Oct 27, 2004 — The two candidates in the 118th Assembly District in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties are making their last campaign appearances this week before next Tuesday's vote. Democratic incumbent Darrel Aubertine faces a serious challenge from Republican Scott Gray. Gray owns Gray's Flowers in Watertown and is a Jefferson County legislator. He ran unsuccessfully for this seat two years ago. He told David Sommerstein he's running again because he sees a need for change.  Go to full article

Oct 26, 2004 — Two years ago, Cape Vincent farmer and Jefferson County legislator Darrel Aubertine became the first Democrat to represent the North Country in Albany in almost 30 years. Now he's running for re-election in the 118th Assembly, or 'river', district against Republican challenger Scott Gray. Aubertine told David Sommerstein he learned in his first term how to play the game in Albany to advance North Country interests.  Go to full article

Oct 13, 2004 — In the 114th Assembly District, Plattsburgh Republican Chris Ortloff faces a challenge from Democrat Bernie Bassett, a former school principal from Morrisonville. Ortloff won his last election by a three-to-one margin. But this year, Bassett has received more than thirty-five thousand dollars in financial support from the state Democratic party, which hopes to claim a second assembly seat in the North Country. As Brian Mann reports, the campaign is being shaped by deep public anger over gridlock in Albany.  Go to full article

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