News

What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s probably the most asked question in a young person’s life. For many, answering it is a chore well into adulthood. But when they get to college, they are asked to instantly start down whatever path it is they think they want to take.

Today on the Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll hear why the arts and sciences should still be a big part of a higher education.

TED talks are back for a third summer in Berkshire County. 

National Grid wants to run another power line through seven towns in Western Massachusetts and New York. 

Berkshire Medical Center nurses have filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. 

With September fast approaching, the city of Albany's political climate is heating up as mayoral candidates strive to bring their messages to the citizens.

The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts is caught in a controversy about its plan to sell off part of its collection to pay for an overhaul of the museum and an endowment fund.

A special legislative commission in Massachusetts is recommending permanently legalizing daily fantasy sports, but holding off on sanctioning additional online gaming.

Next week marks Tanglewood on Parade at the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. But there’s plenty on the schedule at the sprawling Berkshires venue first. WAMC’s Alan Chartock got details from Mark Volpe, the managing director of the BSO.

New York has kicked electronic cigarettes out of school.

  Cases of infants dying in their sleep are on the increase nationally.  The top law enforcement officer in one western Massachusetts county is joining with public health officials to urge new parents to follow the guidance for proper sleeping arrangements for children under 12 months.

Meteorologist Garett Argianas delivers the evening weather forecast for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

Log Bay Day is no more — officially. The Lake George Park Commission on Tuesday adopted a measure against the controversial annual tradition that led to a fatal boat crash last year.

It’s Pets and Vets today, and joining us in the studio are Dr. Susan Sikule of the Just Cats veterinary clinics in Guilderland and Saratoga Springs, NY and Dr. Kris Dallas of Ancient Arts Holistic Veterinary Services in Saratoga Springs. WAMC's Ray Graf hosts.

On this week’s 51%, we hear from an undocumented farm worker, learn about a suffragists exhibit in New York, where U.S. Senator from the state Kirsten Gillibrand visited and find out how a comedian is navigating politics in the punch line. I’m Allison Dunne and this is 51%.

Berkshire Choral International is bidding farewell to its birthplace after 36 years. Saturday was the group’s last performance in Sheffield, Massachusetts.

Newschannel 13 meteorologist Garett Argianas delivers the Midday Weathe Summary for Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

Vermont leaders have announced a settlement with Saint-Gobain related to contaminated water supplies in the Bennington area.  As part of the settlement, the company will pay to bring clean, municipal water lines to homes with wells contaminated with the chemical PFOA.

  Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man is about a con-man who ultimately does good by a community. Harold Hill's heart opens up through the course of one of America's most beloved musicals.

Berkshire Theatre Group is currently presenting the Tony Award-winning musical at The Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield, MA through August 6th.

Directed by Travis G. Daly with music direction by Mark Gionfriddo, the BTG production of The Music Man features over 100 talented Berkshire youth along with Rylan Morsbach as neck-or-nothing, rip-roarin', every-time-a bull's-eye salesman Harold Hill and Haley Aguero as Marian “Madam Librarian” Paroo.

We are joined this morning at The Linda by the aforementioned Rylan Morsbach, Haley Aguero, Mark Gionfriddo, and Travis G. Daly.

This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday PS21 in Chatham, NY presents The Rory Block Gospel & Blues Fest.

The festival features The Campbell Brothers, Texas Music Hall of Famer Cindy Cashdollar, a gospel choir fest featuring 4 choirs from area churches, and Rory Block herself – who joins us now.

Rory Block has committed her life and her career to preserving the Delta blues tradition and bringing it to life for 21st century audiences around the world. A traditionalist and an innovator at the same time, she wields a fiery and haunting guitar and vocal style that redefines the boundaries of acoustic blues and folk. The New York Times declared: “Her playing is perfect, her singing otherworldly as she wrestles with ghosts, shadows and legends.”

Linda Lavin is an American singer and actress. She is known for playing the title character in the sitcom Alice and for her stage performances, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Linda Lavin will return to Club Helsinki in Hudson, NY on July 29 with “My Second Farewell Concert.” In the show, she recalls her roots in the theater, her love of American standards, Steely Dan, and a life-long obsession with the big bands of the 1940’s.

  The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond.

Today's panelists are WAMC’s Alan Chartock, Communications Specialist Theresa Bourgeois, and corporate attorney Rich Honen.

WAMC's Dr. Alan Chartock discusses Sen. John McCain's return to the Senate, the continuing investigations into Paul Manafort, and NY Governor Andrew Cuomo heading to Washington to meet with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.

WAMC's David Guistina talks with Judy Patrick of the Daily Gazette about a rate increase for National Grid and the end of Log Bay Day.

Here's NewsChannel 13 Meteorologist Paul Caiano's WAMC Regional Forecast:

Mostly sunny today.  Highs in the upper 70's.

Increasing clouds tonight with a chance of showers by morning.  Lows in the mid 60's.

Mostly cloudy and more humid with scattered showers and storms tomorrow.  Highs near 80.

NFL:

Research on 202 former football players found evidence of a brain disease in almost 90 percent of them, from athletes in the NFL down to high school. That includes 110 of 111 brains from former NFL players in the biggest update on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. The disease has been linked with repeated head blows, and the results published by the Journal of the American Medical Association confirm that it can happen even in young players.