President Trump’s made good on his promise to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. During his campaign, he called the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the “worst trade deal ever.” And he has repeated his promise to renegotiate it, “by a lot, not just a little.” He’s threatened to withdraw from NAFTA if our partners resist.NAFTA dates back to the 1990s; it’s kind of the grandfather of free trade pacts. It created a highly integrated and competitive economic zone among the three countries.This region’s economy has been a cross-border one for centuries. It’s survived wars, and most recently, the hardening of the border since the 9/11 attacks. As the Trump Administration begins work, North Country business leaders are concerned about losing easy travel and trade.NAFTA in particular reaches broadly into border county economies. According to the North Country Chamber of Commerce, in Clinton County, 15 percent of the workforce has a job related to the Canadian border.Martha Foley talks NAFTA with Robert Thacker, who teaches in the Canadian Studies Department at St. Lawrence University, about the trade pact and the impact a trade dispute or other issues with the new Trump administration could have on U.S.-Canada relations. [full story]

Oscar season is officially upon us. Nominations for the very best in acting and film came out last week, and a North Country native was on the list. Viggo Mortensen is up for best actor for his role in "Captain Fantastic," which he personally presented at a sold-out screening last Friday, as part of the Snowtown Film Festival in Watertown. [full story]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo told a crowd of cheering Planned Parenthood advocates that he’s proposing an amendment to put protections from the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade into the state’s constitution. [full story]

Canadians from Ottawa to Montreal to Quebec City and right across the country held vigils last night following Sunday's mass shooting at a mosque in Quebec City. Brian Mann is in Quebec City to help cover the latest developments there and spoke with Martha Foley. [full story]

Aileen O'Donoghue is one of those people we count on to bring us the passion and excitement in their lives. She delivers.She was excited to tell us today about a lovely set of lights coming up this evening. Bright Venus and the new crescent Moon will form a triangle with Mars (fainter but still visible) to frame an conceptual intersection that's important in the map of the sky. It's the spot of Vernal Equinox, where three lines meet: The Celestial Equator, the Celestial Meridian and the Ecliptic. Yes!!!! [full story]

State Police say there’s been an unusually high number of drug overdoses in the last couple of weeks in Clinton County. They’re warning people that opiates could be stronger than usual, or they’re being laced with dangerous substances. That warning came after a couple of fatal overdoses. [full story]

The new year has brought a lot of uncertainty for healthcare providers in the North Country. Republicans have promised to repeal, and [then possibly] replace Obamacare. The details are sketchy. And as Watertown Daily Times reporter Jen Jackson told this NCPR last week, that’s making it especially hard for rural hospitals to do business. [full story]

The U.S. Army has chosen a familiar figure to become the new commander of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division. Major General Walter Piatt served at the base near Watertown twice. [full story]

Donald Trump's first week in office sparked strong reactions across the country and right here in our region. The president's temporary ban on refugees from seven predominately Muslim countries drew protests but also some support. [full story]

In Canton on Sunday hundreds of people protested President Trump's executive order sharply restricting immigration and refugee protection for Muslims. Clarkson professor Joseph Andriano led part of the rally. [full story]