Mar 29, 2006 — Sex offenders may be effectively barred from living in Ogdensburg. A proposed law would prohibit all sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school, park, playground, or licensed day care center. Such "pedophile-free zones" are becoming more popular around the country, and similar laws have been passed in Buffalo, Amherst and Cheektowaga, New York. Now State lawmakes are considering a bill in Albany. Gregory Warner reports.  Go to full article

Mar 17, 2006 — Congressman Sherwood Boehlert announced today that he will not run for re-election. The Republican from Oneida County served in Washington for more than 24 years. Sherwood Boehlert was a moderate Republican who frequently clashed with the Bush administration. Brian Mann joined Gregory Warner live on All Before Five to talk about what this might mean for the region and both parties.  Go to full article

Mar 16, 2006 — Legislative conference committees have begun meeting on a budget agreement, due April 1. Most of the talk centers on restoring money to programs cut by Gov. Pataki. Karen DeWitt reports.  Go to full article

Mar 06, 2006 — Since 1998, Governor Pataki has proposed civil confinement legilislation that would enable New York State to civilly commit violent sex offenders after their release from prison. Republicans this year have pushed hard for such legislation this year, and lawmakers in Albany now seem close to a compromise bill. The governor's proposed budget provides $192 million for the project, the bulk of which would go towards capital costs to prepare 8 selected housing sites around the state to accept civilly confined sexual offenders as soon as October of 2006. One of those eight proposed sites is a building at St Lawrence Psychiatric Center, in Ogdensburg. As Gregory Warner reports, local residents aren't all happy about the idea.  Go to full article

Mar 02, 2006 — The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) has introduced a bill they say would help students whose family incomes change radically in mid-year to make changes to their financial aid. Gregory Warner reports.  Go to full article

Feb 24, 2006 — On the last Friday of every month, at the US Federal Courthouse in Albany, there's a swearing in ceremony for naturalized citizens. This morning, 64 new Americans were there. One of them was Hye Chong Yi, from Potsdam.  Go to full article

Feb 16, 2006 — Today, inmates around New York State will pick up the phone to call their families - collect, as always. But this time, families will refuse to accept the charges. It's a one-day boycott to protest the high rates charged by the phone company MCI. MCI has had an exclusive contract to provide phone service for inmates since 1999. Rates for the prisoners' collect calls are more than six times higher than regular consumer rates. Inmates can only call collect, and the charges add up for families on the other end. Advocates say that these high rates threaten inmates' family ties - a crucial bulwark against recidivism. They're also critical of the contract deal. MCI gives over half the profits to the state. Advocates call that a kickback scheme. But the contract is set to expire at the end of March, and the State Senate appears set to make a change. Gregory Warner reports.  Go to full article

Feb 08, 2006 — Governor Pataki's proposed budget would mean hundreds of millions of dollars in funding cuts to hospitals and nursing homes statewide.  Go to full article

Dec 19, 2005 — Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has imposed penalties on fifteen gas stations across the state for unfair price gouging in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Go to full article

Sep 12, 2005 — Heating oil prices are at record highs, 54% higher than last winter. Natural Gas prices are up 135%. The money that's out there to help low income families heat their homes -won't go as far this year. Representative John McHugh has joined 57 other congressional leaders asking President Bush to authorize $900 million in supplemental funding for LiHEAP. That stands for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.  Go to full article