A Year of Hard Choices
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News Blog:A Year of Hard Choices
North Country people talk about the effects of the economic crisis on ordinary lives. Audio series
From the Patchwork Nation Collaboration
Hard Times All Over
Jul 21, 2010 — The Obama administration has pledged to end childhood hunger in the U.S. by 2015. Millions of kids cannot get enough to eat at home, and that number is going up, not down. NPR's Pam Fessler and Share our Strength founder Bill Shore talk about childhood hunger and the tug of war between nutrition and frugality.
Jul 20, 2010 — The Williamsons of Carlisle, Pa., live well below the poverty line. And in the family's struggle to obtain enough food, nutrition sometimes takes a back seat to necessity. Hunger in America is complicated. It's not just getting enough food, but getting the right food — and making the right choices.
Jul 19, 2010 — President Obama has pledged to end childhood hunger by 2015. But the number of hungry children in America has been rising: In 2008, almost 17 million children lived in households where getting enough food was a challenge. The Williamson family of five in Carlisle, Pa., who make $18,000 a year, highlight this struggle.
May 12, 2010 — This morning The Walmart Foundation announced a plan to donate $2 billion over the next five years in cash and food to food banks around the United States. The move marks an expansion of Walmart's existing partnerships with the organization Feeding America. Guest host Allison Keyes speaks with NPR poverty and philanthropy correspondent Pam Fessler about the donation.
Jan 23, 2010 — Haiti's government says it is ending the search and rescue phase for survivors, following last week's magnitude-7 earthquake. But rescue crews won't be kept from continuing their work. Meanwhile, Haitians are trying to flee their destroyed capital by the tens of thousands, with living conditions in Port-au-Prince now primitive at best. NPR's Jason Beaubien speaks to guest host Audie Cornish from the Caribbean island's docks.
Tom Burns of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES
Local schools study consolidation
Canton, NY, Oct 08, 2010 — In much of the North Country, declining enrollments and dwindling state aid are painting a stark picture for school districts. Districts are talking about sharing administrations, teachers, and, in some cases, merging or closing schools.
This week, the 18 school districts in St. Lawrence County are beginning a year-long study of consolidation. Enrollment has plunged by more than 10,000 students from 30 years ago, a 40% drop. Almost all the districts are classified as rural high-need.
Tom Burns is district superintendent of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES. He told David Sommerstein the numbers are disheartening. But he says full-fledged school mergers are a worst-case scenario, especially because of the distance students would have to travel. Go to full article
This week, the 18 school districts in St. Lawrence County are beginning a year-long study of consolidation. Enrollment has plunged by more than 10,000 students from 30 years ago, a 40% drop. Almost all the districts are classified as rural high-need.
Tom Burns is district superintendent of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES. He told David Sommerstein the numbers are disheartening. But he says full-fledged school mergers are a worst-case scenario, especially because of the distance students would have to travel. Go to full article
Story 2.0 - a journalism student finds a job after a long search
Chicago, IL, May 17, 2010 — A Story 2.0 today, where we follow-up with people we've reported on in the past. Last year as a part of our Year of Hard Choices series, we met Sarah Minor, a photojournalism graduate from Syracuse University. She was living with her parents in St. Lawrence County while looking for a job. It was 2008 and 2009, the depth of the Recession, and newspapers were laying off reporters and photographers in droves. She moved to Chicago and got a part-time job with Suburban Life. The company owns 14 weekly papers in the area. She adapts print stories for the website, researching sidebar topics and adding links to stories. And she gets to do the occasional photo shoot. Last week, Sarah was hired full-time. She spoke with David Sommerstein during one of her first morning commutes as a full-time worker. Go to full article
STORY 2.0: After A year of Hard Choices, checking in on the region?s economy
Potsdam, NY, May 04, 2010 — North Country Public Radio kicked off its "Year of Hard Choices" look at the impact of the Great Recession last year with a conversation with economist Greg Gardener.
Gardner has been a student of the North Country economy since coming to the region over 15 years ago. He teaches at SUNY Potsdam. He and his wife live outside Watertown.
He says the year looked about like he had thought it would...unemployment is up, there's been pressure on the private sector, but the region had an OK tourism year..."we got leaned on hard," he said, but it wasn't catastrophic.
But Gardner told Martha Foley there was a troubling erosion of what's traditionally been the region's buffer against hard times. Public sector jobs: from prisons to schools to local government. They're threatened, and hurts the North Country. Go to full article
Gardner has been a student of the North Country economy since coming to the region over 15 years ago. He teaches at SUNY Potsdam. He and his wife live outside Watertown.
He says the year looked about like he had thought it would...unemployment is up, there's been pressure on the private sector, but the region had an OK tourism year..."we got leaned on hard," he said, but it wasn't catastrophic.
But Gardner told Martha Foley there was a troubling erosion of what's traditionally been the region's buffer against hard times. Public sector jobs: from prisons to schools to local government. They're threatened, and hurts the North Country. Go to full article
Year of Hard Choices: Classes and hope at career centers, but few jobs
Canton, NY, Dec 30, 2009 — Over the last year, the NCPR news team has been reporting on the impacts of the so-called Great Recession in our series, A Year of Hard Choices. What we didn't necessarily... Go to full article
Year of Hard Choices: A job search, delayed
Heuvelton, NY, Dec 28, 2009 — At the beginning of this year, we began a series called A Year of Hard Choices, looking at the challenges posed by economic losses and budget deficits. You can review all of... Go to full article
Story 2.0: In prolonged time of need, food bank still provides
Syracuse, NY, Dec 10, 2009 — As the unemployment rate in much of the North Country remains just under 10%, more families are struggling to put food on the table. Thousands of people live with food... Go to full article
Disabilities advocates fear funding cuts
Canton, NY, Nov 10, 2009 — Governor Paterson's deficit reduction plan is facing opposition from many groups who rely on government funding. People with disabilities have been keeping a vigil in Albany... Go to full article
Dede Scozzafava: "I'm proud of my investment"
Gouverneur, NY, Sep 16, 2009 — Seaway Valley Capital Corporation has become a concern in Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava's campaign for Congress. According to her personal finance disclosure form,... Go to full article
Seaway Valley & Hacketts: a special report
Watertown, NY, Sep 16, 2009 — This morning, we have a special report on how two North Country retailers, Hacketts and Wise Buys, came together in a shifting delta of deals and dreams. And debt, because... Go to full article
Year of Hard Choices: public defenders swamped
Canton, NY, Aug 03, 2009 — Tonight, the St. Lawrence County legislature takes up a measure to increase the salaries of its public attorneys. The vote comes after more than half of the county's 21... Go to full article
