Author Archives: Ed Kowalski

Today, I had the privilege of celebrating the college graduation of Sam—my first and only intern during my years at WKIP. When Sam first came to the station, she wasn’t a college student. She was a high school student looking for an opportunity to learn about radio and broadcasting. From the very beginning, she stoodContinue reading “Sam: My First and Only Intern at WKIP”

One of the frustrations many New Yorkers have with government today is not simply the decisions being made in Albany—it is the increasing reluctance of elected officials to publicly explain those decisions. This week, Assemblyman Anil Beephan proudly announced his support for a one-year moratorium on new data centers in New York State. In aContinue reading “Valley Viewpoint: Assemblyman Beephan Wants the Credit for the Vote, Not the Questions That Follow”

This week, the New York State Legislature passed a one-year moratorium on new data centers. Supporters call it a victory for local communities. They argue that data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity, place demands on local infrastructure, and raise legitimate questions about environmental impacts and quality of life. Residents have packed town halls, sentContinue reading “Valley Viewpoint: New York Hits Pause on Data Centers—But At What Cost?”

Democrats Continue Their War on Common Sense A few days ago, I wrote about Albany’s latest effort to replace the word “mother” in New York law with the term “gestating parent.” At the time, I thought it was another example of government focusing on symbolism while ignoring the real problems facing New Yorkers. Unfortunately, theContinue reading “VALLEY VIEWPOINT”

While New Yorkers struggle to pay their property taxes, fill their gas tanks, afford groceries, and keep their families in the state, Albany has once again demonstrated just how disconnected it has become from the concerns of everyday citizens. State lawmakers are now advancing legislation that would remove references to “mother” and “father” from sectionsContinue reading “Albany’s War on Common Sense Continues”

There was a time when public transportation systems were expected to transport people. Today, it seems their primary function is transporting money—from taxpayers’ pockets into government budgets. The latest example comes from California, where lawmakers are considering asking Bay Area residents to pay higher taxes to support the struggling transit system known as BART. TheContinue reading “The Taxpayer Train Never Stops”

For more than two years, I have been writing about judicial accountability, judicial arrogance, and the often-overlooked struggles faced by citizens who find themselves at the mercy of a legal system that appears unwilling to police its own. My interest in the subject is not academic. It is personal. For more than two years, judicialContinue reading “Private Reprimand, Public Doubts: The Growing Question of Judicial Accountability”

If you were intentionally trying to drive successful residents, entrepreneurs, professionals, and retirees out of New York, what would you do? You’d raise taxes. Again. That appears to be the thinking behind Resolution No. 295, which will be considered by the Ulster County Legislature on June 16. The resolution seeks Albany’s permission to impose aContinue reading “How to Drive More Taxpayers Out of New York”

Every once in a while, a social media challenge comes along that is actually worth participating in. No dangerous stunts. No vandalism. No swallowing detergent pods. No filming yourself doing something foolish for clicks and likes. This one is called the “988 Challenge.” The challenge is simple: save the number 988 in your phone, shareContinue reading “The 988 Challenge: The Most Important Number You Can Save”

Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision to sign legislation prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks during enforcement operations is being sold as a matter of “transparency” and “accountability.” In reality, it may be one of the most reckless public safety decisions to come out of Albany in years. Let’s be honest about what this law does. ItContinue reading “Hochul’s Latest Gift to Criminals: Making ICE Agents Easier Targets”

There was a time when Americans believed the federal judiciary stood apart from the dysfunction and hypocrisy that infects so many other institutions. Courts, we were told, were the guardians of fairness — places where constitutional rights mattered, where due process meant something, and where power would always be checked by principle. But a caseContinue reading “Inside the Federal Judiciary’s Alleged Culture of Protection and Silence”

There was a time in America when the courthouse represented something almost sacred. The building itself mattered. The marble halls. The silence. The elevated bench. It was meant to send a message: here, above politics and ego and appetite, the rule of law prevails. But every so often, the curtain slips. This week came anotherContinue reading “The Black Robe Club”