WAMC Podcasts

WAMC's Jim Levulis sat down with Hugh Johnson, chairman and chief investment officer of Hugh Johnson Advisors in Albany.

We listen to the first eight installments of the special WAMC News series on aging.

Kathy Sheehan is the first female mayor in Albany's long history. She says the challenges of 2020 led her to run for a third term next year despite past suggestions she would only serve two. Sheehan kicked off her re-election bid Monday. She talks about the COVID relief package, her vision for a third term, and why she favors limiting use of the city's seal.

New York state Senator Betty Little, a Republican from the 45th district, is retiring at the end of the year after 25 years in the legislature.

The 10th Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is being installed today. A self-described extrovert with a following for his YouTube videos and a new book, the Most Rev. William Byrne, who is 56, will oversee the four western Massachusetts counties with a Catholic population of about 230,000. WAMC’s Paul Tuthill spoke with […]

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras continues to press for significant federal coronavirus relief. In an interview, Malatras made the case for direct aid to states as talks in Washington dragged on, and discussed COVID-19 testing, the vaccine, and the new SUNY Online Training Center.

The president of the American Medical Association is urging people to avoid holiday parties and indoor gatherings over the next several weeks as the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country. Dr. Susan Bailey, an allergist and immunologist based in Fort Worth, Texas, says a COVID-19 vaccine is fast approaching, but Americans should remain vigilant in the meantime.

The College of St. Rose in Albany is discontinuing academic programs amid financial struggles. Its Board of Trustees has approved a plan to reduce expenses by nearly $6 million, including the elimination of 16 bachelor's degrees, six master’s degrees and three certificate programs.

New York U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand tells WAMC she is “leaning toward” supporting a modified COVID relief bill championed by Senate centrists. Gillibrand talks about COVID, the presidential transition, why she expects to stay in the Senate, and her priorities for 2021.

The Ironman Triathlon is considered by many, to be the world’s most challenging endurance event. Multiple events take place each year around the globe.  In 2017 Virginia native Ru Remennikova traveled to Australia to compete.  She also competed in Lake Placid in 2018. The Ironman consists of 2.4 mi of swimming, followed by 112 mi […]

During this rocky presidential interregnum, many historians have been looking back on the election of 1876, the Compromise of 1877, and the legacy of New York Gov. Samuel Tilden. To learn more, we called up Dr. Robert Chiles of the University of Maryland Department of History. Chiles is also co-editor of New York History.

Following the May death of George Floyd, Albany experienced a slew of protests and riots, New York repealed a law that restricted access to police disciplinary records, and a statewide mandate to reimagine policing was instituted. To learn how these events have impacted policing in New York’s capital city, WAMC’s Jackie Orchard rode along with an Albany Police lieutenant and spoke with a local Bla...

Trailing the popular vote by millions of votes and well short of an Electoral College victory, President Donald Trump continues to falsely claim that he actually won the presidential election. Despite what he tweets, the clock is running down on the Trump administration, with the Electoral College set to vote Dec. 14 and President-elect Joe […]

Last weekend, President-elect Joe Biden was called the winner of the race for the White House, dealing President Donald Trump a defeat he has not yet acknowledged. In the days since, RPI Professor Jim Hendler has been analyzing election data. He concludes that while 2016 was a strange presidential election outcome, 2020 was anything but. […]

Over the past two centuries, the United States has evolved in ways we could have never imagined, from its natural views to its unmatched history. National Geographic has released a new collection highlighting its legendary photo archives, delivering an up-close-and-personal view of the country. Susan Goldberg is the Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic and the Editorial […]

After a fall semester marked by some campus shutdowns and other localized COVID-19 problems, the State University of New York system is establishing a system-wide return plan for the Spring 2021 semester. SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras says every student returning to campus will be tested, quarantined for a week, and required to wear masks at all times.

We listen back to the sounds of President Donald Trump's first term as heard on WAMC.

When Stephen Fabes left his job as an E.R. doctor and set out to cycle around the world, frontline medicine quickly faded from his mind. The daily challenges of life on the road stack up as he navigates deserts, mountains, freezing weather, and the overwhelming solitude of cycling solo.  Fabes recounts his journey across six […]

An interview with Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen, who says she’s the right option for voters who are upset about the state of politics in Washington.

SUNY says it will test about 140,000 students for COVID-19 before they’re allowed to go home for Thanksgiving. The 64-campus system announced the policy Tuesday, saying it’s a vital public health step before students travel across the country for the extended intersession period. We speak with SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras.

Setting out with two fellow kayakers, Darcy Gaechter celebrated her 35th birthday on a 148-day kayaking journey paddling the Amazon River. Her book, Amazon Woman: Facing Fears, Chasing Dreams, and a Quest to Kayak the Largest River from Source to Sea, recounts her heart-pounding adventure. Gaechter now leads expeditions in the continental U.S., Alaska, Ecuador, […]

We speak with University of New Haven professor Dr. Alvin Tran about a new paper in the International Journal of Eating Disorders that examines unhealthy weight control behaviors among U.S. broadcast journalists.

We speak with a UMass researcher about the impacts of the first Vegas-style casino in Springfield. Two years ago, MGM Springfield boosted the local and state economy, provided job opportunities, and did not increase rates of problem gambling. These were the key findings of new research, part of an ongoing comprehensive investigation on the impact […]

We speak with Toni Bacon, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York

A longtime member of the Albany Common Council says he will not seek reelection next year. Democrat Richard Conti of the 6th Ward says he is making the announcement more than a year in advance so candidates who want to succeed him have enough time to get organized. Conti is an openly gay councilor who was […]