Lowville, NY, May 01, 2013 — World-renowned soprano Lisa Vroman took a break from concerts and musical tours to return to her native North Country this spring.

Vroman, who grew up in Adams, just south of Watertown, and graduated from SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, hosted a workshop for dozens of young singers in Lewis and Jefferson counties. The students auditioned before a panel of judges, including Vroman, in an event dubbed "Broadway Idol."

Some of the top students got an opportunity to sing on stage with Vroman at Lowville Academy as part of the Black River Valley Concert Series. Competition aside, for many of the students it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet a Broadway star with local roots.  Go to full article

Massena, NY, Sep 19, 2012 — You might think that selling custom made gravestones would be a little uncomfortable at a gathering of senior citizens. But that's exactly what one man was doing at the recent Seniorama in Massena, and he's today's Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Sep 13, 2012 — The largest cheesecake in the country will be the centerpiece of the 8th annual Lowville Cream Cheese Festival on Saturday. The event celebrates the region's dairy industry and the village's cream cheese plant. The day's events include music, activities for kids, contests, lots of food and the gigantic cheese cake. Todd Moe spoke with organizer Eric Virkler.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Oct 11, 2011 — 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, a watercolor painting by a Lowville painter from the late 19th century that celebrates fly-fishing.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Sep 15, 2011 — NCPR is media sponsor for Saturday's 7th annual Lowville Cream Cheese Festival in downtown Lowville. The event celebrates Lowville's distinction as home of the world's largest cream cheese manufacturing plant. Todd Moe spoke with Eric Virkler, Director of Economic Development and Planning for Lewis County, who says the event includes music, art, contests and lots of cheese cake.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Dec 15, 2010 — Over the next month, we'll hear a lot about earmarks, also known as "pork." They're the district-specific pet projects of members of Congress. The new Republican-led House has vowed to ban earmarks, or at least strictly curtail them.

We've all heard about the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere." But for every one of those earmarks, there are many others that are filling a need in a community.

Fort Drum near Watertown is the only Army base in the country without its own hospital. Soldiers and their families rely on doctors and clinics in Jefferson, Lewis, and southern St. Lawrence counties. A $400,000 earmark funds an organization thats building health care assets for soldiers and civilians alike. avid Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Sep 15, 2010 — Workers at the Kraft plant in Lowville are focussed on one of their biggest assignments this year -- creating a cheesecake large enough to feed hundreds. They call it the world's largest cheesecake and it's one of the highlights of the sixth annual Cream Cheese Festival in Lowville on Saturday. Todd Moe spoke with Eric Virkler, Lewis County economic development director, about the festival. Virkler says there's other food, besides the cheesecake, along with music, art and a recipe contest.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Jul 30, 2010 — It's county fair season in the North Country. And that means it's also fried food season. Fried dough, French fries, funnel cakes. At the Lewis County fair last week in Lowville, David Sommerstein bumped into some "X-treme" frying: fried oreo cookies. He sent this Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Jul 23, 2010 — Andrew Cuomo and his RV are making a swing through eastern half of the North Country today. The Democratic candidate for Governor has appearances in Port Henry, Plattsburgh, and Saranac Lake. He'll march in the Seaway Festival parade in Ogdensburg tomorrow. The stops are part of Cuomo's plan to visit all 62 counties in his "Drive for a New New York" campaign. Yesterday, Cuomo held rallies in Watertown and Speculator, and he toured the Lewis County fair in Lowville. That's where David Sommerstein found the Democrat greeting fairgoers. He reports many voters still have questions before choosing New York's next Governor.  Go to full article

Lowville, NY, Feb 19, 2010 — The Black River Valley Concert Series continues in Lowville this weekend with a performance by one of the most interesting and prolific singer/songwriters in the country. Joel Hurd has a profile of Ari Hest.  Go to full article