Story of the Day

It may still be a week before lawmakers in Albany settle on a final state budget. Our Capitol reporter Jimmy Vielkind breaks down exactly what's at stake, what's the holdup, and what a late budget actually means for you.

The race to replace Elise Stefanik in Congress could lead to an unpredictable four-way campaign by November. We get caught up on the politics and personalities with primaries in both parties coming up next month. Also: While Gov. Hochul and legislative leaders still differ on whether an overall budget deal has been reached, they appear to have reached a compromise on auto insurance reform.

First there was a state budget deal yesterday, then there wasn't. Our Albany reporters sort through a crazy day in Albany and look forward to what's next with the budget more than a month late. Also: We remember longtime Canton historian Linda Casserly, who died this week at 79 years old.

Gov. Hochul announced a deal on a $268 billion state budget, but the Assembly Speaker says not everything's finished. The potential agreement includes financial help for New York City and Buffalo, rebate checks for high utility bills, and an overhaul of state auto insurance laws. Also: We step into the shoes of a water and sewer infrastructure engineer in Watertown.

Climate change may alter our most beloved natural places. At Chimney Bluffs State Park with its clay pinnacles along Lake Ontario, researchers are trying to figure out how much climate change is accelerating a process of erosion that’s been going on for thousands of years. Also: St. Lawrence, Clinton, Essex, Warren, and Herkimer counties have all run out of their childcare assistance funding. An answer could be in the state budget, but it’s more than a month late.

As the Adirondacks gear up for peak tourism season, thousands of international college students will come to the region to work through the federal J-1 visa program. Local businesses say that workforce has become crucial to getting through the summer. Also: Lawmakers are discussing the possibility of rebate checks for high electricity bills as they continue working on the state budget, which is more than a month late.

Solar panels are crucial to producing carbon-free electricity in New York. But they take up a lot of land. A new study from Cornell University shows that solar development may not be as detrimental to farmland as some people fear. Also: A sign in North Creek saying President Trump needs to be "neutralized" was vandalized. The FBI found it was not hate speech.

This is the time of year that birds migrate from their warmer winter homes back north. Lights at night can disorient and injured them. There's a movement encouraging people to turns off lights to protect the birds. Also: A North Country state lawmaker says after months of financial uncertainty, the North Star Health Alliance, which operates the hospitals in Ogdensburg and Carthage, may have some hope for its future.

An Adirondack-based non-profit that hosts wilderness retreats for military veterans is closing in on opening a home base near Lake Titus. Its goal is to provide a safe place for veterans to heal in nature. Also: State lawmakers are close to prohibiting local jails from holding people for federal immigration agents.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 is helping them through.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Starting this month, more people will need to meet new work requirements to stay eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP - what used to be called food stamps. We check in at area food pantries to see how people are adapting. Also: Nursing homes are competing with hospitals for funding during state budget talks.

The Trump administration's immigration crackdown has triggered a backlash across the country. In the Adirondacks, a network of activist groups is growing to protect local immigrants. Also: Nonprofits in underserved communities across New York are hoping for another round of funding in the state budget.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.