WJFF - The Local Edition - Special Report

The Open Enrollment period for Affordable Care Act plans is under way until January 15, 2026. However, the recent government shutdown ending without an extension of premium tax credits is leaving many Americans scrambling for affordable options. 

With the increase in monthly premiums, the Congressional Budget Office estimates as many as 40% of currently covered Americans will drop medical coverage all together. 

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with Dr. Katherine Hempstead, Senior Policy Advisor at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about affordable options in a time of crisis and how universal health care reform could help keep us a...

The Second Annual Gospel from the Garage concert returns this Saturday at 4 PM, bringing century-old spirituals, folk blues, protest songs, and electrified originals to the Riverside United Methodist Church in Barryville. The concert helps support local food pantries and musician and writer Mike Edison is ready to play loud, play bold, and bring the community together.

Edison, who has toured with bands like Sonic Youth and the Ramones and wrote a book about Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, joined Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo in the studio this week with guitar in hand to preview the show.

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HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed a $50.1 billion budget that makes additional investments in public schools, creates a tax credit for lower-income people, and ends the state’s participation in a climate program.

The bills that made up the final package won bipartisan approval in the state House and Senate on Wednesday. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the legislation that afternoon.

The...

Every day, people get texts that make their heart race. "You have an unpaid toll balance. Please pay to avoid penalties or further action." "Driver Chat: A message from the driver delivering your Amazon packages. Click here to reply." "Hello, this is TikTok Recruitment Center. We are now hiring 3,000 TikTok backup talents." These messages may seem very different but they have one thing in common: they're fake. The language is designed to get people to click on links that often steal information or money. Internet scams are nothing new but while the government was shutdown, they increased by at...

Residents and visitors will get a rare chance to step back into the Catskills’ past this weekend when the Roscoe O&W Railway Museum hosts a special presentation on the history of Cooks Falls. The event, The Rich History of Cooks Falls, takes place Saturday at 3 p.m. at the museum on Railroad Avenue in Roscoe.

The talk will be led by Rich Hascha, a longtime history enthusiast who has been piecing together the story of Cooks Falls through original postcards, old photographs, and years of research. What began as a personal curiosity has grown into an un...

As Veterans Day approaches, Big Sky Productions is honoring those who served through an intimate, heartfelt performance titled Shorts & Sweets Honoring Veterans: Dear Folks. The program combines live readings of letters and personal stories from World War II with reflections from family members uncovering their histories.

The production features Carol Montana, Big Sky’s Artistic Director, and Margaret Bruetsch, a writer and actress from Cochecton, who discovered decades-old correspondence from their own relatives. What began as a personal act of remembrance evolved into a moving theatrical experience that connects the past and present.

“I found lett...

A recent investigation by The Intercept shows that the amount of pregnant and lactating mothers being taken into ICE Detention has skyrocketed over the last year. The numbers are hard to detect given the Trump Administration and the Department of Homeland Security are no longer required to publish reports on the conditions from ICE Detention Centers after the passing of the most recent federal spending bill.

However, Congressional reports and medical records show evidence of this concerning pattern that is splitting up families nationwide and is illegal under ICE’s 2021 Guidelines.

All across New York state, people are anticipating historic results on Election Day next week. In addition to voting for their preferred candidates, New Yorkers across the state will be asked about a ballot provision regarding state owned ski trails in the Adirondacks. Many across the state aren’t sure whether they should vote yes or give the provision the cold shoulder. Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke to New York City candidates as well as reporters Upstate to break down the question and the interconnectedness of environmental issues throughout the state.

A new Times Union investigation is shedding light on a troubling security lapse inside the Sullivan County Jail. Reporter Brendan J. Lyons uncovered that a man entered the jail in August with a loaded .22-caliber handgun — a weapon that went undetected through multiple searches, including an interrogation and a court appearance.

Lyons joined The Local Edition to talk about how the incident happened, what the sheriff’s office is saying, and why critics are calling it a “gross incompetence” that could have led to tragedy.
Read the full Times Union story here.

A Weapon That Went...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — a reminder that early detection saves lives. Each year, nearly 17,000 New Yorkers are diagnosed with breast cancer, but advances in screening and care are changing those outcomes.

Radio Catskill’s Jason Dole spoke with Dr. Jennifer H. Menell, a board-certified diagnostic radiologist with Optum Medical Care and Crystal Run Healthcare, about how new technology and simple habits can make a difference.

Dr. Menell, who trained at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, says the key to survival is early detection:

The Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York is launching the largest single-day Thanksgiving meal distribution in New York State history — a first-of-its-kind effort that will reach families across the Hudson Valley.

Working with community partners and more than 800 volunteers, the Regional Food Bank will provide over one hundred fifteen thousand Thanksgiving meals to more than twenty-five thousand people in Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Rockland, and Sullivan counties. The initiative is part of a broader statewide effort that will see more than 350,000 meals distributed in one day across the Food Bank’s 23-county service area.

Over 200 advocates gathered in Manhattan for a conference on food security across New York State. The New York Health Foundation organized the event and said in their press release it was sparked by "recent federal funding cuts threatening the integrity of critical food assistance programs." Panelists discussed how to respond to these changes and how to protect New Yorkers. SNAP cuts and immigration crackdowns have impacted food pantries and agricultural nonprofits. 

Josh Stephani, the Director of the Adirondack Food System Network, said "We've actually had some food pantries reporting their numbers have cut in half because they're f...

Residents of Woodridge are deeply concerned about increased water pollution in Sandburg Creek. In the last month, the popular fishing area has turned odorous and unusable. DEC’s investigation points towards a local egg processing facility, but this isn’t the first time the business has been in hot water.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett provides an update on what we know so far about the investigation.

For more than a decade, Delaware Currents has been a trusted, independent voice covering one of our region’s most vital lifelines — the Delaware River and its watershed. Founded by journalist Meg McGuire, the online publication has shined a light on the people, policies, and places that shape the river’s future — from drinking-water issues and dam management to environmental justice and the communities that depend on this shared resource.

But after ten years of in-depth, nonprofit journalism, Delaware Currents will shut down at the end of the year. Recently, Meg McGuire spoke with Radio Catskill’s Patricio R...

According to the FBI, 2024 saw a 33% rise in money lost from online scams. October is Cyber Security Month so Radio Catskill spoke with Mike Sinno,  the Director of Security Engineering at Google. He says artificial intelligence is one of the reasons scams are getting harder to spot:

"Using AI, the attackers are really supercharging themselves because it used to be you'd get an email and it was pretty obvious that it was phishing. The grammar was wrong. There were bad references. But now you can just prompt engineer it and say, 'write me an email that says th...

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Radio Catskill speaks with Isabelle Taft, immigration reporter for New York Focus, about her work covering the intersection of immigration, state policy, and human stories across New York.

Taft’s reporting sheds light on how state and local governments are responding to federal immigration enforcement — from county jails holding ICE detainees to statewide efforts to resettle recent arrivals. Her stories highlight how these policies shape not only immigrant lives but the entire fabric of New York communities.

“People think of immigration as a federal issue,” Taft says, “but what local sheriffs, mayors, an...

This article was originally published by Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access.

Carter Walker, Votebeat

Oct 6, 2025 at 5:00am EDT

Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization reporting on voting access and election administration across the U.S. Sign up for Votebeat Pennsylvania’s free newsletter here.

In August, President Donald Trump vowed on social media to “lead a movement to get rid of MAIL-IN BALLOTS.”

In Pennsylvania, though, Republicans are sending voters a different message as they work to unseat three state Supreme Court justic...

Speaking from inside Woodbourne Correctional Facility, incarcerated activist Atit Weston is urging state lawmakers to close what he calls a “constitutional loophole” — the failure of 28 U.S. states, including New York, to fully codify the anti-slavery language of the 13th Amendment into their state constitutions.

Weston, currently serving a 15-year sentence for manslaughter and robbery, has dedicated his time behind bars to research and legislative advocacy. Along with fellow inmates, he discovered that more than half of U.S. states have yet to fully adopt the federal amendment that abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in 1865.

“There is...

Peter Kowey, MD. is an esteemed Cardiologist at the Lankenau Institute. His book, "Failure to Treat: How a Broken Healthcare System Puts Patients and Practitioners at Risk," discusses the issues affecting people seeking healthcare: mainly, financial waste. However, argues Dr. Kowey, the waste isn't where politicians seem to think it is. During his time as a doctor, he's seen outrageous administrator salaries, pharmaceutical sales practices, and advertising budgets. But in his opinion, the proposed cuts to insurance subsidies by federal Republicans are missing the source of the problem.

He told Radio Catskill over Zoom:

"One...

The "Fall Salt Snapshot" is being measured from October 1-15 this year across Delaware County. The Stroud Water Research Center is trying to determine how salinized the area's waterways are outside of winter, when road salt is most prevalent. David Bressler, who leads community science initiatives at Stroud, says bringing in outside help gives them more access to crucial data. " You need actual people to go out to streams and collect samples. There's a big time component involved that is simply just about the actual simple logistics of moving around the landscape and getting into the stream, or lowering...

By Patricio Robayo | Radio Catskill | Hispanic Heritage Month Series

As part of Radio Catskill’s continuing Hispanic Heritage Month series, Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with María Hinojosa, the longtime host and executive producer of Latino USA, which now airs Thursdays at 2 p.m. on Radio Catskill.

Hinojosa, born in Mexico City and raised in Chicago, has spent more than three decades reporting stories that often go unheard in mainstream media — stories that highlight the lives, struggles, and achievements of Latino communities across the United States.

She is the founder and CEO of...

Fire Prevention Week is underway across the country, running from October 5th through the 11th, and this year’s theme from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.”

Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild about the growing concerns surrounding lithium-ion batteries and how residents can protect themselves from the potential risks these batteries pose.

Before diving into the week’s theme, Hauschild reminded listeners that New York State remains under a temporary burn ban through October 15th, due to unusually...

As we get deeper into fall, the risk of RSV is only rising in children and their families. This highly contagious and common virus has been detected in as many as 80,000 children under the age of five and will infect nearly all children under the age of two.

Fortunately, vaccines have been shown to significantly lower the risk of RSV hospitalizations and are the best way to help protect little ones, their parents and even their grandparents. The American Lung Association is leading a national campaign to get all expectant birth givers and children...

By Patricio Robayo, Radio Catskill
October 6, 2025

As the November election approaches, the Ulster County Board of Elections is urging residents to get informed, get registered, and get out to vote. Commissioners Ashley Torres and John Quigley spoke with Radio Catskill to share key dates, changes to polling locations, and what goes on behind the scenes to make Election Day run smoothly.

A Busy Season for Local Democracy

With more than 144,000 registered voters across Ulster County, election season is a hectic time for the Board’s 14-person staff.

“We’r...

New York Focus reported about the half-billion dollar bond Sullivan County is issuing to reinvigorate the Resorts World Catskills Casino in Monticello. The county is promising investors major gains, but reports found by New York Focus and consultants on the deal say the numbers show decline.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett, who also reported on the deal last month, spoke with New York Focus Reporter Chris Bragg about the details that each of them found about this ongoing story, what investors are saying, and what it all means for Sullivan County’s economy.

As part of Radio Catskill’s Hispanic Heritage Month series, we welcomed back a familiar voice: J. Miguel Santiago Colón, who started his journey with us as an intern and is now producing stories at iHeart Media’s The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Ante Studios.

Colón spoke about his transition from Sullivan County to New York City’s media landscape, where his reporting now highlights Latino issues and communities across the U.S. He shared how his experience as a journalist in Puerto Rico—covering hurricanes, earthquakes, and political unrest—shaped his perspective, and how those le...

Hispanic Heritage Month: Activist Sandra Oxford on the Latino Experience in Sullivan Catskills

As part of Radio Catskill’s Hispanic Heritage Month coverage, Patricio Robayo sat down with longtime local activist Sandra Oxford to talk about the challenges facing the Latino community in the Sullivan Catskills, and the work she’s led over decades of advocacy.

Oxford, a self-described citizen activist, reflects on her upbringing in Queens and Long Island, her decision to raise her family in the Catskills, and the stark differences she found in rural life compared to the diverse urban comm...

World Mental Health Day is coming up next month on October 10th, but we’re focusing on a group that often gets forgotten about in mental health advocacy - farmers.

With the increase in tariffs on foreign goods put in place earlier this year as well as the Trump administration’s broader economic policies that are cutting grants to mental health and sustainability initiatives, farmers all across New York state are talking about how their stress has only gotten worse.

Radio Catskill’s Genevieve Hartnett spoke with New York Farm N...

Representatives from around the world gathered in Manhattan for New York Climate Week last week. Across the state, nonprofits and local governments are resisting President Trump's cuts to environmental protections.

Dr. Alonzo Plough, Vice President and Chief Science Officer of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, affirmed the severity of the crisis, stating: "I don't use the term existential that often, but (climate change) is an existential threat." 

In agreement with this sentiment, Governor Kathy Hochul announced $30 million in funding awards for 19 projects statewide as part of Climate Week. The funding comes from the Bond Act, p...

The Gateway Housing Project was rejected by the Sullivan County Legislature for the second time last Thursday. Advocates say the project would help alleviate the county’s homelessness crisis and have spoken about it passionately at the weekly meetings in Monticello.

Sullivan County’s Health and Human Services Department has been working with the community and the legislature to secure a location for the site, but the clock has run out for state funding to the project. 

Amidst the high tensions and looming deadlines, Radio Catskill's Genevieve Hartnett spoke with...

 Claims linking autism to vaccines or medications like Tylenol resurfaced this month after former President Donald Trump suggested acetaminophen use during pregnancy could cause autism. But experts say the science doesn’t support those claims.

To help clarify the issue, Radio Catskill’s Patricio Robayo spoke with Dr. Noor Syed and Lauren Lestremau Allen of Empire State University’s Center for Autism Advocacy: Research, Education, and Supports (CAARES). Both emphasized that decades of rigorous research show no causal link between autism and either vaccines or Tylenol.