Oct 08, 2004 — Presidential candidate Ralph Nader brought his campaign to the state capitol Thursday. The defiant Nader urged supporters to vote their conscience and back him on Election Day. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Sep 30, 2004 — In the past, reform in Albany has been stifled by deep divisions between Republicans and Democrats. North country assemblywoman Teresa Sayward, now in her first term, says things are so broken that she'll support a bipartisan effort to bring deep changes to state government. Sayward, the former Willsboro supervisor who represents the 113th district, spoke yesterday with Brian Mann.  Go to full article

Sep 17, 2004 — While the presidential campaign is capturing all the pre-election hype and headlines, a North Country race for state Assembly is heating up. In the 118th district, first term Assemblyman and farmer Darrel Aubertine, a Democrat, is defending his seat. He faces a challenge from Republican Scott Gray, a Jefferson County legislator and Watertown businessman. Incumbents in New York enjoy almost perfect job security. Only a couple dozen incumbents have lost races since 1982. But as David Sommerstein reports, this year's legislative meltdown in the state capital makes incumbency a mixed blessing.  Go to full article

Sep 09, 2004 — 17 state senators, including North Country Senator Ray Meier, have introduced a bill that would repeal a controversial change in vehicle law approved in the state budget last month. The law would give the state, not towns and villages, the lion's share of the fines from speeding tickets and other traffic violations. Senator Meier told David Sommerstein the law is a direct result of the dysfunctional budget process.  Go to full article

Aug 24, 2004 — One of Governor Pataki's biggest line-item vetoes targeted a quarter-billion dollar grant meant to help hospitals fund capital improvement projects. The Governor also cut 12 million dollars which the legislature had budgeted for struggling nursing homes. But as Brian Mann reports, the health care industry won a big victory by blocking deep cuts to Medicaid.  Go to full article

Aug 12, 2004 — Local towns and school districts in the Adirondacks and Catskills will share $1.9 million in tax relief under the new state budget. The money will reimburse communities in St. Lawrence, Franklin, and Essex Counties for property tax breaks on land used for timber production. For more on this and other aspects of the new state budget, David Sommerstein spoke with State Senator Betty Little, a Republican from Queensbury. She says Governor Pataki has supported $3.3 million in property tax reimbursements.  Go to full article

Aug 11, 2004 — The state legislature has agreed to increase education funding by $740 million. Some of that money will come to the North Country, where school districts have been waiting until the last minute to find out how much state aid they'll have when classes start in a few weeks. David Sommerstein spoke with Janet Boyd, business manager of the Hermon-DeKalb Central School District, about the increase.  Go to full article

Aug 06, 2004 — Two men remain in custody today after police raided a mosque and two homes in Albany yesterday in connection with an alleged terrorist plot to obtain a weapon. Federal officials believe the two men arrested Thursday may be linked to al-Qaida and a militant group blamed to attacks in Iraq. Brian Shields of WAMC in Albany reports.  Go to full article

Aug 06, 2004 — Three North Country soldiers will receive the Purple Heart award today at a ceremony in Albany. The National Guardsmen will be honored as part of a ceremony dedicating a new monument that celebrates New York's Purple Heart recipeints. Brian Mann reports.  Go to full article

Jun 28, 2004 — One of the few things that state lawmakers accomplished in a legislative session that ended without a state budget was to agree on a plan to reform the broken budget process. But doubts have been raised that Governor Pataki will go along with the legislature's plan in its current form.  Go to full article