Podcasts about North Country

(Jun 23, 2026) The end of this year's legislative session saw the departure of more than a dozen state lawmakers, including some longtime Upstate lawmakers who have left their mark on the Capitol; a new documentary tells the story of the oil spill on the St. Lawrence River in the words of those who lived it; and we have a preview of today's North Country at Work event in Ticonderoga.

(Jun 22, 2026) State officials say large-scale batteries are key to stabilizing the power grid and transitioning to carbon-free electricity. But when battery storage projects have been proposed in the Adirondacks, local residents have been pushing back. Also: The Republican primary for the North Country's congressional district, which is tomorrow, is turning into a test of President Trump's political clout.

(Jun 19, 2026) On this Juneteenth, we'll take a look at the abolitionist movement in St. Lawrence County. Also: we hear from a North Country woman who collects Schlitz memorabilia and says she has a tough decision to make as the company ceases production.

Author Sam Sussman and Cantor Dan Singer reflect on Sussman's novel, "Boy from the North Country" and the unexpected ways Bob Dylan connects their stories, with Cantor Singer weaving Dylan's lyrics and melodies into the conversation on guitar.

(Jun 16, 2026) The two Democrats running to represent New York's 21st Congressional District talked about how they'd get things done for the North Country in Congress in a debate last week; the United Way of Northern New York is hosting its first community food drive in St. Lawrence County tomorrow, amid a rise in food insecurity in the North Country; we're days away from the longest day of the year. Astronomer Aileen O'Donoghue will guide us through what to look for when the stars come out.

(Jun 16, 2026) On today's Story of the Day, we hear about tomorrow's community food drive in St. Lawrence County. It comes amid rising food insecurity in the North Country. Also: highlights from the NY-21 Democratic debate.

Rennae Gruchalla discusses the nearly 5,000-mile North Country National Scenic Trail and upcoming hikes across the state, while also sharing details about a musical storytelling program celebrating Theodore Roosevelt's "strenuous life" ahead of the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora.

In the summer of 1906, a young factory worker named Grace Brown disappeared during a romantic getaway to the Adirondacks with her secret lover, Chester Gillette. Days later, her body was pulled from the depths of Big Moose Lake, launching one of America's first media frenzies. More than a century later, the mystery, the trial, and the ghostly legends surrounding the lake continue to haunt New York's North Country. HAH DISCORD - https://discord.com/invite/bJdbpH3hQm   YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedAmericanHistory   TikTok - @hah_podcast   hauntedamericanhistory.com   Patreon- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/hauntedamericanhistory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   LINKS FOR MY DEBUT NOVEL, THE FORGOTTEN BOROUGH Barnes and Noble -   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgotten-borough-christopher-feinstein/1148274794?ean=9798319693334 AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQPQD68S   Ebook GOOGLE: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=S5WCEQAAQBAJ&pli=1   KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-forgotten-borough-2?sId=a10cf8af-5fbd-475e-97c4-76966ec87994&ssId=DX3jihH_5_2bUeP1xoje_   SMASHWORD: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1853316   !! DISTURB ME !!       APPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disturb-me/id1841532090       SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/3eFv2CKKGwdQa3X2CkwkZ5?si=faOUZ54fT_KG-BaZOBiTiQ       YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@DisturbMePodcast       www.disturbmepodcast.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(Jun 12, 2026) Anthony Constantino, a businessman from Amsterdam, is running as a Republican to represent the North Country in Congress; we stop by the neighborhood of the only member of the Knicks who is a born-and-raised New Yorker ahead of another NBA Finals game; and John Warren checks on trail conditions ahead of this weekend in the Adirondacks.

(Jun 11, 2026) Assemblyman Robert Smullen is running as a Republican to represent the North Country in Congress; a husband and wife in Keeseville are serving up free dinners at a local church; and we hear from some of our most frequent contributors to NCPR's Photo of the Day.

(Jun 9, 2026) Stuart Amoriell, a restaurant owner in Lake Placid, is running as a Democrat to represent the North Country in Congress; a new program connects soldiers who completed their service at Fort Drum with local jobs, in the hopes of keeping them in the region; and NCPR book reviewer Betsy Kepes shares a book review of Canadian writer Miriam Toews' new memoir.

(Jun 4, 2026) We join a birdwalk in Lake Placid, where organizers say the second annual Black Birders Week celebration is helping more people of color feel welcome in the outdoors; a foster dog in Ogdensburg is in the national Pet Lovers Choice Awards competition; and we remember North Country musician Dan Duggan, who died last week at 69 years old. 

(Jun 3, 2026) Now that the Adirondack rail trail is complete, crews are working on adding amenities, including to the parking area on the Lake Placid end of the trail; high school students in Saranac Lake launched a weather balloon into the atmosphere earlier this spring; and as fresh strawberries will soon appear at farmers' markets across the North Country, Chef Curtiss Hemm shares a recipe that will make them shine.

(Jun 1, 2026) The two Republicans hoping to represent most of the North Country in Congress faced off in a debate last week. While they agreed on multiple issues, they verbally sparred throughout the live forum. Also: Tupper Lake was awarded more than $12 million in this year's state budget to help fix its water system.

(May 28, 2026) Kitty O'Neil breaks down how North Country farmers are coping with rising costs due to the war in Iran; the North Country's newest assemblyman says the delayed budget will mean a less productive year for Albany; and we visit a small dairy in Keeseville. North Country Creamery has become one of the Champlain Valley's leaders in environmentally-conscious farming. 

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer. While many might be tempted to jet set off to a foreign country or another city this season, there are plenty of great options to visit around New York state in the summertime, from the Hudson Valley, to the Catskills, the North Country and the Finger Lakes. Where would you stop if you were to plan a road trip around New York? Ross Levi, Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of New York State's Division of Tourism, helps plan your New York State summer road trip and listeners share their favorite destinations. Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images: A landscape view of the Taconic Parkway, looking southbound, as it winds its way through the rural landscape between the Hudson River Valley and the Catskills, August 18, 2023. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(May 22, 2026) Zach Donohue says some of the creepy backroads of the North Country inspired his latest movie, directed by André Øvredal

(May 19, 2026) New safety protocols are in place this year for assistant forest rangers. The changes came after the DEC lost track of an assistant ranger who was later found dead in the wilderness. Also: Democrats say they're bullish on flipping a North Country congressional seat because Republicans are in the middle of a bitter primary.

(May 14, 2026) Researchers are using drones and laser-mapping technology to search for traces of a long-lost Black pioneer settlement in the Adirondacks; a New York non-profit is tackling teacher burnout through collective mental health programming; and a new anthology showcases the poems, short stories and memoirs of many of the North Country's young writers.

(May 14, 2026) The 19th-century settlement of Black pioneers near Lake Placid called Timbuctoo is now largely lost under dense Adirondack forest. A team of researchers is using drones and laser-mapping technology to search for archeological remnants to recover its history. Also: A new bill in Albany would give school districts in the North Country and across the state more time to transition to electric buses.

(May 8, 2026) The North Star Health Alliance has secured a $60 million loan from the state amid its ongoing financial turmoil; ahead of Mother's Day, we hear about the special bond between drag mothers and daughters; and one of the mainstays in the North Country music scene is out with a new EP today. 

(May 7, 2026) We hear from small farmers and advocates about a Farm Bill the U.S. House passed last week; a civil engineer who works on water systems across the North Country is building a network of young professionals in Lewis County; we'll visit the Fish and Game club in Saranac Lake for an archery lesson with a master archer.

(May 5, 2026) In the coming weeks, thousands of international college students will pour into the Adirondacks to staff local businesses through the federal J-1 visa program; housing advocates want New York to expand its state law that ensures tenant protections to renters; and we'll go birdwatching in St. Lawrence County ahead of a couple of birding events in the North Country.

Veteran investigative reporter Jim Odato knows the history, controversies and problems of New York's Adirondacks region better than almost anyone, and he talks with podcast host Rosemary Armao about preserving the wild North Country while also building world-class Olympic sports facilities and redeveloping closed prisons in the vast and remote area.James M. Odato is a correspondent and former editor of the Adirondack Explorer. He has spent a long career as an investigative reporter and is recognized as one of New York's top journalists covering state government, gambling, and waste of public money. He has written thousands of articles, his byline has appeared in numerous national publications and his investigative stories have spurred reforms. As a staff reporter for five daily newspapers, including the Albany Times Union and Buffalo News, Odato has received more than 30 state and national awards.  He has also taught at the University at Albany and authored a book, This Brain Had a Mouth, Lucy Gwin and the Voice of Disability Nation.

(Apr 29, 2026) Both Prison guards and inmates say New York's correctional system is broken; scientists are predicting an early and heavy tick season; Kitty O'Neil joins us in the studio to explain how North Country farms are preparing for the growing season.

(Apr 29, 2026) Staffing levels at New York's prisons are low while the rates of violence and drug exposures are on the rise. Both guards and inmates are pleading with the state to fix what they say is a broken system. Also: Residents in Canton and across the North Country have been shocked by property reassessments that haven't kept up with actual property values.

(Apr 28, 2026) The Republican running to be New York's Governor was in the North Country over the weekend; we go to SUNY Canton, where students are learning the art of blacksmithing in a new club; and NCPR book critic Betsy Kepes reviews "Before I Forget," a novel set in the Adirondacks.

Host Jo Reed talks with contributor Leslie Fine about three audiobooks that circle around questions of identity, family, and belonging. In Kin by Tayari Jones, dual narrators Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs give distinct voices to two lifelong friends shaped by maternal absence as well as the racial and class realities of the 1950s South. Boy From the North Country, written and read by Sam Sussman, blends autofiction and grief as a son returns home to his dying mother, while My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner, narrated by Joy Ozymanski, follows two teenagers navigating questions of heritage, class, and family.  Three very different audiobooks, each asking—through story and performance—how we come to understand where we belong.   Audiobooks Discussed: Kin by Tayari Jones, read by Angel Pean and Ashley J. Hobbs (Random House Audio) Boy From the North Country written and read by Sam Sussman (Penguin Audio) My Other Heart by Emma Nanami Strenner, read by Joy Osmanski (Penguin Audio) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Apr 21, 2026) The union that represents prison guards says the state's correctional facilities are in a "crisis;" we take a look at how artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT are impacting education in the North Country; and astronomer Aileen O'Donoghue talks about NASA's Artemis II mission and guides us through this month's night sky.

The Prison Break, the Manhunt, the Inside Story In June 2015, two vicious convicted murderers broke out of the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, in New York's North Country, launching the most extensive manhunt in state history. Aided by prison employee Joyce Mitchell, double murderer Richard Matt and cop-killer David Sweat slipped out of their cells, followed a network of tunnels and pipes under the thirty-foot prison wall, and climbed out of a manhole to freedom. For three weeks, the residents of local communities were virtual prisoners in their own homes as law enforcement from across the nation swept the rural wilderness near the Canadian border. The manhunt made front-page headlines—as did the prison sex scandal involving both inmates and Joyce Mitchell—and culminated in a dramatic and bloody standoff. Now Charles A. Gardner—a lifelong resident of the community and a former correction officer who began his training at Clinton and ultimately oversaw the training of staff in twelve prisons, including Clinton—tells the whole story from an insider's point of view. From the lax ethics and sexual hunger that drove Joyce Mitchell to fraternize with Matt and Sweat, smuggle them tools, and offer to be their getaway driver, to the state budget cuts that paved the way for prison corruption, to the brave and tireless efforts to bring the escaped killers to justice, Dannemora is a gripping account of the circumstances that led to the bold breakout and the twenty-three-day search that culminated in one man dead, and one man back in custody—and lingering questions about those who set the deadly drama in motion.https://amzn.to/41KqkUbBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.

(Apr 17, 2026) Aging in place is a serious housing issue for the North Country, where a significant portion of the population is over the age of 65. We'll take a look at a Warren County pilot program hoping to help seniors stay in their homes longer. Also: new legislation could make solar power available to New York residents on a much smaller and more accessible scale.

A gang of burglars come a cropper in a Northumbrian country house, in this strange tale from the North Country. It's basically an 18th century Home Alone, with a trigger-happy teen, a put-upon parlour maid and a haunted backpack. Alasdair is back from his tour, with a fresh stack of pamphs in hand! This tale of thwarted crime comes from the legendary Ettrick shepherd, James Hogg. Come see us in Oxford on the 1st July 2026 Join the LoreFolk at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ko-fi.com/loremen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check the sweet, sweet merch here... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/loremen-podcast?ref_id=24631⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @loremenpod ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/loremenpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/loremenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(Apr 15, 2026) A new report recommends strict parking limits at popular Adirondack trailheads; the state is increasing what it charges some North Country communities for cheap hydropower for the first time in more than a decade; and quilters have an opportunity to show off their hard work at a North Country quilt show this summer. 

(Apr 15, 2026) People in the Adirondacks have been wrestling for years with what to do about the massive influx of hikers every summer. A new report recommends strict parking limits at popular Adirondack trailheads. Also: The state is increasing what it charges some North Country communities for cheap hydropower for the first time in more than a decade.

(Apr 14, 2026) North Country business and economic development leaders laid out their concerns about tariffs and the US's relationship with Canada during Governor Kathy Hochul's recent visit to Ogdensburg; we tag along with NCPR's chief engineer Kurt Lanning on a spring trek up Lyon Mountain to fix a transmitter; we'll learn more about an event in Blue Mountain Lake for artists who have thought about building a business but don't know where to start; plus, the sounds of springtime.

(Apr 14, 2026) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney consolidated his power in yesterday's elections, riding his tough approach to President Trump. As the chill between the US and Canada continues, North Country business and economic development leaders say business without Canadian tourists has been difficult. Also: NCPR engineer Kurt Lanning hikes through rotten snow to get to an antenna on Lyon Mountain.

(Apr 10, 2026) Downtown Elizabethtown has a new bike shop, but it's not your typical retail space; Officials hope Utica's new Empire State Trail Towns designation will bring in more tourists; John Warren checks on trail conditions ahead of a warm and wet weekend; and we take a look at community events happening around the North Country.

(Apr 10, 2026) OurStoryBridge is working to collect the oral histories of North Country communities to better connect people to the places they call home.

(Apr 8, 2026) The number of land surveyors who retire each year in the U.S. is about double the number that come into the profession. That's created a shortage that surveyors in the North Country are trying to turn around. Also: Some state lawmakers are backing changes to a state environmental law that they think might be holding up the construction of new housing.

(Apr 7, 2026) Rural animal shelters in the North Country are worried new state regulations could put them out of business; Jefferson Community College in Watertown is the recipient of a grant to build an advanced manufacturing program, with the hope that Fort Drum veterans will take advantage of it; and we preview a concert this weekend in Plattsburgh by an award-winning Indian-Canadian singer.

(Mar 30, 2026) Hundreds of people in the North Country rallied against President Donald Trump's policies over the weekend; state lawmakers are pushing for more funding for New York's child care subsidy program; and we'll look back at a conversation with photographer Nathan Farb, who died last week at 85.

(Mar 30, 2026) Millions of people joined the third round of “No Kings” protests across the country over the weekend. In Canton, almost a thousand demonstrators rallied against President Donald Trump's policies. Also: A Democrat has dropped out of the North Country's congressional race. Dylan Hewitt had faced challenges with fundraising and gaining support from the Democratic establishment.

(Mar 26, 2026) We remember Mike Jaworski, who thru-hiked all 46 Adirondack High Peaks in ten days in the winter; we head to Chateaugay and talk with a third-generation farmer about her experience in the modern agricultural landscape; and Get Healthy North Country classes use science and research to help people empower themselves to treat and prevent chronic diseases. 

(Mar 25, 2026) Starting this month, more people will need to meet new work requirements to stay eligible for federal food assistance benefits; Nursing homes are competing with hospitals for funding during state budget talks; and Kitty O'Neil joins us to check in on how North Country's farms are preparing for growing season. 

(Mar 24, 2026) As the Trump administration continues its nationwide immigration crackdown, we hear from a growing network of local activists working to protect immigrants across the North Country; the Department of Veterans Affairs is planning to eliminate 25,000 vacant positions and implement the largest reorganization of its giant health care system in three decades;  and we hear about an effort to preserve the dark skies in the North Country.

(Mar 23, 2026) We head to Lake Placid, where the most decorated cross-country skier in American history, Jessie Diggins, closed out her career on top at the World Cup Finals; state budget talks are underway at the Capitol, with top issues including changes to the state climate law and insurance policy; and we talk with a North Country painter about how he explores travel, faith and spirituality in his work, that's now on display at SUNY Canton.

From Hill to Stage: Seagle Festival's Next Act in the AdirondacksFor more than a century, the Seagle Festival has been a summer tradition on the shores of Schroon Lake—where emerging artists arrive with big voices and leave ready for the world stage.In this episode of ADK Talks, we welcome back Artistic Director Darren Woods along with Director of Education and Community Outreach Josh Cook. Together, they share how Seagle is building on its 111-year legacy while setting the stage for an ambitious, year-round future in the Adirondacks.From a rigorous national audition process to a bold capital campaign, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to grow a thriving arts ecosystem in a rural region—and why it matters now more than ever.What you'll hear in this episodeSeagle Festival's origin story—how a NYC voice teacher's summer escape became the oldest vocal training program in the U.S.Inside the audition process: 400 applicants, 32 spots, and the search for something truly “extraordinary.”Highlights from the 2026 season, including The Sound of Music, HMS Pinafore, Mozart's Così fan tutte, and the powerful contemporary opera Dead Man Walking.How Seagle alumni are making waves on Broadway, at the Met Opera, and across Europe.The expansion of youth programming—giving North Country kids hands-on experience both on stage and behind the scenes.“Opera shots” pop-up performances across the Adirondacks—bringing live music to bars, breweries, and unexpected venues.A vision for the future: a winterized campus, new theater, and year-round performances that could transform the regional arts scene.Resources:Seagle Festival — Explore the 2026 season, meet the artists, and purchase tickets (season passes available now; individual tickets on sale April 1).NewVida Preserve (Lake Placid area) — Scenic venue for upcoming Opera Shots pop-upsThe Deerhead Inn — Historic jazz venue and returning Opera Shots locationNorth Star Underground Railroad Museum (Keeseville)Produced by NOVA

(Mar 19, 2026) New York State needs more power. Some developers want to build battery storage sites in the Adirondacks, but they're facing pushback. Plus, today's North Country at Work story is about a common profession - sales - and a salesman in Schroon Lake who's selling something pretty uncommon — medical devices for mice and rats. And, local kiddos have a new space to play and learn about the North Country. The Children's Museum in Potsdam recently added a whole new floor. We check out the new interactive activities about daily Amish life, Akwesasne Mohawk music, and community theater. 

(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.

Mischke enters the season, that long three month march to spring, the wild otherworld that sets the North Country apart from the rest of the country. Come join him.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.