Top Stories from NCPR

Renowned birding field guide author and artist David Sibley is back in the North Country this week. Sibley is the author and illustrator of "The Sibley Guide to Birds," which was published in 2000 and is widely considered as the most comprehensive guide to North American birds. He'll be the featured speaker this afternoon as SUNY Canton kicks off its Scholarly Activities Celebration. Sibley was seven years old when he began drawing birds and has dedicated almost his entire life to researching, documenting and studying birds. He's a self-taught artist, and says he's probably more busy studying birds today than at any time in his life. [full story]

The new state budget includes $2 million to fix the Whispering Maples mausoleums in Clinton County.The facilities in Plattsburgh and Ellenburg have fallen into disrepair over the last several years with leaks, dirty carpeting, and other problems. People who have family members interred there have been horrified and angry. Now there’s a sense of relief, and people are eager to see the repairs get started. [full story]

It’s early spring, so be prepared for a variety of conditions, especially if you are headed to summits in the High Peaks. [full story]

The Adirondack Park Agency is moving toward finalizing classification for the 22,000-acre Boreas Ponds tract. That could create one of the largest wilderness areas in the eastern U.S. We also reported this week on big changes at the Nature Conservancy, the green group that engineered that land deal. This all comes as Governor Andrew Cuomo earmarks another $60 million in next year's budget to boost tourism destinations in the Park. Adirondack bureau chief Brian Mann joins Martha Foley to take a step back and talk about the big picture inside the blue line. [full story]

The 6th Annual North Country Folk Festival in Canton will be held on the St. Lawrence University campus on Saturday. The all-day event will feature eleven hours of music, a contra dance, dinner, and many local vendors and demonstrators. The Festival is coordinated by St. Lawrence University's Green House.Todd Moe spoke with SLU senior Kealey Viglielmo, one of the organizers of the event. He says it's a family-friendly celebration of folk music, folk arts, local living, and traditional skills of the North Country.The 6th annual North Country Folk Festival is Saturday, April 15, from noon until 11:00 pm on campus at the Old Java Quad located directly across from the Brewer Book Store at 92 Park Street. The event is free and open to the public. [full story]

Before leaving Albany, state legislators signed off on one of the biggest items on the governor’s wish list: free college tuition. At a press conference this week, Governor Cuomo told reporters it’ll benefit New York’s students and their families. "It’s also smart for the state because businesses come to the states for an educated workforce," Cuomo said. But the governor didn't get his way when it came to K-12 education. [full story]

The Northern Flicker is one of the most recognizable birds. This distinctly-marked member of the woodpecker family, instead of browsing wood for their food like their relatives, digs for food in the ground. Martha Foley and Curt Stager explore its habits. [full story]

Watertown media are reporting the varsity baseball coach at Indian River Central School has been arrested for allegedly putting a 16 year old student in a choke-hold, causing the boy to lose consciousness.According to WWNY-TV, state police charged 46 year old Lloyd Kevin Smith of Theresa with endangering the welfare of a child. [full story]

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise is reporting that state officials won't allow the Adirondack Scenic Railroad to operate tourist trains between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake this summer. [full story]

Travel along the back roads and rural sectors of Ontario, just north of Brockville, and you'll likely pass old stone cottages and farm houses. Many were built by Irish masons in the mid-19th century. Some are crumbling, others remodeled beyond recognition, and a few are being restored to their original charm. Last fall, Todd Moe tagged along as Brockvile photographer Gordon Beck gave him a tour of some of the small hamlets and farmlands in eastern Ontario. Beck, a photo-journalist, is using his camera to document the rural landscapes of Leeds & Grenville county with a special project to record historic barns and farmsteads.About a year ago, Warren Coutts and his wife, Aileen, found an old farm in just the right spot between Ottawa and the Thousand Islands. The stone house needs new windows and the gardens and orchards were overgrown. Tucked away along a gravel road, Warren says they're ready to tackle the restoration and renovation. Gordon Beck dropped Todd off for a tour of the Coutt's new, old home. It's an 1840's stone cottage and out buildings in need of some TLC. [full story]