Top Stories from NCPR

The US Department of Agriculture is asking residents along the Great Lakes corridor and beyond to watch out for an invader- the Asian longhorned beetle (ALB).The bug is definitely creepy. It has long antennas with white stripes. And a black glossy exterior with asymmetrical white spots. It can fly, but it doesn't like to, said Andrea Locke the coordinator for WNY Prism, the organization was hosting the invasive clean up.

Life in a small Vermont town can be idyllic, or claustrophobic. In Jeffrey Lent's new novel three generations of a Vermont family must find their way in a world changed by World War II.

(Aug 28, 2017) Many people are familiar with what a midwife is. But there are other kinds of workers involved in the birthing process, including doulas. While midwifes have medical training and are licensed to assist a woman in childbirth, at home or in the hospital, a doula does not. They are not doing anything medical, but rather offering support.

Got tomatoes? Got ripe tomatoes? Lots of gardeners in the region are complaining that while they can answer an wholehearted "yes" to the first question, the follow up is more of a problem.After a generally late start, and few hot spells this summer, we're beginning to run out of ripening time. Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy reviews some practices that can help the process along.

Central New York Republican state Sen. John DeFrancisco has been traveling around upstate meeting with members of his party to discuss the possibility of him running for governor next year. DeFrancisco said there is discontent with Gov. Andrew Cuomo on both sides of the aisle.

The weather has turned cool and there are hints of autumn in the trees, especially in the Adirondacks. But it is still August and the mild weather has actually been perfect for hiking. Brian Mann set out to explore the 12-mile loop trail in the Tongue Mountain range above Lake George. He found park-like forests and a high rocky ridge with amazing views.

The State University of New York board members overseeing charter schools are in the midst of a public comment period on whether charter school teachers should be allowed to have fewer qualifications than public school teachers.Under the controversial proposal, charter schools that already have demonstrated strong academic performance would be able to set their own qualifications, with one proposal requiring a bachelor's degree and just 30 hours of classroom instruction in order to begin teaching students.

West Nile virus has been detected in Clinton County. Health officials say mosquitoes trapped in Plattsburgh, Morrisonville, and Chazy tested positive for the virus. No human cases have been reported so far. West Nile first came to the U.S. back in 1999, according to the Mayo Clinic, but it hasn't been seen in the Plattsburgh area in more than ten years.

It looks like a great weekend shaping-up weather-wise, though temperatures will on the cool side of the 40s at night. It will be a very busy weekend in the Adirondack backcountry and on the regions lakes and rivers as popular parking areas at trail heads and boat launches, and more convenient campsites fill early - now is a good time to hike, paddle, and camp the less popular areas of the 6 million acre Adirondack Park.

Since the election of President Donald Trump and especially over the last few weeks we've heard a lot of feedback from listeners about our interviews and stories with people whose political views often seem extreme.