Top Stories from NCPR

During the 1800s and 1900s, factories producing cheese or paper were pretty common in this region. Factories making miraculous pills, potions, and tonics were a little less so, but there was one very successful factory doing just that in Morristown for about 75 years, from the 1870s through the 1950s.

Once again there are big questions being raised about tourist trains that operate in the Adirondack Park. A judge last week tossed out a plan by the Cuomo administration to convert 34 miles of historic track between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake into a new rail-trail.Meanwhile, the tourism train that operates in the North Creek area announced plans to store hundreds of industrial cars, including tanker cars, on track between the upper Hudson River and the High Peaks Wilderness. Brian Mann has been following these tourism train controversies and talks with Martha Foley.

New York could be facing its first major shortfall in several years, partly due to falling tax collections and federal health care and other policy changes. That could leave the state with billions less in state aid. Lately, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has been sharing some bad news with New Yorkers. Twice in recent days he's said there could be a multibillion-dollar shortfall in the budget next year.

State officials battling overcrowded trails in the Adirondacks say they will close three of the most popular trailheads over the Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving holiday weekend in early October. The Conservation Department will temporarily relocate the trailheads and trail parking for Cascade, Porter and Pitchof Mountain West near Lake Placid and Keene.

North of Saranac Lake near Onchiota, there is a chain of gorgeous flat water that includes Rainbow Lake, Lake Kushaqua and the North Branch of the Saranac River. It is kind of a hidden gem for paddlers. Today we explore a section of the North Branch, a paradise of beaver dams and intimate oxbows.

We're getting near peak fall foliage season throughout the High Peaks and Central Adirondacks, as usual, peak leaf color in the southern Adirondacks and Lake George and Lake Champlain valleys will arrive somewhat later this week and next.

New York's Democratic lawmakers are vowing to fight President Donald Trump's tax overhaul proposal, perhaps even in court.Meanwhile, a think tank's analysis finds some middle-class New Yorkers could save a small amount of money under the income tax portion of the plan.

Arts and culture will take center stage in Brockville, Ontario this weekend. The volunteer-driven initiative is expanding to three days, starting today.Most of the activities will take place on King Street. But smaller communities in the Brockville area - Mallorytown, Lyndhurst, Delta and Frankville - have been added to the program this year. It's part of a Canada-wide weekend that's designed to introduce the artistic community to the public.Culture Days are held in hundreds of Canadian communities this weekend. Brockville's event will include some 45 artists, museums, musicians, and cultural groups. You can tour a museum, join a historic walking tour, attend a recital, and watch art as it's created.Todd Moe spoke with three Ontario artists who will be among the dozens showing their art and explaining their crafts this weekend - rug hooker and wood worker Robyn Eagle, metal worker/blacksmith Chris Banfalvi, and Steve Shay, a retired minister-turned-wood carver.

The four universities in Canton and Potsdam are getting together to talk about making their campuses and communities more sustainable.

When species move into a new habitat, some of the "tricks" their genes have learned no longer work to help them thrive. Some species will pick up new tricks - sometimes the same new trick more than once - and some will fail to adapt. Martha Foley and Curt Stager look at silent crickets and flightless birds.