The latest stories from www.wqxr.org

June 18, 2026- State Department of Agriculture & Markets Commissioner Richard Ball talks about a federal disaster declaration requested for fruit farmers whose crops were impacted by a spring frost.

June 17, 2026 - State Liquor Authority Chair Lily Fan talks about relaxing New York's restrictions on where and when alcohol can be enjoyed and a new law restricting some of the fees charged by wholesalers in the industry.

June 17, 2026 - New York City's business interests spent millions lobbying on the state budget. We discuss the final outcomes with Steven Fulop, president and CEO for the Partnership for New York City.

June 17, 2026 - We explore bipartisan legislation designed to stop online outlets from scraping content from news sites and using artificial intelligence to repackage the material. Our guest is Danielle Coffey, president and CEO of the News/Media Alliance.

June 15, 2026 - In an excerpt from an upcoming Dispatches from Planet Albany conversation, Politico New York Albany Bureau Chief Nick Reisman shares insights he gleaned from a one-on-one interview with Gov. Kathy Hochul.

June 15, 2026- New York State Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner DaMia Harris-Madden reflects on an overdue state report examining the afterschool care landscape in the Empire State, including what universal access might cost.

June 12, 2026- New York State Troopers PBA President Charles Murphy discusses language in the budget ensuring state police members can get paid time off when they're involved in the use of force that kills or seriously injures someone.

June 11, 2026 - A new report from InUnity Alliance highlights the long delays for New Yorkers in need of community-based services for mental health and substance abuse disorders. We explore the underlying problems and how to address them with Jihoon Kim, the organization's president and CEO.

May 5, 2026- Assemblymember Joe Angelino, a Central New York Republican, discusses his effort to incentivize more volunteer first responders and reflects on the challenge of moving legislation at the Capitol when you're in the minority.

May 5, 2026- We look at the evolving landscape of online prediction markets, which have attracted the eye of state regulators and lawmakers in New York. Our guest is Jimmy Vielkind, a Capitol reporter for Gothamist & WNYC.

May 5, 2026- Assemblymember Karines Reyes, a Bronx Democrat, discusses a package of bills designed to help New Yorkers make healthy food decisions.

May 5, 2026 - Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, the GOP gubernatorial nominee, discusses what he would do as governor to bring down energy costs and combat child poverty. He also explains how he would approach the Democratic majorities in the state legislature.

May 4, 2026- In advance of the World Cup and America's 250th Birthday Celebration, Gov. Kathy Hochul tapped former NYC Council Member Justin Brannan, to serve as her senior director for major event operations. He joined the show to talk about his mandate and the big summer in New York.

May 4, 2026 - In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, Doug Clark, a co-managing partner of Shenker Russo & Clark, discusses legislation that would make lobbyists and their clients go into greater detail about their positions on pending legislation.

May 4, 2026- Empire State Passengers Association Executive Director Steve Strauss makes the case for Metro North to offer train service north of Poughkeepsie and discusses how it could be implemented.

May 4, 2026- New York State Community Action Association CEO Tim Nichols wants the state to reverse course on plans to divert money away from home weatherization, which helps lower energy consumption and utility bills for low-income New Yorkers.

Give WQXR morning host Jeff Spurgeon three minutes and he'll give you an entire opera. Listen to his 3-minute summary of Tchaikovsky's tragic Eugene Onegin.ESCUCHAR RADIO 👉https://widget.spreaker.com/player?episode_id=70730354&theme=light&playlist=show&playlist-continuous=true&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=true&hide-likes=true&hide-comments=true&hide-sharing=true&hide-download=false&cover_image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net%2Fimages.spreaker.com%2Foriginal%2F28309762a15caddc03af1f60293a7f2d.jpg&color=eb144c%22%20width=%2210

April 30, 2026- Assemblymember Pamela Hunter, a Syracuse Democrat, makes the case for a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for how automated license plate readers can be used and their data stored.

April 30, 2026- Voters for Animal Rights President Allie Taylor explains why New York should ban octopus farming, even though the practice hasn't been developed for commercial use yet.

April 23, 2026- State policymakers are weighing whether to disconnect a state tax break for manufacturers from a federal credit that was made more lucrative this summer. Our guest is Todd Tranum, executive director of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier.

April 23, 2026- Citizens Campaign for the Environment Executive Director Adrienne Esposito talks about the proliferation of toxic forever chemicals, including in vegetables, and makes the case for cutting the spread off at the source.

April 23, 2026- The process for authorizing charter schools in New York is in the crosshairs of New York's powerful teachers' union. We discuss their concerns with Bob Lowry, deputy director for advocacy, research, and communications for the Council of School Superintendents, which is backing the union's legal challenge.

April 23, 2026- Reinvent Albany Executive Director John Kaehny talks about the relationship between municipalities and state government and makes the case for giving localities more authority.

April 22, 2026- Assembly Racing & Wagering Committee Chair Carrie Woerner, a Capital Region Democrat, talks about steps the state can do to prevent problem gambling with the expansion of gambling opportunities.

April 22, 2026- Civil rights activists and health care professionals want to ensure pregnant women provide informed consent before submitting to alcohol and drug screenings. Our guest is Dr. Erinma Ukoha, an OB-GYN and a maternal fetal medicine specialist.

April 22, 2026- Adirondack Council Director of Communications John Sheehan makes the case for having state regulators take additional steps to promote the remote nature of the Adirondack Park.

April 22, 2026- High-level college sports have entered a new phase with opportunities for college athletes to get paid, but government regulations haven't kept up. We discuss potential rules and regulations with Richard Winsten, a lobbyist for the firm State & Broadway.

April 21, 2026- State Sen. Andrew Gounardes, a Brooklyn Democrat, explains his concerns with Gov. Kathy Hochul's latest effort to redefine the working relationship between federal immigration officials and local law enforcement.

April 21, 2026- State Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson talks about navigating the Trump administration, new pathways for crime victims to receive support, and overcoming challenges funding community organizations.

April 21, 2026- The process to resolve disputes over out-of-network medical billing has become a very lucrative dynamic for healthcare providers, but Gov. Kathy Hochul and health insurers want to reform the dynamic. Our guest is Bill Hammond, senior fellow for Health Policy at the Empire Center for Public Policy.

April 21, 2026- Assemblymember Pat Burke, a Buffalo-area Democrat, discusses the implications of the White House's softening toward "magic mushrooms," shares his concerns with the governor's budget approach, and addresses the fiscal woes of New York's cities.

April 20, 2026- Legislation in New York and states around the country would limit when a criminal defendant's creative expression - such as their original music - can be used against them in a trial. Our guest is Todd Dupler, chief advocacy and public policy officer for the Recording Academy.

April 20, 2026- New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez talks about Gov. Kathy Hochul's approach to combatting potholes in the Empire State.

April 17, 2026- In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, we speak to Democrat Thomas Boomhower about his longshot bid to flip a rural Assembly seat from red to blue.

April 17, 2026- We explore a court ruling invalidating state wetland regulations designed to implement protections adopted into law in 2022. Our guests are Roger Downs, conservation director of the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, and Drew Gamils, senior attorney with Riverkeeper.

April 17, 2026- American Fintech Council CEO Phil Goldfeder discusses the operations of "earned wage access" platforms and makes the case that they shouldn't be regulated like payday loans.

April 16, 2026- Mamaroneck High School Students Max Dowell and Mark Lebowitz make the case for an amendment to the state constitution that would make primary voting open to New Yorkers who turn 18 between the primary and general elections.

April 16, 2026- State Sen. Chris Ryan, a Syracuse-area Democrat, wants to delay state rules limiting access to chemicals that are integral for existing cooling systems, but are major greenhouse gas contributors. His legislation was align New York's restrictions with federal guidelines.

April 16, 2026- Times Union Investigative Reporter Ezra Bitterman explains why the developers of clean energy projects are looking for additional funding from the state and how reluctance to pony up additional dollars could kill the initiative.

April 16, 2026- While Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to backtrack on the implementation of New York's greenhouse gas reduction law from 2019, a former state energy official is calling for New York policymakers to lean into this mission. We talk about implementing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act with Jamie Dickerson, senior director of Clean Energy and Climate Programs at Acadia Center.

April 15, 2026- We highlight funding requests for state programs designed to maximize utilization of federal anti-hunger programs. We talk about the potential return on investment with Krista Hesdorfer, director of Public Affairs at Hunger Solutions New York.

April 15, 2026- New York Solar Energy Industries Association Executive Director Noah Ginsburg talks about what the state could do to accelerate the deployment of home and community solar projects.

April 15, 2026 - Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris, a Queens Democrat, provides an update on state budget negotiations. He weighs in on a lobbying campaign from Uber and car insurance companies, identifies budget priorities for the Senate Democrats, and explores New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's influence in the budget process.

April 14, 2026- We get to know State Sen. Erik Bottcher, a Manhattan Democrat, who won a special election earlier this year. We discuss his policy area priorities, adjusting to life outside of the New York City Council and factoring the needs of all New Yorkers.

April 14, 2026- We explore the state budget priorities of students at New York's public colleges and universities with the help of Luca Rallis, president of the SUNY Student Assembly.

April 14, 2026- We talk with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman's election attorney, Adam Fusco, about his lawsuit against the state Public Campaign Finance Board, which denied matching campaign funds to his bid for governor.

April 13, 2026 - In a Dispatches from Planet Albany excerpt, we explore whether any of the Democratic outsiders challenging state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in the party primary could be successful this summer. Our guest is Alex Elmasri, vice president of operations and growth for The Parkside Group.

April 13, 2026- In advance of an Albany screening of a documentary about censorship we talk with state Librarian Lauren Moore about efforts to ensure a diverse collection of thoughts and values on the shelves of New York libraries.

April 13, 2026- Just a few years after expanding health insurance coverage for Medicaid patients with cancer to include biomarker screenings, Gov. Kathy Hochul is looking to limit access to the diagnostic tool. We talk about the coverage fight in the state budget negotiations with Michael Davoli, senior director of government relations in New York for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

April 10, 2026- We highlight a proposed amendment to New York's Constitution that would mandate the state take care of the mental health needs of people in the Empire State. We consider what the language would mean with James Norton, government and community affairs manager for the New York State of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.