Apr 03, 2013 — You never know who you're going to meet by the side of the road in the North Country. David Sommerstein stopped to chat with a guy sawing firewood recently. It turns out he painted one of the tallest bridges over the St. Lawrence River. Today's Heard Up North features Frank Forney of Philadelphia.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Feb 05, 2013 — Recently on NPR's Morning Edition, we've heard stories about health-conscious office workers standing at work, at special elevated work stations. In America, we tend to spend more than half of our waking hours sitting down. On an average day this will probably consist of driving, working at a desk, and then relaxing in front of the TV.

A Potsdam organization - St. Lawrence Health Initiative - has been using standing desks for all 13 employees for more than a year. Executive Director Ruth Fishbeck says she'd also like to experiment with treadmill desks. Todd Moe stopped by recently to talk with Fishbeck about the health benefits of standing at work - weight loss, more energy and better concentration. And, she says, it doesn't mean standing all day.  Go to full article

Rochester, NY, Dec 18, 2012 — It's not unusual for people to wonder if their offices are making them less healthy: people complain of a lack of fresh air, sick coworkers, and uncomfortable chairs, to name a few. In Binghamton University's bioengineering labs, researchers are looking for ways to make workplaces healthier.  Go to full article

Granville, NY, May 11, 2012 — The Obama administration has scrapped an effort to introduce new safety regulations designed to protect the tens of thousands of kids who work in agriculture.

Many farmers are applauding the decision to shelve the rules, calling it a victory for their rural way of life.

But safety experts say more teenagers under the age of 16 die each year working on farms than in all other industries combined.

With the presidential election just six months away, supporters and critics alike say the new rules were just too controversial. North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann reports.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 02, 2012 — There were clear skies, cool temperatures...and a woodpile. A perfect combination for our Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Chazy, NY, Jan 25, 2012 — These are tough times, as libraries grapple with changing technology and shrinking budgets. But librarians in Clinton County say their work is more important than ever. Sarah Harris talked with Stan Ransom, Frances Fairchild, Betsy Brooks, Eva Jankowska and Jacqueline Madison, all librarians in Clinton County.  Go to full article

Toronto, ON, Nov 29, 2011 — This week, as part of a partnership with WBEZ public radio in Chicago, Brian Mann is traveling in Ontario, talking about the very different impact of the recession north of the border. It turns out, workers living just a few miles away, in Canada, have experienced the economic downturn very differently than workers here.

While American cities along the Great Lakes like Buffalo and Rochester struggle and lose population, Toronto and Montreal are growing. They've even added jobs through the recession. Workers who do lose their jobs in Canada have a much more comprehensive social safety net and that may be helping to stabilize and boost the country's overall economy. Brian Mann speaks with Martha Foley from Toronto.  Go to full article

Port Henry, NY, Aug 25, 2011 — It's raining this morning in the Champlain Valley and the National Weather Service has issued a wind warning for the big lake. That means engineers won't be moving the big arch that's needed to complete the new Crown Point bridge. That effort has been pushed back to tomorrow morning.

Patrick Salerno is one of the local workers who's spent much of the last year pushing to finish the new span. He's a mason from Port Henry. Salerno told Brian Mann that he's proud to have been part of building the bridge. But he says working conditions were often "brutal."  Go to full article

Willsboro, NY, Jun 19, 2009 — One of the bills tangled up in the NY Senate meltdown is a controversial measure that would give far more legal rights to New York farm workers. Senator Pedro Espada has been pushing the bill, which would allow farm laborers to unionize more easily. It would also guarantee workers at least one day of rest each week and provide for overtime pay. The bill has strong backing from a variety of labor, immigrant and religious groups, including New York's State Catholic Conference.

But the Farm Bureau and most of the North Country's Albany delegation opposes the bill. In a statement released this week, Democratic state Senator Darrel Aubertine said the bill would force many farms to close down. "I thought we had put this bill behind us for this session," Aubertine wrote, "but now Senator Espada has listed it among his priorities."

We checked in with another lawmaker who opposes the bill. Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward is a Republican and a former dairy farmer from Willsboro. Sayward told Brian Mann that Federal agriculture laws already provide farm workers with enough protections. She called the rules in this proposed law unrealistic.  Go to full article

Glens Falls, NY, Jun 16, 2009 — Representative Scott Murphy has co-sponsored his first set of legislation, since taking office a little more than a month ago. Today and tomorrow, we'll talk with the new Democratic Congressman from Glens Falls about his agenda in Washington. One of the first bills that Murphy is backing is the Employee Free Choice Act. It would allow unions to organize workers without a secret-ballot election, if a majority of employees sign a union card. Business groups and most Republicans have slammed the measure for eliminating the secret ballot. But Murphy says he thinks it would give important new clout to workers. He spoke with Brian Mann.  Go to full article