North Country News

New York state Senator Betty Little represents the 45th district, which includes Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Warren and parts of St. Lawrence and Washington Counties. She served seven years in the Assembly before her election to the upper chamber in November 2002. The Republican is now facing Democrat Emily Martz as she seeks another term. Little says she is seeking her 9th term because she loves what she’s doing.

In March, Plattsburgh officials imposed an 18-month moratorium on new cryptocurrency operations in the city.  Last night, the Common Council adopted a local law placing regulations on such operations – but did not end the moratorium.

The 17th annual celebration of film is being held in Lake Placid this weekend. The Lake Placid Film Festival made a few changes this year including its name and when it’s held.

An update now to a story we’ve been following for months: rail cars that were being stored in northern New York.
The Adirondack Council had been critical of the company storing tankers on railroad tracks in the Adirondacks. Iowa Pacific has removed the rail cars and New York state is now petitioning the federal Surface Transportation Board to declare the line abandoned.  The Council recently penned a letter supporting the state effort. Adirondack Council Spokesman John Sheehan says it’s important that people understand the petition would not result in the removal of the tracks.

With two weeks left to campaign, the three candidates running in New York’s 21st district House race participated in their first debate Tuesday. Afterward, each told WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley, who was a member of the panel, they felt they had done well.

The three women running to represent New York’s 21st House district in Congress taped their first debate at Mountain Lake PBS in Plattsburgh yesterday afternoon.  The trio exchanged  barbs throughout the testy session. WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley was a panelist.

On Wednesday, Canada became the largest country in the world to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.  The country shares nearly 4,000-mile border with the United States, excluding Alaska, and while some of the states abutting that border have also legalized pot, the federal government has not.  So authorities on both sides of the border are warning travelers that they cannot bring legal Canadian pot across the border.

With Canada now the largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace border officials are emphasizing that crossing the U.S. border with pot is illegal.

The North Country Chamber of Commerce held its first ever International Trade Day in Plattsburgh Wednesday.  The program brought together border officials and businesses to network and get updates on cross-border regulatory changes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is reiterating that marijuana remains illegal under U.S. federal law as Canada makes it legal.

In the summer of 2017 Emily Martz resigned from the Adirondack North Country Association and announced she was running in the Democratic primary for New York’s 21st Congressional District. She lost that bid and subsequently decided to run for state senate. She is challenging Republican incumbent Betty Little to represent New York’s 45th Senate District. Martz says while she respects Senator Little there are a number of reasons she decided to challenge her.

Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is seeking her third two-year term representing the 21st district of northern New York.   During a visit to Plattsburgh this week she talked about the campaign saying while national analysts like the Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rank the district as safely Republican, she continues to reach out to voters.

State and local officials are marking the completion of the first phase of a long-awaited project intended to create a new gateway to the southern Adirondack region.

New York Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is campaigning for reelection to a third two-year term to represent the sprawling 21st House district. During a visit to Plattsburgh Tuesday, Stefanik discussed several national issues with WAMC North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley. Several of the victims of the Schoharie limousine crash that killed 20 people have ties to the district. Stefanik says Congress should act to tighten regulations on the vehicles.

The day after she announced a $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative award in Amsterdam and hours after doing the same in Albany, New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was in Plattsburgh Thursday to examine projects supported by the first round of awards in 2016.

In 2013, New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli implemented a Fiscal Stress Monitoring System that evaluates local governments. This week the office issued the scores for municipalities with fiscal years that ended on Dec. 31, 2017.  Plattsburgh was among the communities listed with the second-highest level of fiscal stress.  As WAMC North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley reports, the score was not a surprise to Mayor Colin Read.

A new report from environmental groups in the region warns of a potential resurgence of shipments of crude oil through the Adirondacks. Its recommendations include a call for a federal ban of oil by rail transport through the region.

North Country law enforcement officials are highlighting the benefits of a tri-county collaboration supporting a  specially trained law enforcement team.

In May, the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court threw out an effort by Lake Placid to obtain two parcels of land on Main Street by eminent domain. This month village officials approved a bond resolution to purchase the property.

Every year the Adirondack Council publishes its analysis of actions by the governor, legislature, courts, state attorney general, state agencies, local governments and federal policies that affected the 6 million-acre park. The latest State of the Park report came out this morning.

Starting Friday, the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation will prohibit parking on the shoulders of both lanes of Route 73 near the Roaring Brook Falls Trailhead in the Adirondacks.

Plattsburgh’s mayor and common council held a public hearing last night on the mayor’s proposed 2019 city budget.  But no one commented on the $59 million fiscal plan.

New York Democratic Senator Kristen Gillibrand was in Plattsburgh this week. The Democrat says lawmakers need to use the Farm Bill to increase jobs by promoting manufacturing in rural areas.

SUNY Plattsburgh held its annual 9-11 commemoration today to remember the students from the campus lost when the Twin Towers collapsed, and the need to support first responders as health repercussions surface years later.