Potsdam, NY, Aug 31, 2012 — Hospital food is notorious for being tasteless and badly cooked, featuring unidentifiable gravies, jello cubes, and in recent years, heavily-fried foods.

Health professionals are starting to understand that the food served in hospitals is important to help patients recover, and to teach them how to eat more healthfully once they go home.

With this in mind, the Canton-Potsdam hospital recently revamped its food offerings.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Aug 23, 2012 — The state Supreme Court has ruled that the village of Potsdam is owed $6.8 million by a Canadian hydro-turbine manufacturer. Canadian Turbines of Ontario signed a contract with Potsdam in 2007 to deliver parts for the village's new hydro-power project on the Raquette River. The parts were supposed to be delivered by mid-2008.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Aug 06, 2012 — This summer, NCPR is taking a second look at the realities of alternative and renewable energy in our region. Some advocates think locally-generated energy, from hydro to solar to wind and biomass, could be the next big thing for the region's economy.

Biologists at SUNY Potsdam plan to harvest their first crop of shrub willows from a field near campus this fall. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has earmarked $4.3 million to encourage North Country farmers to grow willows as a renewable energy source.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Jul 18, 2012 — Things seem to be calming down after a huge rain storm passed through Potsdam Tuesday afternoon, bringing down trees and power lines and damaging several buildings.

Potsdam police lifted a state of emergency at around 4:00 Wednesday morning, with at least most people expected to have power back by Wednesday evening . As of early Wednesday afternoon, about 200 people were still without power, and National Grid was on the scene working to fix dangerous power line situations. Police say there still could be travel delays in certain areas, because some streets remain impassable.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Jul 10, 2012 — In our occasional series, Moving the World, we meet people who share their skills, expertise and resources with communities around the globe. Ricky Richard Anywar has survived his share of trouble. At 14, he was abducted by Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda and forced into slavery as a child soldier. His family was killed by the LRA. But Anywar escaped two years later. Despite what he calls an "interrupted childhood," he earned a college degree. That led to work with the Ugandan Ministry of Education. For more than 10 years he has worked to give back to his native Uganda by empowering and reintegrating former child soldiers.

Anywar is founder and executive director of "Friends of Orphans," or FRO, which pays the school fees for former child soldiers and young mothers. It runs vocational programs, counseling groups, and HIV/AIDS clinics. Clarkson University is working with FRO to help establish a community-based radio station. A group of Clarkson business students visited Uganda and the site for the proposed radio station in May.

Todd Moe spoke with Ricky Richard Anywar last week during his visit to Clarkson. He was on campus to speak to students and faculty about rebuilding war-ravaged northern Uganda.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Jun 28, 2012 — Pops and patriotic tunes will fill Hosmer Hall at SUNY Potsdam on July 3rd at 7:30 p.m. It's the Orchestra of Northern New York's annual summer pops concert, a musical celebration for the Fourth of July, Canada Day and summer. Todd Moe spoke with conductor Ken Andrews, who says the theme for Tuesday night's concert is the Big Band era.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Jun 22, 2012 — What did you want to be when you grew up? Imagine sitting down with your four-year-old self today and telling him or her about your future. Would that child be surprised? Excited? Disappointed?

Last week the pre-kindergarten class at Lawrence Avenue Elementary School in Potsdam graduated. For the graduation ceremony, their teacher Jen Herrick had them record what they wanted to be when they grow up. These recordings played as each child walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma. Tasha Haverty turned some of them into today's Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, May 21, 2012 — 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.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, May 18, 2012 — 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.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, May 04, 2012 — 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.  Go to full article