NCPR's Story of the Day

(Nov 11, 2025) North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is moving on to Albany, trying to unseat Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul. We hear from voters in the region, who are finding flaws in both candidates. Also: A Head Start program in Warren County is at risk of closing even if the federal government starts business again soon.

(Nov 10, 2025) The North Country's newest Assemblymember could begin serving the 115th District as soon as this week. We talk with Democrat Michael Cashman, who says he plans to make the North Country's voice heard as a member of the legislative majority in Albany. Also: Governor Kathy Hochul's administration is clearing a big roadblock for a natural gas pipeline off the coast of New York City.

(Nov 7, 2025) As the Trump Administration appeals in court to stop funding for SNAP food assistance, millions of people are struggling to put food on the table. We visit food pantries in the North Country where lines are long and people are worried about the coming winter. Also: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is making the rounds doing interviews today after she announced she's running for Governor of New York next year.

(Nov 6, 2025) Finding a move-in-ready home for less than $200,000 is basically a pipe dream in much of the Adirondacks. But one is for sale in Newcomb, and it represents a potential solution for affordable workforce housing. Also: Lawmakers in Essex County are pushing back against a plan to rename Coon Mountain near Westport, saying its origin isn't derogatory.

(Nov 5, 2025) In the North Country's top race yesterday, Democrat Michael Cashman kept an Assembly seat with his party in the special election to replace Billy Jones. We sort through the results from yesterday's election. Also: We hear what was on voters' minds in St. Lawrence County.

(Nov 4, 2025) We visit a small farm in Keeseville that's rethinking what it means to grow and share food. There are no employees, no price tags, and everything on the farm is offered as a gift to the local community. Also: On Election Day, we sum up the big races in the North Country and one big Adirondack ballot measure that the whole state will vote on.

(Nov 3, 2025) It's election day tomorrow. Polls are open from 6 am to 9 pm. We'll sort through two local races we're watching - for Canton town supervisor and Clinton County clerk. Also: Biologists are applying lampricide to the Boquet River on Tuesday to try to kill off an invasive fish.

(Oct 31, 2025) On your back of your ballot this election year is a proposition that could have big implications for the Adirondacks. Proposition 1 would fix a constitutional violation tied to an Olympic sports complex in Lake Placid and add 2,500 acres to the forest preserve. Also: Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is releasing her first book as she's about to announce whether she'll run for governor next year.

(Oct 30, 2025) It's an off-year election season, but there are some big races in the North Country's cities. We sort through who's running in Watertown and Glens Falls and in the special election Assembly race for Billy Jones' seat. Also: Democrats called on the Trump Administration to fully fund SNAP food assistance before Saturday's deadline, when checks won't go out because of the federal shutdown.

(Oct 29, 2025) There are an unusually high number of write-in campaigns in Essex County on Election Day. The Adirondack Daily-Enterprise did reporting to figure out why. Also: A state Assemblyman is raising concerns about new bright LED headlights causing distractions for drivers.

(Oct 28, 2025) In the Adirondack town of Lewis, a man has been conducting military exercises as a contractor for the U.S. government. Now he wants to build a weapons range for military-grade cannons, and it's sparked concerns. Also: The federal government is suing to access New York's voter registration data, including social security and driver's license numbers.

(Oct 27, 2025) A special election will decide who gets to be the North Country's newest Assemblymember. We'll learn about Democrat Michael Cashman and Republican Brent Davison and their positions leading up to election day next week. Also: Democrats may get another chance to create new congressional districts in New York thanks to a new lawsuit.

(Oct 24, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we hear from both sides of the debate over whether to legalize physician-assisted death in New York state. Also, a green group in the Adirondacks is pausing its plan to change the name of a mountain it says is derogatory.

(Oct 23, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, as Ontario prepares to expand a major highway that cuts through a critical wildlife corridor, an environmental group is pushing for infrastructure that'll help more animals cross it safely. Also, the public comment period for NYSEG's rate increase case closes tomorrow.

(Oct 22, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, advocates for people incarcerated in New York state are pushing Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign a bill that would expand prison oversight and require more cameras. Also, we tag along with engineers Radio Bob Sauter and Kurt Lanning to prepare the NCPR transmitter on McCauley Mountain in Old Forge for the winter.

(Oct 21, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, a conversation with longtime Mountain Lake PBS host Thom Hallock, who recently retired from full-time journalism. Also, a look at what Jefferson County voters can expect when they head to the polls this election.

(Oct 20, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we hear from Trump opponents and supporters who attended Saturday's "No Kings" rally in Potsdam. Also, a jury has convicted one former corrections officer and acquitted two others of murdering inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility last year.

(Oct 17, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, North Country at Work profiles an elementary school librarian in Malone. Also, Gov. Kathy Hochul hopes the state can buy 32,000 acres of the Whitney estate in the Adirondacks.

(Oct 16, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, high schoolers in Jefferson County are determined to revitalize their village's basketball court. Also: Sen. Chuck Schumer highlighted North Country healthcare costs on the Senate floor yesterday to argue for the extension of tax credits that help millions of middle- and lower-income Americans.

(Oct 15, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we stop by the Woodwind Summit at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music. Also: we have details on leaked texts between Young Republican activitists in New York that had racist, antisemitic and homophobic language.

(Oct 14, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we go on a short and sweet adventure to Blue Ridge Falls just outside North Hudson in the southeastern Adirondacks. Also: Gov. Kathy Hochul has broken out her veto pen, and is preparing for a tough budget year ahead of her reelection campaign.

(Oct 13, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we break down the federal case against New York Attorney General Letitia James and what it means. Also: a graphite mine in St. Lawrence County is seeking state funding to expand operations.

(Oct 10, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, North Country at Work profiles a family barbershop in Franklin County that was a cornerstone of the Chateaugay social scene. Also: President Donald Trump's Justice Department has indicted New York Attorney General Letitia James for mortgage fraud.

(Oct 9, 2025) On today's Story of the Day, we visit a "tree rodeo" outside Watertown for a rare look at the important work of the utility arborists who keep trees and brush off power lines. Also: New Yorkers on unemployment are about to see a bump in their checks.

(Oct 8, 2025) After decades in Ray Brook, the Adirondack Park Agency is planning to move its headquarters to downtown Saranac Lake. But some critics are asking the APA board to question the reasons behind the move. Also: Hunters can now use electronic hunting licenses and tags as the new season ramps up.

(Oct 7, 2025) Yesterday, the CDC made a softer endorsement of COVID vaccines for all but the youngest babies. You'll now have to talk with a pharmacist or doctor to get the shot. Amidst months of confusion over federal and state vaccine mandates, Catherine Wheeler clears up what's happening now. Also: Construction of the Adirondack Rail Trail from Lake Placid to Tupper Lake is officially complete.

(Oct 6, 2025) This year marks 25 years since the creation of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a 740-mile canoe route from the Adirondacks to northern Maine that unites people who love to paddle. We hear about its history. Also: Gov. Hochul has named Mark Hall from southern St. Lawrence County as the new board chair of the Adirondack Park Agency.

(Oct 3, 2025) Two colleges in the region have lost federal funding for Upward Bound, a popular college prep program. It helps first-generation and low-income college students get a leg up. Also: With continued dry conditions, Gov. Hochul has implemented a statewide burn ban for two weeks.

(Oct 2, 2025) Electricity line workers keep the North Country powered through the worst of storms. A ‘tree rodeo' is being held in Jefferson County this weekend, a competition for the region's best line workers to show off their skills. Also: The Statue of Liberty remained open during previous government shutdowns thanks to state funding, but Gov. Hochul says she won't foot the bill this time.

(Oct 1, 2025) A drought is playing out across the North Country, affecting riverbeds, farm fields, and people's yards. This past June, July, and August were Canton's driest summer on record. A geologist puts the data in perspective. Also: State lawmakers are considering legalizing psychedelic mushrooms.

(Sep 30, 2025) Canadians remain highly suspicious of the U.S. in the wake of President Trump's trade war and tariffs. Vermont and Quebec leaders went on a cruise ship recently to work to smooth relations. Also: Albany murder suspect Anthony Bechand pleaded not guilty to all charges of killing his girlfriend, days after he was found in the Adirondacks following a two-week manhunt.

(Sep 29, 2025) In just a few months, many lower and middle-income families could start paying a lot more for insurance. That's because federal health care subsidies are set to expire at the end of this year, and the Republican-led Congress doesn't plan to renew them. Also: If you file taxes in New York, there's a good chance a check will soon be hitting your mailbox.

(Sep 26, 2025) A two-week-long manhunt for a suspected murderer from the Albany area ended in Paul Smiths today. Police took Anthony Bechand into custody for allegedly killing his girlfriend. We talk with the man who spotted him. Also: The ongoing drought has caused below-average water levels on Lake Champlain. It's led one ferry operator in southern Essex County to cease operations for the season.

(Sep 25, 2025) Making a living from art is hard in the North Country. In the village of Malone, the Downtown Artist Cellar provides a creative space for the local artist community. Also: GOP officials rallied around their candidate for an upcoming special election. Republican Brent Davison says he wants to push back on Democrats' one-party rule in Albany.

(Sep 24, 2025) Conditions inside prisons haven't improved much for inmates or corrections officers since a three-week wildcat strike earlier this year. The force is down by 2,500, officers are exhausted, and inmates are isolated and sometimes locked out of educational programs. Also: The New York Power Authority is finalizing a low-cost power deal to keep Alcoa in Massena for at least another decade.

(Sep 23, 2025) State and federal agencies have spent decades trying to restore Lake Champlain's native salmon population. Officials say a new tool on the Boquet River will help them figure out which stocking strategies are working. Also: The Adirondack Experience museum in Blue Mountain Lake is facing criticism for selling more than a dozen historic boats from its collection.

(Sep 22, 2025) Businesses across Northern New York are starting to see the impacts of decreased Canadian traffic and President Donald Trump's tariffs. Our community engagement reporter Amy Feiereisel runs down what North Country businesses told us about their experiences. Also: Two corrections officers were sentenced to decades behind bars for their role in the beating death of prisoner Robert Brooks at a state prison near Utica.

(Sep 19, 2025) With the Winter Olympics just months away in Italy, top athletes are getting their training in at Lake Placid's Olympic venues. Top cross-country skier Jessie Diggins also got in some cross-training with a big hike in the High Peaks. Also: State politicians are getting involved in the New York City mayoral race, and a new poll has some good news for Democrats. We have a wrap-up of the week in Albany.

(Sep 18, 2025) Scientists expect mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile and Triple E to increase in the North Country as the climate warms. St. Lawrence County is trapping and testing mosquitos to establish a baseline of which diseases are out there. Also: Republicans have officially nominated former state police commander Brent Davison as their candidate for the special election to replace Billy Jones in the state Assembly.

(Sep 17, 2025) Public school enrollment in the Adirondacks is down more than 40% in the last 45 years. We speak with a reporter at the Adirondack Explorer about enrollment trends. Also: Gov. Hochul got her COVID shot yesterday and she says you should too. An executive order makes the vaccine available in New York to anyone 3 years or older.

(Sep 16, 2025) It's been over five years since a state mandate called on police departments to address racial bias in their work. We hear from a local nonprofit that's been leading an effort to train officers across the Adirondacks. Also: Canton businessman, community booster, and St. Lawrence County legislator Daniel Fay died Saturday at 81 years old.

(Sep 15, 2025) Mining used to be a pillar of the North Country economy, but, except for specific cases, it's mostly disappeared today. An old zinc mine in St. Lawrence County is getting a new life as one of the country's only sources of graphite. Also: The APA approved a new solar farm in Clinton County last week, sparking a debate over land use in the Adirondacks.