WAMC Northeast Report on WAMC

Earlier this month, David Brooks, the well-known New York Times columnist, published an op-ed entitled, “The Practical University”.  In the context of the rapidly-expanding world of online education, Mr. Brooks is correct when he states that we are forced to ask the question, “What is a university for?” His answer: “…universities are places where young people acquire two sorts of knowledge, technical… and practical.” To date, some 452 individuals have either submitted comments about Mr. Brooks’ answer to that question, or have weighed in themselves on this critical matter.

Tonight marks the local premiere of the film The Place Beyond The Pines, starring Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta and Ryan Gosling, which was filmed in several Capital Region locales and takes place in Schenectady.

WAMC's Brian Shields spoke with Don Rittner, head of the Schenectady Film Commission, who helped bring the film to town and who has a bit part in the movie.

As New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was introducing a measure to crack down on political corruption Tuesday, a local legislator in the Hudson Valley started work on a proposal for his county, one he hopes becomes law on the state level as well.

Law enforcement officers opposed to a proposal that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana will be at the Vermont statehouse Thursday asking legislators to reject the measure.

In an article recently published by the Wall Street Journal, Massachusetts is the state with  the highest per-capita expenditure on healthcare, with the average individual paying more than $9,200 a year on health care costs. Expenses taken into account include emergency care, physician visits, nursing home care, prescription drugs, dental care, and other categories.

This is the deadline to register in Massachusetts to vote in the April 30th party primaries to pick the Democratic and Republican candidates for the special election for U.S. Senate.   WAMC”s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill spoke with the state’s top election official, Secretary of State William Galvin.

For the price of one four day pass to the Master’s golf tournament this weekend, you could get a) a year’s tuition at a New York State University, b) a trip for two to Paris c) a motorcycle. This isn’t a multiple choice question. I’m saying you can get all of these for the price of one ticket, which right now is averaging over $13,000 on the secondary market. Of course, the list price is only $200, but you have to have been born into that, since an actual ticket hasn’t been up for sale for decades. So if you want in to Augusta National, you have to scalp your passes like everyone else that isn’t a corporate sponsor.

Meteorologist Garett Argianas gives us the evening weather summary for Wednesday, April 10, 2013.

In New York today, in Kingston, a new anti-fracking group announced its formation. A number of environmentalists and elected officials are on board with the initiative that stems from the Hudson Valley.

Protect the Adirondacks has received permission from the New York State Appellate Court to continue with a lawsuit challenging a state snowmobile trail building plan in the Adirondack Park.