Croghan, NY, Jul 20, 2011 — The Department of Environmental Conservation will remove stop logs from the historic dam in Croghan tomorrow morning. That's according to former Croghan mayor Glen Gagnier, who says he received a call from the DEC. It's been known for decades that the dam on the Beaver River in Lewis County is crumbling. The DEC classifies it as a high hazard.

But the dam holds back a reservoir that's used for recreation and firefighting. Removing the logs will lower the water level several feet. The water also powers one of the few remaining mechanically powered sawmills, the Croghan Island Mill.

The community has applied for a grant to rehabilitate the dam and install new hydropower. DEC officials say removing the stop logs will not interfere with that process, but will make the dam safer.  Go to full article

Port Leyden, NY, Jul 12, 2011 — Today, we continue our week-long series Farmers Under 40 with a look at the young people getting into what many consider a shriveling industry.

Dairy remains one of the biggest overall drivers of the North Country economy. Yet half the dairy farms there were twenty years ago are gone. The average age of a dairy farmer is almost 60 years old. Some years it costs more to milk a cow than you can sell the milk for.

till, young farmers are going into dairy. And as David Sommerstein reports, they're bringing a sharp business acumen and a passion to the barn.  Go to full article

Croghan, NY, Jul 08, 2011 — The Department of Environmental Conservation says it's on schedule to remove the last stop logs from the Croghan dam any day now. That'll lower the pond on the Beaver River by some five feet. That's after the pond in Lewis County was lowered two feet last summer when stop logs were removed.

DEC engineers say the dam's a hazard. But local officials say it's part of history and there's no rush while they seek money to save it. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Jul 07, 2011 — State environmental officials are trying to nip a huge, dangerous plant in the bud.

The giant hogweed, a monster plant with flowers the size of umbrellas and sap...  Go to full article

Albany, NY, May 24, 2011 — New York agriculture commissioner Darrel Aubertine also held a public session on the farm bill and the state's dairy farms. This one was last Friday at the state fairgrounds...  Go to full article

Eagle Bay, NY, Apr 27, 2011 — School across the North Country finalized their budget plans last week. Now they go before the voters on Tuesday, May 17.

Most spending plans raise taxes and cut...  Go to full article

Castorland, NY, Apr 14, 2011 — Across the North Country, school districts are wrestling with deep cuts to their budgets - the result of Albany's efforts to rein in billions of dollars in deficit...  Go to full article