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Northeast Notebook Live
WAMC’s Northeast Notebook Live brings listeners inside the conversations of the region. Each day, the hour-long show airing online and on-air will feature a deep dive into an issue that matters most, as well as analysis of the headlines and additional interviews with newsmakers and journalists to provide a broad overlook of what matters most. The show will feature reporting by WAMC journalists, and highlight the vital work local journalists do to inform their communities. Northeast Notebook Live will regularly feature reporting by the Albany Times Union, the Berkshire Eagle, and the Adirondack Explorer thanks to a formal partnership with WAMC that’s meant to explore the region’s news with breadth, depth and context.

Northeast Notebook 9-23-26: Hochul's lead narrows, officer wellness, and surveillance pricing

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Sam Dingman
Published September 23, 2026 at 5:25 PM EDT
Heather DeGrew (left) and Allison Cramer (right), the sister and daughter of Mindy Brugger.
Sam Dingman
Heather DeGrew (left) and Allison Cramer (right), the sister and daughter of Mindy Brugger.

Co-host Aaron Shellow-Lavine wore yellow socks today, and thinks we should all consider the wisdom of giving your ankles a pop of color, particularly on stressful days.

Speaking of stress: New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is facing narrowing polls in her re-election bid against Nassau County Republican Bruce Blakeman. How worried should she be? And how much will President Trump's latest friendly-ish press conference with New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani complicate Blakeman's prospects?

On today's deep-dive: the recent murder-suicide of two first responders is drawing attention to an innovative program run by the Ulster County Sheriff's office. It's called the Officer Wellness Unit, and it's designed to promote psychological well-being in law enforcement. But does the daughter of the murder victim see the tragedy as a mental health issue?

And finally: you might think an upstate New York purveyor of Canadian motorcycles is nervous about the ongoing trade war with Canada. But, as Aaron discovered on a recent visit, he's happy to ride out what he sees as a game of chicken.

All that and more, on this Sept. 23 edition of Northeast Notebook.
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News Northeast Notebook Live
Sam Dingman
Sam Dingman is WAMC’s Hudson/Catskill Bureau Chief. Previously, he was co-host and reporter at “The Show” on KJZZ, Phoenix’s NPR station. Prior to KJZZ, Dingman was the creator and host of the acclaimed podcast “Family Ghosts,” which has been hailed as a critic’s choice by NPR, the LA Times and the New York Times. Dingman also co-hosted the BlueWire original series “The Rumor,” which was featured in the Washington Post and New York Magazine, and was a Webby honoree for Best Podcast Writing. He was story editor for Lemonada Media’s Signal Award-winning series “Pack One Bag,” writer and showrunner for John Stamos’s Webby-winning podcast “The Grand Scheme: Snatching Sinatra,” editor of Karina Longworth’s “You Must Remember This,” and a producer for WNYC’s Peabody-winning “On the Media.” He is a four-time winner of the Moth Grand and Story Slams, and has created, written, hosted, produced and edited podcasts for The Atlantic, Audible Originals, Gilded Audio, Gimlet Media, Lincoln Center, Panoply Media, Paramount Pictures, Pushkin Industries, Spotify, Slate, Stitcher, and Wondery.
See stories by Sam Dingman