Dec 22, 2006 — North Country Public Radio is looking at a boom of large-scale real estate developments across the region in an ongoing series. In the Watertown area, homebuilders and rehabbers have been trying to catch up with a population explosion driven by the Army's expansion at Fort Drum. The military's expecting roughly 10,000 people -- soldiers plus families -- to relocate to the region as the 10th Mt. Division grows. Kevin Jordan is with the Development Authority of the North Country, which is overseeing a housing plan for the region. He told David Sommerstein the real crunch will come in the spring, when more than 6,000 Fort Drum soldiers return from a year in Afghanistan.  Go to full article

Nov 21, 2006 — Farming is, really, the story of the life cycle. Planting and harvesting. Calving and slaughtering. Barns are raised. Some eventually fall back to the earth. David Sommerstein's nearing completion of a year-long cycle on Bob Andrews' farm near Gouverneur. Today, life and death...and life again...on the farm.

BREAKING NEWS: Yesterday at 11:51am, Bob and Diane Andrews' daughter, Jessie, gave birth to Margot Diane Pritting in Syracuse - 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Both mother and child are healthy and happy. Bob and Diane hope to get away to see their first grandchild when they can find someone to milk the cows. A big congrats to the Andrews!  Go to full article

Oct 24, 2006 — The race for the 122nd Assembly district is a rarity these days - no dueling polls, no mudslinging, and relatively small amounts of money. Republican DeDe Scozzafava is seeking a fifth term representing what's known as the "foothills" district. It's a heavily Republican area skirting the northwestern Adirondacks, encompassing parts of St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego counties, and all of Lewis County. Karl Williams, a Democratic party activist from Henderson Harbor, is hoping to pull off an upset. The two face off in a debate tonight at 7 at Jefferson Community College in Watertown. David Sommerstein profiles the race.  Go to full article

Oct 20, 2006 — This year, David Sommerstein's been sending monthly audio postcards from Bob Andrews' 80-cow dairy farm near Gouverneur. At this time of year, farmers are in high gear to batten down the hatches for winter. They're stowing away machinery and trying to get that last cutting in from the fields to top off the silo. Here's another edition of A Year on the Farm.  Go to full article

Aug 28, 2006 — This year, David Sommerstein's spending time each month on one dairy farm to learn more about what farmers do every day. The series is called A Year on the Farm. Our willing farmer is Bob Andrews in the town of Fowler near Gouverneur. Last episode, David learned all about hay. The other big crop for dairy farmers is corn, and it's Bob Andrews' favorite. So today's edition of A Year on the Farm is an ode to corn.  Go to full article

Aug 14, 2006 — Everywhere you look this time of year, you see miles and miles of hay. Hay in round bales, square bales, wrapped in white plastic, lined in long strips across fields, piled in a big wagon hitched to the back of a tractor. This year, David Sommerstein's spending time on Bob Andrews' dairy near Gouverneur to learn the ins and outs of farming. Today's episode of A Year on the Farm is all about hay.  Go to full article

Jul 26, 2006 — Two North Country retail chains may join forces. The move could position Hackett's and Wise Buys to better compete with the arrival of new "big box" giants, like Walmart. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

May 25, 2006 — When you drive across the North Country at this time of year, you'll see some farm fields already green with shoots. Others are deep brown and ready for seeding. Some haven't changed since winter. Soils vary according to microregion. Some of the last fields to be tilled are near Gouverneur, where the clay soil is cool and wet. That's where farmer Bob Andrews lives. David Sommerstein hopped on his tractor for this month's edition of A Year on the Farm.  Go to full article

Apr 07, 2006 — Spend time around a dairy farm, and you'll learn a lot about the farmer who owns it. Some barnyards are muddy and chaotic, others immaculate and organized. Some farmers get obsessed with grazing, or breeding perfect heifers, or using bugs to fight disease on their fields. Some love big tractors, others hate 'em. David Sommerstein's doing a year of stories on everyday dairy farming with Bob Andrews, who farms near Gouverneur. Bob's a manager.  Go to full article

Mar 02, 2006 — A North Country native has been appointed to the board of the New York Power Authority. It's the first regional representative on the board in decades. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article