Albany, NY, Feb 10, 2011 — Lawmakers held their first hearing on the state prison budget yesterday in Albany. Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to shrink the state's prison system by 3,500 beds, closing up to 10 state prisons.

As Karen Dewitt reports, the hearing offered critics of the plan their first chance to push back against further downsizing.  Go to full article

Massena, NY, Dec 07, 2010 — The concept of an Interstate connecting Watertown and Plattsburgh has been the holy grail of North Country economic developers for decades. It's been so long, the so-called "rooftop highway" can seem more legend than reality.

Supporters are fighting hard to push the project into the reality column. They're calling it by a new name - Interstate 98. And they're urging the state Department of Transportation to begin an environmental review of the project. That would mean charting a precise path for the road. And it would mean studying impacts on wetlands and forests, birds and other animals, and people's homes and properties.

But the DOT isn't on board. It doesn't think an Interstate is needed to begin with. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Oct 15, 2010 — Holiday-themed books will begin filling the shelves at local bookstores this month. A North Country children's author is out with her first fiction novel for adults. Todd Moe talks with Ogdensburg author Barbara Briggs Ward. Her new book, The Reindeer Keeper, is a Christmas story based on her childhood in the North Country. Ward is also the author/illustrator of the children's book series featuring Snarly Sally. Illustrated by Suzanne Langelier-Lebede, The Reindeer Keeper, taps back into that feeling of believing in Santa Claus. Ward says her writing career began with a special Christmas gift from her grandfather.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Aug 26, 2010 — One of the North Country's oldest retailers is dropping its name. Hacketts, based in Ogdensburg, will change its name to Outlet Center in Ogdensburg. The beleaguered company is in bankruptcy. It has only one store open this summer. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Rensselaer, NY, Aug 05, 2010 — A measure to change where prison inmates are counted when drawing political districts was slipped into the budget bills passed Tuesday night. Beginning with redistricting based on 2010 census data, inmates will be counted at their home addresses, not at the prison where they're locked up. Supporters called the change a victory for equal representation. But the North Country stands to lose more political clout. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Jul 16, 2010 — NCPR is media sponsor for the Fort La Presentation Founder's Day events at Lighthouse Point in Ogdensburg this weekend. This 250th anniversary commemoration of the French and Indian War will feature re-enactments and battles on land and water, a night artillery battle, a bateau race, and a colonial trade fair. Todd Moe talks with Michael Whittaker, a history and re-enactment buff, from Bishops Mills, Ontario. He'll be among hundreds of re-enactors in Ogdensburg this weekend.  Go to full article

Jun 18, 2010 — Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver says there's progress on the state budget. Silver said his house plans to pass the public safety, transportation and economic development portions of the budget today.
Silver says he's not fazed by the governor's new ultimatum, to pass a budget by June 28th or be forced to vote on approve Paterson's spending plan in emergency spending bill. And he says he thinks some kind of accord on a full budget can be reached soon, perhaps by Monday or Tuesday.

The North Country's bipartisan legislative team is especially worried about the emergency bill expected from Paterson today. "Public safety" includes prisons, including North Country prison the governor has said he wants to close. Martha Foley has more.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Jun 18, 2010 — The sailing ship used in three Hollywood films has dropped anchor in the North Country. The HMS Bounty is docked in Ogdensburg on the St. Lawrence River this weekend while on its way to the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge. It was built in 1960 for the remake of the movie "Mutiny on the Bounty", starring Marlon Brando and was used more recently in one of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films with Johnny Depp. Tours of the ship are available throughout the weekend. Todd Moe spoke with Captain Robin Walbridge on the main deck of the Bounty on a blustery afternoon. Walbridge says his 180-foot ship is a "good replica" of an 18th century British sailing ship, but larger than the original.  Go to full article

Albany, NY, May 17, 2010 — A group that wants to close more state prisons in New York held rallies over the weekend. "Drop the Rock" is a group that worked successfully to repeal the Rockefeller drug laws. Lead organizer Robert Gangi said in a statement that declining crime rates and inmate populations mean more correctional facilities should close.

Rallies were held in New York City, Albany and the town of Hudson, but not in the North Country where prisons in Lyon Mountain and Moriah are threatened with closure. Upstate elected representatives -- including state senators Darrel Aubertine and Betty Little -- say closing prisons would cripple rural economies that have come to rely on high-paying jobs.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, May 14, 2010 — The supermarket chain, Price Chopper, is renovating several former P&C stores in the North Country. Officials say they're on pace for a late May re-opening. The work has left Canton without a full-service supermarket. Price Chopper has been busing Canton customers to its store in Ogdensburg on Saturdays. David Sommerstein wanted to ride along on last Saturday's chilly morning. But he had to settle for a long wait with good company.  Go to full article