Lucas Willard

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Lucas Willard

Earlier this month, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a $254 billion state budget — several weeks late. And while the fiscal year 2026 spending plan contains several policy items and investments in programs that fund education, infrastructure, and economic development, not everything advocates had hoped for made it into the final package. For the perspective of the New York League of Conservation Voters, WAMC’s Lucas Willard spoke with the non-profit’s policy director, Patrick McClellan.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Lucas Willard

Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer. The Democrat’s office says the diagnosis on Friday came after a nodule was discovered on his prostate. Cancer cells have reportedly spread to the bone.

2 weeks ago | wamc.org | Lucas Willard

The Best of Our Knowledge explores topics on learning, education and research. Scientists have discovered a new color. Only a handful of people on Earth have seen “olo” – a greenish-blue hue that can only be seen by using special equipment. And we’ll learn how scientists are aging stars – not by the light they emit, but by their “sound.”

3 weeks ago | wamc.org | Lucas Willard

The state budget signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul last week includes billions of dollars in funding for public colleges and universities. The fiscal year 2026 budget comes amid federal cutbacks and uncertainty over Washington’s continued support for higher education.

3 weeks ago | wamc.org | Lucas Willard

The state budget signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul last week includes investments to build and preserve homes and expand infrastructure, as well as legislation intended to help first-time homebuyers enter a challenging market. To learn about how the $254 billion state budget affects would-be buyers, WAMC’s Lucas Willard spoke with Michael Borges, Executive Director of the Rural Housing Coalition of New York.