NCPR is made possible by
|
|
NCPR News Staff: Julie Grant
News Reporter and Producer
Cattails proliferate in the St. Lawrence River wetland. Photo: Jenni Werndorf
Many homes in Sodus Point village are built close to the Lake Ontario shoreline. Photo: Carlet Cleare
(05/14/12) Water levels in the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario have been regulated since the 1950s. Levels have been controlled, so they can't rise too high, or drop too low. But the International Joint Commission wants to change that, because the IJC says it's been bad for the environment. Many scientists and environmental groups support the IJC's plan to allow the water to flow more naturally. But some lake-shore property owners fear that the high water will wash their homes away. Julie Grant reports. Carlet Cleare of WXXI in Rochester assisted in the production of this story. more
Ted Elk scrapes honey off the comb. (Photo: Julie Grant)
Elk uses a smoker to keep bees close to the hive. (Photo: Julie Grant)
(05/04/12) This week and next, North Country Public Radio is exploring the lives of people who do traditional work. These are arts and types of industry that people would have been using to make a living in our region a century ago, or even longer. Ted Elk has been a beekeeper for nearly 20 years - with hives from Clayton, to Evans Mills, to Fort Drum. He says it's become much more labor intensive in that time. Julie Grant visited him Hammond. more
The NY Farm Bureau expects more insurance assistance in the Farm Bill.
(05/02/12) The 2012 Farm Bill passed through the Senate Agriculture Committee last week, much more quickly than insiders had expected. The bill cuts agriculture spending by $23 billion, by getting rid of program that pays some farmers simply for growing commodities, things like corn, wheat, and soy. Instead of sending farmers a direct payment, it will spend more money subsidizing their crop insurance. Some New York farm leaders say the shift will be good for New York farmers. But critics say the crop insurance is just another handout to big corporate farms. Julie Grant reports. more
Proposed zoning changes in the Town of Canton. See full-size map link below
(04/24/12) The town of Canton planning board wants to clear the air about its efforts to create more land for housing. The board is looking to rezone some areas from agricultural to residential. And there are concerns it's an attempt to take away the right-to-farm from these properties. Julie Grant reports. more
Canton Town Supervisor David Button, Town Clerk Lisa Hammond, Council member James Smith, and Highway Superintendent Terry Billings
(04/23/12) The town of Canton has opened a drop-off site for e-waste. St. Lawrence County residents can dispose of old computers, TVs, and cellphones at the town barn on Stiles Avenue. Julie Grant stopped by, to find out more about it. more
The minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, is well below the historical average.
(04/17/12) New York Democratic lawmakers are pushing a hike to the minimum wage. They're proposing raising it from $7.25 to $8.50 per hour. Many liberals and labor groups are pushing it as a necessary step, in New York, and at the federal level. But others say, in the long run, a higher minimum wage might be bad for north country businesses and their employees. Julie Grant reports. more
Adult deer tick, <em>Ixodes scapularis</em>. Photo: Scott Bauer, USDA
(04/12/12) If you're like a lot of people in the North Country, you've been finding ticks on yourself, or on your pets. The common dog tick can be easy to find, especially when they become engorged. But Deer ticks, also known as Black Legged-Ticks, are very, very tiny, and are difficult to spot. Deer ticks are the ones that primarily cause Lyme disease. Recent statistics show increasing levels of Lyme disease in the North Country. Julie Grant has found quite a few ticks on her dog recently, and decided to give Paul Hetzler a call. He's the horticulture and natural resources educator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in Canton. She asked if he's been hearing from a lot of people concerned about deer ticks. more
Maryam Laly of Kabul, Afghanistan, is finishing her first year at St. Lawrence University. (Photo: Julie Grant)
(04/06/12) A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, including three American soldiers, at a park in Afghanistan this week. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, in what's usually a relatively peaceful region north of Kabul.
Such violence is one big reason 20-year old Maryam Laly wanted to leave Kabul, and attend school in the north country. She's currently a first year student at St. Lawrence University. Julie Grant spoke with Laly, and files this report...
The Croghan Island Mill Photo: David Sommerstein
(04/05/12) People working to save the small, historic dam in Croghan from demolition recently got something of a reprieve. The state Department of Environmental Conservation has reclassified the old concrete dam. The two-part structure on the Beaver River was previously listed as "high risk", that could cause death and serious damage if it breached. After the assessment, however, the dam is now considered a low risk structure. more
(04/04/12) As the Republican primary marches forward, researcher Thomas Seeley is reminded of his work with honeybees. That might sound odd, but Seeley has spent decades studying the relationships in a hive, and says bees have an even longer history than human beings of making decisions democratically. Dr. Seeley is giving a public talk tonight at St. Lawrence University.
He spoke yesterday with Julie Grant about new research that points to certain pesticides as the major reason for the death of bees around the world. Seeley also explained how honeybees decide where to build a new hive, and how that's similar to our own democratic process.
1-10 of 140 stories next 10 » last »
|
Julie Grant.
Julie Grant grew up on the north shore of Long Island, NY, and moved to the Midwest to attend Miami University. She stayed in Ohio to start her career as a public radio reporter, host, and news director. Julie covered city hall, the statehouse, and loads of political stories. She focused on education coverage for many years, and then turned her attention to environmental issues. Julie was Ohio correspondent for The Environment Report, and covered agriculture, wetlands, chemicals in everyday products, and many other issues.
She has traveled to Egypt, India, and around the U.S. for documentary work and public radio stories, and has won many awards through the years. Julie is excited to be back in New York with her family--even though it's much further north this time! Email Julie
|
