Apr 29, 2013 — About 200 community members turned up in a school auditorium in Watertown Thursday night in a showing of regional support for Fort Drum. The event was billed as a "listening session" for the Army, to inform a process of personnel cutbacks and reorganization currently affecting military installations around the country.

Leaders in local government, education, business, transportation, housing, health care and more turned out at Case Middle School to bolster the community's case for maintaining strong troop levels at Fort Drum.  Go to full article

Apr 17, 2013 — You might have been surprised last summer to hear politicians walking around and talking about--yogurt. Governor Andrew Cuomo held a Yogurt Summit at the Capitol in Albany, where he said the explosion of the Greek yogurt industry in New York is a once-in-a-generation moment. "This is one of the best private sector market opportunities that Upstate New York has had in 30, 40 years," procliamed Cuomo. "I don't know when we get another one. I really, really don't. And that entrepreneurial spirit is when you see an opportunity, grab it."

New York has invested millions of dollars in tax breaks into new and expanding yogurt plants. Cuomo wants to ease environmental rules to encourage 200 cow dairy farms to become 300 cow dairy farms and make more milk.

Experts say New York farmers will have to boost milk production by 15 percent, or two billion pounds each year, to keep up with demand.

So does New York have a milk shortage? And are farmers stepping up it fill it?

The answers lie in cream cheese, Old McDonald, and something called the Chobani Paradox.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Mar 08, 2013 — The Watertown City Council has gotten a lot of pushback and even ridicule in the media recently for passing what's being referred to as a "roommate ban." Last month, in response to a neighbor dispute, the City Council removed language from the zoning code that allowed the renting out of rooms in single-family homes. But city planning officials say the regulatory change is completely unenforceable.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Jan 15, 2013 — It's an eerie sight: Every winter, around dusk each night, a flock of between 20,000 and 30,000 crows gathers in the trees around the Black River in Watertown.

They can be a neat sight against the white winter landscape, but the city wants them gone. That's because they squawk and poop and generally annoy a lot of city residents. The city has hired a wildlife management company to disperse the birds.  Go to full article

Jan 14, 2013 — New York Sen. Charles Schumer was in Lowville, in Lewis County, on Friday, to announce the restoration of funding for the state's rural hospitals as part of the fiscal cliff deal.

After his announcement, Schumer responded to reporters' questions about other issues, including sequestration, automatic across-the-board spending cuts that will take effect if Congress doesn't enact another deficit reduction plan soon.  Go to full article

Fort Drum, NY, Dec 06, 2012 — The new road connecting Interstate 81 with Fort Drum's north gate on Route 11 opens today. It's designed to take traffic off the growing commercial areas outside the Army base.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Nov 26, 2012 — At a packed public meeting November 7 in Watertown, state environmental and health officials spoke with members of the public concerned about pollution on the city's north side with the New York Air Brake plant at the center of concern.

Now, DEC officials say they're working with the information they got at the meeting and figuring out what might come next.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Nov 07, 2012 — Jefferson County businessman Matt Doheny lost a second straight close election to Democratic Congressman Bill Owens. With the race neck and neck most of the night, Owens took a 4,000 vote lead late.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Oct 26, 2012 — The two major party candidates met for the last debate in the North Country's Congressional race Thursday night in Watertown. Green Party candidate Don Hassig wasn't invited to the event hosted by YNN TV.

Incumbent Democrat Bill Owens and Republican Matt Doheny sparred on well-trodden ground, like tax cuts, the deficit, and Medicare.

They also differed, sharply at times, on a range of other issues, including the military.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Oct 26, 2012 — While military issues were a big part of Thursday night's debate between congressional candidates Matt Doheny (R) and incumbent Bill Owens (D), the economy and unemployment were on most voters' minds. Joanna Richards took a sampling of public opinion right after the debate.  Go to full article