Midday Magazine

Activists, organizers and community leaders recently came together for what they called "an emergency community conversation" about the actions of Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Police Chief Eric Hawkins, and the command staff of the South Station.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Paul Caiano delivers the Midday Weather Summary for Monday, May 3, 2021.

Like most large gatherings over the past year-plus, the 30th anniversary version of the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure this June will again be virtual. In upstate New York, four markets – Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo – are joining forces for the annual bike race.

Almost a year after a federal lawsuit against the town police department set off a chain of scandals and resignations, Williamstown, Massachusetts municipal elections are coming up May 11th. WAMC has the second part of our series of candidate profiles.

NewsChannel 13 Meteorologist Reid Kisselback delivers his regional forecast for Sunday, May 2nd, 2021. 

With the summer arts scene almost upon us, I offer a word of advice. Buy your tickets early.

NewsChannel 13 Meteorologist Reid Kisselback delivers his regional forecast for Saturday, May 1st, 2021. 

Good news arrived with Earth Day 2021’s trash collection ritual.  Every year, on or about Earth Day, I don a pair of gloves, nab my EZ reach professional claw grabber, line a shopping cart with a heavy duty contractor bag, and travel up and down our road collecting the previous twelve months’ litter.

Governor Andrew Cuomo says dining in New York City can operate at 75% of capacity beginning May 7, bringing rules in the city in line with the rest of the state. COVID-19 restrictions are easing for dining at restaurants and drinking at bars across the state, but the industry, hit hard by the pandemic, says more needs to be done. 

The border between the U.S. and Canada has been closed to non-essential travel since March 20, 2020. Extended monthly, the closure runs until at least May 21st. However, the international crossing is not expected to reopen until at least this fall and cross border interests have been calling on the two federal governments to craft a safe reopening plan.  This week officials from the North Country Chamber and the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce hosted a virtual seminar on expectations for reopening the border.

WAMC listeners had a lot on their minds this week. Here are this week's highlights from the WAMC Listener Comment Line.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Paul Caiano delivers the Midday Weather Summary for Friday, April 30, 2021.

The federal government, New York state and a Capital Region cement plant have reached a settlement to resolve alleged violations of federal and state water regulations.

Chief Eric Hawkins, speaking during a virtual common council session Wednesday night, defended Albany police actions that cleared protestors from their encampment outside South Station last week.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Paul Caiano delivers the Midday Weather Summary for Thursday, April 29, 2021.

Charles Blanchard is the new interim town manager for Williamstown, Massachusetts. After Jason Hoch resigned due to a series of scandals related to police department misconduct, the select board tapped Blanchard to steer Williamstown’s day-to-day operations while it searches for a new permanent manager. WAMC spoke with Blanchard about his philosophy on town management, and how he envisions his role in the community during a fraught period in Williamstown.

A month after presenting its Policing Reform and Reinvention Plan to the state, Albany is looking to convene a new series of community meetings at a tense time in the city. Mayor Kathy Sheehan, a Democrat running for a third term, tells WAMC the city will release an RFP next week for an outside group to facilitate the conversations.

UMass Amherst is hosting an online conference this weekend to commemorate the 50th anniversary release of the Pentagon Papers – a top secret study that revealed a long history of government lies about U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

The Burlington, Vermont City Council met this week and approved several routine ordinance changes. Councilors also heard an update on police transformation initiatives and discussed what to do about graffiti in the city center.

Owned by New York state and maintained by the Bannerman Castle Trust, Bannerman’s Island is quite a sight for anyone riding the train past Beacon. There, on a 6.5-acre rocky island, stand the ruins of a Scottish castle in the Hudson Highlands. 

The Pittsfield, Massachusetts City Council got a COVID-19 update and voted to end a controversial mosquito spraying program at Tuesday night’s virtual meeting.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Paul Caiano delivers the Midday Weather Summary for Wednesday, April 28, 2021. 

Siena College President Chris Gibson is calling on New York state to revise its rules for in-person graduation ceremonies. The private college in Loudonville plans to hold commencement at the Times Union Center in Albany May 30th with the arena’s capacity capped at 10 percent. But if it was a sporting event, the downtown venue would be allowed to fill 25 percent of its seats. WAMC's Jim Levulis spoke with Gibson, a former Capital Region Republican Congressman, about the college’s plans.

      The city of Springfield’s Election Office is looking to buy a new vote tabulation system and more than 70 new voting machines for local polling places.

An education advocacy organization based in the Adirondacks is working to raise $1.5 million to help rural students in New York and Vermont go to college.

At its Monday night meeting, the Great Barrington, Massachusetts selectboard got an update on public works projects in the town and debated the merits of a downtown licensing request.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Paul Caiano delivers the Midday Weather Summary for April 27, 2021.