Morning Edition on WAMC

Why do we like the Olympics?

If somebody hadn't thought to start them up again 116 years ago, would ESPN have invented them to fill in summer programming?

I'm not being cranky. It's just that most of the most popular Olympic sports are the groundhog games. Swimming, gymnastics and track and field come out every four years, see their shadow and go right back underground where nobody pays any attention to them for another four years. Can you even name a gymnast?

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We've been following some big developments today in the News of the World phone-hacking scandal in Britain. Prosecutors are charging eight people - including a former top aide to Prime Minister David Cameron - and a woman who was Rupert Murdoch's top lieutenant. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.

Wurtsboro Airport will play host to the Wurtsboro Music Festival on two Thursday evenings in August.

Top name pop music entertainment from the 70s will be performing on the lawn at the airfield providing a new music venue for the region, said music festival spokesman William Liblick.

“Everyone often complains that there’s nothing to do in Sullivan County and what we’re trying to do is to make it very affordable and give people a good night of entertainment,” Liblick said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration has begun sending aides to the state archives to remove key documents related to his work as Attorney General from public view.

According to the New York Times, aides of the Governor have declared off limits all of Cuomo’s files related to a 2007 inquiry into the use of the State Police for political purposes, what became known as “Troopergate”. Cuomo’s office defended its conduct saying that the documents related to Troopergate were exempt from public disclosure because they were protected by attorney-client privilege.

In a surprising deal about 3 ½ hours before the first pitch, the Yankees and Mariners completed a momentous trade, acquiring 10-time all star Ichiro Suzuki for a pair of young pitching prospects. Before switching clubhouses Ichiro held in emotional press conference

(Audio)

After leaving the only major league team he’d ever played for, Suzuki went from last place in the AL West to first in the AL East and he played like it, singling his first at bat as a Yankee and beating his former team 4-1.

Ulster County Executive Michael Hein announced on Monday that he is applying for Community Development Block Grant funding to assist low income homeowners in need of housing improvements with priority given to homeowners needing repairs due to Tropical Storms Irene or Lee.

Rural Ulster Preservation Company will administer the program for the county.  The county and RUPCO will apply for $750,000 with applications from homeowners due on August 7. Funds are expected to be available in the spring 2013.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

WNYT's Paul Caiano delivers his morning forecast.