Watertown, NY, Jun 10, 2009 — If you're looking for family fun on the cheap this summer, your best bet may be to catch a baseball game in Watertown or Glens Falls. Those two cities are the North Country representatives in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. The league's season started over the weekend. The league is for college players trying to make it professionally. They use wooden bats instead of the aluminum bats used in college games. Major league scouts are in the stands. Dozens of the league's players are drafted each year. The league's best known alumni include Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson and Philadelphia Phillies closer Brad Lidge. Commissioner Dave Chamberlain told David Sommerstein many of the league's teams used to play in the "single A" professional New York-Penn league.  Go to full article

Glens Falls, NY, May 28, 2009 — In our series, A Year of Hard Choices, we've been reporting on the current economic downturn and how it's affecting the choices people in the North Country are making. With household budgets under pressure, these are already tough times for restaurants. Rick Davidson is co-owner of Davidson Brothers Brew Pub and Restaurant in Glens Falls. He says new fees and taxes meant to close government budget gaps are making things tighter. New York increased its excise tax on beer and wine--not much, he says, but it all adds up for businesses like his.

North Country Assemblywoman Addie Russell is circulating a petition to repeal the "floor tax." Russell says petitions are going out to local restaurants, breweries, wineries and liquor stores. There's also a digital version on the assemblywoman's web site.

Davidson tells Jonathan Brown that since May 1, restaurants, wineries, liquor stores and distributors are all paying 11 cents more for each gallon of wine, and three cents more for each gallon of beer they sell.  Go to full article

Apr 29, 2009 — Glens Falls businessman Scott Murphy will be sworn in this afternoon as New York's newest Congressman. The Democrat won a razor-thin victory in March, in a special election to replace Kirsten Gillibrand, who was appointed to the US Senate. New York's 20th congressional district stretches from Poughkeepsie in the Hudson Valley to Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks. Murphy is a newcomer to politics, but he managed to beat veteran Assemblyman Jim Tedisco, a Republican from Schenectady. As Murphy prepared to head to Washington for today's ceremony, he spoke with Brian Mann.  Go to full article

Apr 21, 2009 — One of the North Country's daily newspapers was honored yesterday with a Pulitzer Prize, the most coveted award in journalism. Editorial page editor Mark Mahoney, with the Glens Falls Post-Star, was recognized for his work trying to bring more openness to local governments in the region. Brian Mann caught up with Mahoney yesterday afternoon and has our story.  Go to full article

Apr 03, 2009 — For the first time, Republican Jim Tedisco is leading the ballot count in the 20th congressinal district race. A recanvassing of votes by county officials put Tedisco 12 votes ahead of Democrat Scott Murphy. Brian Mann has this update.  Go to full article

Apr 02, 2009 — Governor Paterson and the state health commissioner traveled to Glens Falls yesterday to promote a series of reforms to the health care system included in the budget. Paterson also touted a new pilot project in the Adirondacks that's designed to reduce the overall cost of the health care system while improving patient care. martha Foley reports.  Go to full article

Mar 20, 2009 — The 20th Congressional district special election is growing more combative every day. Three men: Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian, are running to fill the House seat left open when Gov. Paterson appointed Kirsten Gillibrand to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate. The district stretches from the Hudson Valley far south of Albany well into the Adirondacks--lots of territory. Martha Foley and Brian Mann take time to sort out the issues and politics in the campaign.  Go to full article

Mar 19, 2009 — Gang activity, including illegal drug trade, is up sharply in Glens Falls. Martha Foley reports.  Go to full article

Mar 13, 2009 — Democrat Scott Murphy has closed to within five points of Republican frontrunner Jim Tedisco in the 20th congressional district race. Steven Greenberg with Siena College says the race is now "too close to call." The influential Rothenberg Report now calls the race a "toss-up." Scott Murphy, a political newcomer from Glens Falls, has nearly erased what was a 20-point gap just a month ago. Tedisco, the top Republican in the state Assembly, is scrambling to retool his campaign and his TV ads. With just two weeks left to go in this race, Martha Foley talks with Brian Mann about the poll numbers and what they mean.  Go to full article

Feb 27, 2009 — Republican Jim Tedisco has an early 12-point lead over Democrat Scott Murphy, according to a Siena College research poll released yesterday. Todd Moe has more.  Go to full article