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Joseph LeDoux is Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at NYU, and Professor of Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone. He’s one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, best known for his groundbreaking work on fear, anxiety, and the brain’s survival circuits. He’s also the author of books including The Emotional Brain and The Four Realms of Existence, and the frontman of The Amygdaloids, a rock band of scientists.

On August 21 at 7:30 p.m., the Callicoon Theater will host a special screening of Werner Herzog’s documentary Theater of Thought, which explores the mysteries of the mind and consciousness and was partially filmed right here in Cochecton. After the film, LeDoux will join Colin Dempsey for a talkback moderated by Jason Tougaw, followed by a live musical performance.

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Joseph LeDoux about what it means to face our fears, why the brain is wired the way it is.

As students head back to school at the end of the month, advocates are warning about a new wave of e-cigarettes targeting kids, with some even disguised as everyday objects or with built in video games. Despite crackdowns, more than 1.6 million youth still use e-cigarettes, which can have serious, lasting effects. 

A press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids says, "Today’s e-cigarettes are more potent than ever and deliver massive doses of nicotine – some contain as much nicotine as 20 packs of cigarettes or more. The U.S. Surgeon General has found that youth use of nicotine in any form is unsafe, causes addiction, and can harm developing brains, negatively affecting attention, memory and learning. E-cigarettes also expose kids to harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, lead and benzene."

One major concern of health officials is the targeting of nicotine products at youth. Flavoring vapes is the most common way this is allegedly done by manufacturers. The only e-cigarettes authorized by the FDA are menthol and tobacco flavored, says Brian King, the  Executive Vice President for U.S. Programs at the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. He added that all nicotine products are unsafe for those under 25 but that almost 90% of users prefer the fun flavors, which are especially dangerous because they are being sold illegally. Another tactic by the industry, the release says, is a teen-centered design. New vapes are "often designed to look like toys, highlighters and smartphones, making them easy for kids to hide." Some also have gimmicks to make them more entertaining, such as built in games.

King told Radio Catskill that after peak use in 2019, they have seen numbers of underage vape users falling. But this is complicated by the introduction of new products, like nicotine pouches, that are growing in popularity. King emphasized that it's extremely easy to get hooked on nicotine from one thing at a young age and then become a full blown addict soon after. He spoke with WJFF about how parents can approach education and what trends to be aware of as the new school year begins.

HOST INTRO

The New Paltz Community Gardens for Nutrition has been a staple of local growing for 50 years. But now, gardeners are facing a new challenge: climate change. From flooding to shifting seasons, what once was reliable land is becoming harder to farm. Radio Catskill’s Jamie Case brings us to the gardens to hear how members are adapting—and what’s at stake for this long-standing community space.

A coalition in the Hudson Valley screened the documentary Who Killed Shireen? this past Sunday at the Old Dutch Church in Kingston, NY.

Shireen Abu Akleh, the namesake of the documentary, was a Palestinian American journalist. Born in East Jerusalem and raised in New Jersey, Abu Akleh provided award-winning coverage of the West Bank for Al Jazeera for 25 years - until 2022 where she was shot and killed by Alon Sacagiu, a captain in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

The film was produced by Zeteo Media, the new independent media company founded by former MSNBC host Medhi Hasan. It follows three Zeteo journalists who traveled all the way to Tel Aviv, Israel and Jenin in the West Bank to identify the name and rank of Abu Akleh’s killer for the first time.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett attended the screening and met with the organizers of the event ahead of time to discuss Shireen Abu Akleh’s legacy and the dangers journalists face when covering Gaza and the West Bank.

Well, it's true what they say: bureaucracy takes time. And while judges and politicians draft bills and weigh testimony, life still goes on. In this case, that means homeless teenagers in the Delaware Valley remain tethered to indecision well out of their hands as the center's staff deal with the very circumstances they've dedicated years to preventing: job insecurity. This is a life in limbo resting on the hands of the powers at be four states away in Washington D.C.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) was just one of the politicians aiming to end this precariousness. The Senate Appropriations Committee, of which she is a member, is currently ironing out the budget for July 2026-July 2027, the upcoming fiscal term. If the group follows President Trump's requests, Job Corps sites across the country, including in Sullivan County, would shut down next year. But a proposal has been introduced to prevent this. Jennifer Cha, the Associate Vice President of Programs and Regional Operations for Adams and Associates (the organization that runs the Job Corps center), is cautiously optimistic. She said the proposal is a good sign and that the budget will be announced in the near future. "The congressional pieces hopefully were or will be worked through in September and landing in October when the budget actually goes through. As I understand the timeline, hopefully within the next 60 days we would have some really firm grasp."

But the funding for the current year is also being jeopardized. Months ago, after receiving notification of immediate termination, staff were told to send all the program's participants home within a week, says Cha:

"In many cases, young people who participate in the program do not have the average supports that somebody would have. They may be homeless, for example. Or, they may not have the means to have that same support structure normally without the program. And so being quickly sent [out of the] center to what, in many cases, is unstable housing, non-existent housing, [or] unsafe housing without any pre-warning, is obviously extremely destabilizing."

An injunction was granted by the judge to pause the termination notice while its legality is weighed in courts. The center has returned to full function but Cha estimates as many as 40% of the youth that were sent home have not returned. Also, new enrollment in the program is usually rolling, but has been on pause. "We have, 17,000 young people nationally who have actually applied to the program since March. But because the background checks were paused in March, which is required for enrollment into the Job corps program, those 17,000 people have been denied the opportunity to pursue this training... that will provide for them and their family in the future." 

Cha has noticed widespread support among Delaware Valley, which brings her, the staff, and the residents comfort as they wrestle with uncertainty. "The way the community has really rallied around... has been a boon for for us and for everybody at the center." She encourages interested families to apply now as the waitlist for background checks continues to pile up. Regardless of the setbacks, the mission of Job Corps has not wavered. "This is a life changer," Cha reflected.

On today’s show we’re taking you to the heart of New Paltz, the Water Street Market, where art meets public health on the side of the road.

Artist Ryan Cronin has teamed up with the Ulster County Department of Health for a new campaign called “We are Public Health.”

Part roadside art, part community dialogue, and all about rethinking how we communicate what public health means and who it's for— join Radio Catskills Jamie Case as she speaks Ryan Cronin, Melanie Cronin, and Mary Jane Shepard about the project from concept to completion and the art community in New Paltz.

Bill Wiand knows he was abducted by aliens. "Since I was a very, very young boy, they would come, take me out of the house, go through the window. I could actually feel the screen and see the trees glow."

He struggled finding people to talk to about instances like these. He asked, " If you went home and told your parents or your husband that you felt that you were removed from your home and encountered aliens on a spaceship, what would they think?"

In 1993, however, he found a place to turn. The United Friends Observer Society (UFOS) took out a small ad in a local paper and started meeting, according to The Pine Bush UFO and Paranormal Museum. Wiand recalls people from across the world coming to visit their group and see for themselves what Pine Bush had to offer. The town has been dubbed "the UFO capital of the North East."

As its members grew older and interest wained, the club stopped meeting regularly in 2023. Wiand says COVID played a role as well. At the beginning of 2025, however, the museum asked them to come back. Wiand says:

"I was working with the director and he reminded me that there's still a lot of people that are looking for answers... A lot of people came in and they were very interested in UFOs (and) wanted to know what was going on in the Pine Bush area. Because they go to the museum, they see all the local history that's going on, and they want to be part of it."

As of March, they've resumed meetings. The Pine Bush UFO and Paranormal Museum hosts UFOS the first Wednesday of each month at 7 pm.

Sonita Alizada was only 10 years old when her family sold her into marriage. When that deal collapsed, they nearly sold her again—for $9,000. Born in Afghanistan and raised in Iran under strict conditions, Sonita’s future was supposed to be one of silence and servitude. Instead, she found her voice—and used it to fight for the freedom of girls around the world.

In a compelling new interview with Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo, Sonita recounts her escape from child marriage and her rise as a rapper, activist, and global symbol of resistance. Her 2015 song “Daughters for Sale” went viral, amassing over 1.5 million views on YouTube. Its raw, emotional message about the reality of forced marriage sparked international attention and helped Sonita secure a scholarship to study in the United States.

Against the odds, she learned English, thrived academically, and graduated from Bard College in 2023. In October 2025, she will begin a master’s program at Oxford University as a prestigious Rhodes Scholar.

Sonita’s story is captured in her new memoir, Sonita: My Fight Against Tyranny and My Escape to Freedom(HarperOne; July 8, 2025). The book chronicles her life under Taliban rule, her fight to escape, and her mission to end child marriage. It includes personal family photos and a playlist of her original songs, accessible via QR code.

Recognized as one of TIME Magazine’s Next Generation Leaders and featured by Forbes and BBC, Sonita now has over 155,000 followers and continues to reach millions through her music and activism. She has performed at the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Awards and received the Cannes Lions Humanitarian Award.

Her message is clear: every girl deserves the right to choose her own future. Through her music, her writing, and her voice, Sonita Alizada is ensuring they are heard.

For the celebration of our 35th year bringing news, culture and NPR to Sullivan County, Radio Catskill put out a call to all local creatives back in May - help us design a logo that will be featured on T-shirts, thank you cards to our listeners, and all of our merchandise. The winning designer was also promised a feature on Radio Catskill. 

We are so excited to announce that Nya Reebe of Parksville is our winner! Her unique take on the past, present and future of radio, along with her intriguing use of color and our signature lightning bolt stood out and captured Radio Catskill’s energy!

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with Nya about her creative process, how her artistic vision is home grown, and her future aspirations to animate for the small screen.

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo speaks to Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck about a growing legal and political clash between two states with vastly different views on reproductive rights: Texas and New York.

At the heart of this national controversy is Bruck’s decision—twice—to reject Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s attempt to enforce a $113,000 civil judgment against a New York physician. The doctor prescribed abortion-inducing medication via telehealth to a Texas resident, which is legal under New York law but a violation under Texas law.

Now, Paxton is suing Bruck, escalating a battle that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court and test how far state laws can extend beyond their borders….