Midday Magazine on WAMC

New York state Senator Stephen Saland, a Republican running for reelection to the Poughkeepsie-area seat he has held since 1990, received a cross-party endorsement from Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo last week. One of four Republicans who broke ranks to vote for same-sex marriage last year, Saland faces Democrat Terry Gipson and conservative Neil Di Carlo – his primary opponent – in the general election. Saland spoke today with WAMC’s Alan Chartock.

The Frenchman Alexis de Tocqueville arrived in Detroit in 1831 to the quote: “utmost limits of European civilization” and wrote ‘Democracy in America’ which helped Americans for the first time to see America from an outsider’s view. Foreigners are still attracted to Detroit, Jake Warga visited recently to see who’s coming from over-seas.

As state and federal officials are still working with GE on a plan to clean PCBs from the Housatonic River in the Berkshires, local activists are searching for new technologies to lessen the impact on the surrounding ecosystem. WAMC’s Berkshire Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports…

In an event yesterday evening sponsored by local environmental groups and hosted by the Housatonic River Initiative, company BioTech Restorations presented new technologies they’ve been developing to remove harmful chemicals from contaminated soil.

One of the most-watched regional political contests this year is the race for the newly-created 46th state Senate District. Vying for the seat: Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk and Republican George Amedore  - Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas recently sat down with each of the candidates.

A recent audit of the MassHealth system has found the system open to fraud with thousands ineligible individuals receiving healthcare benefits from Massachusetts. WAMC’s Berkshire Bureau Chief Lucas Willard reports…

Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne Bump released a report yesterday that pointed out shortcomings in the MassHealth system, which included failures of the state office of Medicaid to verify the incomes and residency of individuals who received tax-payer funded health care benefits.

Toe to toe, interruption to interruption, like two gladiators they squared off in the arena. Candy Crowley's best efforts to maintain order couldn't survive the testosterone battle that played out before us. It was not only great TV, but a superb debate. The key takeaway: Barack is back and moderate Mitt can't survive careful scrutiny. 

Last Tuesday night was the second of three scheduled presidential debates, with President Obama and Governor Romney going toe-to-toe before a public audience at Hofstra University.

The Republican and Democrat running in New York’s new 21st Congressional District race met in a contentious televised debate this week.