NCPR's Story of the Day

(Mar 4, 2026) Next year, the Adirondack Experience museum in Blue Mountain Lake will debut a new permanent exhibit dedicated to the Adirondacks' Black history. We visit the museum and hear from the curator working to bring the show to life. Also: A New York state lawmaker wants to ease the state's liquor laws during the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

(Mar 3, 2026) This cold, snowy winter has provided many delights for those who love the season. It's been a great winter for the dog sled teams on frozen Mirror Lake in Lake Placid. Also: Gov. Hochul says the family of a blind Buffalo man who died after he was released by U.S. border patrol deserves answers.

(Mar 2, 2026) Saranac Lake is mourning the planned closure of an elementary school in a decision a district board member called "profound and painful." It comes amidst a long-term trend of declining student enrollment across the Adirondacks. Also: State lawmakers are advancing a package of immigration bills with new urgency after a blind refugee detained by federal agents was found dead last week in Buffalo.

(Feb 27, 2026) President Donald Trump tried to make his case to the nation in his State of the Union this week, as polls show many of his initiatives are unpopular with Americans. We check in with North Country voters on how they rate the President one year into his second term. Also: The Malone town council has appointed a Republican to fill a vacancy on the board in a move that's been controversial in the community.

(Feb 26, 2026) Champlain Area Trails recently acquired the Twin Valleys Outdoor Education Center in Essex County. The almost 700-acre property is now open to the public for recreation, and CATS has big plans for the space in the future. Also: A state trooper escaped serious injury when she was struck by an out-of-control car on a Franklin County highway.

(Feb 25, 2026) A New York Focus investigation found the state police has no clear standard for disciplining troopers, and troopers found guilty of misconduct were given lax or inconsistent treatment. We talk with the reporter who sorted through the documents. Also: Some state lawmakers, including Adirondack Senator Dan Stec, are questioning the continued use of the National Guard to help staff state prisons.

(Feb 24, 2026) The Essex County Land Bank was established just three years ago in hopes of alleviating a growing housing crisis in the eastern Adirondacks. We take a look at what a land bank is, and how any community can rack up some wins for affordable housing by starting its own. Also: The ICE immigrant detention center in Batavia is over capacity and at its highest population in months.

(Feb 23, 2026) After skepticism and debate, the Olympic Regional Development Authority got approval from its board to hire a consultant last week. That's to make a long-term plan for the authority's vast infrastructure, which officials say they don't know how to maintain. Also: we take a wintry stroll on frozen Mirror Lake.

(Feb 20, 2026) It's Black History Month. In Albany, Black lawmakers and other lawmakers of color in Albany used the occasion to highlight key priorities like more education funding, affordable housing, and sentencing reform. Also: The APA approved a new 22-unit housing development in Lake Placid at its meeting yesterday.

(Feb 19, 2026) New York has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the Olympic venues in Lake Placid in recent years. But the agency that runs them says it doesn't have a long-term maintenance plan. The board will vote tomorrow on to do next. Also: Civil liberties groups are pushing back on Governor Hochul's proposed ban on A.I.-generated campaign attack ads.

(Feb 18, 2026) There are some schools in the North Country that take their kids outside almost all day, in any weather. We meet a young teacher who says she's found her calling in a forest kindergarten in the Adirondacks. Also: Two North Country high school girls hockey teams are heading to the state frozen four tournament.

(Feb 17, 2026) Glens Falls is on the upswing, with new businesses, new construction, and a new mayor. We talk with Diana Palmer about her focus on housing, development, and long-term planning. Also: An explosion at Abundant Life Church just outside of the village of Boonville sent several people to the hospital with serious injuries.

(Feb 16, 2026) The freestyle aerials ski jumping competition kicks off tomorrow in Italy. Many of the athletes were training in Lake Placid last month. We hear what it's like to jump and flip and turn 50 feet in the air. Also: The controversial Tesla factory in Buffalo, the key part of the "Buffalo Billion" economic development project, is finally meeting its job requirements.

(Feb 13, 2026) How did Friday the 13th come to be associated with superstitions and bad luck? A Jefferson County folklorist breaks down how the day became what it is today. Also: Mayors across Upstate New York say it's critical that lawmakers provide more state aid to their cities this year.

(Feb 12, 2026) New York's schools are a year away from having to start transitioning their fleets to electric buses. But school officials say it's going to be a challenge, and they're hoping lawmakers will make changes. Also: We hear from a Saranac Lake school bus driver about the unexpected perks of this essential job.

(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.