Jun 25, 2012 — Here in New York, debate over same-sex marriage has existed for the last few years. But just across the border in Quebec, the big issue is that a lot of couples never marry at all. One third of Quebecois couples have de facto, or common law, partnerships. They live together, join their finances and have families without getting married. That's different than in the U.S., where common law relationships are fairly rare. And now, a case now making its way through the courts may change the rules for millions of unmarried Quebecois couples. Sarah Harris has more.  Go to full article

Apr 23, 2012 — This morning, we begin on an on-going series, looking at the problem of young people in the North Country. Across the US, rural towns and villages face a dangerous drain of young people who are moving away, choosing a different way of life in cities and suburbs.

The exodus of twenty- and thirty-somethings has huge implications for community life, reshaping the economy, shrinking schools, making it harder to sustain volunteer fire departments and other basic services.

In the days and weeks ahead, we'll be looking at this challenge from many different angles, hearing many different voices.

But we begin with Brian Mann's story of one young woman who grew up in Rossie, in the St. Lawrence Valley, but chose to live and raise her family far away from the North Country.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Apr 11, 2012 — Last spring downtown Plattsburgh got a new restaurant: a Himalayan restaurant. It's owned and operated by Tenzin and Yangchen Dorjee, a Tibetan couple who moved to northern New York with their two kids in 2007.

This month they're putting on a Tibetan arts festival where visiting monks will make a mandala out of sand, and offer lectures on topics ranging from Tibetan medicine to religious ethics. Sarah Harris visited the restaurant and talked to Tenzin Dorjee about the family's journey to Plattsburgh and how they're keeping their culture alive in the North Country.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Apr 04, 2012 — Plattsburgh is a city in transition. There's a lot of effort to attract new families and businesses and rebrand the lakeside city as a destination. As Sarah Harris reports, a key part of that revitalization means bringing the downtown back to life and building the arts scene.  Go to full article

Saranac Lake, NY, Feb 07, 2012 — We continue our series, the Adirondack Attic, with Andy Flynn. You may know Andy from his series of Adirondack Attic books on local history. He uses the objects people make, use and leave behind to tell stories about the life and times of the region.

NCPR is collaborating with Andy and his sources at the Adirondack Museum and other historical associations and museums in the region to bring these stories to air. Today, we'll get the history and the back-story of Saranac Lake's Winter Carnival, and its famous Ice Palace.  Go to full article

Jan 20, 2012 — New York State now includes more than 10,000 Amish people in 25 settlements, many of them in the North Country. In her book New York Amish, Karen Johnson-Weiner explains some of the history and customs of the Plain people. Betsy Kepes has this review.  Go to full article

Jan 13, 2012 — This weekend in Blue Mountain Lake, the Adirondack Museum will host a lecture on the Chester Gillette murder trial. The 1906 murder of Grace Brown on Big Moose Lake was one of the biggest national scandals of its day. The case inspired "American Tragedy," one of the great novels of the 20th century. In the decades since, the story of Grace Brown and Chester Gillette has sparked more novels, operas, folk songs, Hollywood films and documentaries. In 2005, Brian Mann set out to travel from the Adirondacks to New York City, to trace why this particular murder case continues to hold such a grip on our imagination.  Go to full article

Plattsburgh, NY, Nov 16, 2011 — SUNY Plattsburgh is celebrating International Education Week with a series of workshops, lectures, debates and the "Night of Nations" cultural showcase on Saturday. Todd Moe talks with Student Association president, PJ Shah, an international student from Nepal, about the lure of attending college in Plattsburgh.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Sep 15, 2011 — This Saturday you're invited back inside Traditional Arts in Upstate New York's newly renovated space on Main Street in Canton. The work trucks and dumpsters are out of the back parking lot and the brown paper is coming off the front windows by Saturday morning. TAUNY showcases the folk culture and living traditions of the North Country. The first phase of renovations includes an elevator, improved lighting and fresh paint. Todd Moe stopped by TAUNY earlier this week for a sneak preview with Executive Director Jill Breit.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Jun 17, 2011 — This week, it's been all about same sex marriage in Albany. Supporters, led by Governor Cuomo, have been lobbying hard for a vote in the State Senate. Now they're one vote shy of passage.

According to a Siena College poll this week, 55% of New Yorkers support legalizing same sex marriage. Sarah Harris chatted with shoppers in Ogdensburg to get their opinions.  Go to full article