Top Stories from NCPR

A new pre-teen novel by a St. Lawrence County librarian includes kid-friendly antics, a bit of mystery and conspiratorial theatrics. "How to Stage a Catastrophe" is Rebecca Donnelly's debut novel. The book's main character and narrator is sixth grader Sidney, an aspiring theater director, who rallies a group of friends to save their local community theater from closing.Rebecca Donnelly is the director at the Norwood Library, where she hosts regular events and programs for younger readers. She told Todd Moe that she began her career as a children's librarian about ten years ago, and that's helped her develop a sense of what young readers are looking for. [full story]

People in the Thousand Islands are watching the high spring waters of the St. Lawrence River. Upstream, residents are trying to protect their shoreline property from potential flooding as water levels continue to rise on Lake Ontario. [full story]

A residency requirement for college students seeking free tuition at New York’s public colleges is drawing criticism. Gov. Andrew Cuomo defended the late addition to the plan, approved as part of the state budget earlier this month. [full story]

This winter has brought some major changes to the shopping mall in Massena. The St. Lawrence Centre Mall was recently bought out by developers from Canada. They’ve hired a new manager, Erica Leonard, and now, it's her job to breathe some life back into the mall. [full story]

Ten percent of Americans suffer from sleep disorders or parasomnia. In his new novel "The Sleepwalker," Vermont writer Chris Bohjalian explores this mysterious world inhabited by the few who travel there in their sleep. [full story]

The recently-passed state budget eliminates a cap on New York’s burgeoning industrial hemp industry. That will allow more farmers to be able to research, grow and process a crop that could turn into a million dollar business. [full story]

If you’ve driven much around the Adirondacks, you’ve most likely seen one of the North Country’s largest seed potato farms; you just didn’t know it. Leavitt Farms is located on Route 86 between Gabriels and Saranac Lake - with high, open fields, and stunning views of the Adirondacks. [full story]

The North Country is a sparsely populated region with less than 5% of New York state’s total population. Local officials have often complained of neglect and abandonment by officials in Albany, a claim that Governor Andrew Cuomo echoed last week during a visit to Lake Placid. Is it true? And is Governor Cuomo substantially different from other governors in his focus on the region's economy? [full story]

Governor Andrew Cuomo visited Lake Placid on Friday as part of a statewide victory lap following passage of a new budget. He described himself as a game-changer for the North Country, pointing to massive investments of taxpayer money in the region. [full story]

Think chocolate cake. A handful of good soil will look like a handful of chocolate cake: dark and rich, holding together but a little crumbly at the edges. Space for whipped cream to soak in (in the case of cake) or air and water, in the case of soil. Cooperative Extension's Amy Ivy says it's the aggregates that keep the texture right. She explains what aggregates are and how they work. She has tips on how protect and encourage them. [full story]