Morning Edition on WAMC

When Gac Filipaj fled war-torn Yugoslavia in 1992, he became a refugee in New York. He took a janitor's job at Columbia University because it included free tuition. But he first had to learn English. After a dozen years, he received a bachelor's degree in classics over the weekend.

Listen to Paul Caiano's WAMC Regional forecast.  Paul Caiano is a meteorologist at WNYT Newschannel 13. He graduated from SUNY Albany in May of 1993 with a B.S. in the field of Atmospheric Science/Meteorology.

Opponents of natural gas drilling using hydraulic fracturing are planning a big day of action in Albany, culminating with a star-studded concert at the Empire State Plaza.  WAMC's Ian Pickus reports...

New Yorkers Against Fracking, a new coalition of organizations calling for a fracking ban, plans a rally and multi-media concert Tuesday afternoon and evening. The event features actors Mark Ruffalo and Melissa Leo acting as hosts of the concert at the Egg Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets range from $40 to $150.

President Barack Obama will spend Monday in New York City, and his comments in support of same-sex marriage appear likely to be a principal focus of discussion.

Obama is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at Barnard College, where he'll share the stage with Evan Wolfson, the founder of the pro-gay group Freedom to Marry.

Next, the president will tape an appearance on "The View."

After that he'll speak at two campaign events, including a major fundraiser with gay and Latino donors headlined by singer Ricky Martin, before returning to the White House.

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some other news. The oil boom in western North Dakota has sparked one of the largest migrations to a single area in the United States since the Great Depression. Communities that once struggled to keep people at all, are now struggling to absorb all the newcomers as workers from across the country arrive to seek their fortunes in oil.

The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department will hold two public hearings this month on deer management.

The topics will include the 2011 hunting results and recommendations for an antlerless permitting and youth season this year.

Last year, hunters took 12,132 deer during the archery, youth, rifle, and muzzleloader seasons in Vermont. Those totals will be discussed in detail at the hearings.

The conference finals are underway in the National Hockey League playoffs. In the East, the New York Rangers will face the New Jersey Devils Monday. In the West, the Los Angeles Kings have won Game 1 — beating the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2.

Governor Andrew Cuomo's tax cap is being put to the test as voters cast ballots on the first batch of school budgets drafted under the new taxing limits.

Most districts have proposed budgets that stay within the boundaries established under the cap adopted last year, so it will take a simple majority of votes Tuesday for them to pass.

About 50 districts, hoping to lessen staff and program cuts, are asking taxpayers for a bigger increase in the property tax levy than the cap allows. Those budgets will need a 60 percent "super majority" to pass.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is making the rounds of upstate New York college campuses to promote legislation to help veterans get education and training needed for civilian jobs.

Her schedule Monday includes stops at Syracuse University, Nazareth College in Rochester, and D'Youville College in Buffalo.

Roger Clemens' chief accuser is expected to testify against the former pitcher. It will be a make-or-break moment for the prosecution as it seeks to convict Clemens of perjury.

Brian McNamee, Clemens' former strength coach, takes the stand Monday as the trial moves into its fifth week. McNamee says he injected the seven-time Cy Young Award winner with steroids and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Clemens is accused of lying to Congress when he denied using those drugs.