NCPR's Story of the Day

(Feb 11, 2026) The Winter Games are well underway in Milan and Cortina. We check in with former NCPR reporter Brian Mann, who's covering the Olympics for NPR. Also: we remember Margot Ernst, a major philanthropist in the Adirondacks and for public radio. She died Sunday at the age of 80.

(Feb 10, 2026) Governor Kathy Hochul is proposing several initiatives for farmers who are feeling squeezed by tariffs, but lawmakers have questions about the spending. Also: The company that runs the hospitals in Carthage and Ogdensburg is declaring bankruptcy.

(Feb 9, 2026) A new state proposal could change how people with disabilities experience the Adirondack wilderness. It's forcing officials to weigh accessibility goals against concerns over motorized vehicle use on protected lands. Also: We have an update on North Country luge athletes competing in the Winter Games in Italy.

(Feb 6, 2026) A small state park in Colton has become home to some of the best cross-country skiing in the North Country. The secret sauce? A dedicated volunteer crew at Higley Flow State Park. Also: The deadline to change party affiliation to be able to vote in primaries is coming up on February 14th.

(Feb 5, 2026) The 1980 "Miracle on Ice" gold medal for USA hockey remains a huge tourist draw to Lake Placid. The village unveiled a new attraction last weekend, a statue of coach Herb Brooks. Also: Governor Hochul has tapped former New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as her running mate to become the next lieutenant governor.

(Feb 4, 2026) Late last year, the health care group that runs the hospitals in Ogdensburg and Carthage said they were in danger of closing due to financial problems. Since then, the North Star Health Alliance's CEO has resigned, and the state says it's still not fulfilling its obligations to get critical funding. Also: Dozens of people were trapped in gondolas at the Gore Mountain ski area today when the system malfunctioned.

(Feb 3, 2026) As much of the country is expressing outrage over ICE's aggressive immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, St. Lawrence County lawmakers approved a plan for the sheriff's department to collaborate with ICE. Hundreds of people showed up at a public meeting last night to oppose the plan. Also: Gov. Hochul discussed her plan to ban such agreements with ICE on NPR this morning.

(Feb 2, 2026) As tensions continue to rise over the presence of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in communities across the country, Gov. Kathy Hochul took her strongest stance yet against ICE on Friday. It comes as St. Lawrence County is voting tonight on a controversial measure to work with ICE. Also: Amid upcoming changes to federal food assistance, a new grant fund is helping Adirondack pantries upgrade their capacity to meet rising demand.

(Jan 30, 2026) A high-tech event recently honored the Miracle on Ice Olympic legacy in Lake Placid with hologram reenactments. We visit the famous hockey arena with fans wanting to recapture the energy of that game in 1980. Also: Hundreds of people in the North Country are planning to remember Alex Pretti with vigils over the weekend. He's the nurse who was shot and killed by ICE agents last week.

(Jan 29, 2026) The DEC has updated its management plan for brook trout in Adirondack Ponds, in part to limit the threats from climate change and the use of live baitfish. Also: Jefferson County's sheriff is warning residents to be prepared for icy roads and arctic cold after the lake effect dumped more than four feet of snow on the region.

(Jan 28, 2026) Last month, Warren County wired $3 million to a contractor for roadwork. Turns out it was a fraudulent account, and the county is trying to get the money back. The incident has sparked a blame game within county government. Also: New York has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country, and it's struggling to improve it.

(Jan 27, 2026) The St. Lawrence Seaway's giant freighters that slip through the Thousand Islands are an awe-inspiring sight. We meet a longtime mariner who piloted those ships here and around the world. Also: The CEO of the health care company that runs the hospitals in Carthage and Ogdensburg has resigned, days after he laid off more than a hundred people.

(Jan 26, 2026) People in the western part of the North Country say they are continuing to struggle with affordability, according to an annual survey of communities. Also: We take a sub-zero snowshoe trek out to a frozen waterfall in the northern Adirondacks.

(Jan 23, 2026) A replica portrait of George Washington owned by Clarkson University sold at auction today for $2.8 million. We hear the fascinating story behind the portrait that was one of the inspirations for the dollar bill. Also: The Adirondack Park Agency approved a battery storage site near Great Sacandaga Lake at its meeting yesterday.

(Jan 22, 2026) The St. Lawrence County sheriff's department is considering a partnership with ICE, the agency in charge of the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown. Some lawmakers are concerned, as ICE's aggressive tactics have become one of the nation's biggest controversies. Also: A vacancy on the town council in Malone is prompting accusations of partisanship and disenfranchising voters.

(Jan 21, 2026) In the North Country's tourism communities, local workers, like nurses, teachers, and kitchen staff, have found it increasingly difficult to buy a home in recent years. One of those people recently found his long-term home in a new workforce housing project in Keene. Also: Our Albany correspondent Samuel King explains what's in Gov. Hochul's $260 billion budget plan.

(Jan 20, 2026) 911 dispatchers help handle traumatic incidents every day. They can face mental health challenges due to the stress of their jobs. We visit the dispatch center in St. Lawrence County for an inside look. Also: The company that owns the hospitals in Carthage and Ogdensburg is laying off more than a hundred people.

(Jan 19, 2026) Our Albany correspondent shared what he saw last week about who is with and against Governor Kathy Hochul's agenda for 2026. Also: Joe Hackett guided trips in the Adirondacks for more than 40 years and wrote a column for nearly 20 years, known as "The Adirondack Gadabout.” He died in Ray Brook last week.

(Jan 16, 2026) Ahead of the Winter Games in Italy, Jamaican bobsledders are back at Lake Placid's Olympic sliding track, where the team has trained for decades. We meet the team's newest generation, who is hoping to capture the country's first Winter Olympic medal. Also: Environmentalists are disappointed with some of Gov. Hochul's proposals for 2026, including her plans to build new nuclear power plants.

(Jan 15, 2026) The cost of hiring aides for people with disabilities has been spiraling up, and it's been harder than ever to find people to do the job. That's why advocates are hoping for more progress this year in Albany on higher wages for support professionals. Also: Two events this month in Lake Placid will honor the 1980 Olympic hockey team that won gold at the Winter Games.

(Jan 14, 2026) Gov. Hochul's State of the State agenda will have big impacts on people across the North Country. We look at how her proposals on child care, nuclear energy, immigration, and affordable housing could affect our region. Also: Reaction from around the state to the Governor's plans as she enters an election year.

(Jan 13, 2026) Gov. Hochul is keeping affordability central to her agenda as she heads into an election year. A summary of the plans she laid out in her State of the State speech today. Also: An American who grew up in Lake Placid won a freestyle aerials World Cup on her home turf. The sights and sounds from last weekend's jumping competitions.

(Jan 12, 2026) Gov. Hochul is expected to feature plans for a more affordable child care system in her State of the State address tomorrow. We dig into what that would actually mean for North Country families and childcare providers. Also: New DEC guidelines could make state lands more accessible for people using mobility devices.

(Jan 9, 2026) If you've hung out in Glens Falls, gone to a local festival, or checked out a new business, or discovered an emerging artist in the area...there's a good chance that you've seen the work of the woman who markets much of the city. Also: The North Star Health Alliance has scraped together the funds for three payroll cycles since announcing it was on the brink of closure last month.

(Jan 8, 2026) Huge freighters are stuck in ice on the St. Lawrence River. We talk with a St. Lawrence Seaway observer about the obstacles the waterway now faces to shut down for the winter. Also: The superintendent and some staff have been removed from the Salmon River school district after the public learned children were put in windowless boxes as a disciplinary measure.

(Jan 7, 2026) Drought and thin snowfall in the West is benefitting an Olympic venue in the Adirondacks. Lake Placid is now hosting a World Cup ski event that was moved from Utah due to lack of snow. Also: The U.S. Border Patrol says it detained a Venezuelan woman in Malone last week for being in the country illegally.

(Jan 6, 2026) A luge athlete based in Lake Placid won her second gold medal of the season last weekend. Summer Britcher is on track to be one of the USA's top athletes for competition in the Winter Games next month in Italy. Also: We meet the New York Public News Network's new correspondent in Albany, Samuel King.

(Jan 5, 2026) Political will and public opinion for universal child care are at an all-time high in New York. The question is if lawmakers can embrace the multi-billion dollar price tag. Also: Gov. Hochul wants to put in place more protections for children using social media and online gaming.

(Jan 2, 2026) A fun Adirondack winter tradition was in danger of disappearing when the Cascade Ski Center outside Lake Placid closed down. But the state's Mt. Van Hoevenberg rallied and is keeping the Cascade's full moon ski parties alive. Also: No more styrofoam coolers. That's one of several new laws taking effect in 2026.

(Dec 31, 2025) People who are released from prison often have trouble finding a job and a home, as well as discrimination because of their criminal record. A new SUNY program matches formerly incarcerated people with internships to help them with the difficult transition of returning to civilian life. Also: New York recorded the highest number of flu cases in a single week.

(Dec 30, 2025) Enrollment in New York's public schools has been steadily decreasing for years now. A new analysis by Cornell University finds that decline is accompanied by an increase in charter schools and homeschooling. Also: After six months of renovations, the iconic theater at the New York State Capitol Complex, known as the Egg, is reopening.

(Dec 29, 2025) In New York, Warren County has become a leader in reducing its use of road salt during winter. We hear from the county's superintendent of public works on how his department has made that happen in recent years. Also: Lake Placid will now host a World Cup ski event originally planned for Utah because there's not enough snow out West.

(Dec 24, 2025) Last week, the state approved a new energy plan for the next 15 years. The planning board's chair argues it balances the need for carbon-free emissions with the realities of today's energy grid. Critics say it doesn't go far enough. Also: Gov. Hochul signed a set of prison reforms into law last week to expand video footage at all 42 of the state's correctional facilities.

(Dec 23, 2025) Long before European settlers came to the Adirondacks, indigenous people lived there for thousands of years. We hear from the authors of a new book about how archaeological evidence is reshaping what we know about indigenous Adirondack history. Also: Watertown residents are dealing with a boil-water order that is expected to last into Christmas due to turbidity in the city's water supply.

(Dec 22, 2025) On Friday, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik shocked the North Country and the nation when she announced she was dropping her campaign for governor and not running for Congress again. We sort through how it happened and what it might mean for the future of North Country politics. Also: New York's latest energy plan says the state will not reach a milestone climate goal by 2030.

(Dec 19, 2025) An updated version of Story of the Day with the surprise announcement that North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will not run for Governor or Congress next year. Also: The holiday season is a time to spend with family, and to remember family who are no longer with us. In northern Clinton County, there's something called a "wind phone", where people can talk to those they've lost...out loud.

(Dec 19, 2025) The holiday season is a time to spend with family, and to remember family who are no longer with us. In northern Clinton County, there's something called a "wind phone", where people can talk to those they've lost out loud. Also: Congress passed a law earlier this week that will allow whole milk to once again be offered in public schools.

(Dec 18, 2025) It's the season when the calendar is packed with holiday events, concerts, and plays. The Depot Theatre is doing A Christmas Carol old-time radio style, with homemade sound effects and everything. Also: The Salmon River school district is under fire for putting children in padded wooden boxes as a disciplinary measure.

(Dec 17, 2025) It's been a full semester since cell phones were banned in New York's public school system. We talk with teachers and students at Glens Falls High School to see how it's playing out there. Also: Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul is maintaining a big lead over Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik in the gubernatorial race.

(Dec 16, 2025) President Donald Trump honored the 1980 Lake Placid Miracle on Ice hockey team at the White House last week. They received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor for civilians. Also: The VA opened a food pantry at its medical clinic in Westport last week. It's the first VA clinic in the state to offer food, as rates of food insecurity rise.

(Dec 15, 2025) In the aftermath of the federal government shutdown, many military families are struggling with food insecurity. We visit a food distribution event near Fort Drum where people are helping each other put food on the table. Also: Three years after New Yorkers passed the Environmental Bond Act, the state has doled out about a quarter of the $4.2 billion pot of money, including $48 million worth of projects in the North Country.

(Dec 12, 2025) For the last two summers, a woman from the Caribbean has been cooking up meals from her home country at a motel in Tupper Lake. A taste of the island of Carriacou in the Adirondacks. Also: New York state will create a center focused on combating dyslexia.