Queensbury, NY, Jun 30, 2010 — State Senator Betty Little says the budget chaos in Albany has been brutal for the North Country - with more spending for more programs shifting to communities downstate.

But she gave Governor David Paterson high marks for promising to veto additional deficit spending proposed by Democrats in the legislature.

Senator Little spoke yesterday with Brian Mann.  Go to full article

Feb 25, 2010 — Where should prisoners be counted? Right now, inmates in New York prisons are counted IN prison - rather than in their hometowns. Critics call the practice "prison-based gerrymandering," and New York lawmakers are considering whether to end it this year. At an event in New York City Hall last month, Reverend Al Sharpton helped launch a campaign to change the inmate count. "I think that this is the voters rights and civil rights issue of this year in the state of New York," said Sharpton. But others think the mostly Upstate communities that host prisons deserve the boost in political power that comes with the count of inmates. Lawmakers need to settle the issue before political redistricting efforts get underway next year. In a collaboration between WNYC in New York City and North Country Public Radio, we bring you both sides of the issue. Here's the view from Downstate, from reporter Beth Fertig from WNYC.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Feb 25, 2010 — This March, the 2010 Census count begins, a process required by the Constitution every 10 years, which helps, primarily, in determining the number of seats each state gets in Congress. But what happens if someone is in a prison far from home? How should he be counted by the state? The controversial prisoner census issue splits largely along an urban and rural divide. New York City politicians are pushing to end the practice of counting prisoners where they're jailed. But upstate, where the majority of prisons are located, politicians think they deserve the boost in political power that comes with counting prisoners. Lawmakers need to settle the issue before political redistricting efforts get underway next year. In a collaboration between North Country Public Radio and WNYC, David Sommerstein reports on the view from the North Country.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Jan 11, 2010 — This spring, an army of temporary workers will fan out across the North Country to count its residents for the 2010 census. The federal government is spending $300 million nationwide to remind people to fill out their census forms. The stakes are high, especially in places like New York, where the population has been declining. Census figures are used to draw legislative districts and distribute federal and state money.

So the pressure is on in northern New York to count as many people as possible. St. Lawrence County got a federal grant to reach out to hard-to-count populations, like college students, the Amish, and Mexican dairy workers. John Tenbush is a planner with St. Lawrence County. He spoke with David Sommerstein.  Go to full article

Jun 05, 2008 — The deadline for the North Country's 4,500 farmers to be counted in the census of agriculture is next Friday. The census will help shape farm policy for the next five years. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Oct 17, 2006 — The number of people living in the U.S. crossed the 300 million mark today. Mark Brush has more.  Go to full article

Dec 02, 2002 — The St. Lawrence County Planning Office has posted details gathered during the 2000 Census on the Internet. The community profiles provide in depth pictures of who lives where, and how. Martha Foley spoke with Planner John Tenbusch.  Go to full article

Jun 11, 2002 — An advocacy group for the poor says census data shows poverty has increased in New York. But Governor Pataki's Office of Temporary Welfare Services is disputing those numbers. Karen Dewitt reports.  Go to full article

Jun 04, 2002 — The New York State Assembly and Senate have decided to put off the start of campaign petitioning for another two weeks, until June 18th, while they continue to squabble over how to draw new congressional district lines. The latest redistricting plan sacrifices Republican Ben Gilman of the lower Hudson Valley and Democrat Louise Slaughter of Rochester. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Apr 09, 2002 — There was dissent from some minority party members as the State Legislature's Task Force on Redistricting met to approve the final maps for Senate and Assembly Districts for the next ten years. Karen Dewitt reports.  Go to full article