Northern Light

Big news for Ogdensburg: Governor Cuomo announced yesterday via video conference that the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center's inpatient services will not be closed after all. A new audit by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli finds that out of a sample of workers at state agencies, more than one fifth were "double dipping" - being paid for two jobs while doing only one. North Country Democrat Bill Owens said the budget deal that passed this week in Washington is good news for Fort Drum. Saranac Lake residents weighed in on Wednesday about a major hotel project proposed in the village. And today we hear live music from Barb Heller and Danny Gotham, who are preparing for a weekend of duet performances around the region.

David Sommerstein checks out a new art sensation in Montreal, which fuses hip hop, indigenous culture, and street smarts. A bankrupt energy company is suing the Cuomo administration over the long delayed decision on whether to allow hydrofracking in New York. The governor's had a hand in a $150-million deal that will see a coal-fired power plant on Lake Erie converted to burn natural gas. A proposal to build a new pipeline from Binghamton to Syracuse has been scaled back due to a lack of interest. Today in Natural Selections: what makes bird feathers are so iridescent? And more holiday music: Todd Moe speaks with Drew Benwar, the music director of the Northern Adirondack Vocal Ensemble.

New York state is urging people to re-register for their STAR property tax exemption before the deadline of December 31. But what if you don't have a computer or a phone? This poses a problem in Amish communities. North Country State Sen. Patty Ritchie speaks with Nora Flaherty on the phone about how she is trying to address the issue. Canton first graders are having fun before the holidays making gingerbread houses. Governor Cuomo says he'll still make anti-corruption measures a high priority as he did in 2013 - but he says he'll likely deal with economic issues like proposed tax cuts first. Researchers from Clarkson University are gearing up to study the effect water pollution has on property values across 26 counties in upstate New York. Other research has found that the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing can disrupt the body's hormones.And Todd Moe talks with Anne Phinney about her book, Finding My Way to Moose River Farm.

Governor Cuomo says he may not decide whether the state should go ahead with hydro fracking for natural gas until after the November 2014 elections. And the Governor's budget director outlined more details of the governor's tax commission proposals to cut property and business taxes in the state. Brian Mann has a behind the scenes look at how the former Finch lands deal was crafted... Last month Centerstate CEO, a Syracuse-based economic development group, released a plan for a region they call "central New York." It stretches from the Finger Lakes to Massena and includes Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties - but not the Adirondacks or the Champlain Valley. Martha Foley encounters an Ottawa chestnut roaster. And Todd Moe speaks with Elizabeth VanBuskirk, who writes about Peruvian traditions.

Hundreds celebrated in Saranac Lake on Sunday as Governor Cuomo visited to talk about the North Country's win in the Regional Economic Development Council competition. The Adirondack Park Agency voted Friday to create a vast new 24,000-acre wilderness and primitive area along a remote stretch of the upper Hudson River. The Governor said the plan has his support. Zach Hirsch went to a Campus Kitchens dinner in Canton, where the main attraction is the companionship. Another Watertown health care provider is getting a bailout to stay afloat. This time, it's Family Counseling Service of Northern New York. A small, hearty group of advocates demonstrated in Albany on Friday, in favor of public campaign financing. And horticulturist Amy Ivy says the frigid days of mid-December provide ideal conditions for feeding the birds.

The APA is in the final steps of deciding the fate of the former Finch timber lands. The number of Fort Drum employees is likely to decrease - but the outlook isn't all doom and gloom. When you "feed a family in need" at Price Chopper, where does your money actually go? In a recent survey by the Siena Research Institute, 30% of adults said they believe in Santa Claus. Carol Yerdon talks about the 50 inches of lake-effect snow that slammed her home in the Tug Hill Plateau. And a Potsdam trio brings us live music for the holidays.

The big news this morning is all about money: the North Country was awarded $81.3 million dollars in Regional Economic Development Council funds yesterday in Albany. We have all the details on how the funds will be used across our region. The Adirondack Park Agency has begun final deliberations into the future of the Finch Pruyn timberlands. Some aspects of the classification plan remain controversial, but the process has been far more amicable than in previous years. Battle lines are forming in Albany in the upcoming debate over tax cuts, and it's likely to dominate the new legislative session. In Natural Selections: chipmunks, the aggressively territorial backyard fixture. And Todd Moe speaks with Ken Andrews, director of the Orchestra of Northern New York, about this year's holiday music.

In Albany, Governor Cuomo's tax commission is recommending a $2 billion package that includes a temporary freeze on property taxes, and a cut in corporate taxes to a 40-year low. Elsewhere in the region, 16 projects are vying for state funding from the Regional Economic Development Council. Among them are projects to rebuild the historic hotel in downtown Saranac and upgrade Plattsburgh's airport potential. In Cape Vincent community members are growing frustrated with the ongoing proposed wind farm project in their town, which soon might force taxpayers to contribute to the lengthy deliberations and mounting legal fees. We also hear about world famous spaghetti dinners in Dekalb Junction and a recent book published by St. Lawrence University's Arthur Clark, about the importance of early memories in our development.

Today, a couple dozen North Country leaders packed in vans headed to Albany. It's their big chance to meet with Governor Cuomo's staff about the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center... Cuomo's anti-corruption commission says the State Board of Elections is "useless" and "incompetent" when it comes to enforcing campaign violations. Meanwhile, in Canton, two parents were so fed up with the new Common Core standards that they pulled their daughter out of public school. In Jefferson County, one ski area got some early snow - and with it, some early business. In a new installment of the Adirondack Attic, Andy Flynn speaks with Alison Haas, director of the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. And Todd Moe brings us an interview about a foster parenting info session taking place in Canton on Thursday.

Teachers statewide are joining hands in protest of the state's new Common Core Education Reform. The new recommended curriculum changes place additional burdens on schools already under pressure. Governor Cuomo's commission to study tax cuts missed the deadline to report its findings by December 6th. The Adirondack Park Agency has revealed plans for the former Finch Pruyn timber lands and plans to vote on a classification for the land this week. Martha Foley speaks with Amy Ivy about Christmas trees: where to get them, which ones to look for, and what to do with them after the holidays.