North Country Public Radio

01/10/2026

"Morning at North Country School, Lake Placid" Photo 📸 : Cheryl Braunstein

We thank Essex County Arts Council for sponsoring NCPR's Photo of the Day.

01/09/2026

Massive ships are stuck in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ice is building up around the locks between Lake Ontario and Montreal, making it difficult to impossible for ships to get through.

As ice breaks up, those ice flows continue to move toward the locks and as a ship pushes forward, it pushes the ice in with it and from there it creates a narrower entrance and or exit. So it’s really creating what I like to call a cork in the bottle,” said Michael Folsom, who runs the Seaway Ship Watchers Network.

The severe winter weather has indefinitely delayed the end of the Seaway’s navigation season. It was set to close on Monday, Jan. 5.

The latest the Seaway has ever closed is January 11, 2017. Current conditions could push this year’s closing past that.

Folsom said the situation will likely cause some backlash.

“The Seaway has closed nine times in January since 1959. Eight of those have come since 2013. So that’s just for the proof that the Seaway is trying to extend and get as much out of the navigation season as possible, and that’s fine. From a business perspective, that makes sense. But at the same time, too, some other elements need to be considered. And this is clearly showing those need to be considered strongly moving forward,” Folsom said.

Hear more about the situation on the Seaway at the link in our bio.

Videos from Horizon Aerial Media
Reporting by Catherine Wheeler
Video production by Caitlin Kelly

01/09/2026

Children in NYC as young as 2 years old could get access to free childcare under a proposal Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani unveiled Thursday.

The announcement represents a step toward the mayor's campaign pledge of free universal child care.

01/09/2026

Since the North Star Health Alliance announced it was on the brink of closure last month, the health care group has managed to meet its payroll obligations three times.

But North Star officials say more reimbursement is needed from the state, and hope to find a path forward at a meeting in Albany next week.

NSHA officials say they hope to find a more concrete path forward at a meeting with the NY Department of Health in Albany next week.

01/08/2026

Massive ships are stuck in the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ice is building up around the locks between Lake Ontario and Montreal, making it difficult for ships to get through.

The severe winter weather has indefinitely delayed the end of the Seaway’s navigation season that was set to end earlier this week.

Photos courtesy Horizon Aerial Media
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/52849/20260108/ships-remain-stuck-in-the-st-lawrence-seaway-prolonging-navigation-season

01/08/2026

In December, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s board of directors voted to dissolve the corporation. CPB was responsible for dispersing millions of dollars a year to public media organizations across the country. But that ended last year after Congress voted to end federal funding for public media.

NCPR station manager breaks down the end of the CPB and gives an update on NCPR’s finances at the start of 2026.

Plus, an update on NCPR's finances following the end of our federal funding.

01/08/2026

"Lower Wolfjaw." Photo 📸 : Jordan Solomon

We thank Essex County Arts Council for sponsoring NCPR's Photo of the Day.

01/07/2026

Samuel King, an experienced broadcaster and Queens native, has joined the Capitol Bureau of the New York Public News Network.

King has logged more than 20 years as a working journalist, including stints at NY1, KCUR in Kansas City, K*T in Austin and with MPR News in St....

01/07/2026

Mark your calendars!! The HOWL Grand Slam is coming up!

Join NCPR and the Adirondack Center for Writing on Saturday, January 24th at 7:00 at Gulick Theater in Canton for the HOWL Grand Slam as winners of this season's regional story slams compete head to head to be crowned the best storyteller of the year.

This year's theme is "A for Effort" - stories of best laid plans, trying your hardest, and the missteps along the way.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Find tickets and more information at ncpr.org/grandslam

01/07/2026

Enrollment in New York schools has been steadily decreasing for years now.

A new analysis by Cornell University of the last decade finds that overall decline is accompanied by a marked increase in charter schools and homeschooling.

A new analysis from Cornell University paints a more detailed picture of the state's current education landscape.

01/07/2026

A Venezuelan woman was arrested by Border Patrol agents in Malone last week and separated from her mother and three siblings.

U.S. Border Patrol arrested the person and transferred them to ICE custody.

01/07/2026

Holiday Nocturne, Market Street, plein air oil on paper. Artist: Jennifer Sampson, Potsdam, New York. Artwork of the Week ( ) is supported by Downtown Artist Cellar:
Downtown Artist Cellar