North Country

Old coal plant on Fort Drum reopens as biomass facility

Joanna Richards — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:46:00 +0000

A once-idled coal plant on Fort Drum has been given new life. ReEnergy Black River is creating dozens of new jobs in the North Country – while maintaining a focus on the environment.

State and local officials gathered recently at the facility to celebrate its grand opening.

Over the past year and a half, New York-based company ReEnergy Holdings has retrofitted the plant on Fort Drum to burn biomass instead of coal. Its primary fuel will be wood chips, created from the waste of the nearby logging industry on the Tug Hill Plateau and southwestern Adirondacks.

Upstate farmers get innovative to access major food markets

Sarah Harris — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:09:30 +0000

Most of the time, Eric Andrus is a beef and rice farmer. But lately, he’s learning to be a boat builder. On this day, he’s in the barn, sanding the hull of a big wooden barge.

“We’re about to apply the second layer of plywood,” Andrus says.

Why low Lake Ontario levels mean high St. Lawrence levels

David Sommerstein — Sat, 18 May 2013 12:34:00 +0000

For quite some time, the Great Lakes -- from Superior to Ontario -- have been at historically low water levels. So many people were surprised this week that regulators are lowering the gates at the Iroquois Dam near Ogdensburg because the St. Lawrence River is too high.

Researchers Don't 'Wine' About Cold Weather, Their Grapes Thrive

David Sommerstein — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:20:00 +0000

A dozen universities are collaborating on a sort of extreme winemaking project: How cold a climate can a grape survive and still make good wine? The Northern Grapes Project is inventing wines the world has never seen before, winning wine awards and creating a new crop for struggling rural economies.

Seven years of spinning turbines have brought windfall to Lewis County communities

Joanna Richards — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:46:49 +0000

Wind farms are a touchy subject in the North Country. As the town of Cape Vincent wrestles with a potential project, in neighboring Lewis County another wind farm has been operating for seven years. The Maple Ridge Wind Farm has brought some big changes to its community.

National Grid power upgrade grant helps Jefferson County dairy farm expand

Joanna Richards — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:11:36 +0000

A Tylerville dairy farm, in Jefferson County, is growing, in part thanks to help from National Grid. The company awarded the farm a grant of $50,000 to increase its access to electricity.

Fort Drum's frequent deployments expected “til the end” in Afghanistan

Joanna Richards — Tue, 07 May 2013 03:14:00 +0000

It's a busy time for Fort Drum, near Watertown. Even as the Army prepares to leave Afghanistan, the post has parts of two brigades deployed. Its aviation unit is about to ship off for a nine-month tour. And the 10^th Mountain Division is expecting more orders from the Pentagon soon.

North Country news giant John Johnson Jr. steps down from Watertown Daily-Times

Joanna Richards — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:47:54 +0000

After a long career devoted to documenting – and shaping – North Country life, John Johnson Jr. is far from calling it quits. But he is stepping down from daily oversight at the Watertown Daily Times and its parent company, Johnson Newspapers, helping to make way for a new generation of family leadership.

Community comes out to support Fort Drum as Army reorganizes

Joanna Richards — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:58:23 +0000

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.

Father, daughter Fort Drum soldiers will deploy together to Afghanistan

Joanna Richards — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:38:28 +0000

An unusual pair of “battle buddies” is about to deploy to Afghanistan from Fort Drum. Michael and Miranda Mogg are a father-daughter pair of soldiers with the 10^th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Army's 10^th Mountain Division.

Army bases' land is resource for generating energy

Ryan Delaney — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:06:55 +0000

The U.S. military is the largest consumer of energy in the federal government. But it also has a tremendous resource for generating its own energy: all the land bases sit on.

North Country economic council gets crash course on Fort Drum's impact

Joanna Richards — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:40:27 +0000

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council, or REDC, held its most recent meeting at Fort Drum last week. The idea was to give members from the region's seven counties greater insight into how the Army post interacts with the local economy. The council also took steps to implement a new program for water and sewer project infrastructure.

North Country Arts Council brings out kids' creativity

Joanna Richards — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 09:40:00 +0000

The North Country Arts Council has been a growing force for cultural activity in the Watertown area since its inception in 2009. The group aims to spotlight the work of regional artists, but it also hopes to draw more community members into arts activities too. Over the schools' winter break this year, the organization offered a day full of different art workshops for kids at its home on Public Square.

Vermont, New York weigh in on proposed natural gas pipeline

Sarah Harris — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 13:21:05 +0000

People packed into the high school auditorium in Hinesburg, Vt. last week, to voice their opinions on a proposed natural gas pipeline before the Vermont Public Service Board.

Watertown City Council tries to ban roommates – but planning officials say measure is unenforceable

Joanna Richards — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:51:00 +0000

The Watertown City Council has received 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.

Women learn art of wood splitting at hands-on workshop

Joanna Richards — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:17:00 +0000

Our reporter, Joanna Richards, is a city girl. But since she moved to the north country four years ago, she's been boning up on the traditions and culture of rural life. She had a chance recently for a bit of North Country skill building, in a workshop on wood splitting especially for women. Joanna tells the story of her lesson.

Federal sequester means deep cuts at Fort Drum, impact on regional economy

Joanna Richards — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 13:47:50 +0000

The federal government's across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester are set to kick in Friday, barring an agreement between Congress and the president. That means a big impact for defense spending, including for Fort Drum, an important regional economic driver.

SUNY Adirondack, BOCES partner on high school program

Sarah Harris — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:00:12 +0000

SUNY Adirondack in Queensbury and the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, or BOCES, serving the surrounding counties are partnering on a new science and technology program for high school students.

Businesses bypassed by new I-81 connector road have mixed reactions

Joanna Richards — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:55:53 +0000

Until recently, the only way to drive between Route 11 and Interstate 81 near Fort Drum was a two-lane road, Route 342. As the Army base grew, local businesses flocked there to serve the increasing traffic. But the state built an $87 million bypass to ease traffic and give military vehicles a direct route to Fort Drum’s main gate. I-781, as it’s known, opened last December. Local shop owners have had mixed reactions to the new road.

New York's small gun retailers have to adjust to new gun laws

Sarah Harris — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:02:47 +0000

If you’re buying a gun, chances are you can find what you want at big box stores like Gander Mountain, Dicks, and Walmart. But New York state is also home to over 1,800 small gun retailers, who are trying to adjust to the state¿s new gun laws.

Russell legislation would redistribute school aid to help poorer districts

Joanna Richards — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 04:27:00 +0000

Democratic Assemblywoman Addie Russell, of Theresa, thinks the current state school aid formula is broken, benefiting wealthier districts at the expense of poorer ones. She says legislation she's introduced would make the formula more equitable.

North Country sustainability plan considers environment, economy

Sarah Harris — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 10:53:00 +0000

The North Country Sustainability Plan was unveiled last week. It tackles energy, land use, transportation and water and waste management across seven counties.The Adirondack North Country Association, Ecology and Environment Inc., and Essex County spent much of the past year compiling the plan. They enlisted the help of another 200 people from around the region for the working groups.

Owens: Fort Drum “in good shape” as Army considers cutbacks

Joanna Richards — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:03:53 +0000

The U.S. military is in the process of cutting almost half a trillion dollars from its budget over ten years. The Pentagon says the cuts will lead to a more agile force with a new strategic mission. A new Army report weighs alternatives for restructuring that could affect Fort Drum. Under one scenario, the post could see an increase of 3,000 soldiers, but under another, it could lose up to 8,000 soldiers and 15 percent of its civilian workforce.

Soldiers say women welcome in greater combat roles – as long as they can hold their own

Joanna Richards — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:06:11 +0000

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to announce Thursday that a ban on women serving in combat roles in the military will be lifted over the coming years. Around heavily-deployed Fort Drum, soldiers generally welcomed the news – with some caveats.

Wounded Fort Drum soldier calls president's inaugural address “on-the-job encouragement”

Joanna Richards — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:32:42 +0000

More than half a million people gathered on the National Mall in front of the Capitol to be a part of President Barack Obama's second inauguration. Among them were about 10 wounded warriors who have been recovering at Walter Reed hospital in Washington. Among that group were four Fort Drum soldiers. One, Specialist Jacob Owens, spoke with a reporter after a long day full of ceremony.

Extension of wind energy production tax credit likely to trigger rush on components

Sarah Harris — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 21:25:43 +0000

The last-minute fiscal cliff deal brought good news for the wind industry. Congress agreed to extend production tax credits for wind energy producers until the end of 2013.

North Country housing market tight as Fort Drum deployments smaller, shorter

Joanna Richards — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:21:24 +0000

Nearly all of Fort Drum's soldiers are at the post right now, not on deployments – and that's a first for the region since the installation's expansion in 2001. That has tightened the region's housing market, for soldiers, who have fewer choices, and for civilians, who don't receive housing assistance like soldiers do and are looking for affordable housing.

New database makes Fort Drum's historic cemeteries more accessible

Joanna Richards — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 12:00:00 +0000

With the outbreak of World War Two, the Army installation then known as Pine Camp expanded, to become Camp Drum and eventually Fort Drum today. In the process, it swallowed up several villages, including their cemeteries. Fort Drum researchers have created a database and new maps that will help family members of those buried at the cemeteries to find and visit their loved ones' gravesites, both in person and online.

In the Adirondacks, a new model of primary care

Sarah Harris — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:36:40 +0000

On a Monday afternoon in December the Moreau Family Health Center, just south of Glens Falls, is packed. The doctor’s seeing patients back-to-back - and so is care coordinator Jessica Casey.

Information technology improves health care in the North Country

Joanna Richards — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:11:00 +0000

While lots of industries turned to information technology long ago to improve efficiency, accuracy and collaboration, until now, health care has lagged behind. Now, a big project has aimed to leverage IT in the health care in the state’s rural North Country.