Podcast appearances and mentions of Kathy Hochul

Dave Rubin of "The Rubin Report" talks to Stephen A. Smith about his potential plans to run for president as a Democrat in the 2028 election; why Democrats like Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Kathy Hochul, Hillary Clinton and others continue to pander to black voters by insulting them and their intelligence; why he is so unimpressed by the potential Democrat nominees for the 2028 election and why he is confident that he could beat Gavin Newsom, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez; why so many people think that Gavin Newsom is a shapeshifting and inauthentic politician and if he trusts him; why liberal celebrity activists like Mark Ruffalo keep thinking that if we only tax the rich or pass a billionaire wealth tax governments will be able to solve all the problems of society; why he thinks Zohran Mamdani is doomed to fail and why his response to the snowball attack on NYPD officers is a bad sign for New York City police officers; and much more. Check out the NEW RUBIN REPORT MERCH here: https://daverubin.store/ ---------- Today's Sponsors: Shopify - Turn your big business idea into money with Shopify on your side. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world from household names to brands just getting started. Go to Shopify and sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at Go to: http://shopify.com/rubin Prolon - Prolon's Fasting Mimicking Diet is a revolutionary, plant-based nutrition program that nourishes the body while keeping it in a fasting state. Prolon is offering 15% off their 5-day nutrition program for your post-holiday glow-up. Go to: http://ProlonLife.com/DAVE

Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Your journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.com Be confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.com Use coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/Todd Get the new limited release, The Sisterhood, created to honor the extraordinary women behind the heroes. Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeDemocrats Love Black People Like Kids Love Orangutans at the Zoo // The Save Act Meets the Unholy Temple of the United States Senate // NewsMax Pretends Jesus Christ is Not The Foundation of ChristianityEpisode Links:Gov. Newsom to a black crowd in GA: "I am like you. I'm a 960 SAT guy. I can't readGavin Newsom claims he “can't read,” but a few months back, he claimed he had read a book of over 300 pages in less than two hours.Hunter College professor under fire after hot-mic remark about black students branded 'blatantly racist'This is an all-time classic - NY Governor Hochul:  "Young black kids in the Bronx that don't even know what the word of 'computer' means"Joe Biden: "Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids." - Well...that's racist.BREAKING: Sen. Mike Lee confirms some of the 50 Republican Senate co-sponsors of the SAVE America Act are NOT on board with enforcing the talking filibusterSAVE ACT: Leader Thune explained that Senators don't have time to debate and vote on the SAVE Act. For example, today would have been a problem since Sen Thom Tillis had to participate in a dog parade featuring the dogs of Congress.Newsmax: "Christians, your foundation is Judaism. Your savior is Israel." - Imagine dictating theology to millions of believers to serve a foreign political agenda

Jasmine Gripper and Ana Maria Archila returned to the show to discuss their work leading the New York Working Families Party, progressive politics and efforts to influence state policy-making, Mayor Mamdani, Governor Hochul, and endorsements in 2026 Democratic primaries including New York's 7th and 10th congressional districts. Gripper and Archila have been co-directors of the NYWFP for the last few years, and Gripper has now become sole state director while Archila just left party leadership to soon join the Mamdani administration as Commissioner of International Affairs. (Ep 570

As the cost of energy rises, State Senator George Borrello is one lawmaker calling on Governor Hochul to re-open Dunkirk's shuttered NRG plant. Borrello tells us about the benefits reactivating the plant will bring.

Bob talks about Trump's State of the Union Address, Rhea Holmes finding a home after the loss of her husband, and a man who got his license plate revoked by DMV for saying PB4WEGO and Governor Hochul says she will try to get it back for him

Bob talks about Trump's State of the Union address, the history and religion in Iran, the United States economy, the three RPD officers who were injured from automobile wrecks, Governor Hochul fighting against automotive insurance fraud, Bob gives a personal health update, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani responding about the NYPD officers getting hit with snowballs, and Bob takes calls.

In this fiery segment from Episode #1161 of The Clay Edwards Show, host Clay Edwards unleashes on California Governor Gavin Newsom's Atlanta debacle, calling it straight-up racism disguised as relatability. Newsom rolls into a room full of black residents, code-switches like a pandering politician, and essentially tells them to their faces: "I'm just like y'all—I can't read either." Boasting about his dyslexia and low 960 SAT score while slowing down his speech "for the people in the back," Newsom implies shared stupidity, yet the audience claps like trained seals instead of bum-rushing the stage. Clay breaks it down: This is the same guy who speed-reads a 263-page book in under two hours on his podcast with white folks, but suddenly he's illiterate when facing black crowds? Hypocrisy alert!   Clay plays the clips, roasting Newsom's lizard-like shape-shifting and tying it to a pattern of white Democrats' condescension—like Joe Biden saying poor kids are as smart as white kids, Hillary Clinton's hot sauce pandering, and Kathy Hochul claiming Bronx black kids don't know what computers are. He slams the Dems for treating black voters like idiots while expecting 90% loyalty, and calls out the Atlanta crowd for not standing up: "Y'all let him slap you on your mama's porch and golf-clapped? The Democrats got y'all whooped!" Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves even claps back on X, highlighting how black kids in MS outperform those in CA in reading proficiency.   Tune in for Clay's no-holds-barred rant on liberal racism, cultural double standards, and why accountability isn't hate—it's truth-seeking in the culture war!

In Episode #1161 of The Clay Edwards Show, host Clay Edwards returns from a brief mental detox, energized and ready to dive into a packed discussion. Kicking things off with American excellence on Testosterone Tuesday, Clay celebrates Team USA Hockey's gold medal win over Canada—their first since the 1980 Miracle on Ice. He highlights the badassery of players like Jack Hughes, who sported a broken tooth while clinching victory, and the epic locker room call from President Trump, complete with an invite to the State of the Union. Clay revels in the liberal meltdowns over the patriotic vibes and shares clips of the team's hero's welcome.   Shifting gears, Clay unleashes on California Governor Gavin Newsom's Atlanta speech, where Newsom code-switches to relate to a black audience by admitting his dyslexia and low SAT score, essentially implying shared struggles. Clay calls it out as condescending and plays clips of other Democrats' gaffes, including Joe Biden equating poor kids to white kids, Hillary Clinton's hot sauce pandering, and Governor Kathy Hochul claiming Bronx kids don't know what computers are. He argues these reveal the left's low expectations and double standards.   Clay also touches on personal anecdotes, like his pet peeves with restaurant sides, a shoutout to retiring wrestler AJ Styles, and frustration with politics invading sports. Wrapping up, he critiques the GOP's cult-like push for school choice in Kentucky despite voter rejection, and drops boxing news: a broke Floyd Mayweather is set for a rematch with Manny Pacquiao on Netflix in September.   Tune in for unfiltered takes on culture wars, patriotism, and hypocrisy—Clay holds nothing back!  

New York Governor Kathy Hochul is restricting the operation of companies like Waymo, amid public skepticism and backlash from taxi drivers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Snow and wind expected on Sunday and overnight The National Weather Service is predicting blizzard conditions in the Highlands on Sunday (Feb. 22) and overnight into Monday. A blizzard warning has been issued by the National Weather Service for Putnam County from 1 p.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Monday and for Dutchess from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. Monday. Forecasters expect winds of up to 45 mph to be accompanied by falling and/or blowing snow, resulting in reduced visibility. The NWS defines a blizzard as a storm that contains large amounts of snow or blowing snow, with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibility of less than a quarter-mile for at least three hours. Putnam is expected to receive 14 to 22 inches of snow, with rates reaching 2 inches per hour. Dutchess is expected to receive 10 to 20 inches. Temperatures will drop to feel as low as 14 degrees. Wind gusts could reach 45 mph, it said, and the wind and the weight of snow may bring down trees and power lines. Dutchess County has issued travel restrictions for all non-essential personnel starting at 9 p.m. Sunday at 9 p.m. through 4 p.m. Monday. County and Beacon city offices will open at 11 a.m. on Monday. Putnam County also restricted all non-essential travel from 9 p.m. Sunday to 10 a.m. Monday. Metro-North will operate on an hourly service schedule on Monday, with weekend schedules in place on the branch lines. The Hudson Rail Link connecting bus will be suspended. On Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in 20 counties, including Putnam and Dutchess. Beginning Sunday, 100 members of the New York National Guard with 25 vehicles will be staged across the lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island to assist first responders, and the State Emergency Operations Center activated Sunday morning. The Village of Cold Spring has restricted parking from 5 p.m. Sunday until 7 a.m. Tuesday. Alternative parking is available at the American Legion lot on Cedar Street (south end only; do not use the Ambulance Corps spaces); the Haldane ballfields lot on Route 9D (no permit is required during snow emergencies); the village lots on Kemble Avenue, The Boulevard and New Street; and the Fair Street municipal lot. For updates, call 845-747-7669. [Update: On Tuesday, temporary no parking signs will be placed throughout the village to allow crews to remove snow.] The Village of Nelsonville announced parking restrictions from noon Sunday through 4 p.m. Monday. Parking will be prohibited on village streets, including on Main Street/Route 301. Designated winter parking spots are available on Adams Avenue and the west side of the Secor Street lot. In Beacon, after the accumulation of 2 inches of snow, vehicles cannot be parked on public streets between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Vehicles can be moved to any city public parking lot, but vehicles must be moved from the lots 24 hours after the snow stops falling. See our online calendar for cancelations. For updates, see our Storm Resource Page.

On Friday's Mark Levin Show, the Supreme Court majority issued a very messy and problematic decision on tariffs. The fact is the majority agreed on an outcome but not so much on the reasoning for the outcome. It struck tariffs under a single statute, yet created chaos or, actually, left it to the president to decide if and/or how to treat the revenue those tariffs already created for the federal Treasury. The question is not who has the power to tax per se, but a more complicated question about where the separation of powers is. The majority, apparently, chose to duck the question and stick with the indirect tax characterization and focus on a single statute, which is outrageous. Also, Tucker Carlson is an indecent grifter with inexplicable ties to Qatar and an attraction to the Third Reich. He is gravely damaging the Republican Party, the midterm elections, and the Trump administration. Later, Jon Levine of the Washington Free Beacon calls in to explain that NYC Mayor Mamdani is fulfilling his campaign promises by staffing his administration with individuals from radical Islamist and far-left progressive circles, united by a shared hatred of the West and Jews. Mamdani is also pressuring Governor Hochul to impose a wealth tax by threatening massive property tax increases on roughly 3 million homeowners—effectively holding the entire city hostage in a "look what you made me do" tactic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

California is considering a billionaire tax and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul needs to make a determination on a wealth tax in her state to plug a budget hole left behind by Eric Adams. If she doesn't, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani will need to implement a 9.5% property tax hike. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.insurgentspod.com/subscribe

This week on Autonomy Markets, Grayson Brulte and Walter Piecyk unpack a wave of developments reshaping the autonomous vehicle landscape. Data surfacing from a follow-up to a recent Senate hearing reveals that Waymo currently operates 3,000 autonomous vehicles supported by only 70 remote assistance agents worldwide.Grayson calls the ratio definitive proof of Waymo's technology lead, while Walt raises a pointed concern that roughly half of those remote roles are outsourced to the Philippines, creating a political vulnerability that could draw scrutiny as the industry scales.From there, the conversation turns to infrastructure. Uber is reportedly investing $100 million to build autonomous vehicle fast-charging stations across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The move sparks a spirited debate about Uber. Is the company that built its brand on being asset-light now quietly pivoting to an asset-heavy model to stay competitive in the autonomy era?On the regulatory front, Governor Kathy Hochul shelved a proposal that would have permitted robotaxis outside New York City, reportedly bowing to special interest pressure, a setback Grayson and Walt call deeply disappointing.Meanwhile, Iowa lawmakers are advancing bills requiring a human driver behind the wheel, creating a strange-bedfellows alliance between pro-autonomy hybrid network advocates and traditional opponents of autonomous driving technology.Shifting to hardware, Tesla's Cybercab secured an FCC order authorizing ultra-wideband radio technology for wireless charging. Grayson cautions, however, that FCC approval is only one piece of the puzzle, as Tesla still needs NHTSA exemptions to operate vehicles without steering wheels or pedals before any real-world scaling can begin.Closing out the episode, Aurora opened a new autonomous trucking lane stretching over 1,000 miles from Texas to Arizona, pushing the boundaries of long-haul autonomy. And in a notable signal from the OEM side, Paccar highlighted its partnership with Kodiak in its latest earnings release, underscoring how seriously legacy manufacturers are now starting to take the autonomous freight opportunity.Episode Chapters00:00 Waymo: 70 Remote Agents for 3,000 Cars04:00 The "Unforced Error" of Outsourcing Remote Assistance to the Philippines08:00 SFO Rideshare Volume and Waymo's Impact on Traditional TNCs15:00 New York Governor Hochul Pulls Robotaxi Proposal20:00 Iowa Lawmakers Push a Driver-In Bill23:00 Will the Real Uber Please Stand Up? The $100M Charging Pivot29:00 "Take or Pay" Contracts: Is Uber Blocking Competitors?32:00 Tesla Cybercab Gets FCC Wireless Charging Approval36:00 Tesla NHTSA Exemption38:00 Aurora Opens 1,000-Mile Autonomous Trucking LaneRecorded on Thursday, February 19, 2026--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy is the definitive media brand covering the Autonomy Economy™. Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary market intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Defense Attorney Joe Tacopina joins Sid to discuss anti-ICE protests nationwide, Bruce Springsteen announcing his new tour that will focus on hating America, and Mayor Mamdani's threat to hike property taxes 9.5% in NYC if Governor Hochul refuses to raise income taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riley Gaines exposes the hyper-sexualized marketing tactics of Frida Baby and dives into why American-born Olympic skier Eileen Gu "sold out" to the CCP for millions. In this episode, Riley breaks down the disturbing "humor" used by Frida Baby in ads featuring infants, leading to her household's total boycott of the brand. She also looks at the contrast between Eileen Gu's decision to compete for China and Alyssa Liu's loyalty to the USA. Finally, Riley discusses the terrifying expansion of assisted suicide laws (MAID) in Canada and the recent legislation signed by Governor Hochul in New York. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled his first preliminary budget this week, creating some controversy as he revealed that it includes a proposal to raise property taxes on millions of city homeowners if Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn't agree to a tax hike on the rich. Was it simply a political bluff, or was the mayor serious? NY1 investigative reporter Courtney Gross and political reporters Ayana Harry and Dan Rivoli break down his plan. Meanwhile, Mamdani took one step toward fulfilling his promise to freeze rents for stabilized tenants, while appearing to reverse course on a vow to end homeless encampment sweeps. On Wednesday, the mayor appointed six members to the nine-member Rent Guidelines Board, which is tasked with setting rents for the city's approximately 1 million stabilized units. He also said his administration would bring back encampment sweeps, under a modified policy overseen by the Department of Homeless Services rather than the NYPD. The "Off Topic" team weighs in on the mayor's latest moves.

Feb. 20, 2026- Despite pledges of increased transparency by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a new report from Reinvent Albany found that executive agencies have a lot of room for improvement in responding to records requests under the Freedom of Information Law. We discuss the findings and the opaque state senate confirmation voting process with Rachael Fauss, a senior policy advisor for the good government group.

Feb. 20, 2026 - In this excerpt from Dispatches from Planet Albany, New York Working Families Party Director Jasmine Gripper explains why the liberal third party did not back a primary challenge to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

To raise taxes on the rich, New York's Mayor wants help from Albany and Gov. Kathy Hochul. And if they refuse? Mamdani now says he'll jack up property taxes by nearly 10%. But isn't overspending the problem? Plus, the Congressional Budget Office offers an estimate for federal deficits over the next decade: $24 trillion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb. 19, 2026- Gov. Kathy Hochul is proposing to eliminate $230,000 in state funds for programs that help vulnerable New Yorkers living in adult homes advocate for better living conditions. We talked with representatives from the Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and Disabled and the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, plus peer advocate and former adult home resident Deborah Hunter.

(Feb 19, 2026) New York has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the Olympic venues in Lake Placid in recent years. But the agency that runs them says it doesn't have a long-term maintenance plan. The board will vote tomorrow on to do next. Also: Civil liberties groups are pushing back on Governor Hochul's proposed ban on A.I.-generated campaign attack ads.

Governor Hochul has proposed a ratepayer protection plan aims to try to reign in soaring utility costs. When requesting rate increases, utilities will be required to present a budget constrained option that keeps their operating and capital costs below the rate of inflation. This exercise will require utilities to prioritize efficiency and affordability and prove why any spending is truly necessary before asking customers to foot the bill. Laurie Wheelock of the Public Utility Law Project, which represents low-income consumers, talks to Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine about the Governors' proposals and other energy issues.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced his brand new $127 Billion dollar annual budget, it was nice knowing you New York.......Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a record $127 billion budget Tuesday — with an ultimatum to Albany to tax the rich or he'll slap the Big Apple with a massive property tax hike.The democratic socialist framed his proposal — which would also include pulling from the city's $10 billion rainy day fund — as a “last resort” to balance the budget if Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn't agree to increase taxes on millionaires. “I do not want to raise property taxes,” Mamdani said of his preliminary budget plan, which would hike property taxes 9.5% to raise an additional $3.7 billion in the next fiscal year.“When faced with this crisis, the question is who should pay these taxes? I believe that it should be the wealthiest New Yorkers, the most profitable corporations. I believe that they can afford to pay a little bit more,” Mamdani said.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's Hump Day on the Majority Report   On today's program:   Mayor Zohran Mamdani looks like he cleared a major hurdle in his promise of freezing rent for rent-controlled housing in NYC after nominating 6 appointees to the Rent Board.   Mayor Mamdani is now applying pressure to Governor Kathy Hochul to raise taxes by 2% on those earning more than $1 million a year in order to avoid having to raid the city's reserves and raising property taxes in order to bridge the $5.4 billion dollar budget gap.   Assaad Razzouki, host of the Angry Clean Energy Guy Podcast and CEO of Gurin Energy a clean energy company, joins Emma to talk about China's ability to decarbonize while still growing their economy.   Nida Allam, progressive candidate for North Carolina's 4th Congressional district joins Emma for a conversation about her campaign.   In the Fun Half:   Francesca Fiorentini, comedian and host of the Bitchuation Room joins show.   RFK, Jr. and Kid Rock post a video of them working out together.   Michigan candidate for Senate, Haley Stevens touts the great female leadership at an ICE Facility that she just toured. If you are in Michigan vote for Abdul El-Sayed.   Journalist Tara Palmeri directly asks Michael Tracey if the basis of his slandering of Epstein survivors is a result of him being on the payroll of someone implicated in the Epstein files.   Dave Clips, a Dave Rubin parody account makes an incredible compilation of Dave Rubin begging Elon Musk to put him on the guest list for the fabled Mars colony.   Rep. Randy Fine uses an innocent joke about Islam coming to NYC and banning dogs as pets as an opportunity to launch another Islamophobic attack.   all that and more   To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: ZOCDOC: Go to Zocdoc.com/MAJORITY and download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE and book a top-rated doctor WILD GRAIN: Get 20% off your first purchase.  FastGrowingTrees.com/majority SUNSET LAKE: Use code FlowerPower to save 30% on all CBD smokables at SunsetLakeCBD.com  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

New York City's Democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani is threatening a 9.5% property tax increase and 5k officer reduction in the New York City Police Department's ranks if state lawmakers do not raise taxes on wealthy residents and corporations. The Mayor says the increase in taxes would address city's $5.4 billion budget deficit. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul opposes raising property taxes and completely rejects the idea of raising income taxes, said the state would give the city an additional $1.5 billion in funding. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Pierre Debbas, partner and founding member of the 'Romer Debbas' LLP, who says finding budget cuts rather than raising taxes is the route that should be taken because the middle-class will suffer. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Economic Journalist Charles Gasparino joins the program to discuss his criticism of the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny and discusses his column arguing the NFL believes it is “bulletproof” compared with other companies that “go woke, go broke.” Gasparino says the league cynically assumes its core football audience is highly addicted—especially through fantasy sports and online gambling—so it can virtue signal to attract new demographics, including international and Spanish-speaking audiences as it expands games abroad. He cites Super Bowl viewership declines after the halftime show and contrasts it with an alternative broadcast that drew about 6 million viewers versus roughly 135 million for the Super Bowl. The conversation then shifts to New York City finances, where Gasparino warns that under the Financial Emergency Control Act of 1975 the city must balance its budget using GAAP; if it ends the year in deficit and the mayor cannot raise income taxes or cut spending, the state could take over the city's finances, potentially transferring key control to Governor Kathy Hochul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin makes her debut on the morning show with Sid to discuss Mayor Mandani's warning that property taxes could rise 9.5% if Albany, under Governor Hochul, does not raise income and corporate taxes. Menin says only the City Council has the authority to raise property taxes and states the Council has made clear any property tax increase is not up for discussion during an affordability crisis, nor are cuts to essential services. She argues the city can find savings elsewhere, highlighting escalating public sector and retiree healthcare costs (nearly $11 billion, up from $6 billion five years ago) and describing her healthcare accountability office as a way to save an estimated $2 billion annually by leveraging city purchasing power and renegotiating hospital pricing disparities. She also cites reducing reliance on no-bid contracts as another major savings opportunity, and notes upcoming budget hearings and negotiations leading to a June 30 budget deadline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon stock has snapped a nine day losing streak, oil prices have responded to U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva, and “Late Show” host Stephen Colbert is calling out CBS for allegedly blocking the broadcast of his interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico. The FDA is looking into the safety and supply of baby formula in America with Operation Stork Speed. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb explains the way formula manufacturing and safety protocols work in the U.S., including why reformulation is often a complicated, expensive process. Dr. Gottlieb also weighs in on the impact that Vinay Prasad's leadership is having on investment in health, both for vaccine research and for cell and gene therapies. Plus, NYC Mayor Mamdani has proposed a property tax hike if Governor Hochul does not pass a wealth tax in the state. Partnership for NYC CEO Steven Fulop discusses the proposal and the impact it may have on business leaders based in New York.  Steven Fulop       23:29Dr. Scott Gottlieb  33:50 In this episode:Steven Fulop, @StevenFulopJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 7 AM Hour: Larry O’Connor and Bethany Mandel discussed: WMAL GUEST 7:05 AM - INTERVIEW - GABRIELLA HOFFMAN - Director of Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation SOCIAL MEDIA: https://x.com/Gabby_Hoffman TOPIC: Discussion on the Potomac Sewage Disaster Mayor Zohran Mamdani has declared that property taxes will require a 9.5% hike across NYC to make up for Gov. Kathy Hochul's refusal to hike taxes on NY's wealthy. Video goes viral of a woman ranting about how she HATES the AMERICAN CULTURE and is only here because its safer and you can make more money here in America Maryland Gov. Moore signs bills into law ending law enforcement partnerships with ICE Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow the Show Podcasts on Apple podcasts, Audible and Spotify. Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @Jgunlock, @patricepinkfile, @bethanyshondark and @heatherhunterdc. Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Show Website: https://www.wmal.com/oconnor-company/ How to listen live weekdays from 5 to 9 AM: https://www.wmal.com/listenlive/ Episode: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 / 7 AM Hour See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

State leaders have been outspoken about Governor Kathy Hochul's State of the State address. This hour, we continue our series of conversations with members of the local delegation. Assemblymember Jen Lunsford joins us in the studio to discuss issues pertaining to taxes, auto insurance, the role of ICE in her district, and more. Our guest:Assemblymember Jen Lunsford, District 135---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Feb. 18, 2026- The Children's Agenda Senior Policy Analyst Shannon Mullin discusses the limited access to pre-kindergarten outside of New York City and considers what has been proposed by Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase availability.

New York City's Democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani is threatening a 9.5% property tax increase and 5k officer reduction in the New York City Police Department's ranks if state lawmakers do not raise taxes on wealthy residents and corporations. The Mayor says the increase in taxes would address city's $5.4 billion budget deficit. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul opposes raising property taxes and completely rejects the idea of raising income taxes, said the state would give the city an additional $1.5 billion in funding. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Pierre Debbas, partner and founding member of the 'Romer Debbas' LLP, who says finding budget cuts rather than raising taxes is the route that should be taken because the middle-class will suffer. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine, First, Hundreds rallied on Tin Cup Day urging Governor Kathy Hochul to tax the wealthy to address New York's affordability crisis. Mark Dunlea sits down with Campaign Director Brahvan Ranga to learn more. Then, Sean Bernyk tells about "The Black Experience in the Adirondacks" an interactive exhibition coming to the Sanctuary. Later on, Shirley Chen talks with NYU Alumni Jason about his family traditions for the Chinese Lunar New Year. After that, Justin Hurley talks about the organization Food not Bombs. Finally, This week, Thom Francis welcomes Jason Baldinger to the mic. He shared his poetry at the Fish Market in Troy. Hosts: Richard Sleeper and Caelan McPherson Engineer:Caelan McPherson

New York City's Democratic socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani is threatening a 9.5% property tax increase and 5k officer reduction in the New York City Police Department's ranks if state lawmakers do not raise taxes on wealthy residents and corporations. The Mayor says the increase in taxes would address city's $5.4 billion budget deficit. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul opposes raising property taxes and completely rejects the idea of raising income taxes, said the state would give the city an additional $1.5 billion in funding. FOX's Eben Brown speaks with Pierre Debbas, partner and founding member of the 'Romer Debbas' LLP, who says finding budget cuts rather than raising taxes is the route that should be taken because the middle-class will suffer. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

VALUE FOR VALUE Thank you to the Bowl After Bowl Episode Producers: SircussMedia, harvhat, ChadF, Boolysteed, makeheroism, piranesi, Oystein Berge GET FREE STICKERS Send a self-addressed envelope to PO Box 410154 Kansas City, MO 64141 The Year o the Fire Horse is back-for the first time in 60 years (National Geographic) Intro/Outro: Badass Wolf Shirt - Everything Will Be Just Fire / Waves FIRST TIME I EVER… Bowlers called in to discuss the First Time THEY Ever licked something off of someone else. Next week, we want to hear about the First Time YOU Ever purged. TOP THREE 33 Tom Homan says ICE has located 3,300 missing children in Minnesota (Alpha News / Twitter) Wounded protestor missing for 33 day shot dead in custody, source says (Iran International) Ukraine's investigation grows deadlier for civilians: harm per strike up 33% despite global decline in explosive violence (AOAV) Man charged with 33 sexual offenses in London (BBC / archived) BEHIND THE CURTAIN Trump pardons 5 ex-NFL players for crimes including drug trafficking (CBS) Federal judge dismisses New Mexico cannabusinesses' lawsit challenging Customs and Border Patrol seizures of state-legal products (Marijuana Moment) Colorado Springs is using weed revenue to fund a firefighter training academy (KRDO) Smart & Safe Florida asks Supreme Court to restore 71,000 signatures state officials tossed (Florida.gov) Chicago mayor vetoes hemp product ban (Chicago Sun Times) New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signs bills fixing pot business zoning issue that threatened closure of more than 150 dispensaries (NY Assembly) METAL MOMENT Tonight, the RevCyberTrucker brings us Arch Enemy's The World is Yours. Follow along with his shenanigans on the Fediverse at SirRevCyberTrucker@noauthority.social ON CHAIN, OFF CHAIN, COCAINE, SHITSTAIN Bitcoin price will fall to $10,000 as crypto 'bubble is imploding,' warns Bloomberg analyst (DLNews) Strategy's Bitcoin buying accelerates as $48 billion BTC stash sits underwater (Yahoo Finance) Bithumb lists Lighter (LIT) with KRW pair at 2,383 KRW reference price (Crypto Economy) Nancy Guthrie: new Bitcoin demand to ID kidnapper (TMZ) New money demand for identity of kidnapper (TMZ) TMZ receives 4th email demanding money (TMZ) Coinbase CEO addresses ETF 'paper Bitcoin' claims (Bitcoin Magazine) FUCK IT, DUDE. LET'S GO BOWLING Beloved roller coaster is permanently shutting down after 33 years (People) 33-year-old Ohio man killed shielding 12-year-old girl after they were both struck, run over by train (WTVM) Illinois family's 33-year-old cockatiel is the oldest in the world (Guinness World Records) Rescue group attempting to catch toucan on the loose in Las Vegas (FOX / YouTube) Third endangered giraffe born at Kansas City zoo in four months (KC Zoo Facebook) Serial underwear thief at New Zealand school identified as cat (Stuff) Australian couple hit with $4,000 fine because thief who stole their car was caught not wearing a seatbelt (Road and Track) Italy's famous Lovers' Arch collapses into the sea on Valentine's Day (The Guardian / archived) Winter Olympics runs out of condoms after athletes used 10,000 in three days (NBC) D.C. spills 250 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac in the past month (WTOP)

On this Tuesday edition of Sid & Friends in the Morning, Sid details the death of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson at 84 after a rare neurological disorder, recounting his civil rights work, political campaigns, and later activism; Gov. Kathy Hochul finding $1.5 billion in state aid for New York City as Mayor Zohran Mamdani prepares his first budget amid debate over taxing the rich and a reported $5.5 billion budget gap; critiques of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gov. Gavin Newsom at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend; the partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security entering a third day with essential workers like TSA and the Coast Guard working without pay amid an immigration-enforcement policy dispute; US-Iran nuclear negotiations are set to continue in Geneva-area talks mediated by Oman as both sides keep militaries on standby, dispute uranium enrichment and Iran's missile program, citing a report that President Trump told Israel he would support strikes on Iran's missile program if talks fail; and the death of Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall at 95, highlighting his career including The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now. Bo Dietl, Chazz Palminteri, Lara Trump, Mike Lawler, Miranda Devine & Shabbos Kestenbaum join Sid on this Tuesday installment of Sid & Friends in the Morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressman Mike Lawler calls in to discuss his mission to secure Sid State of the Union tickets while joking that he obtained a ticket for local media figure and Sid's arch-nemesis Errol Lewis. Lawler discusses President Trump's upcoming State of the Union and says many Democrats, including AOC, are boycotting, then criticizes AOC's recent comments in Munich and her attacks on Marco Rubio's speech. The conversation shifts to Democrats' emphasis on climate policy, with Lawler arguing Democrats have conflated climate and energy policy, citing New York's high utility costs and decisions such as shutting down nuclear power, banning natural gas, and blocking pipelines. He frames energy policy as central to national security, referencing international oil dynamics involving Iran, China, Venezuela, and Russia. The discussion also criticizes New York's budget process and legislative oversight, alleging Gov. Kathy Hochul “found” $1.5 billion without scrutiny and claiming Democrats in Albany conduct little oversight and suppress Republican questioning in hearings, including on antisemitism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced his brand new $127 Billion dollar annual budget, it was nice knowing you New York.......Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled a record $127 billion budget Tuesday — with an ultimatum to Albany to tax the rich or he'll slap the Big Apple with a massive property tax hike.The democratic socialist framed his proposal — which would also include pulling from the city's $10 billion rainy day fund — as a “last resort” to balance the budget if Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn't agree to increase taxes on millionaires. “I do not want to raise property taxes,” Mamdani said of his preliminary budget plan, which would hike property taxes 9.5% to raise an additional $3.7 billion in the next fiscal year.“When faced with this crisis, the question is who should pay these taxes? I believe that it should be the wealthiest New Yorkers, the most profitable corporations. I believe that they can afford to pay a little bit more,” Mamdani said.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb. 16, 2026 - After the New York Democratic Party Convention wrapped up in Syracuse earlier this month, we sat down with state party Chair Jay Jacobs to discuss the Democrat's next steps and whether he thought he would be in this role after a public disagreement with Gov. Kathy Hochul

Mayor Mamdani unveiled a $127 billion budget today, and warned the city may raise property taxes by 9.5% to close a multi-billion dollar gap, if Albany rejects new taxes on wealthy New Yorkers. Governor Hochul, who must approve any tax changes, says a city property tax hike is not necessary. Mamdani's proposed budget also scraps former Mayor Eric Adams' police hiring expansion. Emblem Health collaborated with Bronx Borough President and New York State Labor Department to host a job fair and looked for healthcare workers, associates, IT people, drivers, and more. An attendee of the event said he was thankful to have the chance to expand his horizons. WFUV's Sonia Weliwitigoda reporting. As a part of WFUV's Strike a Chord public service campaign, Lainey Nguyen interviewed Jazz Generation co-founder Rob Duguay about the value of teaching children jazz music. Jazz Generation is a nonprofit that seeks to make jazz more accessible through youth jazz lessons and hosting concerts around New York City. WFUV's Lainey Nguyen reporting. Host/Producer: Jay Doherty Editor: Tess Novotny Editor: Ben Oppenheimer Reporter: Sonia Weliwitigoda Reporter: Lainey Nguyen Theme Music: Joe Bergsieker

Local elected officials joined their state legislature colleagues and nearly 300 Invest in Our New York coalition members Wednesday for a Tin Cup Day rally and press conference to demand that Governor Kathy Hochul, Speaker Carl Heastie and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins protect New Yorkers from federal attacks and make lasting public investments to combat the devastating affordability crisis. the Invest in Our New York package would generate more than $40 billion annually in new public funds through the Progressive Income Tax, the Corporate Tax, the Capital Gains Tax and the Heirs Tax. Campaign Director Brahvan Ranga discusses how to tax the rich with Mark Dunlea of Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

Ralph welcomes, Robert Weissman co-president of Public Citizen, to discuss his Senate testimony about the many ways the Trump Administration's assault on fraud is itself fraudulent. Plus, Ralph informs us of a report from Aljazeera about the MK-84 weapon the IDF is using in Gaza that is designed to generate so much heat it literally vaporizes people.Robert Weissman is a staunch public interest advocate and activist, as well as an expert on a wide variety of issues ranging from corporate accountability and government transparency, to trade and globalization, to economic and regulatory policy. As the president of Public Citizen, he has spearheaded the effort to loosen the chokehold corporations and the wealthy have over our democracy.Every American should be worried about fraud. So it's fine for the committee to be talking about fraud, but it should be based on actual facts and what's actually happening, which is not what's going on with this focus on Minnesota… And without a doubt, if the concern is about fraud in the public or the private economy right now, the number one problem with fraud is the Trump administration.Robert WeissmanThanks to the Supreme Court decision on Presidential immunity, Trump believes (correctly) that he will not be held criminally accountable for anything that he does while he's President. And that is true so long as that Supreme Court decision stands. And I think it's fair to say that basically everyone who's working for him right now—who I think are committing all kinds of crimes, including through the sale of pardons and through the outrageous use of ICE in Minnesota and around the country—I think they expect they're going to get pardoned before he goes. So I think they think they too will be (and they're probably not wrong in expecting it) that they too will be immune from criminal prosecution (at least federal criminal prosecution) for any crimes they commit while they're in the administration.Robert WeissmanIn Case You Haven't Heard with Francesco DeSantisNews 2/13/26* Our top stories this week concern the Jeffrey Epstein case. According to POLITICO, Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna, who, along with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has led the charge to release the Epstein files, “took to the House floor Tuesday and read aloud the names of six ‘wealthy, powerful men' whose names were originally redacted,” in the files. These names include billionaire Victoria's Secret owner Leslie Wexner, Emirati shipping magnate Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, and Italian politician Nicola Caputo, among other more mysterious figures like Salvatore Nuara and Leonic Leonov. Khanna used congressional representatives' unique power under the speech and debate clause to make these names public, after combing through the files personally along with Rep. Massie. Khanna added “if we found six men that they were hiding in two hours, imagine how many men they are covering up for in those 3 million files.”* Speaking of hiding names in the files, Axios reports that Representative Jamie Raskin stated that “when he searched President Trump's name in the unredacted Epstein files… it came up ‘more than a million times.'” The implication of this statement is clear: Trump's cronies in the Justice Department are covering up the extent of Trump's relationship and involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Another member of the administration, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, admitted under Senate questioning that he had lunch with Epstein on his island, along with his family, claiming he “could not recall” why they did. The administration is allowing members of Congress to view the unredacted files within certain hours via a database they describe as confusing, unreliable, and clunky.* Another surprising revelation from the files is that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries apparently solicited campaign donations from Epstein back in 2013. According to MSN, Epstein received a campaign solicitation via email from a fundraising firm touting Jeffries as “one of the rising stars in the New York Congressional delegation,” and offering Epstein “an opportunity to get to know Hakeem better.” Jeffries denies having any knowledge of this firm's outreach to Epstein and decried House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer's implication that he had any relationship with the late sexual predator and financier, calling Comer a “stone cold liar” and a “malignant clown.”* In non-Epstein related news from Capitol Hill, last week lawmakers held a hearing to probe the operations of autonomous taxi service Waymo. While Republicans chose to focus on Waymo's supposed ties to Chinese companies, Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts grilled the chief safety officer, Mauricio Peña, on the company's reliance on workers abroad for key safety decisions. Peña admitted that while some operators are located in the US, others – who step in when robotaxis encounter “unusual situations” – work remotely from the Philippines. Markey called this “completely unacceptable,” emphasizing that these workers may need to react “in a split second” during dangerous scenarios. Waymo is just the latest company marketing its services as high tech and autonomous, but later revealed to be reliant on cheap foreign labor. This from Business Insider.* ICE lawlessness continues to roil Congress. Many Democrats are now sounding the alarm that Trump's immigration police – masked, armed, accountable directly to him and backed to the hilt by the administration – could be used as a tool to suppress voter turnout by conducting raids at or near polling locations, thereby scaring citizens into staying home. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said “Trump is trying to create a pretext to rig the election.” Murphy, along with some Senate Democratic allies, pushed leadership to demand that ICE be banned from polling sites as a condition of government shutdown negotiations, but leadership balked, per POLITICO. While such a scenario can sound far-fetched, Trump has “falsely and repeatedly claimed for more than a decade that millions of illegal immigrants vote in the U.S., arguing that was one factor in his 2020 loss,” and, just before the 2020 election, he pledged to send “sheriffs” and “law enforcement” to polling places.* Drop Site News' Jacqueline Sweet reports 70 organizations, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Unitarian, as well as civil rights, academic, legal, peace, and human rights groups, submitted a formal request to the National Security Division of the Justice Department seeking a “Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) investigation into Canary Mission.” Canary Mission is a shadowy, infamous group that tracks pro-Palestine activity on college campuses. In 2018, they appeared at the George Washington University wearing spooky masks in an attempt to intimidate the student government into voting down a BDS resolution. They failed. This latest letter comes on the heels of a Drop Site story from January that “showed among other things that Canary is operated in Israel by a large Israeli team.” As the letter notes, the Foreign Agent Registration Act “exists precisely to address this type of potential activity carried out in the United States for the benefit of a foreign country.”* In more news regarding pro-Palestine activism, last week, six defendants linked to Palestine Action, a direct action protest group in the United Kingdom, were acquitted of aggravated burglary in connection with an alleged break in at Elbit Systems, a defense firm with close ties to the Israeli military, in August 2024. The persecution of Palestine Action has gone far beyond normal law enforcement. Some activists have been in pre-trial detention for over 500 days, more than double the maximum limit set by the Crown Prosecution Service. The case of the Palestine Action protestors has drawn outcry from international human rights groups, including the United Nations and Human Rights Watch. As HRW notes, in July of last year, the British government declared Palestine Action a terrorist organization and have now detained over 2,700 protestors over infractions as minor as holding a sign reading “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” As of now, over 20 activists are still in detention awaiting trial, many beyond the legal limits, and the six acquitted activists may face retrial. But for now, the group has scored a major victory in the face of overwhelming odds.* Turning back to domestic news, New York Governor Kathy Hochul appears to have pulled off a fait accompli in her reelection campaign. Last year, former Representative Elise Stefanik dropped her bid for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and sitting Rep. Mike Lawler declined to run. Now, Hochul's main primary opponent – Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado – has dropped his bid after Hochul secured the endorsements of New York City Mayor and political superstar Zohran Mamdani as well as the entirety of the New York Democratic congressional delegation. This from the New York Times. This is a stunning political feat for a Governor who won the narrowest gubernatorial election in the state since 1994 when she was last up in 2022. It now seems that Hochul will square off against Bruce Blakeman, the Trump-endorsed Republican executive of Nassau County in November.* Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the dynamic of the Mayoral race was upended this week by the last-minute decision of Councilmember Nithya Raman to throw her hat into the ring against incumbent Mayor Karen Bass. Raman, an urban planner by trade, chairs the Council's Housing and Homelessness Committee and has “built her political identity around tenant protections, homelessness policy and efforts to accelerate housing production,” per the Los Angeles Daily News. Raman was the first of several Councilmembers elected with DSA support and she has maintained a strong relationship with the local branch despite tensions with the national organization, primarily over Israel/Palestine issues. Bass, who won a narrow election against billionaire developer Rick Caruso in 2022, has faced harsh criticism over her handling of the devastating fires in 2025 and her inability to make significant progress on the city's homelessness crisis. However, Bass maintains the support of much of the city's Democratic establishment, including the unions and much of the City Council and Raman's late entry will make it difficult for her to consolidate majority support across the sprawling western metropolis.* Finally, in a David-and-Goliath tale, we turn to TJ Sabula, the UAW Local 600 Ford factory line worker who called Trump a “pedophile protector.” Infamously, the president retorted by giving Sabula the finger and mouthing, “F--- you.” Ironically, Trump also trotted out his iconic catchphrase “You're fired.” Well, Sabula was not fired – and in fact “has no discipline on his record,” – because he was protected by his union, per the Detroit News. In a recent address, UAW Vice President Laura Dickerson said “TJ, we got your back,” adding “In that moment, we saw what the president really thinks about working people…As UAW members, we speak truth to power. We don't just protect rights, we exercise them.” UAW President Shawn Fain, who has emerged as a firebrand leader of the revitalized labor movement, commented “That's a union brother who spoke up…He put his constitutional rights to work. He put his union rights to work.”This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe

First, Mark Dunlea brings us coverage on Governor Hochul's proposed budget and its effects on health care coverage for New Yorkers Then, Sean Bernyk speaks with the curator of The Black Experience in the Adirondacks about Dewey Brown ahead of his inclusion in the upcoming exhibition Later on, Sina Basila Hickey speaks with Design Duo “Fun Stuff” about their new design studio in south troy After that, we'll have a piece on the effect of road salt on the environment Finally, we'll have a piece on how the effects of the winter months effect the homeless But first, here are the headlines. Co-Hosts: Richard Sleeper, Ember | Producer: Jacob Boston

A weekly news roundup with our reporter colleagues throughout the state. First, in early 2023, Rochester City Council purchased 15 self-contained heated and cooled units to be placed in the city's only sanctioned homeless encampment, Peace Village. But three years on, Peace Village is still vacant, and those shelters now sit in snow-covered storage at a city lot on Dewey Avenue. WXXI News' investigations and City Hall reporter Gino Fanelli explains why. Then, Lieutenant Governor Antonio Delgado ended his primary bid against Governor Kathy Hochul this week. WNYC's Jimmy Vielkind has the latest in the race for New York State's highest position. We end the week with a nod to Valentine's Day. CITY Magazine pop culture critic Johanna Lester joins us for a look at the staying power of romantic comedies, and we take a rom-com quiz! Our guests: Gino Fanelli, investigations and City Hall reporter for WXXI News Jimmy Vielkind, public media reporter at WNYC Johanna Lester, pop culture critic for CITY Magazine ---Connections is supported by listeners like you. Head to our donation page to become a WXXI member today, support the show, and help us close the gap created by the rescission of federal funding.---Connections airs every weekday from noon-2 p.m. Join the conversation with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255) or 585-263-9994, email, Facebook or Twitter. Connections is also livestreamed on the WXXI News YouTube channel each day. You can watch live or access previous episodes here.---Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

Governor Hochul's proposed budget includes $136.5 billion for health care, virtually the same as this year. Medicaid spending would account for $122.6 billion, a decrease of $3.4 billion or 2.7 percent, primarily due to the loss of federal funding for the Essential Plan. The Essential Plan provides comprehensive health coverage for over 1.7 million moderate income individuals and families The increased state share of Medicaid expenditure is primarily due to $2.6 billion in federal cuts requiring the shift of 486,000 lawfully present immigrants from the Essential Plan to state-funded Medicaid. At the February 10th state budget hearing on health care, there was virtually no discussion related to passing the NY Health Act to save billions of dollars through a single payer health care system. We hear testimony from Mia Wagner of Health Care for All NY, Lara Kassel of Medicaid Matters NY, Leon Bell of the NYS Nurses Association. By Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine.

New York Republicans have nominated Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman to challenge democratic incumbent Gov. Kathy Hochul in November. We sit down with Assembly Member Charles Lavine (D - 13th Assembly District, Long Island) to discuss a bill that would grant the state legislature equal power to the executive chamber during the state budget process. Immigration is a prime issue for the governor and state legislature this year! We unpack the proposals on the table amid tensions at the national and federal government levels. After Assembly Leader Will Barclay announced he's stepping down last week, the Republican conference voted to appoint Assembly Member Ed Ra as their new leader.   EXPLORE MORE: nynow.org

Jasmine Gripper and Ana María Archila, co-directors of the New York Working Families Party, discuss Mayor Zohran Mamdani's proposed tax hike—and Gov. Kathy Hochul's resistance to it.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola calls into the show to discuss her relationships with figures like Julie Menin and Adrienne Adams, as well as their influence in New York City's political landscape. Ariola highlights Menin's effectiveness as a city council speaker and reflects on Adams joining Kathy Hochul's ticket for re-election. Transitioning to the city's pressing issues, Ariola critiques Mayor Mamdani for inadequate responses to street homelessness, particularly during a cold snap that resulted in several deaths. Ariola argues for more proactive and compassionate measures, indicating a significant alignment among council members in holding the administration accountable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bruce Blakeman, current Nassau County Executive and running for Governor of New York later this year, joins Sid alongside his pick for Lieutenant Governor, Todd Hood, to discuss the pair's ambitions to bring New Yorkers out of the pit of despair that Governor Kathy Hochul has led them into. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Friday edition of Sid & Friends in the Morning, Sid prepares to welcome the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, onto his airwaves for the first time ever to help her continue the promotion of her documentary still in theaters, titled Melania. In other news of the day, NYC Mayor Mamdani officially endorses Kathy Hochul in her re-election campaign for governor; the mayor also appoints a self-hating Jew as his czar to combat anti-Semitism in NYC; U.S.-Iran talks get underway in Oman regarding Iran's nuclear capabilities; and hope continues to wane in the missing persons case involving news anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy. Brian Kilmeade, Craig Carton, Joe Tacopina, Mike VanDenburg, Lisa Tuozzolo, Rabbi Joseph Potasnik & First Lady Melania Trump join the show on this Friday installment of Sid & Friends in the Morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices