When infected, your tonsils may be useful to doctors to keep up their bottom line, and to Popsicle vendors to provide the means to soothe recovering children. But when healthy, they also have a use as part of the front-line in the human immune system.Martha Foley and Dr. Curt Stager discuss an oft-removed portion of the human anatomy.

This spring, two very different infrastructure projects are breaking ground in the Thousand Islands region, and the coincidence has some local residents furious.The state is building a lavish new multi-million dollar tourism center where Interstate 81 meets the Thousand Islands bridge.At the same time, the town of Orleans will begin running a new water line, mostly at local cost. It will serve hundreds of residents whose well water has been contaminated for decades with salt, and in some cases, toxic lead.

The 2018 election season is beginning, but state Republicans are still trying to settle on a strong candidate to challenge Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has said he wants to seek a third term.Republican State Party Chair Ed Cox said the GOP will have a "good," qualified and viable candidate.

The leader of the Independent Democrats in the Senate denies that he forcibly kissed a former staffer, and says he intends to remain as leader of the break away democratic faction.

Early next month, nearly 2,000 cross country skiers from around the world will gather in western Quebec for the annual Canadian Ski Marathon. It's the longest and oldest Nordic ski tour in North America. Over two days, participants ski along the 160-kilometer trail that connects Gatineau and Lachute, Quebec. It begins on Friday, February 9. The trail winds through mostly privately owned land in the western Laurentian mountains, through forests, rolling fields and a farm yard or two. Skiers range from people out to enjoy a short portion of the course up to "Coureurs de Bois" who carry packs with overnight gear, eat around campfires and sleep under the stars.Dan Quinlan is a Vermonter and the first international president of the Canadian Ski Marathon. He's the event's biggest fan south of the border and has been a competitive skier since he was 9 years old. Quinlan says, despite the title, the Canadian Ski Marathon, is a non-competitive way to embrace winter on a pair of skis.

Recent icy conditions along the St. Lawrence Seaway were the cause of concern for fans of the USS Little Rock. The Navy ship was commissioned in Buffalo last month, but still has not made it out to sea.

Republicans in the State Senate say that, despite the over $4-billion structural deficit, taxes need to be cut further and a property tax cap must be made permanent.

The state's Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli, warns of a "problematic" budget season, as the state faces a structural deficit, changes to the federal tax code, and uncertainty over continued funding from Washington.

As prices for home heating fuel go up, more people are turning to their local HEAP programs for help with those bills.

For the first time in weeks, temperatures are expected to rise above freezing today in the North Country. But people are still dealing with the fallout of bitterly cold weather that lasted all through the holidays.