NCPR's Story of the Day

(Mar 23, 2026) More than 35,000 people attended the Cross-Country World Cup finals over the weekend in Lake Placid, the largest sporting event there since the 1980 Olympics. Jessie Diggins, the most decorated cross-country skier in American history, retired and closed out her career on top. Also: The Watertown Airport is asking for community donations to support TSA workers who aren't getting paid due to the partial government shutdown.

(Mar 20, 2026) Another superintendent is gone at Salmon River as the school district deals with the aftermath of the disclosure that it used wooden boxes to discipline children. Many parents say they've lost faith in their schools' leadership. Also: New legislation would tighten the procedures for people who visit New York state prisons.

(Mar 19, 2026) Thousands of people are expected in Lake Placid this weekend for the World Cup finals for cross-country skiing. We get an update on how the venue is making sure there's enough good-quality snow for the races. Also: Saranac Lake elected its first female mayor yesterday in a landslide election for Democrats.

(Mar 18, 2026) Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important part of an electric grid that can help slow the effects of climate change. In the Adirondacks, there's been pushback to battery storage sites, even though they're safer than ever. Also: Saranac Lake voters will cast their ballots today for mayor and two seats on the village board of trustees.

(Mar 17, 2026) Just three years after the Adirondack Mountain Club bought the Cascade Ski Center outside of Lake Placid, it put the property back up for sale. We dive into why the ADK's ambitious plans for the property broke down. Also: More than two dozen community projects in the Adirondacks were awarded state funding last week, focusing on housing, accessibility, and planning.

(Mar 16, 2026) The company that runs the hospitals in Ogdensburg and Carthage says, without state funding in the very near future, it will have to take “drastic cost-cutting measures". But New York's health commissioner says North Star is in charge of restructuring itself, not the state. Also: An Indigenous cultural center in the Adirondacks is adding 600 acres of land to its property, one of the largest returns of private land to Indigenous people in state history.

(Mar 13, 2026) Governor Hochul says the state needs more time to meet its mandated climate goals because of estimated costs to consumers. But experts argue the price of climate change may be steeper. We dig into the politics and the science behind New York's climate law debate. Also: The Saranac Lake village board approved a lease for the Adirondack Park Agency to move its headquarters from Ray Brook to the village.

(Mar 12, 2026) The village of Saranac Lake has voted to scrap a plan to install surveillance cameras on its streets. The decision comes after residents raised concerns over privacy and a lack of input in the process. Also: The state officially shut down one of three state prisons in Malone on Wednesday.

(Mar 11, 2026) A popular Upstate New York foodie on social media was making the rounds of restaurants in St. Lawrence County last week. We meet the guy in the mechanic shirt who's behind Eat Local New York. Also: Governor Hochul visited Ogdensburg yesterday to announce that the city will receive $10 million to improve its downtown.

(Mar 10, 2026) As momentum grows around building workforce housing, a new initiative aims to fill in North Country development gaps. Also: Saranac Lake has passed a resolution that limits cooperation between the village's police department and federal immigration agencies.

(Mar 9, 2026) A year after the end of the illegal "wildcat" strike by thousands of corrections officers, prisons are still understaffed, family visits are limited, and inmates are enduring the consequences. We look at the crisis facing New York's prison system as taxpayers continue to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into paying the National Guard to step in. Also: The relationship between the North Star Health Alliance and a healthcare consulting group based in Maine has come under scrutiny after a recent court filing.

(Mar 6, 2026) Kelsey O'Driscoll from Glens Falls thought her days as an athlete were over when she suffered a broken spine in an accident. Today she's set to compete in skiing at the Paralympics in Italy. Also: As AI companies plan new data centers, one rural town near Ithaca has banned data centers.

(Mar 5, 2026) Fire chiefs across New York are raising attention about a dire decline in the number of volunteer firefighters. They hope a new legislative package will incentivize the next generation of firefighters and emergency responders. Also: A soothing audio postcard from the covered footbridge over the Grasse River in Canton.

(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.