
Karen DeWitt
Karen DeWitt is Capitol Bureau Chief for New York State Public Radio, a network of 10 public radio stations in New York State. She has covered state government and politics for the network since 1990.
She is also a regular contributor to the statewide public television program about New York State government, New York Now. She appears on the reporter’s roundtable segment, and interviews newsmakers.
Karen previously worked for WINS Radio, New York, and has written for numerous publications, including Adirondack Life and the Albany newsweekly Metroland.
She is a past recipient of the prestigious Walter T. Brown Memorial award for excellence in journalism, from the Legislative Correspondents Association, and was named Media Person of the Year for 2009 by the Women’s Press Club of New York State.
Karen is a graduate of the State University of New York at Geneseo.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature invested $1 billion into mental health services in the current state budget. Part of that money is earmarked for services specifically for teenagers.
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In a letter to state agency heads, Blake Washington, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget director, wrote that an end to three years of pandemic-era federal stimulus packages and lower-than-expected tax collections are fueling the gap, which is estimated to reach $9 billion next year.
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A new poll finds that while New Yorkers are concerned about the influx of tens of thousands of migrants into the state in recent months, they are more worried about the cost of living.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday signed into law a measure to make it easier for New Yorkers to access mail-in voting. Some New York Republicans, led by Rep. Elise Stefanik, have filed a lawsuit against the measure.
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There were more complaints this week about New York’s botched legal cannabis rollout, with dozens of farmers and retail store license holders telling the state’s Cannabis Control Board that bureaucratic delays and court injunctions have pushed them to the brink of bankruptcy.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul opened the door to a potential special session to deal with New York’s migrant crisis, saying she discussed options with state legislative leaders.
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COVID-19 cases are once again on the increase, but Gov. Kathy Hochul and state health officials say a new vaccine due out Friday could counteract that trend.
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New York state has a new chief judge, as Gov. Kathy Hochul's choice, Rowan Wilson, officially began his new job on Tuesday.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul said she will try to appeal a court ruling that struck down the state’s ethics panel, saying its structure was unconstitutional.
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The stone carving is the first sculpted portrait to be added to the ornate four-story, red sandstone staircase in 125 years.