Troy Story: A Podcast for the Collar City

With the 2024 presidential election just a week away, we're revisting then-President Barack Obama’s visit to Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York on September 21, 2009. The episode features a conversation with guest Tom Wade, former Rensselaer County Democratic Committee chairman, about his memories of the president’s visit and speech on the HVCC campus. Wade explains the bipartisan s...

55 years after the Stonewall riots—a moment widely recognized as the flashpoint for what became the LGBTQ rights movement—the Collar City held its first ever Pride Fest at Riverfront Park in downtown Troy in 2024. The event was organized by Collar City Pride, a Rensselaer County-based nonprofit that offers peer support, training, and social services for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals. We're fortunate to h...

Joe Moses discusses his family’s roots in Georgia, Ohio, and Kingston, his dad’s service with the U.S. Navy during WWII and later the Troy Police Department beginning in 1955, and his own experience growing up in Troy, including his time attending Doyle Middle School and Troy High. Portions of the interview draws on Joe’s recollections of conversations with his dad, including about his time with—a...

Joe Moses — the son of Officer Samuel Moses , the first Black police officer to serve in the Troy Police Department beginning in 1955 — recalls his dad’s relationship with Charlie King , the Collar City's second Black police officer and detective. New episode coming August 2024.  Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Credits: Produced, edited, and hos...

In this episode, Mike shares his personal history with the Boy Scouts, the details of his Eagle Scout project, how he began his career in journalism, and where he sees the future of scouting in America following the most recent developments in the Boy Scouts’ evolution as a youth organization to embrace inclusion. Mike also explains what he sees as the cyclical nature of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and le...

With Pride Month underway, we're diving into an often-forgotten part of American LGBTQ+ history, expertly told by Mike De Socio, Troy-based independent journalist, podcaster, and author of the new book “Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—And America” which documents the fight to end a decades-long ban on gay people from the Boy Scouts of America. “Morally St...

In this preview clip, Mike De Socio (author of the excellent new book “ Morally Straight: How the Fight for LGBTQ Inclusion Changed the Boy Scouts—And America ”) discusses the continued evolution of the Boy Scouts of America and the organization’s embrace of inclusion, and what he sees as the cyclical nature of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and legislation. John also notes the final vote by the Troy City Co...

In this bonus segment, Tri-City ValleyCats vice president and general manager Matt Callahan discusses the history of bobbleheads in minor league baseball, the ValleyCats' process behind deciding who will be permanently immortalized as a member of the team's bobblehead lineup, and the roots of the 'Mayor's Race' event familiar to Capital Region baseball fans. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming...

In the second half our our interview, Matt explains the ValleyCats' move to the independent Frontier League, and the obstacles the club overcame during COVID and the contraction of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) minor league system. We also dig into the archives to explore Troy’s deep links to baseball’s earliest days, including the first-ever grand slam in MLB history, hit by a Troy Trojan right h...

Looking for baseball puns? Well, you’ve come to the right place! This week, we're thrilled to have Matt Callahan, VP and General Manager of the Tri-City ValleyCats as our guest for Chapter 05. We talk all things Gatos, including what fans can expect during this month’s home opener at The Joe in Troy, New York, the team’s now-22 seasons in the Collar City, and the challenges of running day-to-day o...

The date was March 15th, 1989. Legions of heavy metal fans descended on Troy, New York to see Metallica at the RPI Field House . The band was rampaging across America on their “Damaged Justice” tour in support of their latest studio album “…and Justice for All,” and the Collar City stop would become a something of a noteworthy show from that era in the band’s history. Did you see Metallica at the...

In the second half of our interview with Amanda Tobias, we explore her decision to run for City Council in 2019, the controversial but ultimately necessary closure of the Lansingburgh pool, the importance of young people getting involved in local elections, her favorite things about Troy, and what she wants to see happen in the community during the next 10 years. Please stick around after the inte...

We’re back with Chapter 04 featuring our interview with Amanda Tobias, resident of Troy's historic Lansingburgh neighborhood, graduate of Lansingburgh High School, and middle school teacher. During our chat, we explored Amanda's early life growing up in Rensselaer County and Troy, her years attending various schools in Lansingburgh Central School District, the teachers who inspired her decision to...

In the second half of our conversation, Dan revisits his long career in the food service industry, the difficulties of balancing work and family life as he rose through the ranks of various positions within the corporate food industry, and the obstacles and challenges he and countless other restaurants encountered beginning in 2019 through the pandemic and post-pandemic period. Listen to part 1 of...

For Chapter 03, we talk with Troy restauranteur Dan Frament about growing up in Troy, his career in the service industry, a serious injury that permanently changed the trajectory of his life, and the ups and downs of running his own restaurant (Muddaddy Flats) for the last 11 years. This is part one of two-part episode! Please note the fourth segment in this episode includes a detailed description...

In this sneak peek, Dan Frament remembers his childhood growing up in Troy's North Central neighborhood during the 1960s. Chapter 03 premieres Tuesday, March 19, 2024, available everywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Credits: Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records...

In this preview clip, former Muddaddy Flats owner Dan Frament explains the value of knowing his neighbors. Chapter 03 premieres Tuesday, March 19, 2024, available everywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Credits: Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records Visit troystor...

In the second half of our chat, Mark discusses some of the major projects undertaken during his tenure as mayor, his working relationship with then-New York State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno, and the 1999 mayoral election when he sought a second term to lead the Collar City into the new millennium. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Notes: New...

In this episode, we spoke with former Troy mayor Mark Pattison who revisited his early life growing up in Rensselaer County, volunteering on his father's successful campaign for Congress in 1974 following the Watergate scandal and President Nixon's resignation, his decision to run for Troy mayor in 1995, and the challenges and difficult decisions he made leading the Collar City including through T...

In this clip, Mark Pattison recalls working on his father Ned Pattison's successful campaign for U.S. Congress in 1974 following President Nixon's resignation. Chapter 02 premieres Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, available everywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Credits: Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka Theme music by...

In this special preview clip, former Troy mayor Mark Pattison explains why he decided to get into the Collar City mayor's race in 1995. Chapter 02 premieres Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024, available everywhere you get your podcasts. Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content. Credits: Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four...

In this bonus segment, former deputy mayor Chris Nolin discusses HBO's multi-season production for 'The Gilded Age' in the Collar City, including how Troy's historic architecture attracted HBO to Troy, how the show transformed areas of the city to stand in for 1800s New York City, the city's positive working relationship with the production team, the importance of film and television productions o...

In this wide-ranging interview former Troy deputy mayor Chris Nolin explains why he accepted the offer to become deputy mayor , major municipal projects he oversaw (paving, parks, and long-term planning), his take on the 2023 mayoral election results and the subsequent transition process, his perspective on being the first openly-gay person to serve as Troy’s deputy mayor , and the importance of L...

For more than 200 years, the City of Troy has occupied a seven mile stretch along the eastern banks of the historic Hudson River. Once an industrial powerhouse, the Collar City later fell on hard times, suffering for decades through a rapidly shrinking population, urban renewal, and, yes, even local government corruption and financial mismanagement. However, Troy’s fortunes are on the rise again,...