By WCNY
Podcast by WCNY
May 31, 2024 - After recently being confirmed as commissioner for the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Barbara Guinn swung by the studio to discuss her leadership priorities, combating child poverty, distributing public assistance and overseeing counties.
May 31, 2024 - Assemblymember Harvey Epstein, a Manhattan Democrat, makes the case for a prohibition on the production and sale of adhesive-based traps for rodents.
May 31, 2024 - Seneca County Director of Community Services Margaret Morse and Franklin County Director of Community Services Suzanne Lavigne discuss best practices when it comes to harm reduction efforts in New York
May 30, 2024 - Assemblymember Harry Bronson, a Rochester-area Democrat, discusses the merits of allowing municipal banks and highlights a pilot program establishing a Rochester bank.
May 30, 2024 - We host a debate on the Medical Aid in Dying Act, legislation that would enable a mentally competent, terminally ill New Yorker commit suicide with the help of a doctor. Our guests are Corinne Carey, senior...
May 30, 2024 - Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski, a Rockland County Democrat, and State Education Commissioner Betty Rosa makes the case for imposing a financial control board on a lower Hudson Valley school district that is potentially months away from becoming...
May 29. 2024 - Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, a Capital Region Democrat, makes the case for a recently convened state commission designed to coordinate and promote the 250th anniversary celebrations of the Revolutionary War.
May 29, 2024 - New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli explains how he tries to use the state's retirement fund - valued at over $250 billion at the end of 2023 - to influence business practices.
May 29, 2024 - The Hochul administration is being sued for allegedly violating a 2021 law by putting incarcerated New Yorkers with disabilities into solitary confinement. We discuss the case with Stefen Short, who is of counsel for the Prisoners'...
May 28, 2023 - After mixed success in raising wages for human services sector workers in the budget, Human Services Council Executive Director Michelle Jackson is pushing a wage board to get this critical workforce the compensation they deserve.
May 28, 2024 - A Siena College Research Institute survey examines key environmental issues being debated at the Capitol. We review those questions, and more, with Siena pollster Steve Greenberg.
May 28, 2024 - Ever wonder how the classic wood signs end up in New York's parks? We talked with George Bailey, the man in charge of NYS DEC sign shop in Fulton County.
May 23, 2024 - State education officials are proposing gender-neutral rules for school sports, which could lead to an increase in co-ed sports team. We consider the merits of this idea and potential implementation challenges with Dr. Robert Zayas, executive...
May 22, 2024 - Assemblymember Alex Bores, a Manhattan Democrat, discusses his legislation designed to curb the practice of unauthorized selling of dinner reservations at popular restaurants.
May 22, 2024 - Protect the Adirondacks Executive Director Peter Bauer and Deputy Director Claudia Braymer explain why New York should build wildlife crossings on certain roadways.
May 21, 2024 - In response to mounting evidence about the negative health effects of gas stoves, environmental and health activists are pushing to curtail these popular kitchen appliances in New York. In the interim, though, there is a campaign...
May 21, 2024 - Senate Education Committee Chair Shelley Mayer, a Westchester County Democrat, explains the overhaul of New York's teacher evaluation law that is awaiting the governor's signature.
May 21, 2024 - We highlight an effort to prevent New Yorkers from being sent out of state for electro-shock therapy with Rhoda Gibson and Gina Barbara, members of national ADAPT. Editor’s note: The deployment of electroconvulsive therapy in New York...
May 20, 2024 - Feeding New York State Executive Director Dan Egan discusses what the state budget does - and doesn't do - to combat hunger in the Empire State.
May 20, 2024 - New York State Economic Development Council Executive Director Ryan Silva explains the work of the state's Public Subsidies Board and how it impacts construction projects around the Empire State.
May 20, 2024 - We talk with John Howard about his decades of public service in Planet Albany, including time in the Assembly, a leadership role in the administration of Andrew Cuomo, and five years at New York's utility regulator.
May 17, 2024 - SUNY Chancellor John King discusses the impact of funding in the state budget on SUNY campuses and aspiring college students.
May 17, 2024 - New York Coalition for Open Government President, Paul Wolf and Project Coordinator Annmarie Reeb make the case for state entities to track the records requests they receive to document their compliance with FOIL.
May 17, 2024 - We analyze a multi-state lawsuit against the NCAA for restrictions on incoming college athletes with the help of David Meluni, an associate teaching professor at the Syracuse University Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics
May 17, 2024 - Model Alliance Executive Director Sara Ziff urges state lawmakers to adopt new regulations for the fashion industry that she says will protect vulnerable workers.
May 16, 2024 - We highlight Medicaid dollars that flow through health insurance companies to address health disparities through community partnerships. To talk about the Quality Incentive Program we're joined by Eric Linzer, president and CEO of the New York...
May 16, 2024 - ProPublica reporters Jodi Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards discuss their deep dive into a for-profit school for people with Autism in Westchester County that is going largely unregulated by the state, despite reports of unsafe and...
May 16, 2024 - In light of the college protests that have popped up around the country since October, we discuss free speech rights and implementing the principles of free speech with Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York...
May 16, 2024 - Dr. Oxiris Barbot, president and CEO of the United Hospital Fund, talks about the scope of adolescent mental health needs and makes the case for more preventative care to avoid serious ramifications.
May 15, 2024 - After initially being tasked to investigate COVID-19 vaccine fraud, state health officials have begun looking at the issue more broadly. We talk about efforts to detect and prevent the falsification of immunization records with Joe Giovannetti,...
May 15, 2024 - New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy explains why Gov. Kathy Hochul directed her to review the recent work of the state Office of Cannabis Management and shares some of her findings.
May 14, 2024 - We talked with the new chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Rochester Democrat Jeremy Cooney, about his vision for the committee, including regulating autonomous vehicles and rethinking highways in upstate cities.
May 5, 2024 - Are regional high schools the future in New York? We explore the benefits of these settings with David Little, executive director of the Rural Schools Association of New York State.
May 14, 2024 - The transmission of syphilis is on the rise in the last two decades after being nearly eradicated in New York. We talk about the landscape and efforts to reduce transmission with Dr. Brianna Norton, deputy medical...
May 13, 2024 - Expanding the state's bottle redemption laws would impact manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, but it would also have ramifications for thousands of "canners" in New York City. We learn about these New Yorkers with Jenna Harvey, an...
May 13, 2024 - Chris O'Malley, the outgoing executive director of the New York State Interest On Lawyer Account Fund, and Christine Fecko, the organization's incoming executive director, make the case for limiting the state's ability to dip its hands...
May 13, 2024 - Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos, a Queens Democrat, and Sherry Leiwant, co-founder and co-president of A Better Balance, explain the different paid medical leave proposals kicking around the Capitol and make the case for a...
May 10, 2024 - The Times Union's Dan Clark explains appellate rulings impacting the future of New York's ethics watchdog and an expansion of mail voting.
May 10, 2024 - The ongoing legislative effort to protect minors from addictive features of social media is facing stiff opposition from the impacted platforms. We hear about the reservations from Chris MacKenzie, a spokesman for Chamber of Progress, which...
May 10, 2024 - We talked with cannabis attorney Lauren Rudick about the criticisms levied at the manager of the state's social equity fund, which is supposed to be uplifting aspiring marijuana retailers.
May 10, 2024 - New York is slowly expanding the number of providers offering integrated mental health and substance abuse care. We examine this effort with Jihoon Kim, CEO of InUnity Alliance, and Debbie Fletcher-Blake, president and CEO of VIP...
May 9, 2024 - Assemblymember Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, a Queens Democrat, talks about a $25 million state commitment to expand access to abortion services, including for women from outside New York.
May 9, 2024 - Onondaga County Democratic Elections Commissioner Dustin Czarny explains a new state effort to centralize election data and outlines bills to improve local election administration.
May 9, 2024 - The state budget includes overhauling the transmission siting process in New York, but what will it really do? We try to answer that question with John Howard, former chair of the state's Public Service Commission.
May 8, 2024 - Kelly Young, director of agricultural development for the state Department of Agriculture and Markets, explains why the state is promoting the development of urban and community gardens.
May 8, 2024 - New York State School Boards Association Director of Governmental Relations Brian Fessler responds to the adopted state budget, including funding for schools, a study on the distribution of foundation aid, and efforts to smooth the transition...
May 8, 2024 - New York Immigration Coalition President & CEO Murad Awawdeh talks about the state's $2.4 billion commitment to asylum seekers and discusses other funding impacting immigrants that did (and didn't) make it into the state budget.
May 8, 2024 - Iroquois Healthcare Association Executive Vice President Kevin Kerwin and President and CEO Gary J. Fitzgerald provide an upstate perspective on the state budget's impact on health care facilities, including the increased Medicaid rates.
May 7, 2024 - Defense attorney Peter Pullano, a managing partner at Tully Rinckey's Rochester Office, explains why the state's top court struck down the 2020 rape conviction of Harvey Weinstein and how the ruling impacts a future retrial.
May 7, 2024 - New York Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation President & CEO Michael Seereiter discusses proposed changes to the administration of personalized care for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.
