Jessica Bloustein Marshall

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has signed a new law legalizing Mixed Martial Arts bouts in the state, making it the last state in the nation to remove prohibitions on professional fights. The new law reverses the ban placed on the bouts in 1997 amid concerns over the safety of fighters.

President Abraham Lincoln's connection to Capital Region is more than just fairy tale, in fact, he has quite a few. One of which is the story of New York Senator Ira Harris' daughter Clara, and her husband, Union Army Officer Henry Rathbone. On the night of April 14th in Ford's theater, the two were the esteemed guests of Abraham Lincoln...

We delve into the story of the Heer of Donder-Berg, a story from Jonathan Kruk, loreteller from the Hudson Valley. 

Bigfoot, Sasquatch, or myth? Seth Breedlove and his new film, Beast of Whitehall, premiers in Whitehall, New York on April 2nd. We explore the idea of the mythical creature in the pilot episode of our soon-to-launch podcast, Listen With The Lights On. 

An estimated 10 percent of the population of Nepal lives with a disability. But there are remote regions of the country where access to healthcare, education and vocational support for those individuals is lacking or nonexistent. One young man with a visual impairment is trying to change that—Chhitup Lama has set up a unique non-profit that brings support services and education to children with disabilities living in rural parts of his country.

At the hottest new restaurant in Albany’s South End, the lights are low, but the ambiance is lively.  

The tables are dressed with fresh linen, elegant water carafes and simple floral centerpieces. The décor is DIY trendy. A glittering chandelier made from silverware and wire catches the light as dozens of patrons enjoy meals made with organic, local ingredients.

From lions and tigers to snow leopards and panthers, “big cats” are defined by those who study them as wild cats with the ability to roar. Wildlife biologist Boone Smith has wrangled an impressive number of them.

Ninety-six years ago, Henry Johnson returned to the city of Albany an unsung hero following his service in World War I. Yesterday, the medal he earned for his bravery followed suit. 

Henry Johnson’s gleaming Medal of Honor now stands on display in the War Room at the state capitol.

Patrick Madden emerged victorious in a race full of twists and turns. Standing on a chair Tuesday night, he spoke to a packed bar of supporters downtown.

The rate of traffic crashes in the United States is about three times higher at night than in the daytime. Visibility is a large contributing factor to that statistic. But a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute professor is leading a study in the Capital Region that may revolutionize the way we drive at night. 

When you think of classic martial arts films, iconic names like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li come to mind. But in today's martial arts movie-making universe, actor Byron Mann is the new it-guy. He’s a prolific actor, well-known for his martial arts prowess and memorable fight scenes. He hails from Hong Kong, and earned his stripes in films like Street Fighter,  Rise of the Legend, The Man with the Iron Fists and more recently on television in CW’s Arrow. Currently, he has signed on to play a Chinese power broker in AMC’s Hell on Wheels, an epic fictionalized drama about the building of America’s railroads—its fifth season premieres July 18th at 9/8 central. Mann has also taken on roles in the upcoming films Absolution starring Steven Segal and Vinnie Jones, and The Big Short, playing alongside the likes of Brad Pitt, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale.

With developers in New York and Massachusetts preparing to break ground on casinos approved by voters and state-appointed commissions, and lobbying under way for more casinos in Connecticut to combat a loss of revenue they fear will come with new casinos in neighboring states, it’s all but certain that there will be a sharp rise in the need for casino employees in the region’s not-too-distant future. 

  Three-time National Champion, two-time Olympian and NBCSports commentator Johnny Weir was in Albany last weekend for a meet and greet with skaters and fans at the Empire State Plaza. WAMC's Jessica Bloustein Marshall caught up with him while he was there.

Many Gen-Xers and Millennials are caught between a rock and a hard place when it comes to the cost of higher education. How are new parents are coping with the rising cost of a college education for their children, while still saddled with their own school debts?

In the year 2030, the average sticker price for a year at a private university could be as much as $130,428. That’s according to recent projections by loan-handlers Campus Partners. Their outlook is pretty bleak for public universities too—which could cost a whopping $41,228 per year.

  The Peace Corps has revealed its enrollment numbers for 2014, and several areas in our region have ranked high on their lists of volunteer-producing locations. 

From a small country club in his Columbia County hometown of Kinderhook, Chris Gibson easily slid to victory over Democratic challenger Sean Eldridge, 65 percent to 35 percent. The win earns the incumbent a third term in Congress.

As John Mellencamp’s “Small Town” blared over speakers, those in attendance at his victory party lauded the retired Army colonel  as a hometown hero. Columbia County Sheriff David Bartlett, a Republican, says Gibson’s work to bring funding to the district, and his attention to the district’s needs, was what won his support.

Hoffman’s Playland in Colonie, New York, is closing this weekend after 62 years. The beloved kiddie park has been a summer destination for three generations of Capital Region residents. Jessica Bloustein Marshall spoke with park owner Dave Hoffman earlier this summer. He says it all started with his grandfather, who bought a parcel of land 6 miles outside of Albany in the 1930s to start a farm.

Greg Haymes of Nippertown.com is here with his early fall musical selections.

1. Frank Jaklitsch and Friends, "Singer of Song" from the album Good Things, playing at Irish 2000 Music & Arts Festival at Saratoga County Fairgrounds in Ballston Spa Saturday at 2:25.

2. Michael Jerling, "The Hard Stuff" from his latest album Halfway Home, playing at Art in the Park at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs Saturday at 3.

3. Mirk, "Forbidden Love" from their album Love, playing at LarkFest on Lark Street in Albany Sept. 20 at .

This week, the president of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, announced that the all-female liberal arts college has revised its admission policy to include transgender students. The move makes it the second single-sex institution in the country to do so, following a similar policy change by the all-female Mills College near San Francisco in August.

Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley has implemented a formal policy regarding the admission of transgender students. 

During the college's annual Convocation address on Tuesday, President Lynn Pasquerella announced that the all-women's  institution  now welcomes applications from transgender students who identify as female. 

Albany Medical Center was recently named one of the Most Wired Hospitals in the nation, according to Hospitals and Health Networks. It is one of 375 hospitals in the United States to receive the designation, which is awarded based on an annual survey of hospitals’ use of technology with regard to clinical patient safety and other areas of hospital management. As part of our regular look at technology in our region, WAMC’s Jessica Bloustein Marshall spoke with Albany Medical Center’s Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer, George Hickman.

  The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado destroyed homes and property in central New York, and killed four people.

Violent winds Tuesday clocked in at least 100 miles per hour in the Madison county town of Smithfield, between Syracuse and Utica, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Barbara Watson. 

"It's going to be at least an EF2," Watson said. 

There are reports of fatalities in the wake of a line of storms, including a confirmed EF2 tornado, that moved through western and central New York Tuesday night, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that knocked down trees, power lines and several buildings.