Richard Haller

4 days ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Richard Haller

Smoke from wildfires in central and western Canada has started drifting into Upstate New York. According to the National Weather Service, the smoke will stay relatively high in the atmosphere, unlike the smoggy conditions in the summer of 2023. The DEC forecasted moderate air quality for the North Country and Adirondacks on Tuesday. The Air Quality Index is at 58 for the region. The DEC usually issues advisories when the AQI rises above 100.

1 week ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Richard Haller

Two hikers tripping on hallucinogens in the Adirondacks last weekend mistakenly reported that a third member of their party had died. The hikers called 911 from Cascade Mountain on Saturday morning, May 24. They subsequently told a steward at the mountain's summit that they were “lost.” The DEC says the steward determined they were in an altered mental state. They had consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms.  The third hiker called on the phone and was not injured.

2 weeks ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Richard Haller

The public can join a virtual diving expedition exploring a never-before-seen shipwreck in Lake Ontario. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is hosting the diving expedition online on Friday. They’ll use a remotely operated vehicle with high-definition cameras to survey a shipwreck. Ben Ioset, a maritime archaeologist, told the Watertown Daily Times that the ship is submerged in 550 feet of water and has not been explored yet.

1 month ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Richard Haller

Richard HallerWatertown City Council approves $12 million to replace a leaking reservoirWatertown City Council members approved millions of dollars on April 21 to replace a leaking water reservoir. For years, a 5,000-gallon reservoir in Watertown's Thompson Park has been losing thousands of gallons of water a day. The leak could be seen near the Franklin Street entrance, as the treated water flowed out of the park into a drainage ditch. Officials have known about this leak for decades.

1 month ago | northcountrypublicradio.org | Richard Haller

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the start of a major bridge replacement in Herkimer County. According to a press release, the $20.5 million infrastructure project will replace the I-90 bridge over Mohawk Street on Route 28 in the village of Herkimer. The current bridge is as old as the Thruway system itself. Around 24,000 vehicles drive over the bridge every day. Oncoming traffic will shift to one side of the bridge while under construction.