News stories tagged with "potsdam"

(05/21/12) Tonight the Potsdam Village Board will hold a public discussion on the size of the village Police Department. Potsdam has only cut its the department by one position, since former Sergeant Kevin Bates took over as Chief of Police, but that cut has sparked serious discussion about the future of the force.

As Tasha Haverty reports, this evening's session will help determine whether the village will restore the position, or take the opportunity to downsize and save money. more

(05/18/12) Pet lovers will tell you that having a dog can provide a number of stress-busting benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and providing social support. A new study finds that allowing employees to bring their dogs to work appears to reduce stress and boost job satisfaction levels.

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers compared stress levels and job satisfaction among employees at a retail business in North Carolina who brought their dogs to work, those who didn't bring their dogs to work, and employees without pets. The study, in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, found that dogs in the workplace seemed to help reduce job-related stress for their owners and even other employees.

Todd Moe stopped by the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative, an organization in Potsdam that promotes healthy living and nutrition, where most work days are dog days and it's making a positive difference in the workplace.

(05/04/12) The Crane School of Music Klezmer Band, Klez-mania, will perform at Beth El synagogue in Potsdam this Sunday at 4:30.

Todd Moe talks with clarinetist Matt Wurtzel about the group, Klez-mania, and their brand of this spirited and uniquely Jewish musical style. He says klezmer music combines the Yiddish folk melodies of Eastern Europe with early American jazz styles.

(04/12/12) Participants in a series of dance workshops tomorrow and Saturday will help create the mood for a final dance concert Saturday night in Potsdam. The St. Lawrence County Arts Council has invited the Sasha Soreff Dance Theater to bring their interactive dance piece, titled "The Shoelace Project," to the North Country this weekend.

Director Sasha Soreff told Todd Moe that audiences will participate by writing their hopes and fears on wide shoelaces before the show, and during the performance the company's dancers will use the shoelaces and translate the thoughts into movement. She says the workshops will be open to people of all abilities.

(04/11/12) It's been 19 years since trumpeter Christopher Still graduated from the Crane School of Music of SUNY Potsdam. Since then he has traveled the world as both a performer and educator. And for the last five years he has been a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. But this week he's back in the North Country to work with students at his alma mater, and perform Copland's "Quiet City" with the Orchestra of Northern New York on Saturday evening. He spoke with Joel Hurd.

(04/06/12) Earlier this week the village of Potsdam unveiled its long-awaited plan to revitalize its waterfront and downtown areas.

It includes a facelift for the village's Ives Park and improvements in recreational access to the Raquette river; and construction of an open-air pavilion where an expanded farmers market would take place.

It calls for a big new hotel in the village; streetscape improvements in the downtown and waterfront areas; a riverfront walkway; and public restrooms. And there would also be a big marketing effort and a new Potsdam website. more

(04/05/12) It's been more than a decade since Potsdam started planning a new hydroelectric power plant where the Raquette River winds through the village. The plant is almost ready to start generating electricity.

Construction ramped up recently after the last of the needed parts for the generating station were finally delivered. Meanwhile, village officials are set to sue a supplier they say delayed progress for years. more

(03/09/12) The Potsdam Museum recently rediscovered an historic War of 1812 officer's uniform in its archives -- just in time for bicentennial commemorations. Museum officials say the dark blue and red wool uniform is in "very nice" condition for a 200-year old garment.

It's thought to have belonged to Shubel Clark, a soldier from Canton who was assigned to the New York Detached Militia in Ogdensburg. The heirloom was donated to the museum in 1953 by Clark's family.

Todd Moe stopped by for a closer look yesterday. The story behind the old coat is today's Heard Up North.

(02/09/12) Artists and arts supporters from around the region will be in Albany next Tuesday to visit with lawmakers and speak up for the arts. Todd Moe talks with St. Lawrence County Arts Council director Hilary Oak about "Arts Advocacy Day", and why the arts are an essential part of the economy.

(02/03/12) Artists Matt Burnett and Scott Fuller are known for creating several large scale outdoor art installations from Long Lake to Canton in recent years. They're back again this winter, and despite a lack of deep snow, they've put together an outdoor show at SUNY-Potsdam that combines elements of winter, nature and projected images.

Matt Burnett, who lives in the Adirondacks, and his collaborator Scott Fuller, from Maine, used large snow sculptures as a canvas for video images in a large scale outdoor exhibit at St. Lawrence University last year. They worked on similar outdoor art projects in Saranac Lake and Long Lake.

They launched their outdoor "E-Fraction" show last night on the SUNY Potsdam campus. It will be illuminated nightly on campus through the middle of next week. Todd Moe has a preview. more