THE EAGLE: A Times Union Podcast

Sprinkling sodium chloride on roads and highways during winter months has long been an effective way to avoid hazardous driving conditions. But ongoing research out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is showing that while road salts are essential for human safety, excessive use of them is profoundly affecting freshwater flora and fauna living near roads and developments. Recently, biology Profess...

This year’s New York state budget is done and dusted. Capital reporter Dan Clark gives us the highlights of the $237 billion behemoth, which includes tools to crack down on illegal cannabis and new plans to spur housing development. Also in this episode, we’ll talk with playwright Matthew Spangler, who wrote a stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel “The Kite Runner” that’s coming...

There are few things that unite generations of people raised in the Capital Region more than Secrets, the iconic all-ages nightclub at Guptill’s Rollerskating Arena. The memorable radio spots advertising the wa-wa-water cannons and lack of dress code live rent-free in the minds of those who came of age in the last four decades of its existence. Secrets closed in March 2020 after more than 40 years...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band are playing the MVP Arena next week, after more than a year of postponements and delays. The resident Times Union Springsteen superfans, editor-in-chief Casey Seiler and city desk editor Mike Goodwin, sat down to talk about why tickets were so expensive, why it was delayed, and what they are looking forward to most about the show. Learn more about your ad ch...

When Caitlin Clark was taking a shot against LSU at the end of Iowa’s Elite Eight game in Albany, Rebecca Lobo was taking a shot at Albany. During the ESPN broadcast, the former WNBA and UConn star joked that there was nothing to do in New York’s Capital City. The hometown crowd was not thrilled with her remarks and took to social media en masse to protest. But Times Union’s Chris Churchill is won...

Parts of New York state are smack in the path of totality of the coming eclipse on April 8, and anyone who views it is in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, according to Siena College Dudley Astronomer Mindy Townsend. On this episode of "The Eagle," Townsend goes over what we can expect to see during the eclipse (Hint: it will get dark!) and how we can view it safely. Also on this episode, we'll...

New York's capital is set to play host to Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in the women's NCAA championship tournament at the end of March. It's highly likely that will bring Iowa Hawkeyes superstar and Division I point record holder Caitlin Clark to town. Tickets for the games she's slated to play are already in high demand, with an expected 14,000 per day in attendance. On this episode of "The Eag...

The Hudson River is only about a quarter of a mile wide between Albany and Rensselaer counties, yet some people who live west of the river banks look at the area to the east as another country, rather than just a different county. On this episode of “The Eagle,” Kristi Gustafson Barlette talks about the strange stigma about Rensselaer County, and why it exists. Also on this episode, Steve Barnes a...

The Academy Awards are coming up this weekend and we turn to our resident movie expert, features writer C.J. Lais, for his top picks to take home the Oscars. Also on this episode, we'll take a deep dive into our latest investigative project. Reporter Emilie Munson talks about why serious police crashes in New York state have sharply increased in recent years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter David Nail has had chart-topping hits, played the Grand Ole Opry, and made a name for himself on Music Row. Yet he says he does not consider himself a typical country music star. He’s also been very open about his struggles with depression in recent years. Nail joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to talk about making music, and how it gives him purpose. Also...

Pinky and The Brain hatched their first plot to take over the world in 1993 on an episode of the hit animated series “Animaniacs.” In 30 years, cartoon mice have yet to achieve global domination, but they did take over “The Eagle” this week. Emmy-winning voiceover artists Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche join us on this episode to talk about their live “Animaniacs in Concert” tour, and what it tak...

A large snowstorm that hit the northeastern United States this week was forecast to pummel upstate New York. While parts of the Hudson Valley were affected, the Capital Region was completely spared. On this episode, we asked National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Frugis why the forecast changed so drastically and whether the groundhog’s prediction this year will prove true. Learn more about...

When 35-year-old Ben Fruchter went looking for his birth family a few months ago, he discovered a startling truth about his origins: He’d been snatched from his parents in Chile as an infant in a forced adoption under the brutal regime of dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet. On this episode of “The Eagle,” we’ll learn more about Fruchter’s story, and his quest to reconnect with his long-lost family. Le...

With the terminal fate of Albany’s crumbling Central Warehouse sealed, officials in Albany have begun the complicated process of figuring out how to raze it. A hefty price tag, combined with complex structural logistics and asbestos mitigation, make it an arduous task that could take years. On this episode of “The Eagle,” reporter Steve Hughes goes over what’s involved. Also on this episode, Capit...

When Delphine Sosu accepted an offer to play DII soccer for the College of Saint Rose, it was a dream come true. But when traveled to Albany from Africa to join the team, the life she was hoping for turned quickly into a nightmare. Arriving days before the school announced it was closing, she was facing an impossible situation, with her future very much uncertain. On this episode of “The Eagle,” D...

On Jan. 14, 1950, West Point cadet Richard Cox walked off campus and disappeared. More than seven decades later, that vanishing has become one of the Hudson Valley’s biggest mysteries. Author David Levine joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to discuss the case. Also on this episode, a new chapter in the story we’ve told about Jaliek Rainwalker, a 12-year-old who went missing in Washington Coun...

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her third State of the State address this week, where she made promises to address a range of issues including mental health, housing and infrastructure. Yet reactions to the speech from lawmakers and observers focused heavily on what was omitted. Months after declaring a state of emergency over the influx of migrants coming into the state, Hochul made no menti...

The family of the 9-year-old girl who was abducted in Saratoga County in October hasn’t spoken publicly since she was found alive and her alleged abductor was arrested and charged. But now, they’re hoping what they’ve learned about the investigation can help other victims. Jené Sena, the girl’s aunt, joins us on this episode of “The Eagle.” Also on this episode, Times Union columnist Chris Churchi...

In 1993, an activist group calling themselves the Barbie Liberation Organization swapped out the voice boxes of talking Barbie and G.I. Joe toys and snuck them into stores for unsuspecting customers. Their aim was to publicly challenge the social norms they believed the toys represented. Thirty years later they are at it again. Spurred by the success of the “Barbie” movie this year, the group turn...

There has been no shortage of controversy around Lululemon in the last decade. When employees of the Lululemon store in Crossgates Mall told Kristi Gustafson Barlette she couldn't bring her young children into the dressing room with her, she wanted to know whether this was company policy. On this episode of "The Eagle," Kristi joins us to talk about what she found out. Learn more about your ad cho...

Singer-songwriter Judy Collins has been performing and making music for nearly seven decades. The 84-year-old Grammy winner with 55 albums under her belt is coming to Saratoga Springs to perform this month, and she joins us on this episode of "The Eagle" to talk about the show, her career, and the key to longevity. Also on this episode, education reporter Kathleen Moore has the latest on the closi...

Capital Region-based grocery chain Price Chopper/Market 32 picked up the locations of the five Shoprite stores that closed just before Thanksgiving. On this episode of "The Eagle," we'll talk about the question of what will become of those facilities, and explore the dynamics of the regional grocery store landscape. Also on this episode, we'll get the latest on breaking news that the College of Sa...

According to a recent study by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, a quarter of the country’s newspapers have shuttered since 2005. And in less than two years, they are predicting that total will creep up to a third. They’re calling it a “crisis for our democracy,” where news deserts are growing and leaving communities with limited access to critical news and information needed...

When electric violinist Mia Asano and bagpiper Ally Duncan first met in person, they had an instant connection. Both classically trained musicians, they became fast best friends, bonding over a love Celtic music, niche instruments and Squishmallows. They went viral on TikTok as a musical duo within hours of meeting, and a little more than a year later, they're on a cross-country tour as Mia x Ally...

“Dancing with the Stars” alum-turned-judge and ballroom dance champion Derek Hough is back on stage with a live dance tour that’s coming to the Palace Theater in Albany on Nov. 10. He joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to talk about learning new styles of dance, touring and dancing with his wife, and balancing it all with his DWTS schedule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm...