Health

(05/18/12) Pet lovers will tell you that having a dog can provide a number of stress-busting benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and providing social support. A new study finds that allowing employees to bring their dogs to work appears to reduce stress and boost job satisfaction levels.

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers compared stress levels and job satisfaction among employees at a retail business in North Carolina who brought their dogs to work, those who didn't bring their dogs to work, and employees without pets. The study, in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, found that dogs in the workplace seemed to help reduce job-related stress for their owners and even other employees.

Todd Moe stopped by the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, an organization in Potsdam that promotes healthy living and nutrition, where most work days are dog days and it's making a positive difference in the workplace.

(05/11/12) The American Cancer Society and other health groups are pressing for a law in New York State that would ban anyone under the age of 18 from using a tanning salon. They argue the growing risk of cancer to young people is too great a threat to ignore. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has the details. more

(05/10/12) Top executives and board members at Trudeau Institute in Saranac Lake worked in secret for more than two years in an effort to move the research laboratory to a new site in Florida. That's according to an investigation by North Country Public Radio and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

The relocation would have shifted more than a hundred high paying jobs from Saranac Lake, a move that state officials in New York say would have been "devastating" to the local economy. As Brian Mann reports, top officials at Trudeau also worked to keep the effort secret, even from members of the lab's own board of directors. more

(05/08/12) Governor Andrew Cuomo Monday announced a major reform package aimed at ending the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities in state care. Marie Cusick reports from Albany. more

(04/20/12) When black bear hunters head back into the woods this fall, they'll face new regulations that require them to document any parts of the animal that they plan to sell.

The new law went into effect this year. It's designed to help state and Federal officials crack down on black bear poaching.

It's still legal for hunters in New York to sell bear parts for use in Asian medicine and cooking, but the trade will be much more closely monitored.

Brian Mann has our story. more

(04/18/12) Pro-choice advocates promoting the women's reproductive health act say they are counting on Governor Andrew Cuomo to help the bill become law this year. In Albany, Karen DeWitt reports. more

(04/13/12) Governor Cuomo has issued an executive order to create a state health care exchange after the legislature failed to do so. The exchange is required by the new federal health care law. In Albany, Karen DeWitt has details. more

(04/12/12) If you're like a lot of people in the North Country, you've been finding ticks on yourself, or on your pets. The common dog tick can be easy to find, especially when they become engorged.

But Deer ticks, also known as Black Legged-Ticks, are very, very tiny, and are difficult to spot. Deer ticks are the ones that primarily cause Lyme disease. Recent statistics show increasing levels of Lyme disease in the North Country.

Julie Grant has found quite a few ticks on her dog recently, and decided to give Paul Hetzler a call. He's the horticulture and natural resources educator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in Canton. She asked if he's been hearing from a lot of people concerned about deer ticks. more

(04/11/12) A new poll finds New Yorkers have mixed feelings about President Obama's health care reform act, with a plurality saying they'd like to see the Supreme Court declare parts of the law unconstitutional. more

(04/11/12) The physical damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene has started to fade, but the emotional toll it took on the people it affected still lingers. A mental health program launched last fall aims to address those issues.

Project Hope is a program administered by the state Office of Mental Health, with help from the Mental Health Association of Essex County and the Research Foundation of Mental Hygiene. Its aim is to provide counseling services and build a support network for people whose lives were impacted by Irene, which devastated communities along the AuSable River last August.

Members of Project Hope met with town supervisors from Keene and Jay at the Keene Community Center last week. As Chris Morris reports, they're hoping to reach more people still struggling with the consequences of the flood. more