The Adirondacks

(03/09/12) Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward's announcement last week that she won't seek another term has potential candidates mulling their options. As of today, at least seven people have expressed moderate to serious interest in running for her seat.

The district includes Essex, Hamilton, Warren and part of Saratoga counties. Redistricting proposals could cut out Hamilton County in favor of Washington County. Chris Morris reports. more

(03/09/12) Veteran North Country Republican Teresa Sayward, who won't seek another Assembly term, says she's leaning toward voting for President Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential race. Sayward made the surprise statement during an interview on YNN's program "Capital Tonight."

Sayward has been an advocate of gay rights and supported same-sex marriage in New York, describing it as a "civil rights issue." During the interview with YNN, Sayward complained that Republicans on the national stage are pushing a religious agenda that, in her view, meddles too far in people's private lives.

Sayward, a former town supervisor from Willsboro, served 10 years in the Assembly as a Republican. A race is now underway to fill her seat, with at least seven candidates considering a run.

(03/09/12) A town supervisor in Saranac Lake is considering resigning amid allegations that he sexually harassed the town's former bookkeeper.

The Harrietstown town board agreed in December to have its insurance company pay Brenda LaPierre $30,000 to settle a sexual harassment complaint she filed last year against Larry Miller. Miller's been the town's supervisor since 2002.

As Chris Knight reports, those involved are saying little about the case because of a confidentiality agreement that's part of the settlement. more

(03/09/12) The House Agriculture Committee convenes a hearing this morning on the federal Farm Bill at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake.

The hearing is one of only four scheduled for outside Washington DC so far on the bill. It comes at the invitation of Rep. Bill Owens of Plattsburgh. The public is welcome.

See the live webcast via the link below, and hear more this afternoon on All Before Five. more

(03/09/12) John Warren, of the Adirondack Almanack, joins us Friday mornings with information about local outdoor and back-country conditions. more

(03/09/12) About 300 people showed up for Friday's farm bill forum at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake. The US House Agriculture Committee hearing was one of only 4 to be held outside Washington, DC.

The Farm bill is rewritten every four years--the last time the massive set of regulations was authorized was in 2008. The current farm bill expires in September. more

(03/08/12) With temperatures in the Tri-Lakes area soaring into the mid-50s today, the Olympic Regional Development Authority officially canceled this year's Lake Placid "Loppet" ski race, planned for this weekend.

The race had already been delayed once due to warm weather and lack of snow. The long-distance cross-country race is one of the most popular in the Northeast.

(03/07/12) Folk singer Lee Knight has spent much of his life collecting and recording traditional songs of the Adirondacks and the Appalachians. He grew up in Saranac Lake and now lives in North Carolina.

Knight returns to the North Country every now and then to continue his research. He'll be at BluSeed Studios in Saranac Lake Thursday night (7 pm) as part of TAUNY's Song and Story Swaps series. Lee joined Todd Moe in the NCPR studios this morning to share some Native American music.

(03/06/12) The Adirondack North Country Association is sponsoring its 26th annual "Buyers Days" at the Saratoga Springs City Center this week. The event starts at noon on Wednesday. Todd Moe talks with ANCA's Melissa Hart, who is coordinating the show, which brings together local artisans, food producers together and retail buyers in the region. Although not open to the public, Hart says the event is part of the "buy local" puzzle.

(03/05/12) Gov. Cuomo's Mandate Relief Council continued its statewide tour Friday with a three-hour hearing on at Lake Placid's new conference center.

The council consists of state lawmakers and members of Cuomo's administration. The group listened to concerns about unfunded mandates presented by officials from across the North Country; the system "is broken," they told the council.

Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy moderated Friday's hearing. He said the forums have been educational, and he hopes mandate relief can be accomplished as quickly as possible.

Chris Morris has our story. more