Top Stories from NCPR

Rain and a warming into the 40s this week seriously damaged the Adirondack snowpack and has created very icy trail conditions, along with crusted snow off trail. There is still snow several feet deep at higher elevations however, and a return to cold weather this weekend is a reminder that despite the spring-like weather this week, we’ve got some considerable winter left ahead of us. [full story]

After months of tense meetings, Plattsburgh city councilors are expected to pass the 2017 budget Friday night. They’ve been making lots of tough choices, trying to find cuts to spare city taxpayers from a major property tax increase. A 22 percent increase was on the table at earlier meetings. But city officials have found savings to bring that down to just under seven percent. [full story]

The new Republican Congress is working to dismantle President Obama’s health care law. Led on by Vermont U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Democrats and progressives are staging marches nationwide this weekend to urge them to change course. Demonstrations Sunday in Canton, Saranac Lake, and Plattsburgh are targeting the North Country’s representative in Congress. [full story]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has ended his six-city State of the State tour, speaking for nine hours total, according to his estimates, and traveling over 1,200 miles - with one emergency helicopter landing thrown in for good measure.But the departure from the traditional speech before lawmakers at the Capitol has its advantages and its drawbacks. [full story]

Lakes are often portrayed as calm and serene, but Dave Sanford knows better. The Canadian photographer uses his images to reveal a spookier, more ominous side of the Great Lakes.We wanted to know more about his connection to the Great Lakes. Here are excerpts from our conversation, edited for clarity. [full story]

Researchers have found that variations in the wingspan of cliff swallows has a measurable impact on their survival in a human-dominated environment. In this week's Natural Selections, Dr. Curt Stager and Martha Foley discuss how cliff swallows living in a high traffic area have adapted to survive the conditions. [full story]

We first met Michael Cunningham at the Howl Story Slam in North Creek on September 11. Just a few days later he joined us in Heuvelton for the Howl Grand Slam event. It was there that Michael shared his story “Man of the House. ” He recalled the moment as a child when his father unexpectedly returned from the war in Vietnam, and Michael realized his father was no longer the dad he used to know.The Adirondack Center for Writing is co-sponsor of the Howl Story Slams [full story]

Gov. Andrew Cuomo saved his ethics proposals for the last stop of his State of the State tour in Albany, where he released a 10-point plan to address rampant corruption that has reached his own administration. [full story]

The new year always brings a lot of visitors to our local ice rinks in the North Country, from hockey leagues to kids testing out the skates they got for Christmas. The indoor rink in Canton has been so busy this winter that the village hired its first-ever skateguards - eight teenagers entrusted with the public's safety out on the ice. So, how does that work? [full story]

The Plattsburgh International Airport has won a $38-million state grant. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office announced the funding yesterday as part of his State of the State address. The money comes from a grant competition for upstate airports. It’s meant to help Plattsburgh International modernize and build new facilities. [full story]