Story of the Day

(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) At SUNY Canton, students have started a new club to learn the art of blacksmithing. We visit the forge, where they pound their creations into reality. Also: Gov. Kathy Hochul's Republican opponent was in Clinton County over the weekend. Bruce Blakeman says he is better for New York.

(Apr 27, 2026) North Country Rep. Elise Stefanik is on a national tour to promote her book about claims of antisemitism at the nation's top universities. We talk with her about the new book and about her future after politics. Also: The Malone Middle School was on high alert last week after a man was seen inside the school for hours.

(Apr 24, 2026) A Democrat running to replace Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is facing challenges to his petitions. Stuart Amoriell says his opponent and party leaders are trying to get him off the ballot. Also: The Pendragon Theater in Saranac Lake held a ribbon cutting for its new $11 million home.

(Apr 23, 2026) Nobody likes getting a parking ticket. But writing them can be a pretty good side gig. We meet the meter enforcer in Lake George, who says he tries to be a "helpful busybody". Also: North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik says she's not going to endorse anyone in the race to replace her.

(Apr 22, 2026) Studies find 80% of college students report using AI tools in their schoolwork. But their feelings about those tools are mixed. We hear from students at Clarkson University in Potsdam. Also: School districts are getting closer to the deadline to present their budgets to voters, even as they still don't know how much money they're getting in the state budget.

(Apr 21, 2026) Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT have become widely available to the public...and to kids. We asked people in the NCPR texting Club how that's affecting learning in schools. Also: President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Anthony Constantino today in the race to replace Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.

(Apr 20, 2026) Last year, Gov. Hochul delivered funding for new independent oversight of conditions in state prisons. But the money is gone from this year's budget, and the prison watchdog group says it will have to cut staff and downsize efforts if lawmakers don't act. Also: Volunteer firefighters across New York state are lining up behind Governor Hochul’s push to reform auto insurance...

(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.

(Apr 16, 2026) We meet a Lake George history teacher on a mission to inspire his students. Also: North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik weighed in on President Donald Trump’s ongoing feud with the pope during an appearance on CBS earlier this week.

(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) 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 L...

(Apr 13, 2026) A woman from St. Lawrence County is on the team of software engineers who designed the systems for the Artemis II, which just returned to Earth after a trip around the moon. We talk with Jamie Szafran, who grew up in Edwards. Also: State police are investigating three deaths of incarcerated people at the prisons in Malone, Ogdensburg, and Gouverneur.

(Apr 10, 2026) A new business and community space in the village of Elizabethtown is home to a thriving high-end bike shop. We meet the guys behind Solace Cycles. Also: Police are investigating whether an inmate in Malone should be criminally charged after the death of another inmate earlier this week.

(Apr 9, 2026) New York is one of the world’s largest gold markets. Democrats in the state Senate say a new tax on purchasing gold bars could raise $600 million a year for the state. Also: We meet an early intervention counselor in Glens Falls, who connects babies and toddlers with the resources they need to thrive.

(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) New funding will help Jefferson Community College in Watertown train people to work at the massive Micron semiconductor factory under construction north of Syracuse. Local officials hope many of those employees will be veterans from Fort Drum. Also: Animal shelters across New York are trying to adapt to new state regulations. But some are worried it could put them out of business.

(Apr 6, 2026) ORDA, the state agency that runs the Olympic venues in the Adirondacks, had a big winter. Skier visits were up 8% at Whiteface and Gore, and a cross-country skiing World Cup brought more than 30,000 people to Lake Placid. Also: The Watertown City Council is considering job and service cuts as it puts together next year’s budget.

(Apr 3, 2026) The John Dillon Park near Long Lake is the Adirondacks' only accessible campground for people with disabilities. But it's been plagued by closures over the years, and it's set to close again this summer to fix issues with the park’s drinking water system. Also: Weeks after an explosion injured several people at the Abundant Life Church in Boonville, members say faith i...

(Apr 2, 2026) New York's state budget is late for the seventh straight year. Our Albany reporter Jimmy Vielkind runs through what's holding things up. Also: We remember John Peach, a longtime advocate for the St. Lawrence River, who died Monday at 76.

(Apr 1, 2026) Rug braiding is a distinctly American art, using scraps of fabric to make colorful rugs. A woman in the St. Lawrence County town of Parishville is helping to pass on the folk tradition of rug braiding. Also: SUNY Chancellor John King visited SUNY Potsdam yesterday to promote efforts to meet students' basic needs, like housing, food, and transportation.

(Mar 31, 2026) Republican Anthony Constantino, who's running for the NY-21 congressional seat, is under scrutiny for how he’s collecting ‘petition signatures’ to get on the ballot for the June's primary. Also: A new poll finds Democrat Kathy Hochul still holds a solid lead over Republican Bruce Blakeman in the governor's race, but she's slipped seven points since February.

(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 establishmen...

(Mar 27, 2026) For over five years, a group of kids has gotten together at a church in Jefferson County to work on projects with fabric and thread. The woman who volunteers with them has won state and national awards for her dedication. Also: After months of financial uncertainty, the company that runs the hospitals in Ogdensburg and Carthage got some good news about state funding this week.

(Mar 26, 2026) Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to join “No Kings” rallies across the country this weekend. In the North County, there will be rallies across the St. Lawrence Valley and Adirondacks. Also: We remember Mike Jaworski, who holds the record for thru-hiking in winter all 46 Adirondack High Peaks in ten days. He died at 35 years old earlier this month.