Two years ago, the Times Union set up a team of reporters to tackle trending topics, like why it was hard to find a Christmas tree this year, or why mechanics dread ice storms. Our readers devoured these quick-hit stories, and they swiftly became some of our most popular content. The reporter behind much of this team's success was Pete DeMola. 

On this episode, we'll say farewell to DeMola, and take a look back at some of the rapid response team's most impactful stories.

Also on this episode, we'll hear a segment from the Times Union's newest podcast series "Rainwalker: The Lost Boy," which explores one of the Capital Region's most famous unsolved mysteries: the disappearance of Jaliek Rainwalker.

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