Northern Light

For today's Heard Up North, Walter Shyne of J & W Orchard in Norfolk reflects on his retirement. State officials attempt to channel a rancorous public debate about the historic rail line between Old Forge and Lake Placid. Host Todd Moe checks out an eatery where every ingredient comes from within 200 miles of Clarkson's Potsdam campus. (We take) a look at some of the fiscal difficulties faced by mayors across the state who win a new term.

An Italian volunteer group has found what may be the wreckage of a 10th Mountain Division vehicle from World War 2. Nurses hold a demonstration outside EJ Noble Hospital in Governeur, expressing their dismay about what the hospital's dissolution means for their jobs. At the Republican battle for sheriff post in Saratoga County, a wider debate about the SAFE Act emerges. NY's county-run nursing homes are losing money and considering privatization. And pre-kindergarteners at Lawrence Avenue Elementary School tell us about what they want to be when they grow up.

Senator Charles Schumer and congressman Bill Owens are pushing legislation in Washington that would cut the national excise tax for New York craft breweries. Environmental advocates express concerns about dwindling staff numbers at the DEC. The Adirondack Park Agency delays in classifying the newest additions to the state Forest Preserve. We hear sounds from a trio of DJs who are transforming traditional aboriginal music in Ontario. And some tips for tuning up your lawn from Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy.

School districts are continuing to implement Common Core, New York state's new and challenging curriculum.Governor Cuomo says he wants a "death penalty" option for dealing with failing schools, and teachers' unions express dismay at his choice of words. The Adirondack Park Agency gets ready to vote on how to classify the Finch Pruyn timberlands, while state officials plan a public debate about the historic rail corridor between Old Forge and Lake Placid. In advance of Watertown's primary election on Tuesday, the city meets the City Council candidates. In a new installment of our series, the Adirondack Attic , Andy Flynn profiles some of the historic churches in Saranac Lake. John Warren gives us the latest on outdoor recreation around the Adirondacks for this weekend.

Greek yogurt plants are reshaping the NY dairy industry. Governor Cuomo addresses extreme weather events, but declines to draw connections to climate change. Cuomo also warns county sheriffs that they don't get to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on politics or personal preference. And in the NY state Senate, Republicans hold a hearing on tax cuts. Healthcare leaders offer more details on the decision to sell EJ Noble to the nearby Canton-Potsdam Hospital. In the latest installment of Natural Selections, we learn about geckos' gravity-defying feet. The Potsdam Food Co-Op celebrates its 40th anniversary with an open house.

EJ Noble Hospital is sold to the nearby Canton-Potsdam Hospital after decades of financial struggles. New York Congressman Bill Owens comments on President Obama's proposed military action against Syria. We also hear what people in Canton and Watertown are saying about the conflict; almost everyone we spoke with is against U.S. involvement. On Great Sacandaga Lake, hundreds gather on the shore to celebrate autumn with massive bonfires and firework shows. An upstate pro-business group proposes tax cuts and hydro-fracking to improve the economy. And Walt McLaughlin talks about his new book, The Allure of Deep Woods.

Winter winemakers are providing alternatives to traditional wines, like Chardonnay and Cabernet. We hear more about young military veterans who are transitioning into the academic world. Researchers create the first ever brain-to-brain interface using an internet connection. The USDA tosses packets of rabies vaccine out of airplanes. A new Vermont initiative will expand free meals for low-income students. The 150th anniversary season at Saratoga Race Course ends with lower numbers in both attendance and on-track wagering. A review of this autumn's production of Lombardi in Westport; and the Adirondack Shakespeare Company gears up for its own foray into autumn programming, with plans for a full production of Love's Labour's Lost.

We look at different models of "sustainable" agriculture in the North Country. Rep. Bill Owens' take on military action in Syria and the upcoming congressional authorization vote. The transition from warrior to student can be long and hard; Iraq veteran Josh Jones knows from experience. A new management plan is in the works for 17 parcels of forest land in Lewis County. The DEC has scheduled public hearing. The Excelsior Service Fellowship Program will bring 80 recent New York college grads into government jobs. And be on the lookout for new garden pests

On the second anniversary of Tropical Storm Irene, which devastated many communities in the Adirondacks and Vermont, we return to the Town of Keene for a look back, and ahead. Who will make the decision about four new casinos in upstate? New York City, it seems. Station manager Ellen Rocco remembers the March on Washington where she heard Martin Luther King deliver the "I Have A Dream" speech fifty years ago today. And in Potsdam, the county Arts Council has closed its downtown storefront to concentrate its efforts in its studio and classroom space in Clarkson University's Old Snell Hall.

Monarch butterfly populations are in swift decline. A conversation with butterfly expert Chip Taylor about the human causes of the die-off, and how to help stop it. And a return to the southern end of the Monarch's annual migration in central Mexico.New York wants schools to have more of a role in family services, and is offering up to $500,000 to dozens of school districts in order to do it. Canada geese are becoming overpopulated in the state. New hunting rules should help.Racers at the Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh have been "turning left and going fast" since the 1950s. NCPR drops in for a little stock-car action. And Montreal artist Aquil Virani is bringing out the artist in everyone during Welcome Week at Paul Smith's College.