New Yorkers have an important decision to make on the ballot this year with the Equal Rights Amendment. If enacted, the amendment would prohibit discrimination on things like a person’s ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and pregnancy outcomes. The legislation - which lawmakers passed earlier this year - has survived legal threats and court rulings throughout the summer. Recently, the board of elections released language on how the measure will appear on the ballot - which concerned advocates and lawmakers. They argue, voters will have a hard time understanding what the amendment will actually do and have called on the board of elections to revise the language. To understand the impact of the measure and plans to educate voters ahead of election day, Shantel Destra of the NYPNN spoke with the lead sponsor of the legislation - State Sen. Liz Krueger.

At a recent town hall, some Sullivan County residents claimed that services at Sullivan County Garnet Health facilities are being stripped and providers are scarce. 

Garnet Health says there are no plans to close Sullivan County’s hospital and the hospital is actively recruiting for physicians. However, residents described being “farmed out” to receive health care at Garnet Health’s Middletown campus in Orange County. 

Jason Dole spoke to Ruby Rayner from The River Reporter who attended the town hall. 

Owen Walsh has been telling stories and performing music his entire life. 

Owen began playing violin at the age of three, studying formal repertoire.  At 12 years old, he found his dad's dusty, old Epiphone guitar tucked away in a closet and taught himself how to play. Soon after he learned his first few chords, Owen began writing songs. 

He’s playing The Arts Nest Saturday in Lake Huntington and he appeared on Radio Chatskill with Tim Bruno to talk about how his upbringing in Honesdale, PA, influenced his songwriting. 

Joe Johnson discusses how climate change is impacting grape cultivation, and about NASA's Europa Clipper mission to explore Jupiter's moon Europa, searching for signs of life in its subsurface ocean.

 Explore the captivating work of mixed media artist Erica Hart, who combines collage, assemblage, and painting to create visual mysteries. Her award-winning art will be on display at TESS in Narrowsburg starting Thursday.

Here is Culture Reporter Valerie Mansi's interview with Hart about the inspiration behind her work. 

This weekend marks the Autumn Equinox, and the Plant Pioneers Collective is celebrating with the First Annual Plants Speak Gathering at The Uplands Center in Walton, New York.

In preparation for the event, Radio Catskill's Patricio Robayo spoke with Marguerite Uhlmann-Bower of Plant Pioneers, where she shared insights on relational living and deepening our connection with the natural world.

Sullivan County District Attorney Brian Conaty spoke with Radio Catskill's Patricio Robayo and provided an update on the DA office's efforts throughout the summer. Over the season, his office issued 30 search warrants and secured 50 indictments for various serious offenses, including drug-related crimes, acts of violence, and predatory offenses.

Conaty highlighted key cases, such as the successful prosecution of Jacob McCoy for drug possession, as well as ongoing trials involving Brian Robinson.

Looking ahead, he discussed upcoming trial preparations. In addition to these legal efforts, Conaty emphasized the DA's collaboration with the non-profit organization Fearless, which provides vital support to domestic violence victims. 

He also noted the benefits of the county's High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) designation, which has enhanced resources and data analysis for combating drug crimes, resulting in several major narcotics busts.

By day, Amberly Jane Campbell is the Ulster County Assistant Deputy County Executive overseeing 
communications and media strategy for the County Executive. By night, she's executing strategy of a different kind:  jamming, blocking, walling up, getting a goat, and bridging in the full contact sport of roller derby. 

She spoke to Jason Dole about being an active member of the Mid-Hudson Misfits Roller Derby Team.

The Villa Roma Resort and Conference Center in Callicoon, NY, has been sold. Fay Hospitality Catskills LLC purchased the property for $17.15 million, saying they have big plans for improvements. 

The Italian-themed resort, spanning 434 acres, has been under the ownership of Marty Passante since 1970. Tragically, Passante passed away three days after the sale. 

Alex Kieler, Assistant Editor for the Sullivan County Democrat, spoke about the impact of this sale and what it means for the future of Villa Roma.

Last night's highly anticipated debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump marked the first time the two went head-to-head in this election cycle. 

The majority of the focus coming into Tuesday was about how Harris would handle her first-ever presidential debate with someone who had been on this stage many times. Could she answer questions about her position shifts, parry attacks from Trump, someone who tries to be the alpha on these stages, could she answer the attack that she’s light on policy and could she appear “presidential.”

From the New York Public News Network, WAMC News Director Ian Pickus spoke to Tim Bruno about his reaction to the debate.