In this installation of Shakedown Beat, WAMC's Josh Landes offers a review of the jam band Goose's annual holiday extravaganza known as Goosemas.

Thirty-four years after New York State first introduced Gold Star Mother license plates, Gold Star families are now also able to apply for license plates in honor of the soldiers in their families who lost their lives while serving.

The six-term North Country Congresswoman posted to social media this afternoon saying her “most important title is Mom.” Stefanik also said she would not run for re-election to Congress.

That's created some scrambling to make sure the Rensselaer County town has sufficient emergency service.

I recorded the December 19 commentary before President Trump gave his speech on Wednesday, December 16. I discussed the reason why the public sees inflation as a continuing problem and pointed out that in general, the rate of inflation had remained near 3 percent since he took office last January.

Meteorologist Garett Argianas delivers the evening weather forecast for Friday, December 19, 2025.

(Airs 12/19/25 @ 3 p.m. & 12/21/25 @ 6 p.m.) The Media Project is an inside look at media coverage of current events with former Times Union Editor, current Upstate American, Substack columnist Rex Smith, Judy Patrick, former Editor of The Daily Gazette and former Vice President for Editorial Development for the New York Press Association, and Barbara Lombardo, Adjunct Professor at the University at Albany and former Editor of the Saratogian. On this week’s Media Project, Rex, Barbara, and Judy talk about trying to cover President Trump’s speech to the nation this week, the difficulty of covering a President who constantly lies, covering Santa Clause, and much more.

Always a Food Friday favorite, Amy Halloran is back to talk about grain, flour, baking and bakeries of yesteryear. Ray Graf hosts.

A man was shot by police in Albany’s South End Thursday afternoon after authorities say he fired a handgun at officers.

Legislation to permanently ban new anchorages on the Hudson River has been signed into law.

Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night – a “mobile sound-sculpture” that has become a holiday cult classic -- return to the region in Kingston, N.Y., tonight at 6pm.

Here are this week's highlights from the WAMC Listener Comment Line.