St. Lawrence County Views & Reviews

Photos of bloody animals killed by hunters belong on a special page, not the home page

2009-10-16T17:18:00.012-04:00

Boy, do emotions run high when the subject of hunting comes up in St. Lawrence County.

More than 180 viewers voiced their opinions in the past 24 hours as to whether it is appropriate to display photos of dead animals killed by hunters on the home page of NorthCountryNow.com.

A photo of a bear shot with a bow-and-arrow in South Colton that was featured Thursday prompted the debate. It was shown partially gutted, hanging from a rafter with bloody areas visible.

By early afternoon, three viewers told us they were revolted by the image, and at least one vowed to remove NorthCountryNow.com as their home page.

So we decided to ask more viewers for their opinions. That blog and the viewer comments appear here.

The results?

Based on a quick tally of comments posted by viewers:

-- Approximately 54 percent of viewers approved of the photo, feeling it reflects life in the North Country. Some said they would like to see other photos of hunters’ “trophies.”

-- About 34 percent were repulsed by the sight of a dead, bloody animal, and felt offended at being forced to look at the image without warning when visiting NorthCountryNow.com for the first time in the day. Several people were concerned such photos could startle or scare children.

-- Another 12 percent offered a “middle ground” suggestion. They recommended posting hunting and fishing photos on a special page instead of on the home page.

We like that idea.

It’s clear many North Country residents enjoy and advocate hunting. At the same time, a large number of people in St. Lawrence County find the sport revolting and tasteless.

We agree that the many who are offended by hunting should not be forced to look at a bloody animal when first logging on to the internet.

We'll still run occasional photos submitted by proud hunters and fishermen and women on the home page, but will be more sensitive in selecting the pictures that will appear for all to see.

Our hope is that NorthCountryNow.com can serve all factions of the population in St. Lawrence County, regardless of their views on particular issues.

With that in mind, we will be developing a special page for viewer-submitted hunting and fishing photos for the slight majority of viewers who would enjoy such a feature. We expect it will be operational by Thanksgiving weekend. We wish the page could be ready sooner than that, but our web site developer is tied up with other projects that must be completed first.

In the meantime, those who would like to submit photos to be considered for posting on that page are welcome to send them to webmaster@NorthCountryNow.com. Remember to include the name(s) of people in the photo, location, date the picture was taken and any other pertinent details.

Thank you to all who submitted their views on the subject.

Should NCNow post photos of animals killed by hunters?

2009-10-15T16:07:00.007-04:00

Today’s photo of a bloody, partially gutted bear shot with a bow-and-arrow in South Colton prompted strong objections from several viewers.

“That is a pretty tasteless photo of a dead bloody bear on the front page. After a few days of nice pictures of Moose (ALIVE) in the area, you show this??” e-mailed one person.

Said another, “You have had many nice photos greeting readers on your home page in the past, but I find the hanging, gutted bear photo very disturbing.”

And a third person said they would stop using NorthCountryNow.com as their home page: “My internet browser has been set up to open with NorthCountryNow.com as homepage. The daily continuous local news updates, and the local pictures have been enjoyable. However, the sight of the partially degutted black bear corpse, slaughtered for no apparent reason but the joy of killing, as well as earlier photos of children with hunted pheasants, dead turkeys and fish has made me leery of what images will assault my sight next. NorthCountryNow.com will be retired to bookmark status on my computer.”

For the many hunters in St. Lawrence County, pictures such as today’s can be interesting and exciting.

But for many others, they are revolting.

Do you think NorthCountryNow.com should post photos of animals killed by hunters? Share your opinions with us by posting a comment.

Ogdensburg receives nationwide tv recognition this morning.

2009-01-20T07:36:00.007-05:00

Ogdensburg received nationwide recognition this morning from New York's senior Senator, Chuck Schumer.

Appearing as a guest on "Morning Joe," a daily talk show broadcast on MSNBC, Schumer noted he could feel the excitement of today's Obama inauguration downstate as well as in "Ogdensburg New York."

New York's soon-to-depart junior senator, Hillary Clinton, however, has visited St. Lawrence County many more times than Schumer in recent years. She is slated to become the next U. S. Secretary of State.

Only one bank serving our county receiving funds from $350 billion TARP program

2009-01-11T09:29:00.005-05:00

The U. S. is feverishly spending $350 billion through the Troubled Assets Relief Program in hopes of stabilizing the nation’s faltering economy, but only one bank serving St. Lawrence County is receiving the funds.

Key Bank , which has branches in Ogdensburg, Massena, Gouverneur, Canton, Potsdam, and Winthrop, is selling $2.5 billion in preferred stock and warrants through the TARP program. The 12th largest bank in the nation based on assets, Key is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Details of the TARP financing are available from the U. S. Treasury’s website.

Other than HSBC, which is headquartered in London, England and has branches in Massena, Potsdam, Ogdensburg and Gouverneur, the only other financial institution not based in New York State is Woodforest National Bank. It has been opening branches in Wal-Marts throughout the nation, including those in Massena and Potsdam.

All the rest of our financial institutions are small and local, with headquarters within our county or northern or upstate New York.

North Country Savings and SeaComm Federal Credit Union headquarters are in Canton and Massena, respectively. Community Bank, whose roots are in Canton, is now based in Dewitt. Gouverneur Savings and Loan and Massena Savings and Loan are both hometown institutions. And St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union, is based in Ogdensburg with a branch in Canton.

Adirondack Regional Federal Credit Union, which has a Potsdam location, is based in Tupper Lake. Upstate National Bank, with headquarters in Rochester, has branches in Ogdensburg and Lisbon.

According to CNN, the money for the first half of the total $700 billion in TARP funding was allocated for shoring up financial institutions. The program:

• sent checks totaling $168 billion in varying amounts to 116 banks;

• committed another $82 billion to capitalize more banks;

• bought $40 billion in preferred shares of American International Group (AIG, Fortune 500) so the troubled insurer could pay off an earlier loan from the Federal Reserve;

• committed $20 billion to back any losses that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York might incur under the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility;

• committed to invest $20 billion in Citigroup on top of $25 billion the bank had already received;

• committed $5 billion as a loan loss backstop to Citigroup;

• agreed to loan $13.4 billion to GM and Chrysler to get them through the next few months.

Clean out the basement: North Country Now now offers free 'for sale' ads

2009-01-04T17:31:00.003-05:00

Clean out the garage, go through the basement … perhaps you can make some money.

NorthCountryNow.com recently launched another new feature, Items Under $500 .

It’s a free, self-service way to sell unneeded and unused items to your friends and neighbors in St. Lawrence County.

To list an item, click on the “Items Under $500” link below the “Classifieds” heading at the top of the tool bar on the left of most pages on NorthCountryNow.com. Currently posted items for sale will appear.

Then, to submit your ad, click on the “Sell an Item” link in the green bar running across the page. You will be prompted to select a category from a pull-down menu, state the price and provide a description. You’ll also have an opportunity to revise your description if you wish.

After a quick review by our staff, your submission should appear online by the end of the next business day. Currently, our plan is to keep the ads posted for a month, but that may change depending on the number of ads that are submitted.

The new feature was designed by Kristin Shumway of Potsdam, a junior at SUNY Geneseo majoring in computer science. She also created the recently launched “Lost and Found” feature.

Now, do you think there’s value in those Beanie Babies packed away in the attic?

Flashback: What was happening in each St. Lawrence County town 200 years ago?

2009-01-01T08:31:00.004-05:00

Welcome to 2009!

But what was happening in St. Lawrence County 200 years ago?

Connie Sterner, whose fascinating North Country History website , is filled with historical photos census data, newspaper clippings and more, can tell us.

Here’s a “Flashback” she sent to us the other day with highlights of what was going on in 1809 in each of St. Lawrence County’s towns.

Bucks Bridge -- Isaac Buck, from Shoreham Vt, a veteran of the Revolutionary War built a bridge (yes, Buck's Bridge!) and saw mill.

Canton -- Daniel Campbell was Town Supervisor

DeKalb -- Judge Cooper was killed in Albany. Licenses were granted to Jonathan Haskins and Salmon Rich to keep taverns. Salmon built a saw mill on Borland Creek.

Depeyster -- James Averell 2nd came from Cooperstown on pack horses and settled near Silas Kellogg's Tavern. He opened a store in a log building. Smith Stillwell came the same year.

Fowler -- the Hailesboro grist mill was carried away by flood.

Gouverneur - In 1809 a clearing of 80 acres was ade in the vicinity of the Natural Dam by Joseph Bolton for Mr. Morris who erected a saw and grist mill which were know as Morris' Mill. (Gouverneur Morris traveled down the Oswegatchie River from Gouverneur to Ogdensburg by flat boat in 1808.) In the autumn of 1809 the first district school was opened and a small school was built by the Presbyterian church taught by Silas Brook. He was succeeded by Betsy Sackett who became the wife of John Parker. John Brown opened the first store at the east end of the bridge.

Hermon -- Thomas Tanner came to Hermon.

Hopkinton -- Henry McLaughlin was Town Supervisor

Lawrenceville -- Ephraim Martin arrived and built the first saw mill.

Madrid -- Hamblin-Castle Distillery was built

Massena -- a wolf bounty of $3 was voted in.

Norfolk -- There were no roads in Norfolk, only a trail from Potsdam to Raymondville in 1809. Erastus Hall and Ira Brewer came from Tyringham, Mass., cleared land and built a frame house near Louisville. Eben Johnson came from Williston Vt.

Ogdensburg -- The schooner "Experiment", first boat built in the city, was launched. Construction of the Parish mansion was underway. Rossell grants building of a school for 30 children. The First Baptist Church was organized.

Parishville -- Town Supervisor was Joseph Crary and that year Mr. Hoard surveyed and cut a road from Potsdam to the site of Parishville village. From Vt. and Mass. came Luke Brown, Isaac Towner, Hartwell Shattuck and Levi Sawyer. Mr. & Mrs. Whitmore came to cook for men clearing land and two Barnes brothers built a saw mill. When settlers arrived in Parishville they found the gorge spanned by a great pine tree trunk which served as a bridge by the Indians traveling the trail to Tupper Lake for a century. This causeway was replaced by a single span wooden bridge which served until 1868.

Potsdam -- Liberty Knowles came to Potsdam in 1809 and was admitted to the Bar the next year. The first bridge was built across the Racquette River. Before that people crossed on a raft. Benjamin Raymond was Town Supervisor. In North Potsdam the Union Settlement, established in 1807, an experiment in communistic living, was underway. The first settlers here were William Bullard, John Burroughs, Manasseh Smith, Nathan Howe, Ammi Currier, Thomas H .Currier, William Currier, Isaac Ellis, Alba Durkee, John McAllaster. The Smiths were from Turnbridge. Vt. and were relatives of Joseph Smith the founder of the Mormans. John Smith left the colony in Potsdam in 1809. He later became the High Priest in Salt Lake City Utah in 1853.

Rossie -- A road to Gouverneur was built and one from Somerville to Wegatchie to Natural Dam where there was a grist mill. A Sawmill was built in Wegatchie by Reuben Streeter.

Russell -- the state legislature selected Russell for as a location to build an arsenal. Plans were started between James LaRay and David Parish to build the turnpike road. Russell Atwater, Town Supervisor, was succeeded by Reuben Ashman. The Zion Episcopal Church had 15 members and the Baptist Society was building a church, led by Samuel Rowley a Baptist Missionary from Massachusetts starting his church with 7 members.

Stockholm -- the first school district was organized.

Waddington -- Construction of David Ogden's Island House started. Col. Mathew Myers admitted to the Bar in SLC - First Lawyer in Waddington.

Elsewhere in New York State and the U.S.:
James Madison was sworn in as 4th President of the U.S., while Jefferson quietly retired to his beloved Monticello. George Clinton - X- NY Governor was VP. (Uncle of DeWitt Clinton).

Daniel D Tompkins was Governor of New York.

Shawnee leader Tecumseh begins to establish a defensive confederacy to resist the westward movement of white settlers.

New England governors refuse to supply militia to enforce the Embargo Acts of 1807 and 1808.

The Napoleonic Wars i n Europe are well underway.

The Illinois Territory was created.

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is born in a humble Hardin, County, Kentucky log cabin to carpenter Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks on February 12, 1809.

February 20, 1809 - The Supreme Court of the United States rules that the power of the Federal Government is greater than the power of any individual state.

Edgar Allen Poe, Charles Darwin, Christopher Huston Carson (Kit Carson) were born.

Robert Fulton patents the steamboat. The same year the first steamboat on the St. Lawrence River - the "Dalhousie" - is built in Prescott. Meanwhile in Montreal the "Accommodation", a side wheel type steamboat is built.

Thanks, Connie, for the look back!

Medicare rates local nursing homes: Claxton the best; Highland, Kinney, Canton the worst

2008-12-28T08:29:00.004-05:00

How good are St. Lawrence County’s nursing homes?

According to a new report available on Medicare’s website, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center’s 23-bed Residential Health Care Facility is the best. It has a five-star rating, the highest possible.

Highland Nursing Home, Massena, Kinney Nursing Home in Gouverneur and United Helpers Canton Nursing are the worst. They are rated with one star, the lowest possible.
According to the Medicare website, the overall rating is a combination of health inspection rating, staffing levels, and other quality measures.

While staffing levels at Highland, Kinney and the Canton nursing are rated at three or four stars, all received the poorest marks because of relatively high levels of deficiencies uncovered during health inspections. Kinney had 12 deficiencies recorded for the reporting period, while Kinney and Canton each had eight. The New York State average is six, while the U.S. average is nine.

The Canton nursing home is operated by Ogdensburg-based United Helpers, but other St. Lawrence County facilities managed by the organization fared much better in the Medicare report. The United Helpers Nursing Home at 8101 NYS Hwy. 68 in Ogdensburg received four stars, while the Untied Helpers Cedars Nursing Home at 6695 NYS Hwy. 37 in Ogdensburg is rated with three stars.

The Nursing Home Compare report offers detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified nursing home in the country. Medicare officials urge in-person visits to nursing homes and other considerations such as distance from family and relatives when selecting a nursing home.

They also urge weighing other long-term care choices like community-based services, home care or assisted living, depending on a patient’s needs and resources. That information is also available on Medicare’s website.

To view the full reports on St. Lawrence County’s nursing homes:

1. Visit Medicare’s Nursing Home Comparison Web Page

2. Click the “Find and Compare Nursing Homes” button

3. Select “Find a Nursing Home Within a County,” then in the “State/Territory” pull-down menu, choose New York – Upstate. Click “Next Step”

5. In the “Select a County” pull-down menu, choose Saint Lawrence County. Click “Continue”

6. Scroll down the page to view the report. Click on each individual nursing home name for detailed information about the facility.

Announcing a new 'instant' lost-and-found service for St. Lawrence County

2008-12-23T15:05:00.002-05:00

Viewers of our website, NorthCountryNow.com,, may have noticed a new feature quietly debut this week.

It’s the Lost and Found Page, designed to help St. Lawrence County residents find lost pets, wallets and other valuable items. A link to the page appears under the "Classifieds" heading on the tool bar of every page on NorthCountryNow.com.

Over time, we hope local citizens will appreciate and depend upon the ability to immediately post information about lost animals and valuables. No longer will it be necessary to try to figure out when and if local radio stations broadcast “lost and found” reports or to wait days for a notice to appear in a local newspaper.

Currently, the “Lost and Found” page is set up so that viewers can immediately post information seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Our hope is that the service is not abused by people who post profane or inappropriate submissions. If that becomes the case, we will convert to an e-mail system, which will mean items won’t be posted until our staff reviews the submissions at the beginning of the next business day.

For now, we hope you tell your friends and neighbors about the new service. And hopefully, you won’t have to use it!

The page was created and designed by Kristin Shumway of Potsdam, a junior at SUNY Geneseo majoring in computer science.

Taxing cigarettes on Mohawk reservation more important than preserving jobs

2008-12-17T16:52:00.001-05:00

St. Regis Mohawk leaders are saying hundreds of jobs will be lost because of Gov. Paterson’s recent decision to prohibit Native Americans from selling tax-free cigarettes to non-natives , as reported by WWNY-tv.

North Country Public Radio also recently reported on the issue, noting native tribes are vowing to fight the law in court, , saying it violates their sovereignty. Jim Ransom, chief of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in Akwesasne, says it also would make the economy worse and deepen an already grave smuggling problem.

It may well be true some jobs will be lost at the many convenience stores, smoke shops and gas stations on the Akwesasne reservation because cigarettes and other tobacco products would be more expensive. The jobs of people employed at six cigarette manufacturers on the reservation would also be in jeopardy.

But it’s worth it to require the taxes on tobacco sold on the reservation.

Sure, we want to do everything we can to create and retain jobs in our economically depressed North Country.

But cancer is hideous disease. How many of us have family members or friends who have suffered a painful death due to lung cancer? And think of the millions of dollars in health care costs that are wasted caring for people who could have avoided getting lung cancer if they had quit smoking or not started in the first place.

Taxing tobacco – along with education -- discourages people from continuing or not starting the addictive tobacco habit.

And in this case, the health and well-being of our population trumps the importance of jobs.

Our next Senator will be challenged to visit St. Lawrence County as often as Hillary did

2008-12-14T08:29:00.002-05:00

Whoever succeeds U. S. Sen. Hillary Clinton will be challenged to pay as much attention to the North Country as the former presidential candidate did.

Over the years, she made appearances at the St. Lawrence Seaway and Clarkson University, met with local Democrats and worked with County Administrator Karen Hilaire when she was St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce executive director.

The media and bloggers have been having a field day predicting who Gov. David Paterson will name to replace Clinton, now that she has been nominated by President-Elect Barack Obama to be the next Secretary of State. The “The Fix” blog from the Washington Post has even provided odds of selection for the many potential nominees.

Know as a hard worker, New York’s junior senator made multiple trips to the sparsely populated North Country most years since she was elected to the Senate. New York’s other U. S. senator, Chuck Schumer, has made far fewer trips north over the years.

As Clinton’s website points out, she has been actively involved with several issues in our region.

She has worked to expand broadband access and bring high speed wireless service to underserved rural areas in the North Country, In September 2007, the Senate approved $200,000 for the St. Lawrence County Regional Rural Broadband Expansion, designed to be a catalyst for the region’s entrepreneurial economy.

Clinton worked with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce and major corporations such as eBay to form the Northern Adirondack Trading Cooperative, which teaches North Country entrepreneurs, artisans, and producers how to utilize the Internet and grow their businesses online.

She has also been a supporter of regular, affordable air service in the North Country and has been a strong supporter of the Essential Air Service Program. The EAS subsidizes Cape Air service to Albany from the Massena and Ogdensburg airports.

DOT listened, and responded, to Madrid residents

2008-12-11T16:18:00.001-05:00

It’s reassuring to hear that, despite expected state funding cutbacks, the Department of Transportation has responded to local residents and “fast-tracked” repairs to the Route 345 bridge in Madrid.

DOT plans to rehabilitate the nine-span stone arch bridge, which the department closed earlier this year due to safety concerns, and reopen it by December 2009, not sometime in 2010 as originally expected.

Ever since the bridge was closed in May, it has been a real hardship for Madrid residents, now forced to make an eight-mile detour.

The result -- a longer commute for many residents traveling to work each day, fewer sales at downtown businesses on the north side of the bridge, delayed responses by rescue squad vehicles and challenges for school buses.

Now the $5.8 million bridge repair and reconstruction project is one of DOT’s two highest priorities, according to reporting by Watertown Daily Times and News 10 Now.

At a presentation at Madrid-Waddington Central School on Wednesday, DOT spokesman Michael R. Flick noted "A lot of begging, a lot of cajoling, a lot of calling in favors" was required to speed up the Madrid bridge reconstruction project, according to the Times. "We've heard what these folks have had to say, everybody's gotten the message.”

Of course, you can’t design and build a new bridge, or in the case of the Madrid span, reconstruct a structure more than 100 years old, in a matter of months. Such a project takes planning and time to do the job right.

But DOT is to be commended for listening – and responding – to citizens’ pleas to reopen the bridge as soon as possible.

DOT also plans to reconstruct about three-tenths of a mile of Route 345 with curbs, sidewalks and a closed drainage system. That work should be finished by summer of 2010.

Bids on the project are scheduled to be let in June.

Diverse heating sources in St. Lawrence County homes today ... what about 25 years from now?

2008-12-07T12:35:00.004-05:00

We certainly are a diverse population in St. Lawrence County – at least when it comes to the way we heat our homes.

But will the same be true a quarter-century from now?

According to last week’s NCNow Survey, about one-quarter of us heat with natural gas and about the same number use a wood or pellet stove.

The complete results and survey participants’ comments will remain on the NCNow Survey page only through mid-day Monday when the results of the next survey will be posted.

But here is the breakdown of the primary heating source used at home:

27.9% -- Natural gas

21.1% -- Wood stove

18.0% -- Oil

8.6% -- Propane

7.7% -- Kerosene

7.6% -- Electric

6.0% -- Pellet stove

3.0% -- Other

Granted, the survey is unscientific and represents only the views of NorthCountryNow.com viewers who chose to participate.

However, it would be interesting to conduct a similar survey five, ten and 25 years from now.

Will natural gas still lead?

Will many more of us be using stoves, burning pellets manufactured from switchgrass grown right here in the North Country?

Will petroleum prices spike again, leading many homeowners to abandon oil for good?

Perhaps, a new “green” technology that we’re not familiar with today will evolve and replace most of today’s major heating methods.

In any case, at least for this winter, we sure are glad oil prices have come down just as cold weather settles in for the next four months.

From Massena to Canton, lots of holiday events throughout St. Lawrence County this weekend

2008-12-05T16:33:00.001-05:00

From an “Old-fashioned Christmas” in Massena and a “Super Holiday Weekend” in Potsdam to the “Festival of Trees” in Ogdensburg and a Laurentian Singers concert in Canton, lots of holiday events are taking place this Saturday and Sunday.

If you enjoy the sense of community that comes with participating in hometown events, this could be an enjoyable weekend, and an opportunity to appreciate the non-commercial aspects of the holiday season.

The Old-Fashioned Christmas event in downtown Massena begins at 5 p.m. Dec. 6, with Santa, a parade and a tree-lighting at Veteran’s Park. The event is sponsored by Massena Chamber of Commerce.

In Potsdam, a Santa Claus parade starts at 1 p.m. Dec. 6 with floats, musicians and marchers. Many merchants will be offering drawings for gift certificates and free refreshments both Dec. 6 and 7. A brass quintet will perform 2 p.m. Saturday in front of Northern Interiors on Market Street. The event is sponsored by the Potsdam Chamber of Commerce.

In Ogdensburg, the Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Auxiliary’s “Festival of the Trees” takes place at the New York State Armory at the corner of Ford and Elizabeth Streets, from 10 a.m. to midnight. Activities will include a Santa parade, entertainment, holiday items for sale, raffles, lunch, and children’s arts and crafts. Evening activities begin at 6 p.m. and will include a silent auction, refreshments and musical entertainment.

For more details of these and other events:

-- SUNY Crane’s annual ‘Candlelight Concert’ Dec. 7 in Potsdam

-- Old-Fashioned Christmas in downtown Massena Dec. 6

-- Laurentian Singers Dec. 6 holiday concert in Canton

-- Festival of the Trees at Claxton-Hepburn in Ogdensburg Dec. 6

-- Santa Paws' photos with Santa and pets Dec. 6 at Potsdam Agway

-- Gingerbread winners announced at TAUNY open house Dec. 6

-- Potsdam tree lighting on Dec. 6

-- Potsdam Co-op's 11th annual Holiday Baking Contest Dec. 7

-- SUNY Potsdam's Christmas Candlelight Concerts air on WPBS Dec. 10, 12, 13, 14, 24

For more community and holiday events, check out the NorthCountryNow.com 7-Day Calendar.

Happy holidays!

Artificial turf fields: a 'buy now, pay later' message for students?

2008-12-03T14:57:00.007-05:00

This is how Clarkson’s field off Clarkson Avenue looked as the turf was being laid recently -- until the water table was found to be higher than anticipated. So the turf was removed so another layer of gravel could be added to keep the turf from being damaged.

Clarkson University in Potsdam is building an artificial turf field, a move that should make the institution more attractive to potential students, especially athletes.

It’s the fourth artificial turf field in Canton and Potsdam. St. Lawrence University and SUNY Potsdam have had theirs for several years and Potsdam High School’s opened this fall.

But we have to wonder: With many graduating college students burdened with student loans totaling tens of thousands of dollars, are such projects really beneficial for students?

It’s not unheard of for college graduates, unable to land the type of job they hoped for, to be chained to student loan payments for ten to 20 years while working at jobs that pay less than they were hoping for.

Don’t get us wrong – we’re all for interscholastic sports and the benefits they provide to students and schools.

But colleges and universities are continuing to foster the “buy now, pay later” mentality that led to the economic meltdown the nation is experiencing today.

At a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more than $1 million, foregoing construction of an artificial turf field could translate into a real reduction in the cost of tuition. And college tuition nationwide has been exceeding the inflation rate for years.

Imagine how much less tuition would cost at an institution that decided against investing in well-equipped athletic and physical education facilities, townhouses for juniors and seniors, meticulously maintained landscapes and construction of new buildings.

Unfortunately, many families decide which college to attend based on its amenities and whether it has the latest facilities. And the four colleges in Potsdam and Canton really have no choice but to “keep up with the Joneses” if they want to continue to attract the number and quality of students necessary to keep the institutions vibrant.

But as the nation continues to experience the effects of a decades-long credit-induced buying binge, perhaps its time for colleges and universities to reconsider what role they can play in truly serving society and students.

Is it morally right to lure impressionable 17-year-olds with fancy buildings, the latest facilities and other expensive perks?

Especially since many students have little comprehension of how college loan payments may limit their freedom and perhaps burden them for many years after gradation.

Let's remember to visit St. Lawrence County-owned stores while holiday shopping

2008-11-30T08:42:00.001-05:00

Now that holiday shopping season is full swing, let’s plan to remember to support our friends and neighbors who operate many of St. Lawrence County’s smaller stores and specialty shops.

The St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce last week issued a reminder to “shop locally,” offering a number of suggested shopping destinations.

Sure, the nationwide retailers and on-line merchants may provide more extended shopping hours and sometimes lower prices.

But the profit they earn leaves our area, instead of staying in the county and multiplying several times.

Plus, you can’t find hand-crafted items made in the North Country at the “big boxes.”

Happy shopping!

A dozen reasons we're thankful we live in St. Lawrence County

2008-11-27T08:46:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving is a time for appreciation, so here are a dozen reasons we’re thankful we live in St. Lawrence County:

-- We can hunt, fish, snowmobile, hike and cross-country ski right from our backyard – or at least very close to home.

-- No traffic jams.

-- It’s a great place to raise kids.

-- Home and property prices are lower than most other places in the U.S.

-- The distinct change of seasons – even though we sometimes have snow on Thanksgiving … or Halloween.

-- Pure maple syrup.

-- We have a nearly pristine environment, with low levels of noise, light and air pollution.

-- We actually live north of the snow-belt.

-- Almost everybody’s “somebody” in our small communities – we don’t “get lost in the crowd” of a big city.

-- We live next door to Canada.

-- Great summer weather.

-- Even though it’s tough to find a job, it’s just a great place to live.

What about St. Lawrence County are you thankful for?

Tonight, Tuesday may be last chance to see 'Frozen River' filmed in North Country

2008-11-24T17:11:00.004-05:00

Unless the Massena Movieplex or Ogdensburg Cinemas book Frozen River starting Wednesday, tonight and Tuesday night will be the last time area movie-goers can see Frozen River, which features many scenes from the North Country.

It plays at the Canton American at 6:50 and 9 p.m. both nights.

It’s an unflattering look at the North Country and the desperation that comes with poverty, but still worth watching. The film’s plot focuses on the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation, that, as most North Country residents know, straddles the U. S. and Canada. And since neither country has jurisdiction on the reservation, it provides the opportunity for smuggling of cigarettes, drugs, and in Frozen River, illegal aliens.

For St. Lawrence County residents, however, the film is an opportunity to see familiar local sights and names in the film, which won the Sundance Jury award.

We see Channel 5 Meteorologist Tom Messner warning of a cold incoming winter storm, the “Thank You For Visiting the Land of the Mohawk” sign, convenience stores at the reservation, and the ice-covered St. Lawrence River. There are several references to Route 37.

North Country residents will also identify with the challenges of dealing with frigid winter as portrayed in the film:

-- using a blow torch to thaw frozen pipes only to start the trailer on fire

-- making sure there is adequate insulation when purchasing a double-wide

-- driving cars across the frozen St. Lawrence River, while fearful of coming upon “black ice” sinking the vehicle.

The movie was shot in 24 days, mostly in the Plattsburgh area, but the filmmakers braved chilly winter nights on and near the reservation as well.

Frozen River keeps your attention, and the movie demonstrates good films can still be made with unknown actors and little in the way of special effects. It’s rated R, but we’re not sure why. There is little in the way of foul language, violence or sexual content.

As of this writing, the Massena and Ogdensburg theaters have not yet announced their bookings for the next week. They will be posted on NorthCountryNow.com’s Movie Page as soon as they are available.

The official website for Frozen River includes a trailer, a story about production of the film, reviews and a plot summary.

Welcome to NorthCountryNow.com's easier-to-use, more attractive home page

2008-11-20T02:03:00.001-05:00

NorthCountryNow.com unveiled an easier-to-use, more attractive home page today, the most drastic make-over ever.

Now, viewers can quickly see the most recently posted headlines without having to scroll down the page. Previously, the latest postings were often buried below a stack of four or five horizontal banner ads.

The new home page also features a bigger photo, more sophisticated typeface and design, and a new third column for both information and ads.

The redesign takes advantage of larger, more horizontal monitors that didn’t exist when our site first debuted more than eight years ago. The most dramatic change is the row of rectangular ads that now run across the top of the page. They replace the skinny horizontal banner ads that we used to pile one on top of another.

Perceptive viewers will notice links are a lighter, less intense blue than before. Most previously visited links now change to a light gray after they have been viewed.

The “third column” will allow us to highlight additional information. As we move into the winter weather season, “Delays & Cancellations” currently leads off that section of the page. We plan to try new ideas in that spot over the next few months.

In addition to making the site more enjoyable to use, the redesign also allows for more advertising without requiring us to cut back on news and information. NorthCountryNow.com receives nearly one million page views each month, and half of them are on the home page. As a result, the home page has become the most-desired location for advertisers.

The redesign was handled by Harvey Ramer of Abound Marketing of Norwood, formerly Design Delineations.

In recent weeks, NorthCountryNow.com has been receiving about 15,000 visits each weekday. Based on feedback we’ve received, viewers come from all walks of life, from college students to senior citizens, and from people who have lived in St. Lawrence County all their life to former residents living elsewhere in the U.S. Most however, are county residents. On average, according to Google Analytics, the average viewer visits NorthCountryNow.com twice a day.

We hope you like the new design. We’ll be tweaking a bit over the next few weeks. Let us know what you think!

Don't just complain about government ... do something about it!

2008-11-17T16:50:00.003-05:00

Some people get mad and simply complain.

But others get mad – and do something about it.

We put Bruce Konkoski of Norwood in the second category.

He was fuming after his property taxes went up more than $1,640 this year, despite an estimate of just $99 that he received from the town following Potsdam’s revaluation.

If he had known his taxes were going to go up so much, he said he would have protested his new property assessment. But he didn’t grieve the new property valuation, based on the $99 estimate provided by the government.

So, in addition to appearing before the town board to object to the misleading information he received, he has become the driving force behind the Potsdam Taxpayers Organization. The next meeting will be Nov. 19 in the Norwood Municipal building.

So far, the new taxpayers group has reviewed taxation in the town of Potsdam and the recent assessment review tour by county and town officials. The group hopes to become a non-profit corporation, develop standing committees for the collection of tax data, and develop a mission statement and formal charter.

Konkoski is president. Other officers are Julie Colbert, vice president; Julie Kuenzler, recording secretary; Ned Meader, treasurer; and Mike Landoll, public relations manager.

The group appears to be off to a strong start. And Konkoski’s original complaints are certainly valid. It will be interesting to see what the new organization accomplishes.

The reassessment notifications are based on the prior year’s budget and are required by state law. Hopefully, for future property revaluations in St. Lawrence County, local officials will include an additional notice that points out the estimates may be way off the mark from what actual taxes will be.

How about cutting down on convenience store food at all St. Lawrence County schools?

2008-11-16T08:13:00.003-05:00

Some school cafeterias offer little more than glorified convienence store food. But at Potsdam Central School, fresher, better-tasting, healthier food is actually leading to increased sales.

That’s good news, especially in light of the obesity epidemic among children and teens these days.

Unfortunately, at some schools, there is a lot of incentive to encourage sales of such “junk food” items as chips, ice cream sandwiches and even Gummi Bear candy. The profit from those items helps pay for the rest of the cafeteria operation, which is supposed to break even and not be subsidized from the school budget. In some cases, students end up skipping lunch, subsisting almost exclusively on the “junk.”

But the dependence on junk food contributes to kids’ weight problems, fails to educate students about proper nutrition and doesn’t allow those eating school lunches to discover that healthy food can actually taste good. Shouldn’t schools provide education about healthy eating habits as well as academics?

Much of the credit at Potsdam Central goes to David Gravline, head of the district’s food service for the last year and a half. “Gone are the processed chicken meals, and the overcooked meals,” Superintendent Pat Brady told North Country This Week.

Instead, menu items include marinated baked skinless chicken breast and homemade soups such as steak and cheese, Italian chicken, black bean and roasted garlic and onion. In place of frozen pre-made pizza, the school makes its own sauce and dough and serves such variations as Buffalo chicken pizza, veggie pizza, and white garlic pizza.

“I tell the staff we have to treat this like a restaurant. We have to keep them coming back,” said Gravlin. It’s important to keep the kids “coming back” each day because in order to break even financially, the school has to increase the volume of lunches it sells if it is to rely less on junk food sales for extra income.

So far, Gravlin told North Country This Week, the strategy appears to be working. “We’re up from ’06 to ’07, and again from ’07 to ’08, and even now, we’re up from last June.”

He continued, “We had to raise the price this year. Everyone knew it was coming. With the economy, and fuel costs, everyone was expecting it. But the numbers actually went up in September. We were pleased and surprised.”

The Potsdam example brings us to another point – the important role the nine St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES school board members will play in hiring a new superintendent to replace Linda Gush, who retired in August. Several blogs about the role BOCES can play in improving school quality while lowering costs were posted here last summer.

And the Potsdam cafeteria operation provides a great example. If one district can succeed financially by selling fresher, healthier food, why not share the knowledge with other districts?

Currently, 18 school cafeteria managers throughout St. Lawrence County each perform virtually the same functions. Why not figure out a way to share recipes, food purchasing procedures, staff motivational techniques, budgeting methods and the best ways of getting students through the lunch line without excessive waiting?

Instead of a food service manager in each school, perhaps a lower-grade, lower-paid “supervisor” position could be created within each district. They would be relieved of menu planning, negotiating with food vendors, budgeting and some other management tasks. The supervisors would be trained by and report to an “executive food service director” who would oversee many schools, hopefully instituting practices that lead to better quality at the same or less cost.

The same could happen with other school departments – transportation, janitorial, business office, even curriculum development. If “best practices” within each department can be shared among districts, better quality and/or lower expenses will most likely occur.

The new BOCES superintendent – if mandated by the BOCES school board -- could play a significant role in trying to make this happen, either within the BOCES framework or simply by facilitating more communication between districts.

Perhaps schools then might end up with more efficient, better scheduled bus operations; shared heating, plumbing and maintenance knowledge; consolidated business functions; and most importantly, improved curriculum.

Not to mention healthier, fresher and tastier food in the cafeteria.

Could St. Lawrence County heating bills actually be lower this year?

2008-11-12T16:53:00.001-05:00

Whew!

If there’s a silver lining to the nationwide economic meltdown, it’s the incredibly fast drop in heating oil prices, just as winter heating season begins. We can sure use it.

Most of us in St. Lawrence County have been appreciating gas prices that have gone down to less than $2.50 per gallon in recent days -- about $2 less than the peak cost this summer.

At the same time, heating oil prices have also gone down significantly.

Jeff Yette of Potsdam has been monitoring the prices of heating oil, kerosene and gasoline in St. Lawrence County. He’s been updating his site pretty frequently and making note of the oil distributors with the lowest prices.

His site reports that Bush Fuels and Tripp Fuel Company, both in Gouverneur, are currently selling heating oil for $2.69 per gallon – actually less than the $2.85 to $3.85 prices we experienced last winter. Econo Fuels and MX Fuels, both of Massena, are charging $2.79. And Kuno, Merriman’s, Leroux and Griffith Energy are now listed at $2.89.

Could it be true – this year’s heating bill might be lower than last year’s?

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) also keeps tabs of heating oil prices by regions of the state going back to 1997. Heating oil prices in our area during the winter of 1997-98? Eighty-nine to 94 cents a gallon.

NYSERDA’s web site also provides a lot more information for those interested in saving energy and money

Thanks, Community Bank, for expanding in Canton as other businesses close and downsize

2008-11-09T17:16:00.006-05:00

From left, John Whitton, Community Bank network administrator; Frank White; Industrial Development Agency Chairman Brian Staples; Patrick Kelly of county Economic Development Office; Canton Branch Manager David Peggs; county Economic Development Executive Director Raymond Fountain; Michael Joyce, bank facilities manager; Ted Lawrence, co-owner of Maple Hills Properties; Nicholas Russell, executive vice-president of commercial banking; Chuck Foster, facilities supervisor; Tim Baker, special projects manager; Claire LaGarry, executive vice-president of retail banking; Hal Wentworth, sales and marketing director; Greg Walsh, Maple Hill Properties co-owner; Mark Tryniski, bank president; Christina Sullivan, deposit operations manager; Randy Pray, vice-president and corporate purchasing manager; Mayor Charlotte Ramsay; Chief Risk Officer Paul Ward; Chief Technology Officer Michael Wilson; bank Chairman Paul Cantwell.

General Motors is closing its Central Foundry plant in Massena. Its neighbor, Alcoa, has announced nearly 120 layoffs. In Gouverneur, St. Lawrence Zinc workers lost their jobs when the mine closed earlier this year. In Canton, Corning instituted layoffs this summer. And there’s talk of shutting down some state prisons – one of the major employers in St. Lawrence County.

So it’s refreshing to hear that Community Bank broke ground last week for a new $3 million operations office
off NYS Hwy. 11 in Canton, across from McCarthy’s Restaurant.

The 20,000-square-foot building, which will provide space for 70 of the bank’s operations staff, was designed with a 25 percent employee growth projection in mind to allow for additional hiring and expansion.

The operations building will house employees in the Deposit Operations, Items Processing, Electronic Banking, regional Information Technology support and Records Retention units. They are all now working in the bank’s downtown offices at 91 Main St. and 45 Court St. in Canton.

We're also glad to see the bank is positioning itself for potentially 17 or 18 more jobs in the future. That’s especially true because Community Bank headquarters are in Dewitt, near Syracuse.

Now with $4.8 billion in assets and over 140 customer facilities, we still like to think of Community Bank – whose roots date back to the old St. Lawrence National Bank and its predecessors – as a “local” institution.

Thanks, Community Bank, for operating as a “local” business and investing in St. Lawrence County instead of transferring “back office” jobs that could easily have been moved to Dewitt.

St. Lawrence County is now truly 'Blue,' based on 118th Assembly and presidential race results

2008-11-05T15:37:00.004-05:00

It’s official. St. Lawrence County is now officially a “blue” county.

Based on Tuesday’s election results, voters favoring Democrats now outweigh GOP voters in all but the smallest towns in our traditionally Republican-leaning county.

And that’s not just because St. Lawrence County went along with much of the rest of the nation and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president.

However, while 52 percent of voters nationwide cast ballots for the Obama-Biden ticket, 57 percent of St. Lawrence County citizens who voted chose the Democratic team. In St. Lawrence County, the total was 21,642 for Obama, 15,972 for Republican John McCain and 263. for Ralph Nadar.

But it is the results in the race for the 118th state Assembly district that really confirms the preference for Democrats in St. Lawrence County. Addie Jenne Russell of Theresa, in neighboring Jefferson County, easily won the contest with 22,633, compared with 15,789 for her Republican opponent, Bobby Cantwell. He is a Clayton town councilman and also from Jefferson County.

Sure, St. Lawrence County voters re-elected incumbents by large margins, regardless of party affiliation. County voters cast 21,599 ballots for incumbent Republican Congressman John McHugh, compared to 11,035 for his low-profile Democratic challenger, Michael Oot. And county resident also re-elected Democrat Darrel Aubertine to his 48th district state Senate seat with 9,876 votes, compared to 7,188 for Republican challenger David Renzi.

But in the case of the vacant 118th Assembly district, where there was no incumbent, 62 percent of St. Lawrence County voters backed Russell, the Democrat, compared to 38 percent for Cantwell, the Republican. And that is despite the pleasant, personable public persona of Cantwell and the less-than-spectacular visions and opinions expressed by Russell.

The 118th district is also referred to as the “River District” because it is composed of the communities bordering the St. Lawrence Seaway in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties, along with Canton, Potsdam and a handful of other Jefferson County towns. Both candidates live outside our county and were relatively unknown in these parts before the election.

In St. Lawrence County, 62 percent, or 12,285, voted for Democrat Russell, compared to 7,472 for Republican Cantwell and 422 for Don Lucas of Massena, a write-in candidate. By comparison, in Jefferson County, only 55 percent voted for the Democrat.

Jefferson County also demonstrated its Republican tilt with 53.4 percent voting for McCain, compared to just 42 percent in St. Lawrence County.

The college towns of Potsdam and Canton have been traditionally viewed as “liberal” communities surrounded by more conservative Republicans throughout the rest of St. Lawrence County.

But based on votes cast in the presidential and 118th Assembly races, Massena is clearly also a mostly Democratic-leaning community. That’s most likely because of the high levels of union membership in a town where General Motors is closing its Central Foundry plant and Alcoa has recently announced nearly 120 layoffs.

In Massena, 66 percent voted for Obama and 68 percent cast ballots for Russell.

That compares with 68 percent for Obama and 66 percent for Russell in Potsdam; 64 percent for Obama and 68 percent for Russell in Canton; 54 percent for Obama and 56 percent for Russell in Ogdensburg and 54 percent for Obama in Gouverneur.

In fact, Morristown was the only St. Lawrence County town to favor Republican Cantwell in the 118th Assembly race – 346-343.

As for president, the only county communities favoring McCain were all tiny:

-- Clare, 30-28

-- Depeyster, 120-104

-- Fowler, 555-456

-- Hopkinton, 201-187

-- Lisbon, 764-714

-- Macomb, 172-171

- Oswegatchie 790-743

-- Pitcairn, 136-130

On-line election night fun for St. Lawrence County political junkies

2008-11-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

Are you looking for some on-line fun Tuesday, Nov. 4?

No, no, not that kind of fun.

For St. Lawrence County political junkies, we’re talking about real-time on-line election results.

While watching the national returns on television to find out how Barack Obama and John McCain fare in the presidential election, you can check the internet to find out how St. Lawrence County citizens voted as soon as the results become available.

We’re all becoming multi-taskers, aren’t we?

As in previous elections, local election results will be posted “live” at county Board of Elections web page . You can also visit the county’s website , click on “Table of Contents,” then “Links to County Departments,” then ”Board of Elections” and finally “2008 General Election Unofficial Results”.

Results will be updated every minute, starting when the polls close at 9 pm. Results will be displayed for national and state-wide races as well as local contests.

This year, the elections commissioners are presenting the information in a new format.

By clicking on the “P” following a candidate’s name, viewers will see a breakdown of the cumulative vote for each party line on which the candidates appear. By clicking on the “D” which follows a candidate’s name, visitors will be given a cumulative vote for all precincts in which the candidate appears.

The commissioners are reminding viewers to refresh regularly in order to see up-to-date results.

Of course, if you don’t have internet access, you can still watch local returns the old-fashioned way, by visiting the Board of Elections office at the corner of Court and Judson streets in Canton.

The election night results will be “unofficial” until elections commissioners complete a recanvass.

Can't get out to vote Tuesday? Get to Canton on Monday

2008-11-02T03:48:00.001-05:00

Are you going to be out-of-town or unable to get to the polls on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 4?

If so, you can still vote by absentee ballot.

However, it will require a visit to the St. Lawrence County Board of Elections office next to the courthouse at the corner of Court and Judson streets in Canton.

Election Commissioners Robin St. Andrews and Debbie Pahler say absentee ballots will be available at their office until 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3.

For more information, call the Board of Elections at 379-2202.

Fighting obesity in St. Lawrence County: figuring out how to add activity to kids' lives

2008-10-29T16:42:00.004-04:00

Thirty years ago, most elementary school children who lived within a mile of school walked to class every day. Those in high school living up to two or three miles away had to walk on their own. No school bus service for them.

Sixty years ago, we were much more likely to shovel coal into the basement hopper or split and stack firewood to stay warm. No programmable thermostats back then.

And, of course, until snow blowers became popular, many spent hours outside shoveling sidewalks, steps and driveways after every snowfall and storm.

But today, with our video games and television, sedentary office jobs, labor-saving devices and a car for almost every driver, we just aren’t moving and getting as much exercise as people used to several generations ago.

The result, almost impossible to ignore day after day, is an epidemic of obesity among people of all ages, but most tragically of all, children and teens.

Of course, the “junk food” diets so common in this country, not just lack of vigorous exercise, are also a big contributor to the obesity problem.

The excess weight young people are carrying around today greatly increase their chances of diabetes, heart problems, mental health and social issues, arthritis and other health ailments, not to mention premature death.

In an attempt to reduce the problem, the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative will be awarding grants to help fight childhood obesity.

One of the key findings of a community health assessment conducted by the Health Initiative is the need for more free and low-cost physical activities for children and families in St. Lawerence County, particularly during winter.

In essence, we now have to figure out how to replace the activity and exercise that used to be a normal part of our lives, but which has been eliminated due to “progress.”

Grants of up to $1,000 each will be awarded to schools, organizations and agencies within our county to support the “goal of promoting age-appropriate physical activity for the target age group of two- to eight-year-olds and their families.”

We’re glad to see that attempts are being made to get children “moving again.” It’s just unfortunate that we need to establish government-funded programs to offset the damage we’ve done to ourselves in the name of progress and convenience.

Those interested in submitting an application for a grant must mail it by Nov. 14. Awards will be announced on Dec. 4.The grant funds must be used by Sept. 30, 2009.

For more information and to receive an application, call Karen at the St. Lawrence Health Initiative at 261-4760, ext. 16 or email karen@slchiinc.org.

More black bear in St. Lawrence County

2008-10-26T08:53:00.002-04:00

The Black Bear population has risen 10 to 20 percent a year for the past two years in many areas of New York State, according to the New York Times.

And while wildlife officials have extended the hunting season in central and western New York to deal with the issue, the growing bear population also appears to be taking hold in St. Lawrence County.

At least that appears to be true based on photo submissions to NorthCountryNow.com.

Earlier this month, Ron and Shirley Turbide got quite a surprise when they checked the scouting camera at their hunting land at Cooper Falls in the Town of Dekalb. The camera was set up on a deer path, but recorded a photo of a visiting bear.

Just a few days later, Eric Edie of Hermon bagged a bear near Richville . He believes it could be a record size for New York State and perhaps even worthy of consideration by the Boone and Crockett Club for their record books. Edie has recounted his story on his web site, NYHunter.com.

Spotting deer used to be much rarer than it is today. Now, many of us in St. Lawrence County view deer several times a week on our way into and out of town.

A few years from now, will we be frequently seeing Black Bear as well?

Raider rookie Trevor Scott providing NFL excitement for St. Lawrence County

2008-10-24T15:42:00.003-04:00

We’re right in the middle of NFL football season, and for fans in St. Lawrence County, Potsdam’s Trevor Scott is providing lots of excitement. The Oakland Raiders drafted him in the sixth round earlier this year.

Against the New York Jets on Sunday, Scott beat a double-team and dropped Brett Favre for his first NFL sack. He then went on to make an inside move for a second sack during overtime for the 16-13 victory.

Now, Scott is catching the attention of more people than ever.

The San Franciso Chronicle focused on him in a column last Thursday.

The story noted Raiders Coach Tom Cable likes the former Potsdam High School three-sport athlete’s relentlessness and passion. "You watch him and he's kind of relentless, get after it, get after it, get after it. He has a tremendous future, I believe."

Said the Raiders’ website, “Raiders rookie Trevor Scott didn't look like a Brett Favre beater when he showed up six months ago. But he's quickly blossomed in Oakland and may have a bright future.”

Also this week, Scott was one of five candidates that fans were voting for online for NFL “Rookie of the Week.”.

Unfortunately, another St. Lawrence County NFL player, St. Louis Rams’ running back Brian Leonard of Gouverneur, has been placed on injured reserve.

He dislocated his shoulder in Week 6, ending his 2008 season, according to Yahoo Sports. Having suffered a similar injury to the same shoulder in training camp, he is expected to need surgery.

As presidential race continues, many in St. Lawrence County prefer Hillary Clinton

2008-10-22T16:12:00.003-04:00

Barack Obama may be the Democratic candidate for president, but many St. Lawrence County citizens think Sen. Hillary Clinton would have been a better choice.

That’s according to comments submitted by viewers who participated in last week’s unscientific NCNow Survey.

We asked which presidential candidate would benefit St. Lawrence County the most and 597 people offered their opinion. The choices were Obama (who received 49 percent of the votes); Republican John McCain (35 percent); another candidate (10 percent) and undecided (6 percent).

But what strikes us as remarkable is the fact that nearly 12 percent of the survey participants who chose to make a comment mentioned Clinton.

The survey didn’t even mention the freshman senator’s, yet 16 of the 137 people who made comments cited her by name. Of those, 13 were positive comments, two were negative, and one mentioned her in endorsing alternative candidate Ralph Nader.

“Hillary Clinton had the best grasp of the issues, the most intelligence, and the least ego problems!” said one commenter.

Said another supporter, “I think Hillary would have been the only one to know there were any people living here in the North Country. As for everyone else, I don't believe they even think anyone lives north of Albany.”

Said a survey participant who felt the former presidential hopeful has not helped the North Country: “Obviously Democrats haven’t done anything for our county, i.e. Hillary Clinton.”

Another survey commentor said neither McCain or Obama would be good for St Lawrence County. “At least Senator Hillary Clinton did make a few visits up here and knew who we are. I would have been able to vote for her more readily than these two culprits.”

An energy-efficient institutional building of the future opens in Potsdam

2008-10-19T08:50:00.001-04:00

For homeowners, keeping energy costs down generally means weather stripping, insulating and turning the thermostat down.

But for major institutions such as colleges, government buildings and hospitals, keeping utility costs low is much more involved.

An example was unveiled in Potsdam on Oct. 16 when Clarkson University dedicated its new Technology Advancement Center

So how will utility costs be kept low when new buildings are constructed for a major institution in the future? If they follow Clarkson’s example they will feature:

-- solar panels that could provide enough energy to heat hot water in the building.

-- several smaller micoturbine units that are 80 to 90 percent efficient for heating, cooling and electricity instead of a central power plant served by high voltage transmission lines that is 30 percent efficient.

-- a rainwater harvesting system that will collect roof runoff for flushing in plumbing appliances.

-- a large number of south-facing windows to make the most of daylight and reduce the need for artificial light.

-- sensors that measure the natural light entering the building to adjust the use of electrically produced lighting.

-- heating and air conditioning systems engineered to regulate individual room temperatures

-- a white roofing system to greatly reduce the building’s “heat island;”

-- high-efficiency air filtration systems to decrease the electrical requirements and improve the building’s air quality

-- motion sensors and daylight sensors to curtail energy usage when no one is in a room or when daylight is adequate.

The 16,000 square foot Technology Advancement center connects Clarkson’s Clarkson Science Center with the Educational Resources Center. It will provides laboratory and collaboration space for accelerating the development of research, especially in the fields of renewable energy and clean manufacturing technology, university officials say.

The building was constructed with a $5 million grant from Empire State Development (ESD), the State of New York’s economic development agency and a development partner with the university on the college’s downtown technology and business incubator project

Freeing St. Lawrence County utility consumers from dependence on foreign-owned companies

2008-10-17T15:15:00.005-04:00

Work is continuing on a plan that would free much of St. Lawrence County from dependence on foreign-owned companies for our electricity.

Just as many are calling on the U. S. to reduce its reliance on foreign oil, the Alliance for Municipal Power hopes to convert 22 towns in St. Lawrence and Franklin County to a regional municipal electric power system. The aim is to save money on electrical bills and encourage economic development in our area.

Currently, we rely on British-owned National Grid for electrical distribution and Canadian-owned Brookfield Renewable Power for the electricity generated by many of the North Country’s hydro-electric plants.

As reported in North Country This Week, AMP Chairman Robert Best believes 65,000 people would save at least 4.5 percent on utility bills once the AMP plans becomes a reality.

Work began on the AMP project 12 years ago and 2012 is the first year we could expect such a system to begin.

The reason – through Dec. 31, 2011, the state Public Service Commission has prevented any municipal utility from starting up in Niagara Mohawk’s territory without paying compensation to NiMo. The decision followed objections from Niagara Mohawk to the idea of municipal power in 1998. At the time, NiMo said costs could be as high as $400 million or more.

However, Best says that if the authority is established, studies they have commissioned indicate startup costs will be between $125 million and $150 million, including compensation to National Grid, improvements to the system, and contractual obligation to AMP’s attorneys, Howrey LLP.

NiMo’s successor, National Grid, may seek another extension or some other method of compensation after that date.

But the idea is promising enough that AMP has retained a high-powered law firm, Howrey LLP, to handle legal issues. Howrey will receive $6 million to $16 million for its services – but only if the municipal power system becomes a reality.

If the AMP plan fails, the Howrey firm will earn nothing.

Gouverneur, Canton and Potsdam are the largest communities that would benefit from the municipal arrangements. Most smaller towns surrounding those communities, as well as four Franklin County towns are also part of AMP. Massena established its own municipal power system about 25 years ago.

According to AMP’s website, amunicipal power system would allow for local control over utility prices, reliable power, lower rates, local economic development and efficient local operations.

Kind of sounds like the same reasons people believe we should free ourselves from Mideast oil, doesn’t it?

Congratulations, Backuses, for well-deserved recognition

2008-10-14T16:39:00.001-04:00

Kudos to the Backus family of Ogdensburg, long known for treating customers like family and striving to provide fair, honest service.

They’ve operated Mort Backus & Sons Chevrolet, Buick and Pontiac in Ogdensburg since 1954, and recently purchased Morning Star Homes .

We know of a number of St. Lawrence County residents who don’t live near Ogdensburg but who are willing to drive the extra miles to Mort Backus & Sons because they appreciate being treated as a guest or a friend, not a customer.

And that’s why we’re glad to see the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce has named the Backuses St. Lawrence County Business of the Year.

The history of the dealership shows the devotion the family has had to the auto dealership, ever since Mort and his wife, Marie, obtained a car dealer license and demonstrator plates more than 50 years ago. In 1958, they constructed a new building with showrooms and work bays on NYS Hwy. 68 south of the city. They have expanded several times since then.

In 1986, the Backuses added Chevrolet and Buick dealerships to their business and later Pontiac and Oldsmobile. Their four sons, Jack, Patrick, Michael and Paul joined the business over the years; altogether the firm employs more than 30 people.

Congratulations. We hope other St. Lawrence County businesses, large and small, view the Backuses as role models and strive to match their reputation for good service and down-to-earth people.

No matter who wins 118th Assembly race, St. Lawrence County will feel left out

2008-10-12T08:32:00.001-04:00

Does anyone else feel like St. Lawrence County citizens have been all but forgotten in the 118th state Assembly race?

The race is pitting two Jefferson County politicians -- Republican Bobby Cantwell , a town councilman from Clayton, and Democrat Addie Jenne Russell, a Jefferson County legislator from Theresa. Massena’s Don Lucas tried to obtain enough signatures to get his name on the ballot as an independent, but failed, so is running as a write-in candidate.

Both Russell and Cantwell have made efforts to include St. Lawrence County in their campaigns – Russell has a campaign office in Canton as well as Watertown; Cantwell has headquarters in Ogdensburg as well as Watertown. And both have staged announcements and participated in events in the our county.

The 118th district includes all communities along the St. Lawrence Seaway in Jefferson and St. Lawrence County, along with the City of Watertown, Potsdam, Canton and five towns in northeast Jefferson County. The Town of Watertown, however, is located in the 122nd district, as is most of southern St. Lawrence County. That seat is held by Gouverneur’s Dede Scozzafava.

Because Watertown is the “800-pound gorilla” in the 118th district, it’s not surprising candidates tend to come from Jefferson County. But that means they live 40 to 70 miles away from many of the St. Lawrence County communities they hope to represent.

In a nutshell, that’s probably why so many in our neck of the woods feel they won’t be well-represented, no matter who is elected.

The 118th district has been vacant since former Assemblyman Democrat Darrel Aubertine, also of Jefferson County, successfully beat out Will Barclay last spring in a hotly contested race for the 48th state Senate seat.

Already 'purple,' St. Lawrence County is turning 'blue'

2008-10-09T16:13:00.003-04:00

After years as a “red” county, St. Lawrence County is turning blue.

Today, we’re already “purple” with almost as many Democrats as Republicans.

As of Monday, St. Lawrence County’s GOP had just 423 more registered voters than the Democrats, 22,437-22,014. Another 10,552 county residents are registered as independents, with several thousand more signed on as members of the Conservative, Independence and Working Families parties

As reported in North Country This Week, registered Democrats have increased 1.8 percent compared to four years ago, while registered Republicans have decreased 5.9 percent.

But that’s not really surprising, considering St. Lawrence County voters cast more than twice as many votes for Democrat Hillary Clinton as they did for Republican challenger John Spencer in the 2006 U.S. Senate election. The vote was 19,085 to 8,525. Of course, Spencer was a weak, mostly unknown candidate.

But in the last presidential race, the Democratic Kerry/Edwards team received 55 percent of St. Lawrence County votes, or 22,857, compared with 43 percent, or 18,029, for Republicans Bush/Cheney.

On election day Nov. 4, will the margin of St. Lawrence County votes for Barack Obama and John McCain be similar to the results of the 2004 presidential race?

Heuvelton Bee joins Canton Commercial Advertiser; one of 10 old county papers online

2008-10-05T08:45:00.009-04:00

The front page of the May 23, 1914 edition of "The Bee" of Heuvelton, from the Northern New York Library Network's Historical Newspapers site. Click on image for larger view.

Back in May of 1914, Mr. E. H. Dollar of Heuvelton owned a cow that produced 100 pounds of milk in a day.

Ogdensburg’s Louis & Hood had just received a new line of hats, with “over one hundred to choose from.”

And Marion Hertha Clarke was to appear in “The Rejunvenation of Aunt Mary” at Ducett’s Hall in Heuvelton.

We know, because we’ve been reading the May 23, 1914 edition of “The Bee,” published in Heuvelton from 1912 to 1923.

As reported in North Country This Week, The Heuvelton Bee is the latest addition to the Northern New York Library’s collection of 34 newspapers with more than 1.2 million pages at its Northern New York Historical Newspapers site.

If you’re visiting the site with an older browser, be careful. We’ve found that some older versions of Internet Explorer crash when you're finished looking at the .pdf files of the old newspapers. On at least one Mac running OS X, the Safari browser crashed before even opening the page.

However, computers running newer versions of Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox with updated Adobe Reader software should allow you to view the many old pages just fine.

Anong the St. Lawrence County newspapers featured on the site:

The Canton Commercial Advertiser, 1900-1952

The Heuvelton Bee, 1912-1923

The Gouverneur Tribune Press and others, 1864-2004

The Massena Observer, 1891-1989

The Potsdam Courier-Freeman, 1861-1989

The Ogdensburg Advance and Advance News, 1861-1962

The Potsdam Herald-Recorder, 1906-1951

The Potsdam St. Lawrence Herald, 1897-1904

Other St. Lawrence County papers include the Clarkson Integrator and North Country Catholic.

Superconducting atom smasher once considered for St. Lawrence County

2008-10-03T17:16:00.003-04:00

Recent news on CNN and elsewhere about damage to the recently unveiled Hadron Superconducting Super Collider brings back memories of the early 1980s in St. Lawrence County.

Featuring a 17-mile circular tunnel straddling the border of Switzerland and France, the Hadron collider is expected to be out of commission for several months for repairs.

Back in 1982, the Reagan administration encouraged U.S. high-energy scientists to develop a similar super conducting supercolider -- the most ambitious particle accelerator ever attempted, according to Answers.com. It was to be a proton collider far more energetic than existing ones.

For a brief period, St. Lawrence County was considered as a location for construction of the super collider. Eventually, Waxahachie, Texas was chosen.

However, after $2 billion had already been spent, in 1993 the House of Representatives killed the project because the original $4.4 billion projected cost had more than doubled, Answers.com says.

Smaller particle accelerators using superconducting equipment exist in the United States – at Fermilab outside Chicago and at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York State. Like the newest collider in Switzerland, they had similar problems starting up, but have been operating smoothly since then, says Answers.com.

Back in the 1980s, we didn’t really understand how the super collider worked or what it was supposed to accomplish. Today, we still don’t.

If you’re in the same boat, here’s more information from Wickipedia.com and SwissInfo.ch

Major locally owned financial institutions didn't get caught up in financial mess

2008-10-01T16:42:00.006-04:00

It’s reassuring to know that two of St. Lawrence County’s top financial institutions -- both locally owned -- didn’t get into the same financial mess as many of their bigger peers around the nation.

As fear of panic sweeps the nation amid the current economic meltdown, both North Country Savings Bank and SeaComm Federal Credit Union are pointing out they never got into the business of selling off loans to lenders who couldn’t afford the payments in the first place.

North Country Savings, based in Canton, operates branches in Potsdam, Massena and Ogdensburg. SeaComm’s headquarters are in Massena and has offices in Potsdam, Canton and Malone as well.

As the chief executive officers of both institutions explained in prepared statements and letters to the editor of North Country This Week, the vast majority of their assets are invested locally.

“Nearly 90 percent of our assets are invested right here in St. Lawrence County and over 80 percent of those assets are loans made to customers in St. Lawrence County. Our capital levels are over three times the regulatory minimum,” said David C. Swanson, president and CEO of North Country. “That focus on local customers and local community allows us to develop long-term strategies and avoid short-term decisions that produce negative long-term results.”

Said Scott A. Wilson, president and CEO of SeaComm, “Based upon strategic decisions and planning by our Board of Directors and management team, SeaComm is well capitalized, fiscally prudent and well positioned to weather this storm.” He also noted credit unions are limited by statute and regulation as to what they can invest in, and as such have avoided the riskier parts of the market that have caused other institutions problems.

Swanson says the current financial crisis resulted from “short-range strategies, aimed at the increase in home ownership and the capture of market share in booming real estate markets. Loan products were developed to allow individuals to afford properties they might not otherwise have been able to afford. Those individuals and lenders did not anticipate that real estate values might not rise.”

He continued, “North Country Savings Bank did not originate such products. We had not experienced rapid increases in local real estate prices and saw great risk in straying from our traditional business plan in order to capture additional market share. We saw no benefit in “going with the flow” and originating loans we felt were too risky.”

While the world-wide financial troubles have not seriously impacted our locally owned financial institutions, the situation has nonetheless caused extra work for the employees.

”We have received an influx of calls from members looking for answers to commonly asked questions regarding share insurance and the security of their funds,” said Wilson. “These calls are the apparent result of the bankruptcy of some large Wall Street investment banks, IndyMac, Bankcorp’s closing and President Bush’s recent speech to the nation.”

Both Swanson and Wilson have also reminded customers and members that deposits are insured up to $100,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at North Country Savings or by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), a fund maintained by the U.S. Treasury, at SeaComm.

Local financial institutions also were less likely to get caught up in the mortgage frenzy because home prices in our area did not skyrocket as they did in much of the rest of the country.

Still, “Because we did not stray from our traditional focus, our loan delinquencies remain well within their normal range,” said Swanson. “Our philosophy of making traditional loans to local borrowers continues to yield the kinds of results we’ve maintained for years.”

Elks 50th anniversary helps recall significant role of Potsdam Sandstone a century ago

2008-09-28T04:09:00.004-04:00

What is now the Potsdam Elks Club lodge on Elm Street was the first home constructed of Potsdam Sandstone. Photo courtsey Potsam Muuseum.

Last week’s story of the Potsdam Elks Club celebrating its 50th anniversary helped us recall the significant role Potsdam Sandstone played in the community’s early days.

The Elks lodge on Elm Street is housed in the first home built of Potsdam Sandstone. The Elks purchased the building in 1958 from the Potsdam Town Club, which was merging with the Potsdam Country Club.

In a story published for Potsdam’s bicentennial, North Country This Week noted Potsdam Sandstone significantly affected the character of Potsdam through the early 1900s -- and still figures prominently in the community today.

The story follows:

First quarried in 1809 by Nathan Parmeter, Potsdam Sandstone was so-named because of its abundance in the area. In the century that followed, dozens of local buildings, as well as structures as far away as Detroit and Washington, D.C., were constructed of Potsdam Sandstone from the area.

Today, Potsdam residents pass many of the buildings constructed of the red sandstone daily. And Potsdam Central School students, the “Sandstoners,” often sport the school mascot – a man with hardhat and miner’s pick, outfitted much like Potsdam Sandstone workers might have been 100 years ago.

The Potsdam Sandstone quarries were located along the Raquette River off the Back Hannawa Road, about three miles from downtown Potsdam. Some were flooded when hydro-electric facilities were constructed on the river in the early 1900s.

According to material prepared by the Potsdam Public Museum, some of the Potsdam Sandstone was 70 feet thick, with even-bedded strata. The rock, sometimes 30 feet square, could be raised easily or broken into slabs three to four inches thick and several feet long.

By the mid-1880s, Potsdam Sandstone was a prized building material, renowned for its red color. According to a geologist’s report of the time cited by the museum, the Potsdam quarries furnished “the most valuable stone in the state, being so perfectly workable and manageable, especially when first raised, that few materials for building could compete with it.”

The Potsdam Sandstone industry waned in 1922, when shipping costs became prohibitive. Lower-priced concrete and cinder blocks also replaced Potsdam Sandstone locally in many instances.
During Potsdam Sandstone’s “heyday,” two distinct construction methods were used. The slab-and-binder method, used from 1809 through 1850, consists of alternating rows of horizontally-laid slabs and vertically-laid binders. This was said to add style and texture to a smooth wall, and to give added strength, according to information compiled by the museum.

The first commercial building made of Potsdam Sandstone, the Sewall Raymond Building at 30 Market St., was constructed in 1821 and utilized the slab-and-binder method. It now houses Little Italy pizzeria. The new Potsdam Chamber of Commerce office at 1 Market St. is also located in a building using the slab-and-binder method. It was originally the Hopkins Tannery and Leather Shop and was built in 1840.

The rough ashlar method, used after 1850, is more complex and was a purposeful change form the uniform horizontal look of slab-and-binder. All of the buildings in the Potsdam Civic Center are constructed of the rough ashlar method. Maxfield’s Restaurant, 5 Market St., was built by quarry owner Charles Cox in 1888 and is one of the few commercial buildings constructed in the rough ashlar style.

Potsdam Sandstone was also used in construction throughout New York State, including Columbia College in New York City and at All Saints Cathedral in Albany, whose construction cost at the time was about $2 million. The most famous building incorporating Potsdam Sandstone is the Library of Parliament in Ottawa, Ont., which cost $4 million to build. Potsdam Sandstone was used for lintels and trim. The stone was also used as far away as Detroit and Washington, D.C.

During the earlier years, the sandstone was quarried in a primitive manner by almost anybody, according to “History of Potsdam, NY” edited by Gates Curtis and published in 1894. Parmeter family members were among the first to work in the quarries. Then, the Potsdam Red Sandstone Company was formed. In 1894, it was run by Edwin A. Merritt Jr. and Ogden H. Tappan.

The Clarkson Sandstone Quarries, owned by Thomas S. Clarkson, were opened in 1877, featuring the same quality and color as the older quarries, according to the Curtis history. By the mid-1890s, about 50 men were employed by the Clarkson quarries. The Clarkson “cutting sheds” were located on Pine Street, according to “The Clarkson Family of Potsdam,” written by Marguerite Gurley Chapman in 1958 and republished in 2002 by the Potsdam Public Museum.

Clarkson was killed following an accident at 11 a.m. Aug. 14, 1894. He was working around a 4,600 pound pump in the quarry when it slipped from its block onto him, breaking his left leg and causing internal injuries. He died Sunday, Aug. 19, 1894, according to “The Clarkson Family of Potsdam.”

Thomas’ sisters, Elizabeth, Frederica and Lavina, later founded the Thomas S. Clarkson Memorial School of Technology in his memory in 1896. Today, that institution is Clarkson University.

Potsdam Sandstone “is a fine-grained sandstone cemented with silica and weighing more than any other sandstone, over 160 pounds to the square foot,” reported the Curtis history. “The cementing material is so unaffected by acids that the stone can be boiled in pure nitric acid for hours without injury. It is capable of withstanding crushing strains of 42,000 pounds per inch. It is so nearly fire-proof that is has been used in the vicinity to line cupola furnaces.

“In color, the stone is an ideal red, being deep, rich and brilliant, and retaining its freshness unimpaired by any condition of climate or situation.”

How to find out how St. Lawrence County tax dollars are being spent

2008-09-24T16:08:00.004-04:00

How can St. Lawrence County voters possibly decide whether to approve a school budget or re-elect village trustees, town councilmen or county legislators if they don’t know about financial details?

Recently, we posted links to databases that provide salaries of state employees, as well as pay scales and contract details for teachers and superintendents throughout the state.

Now, state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli has unveiled Open Book New York , which provides financial data for 3,100 counties, cities, towns, villages, schools and fire districts throughout New York State.

DiNapoli says Open Book New York is part of his effort to “inform taxpayers about how government spends their money.”

The site “gives taxpayers unprecedented access to local government finance,” he says. “New Yorkers have a right to know how their tax dollars are spent, and Open Book delivers that information with just a few mouse clicks. Now more than ever, we need to make sure every dime counts. The more New Yorkers know, the more efficient their government will be.”

He continues, “Democracy is a participation sport, and Open Book lets every citizen participate. New Yorkers now have access to the information they need to hold government accountable and make sure their tax dollars aren’t being wasted.”

Open Book New York allows taxpayers to compare year-to-year revenue and spending trends for the last 11 years, starting in 1996 and ending in 2006. Detailed breakdowns by revenue type and spending category are also included. Data will be added on a quarterly basis.

In the future, DiNapoli plans to include debt, tax and demographic data on local governments, as well as data for special purpose units, industrial development agencies and other local units of governments.

The Web site also features searchable databases of state government spending including more than 60,000 State contracts and spending for more than 100 state agencies. The contracts database is updated nightly and can be searched by agency, company, timeframe, dollar amount and more.

Spending for state agencies includes information for several spending categories, such as contractual services, travel, equipment, grants, salaries and wages, employee benefits, and supplies and materials. The state agency spending is updated quarterly.

What do St. Lawrence County teachers earn? Internet provides details

2008-09-21T09:48:00.005-04:00

Are you curious what teachers or superintendents earn in Ogdensburg, Edward-Knox or Gouverneur?

You can easily look up that information as the internet continues to shed light on our government and make it easier for us to find out information we are entitled to.

The information is now available online at SeeThroughNY.net, thanks to a project by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. The site provides complete copies of teacher and superintendent contracts for most school districts in the state.

This information has always been available to citizens, but it required a visit to a school district’s central office and a request to view the documents. Since taxpayers foot the bill, we have a right to review the information.

As we pointed out about a month ago in "Who Are Among Best Paid Workers in St. Lawrence County?" another source of information about how are tax dollars are spent is a database of salaries of all New York State employees compiled by the Albany Times-Union. But since teachers are hired by local school districts, they aren’t included in that database.

For more information about other aspects of state government, you might want to visit Project Sunlight, a service provided by the state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office.

The site allows visitors to browse bills, and information about elected officials, lobbyists and member items.

“Project Sunlight is an effort by my office to promote your right to know and to monitor governmental decision-making,” says Cuomo on the site’s home page. “This website - the first of its kind in New York - allows you to easily access statewide government information that until now has been scattered and difficult to retrieve.”

He says the site is supported by the governor and legislative leaders.

“Currently, we are working on the first phase of this project: collecting and standardizing different data and making it available to you on a comprehensive, easy-to-search website. During this initial phase, you have the ability to search the Project Sunlight website to examine information related to campaign finance, legislation, lobbying activity, and recipients of state government contracts.

“Our goal is to promote disclosure as well as to increase government's transparency and accountability to you. As James Madison, the Founding Father of the Bill of Rights observed, "Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives."

You can tell BOCES what kind of superintendent they should hire

2008-09-14T08:15:00.001-04:00

Last June, we suggested Nine People Who Could Help Lower Costs, Improve Quality of St. Lawrence County Schools .

They are the members of the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Board of Education who will soon hire a new BOCES superintendent to replace Linda Gush, who retired in August.

But before recruitment begins for a replacement, Interim BOCES District Superintendent Jack Boak is inviting comments from citizens .

All component school board members and citizens can participate in a forum to provide information regarding the skills and attributes they feel would be important to the success of a new BOCES district superintendent.

The forum will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, and will be conducted via the BOCES Distance Learning Network at each of the three Career and Technical Education Centers, in Ogdensburg, Norwood and Gouverneur.

As described in 9 people Who Could Help Lower Costs, Improve Quality , we believe the next BOCES superintendent should be asked to:

-- Seriously investigate more collaboration and sharing of buses, staff and top-level administrative talent between school districts, to save money while retaining quality of education.

-- Work with interested individual districts to improve hiring, training procedures and pay structures for new teachers to increase the odds the best candidates are selected and poorly performing new hires don’t go undetected before coming up for tenure.

-- Review BOCES operations to find ways of reducing the costs of services provided to school districts. Since BOCES board members aren’t elected directly by voters, there is a concern the district has little incentive to keep costs as low as possible. As a result, local districts can be faced with a “take it or leave it” mentality when it comes to contracting for BOCES services.

”The nine BOCES board members can help determine how seriously St. Lawrence County schools address these issues,” we said three months ago.

”They can hire a ‘caretaker’ superintendent to keep BOCES operations running much the way they have been. Or, they can seek an executive with a strong mandate to investigate and initiate real savings, improvements and change throughout St. Lawrence County.”

But whatever your opinion is, the Sept. 16 forum is your opportunity to make your feelings known.

BOCES officials say they will use the comments gathered at the forum in the recruitment of candidates for the next BOCES district superintendent.

Those unable to attend may submit comments in writing to St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, c/o Interim District Superintendent Jay Boak, PO Box 231, 139 State Street Road, Canton, NY 13617. Deadline for receipt of written comments is Sept. 22. All comments submitted in writing must be signed by the writer.

Let's hope county bus service operator learns from Cape Air

2008-09-11T15:49:00.004-04:00

Did you know there is daily bus service connecting Ogdensburg, Canton, Potsdam, Massena and Hogansburg?

Not many people do.

And do you know where to find the bus schedules so that you could take advantage of the service?

Again, not many people do.

Let’s hope Ogdensburg’s Roethel Coach Lines takes a lesson from Cape Air on how to increase ridership. Cape Air launches daily round trip flights from Massena and Ogdensburg to Albany Sept. 16, and also receives government subsidies.

But as we noted in an earlier post, Cape Air does business differently than its predecessors.

Among the differences -- the Cape-Cod based airline invests in advertising and promotion to increase ridership. Already, thanks to website, newspaper and chamber of commerce newsletter advertising, awareness of the Cape Air service in St. Lawrence County has increased significantly in recent weeks.

We’re willing to bet that will mean more passengers for Cape Air and a greater likelihood the service will remain for years to come.

By contrast, promotion by Roethel is minimal.

Roethel receives about $270,000 per year in government subsidies. And ever since the program began, it has appeared the company is glad to run the buses if the government pays the bill. But it also appears Roethel has no interest in taking responsibility and investing to increase ridership so subsidies could be reduced.

As we outlined last time, Roethel receives about $10 in government subsidies for each passenger, as well as the $1.50 riders pay for a ticket. That’s a total of about $11.50 per rider.

If Roethel took just 50 cents from each ticket purchase – 4.3 percent of the $11.50 total received – they could buy three modestly sized newspaper ads each week, a small weekly radio advertising campaign or a major website ad campaign.

If that happened, many more potential riders would be aware of the service and know how to find the bus schedules.

We’re willing to bet the bus company would receive back more income from increased ridership than the cost of the ads. And if that happened, we could reduce the government subsidy but the service could continue.

Oh, and by the way, the county bus schedules are located at St. Lawrence County Public Transportation Website.

Taxpayers spend $600 for each air flight, $74 for bus runs in St. Lawrence County

2008-09-07T08:42:00.002-04:00

Today, it’s time for a St. Lawrence County “transportation subsidy math lesson.”

Don’t worry, we’ll do the calculations for you.

Whether you’re flying by air or taking a bus in St. Lawrence County, chances are your trip will be subsidized by the federal government.

Starting Sept. 16, with a $3.9 million annual Essential Air Services federal subsidy, Cape Air will be offering three round-trip flights from Massena, Ogdensburg and Watertown to Albany.

And for more than two years, Roethel Coach Lines of Ogdensburg has received $270,000 in state, federal and now county funds each year, according to the Watertown Daily Times. The subsidy is provided so Roethel can run four buses between Ogdensburg, Canton, Potsdam, Massena and Hogansburg.

So how much do taxpayers pay for each trip? In round numbers, nearly $600 for each airplane trip and about $74 for each bus run.

Here’s how we’ve figured it:

Cape Air will operate three round trips to Ogdensburg, Massena and Watertown seven days a week. That’s 18 one-way trips a day, or about 6,500 trips each year.

Divide the $3.9 million subsidy by 6,500 trips, and the result is about $600 per trip.

If you are the only person flying on the plane, your $49 ticket is subsidized with the additional $600, so the actual payment the airline would receive for the trip would be about $649. If all nine seats on the plane are filled, the subsidy per passenger would be $66.66. Total price per passenger would be $115.66 and Cape Air would receive about $1041.00 for the trip.

As for the bus service, Roethel operates 14 runs five days a week, or 70 runs a week. That’s 3,640 trips per year.

Dividing the $270,000 subsidy by 3,640 runs reveals taxpayers are spending $74.17 to subsidize each bus run. Through April of this year, average ridership was 6 to 8 passengers per run according to the Watertown Daily Times, so the average subsidy per passenger is about $10. Combined with the $1.50 fee riders pay, total income Roethel receives for each passenger is about $11.50.

The federal Essential Air Service is aimed at guaranting that small communities that were served by certificated air carriers before deregulation maintain a minimal level of scheduled air service.

The bus complete schedule is available at St. Lawrence County Commuter Bus website.

With Cape Air serving Massena and Ogdensburg, let's hope 'different is better'

2008-09-03T15:51:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, different is better.

Let’s hope that turns out to be true with Cape Air, which begins flights from Massena and Ogdensburg to Albany Sept. 16. The North Country has been without air service since Big Sky Air bailed out with little notice early this year due to financial difficulties.

Like airlines that have served Massena, Ogdensburg and Watertown in the past, Cape Air will receive a federal subsidy, in this case $3.9 million annually.

Based on our initial impressions, Cape Air might succeed where other airlines have failed because it conducts business differently:

Difference #1: Direct Flights

Instead of scheduling flights that stop in Massena, Ogdensburg and then Watertown before heading to an airport “hub,” Cape Air flights are direct to Albany. Flights from Massena take 62 minutes and leave at 6:30 a.m., 12:20 p.m. and 4:51 p.m. seven days a week. Returning flights from Albany leave at 8:29 a.m., 1:52 p.m. and 6:13 p.m.

From Ogdensburg, flights are 72 minutes and leave at 5 a.m., 11:35 a.m. and 2:40 p.m. Return trips from Albany depart at 10:03 a.m., 1:07 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

One-way trips cost $49.

Difference #2: Advertising and promotion

We can’t recall seeing advertisements promoting North Country flights in the past. But already, Cape Air is advertising on North Country web sites, including NorthCountryNow.com.

In addition, Cape Air offers a fully functioning web site presenting the advantages of using their service and providing the ability to easily make flight reservations online.

Difference #3: Smaller Planes

As we noted in a post last March, Cape Air is using 20- to 40-year-old, small 9-passenger planes. Its competitor for the subsidy, Gulfstream Air, would have used planes people can actually stand up in, the 19-seat Beech 1900D. But Gulfstream was only willing to serve Watertown, not Massena and Ogdensburg. Don't expect flight attendants.

Perhaps, though, Cape Air is operating in a more business-like manner. By keeping costs down, the airline may at least be successful for years to come in its attempt to offer air service to the North Country. The airline is also serving nearby Saranac Lake and Plattsburgh with flights to Boston.

Some are concerned that the Albany destination for the St. Lawrence County airports is not preferred by most travelers. Gulfstream would have traveled from Watertown to Cleveland. Years ago, flights arrived in Pittsburgh, Penn.

In addition, Cape Air currently does not have arrangements to book direct flights to cities other than Albany – passengers must book a Cape Air flight, then log on to another airline website to make reservations for the final destination.

Still, the Cape Cod-based airline has been expanding in recent years, and is also serving Puerto Rico, Rutland, Vt. and Providence, RI.

Let’s hope different is indeed better and Cape Air becomes the “little airline that could” successfully serve the North Country.

Should anonymous comments be allowed on NorthCountryNow.com?

2008-09-01T21:39:00.003-04:00

Should anonymous comments be included on St. Lawrence County’s #1 news and information website?

Most everyone reading this blog reached it through a link from NorthCountryNow.com , since it is the staff blog of NCNow.

And most NorthCountryNow viewers and North Country This Week readers are familiar with the Sound Off column and the NCNow Survey , which both allow anonymous comments.

Both are popular features but draw criticism from those who believe unsigned comments are unfair and misleading.

When the Sound Off column first started about two decades ago, the anonymous nature of the contributions was unusual in traditional newspaper circles. Today, however, Sound Off is pretty tame compared to some of the unfiltered comments that appear elsewhere on the internet.

Since Sound Off began, we have discarded and edited many contributions, such as those with foul language, personal attacks on local residents or businesses or obviously incorrect information. NCNow Survey comments are also edited.

By contrast, many internet message boards, forums and blog comments worldwide – including comments on major metropolitan newspaper websites -- are unedited or not reviewed before they are available to be read by everyone around the world.

The tone throughout the internet is often crass and vindictive, as we noted in May in a blog titled Why Are So Many Rude And Cruel When Submitting Comments Online?

Recently, two readers expressed their displeasure with Sound Off, perhaps voicing the opinion of others. Here are excerpts from their letters, followed by our justification for Sound Off.

Sound Off Not Sound

”There are many things which serve to divide the Potsdam community. None of them make us more attractive or make Potsdam a better place, and I am afraid Sound Off has become one of those things that our home can do without,” wrote Tim Connolly, who described himself as a business owner, resident and fan of Potsdam, in a recent letter to the editor of North Country This Week. Connolly operates Tim’s Comic and Games and, with his wife, North Country Neighbors, in Potsdam.

His letter continues, ”In my dealings with residents and visitors to our community, I find myself having to dispel the misconceptions, exaggerations, and myths that find their way into Sound Off.”

Since Sound Off “provides an opportunity for expression without identification,” sometimes residents and visitors “misinterpret these words for knowledge,” he added. “Sound Off makes a joke of Potsdam and I know many agree with me. I strongly urge you to put an end to Sound Off and ensure free speech through signed letters only.”

What Purpose Does It Serve?

His letter prompted another reader to write a personal note to the editor of the paper:

“Although I am not yet ready to suggest you stop running the weekly Sound Off or your weekly question for the public (the NCNow Survey ), I agree almost completely with what Mr. Connolly observed about how these items seem targeted at reminding us of the negative aspects of the community,” the reader wrote.

“I appreciate free speech. I appreciate good press even when it is critical, but, except for a rare positive question posed by your publication, the outcome of the two segments I mention is almost always public commentary full of contempt, anger, frustration and anxiety over local issues (worse sometimes -- the comments you are trying to invoke seem either obvious or intentionally destructive). I am no journalist or columnist, not by a long shot. What purpose is this serving? Too many questions posed and Sound Off comments printed are just useless and anyone giving them any advance considering could anticipate public response.

“I have NO other issues with your publication -- love it in fact. But, I don't understand shooting out questions designed to disrupt, frustrate and divide the community further -- just don't get it. I also feel allowing comments without a name attached has lost its usefulness -- completely.”

Why We Publish Sound Off

The second reader who wrote the personal note asked us to explain the purpose behind Sound Off and the NCNow Survey. Here’s some of our response:

“Thanks for your note. We’re glad you appreciate most of the paper and find comments such as yours helpful.

“For years, we have discarded and edited many Sound Off contributions, such as those with foul language, personal attacks on local residents or businesses or obviously incorrect information. On occasion, a few have “slipped by” and been published when they probably should not have been.

“Tim Connolly’s recent letter has prompted our staff to discuss how we might improve the tone of the column, and edit a bit more stringently than we have been.

“Sound Off is a combination opinion and entertainment column designed to call attention to a variety of points of view and draw readers into the paper. Since contributions are submitted anonymously, we believe readers understand the comments do not carry as much weight as a signed letter.

“Sound Off allows points of view to be aired that might not otherwise be brought to readers’ attention. The telephone call-in shows on the C-SPAN networks perform a similar role at the national level.

“Many people with legitimate opinions won’t sign their name to a letter to the editor for fear of ramification from their employer, friends, neighbors or family, or out of concern their business might suffer. Others just don’t want to be in the public spotlight, even though their views have validity.

“At the same time, signed letters generally don’t provide a balanced view of opinion in the market and are not necessarily representative of overall community opinion. Some letters are from people actively involved in a political campaign or community issue crusade who normally would not write letters on other issues. Others write letters as a hobby and submit letters every few months or weeks.

“While Sound Off submissions aren’t always as considerate as they might be, in some cases we believe they provide balance or an opposing point of view that prompts beneficial changes.

“Again, thanks again for your note. It’s much appreciated.”

'Next wave' in internet media for Massena's Labor Day parade

2008-08-28T16:39:00.002-04:00

This Labor Day, St. Lawrence County residents will be able to experience the “next wave” in internet media.

Slic Network Solutions, a local provider of business phone and broadband Internet services, will provide a live video and audio stream of Massena’s Solidarity Parade .starting at 11 a.m. on Monday.

It can be viewed by going to slic.com/slicnetworksolutions_webcams.html . Or, visit slic.com and click on the webcam in the upper left corner.

The local internet service provider offered similar coverage at the Potsdam Summer Festival in July. A number of archived videos of the Potsdam festival are also viewable at the slic.com site.

In Massena, the webcam will be in place this week and will remain active until after the holiday. An archived video of the parade will then be available, according to slic.com Sales Engineer Jeff Yette.

Just about any St. Lawrence County resident with a digital video camera has the ability to record major community events, concerts and sports games. The videos can be edited in popular movie-editing software and posted relatively easily at YouTube.com .

At NorthCountryNow.com, we’re eager to post links to videos of events in St. Lawrence County.

To request that NorthCountryNow.com post a link to a St. Lawrence County video on YouTube.com or a similar service, e-mail the link address to Webmaster@NorthCountryNow.com.

In most cases, we’ll post your link on our “Local Videos” page and under the “Recently Added Videos” heading on the home page. Videos of significant events in St. Lawrence County may also receive extra exposure at the top of the page.

Happy videoing!

Great summer weather, miserable winters in St. Lawrence County (sorry, college students)

2008-08-26T15:52:00.005-04:00

Boy, do we feel sorry for the more than 10,000 college students who returned to Clarkson, St. Lawrence, SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton this past weekend.

It’s not because we feel bad their summer has come to an end and they will now have to “hit the books.”

It’s because – our rainy summer notwithstanding – we are now entering the fourth and last of the best months for weather in St. Lawrence County. Our summers can’t be beat.

But the college students will enjoy just about six weeks of pleasant weather before the threat of snow (yes, it’s possible in October!) and cold weather returns.

Then, next spring, after slogging through cold and snow in January, February, March and the first part of April, students will be able to enjoy just three to four weeks of pleasant weather before leaving for the semester during the first week of May.

According to WeatherUnderground.com, the the average high in Massena is 76 degrees with minimal rain in August. . But Six months later, the average low is about 70 degrees less than. And as any long-time North Country resident knows, it’s not unheard of for mid-winter temperatures to drop down as low as -30 degrees.

By February, our average high each day is 20 degrees. The “minimum low” is listed at -18.

AccuWeather.com says average summer temperatures in Potsdam are 76 degrees in June, 81 degrees in July, 79 degrees in August and 69 degrees in September. By contrast, average lows are 5 degrees in January and 7 degrees in February.

Buying St. Lawrence County food: energy savings and better taste

2008-08-24T09:02:00.002-04:00

With the sky-high price of fuel these days, there’s a lot of talk about how purchasing locally grown food reduces the financial and environmental costs required to transport much of the food we buy.

It’s not uncommon for fruits, vegetables or meat to have been shipped 2,000 to 3,000 miles before it arrives at North Country grocery stores.

At this time of year, many people like to shop for corn-on-the-cob, locally grown tomatoes and other salad “fixins,’” and fresh green beans.

Conveniently, many St. Lawrence County farms and orchards offer fresh produce, berries, fruit and herbs. Throughout the year, other farms offer beef, cheese, poultry, eggs, pork, bison milk and eggs; maple products, apples. Some are organic farms. A number of Amish families also set up roadside stands.

GardenShare, a non-profit organization based in Richville, has compiled a .list of farm stands and farmers’ markets in St. Lawrence County.

But we’re not really thinking about the energy savings when we visit the local food stands – we’re buying for the better taste of fresh food.

Realistic tips for caring for dying family members now online from county Hospice

2008-08-21T17:04:00.002-04:00

For years, Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley staff and volunteers have helped preserve the comfort, peace, and dignity for terminally ill patients and their families.

Now, with the recent release of Living With Serious Illness, the organization is providing end-of-life care suggestions, information and issues for consideration that can be accessed online.

Most of us at some point will have to care for a family member or friend who is dying or has a serious long-term illness. The new site can provide a lot of helpful guidance, whether or not the patient and family are receiving Hospice services.

The site offers guidance on:

-- How to deal with medical care issues such as bathing, bed sores, bladder care, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, mouth care, nausea and vomiting and shortness of breath.

-- Pain management approaches and suggestions

-- How to handle nutrition issues, including when patients refuse food.

-- Emotional and spiritual issues . including the meaning of life, resolving long-time family conflicts and spirituality.

-- Guidance in making important end-of-life decisions,. including financial and quality-of-life considerations.

-- Links to more than three dozen support groups and agencies specializing in everything from Alzheimer’s and cardiac care to respite care, bereavement and transportation services.

A recent story on Living With Serious Illness from NorthCountryNow.com explains more.

A chance to hear Morristown's nationally recognized teen country singer-songwriter

2008-08-19T16:04:00.003-04:00

Last December, Morristown teenager Macy Van Arnam drew nationwide attention to her small hometown when she came in second place in the Country Music Television “Music City Madness” competition.

She had competed against 650 others nationwide in a series of elimination rounds as CMT viewers cast ballots for their favorite amateur performer. She had to submit an original song on video to CMT to make it into the contest.

Thursday, area residents get to hear her perform from 8 to 9 p.m. at Myers Pub, 17 Commerce St., Ogdensburg.

CMT still features a video introduction to Macy, her music and her background.

In addition to her musical talent, what impressed us most at the time of her near-win was the polite, down-to-earth, gracious way she handled herself during media interviews.

Congratulations, Macy!

Who are among best-paid workers in St. Lawrence County? State employees

2008-08-17T07:39:00.001-04:00

Who are among the best-paid workers in St. Lawrence County?

State employees working at colleges, prisons, the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center and for the Department of Environmental Conservation.

New York State is also the county’s largest employer, with at least 3,345 jobs throughout the county.

That’s according to a database of salaries of all New York State employees compiled by the Albany Times Union. It’s searchable by location (such as Massena, Ogdensburg, Canton, Potsdam or St. Lawrence County) as well as by agency (such as Education, Corrections, Parks and Mental Health).

It’s not surprising that college presidents make more than any other state employees in St. Lawrence County -- $185,000 for John Schwaller at SUNY Potsdam and Joseph Kennedy at SUNY Canton.

But many other state workers receive pay and benefits that often exceed that offered for jobs in the private sector requiring similar levels of skill, education and experience.

In round numbers, here are salary ranges for various jobs at SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton, as reported by Albany Times Union:

-- Vice presidents, $111,000 - $152,000.
-- Professors, $63,000 - $99,000.
-- Associate professors, $52,000 - $80,000.
-- Assistant professors, $43,000 - $53,000
-- Secretaries, $34,000 - $41,000
-- Janitors, $31,000 - $36,000.
-- Cleaners, $24,000 - $33,000.

Salaries for other common jobs at state prisons, the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, the Department of Environmental Conservation and mental health services in St. Lawrence County:

-- Social workers, $53,000 - $65,000
-- Corrections officers, $50,000 - $59,000
-- Forest rangers, $48,000 - $55,000
-- Environmental conservation officers, $41,000 - $50,000
-- Licensed Practical Nurses, $37,000 - $39,000

Ogdensburg boasts the most state jobs, with 1,392.

The number of state jobs in other St. Lawrence County communities:
-- Potsdam, 827
-- Gouverneur. 427
-- Canton, 410
-- Massena, 120
-- Norwood, 50
-- Madrid, 44
-- Wanakena, 24
-- Brasher Falls, 3
-- Norfolk, 1
-- Morristown, 1

New York State Police Trooper salaries are not listed in the Albany Times Union database, but they are listed on the state police website.

Effective April 1, 2006, troopers received the following pay:

-- $50,374 - Starting salary (during Academy training)
-- $61,525 - Upon graduation from the Academy
-- $65,358 - After one year
-- $77,218 - After five years

Irony in Massena: High gas prices save jobs -- for six months

2008-08-14T16:32:00.004-04:00

How ironic.

The same sky-high gasoline prices that are causing many St. Lawrence County families to struggle to come up with enough money just to drive to work have now caused General Motors to keep the Massena Central Foundry plant open six months longer than originally expected.

The reason? The Massena facility produces cylinder heads and blocks for four cylinder engines, used in fuel efficient, smaller cars, as reported by WWNY-tv, the Watertown Daily Times and North Country Public Radio .

The possibility had been rumored for months. General Motors has been having a hard time keeping up with demand for the four cylinder products in recent months, due to high gas prices.

Unfortunately for the 250 remaining workers in Massena, GM still plans to close the Massena facility and move manufacturing to Saginaw, Michigan.

And that means economic development officials, government leaders and business owners need to redouble efforts to figure our ways to entice new industry and business to northern New York.

But in the meantime, something is better than nothing. And if there is a “silver lining” to the high gas prices in the North Country, it’s the six-month extension granted in Massena.

So what, exactly, is this St. Lawrence County blog all about?

2008-08-10T08:46:00.003-04:00

Now that St. Lawrence County Views & Reviews is six months old, it’s time to ask what, exactly, is this blog trying to accomplish?

Lots of things.

As the staff blog of North Country This Week, which hosts NorthCountryNow.com, we’re trying to fill voids and niches missed by other media. We’re also encouraging viewer participation and dialogue, and hope St. Lawrence County Views & Reviews gives people yet another reason to visit NorthCountryNow.com.

Here’s what we hope this blog provides:

-- Occasional editorial comment. Newspapers serving the area provide few editorials or opinion columns focusing on St. Lawrence County issues. We’re trying in a limited way to fill that need. These posts, such as commentary on the proposed Bion manure-to-enthanol facility and ways to lower costs and improve the quality of local schools have drawn the most comments.

-- Introduction to interesting or innovative St. Lawrence County websites and online services. Since NorthCountryNow.com is an internet portal, we figure we can lead viewers to local sites they might not have visited, such as historical Massena videos on YouTube.com and the Black Lake New York.

-- Local history. It’s good to know the background and interesting stories about your community such as the history of Canton’s Rushton canoes .

-- A “mirror” that shares what many in St. Lawrence County experience in our day-to-day lives, such as deer eating our vegetable gardens .

-- Community “boosterism,” by calling extra attention to the major events in St. Lawrence County such as Ogdensburg’s recently completed Seaway Festival..

-- Additional insight or analysis of issues of concern to St. Lawrence County citizens, such as the ongoing cell phone tower debate in Stockholm and the upcoming the upcoming area code change.

-- And finally, an occasional look at the operation of NorthCountryNow.com, such as our eighth anniversary in February . and this post.

Keeping Deer Out Of North Country Vegetable Gardens

2008-08-07T16:47:00.004-04:00

Just as vegetable gardens in St. Lawrence County begin to bear fruit (or rather corn, beans, squash and tomatoes) -- CHOMP – along come the neighborhood deer and our crops are destroyed.

How best to deter them?

The Garden Resource Center for Northern New York suggests 10- 12-foot tall deer fences. Deer can easily jump over four-or six-foot barriers.

Scroll down farther on the page and the web site also recommends specially designed electric fences.

Yahoo Answers provides many other ideas, which include using cayenne pepper, mothballs, tiger, dog and human urine, or garlic to deter four-legged pests.

Our favorite solution? Aluminum pie plates. They’re cheap and a lot easier than fences.

Nail two four-to five-foot lengths of wood together to form a “T.” We use four “Ts” in a garden that is about 400 square feet.

Then, pound the “Ts” into the ground throughout the garden. Next, nail a hole through each pie plate. Using thin plastic-coated wire, not string, thread the wire through the holes and hang four pie plates from each “T.” If you use string, the edges of the aluminum will eventually cut the string loose.

Make sure the pie plates hang so that they bang into each other whenever there is a breeze.

As far as we can tell, the noise of pie plates “clanging” day and night and the shiny metal visible during the day and when the moon shines brightly at night scare the deer away.

It works for us. Hope it does for you. Good luck.

Remembering Ogdensburg's orphanage for 'destitute children'

2008-08-05T17:17:00.000-04:00

Sometimes we forget how different life was more than a century ago.

What got us thinking about that was a short news item seeking people familiar with United Helpers’ early days as an orphanage. in Ogdensburg.

Today, United Helpers owns or manages 29 separate facilities for older adults, developmentally disabled, and/or mentally ill, providing care and special services for more than 1,000 people each day. It is the largest healthcare provider in St. Lawrence County, employing nearly 900 local individuals.

In addition to three nursing homes, United Helpers operates Partridge Knoll in Canton, the county's only independent living community for seniors. The organization also delivers over 12,000 meals annually to home-based seniors through the Meals-on-Wheels program.

But back in 1898, none of that existed when 12 prominent Ogdensburg women helped raise money to construct an orphanage for “destitute children.”

If you or a member of your family was part of United Helpers during its early years, you are asked to contact Lori Smithers at Society of the United Helpers Development Office, 393-3074, ext. 230.

Choosing a nursing home difficult; info about St. Lawrence County facilities available

2008-08-03T17:51:00.002-04:00

It’s not a task we look forward to, but at some point, many of us will have to seek out a nursing home for an aging family member.

How is the quality of care? Is the food good? Is staffing adequate? Are there appropriate social activities? Is the staff well trained? Is it safe? Are medical instructions followed accurately?

Those are among the many questions to be asked.

There’s nothing like unannounced personal visits and conversations with nursing home patients and their family members to assess quality and the general atmosphere of a facility.

But New York State also provides information about each nursing home in St. Lawrence County . The state “report card” lists results of inspections, numbers of complaints, quality rated by a number of standards and any enforcement actions that have been taken against a nursing home.

Information is provided for Highland Nursing Home, Massena; Kinney Nursing Home, Gouverneur; St. Joseph's Nursing Home, Ogdensburg; St. Regis Nursing Home, Massena; United Helpers Canton Nursing Home; United Helpers Cedars Nursing Home, Ogdensburg; United Helpers Nursing Home, Ogdensburg; and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center RHCF, Ogdensburg.

Stockholm wrestles with proposed phone tower; are cell phones dangerous?

2008-07-27T08:31:00.003-04:00

Controversy erupted recently over plans for a Verizon cell phone tower off Route 11B in Stockholm.

Citing dangers of radiation from the tower, the Martin family, whose members operate an organic farm and roadside stand near the site, are fighting the plan.

“It is suspected that cell tower radiation is one of the causes of colony collapse disorder in honeybees,” 24 family members wrote in a Letter to the Editor of North Country This Week in June. “Honeybees are extremely important for the pollination of the vegetable crops. Who will pay for the loss in production?”

The letter continued, “Cell towers have a negative effect on livestock … Also of concern is the health of our cows and goats that give us milk and meat … Most important is our own health … The hazards of cell towers are not acceptable!”

By contrast, those in favor say emergencies alone justify construction of the cell phone tower.

“The modern age, whether we like it or not, is electronic and technological in nature. We have not only gotten used to this in our daily lives, we also depend on this technology in business, health matters, emergencies, and a host of other events. To say that this proposed cell tower will be an eyesore, and diminish a certain way of life, is a bit of an exaggeration,” wrote Gerard F. Monnat in another Letter to the Editor of North Country This Week.

”Opposition to this tower does not take into consideration the need in emergencies, whether they be auto accidents, barn fires, or health related, for quick response in order to save lives and property.

“The lives saved, the fires put out, the much-needed communication network in this area is worth it. I am in favor of this proposed cell tower. I also like trees, birds, and nature. I love the North Country, and am a year-round resident here.”

Now comes news of possible cancer risks from cell phones, according to an Associated Press broadcast by ABC News.

“The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer,” said the AP story.

Reported ABC News: “The warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“Herberman is basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now — especially when it comes to children.

"Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn't wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later," Herberman said.

“No other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cell phone use. But Herberman's advice is sure to raise concern among many cell phone users and especially parents.”

Let’s hope Herberman’s fears prove to be unfounded. If the cell phone cancer danger turns out to be real, a good percentage of our population – from young people to senior citizens – will be scrambling to adapt to a life without the instant communication they’ve become used to.

As Massena hosts Civil War reenactors, actual rosters appear on internet

2008-07-25T15:24:00.003-04:00

A Civil War Reenactment . takes place July 26 and 27 at Robert Moses State Park in Massena, featuring mock battles staged by Union and Confederate “soldiers.”

Back in the 1860s, thousands of St. Lawrence County men served in the infantry, cavalry and artillery during the conflict, according to Civil War rosters from St. Lawrence County compiled by Anne M. Cady.

Back then, the proportion of men who served compared to the total population must have far exceeded the number of St. Lawrence County residents now serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

For example, here’s a list of members of the 60th Infantry, Company I who enrolled in Ogdensburg and served under Captain Jesse H. Jones. Rolls of many other companies with the same infantry, as well as other infantry, cavalry and artillery units, contain similar numbers of St. Lawrence County residents.

Data appearing on the website was transcribed from the “History of St. Lawrence County, New York,” published by L. H. Everts & Company in 1878.

“This data mainly consists of the original muster rolls of units formed in St. Lawrence County. It does not contain any soldiers who enlisted in these units at later points in time, nor does it include units originally mustered elsewhere,” writes Cady.

“Don’t be surprised if your soldier does not show, as I suspect these original muster rolls cover less than half of the soldiers who served from the county,” she continues.

Nonetheless, St. Lawrence County residents whose families have lived in northern New York for many generations just might discover a distant relative’s name in the muster rolls.

Pyrites, Morley & Rensselaer Falls voters effectively disenfranchised

2008-07-23T15:48:00.002-04:00

How would you like to have to pay $5 for the privilege to vote for town councilman, county legislator or president?

Soon, folks in Pyrites, Rensselaer Falls and Morley will have to travel up to 20 miles round-trip to vote at the Canton Fire Station, according to WWNY-tv. And that trip could well use up at least a gallon of gasoline, which now costs more than $4.30.

The county Board of Elections has decided to consolidate Canton’s polling places starting with the November election, and close polling locations in those hamlets, the television station reports.

“The changes in voting places were also necessary to comply with the Help America Vote Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which require polling places to be accessible to those with special needs. Despite having ramps and other accommodations, election officials say the Morley, Pyrites and Rensselaer Falls polling locations do not meet those requirements,” WWNY reported.

Who’s kidding who? The decision will effectively disenfranchise voters in those communities.

Picture a cold, rainy night on election day. Many of us would decide to stay home where it’s warm and dry instead of spending almost an hour traveling in the wet and cold and spending nearly $5 on gas.

That’s especially true for those who live on very tight budgets. Many Pyrites, Rensselaer Falls and Morley households subsist on poverty-level incomes.

On the other hand, those same people would be much more likely to vote if they knew they could "zip out" and cheaply visit their neighborhood polling location then return home quickly.

We hope elections officials reconsider and successfully find funds to bring the three voting locations into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

We'll soon find out whether Potsdam Wal-Mart hurts or helps local stores

2008-07-20T09:18:00.003-04:00

A decade after Wal-Mart first announced plans to construct a store in Potsdam, and following much controversy, the giant retailer will finally open a "supercenter" in early August.

The Watertown Daily Times reports the new Potsdam Wal-Mart has been conducting orientation for new employees .

Contrary to what some opponents claimed, the Arkansas retailer is paying most workers at least $1 to $1.60 per hour above minimum wage, according to a story published in May by North Country This Week. That’s more than what other fast-food outlets and retailers are offering, and may actually put pressure on local businesses to increase entry level wages slightly.

And now, the community will learn whether the “big box” will cause some long-time local retailers go out of business, as many opponents fear. Many downtowns across the country have become decimated and filled with vacant storefronts shortly after Wal-Mart opened its doors nearby.

However, there is a possibility – but not a probability – that Wal-Mart may instead cause residents to shop locally instead of traveling to Massena or Ogdensburg, actually benefiting established retailers.

That’s because in the past quarter-century, Ames Department Store, J. C. Penney, Montgomery-Ward and the Great American grocery store have all closed, forcing Potsdam-area residents to drive 20 to 30 miles away for much of their shopping. In addition, numerous Potsdam clothing and furniture stores have also closed in the past two decades.

The argument presented by the optimists is that the type of stores Wal-Mart forced out of business in other communities already left Potsdam years ago. Primarily “niche” and specialty shops and stores offering important personalized service remain, and they are generally less vulnerable because they often sell products not available at Wal-Mart.

Some say shoppers from the Greater Potsdam-Canton area who have traveled to Massena or Ogdensburg to go to Wal-Mart or buy groceries at a store other than P & C may now stay in town to shop at Wal-Mart. Local businesses might gain because it will no longer be worth it for shoppers to travel to Massena just to visit St. Lawrence Centre mall, especially now that gas prices are about $4.31 per gallon.

The prospects for Canton are not as positive. A number of studies have shown retailers in communities where Wal-Mart locates generally do better than their counterparts ten miles away. That’s because shoppers from the nearby towns are willing to travel to the “next town over” to go to Wal-Mart, and while there, they do additional shopping at other stores instead of in their hometown.

Back in 1998, Wal-Mart planned to build on Route 56 just north of the village of Potsdam, but negotiations with the village for water didn’t work out. Then, after several years, the Arkansas retailer announced in 2004 it would construct on the former Chalet Motel and Uncle Max’s Restaurant property on Route 11, just west of the village.

Time will tell what Wal-Mart’s effects will be on established businesses. Two years from now, it will be interesting to view the changes that have taken place in the Potsdam and Canton business communities.

With Seaway Festival on the way, summer's nearly half-way gone

2008-07-18T09:51:00.002-04:00

You know summer vacation is almost half-way through when the Ogdensburg Seaway Festival returns.

Many volunteers each year make the event a reality.

This year, the 48th annual event takes place July 19 to 27 and includes with St. Lawrence County’s largest parade, which begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 26.

The Ogdensburg Chamber of Commerce offers a comprehensive list of events. Scroll down the page; Seaway Festival items are in red.

The first weekend features an arts and crafts show, Zonta antique show and Founders Days at Fort La Presentation. Located at Lighthouse Point, Fort LaPresentation will present a French and Indian War reenactment and a Colonial trade fair.

Ogdensburg’s history dates back to 1749 when Catholic priest Francois Picquet arrived from Canada to convert local Indians to Christianity. He oversaw construction of Fort LaPresentation as a French mission, which became a prosperous frontier outpost that served as a church, school, trading post and citadel.

Starting on Wednesday, July 23, festival activities increase as amusement rides begin operating in the Greenbelt area. They continue through Saturday.

And throughout the week, many concerts and recreational events are also planned.

Closing out the festival on Sunday, July 27 will be the Michael Cutwa Annual Fun Fly and Model Airplane Show at Propbusters Air Field next to Howland Pump, beginning at noon. And from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., an antique and classic car show and flea market at the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Grounds.

The festival offers many St. Lawrence County residents the opportunity to meet up with friends and acquaintances and enjoy what we hope will be beautiful North Country summer days.

Honoring St. Lawrence County soldiers killed in the Middle East

2008-07-16T10:44:00.011-04:00

We’re glad to hear Jesse Howe of Hannawa Falls recently returned safely following a tour of duty in Iraq.

But it’s important to remember some St. Lawrence County residents have lost their lives or been seriously injured while in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The Washington Post has compiled an impressive record of soldiers killed while serving in the overseas wars called Faces of the Fallen.

Local soldiers listed include:

--Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Sovie of Ogdensburg,

--Cpl. Henry W. Bogrette of Richville,

--Canton High School graduate Major Duane W. Dively of Rancho California, Calif.

--Spec. Chad Fuller of Potsdam

--Gouverneur Central School graduate Sgt. David Travis Friedrich.

We owe these young men respect and a debt of gratitude for being willing to volunteer for almost guaranteed deployment to the Middle East.

And as politicians, military leaders and citizens nationwide debate how to proceed militarily in Iraq and Afghanistan, let's hope for a quick resolution to the unfortunate conflicts.

Can St. Lawrence County offset loss of tourists and visitors?

2008-07-13T06:27:00.001-04:00

We’re sorry to hear that the high price of gas is being blamed for a lower-than-expected turnout for the recent carp tournament in Waddington, as reported by the Watertown Daily Times. and North Country Public Radio .

St. Lawrence County certainly doesn’t boast the tourist trade that other areas in northern New York have, such as the Lake Placid, Lake George and Old Forge areas.

But nonetheless, it’s disappointing to know there will probably be fewer people coming to St. Lawrence County to fish and boat on the St. Lawrence Seaway and Black Lake, visit the nearby Akwesasne Casino or hike, camp or snowmobile in the Adirondack foothills.

Every tourist adds just a bit to our economy – through purchases at convenience stores, restaurants, motels and retail shops – and we would rather not lose any visitor traffic.

Could it be possible that more St. Lawrence County residents will now be staying home instead of traveling away for vacations for the same reason fewer tourists are coming here?

If so, perhaps they might spend more in St. Lawrence County than in previous years. But will it enough to offset sales lost due to lower visitor traffic?

Potsdam firefighers continue 100+ year tradition with 'Run to the River'

2008-07-11T10:22:00.003-04:00

The Potsdam Volunteer Fire Department continues a tradition that goes back more than 100 years when it conducts its annual “Run to the River” on Saturday.

A photo of the department from about 1900 is shown above, courtesy of the Potsam Public Museum.

Three teams will compete in the Run to the River, which starts about 7 p.m., following the annual fire department review at 6:45 p.m. The annual parade at 6 p.m. kicks off the department's activities.

When the Run to the River gets underway, one fire engine will travel down Elm Street, turning south onto Market. Another truck will travel down Main Street while the third will go down Hamilton Street to Water Street. All will stop at the Clarkson Inn along the Raquette River.

Then, all teams will try to be the first to fill their hoses with water from the river and spray it straight in the air.

While the event dates back to the early 1900s, the department has actually been serving Potsdam for more than 160 years.

Here’s a brief history of the fire department, which first appeared in a special Potsdam Bicentennial Section published in North Country This Week in February of 2006:

“A fire company was first established in 1823, but it became disorganized, according to Evert’s “History of St. Lawrence County.” By 1853, the village owned two fire engines, but there was “no systematic means of working them provided.”

“The present department was organized in 1857 “with a chief engineer, assistant engineer, secretary, assistant secretary, treasurer, steward and two companies – Frontier Hose No. 1 and Potsdam Engine No. 1.”

“In 1874, Raquette Hose No. 2 was established and in 1875, Relief Hose No. 3 was created.

Early in 1889, a steam fire engine was purchased for $4,000, according to “History of Potsdam, NY” by Gates Curtis. The engine, along with three hose companies and a hook-and-ladder company supplemented the hydrants connected with water mains that had been installed by that time.

“In 1890, a lot on the west side of Market Street was purchased by the village from Harvey M. Story for $1,000 for construction of an engine house, with a lock-up on the rear and a jail on the second floor. Construction cost was $2,500, according to “History of Potsdam, NY.”

“In 1912, public approval was received for a new fire station at the corner of Main and Park streets, its current location. The firemen’s hall had been at the there since 1860.

“The cornerstone for the new fire department building was laid on July 17, 1913, according to “Images of America – Potsdam,” published by Arcadia in 2004.

“By 1930, the department boasted a steam fire engine and horse-drawn hose and chemical wagon, its first motor truck, a Brockway Hose and Chemical Truck, rebuilt in 1925 as a ladder-hose and chemical combination, an American LaFrance 750 GMP Pumper, a Sanford 500-gallon-per-minute pumper, and a Packard touring car donated by Mrs. W. A. Moore and rebuilt into a squad truck.

“Today, the Potsdam Fire Department operates three engines, a tanker, an aerial platform, a heavy rescue vehicle, and one light rescue utility truck out of the single station next to the Civic Center.

“The Village of Potsdam employs four fire drivers that provide around-the-clock coverage with one paid fire driver at the fire station. The paid fire driver immediately responds to the scene with one village-owned engine within the village limits and is met on the scene by volunteer firefighters responding from their residences or places of employment. Additional fire apparatus is sent to the scene by volunteer firefighters as needed.

“Current members (in February 2006) include Kyle Berry, Michael Boysuk, Jason Brown, Aaron Farney, Robert T. Farnsworth Sr., Joseph J. Goliber, Kevin Grant, Timothy Jerome, Steven Keleher, Andrew Mason, James Mason, Christopher McGrath, Roy Waite, Steve Bond, Mark Bradish, Scott Brunet, William Enslow, Audie Jerome, Gregory Kie, Robert Lower, Nicholas Maneely, Andrew McFadden, Justin Perry, Jerry Robar, Robert Robar, Danielle Rose, Christopher Saxton, Randolph Webster, Jeffrey Brown, Scott DiCola, Jason Farnsworth, Richard Frederick, Joseph Gallagher, Michale Jerome, Jerrid Lavoie, Daniel McGregor, David McGregor, Thomas McGregor, Douglas McGregor, Walter McLennan, Christopher Pezzini, Richard Wolfe, Wayne Andrus, Brendan Corbett, Conor Corbett, James Corbett, Michael Corbett, Sean Corbett, Leland Cota, Myles Farrell, Joseph R. Goliber, Alexander Grant, John Keleher, David Sharpe, Christopher Taylor, Allen Trimm, Ryan Warr, Salvatore DiSanza, Andrew Dunnick, Stephen Petit, Robert Shaw and Aaron Tandy.

“Separate departments in Norwood, West Potsdam, West Stockholm and Hannawa Falls also serve portions of the Town of Potsdam.”

With 2 web cams, Potsdam Summer Festival viewable around the world

2008-07-08T14:52:00.004-04:00

People around the world just might take in some of the many musical performances at the Potsdam Summer Festival July 10 to 13.

And visitors to the 41st annual event may also find themselves being watched from afar.

Two web cams are being installed by Slic Network Solutions just for the festival. Internet viewers will be able to watch them by visiting the Slic website and clicking on the tv camera logo.

One of the “Network Cameras” will use infrared technology to capture pictures in low-light conditions and may be able to capture activity as nightfall arrives. It will be set up to show live views of events in Ives Park, behind the Clarkson Inn. Concerts, a craft show, rubber ducky race, antique auto show and an airplane exhibit are planned in the park.

The other webcam will feature two-way audio so internet viewers can hear musical performances as they take place. The camera will be set up downtown in front of Northern Music & Video and Wear On Earth where dozens of musical groups will appear during the festival.

More information about summer festival events is available at NorthCountryNow.com. The web site’s 7-Day Calendar includes day-by-day schedules of the summer festival events.

Slic will also debut a “Public Wifi” downtown and in Ives Park during the festival, providing free access to community links and Slic’s partners websites. In addition, any Slic customer will be able access other internet sites by entering their username and password. Slic is a provider of business phone and broadband Internet services owned by Nicholville Telephone.

Also new this year will be a "Tech Tent" from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday July 12 in Ives Park behind the Clarkson Inn. Slic will have demonstrations of the new UC500 Unified Communication System from Cisco which provides Phone, Video, Secure Internet, Voice Mail and Chat in a single small-form factor device. Other technicians will demonstrate fiber-optic splicing equipment on site and will be holding scheduled demos throughout the day.

With 400 slaughterhouse jobs, should St. Lawrence County support Bion?

2008-07-06T08:31:00.002-04:00

Back in February, we said Bion’s proposed giant manure-to-ethanol plant might help lower taxes, create jobs and decrease dependence on foreign oil.

But now, we’re not so sure it’s the right project for St. Lawrence County.

That’s because it appears two-thirds of the 600 jobs the project would create would be in slaughterhouses.

Ryne Martin reported in the Daily Courier Observer recently that Bion officials indicated “400 of the predicted jobs would be created if a slaughter facility was placed in the region.” A question from Bion opponent Robin McLellan at a presentation to the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce in Brasher Falls prompted the clarification.

If no slaughterhouse is established in the area, the 84,000 cattle raised at six farms created for the ethanol production facility would be shipped out of the area for slaughter as they become old enough. That means the Bion project would create only about 200 jobs, at farms as well as the ethanol plant.

In a nutshell, the Bion project would truck manure produced by cattle at the independently owned farms to a centralized facility in St. Lawrnece County where it would be converted to ethanol. After about four months of feeding, the cattle would be taken to a slaughterhouse, which would also not be owned or operated by Bion. Detailed descriptions and explanations appear on Bion’s website.

Now, we’re all for creating jobs in St. Lawrence County and doing our part to try to reduce this nation’s dependence on foreign oil. And we eat meat, which we know has been slaughtered and most likely came from animals raised in feed lots.

But slaughterhouses can be a nasty place to work. They are also known for hiring illegal aliens to perform work most of the rest of us don’t want to do for relatively low wages.

In May, a Kosher slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa was shutdown after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement stormed the AgriProcessors meatpacking plant, according to the The Jewish Daily Forward. It is the most recent slaughterhouse raided for employing illegal aliens.

The newspaper reported “nearly 400 of the slaughterhouse’s 968 employees” were detained and the raid prompted “others to go into hiding. According to The Des Moines Register, 154 of those arrested in the raid have been charged with criminal offenses relating to identity theft. Most of those taken into custody come from Guatemala or Mexico; a few are from Eastern Europe or Israel.”

The report continues, “Because wages are generally so low and conditions in the plants so difficult, meatpacking companies that have been raided by immigration enforcement agencies often hire undocumented workers all over again. In other cases, slaughterhouses have recruited workers from inner-city slums, or refugees who are in the United States legally but lack work permits.”

The story notes “Sources say that the company is also trying to attract documented workers by offering wages higher than what the undocumented employees had received. But replacing a work force of hundreds could take months, experts on slaughterhouse labor say.”

And here is a description of what happens when a cow enters a slaughterhouse from a report aired on PBS-tv:

“The animals go in single file. At a certain point, they pass over a bar, their legs on both sides, and the floor slowly drops away, and at that point they're being carried along sort of on that bar, which is a conveyor belt, and they then pass through a station where there's a man on the catwalk above. He's holding an object that looks like a power nailing gun or something. It's a pneumatic device called a stunner.

“This essentially injects a metal bolt. It's about the size and length of a thick pencil into its brain, right between the eyes, and that should render the animal brain dead.

“At that point, chains will be attached to his rear legs. He will be lifted up by the chains. The chains are attached to an overhead trolley, and then he will be bled. Another person in another station will stick a long knife in and cut his aorta and bleed the animal. And then he will be completely dead.

“And from there he goes through a series of stations to clean him and to remove his hide. One of the real problems is that the animals have spent their [lives] lying in their manure, are smeared and caked with the stuff, and they're entering the food plant. And so many steps are taken to make sure that the manure doesn't infect the meat, which can happen very easily.”

So the question really is: Should St. Lawrence County support the Bion project and the possible creation of 400 slaughterhouse jobs?

Reviews, tips and comments on St. Lawrence County's fireworks shows

2008-07-03T15:32:00.006-04:00

At least five fireworks shows are planned in St. Lawrence County this Independence Day weekend.

Of course, don’t bring your dog or babies. They bark and cry. Otherwise, fill up the car with family and friends for an Independence Day celebration.

So here’s what’s hot and what’s not about fireworks in Massena, Norwood, Morristown, Hannawa Falls and Gouverneur:

-- St. Lawrence Centre mall, on Route 37 in Massena, hosts the first show of the weekend, at about 10:15 p.m. Thursday, July 3. Fireworks are shot off from the rear of the mall, but there’s still a good view from just about anywhere in the northern end of the parking lot. You can watch from your car, if that’s what you like. For those who enjoy shopping, the mall provides the opportunity beforehand. But expect to wait in traffic after the show is over while all the vehicles try to leave the parking lot at the same time.

-- Norwood puts on the county’s largest show Friday, July 4 at dusk, following a day-long field day at the firemen’s field on Morgan Street. But make sure to bring your bug repellant – the mosquitoes can be really bad – and a lawn chair. After a day-long firemen’s field day, the ground can be wet and muddy. If you want to avoid the firemen’s field, the fireworks can also be viewed from Route 56 near Doran’s Garage just before the hill into downtown Norwood. A parade kicks off Norwood’s Fourth of July at 1 p.m., leaving from Perry’s Big M on Maple Street. Then, live music, kid’s rides, truck pulls and karaoke are featured at the firemen’s field -- along with just a bit (or more) of beer drinking.

-- Morristown’s fireworks also take place on Friday, July 4, and provide a great view for anyone driving on Route 37 along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Morristown is also hosting a Jazz and More Festival this weekend, with music starting at 11 a.m. Friday at the Morristown Gateway Museum on Main Street. A parade is also planned through downtown Morristown on Friday. The jazz festival returns with music from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

-- The most picturesque fireworks display is in Hannawa Falls on Saturday, July 5. The best place to view the Robert Plumb Memorial Fireworks is from a boat in the water in front of the Shorelounge on Route 56. Those without a boat or an invitation can view them on Route 56 between the Shorelounge to the bridge over the Racquette River. Postwood Park beach is another viewing location, but trees can block the view.

-- Gouverneur’s fireworks display helps close out the three-day weekend on Sunday, July 6 at 9:30 p.m. The show will take place at the Gouverneur Fairgrounds, 85 E. Barney St., near the high school. The rain date will be Labor Day.

Obama victory could help eliminate anti-Americanism, says former Potsdam resident

2008-07-01T18:30:00.004-04:00

A former Potsdam resident who has performed medical humanitarian work four times in Iraq says people there are surprised Americans would elect a president with the middle name, “Hussein.”

Bernard S. Alpert, M.D., whose parents operated Harold’s Men’s Shop for many years in downtown Potsdam, wrote of talking about Barack Obama with Middle Easterners in a Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle . (Scroll down the page past the first three letters)

“An Obama victory would eliminate at least half the massive anti-Americanism felt around the world,” his letter begins. The letter was originally published in February.

Following his trips to Iraq and another to Kuwait, Alpert says “I am very comfortable having frank, even insensitive dialogues with my Iraqi physician colleagues and a broad range of Iraqi civilians.

“Most recently (Jan. 8-15) in Baghdad, I asked 15 consecutive Iraqis first if they knew who Sen. Barack Obama was, and, if so, what was his middle name. Their responses were unanimously yes and no. "He's the black chap" was typical. Also unanimous were the visceral reactions when I told them it was Hussein. Brows raised, mouths open, and eyes widened. "Really,"... "No,"... "You're kidding"...

Alpert, a plastic surgeon, says the Iraqis believe Americans would not like “the sense of any connection to Islam," even though the expected Democratic nominee’s middle is Hussein.

"What would Muslims think if he became President of the United States?" the Iraqis ask, Alpert writes.

The letter concludes, “I wasn't prepared for the immediacy nor the nature of the responses; plain, clear, and unambiguous. On the ground exchanges as these are raw, simple, and revealing. They are anecdotes and not for psychometric scrutiny.”

Alpert has continued his ties with Potsdam over the years by funding a yearly scholarship awarded to the valedictorian of graduating classes from Potsdam High School.

Thanks to Elizabeth Fogarty for providing us with a copy of the newspaper in which Alpert’s letter appeared.

St. Lawrence County businesses, institutions promoting themselves on YouTube.com

2008-06-29T09:00:00.002-04:00

An increasing number of St. Lawrence County organizations and businesses are using YouTube.com to promote themselves.

Viewers worldwide can watch short videos about colleges, businesses, politicians and musical groups from the North Country.

Local colleges have posted their ads on the popular web site. Both Clarkson University and SUNY Canton offer several commercials.

A number of St. Lawrence County residents working in the music and entertainment industry and have videos on YouTube.com.

Just recently, the North Country Public Radio recording studio posted a video encouraging musicians to rent the studio.

Mission Music DJs, a “mom and pop” business serving St. Lawrence County, uses YouTube.com. Their video shows potential customers what their event might be like if they hired the disc jockey service.

And Lost Control, a music video by Sabbatical, can also be seen online.

Politicians successful -- Darrel Aubertine for State Senate -- and unsuccessful -- Gus Burns for County Sheriff -- have used YouTube.com in the past year.

YouTube.com makes it easy for people to upload as well as watch videos online, so it’s not surprising local people and institutions are starting to use the service to promote themselves.

Another draw – it’s free.

Perhaps the best way online videos can be used to promote local businesses and organizations is as a source for more information. As in, “For more information and to watch a video about our services, visit www.YouTube.com/ watch?v=nkCgbxtow2Q.”

That’s because unless you know to search for a specific video, you may not realize it’s available online. Sometimes search services like Google and Yahoo successfully help people find local information, but other times the national search engines fail to turn up St. Lawrence County web sites and videos.

NorthCountryNow.com, which hosts this blog, strives to help people interested in discovering website and videos about St. Lawrence County. NorthCountryNow.com contains links to thousands of North Country websites and videos.

Even so, for promotional videos on YouTube.com to really be effective for local institutions, people have to know they’re there before they try searching for it.

Otherwise, most of the viewers of YouTube.com videos about St. Lawrence County will probably live elsewhere around the world. As a result, businesses selling to customers outside St. Lawrence County, or seeking to draw outsiders to vacation or visit our area, might do well to post a promotional video on YouTube.com. They have nothing to lose by doing so.

9 people who could help lower costs, improve quality of St. Lawrence County schools

2008-06-25T14:36:00.007-04:00

What nine St. Lawrence County people are in perhaps the best position to restrain costs, increase teaching skills and improve community relations for St. Lawrence County schools?

The members of the St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Board of Education:

-- Roger M. Bennett, president, served 15 years on the Massena school board.

-- Dana M. Smith, vice president, also a member of the Madrid-Waddington school board.

-- Charles Alford, also a member of the Morristown school board.

-- Richard Bicknell, elected to the BOCES board in 1975, served a seven-year term as president, and served on the Parishville-Hopkinton school board for nine years.

-- Nancy Cappellino, a past president, also serving on the Gouverneur school board.

-- Patricia Gengo, also serving on the Brasher Falls school board.

-- Marjorie McCullough, also serving on the Hammond school board.

-- Andrea Webb, also serving on the Edwards-Knox school board.

-- Shelli Prespare-Weston, also serving on the Colton-Pierrepont school board.

We mention their names because in our last post, we proposed ways school administrators in St. Lawrence County can prove their worth.

Essentially, we suggested administators:

-- Seriously investigate more collaboration and sharing of buses, staff and top-level administrative talent between school districts.

-- Improve hiring, training procedures and pay structures for new teachers to increase the odds the best candidates are selected and poorly performing new hires don’t go undetected before coming up for tenure.

-- Work to repair inceasingly adversarial relations between school districts and residents they serve. The gap between teachers – with generous pensions, virtually free health insurance policies and wages that increase more than inflation -- and taxpayers, many of whom don’t have those benefits, has widened significantly in recent years.

The nine BOCES board members can help determine how seriously St. Lawrence County schools address these issues because they will soon hire a new BOCES superintendent to replace Linda Gush, who retires in August.

They can hire a “caretaker” superintendent to keep BOCES operations running much the way they have been.

Or, they can seek an executive with a strong mandate to investigate and initiate real savings, improvements and change throughout St. Lawrence County.

This is particularly important because, as the Wall Street Journal reported recently, schools nationwide are being caught off guard with the record escalation in fuel and food prices . That’s putting even more pressure on school districts to cut costs without decreasing the quality of services.

And while superintendents and principals in individual school districts can work to address these issues, the BOCES superintendent is in perhaps the best position to undertake a major initiative to encourage “out of the box” thinking to accomplish these goals county-wide. Consolidation and sharing of services can sometimes create savings impossible for an individual district to achieve.

As the BOCES web site explains, BOCES already aims to offer “cost-effective shared services, including career training for high-school students and adults, special education, alternative schools, technology education, and teacher training, as well as dozens of programs to expand educational opportunity and help districts operate more efficiently.”

The St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties BOCES web site says the district employs about 1,000, making it one of the largest employers in the county. It offers approximately 50 different programs and services to its member school-district needs, its website says. BOCES staff includes educational planners, public relations professionals, printers, bus drivers, computer network technicians, physical and occupational therapists, registered nurses, and web designers in addition to hundreds of classroom teachers and teacher aides.

In an effort to make sure school districts are operating as efficiently as possible, the new BOCES superintendent could be charged first with seriously reviewing St. Lawrence-Lewis Counties BOCES operations. Some complain BOCES is “top heavy,” with too many administrative personnel.

Others say BOCES has little incentive to work hard to keep the price of its services as low as possible. Unlike local school board members, BOCES board members are not elected by the general public, so they are somewhat insulated from scrutiny by taxpayers. BOCES board meetings also receive little media coverage.

That can result in local school boards being placed in a “take it or leave it” position when BOCES informs them of the costs of services. All 18 districts are required to pay a pro-rated portion of BOCES administrative costs, regardless of the amount of BOCES services they utilize. In some cases, local districts have discovered they can provide services more cheaply than BOCES, and have "taken back" those programs from BOCES.

In addition to reviewing BOCES operations, the new superintendent is in a perfect position to be mandated by the board to encourage the 18 individual districts to “buy in” to a serious investigation of other ways to share, improve teaching quality and keep costs down.

Certainly, many ideas investigated might turn out to be impractical. But it’s also possible such an undertaking could result in significant savings – for example, if buses are shared between districts, support services are centralized or individual districts are unified when negotiating future contracts.

Of course, it is very difficult to find an experienced executive capable and willing to navigate political, legal and geographical limitations in an effort to successfully lower costs and improve quality. Who really wants employees, taxpayers, board members, parents and special interest groups all dissatisfied or angry with you at various times?

And, as we noted last time, it’s one thing to seek desired traits in a new superintendent. It’s quite another thing to find someone willing and capable, especially given the lack of quality talent applying for top level administrative positions in schools statewide.

But it’s worth a try. And certainly better than aiming to hire a “caretaker” interested in continuing to do things they way they have been done for years.

How St. Lawrence County school administrators could prove their value

2008-06-22T09:39:00.002-04:00

In our last post, we defended school principals and superintendents and actually called for more administrators in St. Lawrence County.

But today, we’re turning the tables and offering ideas on how school administrators could really prove their value.

Of course, it’s one thing to list the qualifications we want in a superintendent. It’s quite another to find someone who meets the criteria and is interested in the job.

The New York Times the other day reported that school districts are having difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill school superintendent vacancies statewide.

The Times said the decline in the candidate pool for superintendents has been fueled by a narrowing gap between pay for a superintendent and a teacher at the highest level of the pay scale, especially since teachers work ten months a year, not 12.

Reported the Times, “Although a teacher's job is demanding, it does not have nearly the same pressures as a Superintendent.

“Indeed, several Superintendents cited job stress as a reason for the decline in applications.”

Nonetheless, here are the areas we would like to see school administrators in St. Lawrence County focus more attention on:

First, investigate more shared services to save money. With both Potsdam and Norwood-Norfolk budgets voted down twice this spring, county residents may be nearing the point of refusing to spend more on education:

-- Could transportation costs be cut if districts pooled their buses and transportation employees, resulting in more flexibility and perhaps the need for fewer buses? Could buses transporting students to BOCES serve more than one district, reducing the number of runs required? Can greater use be made of smaller buses on distant, rural routes to save on fuel and vehicle expense?

-- Do all 18 school districts really need a cafeteria manager who plans menus and orders food and stays up-to-date on federal school lunch regulations? How about an experienced, top-level county-wide food service administrator who would plan the same menu for all districts? That person – hopefully an experienced food service administrator -- could also provide guidance to individual district food service operations on how to best work within budgets, operate efficiently … and offer nutritionally healthy food at the same time.

-- Perhaps more “back office” functions such as payroll could be centralized. Does each district really have to hire someone experienced and knowledgeable in payroll procedures, tax deposits and withholding variables?

-- In addition to distance learning by video, could more teachers be shared between districts? For example, would it make sense for a teacher of an Advanced Placement or foreign language course in Ogdensburg to travel to Morristown, Heuvelton or Lisbon to teach one course during the last period of the day? One period would be lost for travel, but Ogdensburg would receive payment for the services and the smaller district would gain the advantage of offering more courses without having to actually hire another teacher.

Second, improve teacher training and hiring. Much of what is taught to education majors in college is theoretical, not practical. As a result, many college graduates begin their teaching career with little more experience than two eight-week student teacher stints. And unless a newly hired teacher is motivated to seek out a “mentor,” they are faced with “reinventing the wheel” when it comes to learning how to manage a classroom, deal with behavioral issues and parents and develop effective teaching techniques.

-- Establish better hiring procedures. Review of teacher applicants is now generally done by committee, with teachers and a community representative participating along with administrators. Unfortunately, in many cases, the interviewers have not received training on how to interview, the best questions to ask, and how to appropriately evaluate and rate candidates to increase the odds of selecting the best person. Sometimes, the hiring process is rushed. And checks of references are haphazard in some cases, especially if different committee members handle the chore. Selecting a teacher who will stay with a district for 30 years has long-term ramifications. Administrators should treat the process with the importance it deserves.

-- Investigate creating “master teacher” positions, experienced educators who can guide, educate and provide feedback to newly hired, untenured teachers. Why not formalize a process where the more effective teaching techniques –tricks of the trade – are passed on? A “master teacher” would also be able to observe new teachers more frequently than is the case now. This would allow the school administration to work more closely to help poorly performing new teachers improve before they come up for tenure. It would be worth it to cut one classroom teaching position (and slightly increase average classroom size) to establish a “master teacher” position at no additional cost.

Finally, administrators would do well to try to figure out how to reduce the growing resentment of teachers and public school employees by the rest of the North Country population that is paying their salaries. Comments provided by participants in the recent NCNow Survey on ways to reduce school budgets certainly make it appear that an adversarial relationship is building between educators and the rest of us.

-- Something has to be done about teacher health insurance contributions next time the issue comes up for negotiations. Planning should begin now. Most teachers absolutely deserve the pay and benefits they receive, especially considering their work load and the importance of their role the future well-being of our society. However, the health insurance issue has hit a raw nerve with the rest of the population. We all have co-pays and deductibles, and many have increased. The vast majority of non-governmental workers also contribute 10, 20 or 25 percent of the cost of their health insurance policy – often hundreds of dollars a month. And that’s if the taxpayers are lucky enough to have insurance. If administrators want good relations with the communities their districts serve – and approval of school budgets – they must address the growing resentment from their constituents, many of whom have poor quality insurance or no insurance at all.

-- Drastically change the pay structure for teachers to attract better qualified, more highly motivated people to major in education in college. How? Offer beginning teachers $40,000 to $45,000, instead of $31,000 or so. That might convince some to major in education instead of business or some other field where starting pay is higher. Then, don’t offer step increases beyond perhaps the first five years, capping pay at $50,000 or so. A motivated teacher with three or four years experience might very well be more effective than a educator entering his or her 30th year. Currently, teachers earn $60,000 to $65,000 during their last five to 12 years of service. What other field doubles an employee’s salary for performing the same job they did 30 years earlier? Could administrators figure out a way to offer teachers more pay only if they take on more duties (“master teacher” anyone?). If done correctly, changing the salary structure would not cost school districts more but would result in better quality applicants for new positions.

Certainly, not all of these ideas would work. Political, legal and geographical roadblocks could render some of them impossible. But a good administrator, among many other duties, plans for the future. It might be worth the investment of time and energy to seriously investigate some of these issues.

Next time, we’ll name the nine St. Lawrence County residents who are in the best position to make it possible for these ideas to happen. Hint: they’re not school administrators.

Why we need more school administrators in St. Lawrence County

2008-06-19T16:56:00.006-04:00

Boy, do we disagree.

It’s been popular to claim lately that our schools have too many administrators and they are paid too much. “Let the teachers teach,” some say.

In fact, nearly 69 percent of the 667 participants in last week’s NCNow Survey say they would cut the number of administrators if their school district needed to reduce its budget.

Next in line, according to the survey results, would be cutting health insurance for staff (32%), after-school sports (30%), school bus runs (28%), extracurricular activities (25%) and staff salaries and benefits (21%). Participants in the unscientific survey could select more than one choice.

If anything we need more administrators. Here’s why:

Administrators manage, supervise, train and organize. Those are the skills needed if we want better teaching, improved hiring procedures, more efficient use of staff, equipment and supplies, a better eye on expenses and a consistent curriculum.

According to the website of Norwood-Norfolk School Board Member Elect Lisa Levison , the student-to-administrator ratio in St. Lawrence County school districts ranges from 180 and 246. She cited information provided by Norwood-Norfolk Superintendent Elizabeth Kirnie.

A principal often supervises 25 to 40 teachers, perhaps an equal number of janitorial, cafeteria and office staff, and 300 to 400 students. It’s a wonder they have time to think after dealing with disruptive students, parent issues, staff disagreements and bureaucratic paperwork.

Some of the important areas administrators are responsible for include:

-- Discipline: Out-of-control kids are often sent to the principal’s office – and each incident consumes time for discipline, counseling, control. Laws forbid teachers from physically touching students. Don’t we want to get rowdy, problem children out of the classroom where they are disrupting learning? Especially at the middle and high school levels, we wouldn’t be surprised if many students are sent down each day.

-- Teacher Training: What other profession takes a recent college graduate and throws them into a job with virtually no training? Nurses, engineers, MBAs, even doctors receive extensive on-the-job education, often for years. By contrast, a first-year teacher is lucky to be observed three times a year for less than an hour by a principal. And the principal often doesn’t have the needed time or experience required to coach them so they improve their teaching skills, classroom management and efficiency.

-- Curriculum Coordination: Larger school districts sometimes have a “curriculum coordinator” to make sure the same subject areas are taught to each class in the same grade. They also assure continuity from grade to grade and make sure the school meets state curriculum requirements. In most of St. Lawrence County’s small districts, however, that job falls into the principal’s lap, and is often barely addressed. As a result, two second graders attending different classrooms in the same school may receive very different lessons, based on the interests and abilities of the teacher.

-- Efficient use of staff and equipment: Individual teachers and support staff have no incentive to figure out how to more efficiently use buses, textbooks, equipment or their own time to save money. That’s what an administrator is for. An administrator is also the person who can figure out which staff members have a low number of students or classes and could increase their workload.

-- Special education: Federal and state regulations require numerous meetings for each “special education” student every year. And a surprising percentage of students are enrolled in some sort of special education program.

-- Hiring: Selecting which teacher will be hired is one of the most important determinants of what the quality of education will be like in a school. Once a teacher earns tenure after three years, it’s virtually impossible to dismiss them, even if they perform poorly. Yet in many cases, hiring is done by committee with members inexperienced in the best interviewing and selection procedures. Often the hiring process is rushed and references are checked in a haphazard way. We need more administrators so we can hire the best teachers.

-- Special events: How many of us return to our workplace 11 or 12 hours after we began? Yet many principals begin their day around 7:30 a.m. but are expected to make an appearance a couple times a week at early evening concerts, open houses, school board meetings, community events and sports games. Of course, at the same time, many teachers are at home correcting papers and planning for the next day.

-- Responding to parent and community concerns: We’re willing to bet that some of those who say we have too many administrators are also among the first to complain if school district personnel don’t respond fast enough or spend enough time with them when an issue or dispute arises regarding their child.

In a nutshell, a good administrator works to ensure employees continually improve their skills and operate efficiently -- or should we say, at less cost. A good administrator saves an organization far more than they are paid.

As an example, consider the case of Norwood-Norfolk, which may be faced with having to pay back several hundred thousand dollars in state aid overpayments and will be operating on an austerity budget next year.

“The present condition of our school district has been handed to the taxpayers over the course of seven years,” wrote former Norwood-Norfolk School Board Pres. Robert C. Haggett in a Letter to the Editor. (Scroll down the page to view the complete letter.)

“It is extremely unfortunate that the superintendent and business manager who got us here are now working in the Plattsburgh area and can not be held accountable for their decisions.”

Perhaps, had the district paid more to hire an experienced business manager instead of opting for a relatively inexperienced person, the district would not be facing its current financial situation.

So yes, we need more, not fewer, school administrators.

But we’re not going to let them off the hook. In our next post, we’ll offer some ideas on how school administrators could really prove their value.

Tourist destinations big and small should model Black Lake's web site

2008-06-17T16:36:00.005-04:00

Fishing rule #1:
The least experienced fisherman always catches the biggest fish.

Fishing rule #2:
The worse your line is tangled, the better is the fishing around you.

Fishing rule #3:
Fishing will do a lot for a man but it won't make him truthful.

So goes one of dozens of “Fishin’ Jokes and Humorous Stories” on one of our favorite St. Lawrence County websites, Black Lake, New York.

It’s hosted by the Black Lake Chamber of Commerce, but the site is definitely not the stereotypical tourist promotion site.

BlackLakeNY.com can help you locate bass, perch and walleye, . learn how to catch and keep bait worms and winterize your boat .

Nearly two dozen articles are offered on everything from boating knots, reel and line tips and fishing ethics to ice fishing, trailering your boat and deep cycle battery tips. There are even boating and fishing glossaries.

Of course, there is a listing and links to the many cottages and cabins that surround Black Lake along with worship locations and Black Lake businesses That’s pretty standard on tourist and chamber of commerce-sponsored sites.

What makes BlackLakeNY.com impressive is how well it takes advantage of the internet to draw fishermen and fisherwomen from outside the area to come to St. Lawrence County for a vacation.

Featured are a video of Black Lake throughout the year, hundreds of photos of fish caught in Black Lake, and a link to the Black Lake Forum, where participants talk about – what else? – fishing.

The site is packed with so much information and entertainment it encourages people to return again and again. With luck, some of the web site viewers turn into visitors and customers for the businesses who are members of the Black Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Even though Black Lake is a tiny, out-of-the-way destination, tourism promotion agencies and attractions large and small would do well to model their website after BlackLakeNY.

With graduation parties just around the corner, drinking age still a challenge

2008-06-15T09:43:00.003-04:00

So far, so good.

With many high school proms having already taken place throughout St. Lawrence County, serious alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents involving high school seniors have not yet been reported this year.

But high school graduations – and parties – are still to come, so it would not be a surprise if between now and the end of June, one of our 17- or 18-year-old children were to die in a car crash blamed on excessive drinking.

Let’s hope that doesn’t happen this year as it has in the past.

But the topic does prompt the question of whether the 21-year-old drinking age is in the best interests of society.

St. Lawrence University Pres. Daniel F. Sullivan is among some educators throughout the country advocating a return to a lower drinking age.

In a nutshell, those favoring a lower drinking age point out that the age 21 restriction results in teens not learning how to drink appropriately and in normal settings.

“Proponents of the idea argue that the current law has forced youths to hide and sneak alcohol, which means lawmakers and responsible adults have no control over underage drinking,” says the website, DrugRehabTreament.com.

“These groups argue the law doesn't actually reduce drinking among people under 21 years of age, which renders the law ineffective… they point to the federal government's 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which found that 85 percent of 20-year-old Americans had used alcohol. Two out of five said they had binged (on five or more drinks at one time) within the previous month.”

Many parents of high school juniors and seniors “look the other way” when they believe their kids might be drinking. On college campuses, students often “secretly” drink in dorm rooms and at fraternities, instead of in normal public settings.

And many of their parents came of age in the 1970s and early 1980s and could drink legally at age 18. Today, parents are faced with either telling older teens it’s okay to break the law as long as they don’t get caught, or to futilely insist the kids don’t drink, even though they could have 25 years ago.

According to the history of the 21-year-old drinking age from the “pro age 21” site operated by MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), 29 states lowered the drinking age to 18 during the Vietnam War era.

State legislators reasoned “that thousands of men and women were dying for their country without even having the right to drink legally. Within a short time, the lower drinking age resulted in a significant increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities,” the MADD website says.

“The results of this ‘natural experiment’ were fairly immediate and hard to miss: The decrease in the drinking age brought about an increase in alcohol traffic fatalities and injuries. So much so that, by 1983, 16 states voluntarily raised their drinking age back to 21 -- a move that brought about an immediate decrease in drinking and driving traffic fatalities incidents,” the MADD website says.

”Since that time, the 21 minimum drinking age law has saved about 900 lives per year as estimated by the National Traffic Highway Administration (NHTSA). In short, there are more than 17,000 people alive today since all states adopted the law in 1988.

“In fact, the 21 minimum drinking age law has been heralded as one of the most effective public safety laws ever passed. It is also one of the nation’s most examined laws with countless studies that been conducted to measure the law’s effectiveness—all of which have come to the same conclusion: the law saves lives,” the site concludes.

Who wouldn’t be livid if a loved one were killed in a preventable accident caused by a young person who drank too much?

But, the question remains, is the 21-year-old drinking age creating “binge drinkers” who will have problems with alcohol later in their lives?

Perhaps it’s time to revisit the concept of 3.2 beer as described in a recent article by Denver’s alternative weekly, Westword.

The 3.2 beer contained 3.2 percent alcohol and was served to 18- to 21-year-olds in Colorado until 1987. Most common beers have about 4.2 percent alcohol. The set-up allowed young adults to experiment with drinking in public and have the chance to socialize, but only with low-alcohol beer.

Many viewed 3.2 bars as “kind of training wheel for young drinkers,” notes Westword.

Would such an arrangement be appropriate today, perhaps with a drinking age set at 19 or 20?

Tuesday's damage: reliving Ice Storm '98

2008-06-11T14:28:00.001-04:00

Living for days without electricity.

Hundreds of uprooted trees blocking access to roads.

Telephone poles standing at 45-degree angles.

Convoys of utility trucks traveling county highways to the next “clean-up” site.

Memories of “Ice Storm ’98” which crippled the North Country nearly 10 ½ years ago?

Well, yes.

But it’s also what residents in Parishville, Colton and Hopkinton are experiencing following Tuesday’s fierce thunderstorm that blew through St. Lawrence County.

People living north of Potsdam and Canton escaped the worst of the damage.

But those living in the Adirondack foothills continue to struggle. In some cases, as of Wednesday morning, June 11, electric power transformers remained on the ground. Along with numerous downed power lines, that’s the reason about 7,000 homes have been without electricity.

But just like during the ice storm, neighbors are helping neighbors clear trees, hook up generators, share food and work together in a spirit of cooperation.

This time, however -- with summer temperatures and long days -- it’s a lot easier to live without power. And hopefully, the time without electricity will be less than the five days to two weeks many experienced back in 1998.

You just can't find a moose when you need one

2008-06-08T08:32:00.003-04:00

You just can’t spot a moose in the North Country or the Adirondacks when you need one.

At least that’s what staff from the New York Times might be thinking.

The paper recently published a story on the return of Moose to the Adirondacks.

But when the staff went out onto the trails, they failed to find one.

So that prompted the lofty Times to contact other organizations, including tiny North Country This Week in Potsdam, in their search for a photo to illustrate the article. North Country This Week hosts NorthCountryNow.com.

North Country This Week reported on the increasing moose population last fall.

That story prompted Schuyler Shea of Hannawa Falls to submit a photo of a young bull moose running through his yard.

Shea swears he was reading our moose population article when his dog started barking “a different kind of bark” and he spotted the moose. Unfortunately, the photo was somewhat blurry, due to the speed of the moose and the surprise visit.

The Times ended up using a photo from the Adirondack Regional Tourism Council, which promotes tourism to the 6 million acre state park.

The Watertown Daily Times also printed the New York Times story – but accompanied the article with a file photo from when a moose was spotted within the City of Watertown.

Heritage Fest, Dairy Parade, Madrid Regatta, Hot Weather: Summer's Here

2008-06-05T15:42:00.003-04:00

When the Heritage Festival, Dairy Princess Parade and Madrid Canoe Regatta return each year, you know summer has finally arrived in St. Lawrence County.

And hot weather is on its way, too. WeatherUnderground.com is forecasting high temperatures in the 80s for the next week .

Midway rides kick off the 29th annual Heritage Festival in Massena on Friday. The amusement rides return Saturday, along with a parade, a "Craft and Entertainment Extravaganza," food, music, dancers, singers and games.

The weekend in Massena concludes Sunday with the 20th annual Soapbox Derby in Orvis Street Park.

Meanwhile, at the same time, the annual Dairy Princess Parade and Festival takes place in Canton. Featured will be a Big Wheels Race, block dance, parade, craftspeople and fireworks.

Canton’s weekend concludes Sunday with the opening of Heritage Park. The park features the restored King Bowstring Bridge on Willow Island.

Earlier, on Saturday, TAUNY opens its new gallery in the former Cathy L. Smith Homefront store on Main Street with an exhibit examining folklife along the Seaway Trail. TAUNY used to be located in the building in front of the bowstring bridge.

And midway between Canton and Massena, paddlers this weekend will be racing on the Grasse River during the Madrid Canoe Regatta Saturday and Sunday. Unfortunately, the Route 345 bridge over the river leading from Potsdam into downtown Madrid is closed, so participants and spectators alike may need to seek an alternate route.

Is St. Lawrence County feeling disenfranchised in the 118th district?

2008-06-03T17:44:00.004-04:00

What a difference a week makes.

Today, some in the St. Lawrence County river communities (along with Potsdam and Canton) are feeling disenfranchised when considering the final candidates in the 118th state Assembly seat race. Darrel Aubertine of Cape Vincent in Jefferson County resigned from the post earlier this year after he won a close race for state Senate.

In a post just last week, we wondered whether the 118th Assembly seat race might feature not one, not two, but three St. Lawrence County residents.

But that’s not going to happen.

Both St. Lawrence County Democratic candidates, Massena’s Timmy Currier and Macomb’s Lauren O’Toole, are no longer seeking their party’s nod. On the Republican side, Canton Town Supervisor David Button has announced he will not seek the GOP nomination. He had backed St. Lawrence County Clerk Patricia Ritchie, but she decided against running last week, and there had been speculation Button would throw his hat in the ring.

Now, it appears the major candidates for the 118th seat will be Jefferson County Legislator Addie Jenne Russell, a Democrat, and Bobby Cantwell, a Republican town councilman in Clayton. It’s certainly likely St. Lawrence County will again be represented in Albany by a Jefferson County citizen.

But many of us in St. Lawrence County are asking, “Who are Addie Russell and Bobby Cantwell?” We’ve never heard of them until now.

The situation points out the disadvantage of the way the state Assembly districts are currently configured in the North Country. Potsdam, Massena and Ogdensburg share a representative with the City of Watertown and Alexandria Bay.

Colton, Stockholm and Gouverneur share the 122nd Assembly district with the Town of Watertown and are represented by Republican Dede Scozzafava.

Perhaps Don Lucas, the Alcoa retiree and fishing charter operator from Massena who is running as an independent for the Assembly seat, will benefit from the fact that his Democratic and Republican challengers are both from Jefferson County. Lucas is currently making presentations to community groups and plans to walk the entire distance of the district during his campaign.

It will be interesting to see how many St. Lawrence County voters, regardless of party affiliation, back Lucas, their “hometown” candidate. Or will an “out-of-area” politician represent half of St. Lawrence County at the state level?

With another 1st place award at NCNow, we're flattered

2008-06-01T09:13:00.002-04:00

Well, gosh, we’re flattered. And if you don’t mind, since this is the staff blog of NorthCountryNow.com, we’d like to toot our own horn.

Twice in the past two months, NorthCountryNow.com has been honored by prestigious newspaper associations.

In mid-May, the Syracuse Press Club named NorthCountryNow.com the ‘Best Public Service Website’ in central and northern New York. Second place prize was awarded to Eagle Newspapers, a chain of 15 weekly papers serving the greater Syracuse area.

And in April, the New York Press Association presented NorthCountryNow.com a first place award for ‘Best Citizen Involvement’ . Members of the association include mostly paid weekly newspapers, including those serving affluent areas near New York City and newspaper chains as well as “mom and pop” operations throughout the state.

What is particularly rewarding is that for both awards, we successfully competed with much larger media organizations with more financial resources than North Country This Week, which hosts NorthCountryNow.com. North Country This Week employs 11 in Potsdam and is the only locally owned paper in St. Lawrence County that provides news and information. The paper is delivered for free throughout the Greater Potsdam-Canton area.

Also satisfying for us is the fact NorthCountryNow.com won first place in newly established contest categories that acknowledge the importance of offering “more than news” for “local portals” to be successful.

Nationwide, traditional media continue to struggle to develop a format that works well on the web. Some newspapers simply “dump” the stories prepared for the print product onto the internet, but have failed to develop content that takes advantage of the differences between the internet and publishing on paper.

While newspapers are starting to post news as it occurs and create other types of content that takes advantage of the internet’s capabilities, they have been criticized by some as having been too slow to react to the new technology.

At NorthCountryNow.com, ever since we “went live” eight years ago, we’ve always viewed our site as fulfilling many more roles than just providing the latest news.

And it’s rewarding to receive recognition from our peers around the state of the importance of other types of information besides news on local websites.

“NorthCountryNow.com has found the correct formula. Others should follow the lead,” said the New York Press Association judges in presenting the “Best Citizen Involvement” award. “The website is clean, informative – and revenue producing,” the judges added. “A good job of new media presentation.”

The statewide organization also cited the fact that NorthCountryNow.com seeks viewer input daily by encouraging submission of photos, news items, videos and blogs. Comments are also sought through the “Sound Off” column, “NCNow Survey” and the “St. Lawrence Views & Reviews” blog, as well as traditional letters to the editor, they noted.

In presenting the “Best Public Service” award, the Syracuse Press Club noted NorthCountryNow.com provides thousands of links to St. Lawrence County web sites about local government, history, area businesses, recreation, health, schools, libraries and organizations.

Also cited were NorthCountryNow.com’s extensive entertainment listings, tourist information, local photos, classifieds and obituaries, in addition to frequently updated links to St. Lawrence County news stories published by North Country This Week and other media. In addition, extensive viewer contributions and opinion – including the “NCNow Survey,” videos, blogs, letters to the editor and the popular “Sound Off” column -- were noted.

“Local portals” are continuing to evolve, and we hope to be able to continue to add features, experiment and adapt in the years to come.

Who was pleased with this week's frost? Not gardeners

2008-05-30T14:25:00.001-04:00

Probably the only people in St. Lawrence County pleased when we woke up earlier this week to an overnight frost were the proprietors of garden shops and nurseries.

That’s because those of us who planted our vegetable and flower gardens “early” now need to buy our tomato and pepper plants, petunias and begonias all over again. And businesses selling the plants now make two sales instead of one.

Chalk one up for the attentive gardeners who covered up their little plants the night before the temperature dipped below 32 degrees. And procrastinating gardeners came out ahead, too.

We shouldn’t have been surprised by the early morning frost on the windshields in many parts of St. Lawrence County. Frosts around Memorial Day are pretty common in the North Country.

But, despite a wet forecast this weekend, we can now look forward to the four most pleasant months in St. Lawrence County – June, July, August and September. Our winters may be frigid, but the summers are great.

In the meantime, those of us now having to replant our gardens can at least appreciate the radishes and snap peas, planted by seed, that withstood this week’s frost.

Three St. Lawrence County candidates for 118th Assembly seat?

2008-05-28T16:12:00.008-04:00

A St. Lawrence County citizen could well be elected next fall to represent the 118th state Assembly District recently vacated by Jefferson County’s Darrel Aubertine.

In February, our county “tipped the scales” in the hotly contested state Senate race. As observed in our post in early March, Oswego County backed its hometown candidate, Republican Will Barclay, while Jefferson County backed its own, Democrat Darrel Aubertine.

Even though registered Republicans slightly outnumber Democrats in our county, 6,502 voted for Aubertine, sealing the Democrat's victory for the state Senate seat. Just 4,084 voted for Barclay.

Now, depending on the outcome of the primaries, next fall’s election for the 118th “River District” could feature three candidates – all from St. Lawrence County.

The 118th district includes communities along the St. Lawrence Seaway in Jefferson and St. Lawrence County, along with the City of Watertown, Potsdam, Canton and five towns in northeast Jefferson County. The Town of Watertown, however, is located in the 122nd district, the seat held by Gouverneur’s Dede Scozzafava.

Already, Massena’s long-time police chief, Timothy Currier and Macomb Town Council member Laureen O’Toole have announced they plan to seek the Democratic nomination. O’Toole is daughter of former St. Lawrence County Democratic Chair Steve Teele.

Jefferson County Legislator Addie J. Russell has also announced she plans to compete in the Democratic primary as well.

As for the Republicans, Clayton Town Councilman Bobby Cantwell has announced his intentions to run. But now that St. Lawrence County Clerk Pattie Richie has officially decided not to run, Canton Town Supervisor David Button may reconsider and throw his hat in the ring.

Donald Lucas of Massena, a fishing charter operator, is already campaigning and hopes to obtain enough signatures to run as independent in the race. He vows to walk the entire district, from Massena to Watertown, during his campaign.

So if Currier or O’Toole win the Democratic nomination, Button agrees to run and wins the nod from the Republicans and Lucas obtains enough signatures, we’ll end up with a three-way race with all candidates from our neck of the woods.

Congratulations, St. Lawrence County, for not spending rebate checks

2008-05-26T09:09:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to St. Lawrence County citizens who are being financially responsible even though they won’t help stimulate the economy when they receive their tax rebate checks.

Officially known as “Economic Stimulus Payments,” the checks are being sent to all taxpayers who earned at least $3,000 last year and weren’t declared as a dependent on someone else’s return. Some non-taxpayers are also eligible.

But instead of spending the money on more “stuff,” 58 percent of participants in the latest NCNow Survey say they are going to instead pay down debt or save the money.

And that’s good to hear. For years, financial experts nationwide have warned that many citizens are carrying too much consumer debt. Most in our country have also failed to save adequately to provide protection for unexpected emergencies, retirement, their children’s college education and other purposes.

The survey is unscientific and reflects the views only of NorthCountryNow.com viewers who choose to participate.

Still, 35 percent said they plan to pay down debt and 23 percent are going to save it. And those who do plan to spend the money expect to use it locally -- 18.1 percent said they will spend it in St. Lawrence County, while only 6.2 percent plan to spend it outside St. Lawrence County. A total of 469 responses were collected.

Payment is $600 per person, or $1,200 for a married couple, with $300 additional for each child under age 17. The payments are reduced or eliminated for higher income people.

In reviewing comments submitted by survey participants, it is also clear that in many cases, the federal “windfall” will be used to temporarily offset the sky high gasoline and heating oil prices we’re all facing.

And that means, the rebate checks, while helpful to many, may well fail to stimulate the economy as much as originally planned. They will probably be used to pay for energy , whose prices have increased substantially since the checks were approved earlier this year.

And if most recipients are as responsible as St. Lawrence County residents appear to be, the checks will be good for individuals’ financial security, but do little to help the economy as a whole.

Potsdam, N-N hurt even though many benefit from reassessments

2008-05-22T17:06:00.004-04:00

When it’s time to move, we all want our homes to sell for more than they’re worth. But until then, in hopes of keeping property taxes as low as possible, many people work hard to convince property assessors that their house is worth less than it really is.

In Potsdam this week, for the second time in a month, property revaluations just completed by the town assessor were cited as one reason why voters turned down major expenditures.

In April, by a three-to-one margin, citizens voted against building a new town hall. And Tuesday, the Potsdam Central School budget was defeated 300-286, while the Norwood-Norfolk budget lost by ten votes, 278-268. About half of the Norwood-Norfolk district is within the Town of Potsdam.

But we wonder whether some taxpayers jumped to conclusions and didn’t realize that even though the value of their property had increased, the amount of school, town, county and village property taxes they owe will actually go down.

For example, the building that houses the offices of North Country This Week increased in value by 4.5 percent, but taxes on the property are expected to go down 13.7 percent.

Hee Haw! The property is worth more, but the taxes are less! Perhaps that’s because the downtown core area of Potsdam is deteriorating. But many other taxpayers experienced the same thing.

Of course, not everyone is so lucky. For example, the assessment of one Potsdam home we’re familiar with increased 24 percent. But taxes are expected to go up just 4 percent.

In some cases, though, assessment increases were as high as 50 percent. However, we’re sure that the owners of those homes made a bee line to the assessor’s office to file a grievance and the final valuation may actually be less.

Taxes don’t increase just because property valuations go up. Local governments will collect the same amount of taxes, regardless of the assessments of individual properties. It’s the annual budget adopted by the governments that determines how much tax is collected.

However, since the school budget votes were so close, we’re willing to bet the defeats were in fact due to the revaluations.

At Norwood-Norfolk, if only six citizens who voted against the budget had instead approved it, the budget would have passed. In Potsdam, if eight voters who voted “no” chose “yes,” the budget would have been approved.

It’s not hard to believe that six Norwood voters and eight in Potsdam who would have otherwise approved the school budgets were among the minority of residents facing major property tax increases due to the reassessments.

Meanwhile, many are having a hard time believing that Potsdam property values have increased as much as the assessor claims, since much of St. Lawrence County remains economically depressed. But even after the “real estate bubble collapse,” prices elsewhere in the country -- including as near as Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and Watertown -- are sky high compared to our area.

It will be interesting over the next year or two to compare the actual price Potsdam properties are sold for with the most recent valuations. Only then will we know for sure whether most of the assessments are accurate or out of line.

Dialing is going to be a pain, now that the 315 area code is getting full

2008-05-20T16:20:00.002-04:00

No matter what happens, dialing telephone numbers in St. Lawrence County is going to be a pain two years from now.

That’s because we are either going to have to dial ten digits, even for local calls, or we will all get a new area code and have to inform everybody we know or do business with about the change.

The reason: the 315 area code is running out of telephone numbers. We’re using too many cell phones, fax machines, second lines and pagers.

The state Public Service Commission recently conducted hearings on the issue, including a session in Potsdam, to hear public comment on the issue. The PSC website explains the two basic choices available:

-- A “geographic split,” which would divide up the current 315 area code into two area codes. But since the original area code has traditionally been retained by the most populous area, the Syracuse region would keep 315 and we would get a new area code.

-- An “overlay,” which would allow all phone numbers in the 315 area code to remain the same. However, new phone numbers would have a new area code. And everyone, regardless of area code, would have to dial all ten digits for every call.

An extensive description of the options is also available at the PSC website.

At the hearing in Potsdam three weeks ago, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce opposed a new area code and endorsed the “overlay” plan. A number of St. Lawrence County businesses and institutions agree with that position. They say changing stationary, business cards, brochures, advertisements and other business materials to reflect the new area code could cost thousands of dollars. The price could even be hundreds of thousands of dollars for local colleges that print many brochures and publications designed to attract and inform students.

The Public Service Commission is continuing to accept comments from citizens, so everyone can have a say in the issue.

In a couple of years, we might find ourselves saying, “sorry, wrong number” a lot more frequently when we answer our phones.

Why are so many rude and cruel when they submit comments online?

2008-05-18T08:12:00.008-04:00

Why are so many people rude, crude and cruel when they submit comments online?

Patricia Beck, publisher of The Leader-Herald in Gloversville, recently objected to the phenomenon on her blog, Publisher's Point .

“I just cannot understand why individuals need to make a conscious choice to use their brainpower to communicate with hurtful, mean and even obscene words,” she wrote.

“Yes, you individuals who waste your precious gift of thought and intellect on being rude and negative - you do have the right. All I ask is for people to realize that words can be so very empowering and influencing.”

It’s a common problem nationwide, and we’ve experienced it a bit with this blog and at our website, NorthCountryNow.com .

Take, for instance, comments received in response to what was probably our most controversial blog entry, posted in March, “LGBT, Clarkson Both Share Responsibility For Coarse Language, Lack of Respect.” .

Now we don’t have any problem with people disagreeing with our point of view or complaining that a blog entry is not logical or “a reach.”

But we do have a problem when internet viewers make insults, use “put downs” or include foul language when making their points.

The problem also occurs sometimes when NorthCountryNow.com viewers add comments while participating in the “NCNow Survey” or submit entries for our anonymous "Sound Off" column.

At some newspapers across the nation, the “comment” feature has been turned off due to rampant misuse of the feature.

Our wish? That all who comment on web sites first review The Core Rules of Netiquette , as suggested by Beck.

“It's ironic, really. Computer networks bring people together who'd otherwise never meet. But the impersonality of the medium changes that meeting to something less -- well, less personal,” notes Netiquette.

People exchanging e-mail or commenting on websites “often behave the way some people behind the wheel of a car do: They curse at other drivers, make obscene gestures, and generally behave like savages. Most of them would never act that way at work or at home. But the interposition of the machine seems to make it acceptable,” says Netiquette.

“The message of Netiquette is that it's not acceptable. Yes, use your network connections to express yourself freely, explore strange new worlds, and boldly go where you've never gone before. But remember the Prime Directive of Netiquette: Those are real people out there.

“Ask yourself, ‘Would I say this to the person's face?’ If the answer is no, rewrite and reread. Repeat the process till you feel sure that you'd feel as comfortable saying these words to the live person as you do sending them through cyberspace.

"Of course, it's possible that you'd feel great about saying something extremely rude to the person's face. In that case, Netiquette can't help you. Go get a copy of 'Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior.'"

So here’s hoping the basics of Netiquette spread as internet continues to grow.

In the meantime, at NorthCountryNow.com, we have “delete” keys on our keyboards. And we’ll continue to use them when inappropriate submissions come our way.

Citing dairy farm benefits, McHugh votes for $307 billion farm bill, despite its flaws

2008-05-15T16:13:00.003-04:00

Despite charges the 2008 U.S. farm bill contains too much “pork” and helps very rich agricultural producers at the expense of family farms, our Congressman, John McHugh, joined most of his peers and voted for the measure .

In explaining his vote, he cited the benefits to the nearly 2,000 dairy farms in New York State, many of which are located in the North Country.

McHugh, a Republican, noted the bill “extends and expands the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program, continues the Dairy Price Support and Dairy Indemnity Programs, and reauthorizes the Dairy Export Incentive Program - four programs critical to keeping New York's dairy farms economically stable and viable.”

Thursday (May 15), the Senate approved the $307 billion five-year farm bill, 81-15, “sending it to President Bush for what is expected to be his futile veto,” reported the New York Times .

Earlier, on Wednesday, McHugh and the rest of the House of Representatives approved the bill 318-to-106.

But the bill has come under attack for several reasons.

“Individual lawmakers, mostly senators, slipped several dozen "earmarks," or pet causes, into the … bill that have at best tentative connections to the tilling of the land,” reported the Minneapolis Star-Tribune .

“There's tax breaks for horse owners, water for Nevada desert lakes, aid for the Pacific Coast salmon fishery industry and a crackdown on puppy trafficking.”

President Bush had wanted to drastically reduce subsidies to farmers because food prices are at record highs.

In addition, the Times reports, “Mr. Bush had sought an adjusted gross income limit of $200,000 above which farmers could not qualify for any subsidy payments. The bill passed by the Senate and House, however, allows farm income of up to $750,000 and non-farm income of $500,000 per individual.

The Times story continues, “The bill includes a $10.3 billion increase in spending on nutrition programs, including food stamps, that supporters called “historic,” as well as increases for rural development and land conservation programs.

McHugh cited the fact the bill creates a Northern Border Regional Commission, “which would invest in projects that benefit the economy of our region, especially economically distressed communities….It will be a significant instrument in propelling economic development in many localities that badly need aid. Each of the eleven counties I represent would be eligible for assistance under this program.”

Other benefits of the bill noted by McHugh include $466 million for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, $10 million annually for efforts to address Colony Collapse Disorder in honey bees, $1.19 billion for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, tax incentives for agricultural businesses to enhance chemical security, increases in he amount available for direct loans to farmers, and $120 million to fund pending rural infrastructure programs of importance which have proven to be very valuable to many communities in Central and Northern New York.

The New York Times noted the bill “also extends many existing federal subsidies that the president and other critics say are difficult to justify in such flush times for agricultural producers.

“The willingness of so many Republicans to break with the White House reflected both the strong support for the bill and a growing alarm among many lawmakers about their election prospects in November,” said the Times.

NCNow helps with St. Lawrence County website searches

2008-05-14T16:41:00.009-04:00

Are you curious what your neighbor’s property taxes are? And whether they’ve paid them? The St. Lawrence County Tax Lookup Website can provide the answers.

Interested in finding historical photos of Massena? The North Country History Website by Connie Molnar Sterner might help you out. (There are lots of photos, so the page takes a while to download.)

Wondering where to buy a pair of sheepskin slippers? Ostrander’s Sheepskin Shop in Canton can help you out.

However, finding St. Lawrence County websites like these can be a hit-or-miss proposition when using the major search engines such as Google and Yahoo.

But NorthCountryNow.com can help. The site contains links to several thousand St. Lawrence County websites.

Unfortunately, many viewers don’t realize there are several ways to search for local websites on NorthCountryNow.com. So since this is the staff blog of NorthCountryNow.com, here are a few tips.

The first place to check is under the “Local Web Sites” heading in the blue toolbar on each page. Links are grouped by category and can be viewed by scrolling down each page.

Another way to search for St. Lawrence County websites is to use the “Search For Local Links” feature at the top of every page. It’s the bottom of the two search boxes and works best if you use just one word. For example, use the word, “taxes,” not “St. Lawrence County taxes.”

“Search for Local Links” was specially designed for NorthCountryNow.com by our website designers, Riverside Media Group of Clayton.

The “Search NCNow Using Google” feature, located above “Search for Local Links,” is great when you want to search the actual pages of NorthCountryNow.com, not search for links to local websites. For example, if you’re curious whether your child’s picture is located somewhere on our site, or has been mentioned in a news story, type in their name in “Search NCNow Using Google.”

And if you want to search the entire internet with Google, not just NorthCountryNow.com, uncheck the box with the green checkmark.

Happy searching!

Jeepers, Creepers, just listen to those Peepers

2008-05-11T08:15:00.005-04:00

It’s been Spring Peeper season here in St. Lawrence County for several weeks now. Their high-pitched choruses can be heard throughout the rural areas of the North Country each evening.

But do you know what they are? We didn’t … until now.

They’re tree frogs, according to enature.com.

“They are especially easy to hear due to their extremely loud mating call which gives them the name ‘peeper,’ but it is often hard to pinpoint the source of the sound, especially when many are peeping at once, says wikipedia.

“The spring peeper eats small spiders and small insects such as ants, and water bugs,” the user-edited online encyclopedia says. Around here, “they breed from March to June when the warm rain starts.”

“Spring peepers typically lay around 900 eggs per clutch, but up to 1000 is possible. In very cold weather, they hibernate under logs and loose bark. Spring peepers are nocturnal frogs, so they are mostly heard but not seen.”

If you want to hear them indoors as well, the Wickipedia webpage entry includes audio of a single peeper, as well as a chorus of many.

Despite many low-end jobs, will residents endorse Brasher raceway?

2008-05-07T22:46:00.015-04:00

Brasher Falls-area residents get their first chance tonight (May 8) to voice how they feel about construction of a massive auto racetrack in the Brasher Flats area.

A scoping session takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Lawrence Central Elementary School cafeteria to gauge public sentiment about the proposal.

Each year, the proposed race track and casino resort would create 3,480 jobs and inject $165 million in direct and indirect economic activity in the region, a Chicago public relations firm hired by Northway Island Associates announced in December.

According to published reports, Northway wants to build a track with 120,000 seats, five hotels, a golf course, water amusement park, casino, equestrian center and an amphitheater, along with a quarter-mile drag strip. Apparently, most of the racetrack visitors would come from Montreal and Ottawa, not the U.S.

As big as it would be, the Brasher Falls facility would be no NASCAR track, which often have more than 100,000 seats.

During the six-year construction period, more than 12,000 jobs would be created, the developers say.

Certainly, economically depressed St. Lawrence County needs more jobs, especially with the closure of General Motors Central Foundry in Massena.

Unfortunately, the racetrack and entertainment complex would probably create primarily minimum wage and low-wage jobs. And many would probably not be full time.

The five hotels would need lots of chambermaids, waiters and waitresses, dishwashers, cooks, and front desk clerks. The golf course and water amusement park would most likely provide students with summer jobs manning the attractions.

At the racetrack itself, many of the jobs would be in food concessions and ticket booths. Janitors, parking attendants and security personnel would be needed. Only a few “white collar” and higher-wage positions would probably be available.

But something is better than nothing. And many would argue the jobs created would be more appealing than those that would follow if Bion succeeds in its plan for facilities to house 84,000 cows whose manure would be used to create ethanol as an alternative fuel.

Even though employment at the racetrack might end may up being “dead end” positions that help keep our population in poverty, the complex itself would provide prestige and visibility for our region.

And that could lead to something better. Would more development and better jobs follow?

Imagining the North Country with $8 per gallon gasoline

2008-05-04T09:24:00.001-04:00

No doubt about, gas prices nearing $3.80 per gallon are really starting to hurt.

But what would the North Country look like if gas prices double again – to nearly $8 per gallon?

With China soon to become a larger consumer of petroleum than the U.S., continuing conflict in the oil-rich Mideast, and an increasingly weaker U.S. dollar, it could happen.

So here are our predictions for St. Lawrence County in a world where gasoline costs nearly as much as it already does in the Neatherlands .

 Compared to city-dwellers, we would be better off when it comes to creating our own electricity because so many of us own an acre or more of land. That means there is room for home-based solar panels or wind turbines that could allow more of us to live “off the grid” and avoid the higher electricity and heating oil bills.

 Property values in outlying communities farthest away from our county’s five major population centers -- such as South Colton, Russell, Hammond, Lawrence – would decrease. People would decide they can’t afford the $80 to $110 a week just to go to work and for necessary shopping and appointments. That would be especially true for those working in lower-income jobs.

 Property values in Potsdam, Ogdensburg, Massena, Gouverneur and Canton would rise because of greater demand as residents from “outlying” areas seek to live closer to their work.

 When it comes to heating our homes, North Country citizens will be in a better position than people in urban and suburban areas. While the price of cord wood would undoubtedly go up, there’s lots of it nearby and it will certainly be cheaper here than in areas where it has to be trucked in.

 Businesses that sell wood and pellet stoves, and contractors who install them, will experience a boom in business. So will firms that sell products and services to make our homes more energy-efficient.

 Local retailers might even benefit, because long-distance shopping trips to Plattsburgh, Watertown and Syracuse would no longer be worthwhile financially. So what disposable income is left after the car is gassed up would probably be spent locally, online or by catalogue, instead of in distant malls.

 Residents might spend their vacation dollars in St. Lawrence County instead of elsewhere. Those of us used to spending $2,000 to $3,000 to drive for a week’s vacation in Myrtle Beach might decide it’s not worth the $800 in gas. Imagine taking the money you would have spent on a vacation and enjoying it during a week off here in St. Lawrence County . You could enjoy restaurants, shopping, and buying a luxury item you otherwise would not have been able to afford.

 The number of people owning ATVs, snowmobiles and jet skis will drop, as operating them becomes more expensive

 Fewer high school students would own cars and would use the school bus instead. Sports teams might curtail games against distant opponents in favor of more contests nearby.

 Unfortunately, because our county is so spread out geographically, real, useful public transportation will still probably not succeed. But more of us might carpool, especially when job locations are far from home.

 And of course, our cars would become smaller. Have you looked at the Toyota Prius , one of the most popular hybrid cars that gets 44 to 60 miles per gallon, depending on testing method?

2008-05-01T17:38:00.008-04:00

The Rusthon Memorial Canoe Races take place May 3 and 4, , drawing paddlers from throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The 47th annual event also provides an opportunity to recall one of Canton’s most famous citizens, J. Henry Rushton, who gained national fame for the smooth wooden canoes his business produced in Canton. Photos of the exterior and interior of his Canton canoe factory appear above, courtesy of Linda Casserly, Canton town and village historian.

However, there never would have been such a thing as a Rushton canoe, nor a Rushton Canoe Race, if the health of J. Henry Rushton hadn't taken a turn for the worse in 1873. Here is the Rushton story, as recalled in a special North Country This Week Canton Bicentennial issue published on March 28, 2005:

Rushton was born in Edwards in 1843 and spent his boyhood growing up in the country, with an appreciation of woods and stream. He was, however, no strapping youth but a "puny, stunted youth, frail and ailing, much in contrast to his four sturdy brothers and three sisters," according to a biographical sketch published in 1958 by Atwood Manley in The Quarterly a publication of the St. Lawrence County Historical Association.

Rushton was working as a clerk in a Canton shoe store when his health began to deteriorate in the 1870's. He decided to take to the Adirondacks to regain his health, a decision much in temper with the times. A book published by Rev. William Murray, "Adventures in the Wilderness," extolled the benefits for one's health for camping in the Adirondacks and took the public by storm.

First, Rushton decided he needed a canoe and elected to build one of cedar. The end product weighed only 20 pounds, a vast improvement over the heavy models of the day.

Rushton began work on his canoe in a barn on what is now Riverside Drive, and as luck would have it, his health improved while he was building the canoe. Within several years his business began to take off, and by 1881 he began building a factory of four stories at the intersection of Riverside and State.

The opening of the Adirondacks helped drive Rushton's business for the light-weight Rushton canoes that were ideal for the woodsmen and guides in the region.

Not only had canoe building improved Rushton's health and made him a successful businessman, it changed his life in other ways. Notes Manley: "Never was a man busier or happier. Rushton was riding the crest of the wave. He had married. Leah Pflaun was a dark-eyed beauty from Port Jervis, and became her husband's loyal helpmate."

Rushton built his business by displaying his canoe models outside the North Country. A display of the Rob Roy model in Philadelphia Sesquicentennial brought in the orders that helped build his new factory. A complete display of his models in 1893 at the Chicago Columbia World's Fair established his reputation.

Rushton's canoes, all cedar and "light as a feather," had gained and kept a reputation for their construction, sturdiness and ease of handling.

Rushton's success, according to Manley, rested on two facts: "Primarily, of course, it rested in the hustling, bustling personality of this diminutive human dynamo. Then there was the second factor, the period in which he lived. Hand-in-hand with the great surge of people into the Adirondacks came the popularity of the Thousand Islands. Millionaires were building palatial summer homes there…With a group of canoeing enthusiasts, J. Henry was a key figure in organizing the American Canoe Association which for years afterward held its annual gatherings at Eel Bay near Grindstone Island."

Rushton died in 1906 just about at the peak of the canoe building business. The popularity of the bicycle and the motorcar diverted the attention of many from canoeing. After 10 years of mounting costs and poor business conditions, the family turned the key in the canoe shop's door in 1916
.
While the business may have ended, the Rushton name has not disappeared. Building on a tradition, the first Rushton race was held in May 1962 and was won by Dwight Church and his son, David. It has since become an annual event.

Kudos to Alcoa for opening health fair to community

2008-04-29T16:55:00.003-04:00

Kudos to Alcoa for opening its annual health fair in Massena to the public for the first last week.

Face-painting, a children's fire safety house, a state police rollover demonstration and an appearance by Al the Robot helped draw people to the event.

But many others came to hear doctors, dieticians and other health care providers give presentations on the warning signs of heart disease, early detection and prevention of cancer, high blood pressure and cholesterol, diabetes, preventing injuries, stress management, headaches, asthma and colon screening and cancer.

The fair drew about 500 people on Friday, according to the Watertown Daily Times. More than that were expected Saturday. And we were glad to see the story indicated Alcoa plans another community health fair again next year.

As obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer prematurely shorten many people’s lives, citizens can certainly benefit from straight-forward medical information, as well as answers to their questions. Hopefully, as a result of the fair, more than one attendee is making lifestyle changes that will prolong their life or reduce the chance of medical complications.

A good idea, but local 'carrot' TV ads won't cure obesity

2008-04-27T08:38:00.002-04:00

Local TV ads featuring a human-size carrot are encouraging St. Lawrence County residents to make better eating choices.

With the rampant obesity epidemic here and throughout the country, it’s a great idea. But, unfortunately, the ads are but a “drop in the bucket” compared to the extensive “pro-junk food” marketing our population faces daily.

First, the ads, created by the St. Lawrence County Health Initiative:

-- Carrot vs. Cookie TV Ad

-- Poor Carrot TV Ad

As becomes clearer almost daily, excess weight contributes to or aggravates many expensive-to-treat health problems, including diabetes, heart problems, cancer, depression, arthritis, bone strength and high blood pressure.

But daily, in Massena, Ogdensburg, Gouverneur, Canton or Potsdam, it’s nearly impossible not to pass by and possibly be drawn in to a McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Pizza Hut or other “fast food” restaurant. The grocery isles of “convenience stores,” increasingly patronized by people gassing up their car, have little in the way of nutritional foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat products and items without sugar and white flour.

Even in public schools, students are subjected to many “junk food” items in the cafeteria lines and in vending machines in hallways. It’s nearly impossible to watch TV without viewing ads for junk food or fast food restaurant.

The big question: how do we educate people to appreciate the taste, nutrition and health benefits of “real” food? And how do we adapt our lives so that we have "good" food readily available when we would normally duck out for a "fast food fix?"

With two-income households the norm, many fewer people today really know how to cook than several decades ago; it’s so much easier to grab “take out” on the way home from work. And many people don’t realize the damage they are doing to their bodies by long-term consumption of junk food – studies indicate 80 to 90 percent of heart disease is self-inflicted due to poor eating and (non)exercise choices.

In some ways, a true conversion of our population’s eating habits would require a “Back to the Future” mentality – perhaps accepting less income in exchange for more time to cook and appreciating the benefits of teaching teens (female and male) how to cook so they’ll be less apt to buy junk food for their families when they have children. Schools, too, need to seriously educate students about nutrition – and rid cafeterias and hallways of junk food.

But sound nutrition isn’t just about getting rid of poor food. It’s about replacing it with great-tasting, well-maintained food.

Who wants to eat a dried-out carrot, a bruised pear, a mushy apple or soggy whole wheat sandwich?

Just as people need to learn how to choose and easily prepare nutritious foods to avoid obesity, stores, cafeterias and restaurants need to learn to better select, prepare and preserve quality foods and offer them at a reasonable price.

The St. Lawrence County Health Initiative Website describes the organization as a “community health improvement agency, founded in 1999, with the mission to measurably improve the health of county residents through a collaborative community effort.”

In addition to increasing opportunities for sound nutrition and physical activity, SLCHI concentrates on increasing access to healthcare for all county residents and promoting preventive health care; reducing the incidence of substance abuse through education, prevention and treatment opportunities, with a focus on youth tobacco cessation, the website says.

Major funding agencies include the state Department of Health, Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health, state Department of Health, Division of Nutrition, USDE Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, PEP Program, North Country PreNatal-Perinatal Council – Linkages Program, United Way of Northern New York, and the Edward I Moses Walk Run for Life. “Sustaining Member Organizations” include SUNY Potsdam, Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Kinney Drugs, United Helpers and St.Lawrenc e County. The St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, Planned Parenthood of Northern New York and the Medical Society of St. Lawrence County also contribute.

Conservation, solar, wind at SUNY Canton fair: Not just for granolas anymore

2008-04-25T14:12:00.004-04:00

In a weird sort of way, for people who remember the “energy crisis” of the 1970s, this weekend’s “Sustainable Energy Fair” at SUNY Canton seems like old times.

Today, instead of the Arab oil embargo, long lines at gas stations and homeowners feverishly installing woodstoves, we have gas at $3.67 per gallon, concerns fossil fuel usage is contributing to global warming and fears that our oil dependence compromises our national security.

And so -- just like in the 1970s -- it can be fun to fantasize what it would be like if we could live without depending on outside sources for electricity and heat for our homes and fuel for transportation.

But for a growing number of people, such thoughts aren’t just fantasy – they are actually possible. Many of the more than 60 workshops, seminars and demonstrations at the Sustainable Energy Fair Saturday and Sunday can show you how. A complete schedule is available on the Sustainable Energy Fair Website.

Most of the sessions are free, but some require a $30 fee and registration by calling 379-9466 or in person on the day of the event.

Science Channel stars Jim Juczak and Steve Spence will bring all the parts necessary to build an axial flux wind turbine in your backyard, and a sample turbine will be built during their demonstration 10 a.m. Saturday. The session is one of those requiring registration and the fee.

Free sessions include “Do-It-Yourself Weatherization” presented by Coakley Ace Hardware, “Grass Pelleting in the North Country,” “Living Off the Grid,” Using Vegetable Oil in Diesel Vehicles,” “Wood Pelleting in Northern New York,” “Creative Off-the-Grid Retrofits,” and “Composting Toilets.”

Other sessions requiring registration and the $30 fee include “Make Your Own Biodiesel,” “Solar Hot Water A-Z” and “Assess Your Home Site and Energy Use for Solar.”

Energy conservation and alternative fuels, for much of the past quarter century of interest to only a small segment of our population, is now gaining much attention from a wide variety of people, not just “granola” people. The New York State government is promoting conservation through the NYSERDA program, contractors are eager to install new devices and weatherize homes, and just about everyone wants to save a buck on their heating, electricity and gas bills.

For another take on this weekend’s event, read North Country This Week’s report on the Sustainable Energy Fair and listen to North Country Public Radio's Report.

Females hold only 20% of major county, town, village, city elected positions

2008-04-24T08:12:00.008-04:00

As Hillary Clinton continues as the first female to make a serious run for president, today only 20 percent of the St. Lawrence County Legislature is female. They are Democrats Laura Perry of Parisvhille, Sallie Brothers of Norfolk and Tedra Cobb of Canton.

And of the 39 seats on the town and village boards of Massena, Gouverneur, Canton and Potsdam and the Ogdensburg City Council, only eight are female. All seven Ogdensburg City Council seats and all ten seats on the Massena village and town boards are held by men. However, two women hold the top spot in those communities – Dorothy Vorce as mayor of the Village of Gouverneur and Marie Regan as town supervisor in Potsdam.

We got to thinking about this after reading the obituary for Betty Bradley, the first woman elected to the county legislature. She went on to chair the board from 1990 to 1993, serving a total of 20 years as a legislator from Potsdam, from 1974 to 1994. She died last week at age 81.

Betty also actively served her community and county in many other ways, as a member of the Potsdam school board and housing authority, as president of Planned Parenthood, and as a member of the Community Development Program. She was also a founding member of the Potsdam Day Care Center, chaired a SUNY Potsdam presidential search committee, and was involved with a number of groups that focused on health care, Fort Drum and the Adirondacks.

For her years of conscientious devotion, she was honored with numerous awards, including “Woman of the Year” from the Business and Professional Women’s Organization, “North Country Woman of Distinction” from the League of Women Voters, “Agent of Change” from the American Association of University Women, “Recognition Award” from St. Lawrence Valley Renewal House, “North Country Citation” from St. Lawrence University and “Outstanding Volunteer” from Canton-Potsdam Hospital.

Those who worked with Betty throughout the years will surely miss her. We can only hope more St. Lawrence County residents – female or male – model her commitment to service.

Did assessment increases contribute to Potsdam town hall defeat?

2008-04-22T17:11:00.000-04:00

Release of new property assessments last week may have contributed to Monday’s resounding defeat of bonding for the proposed $3.2 million Potsdam Town Hall.

Approval hadn’t been a sure thing, as NorthCountryNow.com had reported. But the three-to-one margin caught many by surprise.

The final tally was 903-309, according to the Watertown Daily Times.

Assessments on most properties throughout the town increased, some by a lot. Unfortunately for town hall proponents, the assessment notices arrived in residents’ mailboxes last week.

Values of some properties to the south of the village, for example, increased 25 to 50 percent, not surprisingly angering owners. And significant assessment increases prompted at least one citizen to go door-to door, asking neighbors to vote against the town hall proposal.

But despite the assessment increases, projected taxes for many properties actually decreased because the overall value of all properties within the town increased even more.

Ironically, many who voted against the town hall project may also oppose Jason Rohrer’s right not to mow his Elm Street property. Rohrer won a legal suit against the Village of Potsdam after the municipality tried to force him to mow his lawn a few years ago.

After the town board approved the town hall construction project earlier this year, the Potsdam activist circulated a petition to put the bonding question up to a vote of town residents. Otherwise the plan for the new town hall on Lawrence Avenue next to A.A. Kingston Middle School would have proceeded without any more input.

Potsdam Supervisor Marie Regan had stressed that the project is “not going to get any cheaper, and the problem is not going to go away.” The current town hall lacks space for an elevator to the second floor courtroom as required by the Americans With Disabilities Act and private areas for lawyers and clients to discuss cases, she noted. The roof leaks, the basement floods, heating and cooling are insufficient and the back wall is crumbling, she added.

But opponents said the project was too expensive, and the village and town should first seriously discuss consolidating court offices. Some said the town hall should be located downtown for increased visibility and convenience, as well as to conform with village land use plans and to help keep the core area from deteriorating.

Massena man wins 'Best St. Lawrence County Video Creator Award'

2008-04-16T17:00:00.003-04:00

As promised about two months ago, today we’re announcing the winner of the “Best St. Lawrence County Video Creator Award.”

Our decision is somewhat arbitrary and the honoree receives nothing but our recognition and appreciation.

And the winner is … John D. Michaud III of Massena.

John has posted more than 20 videos on YouTube.com, many featuring historical photos since the turn of the century. Others focus on significant recent events, including major fires and last year’s Memorial Day parade and a class reunion.

Our favorite video is A 1940's World War II Photo Album of Massena , set to the music of Chattanooga Choo Choo by Glenn Miller and his Band. Featured are the first hospital, airport, fire department and police force; the 1944 earthquake and the 1942-43 ice storm; and a war bond rally, parades, draft board and veterans. Apparently others like the video as well – it had received nearly 22,000 views as of this writing,

A Salute To the Massena Athletic Hall Of Fame offers photos of many Massena sports personalities, including Louie Trevino, coach Mike Nicholas, coach Jerry Donnelly, coach Jerry Welsh, Denise Richards, Heather LaDuke, Dominic Violi, Stan Cappiello, Nick Podgurski, Charles Boots, Duane and Mike Hazelton, coach Stanley Moore and John Story and as well as the 1988 girls varsity besketball team.

A Roaring 1920's Bootlegging Photo Album of Massena features 39 images of midnight liquor bootleggers and speakeasies. Music on the video is of the popular Charleston dance craze of 1925. Images are of downtown, Maple Street School, St. Lawrence River, Pine Grove School, the fire department crew, police force, Hoton's Ice House and more.

The Massena Welcome Song includes photos of Hal Smith, Walter Basmajian, Tom Bushnell, Tom O'Neil, Joe Romeo Jim Deshaises and an air view of Massena in the early 1980's. Entertainer David MacMillan sings.

Videos of recent events include Downtown Massena New York Ravaged By Fire on Feb. 1, 2008. It records the destruction of three older buildings that housed Tony's Pizza, the Hair Saloon, the former La Bottega store, and Novosel Associates. Included are photos of fire departments from Potsdam, Louisville, Norfolk, Helena, Brasher and Winthrop.

Another of John’s videos documents The May 10, 2007 Emmanuel Congregational Church Fire , which took place after lightning struck the structure.

Links to most of John’s YouTube videos can be found on NorthCountryNow.com’s Local Videos Page .

John has also compiled all of the videos into a 90-minute movie available on CD, titled “A Massena Photo Album 1897-2007.” It includes over 500 photos and interviews. Cost is $25 plus shipping, but if you live in the Massena area, John says he will try to personally deliver a copy to you so you can save the shipping expense. To order a copy, e-mail John at massenaguy2003@yahoo.com.

In the interest of full disclosure, we had selected John as the winner of our prestigious award several weeks ago. And wouldn’t you know, before we got a chance to make the announcement, John sent us a free sample CD. We think he was simply doing what any good book publisher or movie producer does in hopes of obtaining publicity and making more sales.

So the “freebee” (thanks, John!) didn’t affect our decision in presenting this year’s “Best St. Lawrence County Video Creator Award.” Honest!

Congratulations, John. Great work.

Good question, Steve: Why isn't Bion still operating in Texas?

2008-04-13T09:55:00.004-04:00

Good question, Steve. Lisbon farmer and former county legislator Stephen Teele questioned last week why Bion’s manure-to-ethanol plant in Dublin, Texas is no longer in operation.

He raised the question at a St. Lawrence County task force meeting looking into the proposal for 84,000 beef cattle to provide manure that would be converted into ethanol at a plant in St. Lawrence County, as reported by North Country Public Radio.

The cattle would be housed at six farms in the Ogdensburg-Brasher Falls area, and the manure would be trucked to a centralized facility and converted to ethanol. Bion Environmental Technologies representatives said last week the combination is the “future of agriculture” and is designed in a way to make it environmentally friendly, according to NCPR. But members of the task force said they’re concerned about the scale of the project and asked why Bion hasn’t tested their technology on farms with more than 4,000 cows.

A quick Google search reveals that a Bion test project in Dublin, Texas was started shortly after farm owner George DeVries was to be sued under the federal Clean Water Act statues in 2004. The DeVries farm was one of 16 farms threatened with legal action for polluting area water in the Waco, Texas area. A 2002 letter outlining the agreement between Bion and DeVries also is available on the internet.

But last week in Canton, Bion representatives confirmed the demonstration project in Dublin Texas is no longer in operation.

Asked Teele, “If the system works, why isn’t it still being used in Dublin Texas?”

St. Lawrence County officials and Bion supporters and opponents all deserve an accurate answer to that question. Did the system fail to work as promised? Was it too expensive to operate? Did the farm bow out because it found a better system or a cheaper way to meet the “letter of the law” regarding pollution? Or was there some other reason?

Once the answer to that question is known, St. Lawrence County can better decide whether to encourage or discourage the Bion facility.

Meanwhile, Phil Hopke, director of Clarkson University’s Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, speaks on ethanol in St. Lawrence County at the Adirondack Mountain Club Laurentian Chapter’s spring potluck supper party at First Presbyterian Church, Lawrence Avenue and Elm Street, on Sunday, April 13.

In a report released last November, Hopke said the St.Lawrence County Bion operation would “ smell like a farm.”

His report's conclusion stated, "Based on our estimates of odor emissions, it appears that a facility can be constructed with less than 3% probability of nuisance odors...Depending on the level of odor avoidance desired, choices of levels of control along with some additional land to provide adequate setback distances and good site selection can make the facilities feasible in regards to nuisance odor emissions."

If the Bion project comes to fruition in St. Lawrence County, slaughterhouses for the 84,000 cattle could be expected to be located here. Jobs in those facilities aren’t great, and in other areas of the country are held by immigrants because many U.S. citizens aren’t willing to work in those conditions at low wages. But, then, many would say North Country prison jobs now in jeopardy of disappearing as jails close aren’t great either. But they do pay well and offer state benefits.

In any case, hundreds if not thousands of alternative fuel facilities will probably have to be built nationwide until we discover what works best. If our aim is to reduce dependence on foreign oil, reducing the chances of more war and global warming, we’ve got to experiment now.

We can’t afford the luxury of “Not In My Backyard” thinking. Massive facilities will be needed to replace energy produced by fossil fuels. People living near huge windmill farms often object to those facilities. Solar panels take up many square miles of space to produce significant amounts of energy. There’s a drawback to almost every alternative form of energy.

Even if a Bion facility in St. Lawrence County is built, but fails, at least morally St. Lawrence County citizens could say they are entitled to use alternative energy produced elsewhere because we stepped up and agreed to host a major trial project.

History trivia: Why is Gouverneur's namesake famous?

2008-04-10T16:58:00.005-04:00

One of St. Lawrence County’s more unusually named communities is Gouverneur, named for Gouverneur Morris, the youngest man to serve in the U.S. Continental Congress at age 24.

A wealthy man who endorsed aristocratic rule, he is credited with drafting the U.S. Constitution.

“Morris emerged as one of the leading figures at the Constitutional Convention. His speeches, more frequent than those by anyone else, numbered 173,” says the website From Revolution to Reconstruction. He “stood in the thick of the decision-making process … it was apparently he who actually drafted the Constitution.”

Morris was born in what is now the Bronx in 1752 into a wealthy family. His elder half-brother, Lewis, signed the Declaration of Independence, according to the website.

Gouverneur was educated by private tutors and at a Huguenot school in New Rochelle. In early life, he lost a leg in a carriage accident. He attended what is now Columbia University, graduating in 1768 at the age of 16. Three years later, after reading law in the city, he gained admission to the bar.

The website continues, “When the Revolution loomed on the horizon, Morris became interested in political affairs. Because of his conservatism, however, he at first feared the movement, which he believed would bring mob rule. Furthermore, some of his family and many of his friends were Loyalists.

“But, beginning in 1775, for some reason, he sided with the Whigs. That same year, representing Westchester County, he took a seat in New York's Revolutionary provincial congress (1775-77). In 1776, when he also served in the militia, along with John Jay and Robert R. Livingston he drafted the first constitution of the state. Subsequently he joined its council of safety (1777).

“In 1777-78 Morris sat in the legislature and in 1778-79 in the Continental Congress, where he numbered among the youngest and most brilliant members. During this period, he signed the Articles of Confederation and drafted instructions for Benjamin Franklin, in Paris, as well as those that provided a partial basis for the treaty ending the War for Independence. Morris was also a close friend of Washington and one of his strongest congressional supporters.

“Defeated in his bid for reelection to Congress in 1779 because of the opposition of Gov. George Clinton's faction, Morris relocated to Philadelphia and resumed the practice of law. This temporarily removed him from the political scene, but in 1781 he resumed his public career when he became the principal assistant to Robert Morris, Superintendent of Finance for the United States, to whom he was unrelated. Gouverneur held this position for 4 years.

In 1800, he was elected to finish an unexpired term in the U.S. Senate. An ardent Federalist, he was defeated in his bid for reelection in 1802 and left office the following year.

The Gates Curtis history of Gouverneur and many other St. Lawrence County communities is available at Ray’s Place.

For several hundred other links to sites focusing on St. Lawrence County history, visit NorthCountryNow.com’s Local History Page .

With the Return of Canada Geese comes ... poop

2008-04-08T17:26:00.003-04:00

You can sure tell it’s spring in the North Country when Canada Geese return, as Casey Conant of Canton reminded us a week or two ago, when he submitted this photo of a gaggle of geese .

But, unfortunately, with Canada Geese come lots of … poop. As much as three pounds a day, if you believe the Seattle Times .

“They say the birds and their abundant fecal matter have ruined picnics, golf games and sunbathing,” wrote David B. Williams in the paper’s Sunday magazine a few years back .

People who dislike Canada Geese “worry that the birds spread disease and create safety problems at airports. To these folks, geese are basically large flying rats that the government should round up and exterminate by the thousands.”

And, he claimed, “Geese are walking digestive tracts disguised as birds, defecating 28 times a day, or up to 92 times per day in winter ... A single bird can produce three pounds of droppings per day.”

But we have the Geese defenders, including the website LoveCanadaGeese.com .

“Occasionally, when I tell people that I love Canada Geese, they remark that they dislike them because they make a mess,” says a writer identified as Choo Choo Love. “It saddens me to hear people say this because it shows how much they have become alienated from nature.”

“The geese are doing what's natural to them and guess what? Their poop smells better than ours!”

The writer claims Canada Geese poop much less than some people believe. “We often read in newspapers that an adult goose is capable of about a pound and a half of droppings a day. Is this true? Sharon Pawlak, National Coordinator for the Coalition to Prevent the Destruction of Canada geese has this to say:

“A Canada goose does not drop a pound of excrement a day. In a study conducted by Dr. Bruce Manny, research fishery biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, the average goose produces 0.3432 pounds (5.49 ounces) of wet droppings per day. At 21.04 percent solids in the average goose dropping, this amount of wet droppings is equivalent to 0.0722 pounds (1.15 ounces) of dry droppings per day.”

The problem is so significant, the firm Canada Goose Management is “dedicated to solving conflicts between Canada Geese and the safety / interests of people.”

“Are you tired of your green spaces and beaches being rendered unusable by Canada goose droppings?” reads their website. “Are aggressive Canada geese creating unsafe situations? Have you suffered economic damage due to excessive grazing of Canada geese? Are Canada geese creating the potential for a catastrophic aircraft incident?”

Canada Goose Management’s customers include include parks, airports athletic fields, golf courses, lake front properties, private communities, industrial sites, business parks, townships, schools and county governments, their website says.

Meanwhile, back in St. Lawrence County, Canada Geese are fun to watch and hear as they honk overhead in their V-shaped formation. But they can sure can make a mess of waterfront property, parks and corn fields.