced their driest autumn on record this year. We break it down with the UMass Climate System Research Center's Dr. Michael Rawlins.
We speak with retired Pirates great Dave Parker, who was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Sunday.
It is a time of unrest in South Korea, where the narrowly-elected president shocked allies and opponents alike by declaring martial law. We get insight from Joowon Park, director of the Asian Studies Program at Skidmore College.
New York State Senator James Skoufis has launched a long-shot bid to become chair of the Democratic National Committee. Skoufis does not have many connections in Washington, and is largely unknown to the voting membership. But he is confident his self-proclaimed “outsider” perspective is what the party needs.
To mark Thanksgiving, we celebrate Alice Brock of "Alice's Restaurant" fame, who died this month at age 83.
Election season has come and gone, but another one is quickly approaching in New York’s North Country. We speak with WAMC's North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley about what comes next.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House has some worrying about how his policies will affect consumer prices, the agricultural, and high-tech sectors. We speak with Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer at Hugh Johnson Advisors in Albany.
Officials in New York state are celebrating enrollment increases in the State University of New York system. According to new data, SUNY saw enrollment gains for the second year in a row for the first time in 15 years. We speak with SUNY Chancellor John King.
The candidates running for Plattsburgh, New York mayor have debated as part of a Mountain Lake PBS broadcast. Democrat Wendell Hughes represents Area 8 in the Clinton County Legislature, which includes the south end of the city, and Republican Don Kasprzak served as mayor from 2004 to 2014. Mayor Chris Rosenquest is not running for a second four-year term. WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley was a panelist.
Wall Street profits increased more than 79 percent in the first of half of the year compared with the same period last year — and annual profits are expected to finish the year much stronger than 2023’s mark. That’s according to a new report from New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
Longtime NPR Music contributors Ann Powers and Alison Fensterstock stop by to discuss the new book “How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History From NPR Music.” The book is part reclamation, part encyclopedia, and part critical reconsideration.
The presidential election is almost here, and it features a familiar face who’s already held the office against a trailblazer many Americans are still learning about. A new PBS “Frontline” documentary is the latest in an election year series focused on the candidates that dates to 1988. We speak with filmmaker Michael Kirk about “The Choice: Harris vs. Trump.”
The last several years have been a rollercoaster for state and local budget-writers, who confronted the disruption and uncertainty of the COVID pandemic, which torpedoed revenues, then an influx of federal aid that shored things up in the near term but left question marks in the out years. We speak with Justin Theal about new research from the Pew Charitable Trusts.
Author Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic has spent years studying how figures in Washington secure power and hold on to it – often regardless of the outcome of any particular election. The Atlantic's latest issue is making some headlines of its own, with its wordless cover suggesting the peril to American institutions that may be in store in a second Trump term. Leibovich's new article is titled "Hypocrisy, Spinelessness and the Triumph of Donald Trump."
The Trust for America’s Health has released a new report on American obesity rates, and the numbers are startling. Four in 10 American adults are obese, and 23 states have adult obesity rates at or above 35 percent. We speak with Trust president Dr. Nadine Gracia.
We speak with Region 2 Deputy Administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Andrew D’Amora about National Preparedness Month and his memories of responding to the 9/11 attacks during his NYPD career.
WAMC's Josh Landes and James Paleologopoulos stop by to discuss the results of Tuesday's primaries in Massachusetts.
Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is set to answer questions before a U.S. House coronavirus committee Tuesday. We talk about that and the latest scandals in state politics with WNYC's Jon Campbell.
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a correct way to open Velcro quietly…or hundreds of other questions, great news: NPR podcast "How To Do Everything is coming back." The podcast from Mike Danforth and Ian Chillag, producers of "Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me," wrapped up its initial run in 2016. The reboot will feature new episodes and highlights from the archives.
The summer conventions are over and the fall campaign season is here. It brings with it an unexpected matchup for president, key races for Congress across New York, and looming decisions in the state legislature that could put Governor Kathy Hochul to the test. We welcome back Errol Louis of Spectrum News and New York Magazine.
VP Harris has officially accepted the Democratic nomination for president after a whirlwind summer. Now that the national convention in Chicago is over, attention turns to the fall campaign against former President Donald Trump. We speak with James Pindell, National Political Reporter for the Boston Globe.
Sadly, we bid farewell to WAMC's assistant news director Jim Levulis, who is leaving the station after 11 years.
In early July, the Springfield School Committee welcomed the district’s new superintendent. Dr. Sonia Dinnall, a longtime district educator, was selected to lead Springfield Public Schools, one of the largest districts in New England.
We speak with Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren about the change atop the Democratic ticket and her own bid for a third term.
Deaths from alcohol, drugs and suicide in the U.S. increased by 142 percent from 2002 through 2022. That’s according to a new study from the non-profit Trust for America’s Health, which calls the mortality rates “alarmingly high.” The report is called Pain in the Nation 2024: the Epidemic of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths. Rhea Farberman is the Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Research with the Trust.
Now that President Biden has halted his re-election campaign, all eyes are on Vice President Harris — and her own running mate shortlist ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. One name getting a lot of attention lately is Josh Shapiro — the 51-year-old Pennsylvania governor who took office last year. For some insight on Shapiro and his career, we called up Ben Wasserstein, capitol bureau chief at WITF in Harrisburg.
Kamala Harris already made history four years ago when she was elected with President Joe Biden as vice president. Now, she's hoping to keep Democrats in control of the White House. One person who is watching closely is former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick — who is raising money for Harris' effort in the Bay State, where he served two terms as its first Black governor.
While Democrats hope Vice President Kamala Harris can turn around their November chances, now that President Biden is out, it’s fair to say much of the country is considering what a Harris presidency would look like for the first time. Harris is a former California state attorney general and U.S. Senator — and her time in those roles is sure to attract a new round of scrutiny. We speak with Chris Nichols, politics editor at Capital Public Radio in Sacramento.
Republicans are united behind former President Donald Trump as he seeks a second term. That was the message of the Republican National Convention, which came just after Trump narrowly survived an assassination attempt. Jake Lahut is covering the campaign for The Daily Beast and is just back from Milwaukee.
We listen to our appearance on Radio Catskill to discuss the historic presidential campaign and what might be looming in November.
With the Summer Olympics in Paris upon us, reporter Rose Eveleth is looking back on the long history sexual division in elite sports. Eveleth’s new series “Tested” is a co-production of NPR’s Embedded and the CBC, and it took them to Africa, Europe and beyond — and deep into the annals of athletics.
The state of Massachusetts has released a plan to protect and manage forest lands, prioritizing the natural resource for its carbon sequestration capabilities. More than 55 percent of the Bay State is forested, covering roughly 3 million acres. The Forests as Climate Solutions Initiative includes recommendations from a state-formed committee and public input, covering topics such as forest management, siting of renewable energy infrastructure and timber harvesting.
We speak with Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin about the fall elections, the presidential race, and the state ballot questions.
We speak with Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin about the fall elections, the presidential race, and the state ballot questions.
If the November election goes the way June 25's Democratic primary did, as expected, Westchester County Executive George Latimer will be heading to Congress in the new year. The former state lawmaker defeated second-term Congressman Jamaal Bowman after a bitter campaign in the 16th House district. The race attracted national attention and spending as it laid bare sharp divisions in the party over Israel and other issues.
The last time we spoke with “All Things Considered” host Ari Shapiro, he was looking back on his long reporting career for NPR and his life’s detours into cabaret performance and Pink Martini. Now, he’s embarking on a new chapter on Netflix. Shapiro is the new host of “The Mole,” a rebooted reality competition.
The last time we spoke with “All Things Considered” host Ari Shapiro, he was looking back on his long reporting career for NPR and his life’s detours into cabaret performance and Pink Martini. Now, he’s embarking on a new chapter on Netflix. Shapiro is the new host of “The Mole,” a rebooted reality competition.
The emergence and development of artificial intelligence has impacted many aspects of society. AI is also being used by bad actors to expand and enhance criminal activity. Samantha Baltzersen is among those working to prevent and stop those nefarious actions. Baltzersen is the supervisory special agent of the cyber squad and task force at the FBI’s Albany Field Office.
We look back on the New York state legislative session and forward to the elections with "Capitol Pressroom" host David Lombardo.
A new chapter is about to be written in Albany’s centuries-long history with the Dutch. The king and queen of the Netherlands are coming to the Capital Region on June 12 to meet with the governor, local Dutch businesses leaders, and area young people. We speak with author and journalist Paul Grondahl. Grondahl has written extensively on the topic in books, for the Times Union, and since taking over as the head of the New York State Writers Institute.
WAMC and the New York League of Conservation Voters co-host a candidate forum with seven hopefuls running for the open 109th New York state Assembly district seat.
Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey recently spoke at the White House’s National Water Summit. The second-term Democrat spoke on a panel about the city’s efforts to identify and replace lead service lines throughout its water system. So far, Newburgh has allocated more than $1.6 million to create an inventory of lead service lines and begin the replacement process. The city is also still grappling with the fallout from the discovery of PFAS contamination in its water supply in 2016.
For the start of summer, we celebrate a new Disney+ documentary with a WAMC salute to the Beach Boys.
Special Agent Craig Tremaroli has been leading the FBI’s Albany division since November, taking over for Janeen DiGuiseppi. Tremaroli, a former police officer and detective, has worked for the FBI in Indianapolis, Kansas City and Washington, D.C. He’s spent the first six months as special agent in charge traveling the vast area covered by the Albany Field Office, which includes much of upstate New York and Vermont.
A new documentary focuses on the sprawling corruption within Venezuela’s government — and the way Nicolas Maduro has cracked down on coverage of it. “A Dangerous Assignment: Uncovering Corruption in Maduro’s Venezuela” is premiering on PBS’ Frontline series. It focuses on the work of reporter Roberto Deniz, who was forced to flee.
We catch up with New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat running for another six-year term in November.
We feature a special in-depth report on allegations of sexual misconduct and lax oversight at a boarding school in Western Massachusetts.
Lawmakers are returning to the New York state capitol in Albany after approving an overdue state budget. We speak with Democratic Assemblyman D. Billy Jones of the 115th district about the rest of the session.
We speak with NPR host Rachel Martin about her probing new interview podcast "Wild Card."
First-term Republican Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford, who ran on restoring civility to city hall, reflects on his first 100 days in office.
After two terms as city council president, Republican Carmella Mantello is now past 100 days in office as Troy's first female mayor.
New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is highly favored to win re-election in the 21st district. That is, if she isn’t picked by close ally Donald Trump to join the former president’s ticket in November’s election. Stefanik’s meteoric rise in Republican politics is putting new attention on the Harvard-educated Congresswoman’s upbringing, and the Daily Beast reports Stefanik’s version of events isn’t totally truthful.
We speak with Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio about her battle to audit the state legislature, where the Democrat spent more than a decade.
Vassar College President Elizabeth Bradley is back from a trip to Rwanda to give the keynote address at the white coat ceremony of the University of Global Health Equity. The private, nonprofit medical school graduated its first cohort since entering a partnership with Vassar, a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, in 2018.
We listen back to our special live broadcast for Monday's total solar eclipse in Tupper Lake, N.Y., hosted by the Adirondack Sky Center and Observatory.
The total solar eclipse is here. We get a preview from SUNY Oneonta physics and astronomy professor Dr. Valerie Rapson.
We speak with Pennsylvania Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat from the 8th district, and former Oklahoma Republican Rep. Steve Russell of the 5th district, who came together this week at Hamilton College for a conversation about bridging the partisan divide.
The New York state budget is late. But how late? For analysis of the issues at stake in Albany, we welcome "Capitol Pressroom" host Dave Lombardo.
Ten years ago, the news came suddenly: North Adams Regional Hospital in the northwest corner of Massachusetts was closing — immediately. Now, a decade later, Berkshire Health Systems is reopening the facility. Two WAMC reporterssaw both the closure and its rebirth. Associate News Director Jim Levulis was Berkshire Bureau Chief at the time, and Josh Landes is Berkshire Bureau Chief now.
CEOs in upstate New York are pessimistic about the near future. We speak with Siena College Research Institute Director Dr. Don Levy.
“It’s often felt like a choice between denying my deepest instincts about truth and morality to preserve that community, or being honest with myself and the rest of the world and risking that loss.” That’s how NPR National Political Correspondent Sarah McCammon discusses her painful break from the evangelical church community she was raised in. Her new book is called “The Exvangelicals: Loving, Living, and Leaving the White Evangelical Church.”
Last time we spoke with Errol Louis, a Spectrum anchor and contributor for "New York" Magazine, it was about a special podcast project on former Governor Mario Cuomo. ow, for this pivotal and bruising election year, Louis has launched a new national political show, “The Big Deal.” It comes as budget making in Albany heats up and the presidential rematch nears.
We speak with Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell about the Democrat's new strategic plan.
The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority, the industry’s first national regulating body, has issued its much-anticipated report on horse deaths at several tracks including Saratoga Race Course in New York. The findings and recommendation come after more than a dozen horse deaths at Saratoga last year. HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus says horse fatalities are almost always from a variety of causes, and says the response must be “all hands on deck.”
We speak with the outgoing New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner, Basil Seggos.
As we barrel toward another presidential election that looks likely to be a rematch, the 2020 vote and its tortured aftermath still loom large. One key figure in the last days of the Trump White House, not to mention the modern GOP that paved the way for it, and was ultimately remade by it, was Mark Meadows. Today, the former Congressman and Trump chief of staff is seen as a wildcard as prosecutions over efforts to overturn the election ramp up. “New York Times” reporter Robert Draper is the author of a new piece called "How Mark Meadows Became the Least Trusted Man In Washington," which traces Meadows' rise from the world of North Carolina real estate to Trump's inner circle.
Although there is disagreement over the details of how to address it, most elected officials point to housing as a top concern in New York state. According to a new report by Democratic state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, almost 3 million New Yorkers face housing costs that take up more than 30 percent of their household income — and 20 percent are spending more than half of their income on housing. DiNapoli says it puts New York near the top of the scale — with acute effects in the Mid-Hudson Valley and Long Island plus urban centers around the state.
Now that longtime Berkshire County State Representative Smitty Pignatelli will not seek a 12th term, Stockbridge Select Board member Patrick White is jumping in to replace the Democrat in the Massachusetts state House. White says his career in business, non-profit leadership and public office in the town have prepared him to represent the Third Berkshire District on Beacon Hill. White won a second three-year term on the selectboard last year.
The $1.25 million WAMC February Fund Drive is continuing and we need your help to end it.
We get ready for WAMC's February Fund Drive, the first with a $1.25 million goal after 13 years of raising $1 million per drive.
Marc Conner took over as President of Skidmore College nearly four years ago, during one of the most challenging periods for higher education. Today, he is confronting a number of pressing issues.
Sunday’s Super Bowl in Las Vegas was one of the biggest betting days of the year. A new poll from St. Bonaventure University and the Siena College Research Institute finds 39 percent of Americans bet on sports, and 15 percent say they know someone with a related gambling problem. The poll also finds one in five Americans have an online sports betting account. We speak with Siena poll director Dr. Don Levy.
As former President Donald Trump continues to near his third Republican nomination, his sprawling legal troubles are playing out at the same time. It has led to an unprecedented moment in American politics as November’s pivotal election quickly approaches. The new documentary “Democracy on Trial” now airing on “Frontline” on PBS takes an exhaustive look at Trump’s court cases and the American systems straining under the weight. We speak with director Michael Kirk.
Democrats are hoping to make a tight Republican majority in the House of Representatives even tighter via a special election on Long Island on Tuesday. The seat opened up when fabulist Republican George Santos was expelled from Congress, and features a well-known public figure for decades against a relative newcomer. The results will be closely watched in an area that has trended away from Democrats in recent elections — and for what they can tell us about the looming November campaign. We speak with reporter Desiree Diorio of WSHU.
If you listen to WAMC, you probably recognize Ayesha Rascoe from her years hosting Weekend Edition Sunday and covering the White House. What you may not know is that she was once a shy, introvert who confronted self-doubt even as she climbed the ladder at Howard University’s student paper. That experience is just one recounted in the new book “HBCU Made: A Celebration of the Black College Experience,” which features essays from leaders in the arts, letters and music.
“Oppenheimer” is one of the biggest films of the year, with its meticulous and dramatic story about the development of the atomic bomb and the bruising politics that accompanied it. But one question nagged at "New York Times" Congressional reporter Catie Edmondson: how did the government pay for the $2 billion secret without anyone finding out?
A new podcast takes a deep dive into far-right extremism in upstate New York. We speak with Emily Russell and Zach Hirsch about "If All Else Fails."
The Iowa Caucuses are history, and now former President Trump’s remaining rivals for the GOP nomination are racing across New Hampshire ahead of that state’s pivotal primary. Will a strong showing be enough for Nikki Haley or Ron DeSantis to turn the tide? And what do these early results tell us about the looming general election in November? We speak with University of New Hampshire political science professor Andrew Smith, director of the UNH Survey Center.
Are fleas as interesting as whales? What is the likelihood of passing down a kidney disease? And how likely are you to be swept away by a tornado? Those are some of the questions NPR science reporter Nell Greenfieldboyce grapples with in her new book “Transient and Strange: Notes On the Science of Life.” The book includes a number of essays considering the intersection of the wonders of the universe with the personal. Greenfieldboyce has been heard pm WAMC since joining NPR in 2005.
On Tuesday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will outline her budget proposal for the next fiscal year, and the plan will be closely watched by members of both parties in Albany since it comes with the state facing a $4 billion gap. As it turns out, New York state is not uncommon in this respect. According to a new analysis from the Pew Charitable Trusts, about half of Americans live in states with budget gaps, long-term deficits, or both. We speak with Pew's Josh Goodman.
Lawmakers are heading back to Albany for the new state legislative session. It’s expected to be a tough budget year, with an election looming in November. And Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul will once again promote a housing plan that fell short in 2023. State Assemblyman John McDonald of the 108th is hopeful the budget process will be smoother this year.
It has been three years since one of the darkest days in the history of American democracy. Michael Fanone was one of the police officers caught in the middle of Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the results of the election, inspiring supporters to sack the capitol and stop the count. Fanone was with the Metropolitan Police Department when he was attacked. He has spent the years since warning about the dangers of misinformation and the importance of sober leadership, including in his book “Hold The Line,” and testifying against January 6 participants.
The mayor of Plattsburgh is calling on the city to once again consider changing its form of government. Democrat Chris Rosenquest says he wants a new commission to explore changing from a “strong mayor” model to a “council-manager” form. Under the current setup, the mayor is the city’s chief executive and presides over the common council. A council-manager arrangement would include elected councilors and a mayor plus a hired city manager.
In 2023, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats who control the state legislature grappled over a weeks-late budget and left Albany for the year disagreeing over the governor’s housing proposal. Now, lawmakers are preparing to return to the capitol for the new session starting Jan. 3. For a preview we speak with WNYC capitol reporter Jon Campbell.
On Jan. 2 Pittsfield, Massachusetts will swear-in its first new mayor in almost a decade. City Council President Peter Marchetti won November’s election over former councilor John Krol in the race to succeed outgoing two-term Mayor Linda Tyer.
The record-setting tenure of Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno. The 2011 tornado and its recovery that remade the largest city in Western Massachusetts. The fallout from the deadly COVID outbreak at the Holyoke Soldiers Home. Those are just a few of the thousands and thousands of stories WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill has covered for WAMC since joining the station nearly 17 years ago. Now, Paul is in the final few days of a radio news career that goes back decades in the Bay State as he gets ready to retire at the end of the month.
Chris Mazdzer was the first U.S men’s singles luge athlete to win an Olympic medal. In 2018 he captured a silver medal at the Olympics. He has won 24 World Cup medals. He also competed in men’s luge doubles, winning bronze at the 2020 World Championship. And he is among a select group to have medaled in both singles and doubles in World Cup competition. This month, Mazdzer’s extraordinary competitive career came to a close in Lake Placid.
The trustees of the Vermont State Colleges system have selected Dr. Elizabeth Mauch to serve as chancellor. The system is beginning the second phase of a five-year transformation plan creating the Vermont State University.
Outgoing Mayor Patrick Madden says he believes Troy is in better shape than when he came into office eight years ago. The Democrat made righting the fiscal ship and paying off long-standing debt a priority during his time leading the Collar City. Madden says finances are stable, but Mayor-elect Carmella Mantello will need to keep a close eye on spending during a time of inflation and higher interest rates.
It has been almost 40 years since former New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s keynote address at the Democratic National Convention — a landmark moment for a generation of liberalism and one that many thought would lead to the White House. Today, Cuomo’s shadow still looms over New York state politics, even after his son left office without serving the fourth term that eluded his father. A new special three-part podcast series, “Mario Cuomo: The Last Liberal,” looks at Cuomo’s rise and legacy. It’s hosted by NY1 anchor and "New York" columnist Errol Louis.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer has held a variety of positions during his long career in government. Now, he wants to go to Washington. The former state Senator and Assemblyman has just kicked off a bid for Congress, filing to run in New York’s 16th House district — a seat currently held by fellow Democrat Jamaal Bowman. Latimer is unable to seek a third term in Westchester in 2025.
Former Florida Congresswoman Val Demings, a Democrat, and former Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, a Republican who was the longtime GOP House Whip, are taking part in Hamilton College’s Common Ground program Monday. The talk is called “Taming the Chaos in D.C.: How Can We Bridge the Divides in Washington?”
Barry Meier is a former "New York Times journalist," and author of the book “Pain Killer: A Wonder Drug's Trail of Addiction and Death.” It’s the grim story of OxyContin, the opioid epidemic, the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma, and its owners, the Sackler Family. His groundbreaking reporting helped bring the corporate malfeasance that fueled a massive wave of substance misuse to light for the first time.
In July 1973, one of the largest manhunts in New York history occurred after Robert Garrow killed four people in the Adirondacks. He was apprehended after a 12-day manhunt. His trial, which became known as “The Missing Bodies Case,” is studied internationally because his lawyers knew but did not reveal the location of two missing bodies due to attorney-client confidentiality. In the book “Sworn to Silence: The Truth Behind Robert Garrow and the Missing Bodies Case” author Jim Tracy writes about Garrow, the murders, the lawyers who defended him and their ethical decisions that are still studied. We speak with Tracy for the 50th anniversary of the manhunt.
We speak with Mike Fenton, the Springfield City Councilor from Ward 2, who says he has the votes to return to the council presidency next year.
We speak with the longtime head of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism in the Adirondacks, Jim McKenna, who will retire in April after decades in the role.
Glenville Town Supervisor Chris Koetzle will step down in May after nearly 15 years to become Executive Director of the New York State Association of Towns.
We speak with New York state Senator Dan Stec, a Republican from the North Country, about a range of issues.
Many of the key states President Joe Biden used to win the 2020 presidential election are trending away from him. That’s according to a new poll from the Siena College Research Institute. A year from the next election, it finds Biden trailing former President Trump in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada among registered voters. And joining us to break it down is Ruth Igielnik, staff editor for news surveys at the “New York Times.”
As the College of Saint Rose women’s basketball team gears up for the new season, its new coach is embracing the challenge.
The surprise attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7 has scrambled an already volatile region. It also put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long and rocky tenure under new pressure. Just days before the new war began, journalist Ruth Margalit published a long investigation of Netanyahu’s past and future in the New York Times Magazine. Also a New Yorker contributor, she has since filed harrowing reports about the Hamas attacks and their aftermath.
As the war in Israel continues, Sullivan County’s new Public Safety Commissioner has just returned from a volunteer deployment there. Scott Schulte was working as a volunteer firefighter in southern Israel on the heels of the attack by Hamas, as part of a mission by the Emergency Volunteers Project.
Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest has released his 2024 budget proposal, which he says is balanced and remains under the state-mandated tax cap. The $62 million total budget includes a $26 million General Fund. We speak with Rosenquest, a Democrat who says he worked extensively with each city department head to craft the fiscal plan.
As someone who has spent the past decade working with college students on how to do, well, this — let me start with what I know is the most important information. The deadline is January 5, 2024. The project is NPR’s College Podcast Challenge, which is back with a $5,000 grand prize for this year’s winners. It’s a chance for college students around the country to give all of us a window into their worlds in this medium we love so much. To break it down we speak with NPR’s Janet Woojeong Lee and Steve Drummond.
Probably ever since our ancestors conquered fire and the wheel, the human body and technology have intersected. Today, that means a lot of sitting at computers and looking at screens. So what does that mean for our health and today’s workforce? That’s a subject you have heard explored often on the TED Radio Hour Tuesdays at 1 p.m. on WAMC. Now, TED host Manoush Zomorodi has launched a new podcast called “Body Electric,” a special six-part series that also includes a research component from Columbia Medical School.
In June, the Pope announced that Archbishop Christopher Coyne of the Catholic Diocese of Burlington, Vermont would be reassigned to the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut. When the current Hartford Archbishop retires in 2024 he will assume that position. WAMC's Pat Bradley speaks with Coyne in an extended conversation.
We speak with NPR immigration reporter Jasmine Garsd about the Northeast's migrant influx, her identity, and why the 2022 World Cup still reverberates.
We speak with Democratic New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for an extended conversation.
With the end of summer, it’s a busy time in the world of vaccines and respiratory illness. There’s a new COVID-19 booster, plus annual flu shots and new RSV guidance. We speak with pediatrician Dr. Rosha McCoy, senior director for advancing clinical leadership and quality at the Association of American Medical Colleges.
We speak with New York state Assemblymember Didi Barrett of the 106th district about hunger, the chances of a special session this fall, and next year's state budget picture.
The New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials has a new executive director. Barbara Van Epps replaces Peter Baynes, who retired this spring after 17 years. Van Epps began in mid-August and has been with NYCOM since 2006. She previously spent more than a dozen years working for the New York State Division of the Budget’s Local Government Unit.
Most New Yorkers support using federal land and buildings as temporary shelter for migrants and making it easier for the migrants to be granted work authorizations regardless of their immigration status. That’s according to a new poll from the Siena College Research Institute, which finds 60 percent of residents also support a comprehensive immigration reform bill. We speak with Dr. Don Levy, the poll director.
If a horse becomes just the 14th to win the Triple Crown next year or the year after, history will be made at Saratoga Race Course. That’s because the New York Racing Association plans to bring the Belmont Stakes to Saratoga next June. It comes as downstate Belmont Park prepares for a nearly half-billion overhaul. It would require opening Saratoga early, in June instead of July. The Belmont is the last leg of the Triple Crown, which also includes the Kentucky Derby and Preakness. Saratoga’s season currently lasts 40 days, running five days a week from late July through Labor Day. NYRA spokesman Patrick McKenna says with state approval, the move will happen in 2024 to allow for the uninterrupted renovation at Belmont.
Amid the strikes by actors and writers, another seismic change is coming to Hollywood this month. After 25 years, Netflix is ending its DVD-by-mail business. The final red envelopes are a sign that streaming is the new normal. But for fans who appreciate the new releases and rich back catalogue, it’s a disappointing development.
Ashley Walden has been named the next leader of the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority. Walden succeeds President and CEO Mike Pratt, who is retiring after 38 years with the organization. Walden was a USA Luge competitor and Olympian before serving as Executive Director of the Adirondack Sports Council.
For Labor Day, we listen to a special interview with musician, author and actor Loudon Wainwright III, who recently performed two concerts in Saratoga Springs, where he lived decades ago.
News broke this month that right-wing media provocateur James O’Keefe, the longtime head of Project Veritas, is being investigated by the Westchester County D.A. O’Keefe shot to fame with undercover videos meant to undercut progressive non-profits and news organizations. He faces questions over financial improprieties during his time running Project Veritas, and the organization appears to be in some turmoil after O’Keefe’s exit. Reporter Matthew Phelan broke the story for The Nation.
This summer included the hottest July ever recorded on the planet. Wildfires have exploded across Canada. Europe is also experiencing extreme weather. We speak with Bill McKibben, who is among the world’s preeminent environmentalists and teaches in flood-ravaged Vermont.
About two years ago, if you spent any time in the Albany-New York state politics Twitter bubble, you probably noticed a concerted effort to boost the embattled Andrew Cuomo online — with posts attacking his accusers and his successor as governor. As it turns out, those posts were anything but organic, according to a new report by “The New York Times.” In fact, Cuomo’s sister was coordinating with some of the Democrat’s supporters in a partnership that ended up in acrimony. Reporter Nicholas Fandos wrote the story.
This part of the year is typically a down time in the world of New York state government and politics, but in recent weeks Democratic state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli has issued warnings about state budget gaps, underwhelming casino revenue impacts, and the chances for the state to reach its clean energy goals.
Six-term Tupper Lake Mayor Paul Maroun says he will not run for re-election. Maroun has worked in politics for nearly five decades. The Republican announced his decision in mid-July and says a key reason he’s not running again is a sense of increased hostility from constituents.
A potential rematch between President Biden and Donald Trump is tied among likely voters. That’s according to a Siena College Research Institute poll conducted for the New York Times, which shows both 2024 hopefuls with 43 percent support. Biden has a slight edge over Trump in terms of favorability, although both candidates’ numbers are underwater. For analysis we speak with New York Times political reporter Reid Epstein.
We speak with retired jockey Corey Nakatani, one of the newest members of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Not for the last time this year, New Hampshire is making national political news. The race for governor opened up after Republican Chris Sununu announced he will not seek a record fifth two-year term. Sununu also passed on a run for the presidential nomination at a time when New Hampshire hopes to hold on to its status as the nation’s first primary. For analysis we speak with Dr. Andrew Smith, director of the UNH Survey Center and professor of political science.
The Consul General of Canada to New York was in Plattsburgh earlier this month. Hosted by the North Country Chamber, Tom Clark visited Canadian-owned businesses and manufacturers and promoted the region’s cross-border relations. But lately when people think of Canada only one word comes to mind: wildfires.
Republicans quickly pledged to return a politically-charged redistricting case to New York’s highest court. It came after a mid-level state appeals court ordered new congressional lines be drawn for New York. The ruling could benefit Democrats in 2024. Democrats are supporting the lawsuit, which seeks to scrap the 2022 lines in New York under which […]
We speak with Jon Murad, the now permanent police chief in Vermont's largest city, Burlington.
61 percent of New Yorkers are concerned about being a victim of a crime, according to a new poll from the Siena College Research Institute. 21 percent say they are “very concerned” and 40 percent say they are “somewhat concerned.” Nearly 9 in 10 respondents think crime is a serious problem in the state and nearly 6 in 10 say it’s a serious problem in their community. New York City residents are most concerned, according to the poll. Poll director Dr. Don Levy says 40 percent of respondents have spent more than $100 on security measures.
With just months remaining in his debut two-year term, Pittsfield, Massachusetts city councilor Charles Kronick told WAMC in June that he wouldn’t be seeking re-election. From almost the beginning of his tenure, Kronick’s bombastic approach has provoked controversy both on the 11-member body and among the greater Pittsfield community. Kronick sat down with Berkshire Bureau […]
An organization responsible for identifying $5.7 billion worth of tax fraud in 2022 is one of the lesser-known federal law enforcement agencies. The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation division has more than 2,000 special agents and roughly 1,000 professional staff, making it the sixth-largest federal law enforcement agency in the U.S. It’s the only one […]
Capital Region philanthropist Ed Mitzen is trying to chart a new path in giving. The CEO of Saratoga Springs-based Fingerpaint Marketing just released his second book, “Wealthy and White: Why Guys Like Me Have to Show Up, Step Up, and Give Others a Hand Up.”
New York state lawmakers have left Albany – this time for good. The Assembly was back at the capitol in mid-June to finish its work on a number of bills, and now lawmakers have returned to their districts for the rest of the year. In the coming months, Governor Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats who control the legislature will start mapping out the next state session and budget, while also keeping a close eye on the 2024 campaign calendar. We catch up with Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt.
The states of emergency and lawsuits that several New York counties put in place to stop New York City from bussing an overflow of asylum seekers upstate is just one example of a growing divide between the Big Apple and its surrounding localities. That’s according to a new report in the New York Times by Jesse McKinley, who also points to housing, crime and congestion pricing as flashpoints. McKinley is a metro reporter and a familiar voice on WAMC during his years covering the New York state capitol.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken just met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping as the two nations work to patch up their damaged relationship. The high-profile meeting was months in the making and both sides say much work remains amid mutual suspicion and rivalry. Blinken is now turning his attention to the war in Ukraine, announcing a new aid package — at the same time China pledged not to supply arms to Russia. For analysis we speak with Hamilton College Professor Alan Cafruny, an expert on international relations.
The Vermont Legislature has completed its veto session, overriding several of Governor Phil Scott’s vetoes, including the new state budget. It caps legislative action this year as the popular Republican governor confronted a statehouse with Democratic-led supermajorities. We speak with WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley, who has been following the twists and turns in Montpelier.
We recently featured a report about the Olympic Regional Development Authority’s role and future in New York’s Catskills and Adirondacks regions. The story raises questions about state investments in the facilities that date back to the 1980 Olympics, the state’s ongoing support of ORDA, and how the region views the impact of winter sports today. For a different perspective, we speak with Mike Pratt, ORDA’s President and CEO.
The 2024 presidential campaign got a jolt when former President Donald Trump appeared in a Florida court to face dozens of counts related to his handling of top-secret documents and efforts to obstruct justice. Republicans around the country are now deciding whether to break with the party leader or embrace his claims about the special prosecutor. On the Democratic side, President Biden is trying to build enthusiasm amid mounting concerns about his age as he runs for a second term. For an update we speak with Quinnipiac University Poll analyst Tim Malloy.
Lawmakers have left the New York state capitol in Albany after a sometimes rocky legislative session. For analysis we speak with Dave Lombardo, host of public radio’s “Capitol Pressroom.”
The legacy of the 1980 Winter Olympics looms large in New York’s collective memory. But even after millions of dollars in state subsidies and investments, the future of the Lake Placid region is an open question. A new investigation into the Olympic Regional Development Authority raises questions about return on investment, management, and more. The new piece in “Adirondack Life” is called “New York State’s risky investment in Lake Placid’s Olympic Dream,” co-authored by upstate resident and NPR reporter Brian Mann.
We speak with Mark Leibovich about his new article about baseball's rules changes in "The Atlantic," and cover the latest 2024 presidential politics.
From Governor Kathy Hochul’s election to a full term to the dramatic rejection of her first choice for chief judge to an overdue state budget, it has been an eventful few months in New York politics. Now, the legislative session is down to its final days, with a number of outstanding issues still on the table. We speak with WAMC Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt.
WWE Raw will be broadcast live from the MVP Arena in Albany May 29. On a tour of the arena, we explored the International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame nestled inside. Hall president Seth Turner led the tour and explained the hall’s significance.
It happened more than a month behind schedule, but New York state has a new budget. The $229 billion package agreed to by Governor Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats who control the legislature includes changes to bail reform laws, the minimum wage, and new requirements to shift people to clean energy. But Hochul’s ambitious housing plan fell off the table. We speak with WNYC capitol reporter Jon Campbell.
New York’s largest teachers’ union has elected a new president. Melinda Person was picked by delegates to lead the New York State United Teachers. Person has served as NYSUT’s executive director and political director since 2019.
We meet Steve Kerrigan, the new head of the Massachusetts Democratic Party — which holds every important office in the state.
President Biden has made it official: he’s running for re-election in 2024. Biden is hoping his legislative achievements and a call to work together will resonate with voters, who remain bitterly divided and dissatisfied with Washington. Biden would be 86 at the end of his second term, and faces a possible 2020 rematch against former President Donald Trump — or a matchup with a number of other ambitious Republicans. For analysis we speak with by New York state Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs.
Spanish-speaking drivers in Westchester County may have been wrongfully convicted of drunk driving for years because of unofficial instructions about sobriety tests. That’s according to a new ProPublica report, which finds New York State Police provided mistranslated directions to drivers about what refusing a blood alcohol test actually means. Now, the Westchester County DA says it is reviewing a backlog of possibly affected cases. And the State Police say the document given to the drivers between 2014 and 2018 was not official. We speak with reporter Brett Murphy.
If you want to know from a golden age of comedy, you might be able to take your wife…please…to a new museum in Ellenville, New York. Plans were recently announced for The Borscht Belt Museum in the Catskills, which will celebrate the Borscht Belt’s legacy with artifacts, photos, and memorabilia. For more, we speak with Andrew Jacobs, co-president of the museum’s Board of Trustees.
As the Republican Party begins to decide how it feels about a third White House run by Donald Trump, Fox News remains a major player in how the next campaign will shake out. But the defamation lawsuits against the cable news behemoth have helped uncover the distance between Fox’s interest in appeasing its viewers with conspiracy theories and outright falsehoods and what its top talent and ownership have been saying behind the scenes since the 2020 campaign. New York Times reporter Jim Rutenberg has been covering Fox and the Murdochs for years. His latest New York Times Magazine story is called “How Fox Chased Its Audience Down The Rabbit Hole.”
Redistricting is supposed to happen once a decade, after the latest Census data is released, but if New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Tish James have their way, the state could reopen this particular can of worms. For analysis, we speak with Columbia Law School Professor Richard Briffault.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is facing new scrutiny for failing to report expensive vacations and travel from a Republican megadonor and developer. According to an investigative report by ProPublica, the justice of more than three decades has traveled on a private jet and stayed in luxurious facilities every year without disclosing the trips. One destination has been in the Adirondacks, on St. Regis Lake. We speak with ProPublica reporter Justin Elliott.
We speak with NPR "All Things Considered" host Mary Louise Kelly about her new memoir, "It. Goes. So Fast.," about the last year with both children at home.
As the nation approaches the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning the landmark abortion rights ruling Roe v. Wade, a new coalition of 22 lieutenant governors has formed. The Reproductive Freedom Coalition says it will work to protect and expand reproductive rights and access to care. Lieutenant Governors from New York, Massachusetts and Vermont are part of the group, which was put together by Connecticut Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, a second-term Democrat.
We sit down with Plattsburgh Mayor Chris Rosenquest and Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman, both Democrats.
From intrigue at the Vatican to the migrant crisis in Europe to the pleasures of the abundant food and culture of Italy, Sylvia Poggioli has spent more than 50 years in journalism, including the last 41 on NPR’s international desk. Now, Poggioli is wrapping up her tenure — personally moving on to new adventures while simultaneously leaving these airwaves a little less rich. But before she goes, Sylvia Poggioli joins us to look back and ahead.
WAMC's Ian Pickus takes part in a media panel at Saratoga Springs Public Library along with Thomas Dimopoulos from Saratoga TODAY, Will Pedigo from WMHT Public Media, Miles Reed of the Daily Gazette, Tom Eschen from WRGB CBS 6 News, and Anya Tucker of WTEN ABC News10.
Housing. Criminal justice. Tuition. In the final days before the start of the new fiscal year on April 1st, New York Governor Kathy Hochul and fellow Democrats who control the legislature appear to be at odds over a number of issues. So — will the budget be late for the second year in a row? We speak with WNYC’s Jon Campbell, who covers the capital.
If you’ve ever heard a probing interview or feature report from a far-flung nation by Ari Shapiro on WAMC, you may have wondered about the person behind the “All Things Considered” voice. Things like: just how do you get a story filed from Air Force One? Why does this guy know so much about flora and fauna? And how did he go from reporting on Pink Martini to joining the band? Those are just some of Shapiro’s experiences detailed in his new memoir, “The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening.”
If you’ve ever heard a probing interview or feature report from a far-flung nation by Ari Shapiro on WAMC, you may have wondered about the person behind the “All Things Considered” voice. Things like: just how do you get a story filed from Air Force One? Why does this guy know so much about flora and fauna? And how did he go from reporting on Pink Martini to joining the band? Those are just some of Shapiro’s experiences detailed in his new memoir, “The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening.”
The NCAA men's basketball tournament returned to Albany over the weekend for the first time since 2003.
A documentary that focuses on the ever-present question of immigration and refugee resettlement in upstate New York is beginning a weeklong run in Albany starting Friday. “Utica: The Last Refuge” is a poignant exploration of how Utica embraced refugees to turn around its falling population, fill vital jobs, and create a new future.
With the NCAA men's basketball tournament returning to Albany for the first time in 20 years, we take an audio tour of MVP Arena and inspect its many recent upgrades.
Central Hudson Gas and Electric is going through a period of intense public scrutiny and a related leadership transition. Chris Capone has just taken over as president and CEO as the utility responds to widespread criticism over its billing practices.
We preview Town Meeting Day in Vermont Tuesday with Middlebury College political science professor Bert Johnson, who hopes the old-fashioned tradition will continue.
We conclude our special series on the anniversary of the war in Ukraine by meeting two Capital Region figures who have marshalled local support.
We continue marking the anniversary of the war in Ukraine with stories about Russians and Ukrainians in the Capital Region. And experts from western Massachusetts weigh in on the geopolitical implications.
We mark the grim first anniversary of the war in Ukraine with a series of pieces about residents of the Northeast who have aided in the conflict. On this episode, a northern New York veterinarian travels overseas to help, and a Western Massachusetts woman with family ties to the nation helps refugees.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference has named Travis Tellitocci its new commissioner. Tellitocci replaces the retiring Rich Ensor, who set a national record by spending 35 years in the role. Tellitocci, the conference’s fourth commissioner, has served as assistant commissioner for football, basketball and officiating for the Ohio Valley Conference for the past six years. We speak with the 2004 graduate of conference member Marist, where he later served as deputy athletics director.
As we’ve been discussing for weeks here, the nomination of Hector LaSalle to be New York state’s next chief judge is at a stalemate. Noah Rosenblum teaches law at New York University School of Law and has advocated for court reform in New York. He also clerked in the New York State Court of Appeals. He tells us why he thinks the nomination is dead.
For millions of Americans, betting on sports is getting easier all the time. And they seem to like it. That’s the conclusion of a new survey from the American Gaming Association. The trade group says betting on the Super Bowl this year accounted for $16 billion in wagering from more than 50 million Americans. We speak with vice president of research of David Forman.
The football world has descended on Arizona for Super Bowl 57. The Chiefs and the Eagles, will take center stage Sunday. The Eagles are hoping to win their second title since 2017, while the Chiefs are in the big game for the third time in four years. For a preview, we speak with WAMC Sports Commentator Keith Strudler, director of the school of communication and media at Montclair State University.
The embattled longtime chair of the Massachusetts Republican Party has been ousted. Jim Lyons, a steadfast Trump backer who frequently clashed with two-term Governor Charlie Baker and often wound up in the headlines for controversial statements, was narrowly voted out last week. The state committee backed Amy Carnevale instead. For analysis we speak with Emma Platoff of the Boston Globe.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is confronting one of her first major tests after winning a full term in November. Her pick for the state’s new chief judge, Hector LaSalle, is being opposed by a coalition of progressive groups — and crucially, more than a dozen Democrats in the state Senate. We break it down with Albany Law School Professor Vincent Bonventre, who has been following the twists and turns on his New York Court Watcher website.
By Albany standards, it has been a rocky start to the New York state legislative session, with Governor Kathy Hochul’s pick for chief judge rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee and ongoing disagreement about how to approach public safety. Hochul delivers her state budget plan this week. We catch up with Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt.
“Mr. Patroon” is coming back to Albany. After Will Brown stepped down as head coach last month, the Albany Patroons say Derrick Rowland is returning as head coach for the 2023 season that starts in March. Rowland has played for and coached the Albany Patroons dating back to their 1982 inception. A star player who led the Patroons to two titles, Rowland will begin his third stint as head coach for the team that plays in The Basketball League. Rowland spent last season coaching in Oklahoma.
For as long as anyone can remember, New Hampshire has held the nation’s first primary of the presidential election cycle. But that century-old tradition is in jeopardy now that the Democratic National Committee is looking to shake up the primary calendar.. A Granite State Poll from the University of New Hampshire finds two-thirds of respondents support the state’s first-in-the-nation status. And support for it is growing. We break it down with Dr. Andrew Smith, Director of the UNH Survey Center and professor of political science.
Although he stepped aside after two terms earlier this month, former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker isn’t going away. The Republican who played basketball at Harvard is about to take on another high-profile position as the new president of the NCAA. Baker starts the job in March, and it comes at a time of acute changes and challenges in college sports. For analysis of the move, we speak with Malcolm Moran, who directs the Sports Capital Journalism Program at IUPUI in Indianapolis, home to NCAA headquarters.
Listeners to WAMC count on hearing the regional weather forecast each day at 6:52 a.m. and during Midday Magazine — they really count on it — but meteorologist Paul Caiano got some big news at his home station the other day. As he nears 30 years at NewsChannel 13, WNYT, Caiano was named Chief Meteorologist, a bit of ceremony that allowed the broadcaster to air some early 90s B-roll.
The U.S. House and Senate have been a study in contrasts in the early days of the new Congressional term, with majority House Republicans struggling just to get organized, while it has been business as usual for majority Senate Democrats. To discuss the highlights of 2022 and her hopes for the new term, we speak with Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
After becoming the first woman sworn in for a full term as New York Governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul will deliver her State of the State address on Tuesday. It comes as she prepares to unveil her budget plan, and as she stands by her embattled pick for the state’s next chief judge. To preview the governor’s address and the legislative session, we speak with capitol reporter Jon Campbell of WNYC.
2023 means a major shakeup in Massachusetts state government and politics. Two-term Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey is preparing to replace outgoing two-term Republican Governor Charlie Baker. Healey has been naming cabinet officials and working with incoming Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll to staff up the administration. Massachusetts also has a new attorney general and state auditor on the way, and Democrats held overwhelming majorities on Beacon Hill after November’s midterms. For a preview we speak with Matt Murphy of State House News.
2023 means a major shakeup in Massachusetts state government and politics. Two-term Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey is preparing to replace outgoing two-term Republican Governor Charlie Baker. Healey has been naming cabinet officials and working with incoming Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll to staff up the administration. Massachusetts also has a new attorney general and state auditor on the way, and Democrats held overwhelming majorities on Beacon Hill after November’s midterms. For a preview we speak with Matt Murphy of State House News.
Now that she has a secured a full term, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has a busy agenda for 2023 including a new state budget, dealing with calls for criminal justice changes, and getting her pick for chief judge through the state Senate. As lawmakers return to Albany, the state is moving ahead with a new comprehensive climate plan, and confronting an uncertain economic outlook. For a preview of the legislative session, we speak with WAMC Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt.
After two special sessions in 2022, New York state lawmakers are coming back to Albany for the new term starting January 4. Democrats will retain their majorities in the state Senate and Assembly, and Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul is back for a full term after a narrow win in November’s election. In addition to the state budget process, lawmakers are also likely to consider criminal justice measures and more. For a preview, we speak with state Assemblyman John McDonald of the 108th district.
Longtime Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison is wrapping up his tenure in that role, but he’s staying in public office in the new year. After two terms as mayor, the Republican won November’s election to represent the new 39th district in the New York state Senate. Public safety was a key campaign issue for veteran of the Poughkeepsie police.
The 2022 economic headlines were dominated by inflation at 40-year highs, the Federal Reserve dramatically raising interest rates, the impacts of the war in Ukraine and the bankruptcy of a cryptocurrency exchange. Heading into 2023, we speak with Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief economist at Hugh Johnson Advisors, about what 2023 might hold.
In January, Republican Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison will leave his post to assume his new role as State Senator from New York’s 39th District. City administrator Marc Nelson will be sworn in as acting mayor. Nelson joined the Rolison administration in 2016. He was appointed Finance Commissioner at a time when the city was facing tough fiscal hurdles. He was named city administrator in 2017.
With another holiday season upon us, we discuss the risks of respiratory disease with Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, as health officials warn of a "tri-demic."
To mark the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., we speak with WSHU's Davis Dunavin about his new podcast, "Still Newtown." Dunavin covered the 2012 shootings that killed 20 first-graders and six educators.
We speak with New York state Assemblymember Deborah Glick, who chairs the Higher Education Committee, about the appointment of John King as the next SUNY Chancellor.
The holiday season is always a busy one in the Saratoga Springs area, but this year there are new concerns about the downtown bar scene following a shootout around 3 a.m. on a recent Sunday. In the meantime, a new business is sprouting up in New York, after the first retail marijuana licenses were issued. We speak with Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
The holiday season is always a busy one in the Saratoga Springs area, but this year there are new concerns about the downtown bar scene following a shootout around 3 a.m. on a recent Sunday. In the meantime, a new business is sprouting up in New York, after the first retail marijuana licenses were issued. We speak with Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
We recap the midterm election results and preview the next Congressional term, as Democrats move on from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, with Joan Walsh of "The Nation."
It is a time of transition in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. Although New York Governor Kathy Hochul won a full term on Election Day, Democrats elsewhere suffered defeats that may have cost them control of the House of Representatives. Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney fell to Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler in the new 17th district. And Republicans also made gains in the state Senate. Joining me now is Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who has served in both houses of the state legislature.
It is a time of transition in New York’s lower Hudson Valley. Although New York Governor Kathy Hochul won a full term on Election Day, Democrats elsewhere suffered defeats that may have cost them control of the House of Representatives. Democrat Sean Patrick Maloney fell to Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler in the new 17th district. And Republicans also made gains in the state Senate. Joining me now is Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who has served in both houses of the state legislature.
For Thanksgiving, we take an audio tour deep inside the Polar Seltzer factory in Worcester, Mass.
For Thanksgiving, we take an audio tour deep inside the Polar Seltzer factory in Worcester, Mass.
Although Republicans didn’t break their losing streak in New York statewide elections in the midterms, they made big gains in races for Congress that could prove pivotal. It comes after the original redistricted maps were deemed too partisan, dealing Democrats a crucial blow in their efforts to retain control of the House. One person with plenty of insight into the maps, running statewide and representing the Hudson Valley in Congress is John Faso.
In this post-election, post-World Series moment, the intersection of baseball and politics nearly a century ago is the subject of a lecture this week at the New York State Museum. University of Maryland historian Robert Chiles will speak Thursday in Albany with a talk titled “Babe Ruth Gets Political: Sports and Identity Politics in the Roaring Twenties.” Chiles, research associate in history with the state museum, is co-editor of “New York History” and the author of a book on Gov. Al Smith and the progressive era.
In this post-election, post-World Series moment, the intersection of baseball and politics nearly a century ago is the subject of a lecture this week at the New York State Museum. University of Maryland historian Robert Chiles will speak Thursday in Albany with a talk titled “Babe Ruth Gets Political: Sports and Identity Politics in the Roaring Twenties.” Chiles, research associate in history with the state museum, is co-editor of “New York History” and the author of a book on Gov. Al Smith and the progressive era.
On Election Day, Democrats held off Republicans enough to avoid a “red wave” election. But defying expectations of an Obama midterm-like shellacking doesn’t mean it’s all good news for the party. One of the stinging defeats for Democrats was that of five-term Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, who became the first Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee head to lose their seat in 40 years. Maloney lost to first-term Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler in New York’s new 17th district. We break down the results with Alexis Grenell of The Nation and Pythia Public.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul became the first woman ever elected to the role Tuesday, turning away a challenge from Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin. The race was one of the closest in the Empire State in recent history, but in the end, Democrats extended their 20-year statewide winning streak. Capitol Correspondent Karen DeWitt was at Hochul’s victory party in Manhattan.
Colleges and universities are adapting and changing in response to the educational disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Robert Johnson arrived on the still-closed campus of Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts in the summer of 2020 to be introduced as the new president. With decades of experience as a higher education administrator, Johnson firmly believes in-person learning is essential.
We don’t know what the results will be yet, but Massachusetts voters will definitely elect a new governor on Nov. 8, with Republican Charlie Baker stepping aside after two terms. That is among the closely-watched state races in this midterm cycle. Nationally, Republicans are hoping to make inroads in key House and Senate races as they bid to regain control in Washington. For perspective, we speak with former two-term Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, a Democrat who is now teaching at Harvard.
Many people from the Northeast head south for the winter, but scientist Lija Treibergs will be taking it to the extreme. The Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute research associate is going to Antarctica for three months starting in late November. It’s her second deployment to Antarctica to study lakes in dry valleys and conduct lab analysis at McMurdo Station. Treibergs says the work there helps inform her research in the Adirondacks.
With Election Day fast approaching, New York Governor Kathy Hochul holds a 52-to-41-point lead over her Republican opponent, Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin, according to a new Siena College Research Institute poll. But Zeldin is making gains in some areas of the state. For analysis we speak with Siena’s Steve Greenberg.
We speak with the mayor of Kingston, N.Y., Democrat Steve Noble, about his $50 million budget proposal for a city that has seen an influx of residents and spending from downstate.
We speak with the mayor of Kingston, N.Y., Democrat Steve Noble, about his $50 million budget proposal for a city that has seen an influx of residents and spending from downstate.
How crime in Albany factors into New York’s gubernatorial race. We hear from Long Island Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin, who campaigned in Albany last week, and the Democratic city mayor, Kathy Sheehan, who says Zeldin missed the mark.
How crime in Albany factors into New York’s gubernatorial race. We hear from Long Island Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin, who campaigned in Albany last week, and the Democratic city mayor, Kathy Sheehan, who says Zeldin missed the mark.
With a new Supreme Court term now under way, including a new justice, public trust in the court is sharply down. Chief Justice John Roberts has publicly fretted about that dynamic, which follows high-profile rulings last term on guns and abortion, and an increasing sense of politicization around the court. Linda Greenhouse covered the court for three decades for the New York Times and continues to write about it, including her latest book: “Justice on the Brink.”
With a new Supreme Court term now under way, including a new justice, public trust in the court is sharply down. Chief Justice John Roberts has publicly fretted about that dynamic, which follows high-profile rulings last term on guns and abortion, and an increasing sense of politicization around the court. Linda Greenhouse covered the court for three decades for the New York Times and continues to write about it, including her latest book: “Justice on the Brink.”
State and local health officials have had a bruising couple of years in New York, where COVID-19, monkeypox and poliovirus have all demanded acute responses. In Orange County, Dr. Alicia Pointer recently took over as the new Commissioner of Health, after previous posts as Chief of Pediatrics at Cornerstone Family Healthcare in Newburgh, Middletown Community Health Center, and Caring Health Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
New York State Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon has accepted a recommendation by the Farm Laborers Wage Board to lower the farmworker overtime threshold from 60 to 40 hours per week. The order follows years of debate and a 2-to-1 vote by the body in September. The change will be phased-in over a decade. Advocates say it’s overdue, but some elected officials from both parties and agricultural groups oppose the move, saying it will decimate small farms. Emma Kreyche is with the Worker Justice Center of New York, which supported the move.
We sit down with folk music host Wanda Fischer, who is marking 40 years of bringing WAMC listeners "The Hudson River Sampler" with a special tribute concert Saturday.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul remains in strong position to win a full term over Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin. That’s according to the latest poll from the Siena College Research Institute, which finds Hochul up 54-to-37 percent among likely voters. In fact, Democrats are leading all statewide elections in the poll, as Republicans hope to break a 20-year losing streak. The poll also finds that when it comes to likely voters from both parties, it’s still the economy, stupid. For analysis we speak with Siena’s Steve Greenberg.
As leaf-peeping season arrives, we get a fall preview from Taryn Bauerle, associate professor of plant science at Cornell University in Ithaca, and Vermont Commissioner of the Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation Michael Snyder, also the state forester.
As he seeks a second term, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont is leading the race against Republican challenger Bob Stefanowski. That’s according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, which finds Lamont ahead 57-to-40 percent among likely voters. The poll finds just 15 percent of voters might change their minds before November’s election. Fellow Democrat Richard Blumenthal, the incumbent, is leading the race for U.S. Senate by the same margin. For analysis we speak with poll director Doug Schwartz.
Shelter and humanitarian support are being offered for about 50 migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard last week in what critics call a political stunt by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Governor Charlie Baker activated 125 members of the Massachusetts National Guard as part of the state’s emergency response plan. DeSantis’ maneuver is part of a larger move by Republican critics of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies hoping to target so-called sanctuary states. Locals have largely reacted with open arms. For analysis, we speak with Elora Mukherjee of Columbia Law School, where she runs the immigrants’ rights clinic.
As the November midterms approach, America seems to be heading for another nail-biter. Republicans have long banked on taking control of the House and perhaps the Senate, while Democrats point to recent successes by President Biden and in special elections as evidence that it’s too early for a political obituary. According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, though, the map favors Republicans on both the House and Senate side. At the same time, there are ever fewer fair fight districts. For analysis we speak with Amy Walter, publisher and editor-in-chief of The Cook Political Report.
The college sports landscape is changing, especially for athletes, who are slowly gaining ground in their long battle to control, and potentially profit from, their name, image and likeness — or NIL. New York is waiting to see if Governor Kathy Hochul signs a bill passed this year to authorize NIL legislation, which would make it the 30th state to do so. Bennett Liebman, who served as deputy secretary for gaming and racing in the Cuomo administration in addition to many other government roles, is a government lawyer in residence at Albany Law School, where the Government Law Center has just released an analysis of New York’s NIL future.
Over his many decades in public life, Richard Ravitch has worked in the private sector and the upper echelons of New York state government. The former Lieutenant Governor and Metropolitan Transportation Authority chair is now on the Board of Directors of the Volcker Alliance, the non-profit established a decade ago by former Fed Chair Paul Volcker that aims to bolster the public sector workforce and keep government spending honest. Ravitch served as Lieutenant Governor under Gov. David Paterson through 2010.
One of the leading figures in America’s response to the coronavirus pandemic will soon leave the federal government. Dr. Anthony Fauci is stepping aside in December. The octogenarian is the nation’s top infectious disease expert and serves as President Biden’s chief medical adviser. Journalist and author Michael Specter, a “New Yorker” staff writer, knows Fauci well, having covered him for decades, including the 2020 audiobook “Fauci.”
The college football season has kicked off, and the University at Albany has a tall order in its opener today. The Great Danes are in Waco, Texas to face No. 10 Baylor, the reigning Big 12 champion, before a home game against Colonial Athletic Association foe New Hampshire Sept. 10. Head coach Greg Gattuso is entering his ninth season and is looking to bring UAlbany back to the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Four years ago, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan finished second in the Democratic primary in New York’s 19th Congressional district. Now, he is finally heading to Washington.
We break down the primary results for New York state Senate and Congress with New York State Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs.
Goldwater…McCain….the end of American democracy? New York Times Magazine reporter Robert Draper has been taking a close look at Arizona and the state of conservatism there, where former President Donald Trump’s big lie about the 2020 election continues to reverberate and the GOP nominee for governor who decries "fake news" is a former Albany, N.Y. news anchor.
While public health officials work to contain the spread of COVID-19 and monkeypox, there is new concern about the polio virus after a polio case was confirmed in Rockland County in July, the first in the U.S. since 2013. The virus has also been detected in Orange County. We speak with Dr. Daniel Pastula, a neuro-infectious disease expert at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and an expert on polio.
We speak with New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand about the midterms, the PACT Act, the CHIPS Act, Biden 2024, and more.
The Colonie Town Board recently passed a local law meant to improve cell phone service in the Capital Region’s largest suburb, in Albany County. The law provides a process by which wireless carriers may apply for permits to add cell nodes to existing poles and structures. We speak with Republican Town Supervisor Peter Crummey about why the measure was needed and much more.
There was a flurry of activity on Beacon Hill in the closing days of the Massachusetts state legislative session, the last for two-term Republican Governor Charlie Baker. Baker signed a nearly $53 billion budget that includes spending increases, and lawmakers sent the governor a series of reforms to how the state oversees soldiers’ homes – following the devastating COVID outbreaks during the height of the pandemic. We break it down with Matt Murphy of Statehouse News Service.
Voters go to the polls Tuesday for primary day in an unusually busy political year in Vermont. Up for grabs this year are seats in the U.S. House and Senate, plus governor, attorney general, secretary of state, and lieutenant governor, and the entire statehouse. With Senator Patrick Leahy’s retirement setting off the domino effect, voters have the opportunity to send a woman to Congress for the first time in the state’s long history. We speak with Bert Johnson, professor of Political Science at Middlebury College.
While sports fans in New York have gotten used to placing sports wagers this year, Massachusetts has remained one of the last Northeast states without legal sports betting. But that is likely to change soon, after lawmakers hammered out a compromise bill in the late hours of the legislative session. That was just one of the bills that took shape in a flurry of last-minute deals on Beacon Hill. A lead negotiator was Longmeadow State Senator and Democratic lieutenant governor hopeful Eric Lesser.
The longtime former state chair of New York’s Conservative Party has died at age 82. Michael Long served in the role from 1988 to 2019 — stepping down at a time when a Republican president from New York was delivering many conservative wish list items. We speak with his successor, Jerry Kassar.
As this dry hot summer continues, a Level 3-Critical Drought has been declared in Central and Northeast Massachusetts, while the Connecticut River Valley Region is in a Level 2-Significant Drought and the western end of the state is experiencing mild drought. Top state officials are urging water conservation and fire vigilance. We speak with Vandana Rao, the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Director of Water Policy.
With SEFCU Arena now 30 years old, the University at Albany has announced major renovation plans for the building that is home to the men’s and women’s basketball teams. Construction on the project begins in August and is scheduled to be completed in November 2023. The SUNY campus says the $12 million project will be paid for entirely with private funds, with $8.5 million already pledged. UAlbany also announced a separate $2.5 million plan to upgrade the adjacent Physical Education Gym. We speak with UAlbany athletics director Mark Benson.
With school boards across New York reorganizing after voters went to the polls in May, an analysis has been released on the 2022 elections. The New York State School Boards Association looked at voter turnout, board member incumbency and the major issues. We speak with the Association’s David Albert.
The busy summer racing season is now underway in Saratoga Springs. It’s also the first summer tourism season for City Public Safety Commissioner Jim Montagnino. And we speak with New York Racing Association President and CEO David O’Rourke.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the American Heart Association are warning of a looming food shortage for millions of children in the coming school year if Congress doesn’t take action. The reason is the end of pandemic-era child nutrition waivers that funded free meals for students at school. We speak with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation CEO Dr. Richard Besser, the former acting head of the CDC, and American Heart Association CEO Nancy Brown.
As another summer meet at Saratoga Race Course approaches, thoroughbred horse racing advocates say the troubled sport is beginning a new era of oversight and accountability. The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority established by Congress in 2020 is overseeing efforts to implement standard and nationalized rules with respect to safety and doping. The authority’s new CEO is Lisa Lazarus.
A major step forward has been taken in a long-gestating transportation project in Western Massachusetts. The Berkshire Flyer is beginning pilot rail service between Pittsfield and New York City this week. The four-hour Amtrak ride is the culmination of years of planning. A key figure in all of that is Massachusetts State Senator Adam Hinds of Pittsfield, a Democrat.
In May, a portrait of a late World War II soldier was returned to its family after it was unknowingly stored for decades in an upstate New York home. We bring you this unusual and touching story.
With the start of summer, the New York State Department of Health is shutting down some mass COVID-19 vaccination sites. At the same time, Albany County is reporting its lowest number of COVID cases and hospitalizations since April, following a severe uptick earlier this spring. The good news locally also comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced young children can begin to receive a COVID vaccine. For an update, we speak with Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen.
According to a new nationwide poll, more than three-quarters of adults have been personally affected by extreme weather in the past five years — and that experience makes them more likely to call climate change a crisis than those who haven’t experienced a heat wave, hurricane, flooding or the like. The poll is from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, NPR and Harvard Chan School of Public Health, and also measures attitudes about health and economic impacts of extreme weather. We speak with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Chief Science Officer Alonzo Plough.
We speak with U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat helming rare talks over new Congressional gun control measures. Murphy calls it a 10-year priority.
Let’s say you’ve been arrested for a white collar crime and prison is looking inevitable. Whatever emotional rollercoaster awaits, there are resources available — and they don’t come from the state. That’s the subject of Jack Hitt’s new piece in the New York Times magazine, called “Want to do less time? A prison consultant might be able to help.” Hitt is a familiar voice on WAMC as an influential This American Life contributor, and his decades of journalism also include the podcast Uncivil.
We speak with a local leader, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, about national calls for gun reform, and Quinnipiac University polling analyst Tim Malloy, who says three-quarters of Americans now want to raise the age to buy a firearm.
Kingston Mayor Steve Noble is urging the Common Council to opt into a housing emergency declaration following the completion of a new rental vacancy study.
Democratic Assemblyman Gottfried is wrapping up 52 years in the New York state legislature, ending his run as the longest-serving lawmaker in state history. To put in all in perspective, Gottfried was elected at age 23 and just marked his 75th birthday. He represents the 75th district.
Now that a judge has finalized new House maps drawn by a special master in New York state, we’re meeting some candidates for Congress who are racing to meet voters ahead of the August primary. Attorney Josh Riley of Ithaca is running in the new 19th district, which stretches from the Finger Lakes to the Southern Tier, from parts of the lower Hudson Valley to Greene and Columbia County.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott has ended months of speculation by confirming he will run for a fourth two-year term this year. The decision comes at a particularly unsettled time in Green Mountain State politics, with multiple statewide constitutional officers leaving and a major shakeup on the horizon in the Congressional delegation. We get analysis from Middlebury College political science professor Bert Johnson.
In what is shaping up to be a busy and confusing election year in New York, there are new districts, new candidates, and even a new primary election day. While politicos pore over the redistricting state legislative and Congressional maps, there are statewide elections this year for constitutional officers and U.S. Senate, plus the entire statehouse and Congressional delegation. AARP New York State Director Beth Finkel is trying to get the word out about where and when to vote in this pivotal election year.
New Yorkers voted last week for public school budgets and board of education candidates in a year when national issues divided many local communities. Turnout was sharply up in many districts. According to the New York State School Boards Association, 99 percent of district budgets were approved, including a handful that overrode the tax cap. We speak with Executive Director Robert Schneider.
Democratic Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan says he will run in the forthcoming special election to replace Congressman Antonio Delgado. Delgado, who defeated Ryan in the 2018 primary, will be leaving the current 19th district to become lieutenant governor. Ryan’s campaign says he will then campaign in the new 18th district this fall. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, a Republican candidate in the current 19th district, says he will continue running there. The special election to complete Delgado’s term is likely to be in August.
Last summer, New York state politics underwent a seismic shift when Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned, thrusting his Lieutenant Governor, Kathy Hochul, into the spotlight. Now, the lieutenant governor slot is dominating headlines again. One person who has been on both sides of this dynamic is former Governor David Paterson, who was LG from 2007 to 2008 and the governor through 2010.
The Biden administration says it will convene a conference on hunger, nutrition and health in September — the first such gathering since 1969. The conference has been a top priority for Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern, a Democrat from the 2nd district. In addition to chairing the Rules Committee, McGovern sits on the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations.
Last summer, Albany Institute of History and Art Executive Director Tammis Groft announced her retirement after more than four decades at the museum. Now, the state’s oldest museum says Buffalo native Kristen Oehlrich will take over June 1. Oehlrich, who holds a PhD in the History of Art and Architecture and an MBA, both from Brown, has also worked at Williams College and the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, among many other postings.
If you thought you finally had the New York election picture — primary dates and new districts — sorted out, think again. New York’s highest court rejected new district maps as “unconstitutional,” echoing complaints from Republican plaintiffs that they favored Democrats. For analysis, we speak with Richard Briffault of Columbia Law School, an expert on redistricting, gerrymandering, voting rights and election law.
Congressman Richard Neal, the chair of the Ways and Means Committee, and Republican Governor Charlie Baker have come together to call for a new authority to oversee expanded east-west commuter rail in Massachusetts. Neal, a Democrat from the 1st district, spoke alongside the governor and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno at the renovated Union Station in Springfield, which will be a key link in the expansion.
New York was one of 17 states that lost population in 2021, and the pace of population growth nationally was five times slower last year than over the preceding decade. Those are some of the highlights of a new analysis by Pew, which finds New York state led the nation in population decline. Pew associate manager Joanna Biernacka-Lievestro wrote the analysis.
The University of New Hampshire Survey Center has released a new poll on a variety of Vermont races and political figures. Center director Dr. Andrew Smith discusses the poll and what he's learning about Hungarian politics and the crisis in Ukraine by spending this semester in Budapest.
We speak with New York Governor Kathy Hochul about the arrest and resignation of her pick for Lieutenant Governor, Brian Benjamin, and the sponsor of a bill in the legislature to change election law so Benjamin can be dropped from the ballot.
Members of Congress from the House Intelligence Committee are just back from a trip to Eastern Europe. Democratic Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of New York’s 18th got an update on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the effects on neighboring countries that are now sheltering millions of refugees.
New York State has a new $220 billion budget, approved while most residents were sleeping. Governor Kathy Hochul’s first spending plan came together a week past the deadline. We run through the major issues with Cohoes Democratic State Assemblyman John McDonald of the 108th district.
A new book explores Hall of Fame lacrosse coach Richie Moran's impact on lacrosse in upstate New York and beyond. We speak with with Christian Swezey, author of “We Showed Baltimore: The Lacrosse Revolution of the 1970s and Richie Moran’s Big Red,” about how the sport transformed from one dominated by schools and players from the Mid-Atlantic.
We speak with New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand about Ketanji Brown Jackson, Ukraine, her idea for postal banking, and what she thinks about "The True," a play being performed in Albany about her grandmother, Polly Noonan.
Governor Kathy Hochul is heralding a deal to keep the Buffalo Bills in New York. After months of talks, the Democrat says a new $1.4 billion stadium in Orchard Park will be largely paid for by taxpayers. While Bills fans are no doubt thrilled to keep Josh Allen and company around for future Super Bowl campaigns, debate over the timing of the agreement, with the new state budget, and the wisdom of it is pitched. Here to talk about public investment in sports stadiums is Roger Noll, professor emeritus of economics at Stanford.
New U.S. Census Bureau data shows New York City lost nearly 4 percent of its population in COVID’s first year. At the same time, the state’s overall population was sharply down. According to an analysis by Cornell University, the Capital Region and mid-Hudson gained population, but 46 counties saw declines. The fastest-growing county was Sullivan, while Orange County added more than 3,000 people. We speak with Russell Weaver, a Cornell economic geographer, about the trends.
A majority of New Yorkers say the war in Ukraine will lead to long-term economic problems and say the resulting inflation is having a serious negative economic effect on them. That’s according to a Siena College Research Institute poll. It finds 54 percent of New Yorkers say the war in Ukraine and the international response to it will lead to long-term economic problems. To help break down the results, we speak with Dr. Don Levy, the poll director.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos was in Plattsburgh to speak at the Quebec-New York Transportation-Aerospace Rendezvous. While there, he sat down with WAMC for a wide-ranging interview.
The Oscars Sunday night is being hailed as a return to normal after last year’s pandemic-muted ceremony. But most of the pre-show attention has been on what’s not in the broadcast. With the Academy scrambling to retain ratings, several awards will be given off-screen in a move that has angered the non-celebrity artists who make Hollywood run. For analysis, we speak with Washington Post features writer Travis Andrews, who is covering the run-up to the show.
As the situation in Ukraine worsens by the day, we speak with SUNY Orange Global Studies Professor Michael Strmiska, who traces how we got here from more than a millennium ago to the splintering of the Soviet Union in 1991 through today. Dr. Strmiska has taught and traveled extensively in Russia and Eastern Europe, and is currently writing a book about non-Christian Eastern Europeans.
As anyone who has followed COVID-19 in Western Massachusetts knows, the tragedy at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home was one of the worst aspects of the pandemic. More than 75 military veterans living there died in a case that has drawn widespread scrutiny and legal action.
A new short movie by regional musician and filmmaker Laura Wetzler dramatizes that harrowing period. Although not specifically about the Holyoke situation, “What Happened at the Veterans Home” measures the human toll of the coronavirus and how it was handled. The film will be screened at the Academy of Music in Northampton on Sunday.
We sit down with Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl, a former state Representative and U.S. Senate candidate who has the backing of former President Trump as he seeks to succeed Gov. Charlie Baker.
Thanks to billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds, New York for the first time in recent years received more federal money than it sent to Washington in taxes. That's according to a new report from state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. We speak with DiNapoli about the report, gas taxes, and the ongoing budget process in Albany.
The University at Albany is expanding a partnership with IBM to explore climate and weather impacts. Through the school’s Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, the entities will focus on harmful algal bloom detection and prediction, winter road weather conditions and wind power generation. We speak with Lloyd Treinish, the chief scientist at IBM Research for Climate and Weather, and Chris Thorncroft, director of UAlbany’s Atmospheric Sciences Research Center.
For baseball fans counting down the days until pitchers and catchers and then opening day, this winter has been one of frustration. Already the first two series of the season have been canceled as the sport confronts its worst labor strife in nearly three decades. Players and owners both say they are desperate to reach a deal, but it remains to be seen just how that will come together. For analysis, we speak with author and journalist John Feinstein of the Washington Post.
We speak with New York state Assemblyman Danny O'Donnell, a Democrat from the 69th district, about Gov. Kathy Hochul, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, criminal justice reform, no-knock warrants, and Broadway.
Days before New York Republicans gather for their convention, the race for governor has a new candidate. Harry Wilson announced on Tuesday he will seek the nomination, joining a field that also includes Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin, former Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, and Andrew Giuliani. Wilson says he will put millions of dollars of his own money into the race. It comes 12 years after he narrowly lost a statewide election to Democratic Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.
We host New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney of the 18th district for an extended conversation about the midterms, Ukraine, COVID, and much more.
We speak with Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the Democratic frontrunner in the race for governor who made a trip to Western Massachusetts last week.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont delivered his State of the State address Wednesday to a joint session of the General Assembly as the new legislative session begins. As he ramps up for a re-election bid in November, Lamont is pledging to curb gun violence and proposing $336 million in tax relief. For more on the new session and Lamont’s vision for it, we speak with Daniela Altimari, statehouse reporter for The Hartford Courant.
New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says Governor Kathy Hochul’s first budget proposal carries a “significantly improved outlook over last year,” but risks related to the pandemic remain. That is among the findings of the Democrat's analysis of the executive budget.
In the end, New York state’s Independent Redistricting Commission failed to come up with a set of new proposed maps for congressional and state Senate and Assembly districts before the deadline, throwing the process to lawmakers. We get analysis from Richard Briffault of Columbia Law School, an expert on redistricting, gerrymandering, voting rights and election law.
The Beijing Olympics get under way this week, just six months after the delayed Tokyo games wrapped up. The games are back in Beijing for the second time since the summer Olympics in 2008. Several countries including the U.S. are sending athletes but not diplomats to China as part of a partial boycott. One American who will be in China for the Olympics is Les Carpenter of the Washington Post, who gives us a preview.
We call up WAMC commentator Steven Gottlieb — professor emeritus at Albany Law school and the author of Unfit for Democracy: The Roberts Court and The Breakdown of American Politics — to talk about the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
One of the most powerful people in New York state Assembly history is being remembered for championing progressive legislation, but also for the corruption conviction and legal battle that marked his final years. We remember Sheldon Silver with Assemblyman Kevin Cahill of the 103rd district, and discuss Gov. Hochul, the 2022 session, and more.
Although the tragedy has inspired public vigils, reforms to state and federal law, and ongoing civil litigation, many questions remain about the limo crash in October 2018 that killed 20 people in Schoharie. At the center of the case is the mysterious family that owns the limousine company whose unsafe vehicle had been hired that fateful day. In the latest issue of New York magazine, journalist Ben Ryder Howe writes about the Hussain family’s long and clouded history in the Capital Region and beyond.
Before he was vice president and president, Joe Biden spent most of his adult life in the U.S. Senate. Now he has joined a growing chorus of Democratic voices that want to do away with one of the Senate’s most entrenched traditions: the filibuster. We speak with Ross Baker, a longtime student of the Senate and Rutgers University political scientist.
We speak with New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli about unclaimed funds, why you should spend gift cards quickly, and Gov. Hochul's plans for New York in 2022.
Western Massachusetts State Senator Eric Lesser is running for lieutenant governor, citing his experience over four terms. The Democrat from the 1st Hampden and Hampshire District joins Democratic Senator Adam Hinds from the Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden District among candidates for lieutenant governor. Republican Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito is not seeking a third term as Governor Charlie Baker ends his tenure this year.
We speak with Richard Rifkin of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School about the status of the redistricting process in New York state after the commission charged with presenting new electoral maps deadlocked.
We preview the new New York state legislative session with Republican Senator Dan Stec of the 45th district and Democratic Senator James Skoufis of the 39th district.
We preview the 2022 legislative session that starts this week with first-term Democratic New York state Senator Michelle Hinchey, chair of the Agriculture Committee.
We preview the upcoming 2022 legislative session with New York state Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, a Democrat from Albany who chairs the banking committee.
We preview the 2022 legislative session and get the latest on COVID-19 and vaccination efforts from New York state Assemblyman John McDonald, a Democrat and pharmacist from Cohoes.
Northampton, Mass. Mayor David Narkewicz will leave office in a few days, having opted not to run for a fourth term. For two decades, Narkewicz has held various appointed and elected offices in Northampton. He will leave the mayor’s office with no immediate plans to return to public service.
The Chief Medical Officer of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spent the day Monday at his alma mater — the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. Dr. Mitchell Wolfe met with state leaders, medical students and researchers and took part in a discussion titled Perspectives on Global Health. Before his current role, Dr. Wolfe was acting director of the CDC’s Washington office and served as director of the CDC Global Aids Program Thailand/Asia Regional Office. The epidemiologist has also held a variety of other positions.
In 2005, musicians Matt Sweeney and Will Oldham released a critically acclaimed collaborative record called “Superwolf.” 16 years later, the two have come together again to release another well-received album — “Superwolves.” This month, they’re in Tivoli, N.Y. for a residency at the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park Theatre from December 17-19. WAMC's Josh Landes had an extended conversation with the duo.
A few days ago, WAMC added its latest radio station: WQQQ in Sharon, Connecticut. In Litchfield County about 45 miles south of Pittsfield and 40 miles east of Kingston, Sharon was celebrated in a 2019 New York Times feature for its small population — less than 3,000 — and its proximity, just 15 minutes, from the Metro-North train. To learn more about Sharon and its history, we speak with Christine Beer, Executive Director of the Sharon Historical Society and Museum.
We speak with NYS Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah Glick, who wants embattled SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras to resign, and United University Professions union president Fred Kowal, who gave Malatras a vote of confidence.
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, will not seek a third term, setting off a political scramble in a big election year in 2022. We hear from Baker and LG Karyn Polito, and get analysis from State House News reporter Matt Murphy.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan has declared a 30-day state of emergency amid rising COVID cases. The Democrat says active cases have tripled since Halloween, with cases at their highest levels since April. The State of Emergency was declared Sunday, and it comes as President Biden says the Omicron coronavirus variant is a cause for concern, not panic.
We speak with retiring Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, who will not seek a ninth six-year term, and the fellow Democrat who wants to replace him: Congressman Peter Welch.
Although he is celebrating a major win — signing a $1 trillion infrastructure package at the White House — President Joe Biden’s approval rating has reached a new low, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. The poll finds the Democrat with a negative 36-to-53 percent job approval, his lowest rating yet. We spend this Thanksgiving with Quinnipiac polling analyst Tim Malloy.