Albany, NY, Jul 16, 2012 — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the state will give $16 million in grants to communities hit by last year's damaging storms. The state originally planned to distribute $9 million to 23 counties, but it has come up with another $7 million to help the local governments meet a federal matching funds requirement.  Go to full article

Upper Jay, NY, Jun 14, 2012 — A writer from Lake Placid has published a new collection of poetry that draws its characters and themes from a legendary theme park in Upper Jay. Caitlin Scholl's second book, "Makebelieve," was released earlier this year by UNO Press as part of the company's Contemporary Poetry Series.

The book was released not long after Tropical Storm Irene destroyed the last standing structures of Arto Monaco's Land of Makebelieve. The pages of Scholl's poetry collection include images of the theme park, and one of the narrative's characters, Art Mastro, is based in large part on Monaco himself.

Chris Morris caught up with Scholl to tour what remains of Monaco's fantasy world and talk about how it inspires her as a poet and artist.  Go to full article

Upper Jay, NY, May 28, 2012 — The Wells Memorial Library in Upper Jay will be getting a gift of about $1400 from a Long Island elementary school, to help the library continue its recovery from Tropical Storm Irene. The donation comes after the school--Shore Road Elementary in Bellmore--decided to use its annual 6th grade charity sale to raise money for the library.

Wells Memorial's children's section was almost completely destroyed by Irene last August. And library director Karen Rappaport says although it has mostly been restored, the library will still use most of the Shore Road elementary money for kids' materials.  Go to full article

Apr 12, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo announced yesterday that the state will spend nearly $4 million helping Adirondack communities rebuild after tropical storm Irene.

The money will go to pay the local share of matching funds required as part of the Federal government's FEMA aid.

As Brian Mann reports, Cuomo says he's still pressuring FEMA to offer more aid to individuals and businesses.  Go to full article

Apr 11, 2012 — The physical damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene has started to fade, but the emotional toll it took on the people it affected still lingers. A mental health program launched last fall aims to address those issues.

Project Hope is a program administered by the state Office of Mental Health, with help from the Mental Health Association of Essex County and the Research Foundation of Mental Hygiene. Its aim is to provide counseling services and build a support network for people whose lives were impacted by Irene, which devastated communities along the AuSable River last August.

Members of Project Hope met with town supervisors from Keene and Jay at the Keene Community Center last week. As Chris Morris reports, they're hoping to reach more people still struggling with the consequences of the flood.  Go to full article

Mar 30, 2012 — During this pledge drive week, we've been looking back at the North Country's Year of the Floods, from the spring floods last April to the sudden devastation of tropical storm Irene.

By all accounts, the immediate response to the floods was swift and professional. That prevented loss of life and limited damage to property. But months later, the clean-up continues and long-term questions remain about future flooding.

In this final part of our series, Brian Mann looks at how families and towns are thinking about how to prepare for storms that some experts say could grow more frequent and more powerful.  Go to full article

Mar 29, 2012 — This week during our pledge drive we've been looking back at the Year of the Floods. Spring rains last April sparked widespread flooding from the St. Lawrence Valley to the shores of Lake Champlain.

Then came the sudden, devastating blow of tropical storm Irene in August. Flash floods triggered by that storm destroyed dozens of homes, ripping out roads and power lines.

In this fourth part of our series, Brian Mann looks back at how the disasters tested emergency responders in the North Country like never before.  Go to full article

Mar 28, 2012 — During this pledge drive week, we're looking back at the North Country's Year of the Floods. We began with the spring rains and snow melt that sent rivers surging and drove Lake Champlain to historic flood levels.

That disaster unfolded slowly, beginning in April and lingering into early July. On August 29th, a very different kind of flood struck the region.

Tropical storm Irene landed like a hammer blow, triggering flash floods and devastating surges of debris. In this next chapter of our series, Brian Mann looks at those first hours of Irene, when wind and water brought chaos to whole towns.  Go to full article

Mar 26, 2012 — Voters in Keene will go to the polls next month to decide whether to purchase property for a new fire station. The old station was nearly washed away when tiny Gulf Brook flooded during Tropical Storm Irene last year.

As Chris Morris reports, Keene fire officials hope to buy the Mountain Manor on state Route 73, a site that would be safe from flooding in the event of another major storm.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, Mar 14, 2012 — Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Wednesday that the state will give $950,000 in additional recovery aid to New York farms affected by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.  Go to full article