Top Stories from NCPR News

This week the Department of Homeland Security announced it will require U.S. and Canadian citizens to show new ID cards at the Canadian border. Officials say they’re necessary to tighten security. The U.S. border patrol uses another method to stop smugglers and potential terrorists - road checkpoints inside the U.S.-Canada border. The Army Corps of Engineers is doing a feasibility study on whether to make a border checkpoint on the Adirondack Northway permanent and staffed 24 hours a day. 4 people died and more than 50 were seriously injured in accidents there in 2004. But there are also dozens of border patrol checkpoints on smaller roads across the North Country. The Border Patrol says they’re a critical second line of defense for stopping terrorism and smuggling. But some citizens and civil liberties groups say they’re an invasion of privacy and may not be very effective. David Sommerstein reports.

Mild winter weather is slowing down logging operations across the region. Many areas in the North Country can only be logged in the winter because they stay too wet and muddy in the summer.

Governor Pataki proposed some changes in his new budget that could lead to higher tuition and less financial aid for students at public universities. Students are not happy about the news. Karen DeWitt reports.

A Quinnipiac University Poll finds Eliot Spitzer is still far ahead of any potential challengers, Democrat or Republican, in the race to be the next governor of New York. Karen DeWitt reports.

Anti-smoking groups are urging the legislature to adopt Governor Pataki's plan to fully fund the Health Department's tobacco use reduction program. Karen DeWitt reports.

Dance and Drama Students and faculty members at SUNY Potsdam are at the 2006 Kennedy Center American College Theater Regional Festival being held at SUNY New Paltz this week. The festival features some of the finest regional theatre productions. “Borders” is a collaborative original production featuring the talents of students and faculty members. It was chosen for the festival from more than 200 regional college theater productions. “Borders” includes dance and movement-theatre that explores many types of borders – geographical, political, economic and personal – using a traveling circus as the visual and artistic idea. The festival in New Paltz also offers a variety of activities where students can celebrate the creative process, see one another's work and share experiences. Awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing and design are also given out at the festival. Todd Moe spoke with SUNY Potsdam thespians Erin Gandia and Brandon Patterson, and Kim Bouchard and Robin Collen, co-chairs of the Dance and Drama Department.

Democrat Eliot Spitzer far ahead in the polls. Border patrol checkpoints inside America - necesary defense or a wasteful invasion of privacy? And one man gets ready to face his hero...on the ice...

SUNY Canton Student GOvernment is bringing some of the biggest stars in the history of hockey to Canton. Les Legendes du Hockey will play against a group of local players to raise money for recent renovations at the Canton Pavillion. The game will be held at 2 p.m., Sunday, January 22nd in Appleton Arena. The Legends team includes hockey greats such as Guy Lafleur, Andre Moose Dupont, Stephane Matteau and others. Paul Flanigan, SLU Women's Coach, once watched these players breathlessly on television. On Sunday he'll play against them. He recalled this memory from 1972.