Northern Light

(Mar 6, 2026)

(Mar 5, 2026) The Firefighter Association for the State of New York is hoping to reverse a statewide decline in volunteerism with a new legislative package that incentivizes volunteering as a firefighter or EMS responder; we walk along SUNY Canton's footbridge for a nearly-spring adventure; and we get a preview of the 14th Annual Mountain Warrior Sled Hockey Tournament for para-hockey players.

(Mar 4, 2026) The Adirondack Experience Museum in Blue Mountain Lake will debut a new permanent exhibit dedicated to the region's Black history next year; we head to the Champlain Valley for a snowshoe hike up Whipple Mountain Loop on the Twin Valleys property outside of Wadhams; and Chef Curtiss Hemm joins us to share a versatile vinaigrette recipe that can add vibrancy to any dish.

(Mar 3, 2026) We take a closer look at the candidates’ sources of funding as the race for the 21st congressional district seat heats up; a dog team in the Adirondacks offers rides on frozen Mirror Lake in Lake Placid; and we talk with Kitty O'Neil about how biosolids and PFAS affect farms.

(Mar 2, 2026) The Saranac Lake school board voted last week to close Bloomingdale elementary, a decision that one board member called "profound and painful;" Utility bills are soaring for many in the North Country, and State Assemblyman Michael Cashman met with seniors in Plattsburgh who are asking for relief; we have a conversation with a married couple in the Adirondacks who are responsible for building dozens of breathtaking set designs for theater, opera and television shows.

(Feb 27, 2026) Following President Trump’s State of the Union address this week, we’re checking in on how people around the North Country feel about the president a year into his second term; we talk with a worker in the Adirondacks’ hospitality and marketing industry about why it's not just pushing paperwork; and the consistently cold temperatures bode well for Lake Placid’s annual ‘Ice Out’ fundraiser.

(Feb 26, 2026) Nearly half a million New Yorkers will soon have to prove they’re working or looking for work to stay on federal food assistance benefits; Champlain Area Trails, or CATS, recently acquired a 700-acre property in Essex County; and we have a conversation with a Black gospel scholar about how the genre has evolved ahead of his visit to St. Lawrence University tomorrow.

(Feb 25, 2026) A reporter’s investigation found the state police have no clear standard for disciplining troopers, and troopers found guilty of misconduct were given lax or inconsistent treatment; leaders of the state legislature’s transportation committees are supporting more funding for upstate transit agencies; and NCPR's Chief Announcer, Shelly Pike, stops by to give a shout-out to three guys in Canton who pitch in and smooth out the ice on the community skating rink.

(Feb 24, 2026) The Essex County Land Bank was established just three years ago in hopes of alleviating a growing affordable housing crisis; New York state lawmakers and leaders are hyper-focused on addressing hunger at the state level after federal funding cuts to food assistance programs; a bookseller in the Adirondacks shares a few recommendations from regional writers; and Catherine tries to stump Monica in a sound quiz.

(Feb 23, 2026) The Olympic Regional Development Authority has voted to spend millions of dollars on a 30-year maintenance plan for its facilities; We head to the frozen Mirror Lake in Lake Placid, where local park officials clear space for people to skate and walk in the wintertime; and we have a conversation with an author of a new young adult spy novel, who drew inspiration from her time substitute teaching in Adirondack schools.