Sep 16, 2008 — America's military has been at war in Afghanistan and Iraq for seven years. The long campaign has brought new strains to soldiers and service-members. But the pressure is also growing on military families and children. Advocates are pushing for more financial support, better mental health programs, and better housing. Brian Mann was in Washington DC last week for a conference on the future of military families, hosted by National Public Radio. He spoke with Michele Joyner. She's a military spouse herself and works with the National Military Families Association.  Go to full article

Sep 12, 2008 — Each Friday this summer we've been introducing you to a different pair of participants from StoryCorps' visit to the North Country. The StoryCorps mobile booth was in Saranac Lake and Glens Falls earlier this summer, and it was in Glens Falls that Ellen Butz interviewed her friend, Jane Jacobs. Jane's father was a professional violinist and she recalled how he got started playing, and the joy of watching her dad perform.  Go to full article

Jul 11, 2008 — Every day at StoryCorps booths across the country, ordinary people share extraordinary stories with friends and loved ones. Recently, Katy Demong from Burlington interviewed her mother, Helen Demong, who is Choral Director at Saranac Lake High School. Under her direction the students perform around the community, and one of these performances was particularly memorable.  Go to full article

May 07, 2008 — This week, soldiers from Fort Drum's 10th Mountain Division are heading back to Iraq for another 15-month deployment. Their families face a tough and nerve-wracking year of separation. The challenge is especially tough for military women, some of them leaving behind very young children. Brian Mann sat down to talk about life as a military mom with Sergeant First Class Jennifer Rebecca Williams. Her own daughter, Reilly, is three years old. Sgt. Williams is deploying with the Headquarters Company of the 10th Mountain Division. She says balancing family with military duty is getting harder as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan stretch on.  Go to full article

Apr 02, 2008 — Julia Pascal is a director and playwright with her own production company, based in London. Her work deals primarily with the lives of Jewish women, particularly in relation to the Holocaust. But she's also written a documentary about Charlotte Bronte and Jane Eyre, and explored Black and Irish themes. She recently completed a film archive of interviews with close to 50 women Holocaust survivors and their daughters, entitled Jewish Mothers and Daughters. She's at St. Lawrence University this week and will give a public lecture tonight on this latest work. She spoke with Martha Foley.  Go to full article

Feb 21, 2008 — The Plattsburgh Press-Republican reported Thursday morning that a Lake Placid woman is suing ABC News, the Walt Disney Corporation, and news anchor Diane Sawyer. In her suit, Kyle Nelson claims that the network should have alerted authorities to abuse that they captured on film in her Vermontville home five years ago. The physical abuse was recorded while ABC was working on a documentary for the program "Primetime." The show's producers never contacted the police or social welfare agencies. Brian Mann's story first aired in 2006. The Plattsburgh Press- Republican is reporting that Kyle Nelson, now age 20, has declined to discuss her lawsuit against ABC with the media.  Go to full article

Feb 14, 2008 — Advocates for military families say a growing number of soldiers are losing custody of their children, not because they're bad parents but because they've been deployed overseas to Iraq and Afghanistan. A bill signed by President Bush last month strengthens protections for service-members and their families. But as Brian Mann reports, legal experts say some military moms and dads are still vulnerable.  Go to full article

Feb 06, 2008 — If you and your kids are looking to shake off that cabin fever this weekend, try Boogie Wonderland Sunday afternoon. It's a family-friendly dance party at the Higher Ground Concert Hall in Burlington, with a real dance floor and a real disco ball. And adults can even have a drink while the kids dance. Tom Bacon is music lover, father, DJ, and host of Boogie Wonderland. He told David Sommerstein his wife read about similar family dance parties in New York and Philadelphia, and he thought why not in Burlington?  Go to full article

Dec 04, 2007 — There are families in this rugged part of the country who trace their roots back two centuries and more. Others simply passed through, migrating west. The trail still runs both ways. Our Adirondack reporter, Brian Mann, grew up in the Midwest and out on the West Coast. But it turns out his own family's story leads through northern New York and Vermont way back in the early 1800s. The discovery came as part of his mother's research and her journey back into American history. Here's Brian's audio diary.  Go to full article

Nov 06, 2007 — The 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Brigade continues to return home from Iraq this week. The last flight, carrying the brigade's headquarters, is expected to land at Fort Drum next Monday. 3500 soldiers return after a 15 month tour-of-duty, three months more than they expected. Some members of the 2nd brigade have served in Iraq two or even three times. Experts say the longer the deployment, the harder it is for soldiers to reintegrate into ordinary life. Army officials are trying to ease the transition with a new program called "Battle Mind Training." 10th Mountain Division Chaplain Mike Charles told David Sommerstein it gets soldiers to think about home while they're still in the battlefield.  Go to full article