Jackie Orchard

On today’s 51%, for graduation season, we celebrate non-traditional students who returned for their degree later in life. And we’ll hear a first-hand experience of walking across the graduation stage: mine.

On today’s 51%, we visit the Akwesasne Nation near the U.S. – Canada border to learn about indigenous women leaders.

On today’s 51%, we explore the world of film with archivist Audrey Kupferberg.

For almost two months, one woman walked 902 miles to raise awareness about human trafficking. She stopped in Albany last week before finishing the trek June 19th.

June kicked off with the annual Pride Flag Raising event at Albany City Hall today – and a longtime local leader was honored as part of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride Month.

On today’s 51%, we explore the role of community gardens in urban areas. And we’ll meet some of the scientists who are purifying the soils the gardens grow in.

On today’s 51%, we speak with Miss New York USA about how beauty pageants can lift up young women. And we’ll hear from Miss Wisconsin Earth about how she’s representing plus size women on the stage in a time of changing attitudes about pageants.

On today’s 51%, I ride along on-shift with a County Sheriff’s Deputy and her K-9. And we’ll speak with a female FBI agent who tells us what not to believe on TV.

SARATOGA COUNTY SHERRIFF NIKKI VOEGLER

A Sheriff k-9 is tracking me.

Specifically, a 2-year-old German shepherd named Neeka who, although allowing me to throw her toy over and over, could rip me apart in seconds.

The Rockland County legislature and a representative of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency held a virtual panel Wednesday amid concerns over the level of PFAS contamination in the county’s drinking water.

On today’s 51%, I visit a psychiatric ward in Cleveland to learn how one nurse reaches her patients with tea parties. And we’ll hear from one physician assistant who is trying to educate other healthcare professionals about racial and gender equity.

On today’s 51%, I speak with long-time women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred about the allegations of sexual misconduct against New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and pick her brain about what it means to be a feminist. And we’ll hear from New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi about her own experiences with the governor.

Civil rights leaders in Albany are calling for changes following the forced removal of protestors outside a city police station last week. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge for religious leaders, forcing most services to go remote and fragmenting once tight-knit communities. The logistics may have been a challenge, but their faith is stronger than ever.

Capital Region residents are suing the Norlite facility in Cohoes and its parent company, alleging hazardous dust is settling in their neighborhoods.

Like back in 2020, it’s anything but a normal St. Patrick’s Day this year. With Albany’s parade canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic for a second straight year, WAMC’s Jackie Orchard reports the holiday might serve as a way to reflect on the immigrant story and what it means to conquer hardship.

Tennis has boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Physical Activity Council, more than 21 million Americans picked up a racquet over the past year, up more than a fifth. As WAMC’s Jackie Orchard found out, some of those newcomers are military veterans, finding solace during a dark New York winter.

If you’ve ever played the MLB Trivia Challenge board game, you may have wondered, “Where did all of these statistical questions come from?” They were created long before Google, and the game itself is the result of one upstate New York man’s life’s work.

The classical music world often focuses on long dead masters, who tend to be white and European. But one composer who is not even old enough to legally drink alcohol is trying to change that. He started over the weekend with the Albany Symphony.

Albany Police continue to investigate a shooting last weekend that killed a pregnant woman and injured four others. 32-year-old Shanita Thomas was killed in the 200 block of Central Avenue in the latest gun homicide to rock the city. In recent days, a vigil has sprung up near the site of the shooting.

Albany County officials marked Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with a wreath-laying Monday morning.

After Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol yesterday, resulting in four deaths and several injuries, Congress reconvened and cemented Joe Biden’s victory in the presidential race. WAMC took to the streets today to speak with residents across the Northeast about how the events unfolded.

COVID-19 has taken a toll on businesses across the country. As WAMC’s Jackie Orchard found out, zoos are having a wild ride during the pandemic as well.

In many parts of the United States, multi-generational households are a thing of the past. As young professionals move out and move away, parents and grandparents are often left behind. In part seven of our special series on aging, WAMC’s Jackie Orchard learns about the importance of grandparents in one culture.

Many small businesses are hanging by a thread as they wait for another round of federal stimulus money, hoping to keep remaining employees on payroll and pivot to online sales amid further COVID-19 restrictions. But there are resources to help businesses stay afloat.

Following the May death of George Floyd while in Minneapolis Police custody – Albany experienced a slew of protests and riots, New York repealed a law that restricted access to police disciplinary records and a statewide mandate to reimagine policing was instituted. To learn how these events have impacted policing in New York’s capital city, I rode along with an Albany Police lieutenant and spoke with a local Black rights activist.

Albany County Executive Dan McCoy has warned that the percentage of residents testing positive for COVID-19 over a seven-day average has surpassed 3 percent, nearing the threshold where New York state imposes tighter restrictions. WAMC’s Jackie Orchard spoke with Albany County Health Commissioner Dr. Elizabeth Whalen about Thanksgiving, which is expected to cause a large spike in cases.

This year, a world famous holiday sight has its roots in Oneonta, New York.

Four NASA astronauts are blasting off in the SPACEX Crew Dragon spacecraft tonight, if all things go according to plan.