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Aug. 5, 2025 - Shontell Smith, the former political director for Andrew Cuomo's unsuccessful mayoral primary bid in New York City, reflects on what went right and what went wrong during this Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episod...

August 5, 2025- School districts have been encouraged by the state to find regional partnerships that might save money and improve operations. We consider what regionalization has looked like in the past and how it could happen in the future with Anita Murphy, a retired superintendent from the Capital Region BOCES, and Brian Backstrom, director of Education Policy Studies at the Rockefeller Instit...

August 5, 2025- New Yorkers will get a chance this fall to bring the expansion and operation of the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic Sports complex in compliance with the state Constitution, while also expanding the footprint of the Adirondack preserve. We hear the case for the constitutional referendum from John Sheehan, director of communication for the Adirondack Council. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://...

August 5, 2025- A United States Supreme Court ruling this summer may give parents more influence over their school curricula if they have religious concerns with subjects and materials. We discuss the majority opinion from the court and its implications with Daniel Morton-Bentley, counsel for the State Education Department. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&a...

August 4, 2025- New York's prison may have rescinded from the headlines, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to discuss about the corrections system with Chris Gelardi, a criminal justice reporter for New York Focus. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_...

August 4, 2025- New York's development of offshore wind has stalled, so state regulators are hitting pause on the hunt for more transmission capacity. We explore the decision by the state Public Service Commission and its ramifications with Ekin Senlet, co-chair of Regulatory Practice area at Barclay Damon, and David Solimeno, an associate with the firm. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.c...

August 4, 2025- The administration of non-emergency medical transportation has undergone multiple transformations in the past 15 years as state policymakers look to save money. State Sen. George Borrello, a western New York Republican, argues the simplest answer to preventing fraud and abuse is returning oversight to the counties. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=707...

July 31, 2025- New York's effort to cap emissions may have stalled, but the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has entered a new phase, with updated goals adopted this summer. We talk about the program and its role in combatting climate change with Jackson Morris, director of state power sector policy for the Natural Resources Defense Council. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?e...

July 31, 2025- As New York pivots away from using Regents exams in order to graduate from high school, the state Board of Regents met this summer to approve an updated pathway to getting a diploma. We hear concerns about implementing this new vision from Jeff Smink, deputy director of The Education Trust-New York. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=l...

July 31, 2025- We explore the significance of new prevention agenda adopted by state health officials with our guest Dr. Elizabeth Whalen, medical director for the Office of Public Health at the State Department of Health. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image...

July 30, 2025 - State law required a system restricting pollution from major emitters to be in place by now, but it hasn't been implemented so environmental groups sued the Hochul administration in a case now making its way through the courts. We explore the legal challenge and what's at stake with Collin Kinniburgh, a climate and environment reporter for New York Focus. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://...

July 30, 2025 - New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank Hoare discusses an expanded speed camera program, gives an update on the service plazas, and explains what is being done to target toll evasion. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_pos...

July 30, 2025 - We explore a new survey of LGBTQ New Yorkers and how it will be used to address health disparities with Kraig Pannell, director of the Office of LGBTQ Services at the state's AIDS Institute, and Dr. Lauren Miller, coordinator for the New York State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&am...

July 29, 2025 - After nearly two decades as a journalist, including serving as news director WAMC public radio, Ian Pickus is taking a communications job in the Hochul administration. In an excerpt from Dispatches from Planet Albany, we reflect on some of the interviews he coordinated with then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=li...

July 29, 2025 - The state Department of Health is implementing a legal settlement to resolve a challenge to its controversial transition of the administration of an expensive home care program. We explore the underlying lawsuit and the impact of the settlement with Elizabeth Jois, supervising attorney with New York Legal Assistance Group's Special Litigation Unit and an attorney for the plaintiffs...

July 29, 2025 - New York Democrats want to use mid-decade redistricting as a way to boost their numbers in Congress, but the legal pathways for this gambit are basically non-existent, according to Jeff Wice, a senior fellow and adjunct professor with the New York Law School's Census and Redistricting Institute. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=ligh...

July 28, 2025 - We learn about some of the complaints to the state's gambling regulator received by the state Inspector General's Office in 2024 and consider some of the controversies they're reviewing in 2025. Our guest is Ryan Hayward, chief of staff for the New York IG's Office. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playli...

July 28, 2025 - The social safety net in New York will have some holes moving forward as the result of the Big Beautiful Bill adopted this summer by Republicans in Washington D.C., according to Barbara Guinn, commissioner for the state Office of Temporary & Disability Assistance. We explore the future of housing supports, anti-hunger initiatives, and child poverty. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://wi...

July 25, 2025 - The death of a state assistant forest ranger has renewed calls for state environmental officials to update the system for tracking government personnel deployed into the wilderness. We discuss this tragedy and the campaign for reform with James Odato, a contributing editor for the Adirondack Explorer. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&them...

July 25, 2025 - The legislative session in Albany included a few initiatives to avoid wasteful economic development spending and many more measures that will promote unnecessary government subsidies, according to John Kaehny, executive director of Reinvent Albany. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true...

July 25, 2025 - State Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian highlights new regulations designed to ensure more working families have access to discounted energy bills. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hide-li...

July 24, 2025 - This summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul directed the New York Power Authority to get the ball rolling on the development of new nuclear power. We discussed this mandate and how it might be implemented with Charles Imohiosen, senior vice president for external affairs and communication at NYPA. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playl...

July 24, 2025 - New York State Office of Mental Health Chief Fiscal Officer Joe Katagiri explains efforts to boost access to mental health and substance abuse treatments for New Yorkers, including removing insurance barriers for Medicaid patients and requiring prompt access to providers. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&...

July 23, 2025 - Public schools across the state have been forced to make hard decisions about programs funded with federal dollars that the Trump administration is looking to claw back. We talk about these challenges and looming budgetary challenges with Brian Cechnicki, executive director of Association of School Business Officials of New York. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player...

July 23, 2025 - No Kid Hungry New York Director Rachel Sabella discusses the potential fallout in the Empire State from federal cuts and changes to the hunger prevention safety net. ESCUCHAR RADIO  👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hi...