The Capital Region is getting a new pro basketball team, the New York Phoenix. Sports reporter Mike Kelly joins us on this episode to talk about the new franchise, and what else is going on in the local sports arena. Also, Steve Barnes goes over where you can get a great Thanksgiving dinner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adch…

Bigfoot. Sasquatch. Wendigo. Yeti. Yowie. Whatever you call it, the forest-dwelling man-beast's existence has never been proven. But never really disproven either. And a growing group of people in New York’s Hudson Valley are dedicated to finding the truth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

We’ll recap the results in New York, where heavily contested House races flipped a handful of seats in favor of Democrats, a measure to codify civil rights got solid approval from voters, and some typically solid blue districts in the state started to show more support for Republicans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

Capital Confidential’s Dan Clark joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to preview the top races across New York state, which could be a key battleground for control of Congress. Also, we’ll catch up with some of the top news in the Capital Region, including the arrest made in the swatting incident at Bethlehem High School and controversial new tr…

The discovery of human remains in South Troy fuels speculation about what may have happened to Jaliek Rainwalker, a 12-year-old who disappeared from Washington County in 2007. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesTimes Union

Fifteen years ago, Table Hopping columnist and Times Union theater critic Steve Barnes went to see comedian Dane Cook perform in Albany. Opening for Cook was Robert Kelly, an up-and-coming stand-up. Kelly’s set made Barnes laugh so hard, he cried. And then told 100,000 readers that Kelly was funnier than the main act. On this episode of “The Eagle,…

For six years, Times Union reporter Larry Rulison has been trying to find Prestige Limousine & Chauffeur Service owner Shahed Hussain. He's a former FBI informant who helped convict 7 people in terrorism sting operations in the early 2000s. He's also the father of Nauman Hussain, who is in prison for the deaths of the 20 Schoharie limo crash victim…

One of the Capital Region’s most notable civil rights advocates has died. In this episode of “The Eagle,” we replay a story Green told us about an encounter she had as a teen that inspired her career and lifelong dedication to social justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

We've been hard at work on a new limited series podcast here at the Times Union. On this episode of "The Eagle," we're bringing you a preview of "Catastrophic Failure: The Story of the Schoharie Limo Crash." In this new series, reporter Larry Rulison and Jessica Marshall delve into the story of the 2018 crash that killed 20 people. It's a story of …

New York’s top executive sat down with Times Union Capitol Correspondent Dan Clark this week for an exclusive interview at Hearst Tower. They talked about the 2024 elections, her support for President Biden, climate change, congestion pricing, and more. This week on “The Eagle,” we’ll hear some of that conversation. Learn more about your ad choices…

The song that propelled Sammy Hagar to rock stardom - the 1984 anthem of rebellion and fast living - came to him after he was pulled over and ticketed for speeding on I-87, just outside of Albany. Hagar says he wrote “I Can’t Drive 55” in his head as he continued on to Lake Placid, where he had a home near his son's boarding school. The former Van …

When the remains of 25-year-old Karen Ramsey were unearthed at a construction site in March, investigators couldn’t find any record of a missing persons report. Times Union Hudson Valley Managing Editor Phillip Pantuso joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to discuss what he’s discovered about who Karen Ramsey was, and what happened to her more t…

For almost four decades, New York State Public Radio’s Karen DeWitt has brought the latest news from the Capitol in Albany to the airwaves. She’s been there for six governors, countless legislative power shifts (including two coups), and all the political maneuvers and scandals that unfolded along the way. She’s on the brink of retirement, and join…

For more than three decades, Colin Mochrie has been out of his comfort zone, and he has loved every minute of it. The “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” star says that’s the key to being good at improv comedy. Mochrie and fellow “Whose Line” alum Brad Sherwood are traveling the continent with their unscripted stage show “Asking for Trouble,” and they’ll be…

A time-traveling DeLorean takes center stage in "Back to the Future: The Musical," coming to Proctors in Schenectady in June. But screenwriter Bob Gale is the wind beneath its wings. His iconic franchise, co-written with filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, continues to delight audiences almost 40 years after the first movie premiered. Gale joins us on this …

Since the 1960s, Interstate 787 has separated the city of Albany from its Hudson River waterfront. What if the massive elevated highway, with all its noodley ramps, moved underground? Or what if it became a ground-level parkway with traffic lights and crosswalks? Those are two of the proposals the New York State Department of Transportation is floa…

Sprinkling sodium chloride on roads and highways during winter months has long been an effective way to avoid hazardous driving conditions. But ongoing research out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is showing that while road salts are essential for human safety, excessive use of them is profoundly affecting freshwater flora and fauna living near…

This year’s New York state budget is done and dusted. Capital reporter Dan Clark gives us the highlights of the $237 billion behemoth, which includes tools to crack down on illegal cannabis and new plans to spur housing development. Also in this episode, we’ll talk with playwright Matthew Spangler, who wrote a stage adaptation of Khaled Hosseini’s …

There are few things that unite generations of people raised in the Capital Region more than Secrets, the iconic all-ages nightclub at Guptill’s Rollerskating Arena. The memorable radio spots advertising the wa-wa-water cannons and lack of dress code live rent-free in the minds of those who came of age in the last four decades of its existence. Sec…

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band are playing the MVP Arena next week, after more than a year of postponements and delays. The resident Times Union Springsteen superfans, editor-in-chief Casey Seiler and city desk editor Mike Goodwin, sat down to talk about why tickets were so expensive, why it was delayed, and what they are looking forward t…

When Caitlin Clark was taking a shot against LSU at the end of Iowa’s Elite Eight game in Albany, Rebecca Lobo was taking a shot at Albany. During the ESPN broadcast, the former WNBA and UConn star joked that there was nothing to do in New York’s Capital City. The hometown crowd was not thrilled with her remarks and took to social media en masse to…

Parts of New York state are smack in the path of totality of the coming eclipse on April 8, and anyone who views it is in for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, according to Siena College Dudley Astronomer Mindy Townsend. On this episode of "The Eagle," Townsend goes over what we can expect to see during the eclipse (Hint: it will get dark!) and how …

New York's capital is set to play host to Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in the women's NCAA championship tournament at the end of March. It's highly likely that will bring Iowa Hawkeyes superstar and Division I point record holder Caitlin Clark to town. Tickets for the games she's slated to play are already in high demand, with an expected 14,000 …

The Hudson River is only about a quarter of a mile wide between Albany and Rensselaer counties, yet some people who live west of the river banks look at the area to the east as another country, rather than just a different county. On this episode of “The Eagle,” Kristi Gustafson Barlette talks about the strange stigma about Rensselaer County, and w…

The Academy Awards are coming up this weekend and we turn to our resident movie expert, features writer C.J. Lais, for his top picks to take home the Oscars. Also on this episode, we'll take a deep dive into our latest investigative project. Reporter Emilie Munson talks about why serious police crashes in New York state have sharply increased in re…

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter David Nail has had chart-topping hits, played the Grand Ole Opry, and made a name for himself on Music Row. Yet he says he does not consider himself a typical country music star. He’s also been very open about his struggles with depression in recent years. Nail joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to talk about…

Pinky and The Brain hatched their first plot to take over the world in 1993 on an episode of the hit animated series “Animaniacs.” In 30 years, cartoon mice have yet to achieve global domination, but they did take over “The Eagle” this week. Emmy-winning voiceover artists Rob Paulsen and Maurice LaMarche join us on this episode to talk about their …

A large snowstorm that hit the northeastern United States this week was forecast to pummel upstate New York. While parts of the Hudson Valley were affected, the Capital Region was completely spared. On this episode, we asked National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Frugis why the forecast changed so drastically and whether the groundhog’s predi…

When 35-year-old Ben Fruchter went looking for his birth family a few months ago, he discovered a startling truth about his origins: He’d been snatched from his parents in Chile as an infant in a forced adoption under the brutal regime of dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet. On this episode of “The Eagle,” we’ll learn more about Fruchter’s story, and hi…

With the terminal fate of Albany’s crumbling Central Warehouse sealed, officials in Albany have begun the complicated process of figuring out how to raze it. A hefty price tag, combined with complex structural logistics and asbestos mitigation, make it an arduous task that could take years. On this episode of “The Eagle,” reporter Steve Hughes goes…

When Delphine Sosu accepted an offer to play DII soccer for the College of Saint Rose, it was a dream come true. But when traveled to Albany from Africa to join the team, the life she was hoping for turned quickly into a nightmare. Arriving days before the school announced it was closing, she was facing an impossible situation, with her future very…

On Jan. 14, 1950, West Point cadet Richard Cox walked off campus and disappeared. More than seven decades later, that vanishing has become one of the Hudson Valley’s biggest mysteries. Author David Levine joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to discuss the case. Also on this episode, a new chapter in the story we’ve told about Jaliek Rainwalker,…

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her third State of the State address this week, where she made promises to address a range of issues including mental health, housing and infrastructure. Yet reactions to the speech from lawmakers and observers focused heavily on what was omitted. Months after declaring a state of emergency over the influx of mi…

The family of the 9-year-old girl who was abducted in Saratoga County in October hasn’t spoken publicly since she was found alive and her alleged abductor was arrested and charged. But now, they’re hoping what they’ve learned about the investigation can help other victims. Jené Sena, the girl’s aunt, joins us on this episode of “The Eagle.” Also on…

In 1993, an activist group calling themselves the Barbie Liberation Organization swapped out the voice boxes of talking Barbie and G.I. Joe toys and snuck them into stores for unsuspecting customers. Their aim was to publicly challenge the social norms they believed the toys represented. Thirty years later they are at it again. Spurred by the succe…

There has been no shortage of controversy around Lululemon in the last decade. When employees of the Lululemon store in Crossgates Mall told Kristi Gustafson Barlette she couldn't bring her young children into the dressing room with her, she wanted to know whether this was company policy. On this episode of "The Eagle," Kristi joins us to talk abou…

Singer-songwriter Judy Collins has been performing and making music for nearly seven decades. The 84-year-old Grammy winner with 55 albums under her belt is coming to Saratoga Springs to perform this month, and she joins us on this episode of "The Eagle" to talk about the show, her career, and the key to longevity. Also on this episode, education r…

Capital Region-based grocery chain Price Chopper/Market 32 picked up the locations of the five Shoprite stores that closed just before Thanksgiving. On this episode of "The Eagle," we'll talk about the question of what will become of those facilities, and explore the dynamics of the regional grocery store landscape. Also on this episode, we'll get …

According to a recent study by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, a quarter of the country’s newspapers have shuttered since 2005. And in less than two years, they are predicting that total will creep up to a third. They’re calling it a “crisis for our democracy,” where news deserts are growing and leaving communities with limit…

When electric violinist Mia Asano and bagpiper Ally Duncan first met in person, they had an instant connection. Both classically trained musicians, they became fast best friends, bonding over a love Celtic music, niche instruments and Squishmallows. They went viral on TikTok as a musical duo within hours of meeting, and a little more than a year la…

“Dancing with the Stars” alum-turned-judge and ballroom dance champion Derek Hough is back on stage with a live dance tour that’s coming to the Palace Theater in Albany on Nov. 10. He joins us on this episode of “The Eagle” to talk about learning new styles of dance, touring and dancing with his wife, and balancing it all with his DWTS schedule. Le…

For the last decade and a half, the Black-led Collage Dance Collective has been redefining perceptions of traditional ballet, using the classical dance style to tell new stories from communities of color. Collage is headed to Proctors Theater in Schenectady next month, and Executive Director Marcellus Harper joins us on this episode of "The Eagle."…

Can you play Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall (Part I)" using only your brain (and a little help from AI)? It may be muffled and distorted, but scientists recreated the 1979 song using the brain signals of 29 patients at Albany Medical Center. It's a feat, they say, that offers new insight into human brain activity. On this episode of "The E…

Comedian Nimesh Patel doesn’t consider his standup set a success unless he can work in a new joke. He plans to do that Sunday in Saratoga Springs. We caught up with him before he headed to town. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesTimes Union

A high-profile murder case in New York’s Capital Region concluded with the conviction of Jacob L. Klein, who was found guilty last week of killing physician assistant Philip Rabadi in 2022. We’ll go through the testimony and what’s now known about this grisly and tragic story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…

All Paul Reiser ever wanted to do was standup comedy. Though his acting resume is longer than a CVS receipt — his latest projects include the hit series “Stranger Things,” “The Boys, and “The Kominsky Method” — he says there’s no greater thrill than grabbing a mic and joking about the routines of his daily life. He joins us on this episode of “The …

When a rumor that the Grammy-winning superstar was buying a house in upstate New York took off on Facebook, we had to get to the bottom of it. Also on this episode, comedian and “The Daily Show” senior correspondent Michael Kosta answers a few rapid fire questions, and we’ll have the latest in the somewhat unusual murder trial of Jacob Klein in Alb…

Boy band crooner and reality TV star Nick Lachey wants to bring back baggy jeans and Pop-Tarts, but he’s OK ditching the cargo shorts. He joined us on “The Eagle” this week to talk about bringing back '90s trends, rumors about a boy band Super Bowl halftime show, and more while in town to perform with 98 Degrees on the pop quartet’s 25th-anniversar…

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a group of transgender women found a safe space to explore their identities at a house in a remote part of the Catskills. On this episode of “The Eagle,” we’ll take a look back at Casa Susanna, and a new documentary that chronicles a forgotten piece of New York’s LGBTQ+ history. Also on this episode, we’ll discuss…

The first time Cracker frontman David Lowery played Albany, it was the winter of 1986 and temperatures were below freezing. Since then, he has rocked New York's capital city during warmer weather, and will be returning once more July 12 to play the Empire State Plaza. On this episode of "The Eagle," Lowery joins us to talk about life, music and pla…