The Roundtable

The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College Robert Brigham, The Empire Report’s JP Miller, and Former Times-Union Associate Editor Mike Spain.

New York Rep. Paul Tonko of the 20th district speaks with WAMC's Ian Pickus on the Congressional Corner on June 26, 2025.

WAMC's Joe Donahue and Pat Bradley and NCPR's Emily Russell explore demographic and livelihood challenges facing Adirondackers - including an aging population and a workforce struggling to find affordable housing.

WAMC's Joe Donahue and Pat Bradley and NCPR's Cara Chapman explore the challenges and opportunities facing the Adirondack Park from cross-border trade and tourism with Canada, as tariffs and a trade war have caused tensions on both sides.

The Olympic Regional Development Authority, better known as ORDA, plays a vital role in keeping the Olympic spirit alive in New York’s North Country.Established after the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid, ORDA manages and revitalizes the world-class venues that once hosted athletes from around the globe. Today, those facilities—including Whiteface Mountain, Gore Mountain, Belleayre, and the Olympic Center—are thriving hubs for recreation, training, and competition.ORDA not only supports elite athletes preparing for international competition but also makes these sites accessible to the public, offering skiing, skating, hiking, and year-round activities for families and visitors.

The North Country is alive with culture as evidenced by the three remarkable institutions we welcome to the program this morning.Adirondack Film brings world cinema to local audiences, showcasing international films and fostering conversations about art and storytelling. John Brown Lives! honors the abolitionist’s Adirondack legacy by connecting history with today’s struggles for justice and equality through education and cultural programming. The Adirondack Center for Writing champions writers and readers of all backgrounds with workshops, residencies, and events that celebrate the power of words.Together, these organizations enrich the Adirondacks, making the region a hub for film, history, and literature.

Joe Donahue is joined by WAMC's Pat Bradley and NCPR's Cara Chapman and Emily Russell to set the scene for this WAMC on The Road broadcast from The High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid, New York. They also preview the Adirondack Roundtable panel conversations that will air on both WAMC and NCPR later in the show.

Each weekday morning, The Roundtable's Joe Donahue is joined by various experts, journalists, educators, and commentators to discuss current events. On Roundtable Panel: The Week in Review, we feature your favorite panelists discussing news items from the previous week.

Marianne Leone is an actress, essayist, and screenwriter. She is the author of three memoirs “Jesse,” “Ma Speaks Up,” and most recently “Five-Dog Epiphany.” She had a recurring role on HBO’s “The Sopranos” as Joanne, Christophers Mother. She has also appeared in films by David O. Russell, Larry David, and John Sayles.Her latest project is a novel, and it is “Christina the Astonishing.” It’s a coming-of-age novel told from the perspective of an irrepressible girl by the name of Christina. Her encounters with Catholic school, nuns, Italian mothers, and smalltown Massachusetts all come together in one brewing stew.

Rural ambulance services across New York State are facing a growing crisis that threatens the health and safety of small communities. For decades, these services have relied heavily on volunteers, but that model is straining under modern realities. Fewer people are available to volunteer, while the demand for emergency medical services continues to rise due to aging populations, chronic health conditions, substance abuse, and mental health emergencies.Recognizing these challenges, the New York State Legislature created the Rural Ambulance Services Task Force. The Task Force brings together representatives from state government, EMS professionals, and local stakeholders to study the state of rural emergency care.