New York Now with Susan Arbetter

The special WMHT produced around the Governor’s Economic Address, in conjunction with WNET in NYC and WXXI in Rochester went off with only a few technical glitches…. originating in New York City (which is never expected since it’s, well, New York City)!

The PBS stations across New York State are working together to carry the Governor’s live address, tomorrow at 5pm, on the state’s deteriorating economy. Risa Heller of the Governor’s press office has confirmed that the Governor will be speaking at 5:10pm on Tuesday 7/29.

How does the shaky economy effect you? Do you need to worry about losing your job? Should state workers be especially concerned? Can the State Legislature do anything to help fix the problem, or is it out of their hands?

WMHT in the Capital Region and WNET in New York City are co-producing a special on the New York economy that will answer these questions and more. Stay tuned to your local PBS station Tuesday afternoon at 5pm.

Like “The Thing” Troopergate re-emerges from the slime.

We’ll talk about what this may mean for David Soares, Darren Dopp and of course Eliot Spitzer. Plus ‘betting’ on New York’s future. When you add up all the gambling revenue that states have come to depend upon it’s quite the haul: About 24 billion dollars annually.

In New York, our state government sees 3 billion dollars in revenues from gambling. Specifically, that’s money made from lotteries, racinos and pari-mutuel wagering, also known in New York as horse racing.

If you’ve ever been stopped short by the fragrance of freshly baked pita and garlic while strolling down Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn you will love the Garlic Lovers Corner. I’m not surprised that Metroland called it the region’s Best Kept Secret. I didn’t know it existed until 2 week’s ago, and I work across the street from it.

A television crew has been in a van traveling up the Northway for a long time.

Passenger 1 — “Did you ever see Annie Hall?”

Driver — “Yeah.”

Passenger 1 — “You remind me of Christopher Walken driving Alvy and Annie back to the airport.”

Driver — “So I’m not a spider the size of a Buick. That’s good.”
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Representative John McHugh of the North Country is being challenged by a guy named Mike Oot. Here’s a possible slogan for either the incumbent or challenger:

“McHugh Get Oot”

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Photo: Kids love reading at the Albany Public Library, even with a web-covered middle aged woman in a spider outfit.

These were the most adorable first-graders from Sheridan Preparatory Academy joining me to kick off the 2008 New York

Statewide Summer Reading Program!   Let’s READ!

My husband Bi

For the last 20 years, Marianne Potter’s face, name and hair have been completely identified with WMHT. Yes, she’s the woman with the crazy red (or is it blond?) hair…but what I bet you didn’t know (smartypants) was that her last day at the station was Monday.