Top Stories from NCPR

Pruning time has arrived, but there's no rush. You have the month of April, at least until the buds come, to get it done.Amy Ivy and Martha Foley share some tips for a good pruning strategy. Get the dead stuff out, obviously, but with flowering shrubs like lilac or mock orange, you might want to get rid of dominant gnarly older stems, too, since young growth flowers more abundantly.And lopping shears are fine for smaller branches, but move up to a saw if you find you are straining yourself, or your tool. [full story]

The debate over healthcare in Washington last week sent shockwaves throughout the North Country. Republicans couldn’t get enough support for their bill in the House, so they pulled it back. Now, people across the region are asking what it means for them and where the debate could go next. [full story]

Several proposals in Washington, including the changes to the Affordable Health Care Act, could mean multi-billion-dollar budget gaps for New York state. With the budget due in one week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders think that at the very least, they may have to come back later in the year to revise the spending plan. [full story]

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand was in Plattsburgh on Friday talking about the need to protect arts organizations from potential cuts in the federal budget. President Trump wants to zero out all federal funding for the arts, humanities, and public media. Gillibrand said more people need to speak out against Trump’s budget proposals. [full story]

When we think about the region between the St. Lawrence River and the Adirondack mountains, we mostly think farmland. But there’s a strip in Jefferson County that feels like you could be in an Adirondack forest. [full story]

While it will be warm below about Albany this weekend, the Adirondacks will remain mostly cold with a mix of precipitation possible through Sunday night that could bring several inches of ice, sleet, rain, and/or snow, especially in the mountains. This could produce icy hiking and fast skiing conditions this weekend. [full story]

It’s been a week since President Donald Trump put out his so-called skinny budget. He's promised to shrink federal government by getting rid of programs like Essential Air Service, which helps subsidize commercial flights to small, hard-to-reach towns. That includes a handful here in the North Country. [full story]

With a healthcare vote expected sometime later today in the House, North Country congresswoman Elise Stefanik still isn't saying how she'll vote. Yesterday afternoon her office said the legislation is still being "finalized." "She is waiting to review the final text that is passed through all Committees and negotiated by Congress and the White House," said spokesman Tom Flanagin. [full story]

We have more this morning on the thousands of people leaving the U.S. and seeking asylum in Canada. Many families who fear being detained on our side of the border say they feel safer in Canada. So far, they’ve been welcomed with open arms, but that may be changing. [full story]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he’s considering suing the federal government over an amendment to the health care act proposed by two New York congressmen, saying it may violate state sovereignty. [full story]