First Person: Recent Episodes
NCPR - North Country Public Radio
(Feb 14, 2025) Mitch and Ethan discuss their favorite films, and Mitch chats with the programmer of the Kingston Canadian Film Festival, now entering its 25th year.
(Feb 7, 2025) Liz Moore's novel is set in the Adirondacks and follows internal struggle of a family dealing with the disappearance of their daughter.
(Jan 31, 2025) The Cameroon-born Montreal musician makes R&B that sounds all his own, but is rooted in an appreciation of the classics.
(Jan 24, 2025) "Wheat Paste Radio" is the dream of Nico Brossar. She wants to serve the community of Keeseville with community specific news, information, and music.
(Jan 17, 2025) The work of Verplanck Colvin and Mills Blake played a key role in our knowledge of the region today.
(Jan 10, 2025) Folwell was the longtime Adirondack Life magazine editor, who is also remembered for her many community projects. She died recently at age 71.
(Jan 3, 2025) Farb, a Lake Placid native, was on site in Carter's hometown of Plains, Georgia, to photograph the president-elect shortly before his inauguration.
(Dec 27, 2024) Hey, if you're going to a New Year's party that's exactly 27 minutes away, you can listen to the first half of the show in 2024, and the second half on the way home in 2025! Pretty neat, huh?
(Dec 20, 2024) Harry Mitchell tells us about his time serving in Korea, growing up alongside a power plant, and caring for his father during his last days.
(Dec 13, 2024) Paris Escandón's photos appear in "Brockville Un:Scene," which features photographs of Brockville's vulernable population, including those without homes and struggling with addiction or mental illness.
(Dec 6, 2024) The VanRipers have recently published their 21st book for young readers, entitled "The Most Marvelous Moose Call Contest."
(Nov 29, 2024) At a time when some Americans say they endorse the idea of a strongman leader, two recent films show the reality of life behind the Iron Curtain during the Cold War.
(Nov 22, 2024) Host Mitch Teich and producer Ethan Shantie have reached their doom scroll limit. But it's hard to stay connected when you're offline. A book has some tips.
(Nov 8, 2024) Two interviews with a filmmaker and a photographer whose work centers on what life was like for Eastern Europeans during the Cold War
(Nov 1, 2024) Philip Glotzbach's new book is called "Embrace Your Freedom: Winning Strategies to Succeed in College and in Life."
(Oct 25, 2024) For those of us who like our podcasts in longer form, here's a full hour (OK, 53 minutes) from the North Words team.
(Oct 25, 2024) "Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner" doesn't want you to wait on a romantic partner before you decide to live your life
(Oct 18, 2024) Joe Conto is a professor at Paul Smith's College who also teaches improv in Lake Placid and Montreal. And he says that improv is about more than getting a laugh.
(Oct 11, 2024) Author Arthur Milnes tells us about the time he hosted President Carter at his home in Kingston, ON and his book "98 Reasons to Thank Jimmy Carter."
(Oct 4, 2024) Soma Mei Sheng Frazier's debut novel "Off the Books" follows a chauffer who takes a life changing cross-country trip from San Francisco to Syracuse.
(Sep 27, 2024) Lorna Simes is a little nervous about filling the timeslot left vacant by the legendary Fiona Ritchie. But her passion for sharing music is palpable.
(Sep 20, 2024) SLU Grad Louisa Stancioff has partnered with Yep Roc records for her latest release, a dreamy, nostalgic indie-folk record with songs of heartache.
(Sep 13, 2024) Ryan Vickers began his game show career competing on "Wheel of Fortune." His journey has come full circle as he now works on the Canadian "Family Feud."
(Sep 6, 2024) Every year the city of Plattsburgh commemorates a turning point in the War of 1812 with a weekend festival dedicated to bringing history alive.
(Aug 29, 2024) An hour of North Words listening enjoyment for your long-ish car rides or short-ish hikes.
(Aug 23, 2024) jim bourey has had all kinds of jobs. he's a veteran, he's sold used cars, he's a former plumbing wholesaler. And all of that has helped his latest profession: the poet laureate of Dickinson Center.
(Aug 16, 2024) She used to work in the fashion industry but turned to taxidermy to better honor the lives of animals. And she says her shop smells like a 12th century monastery.
(Aug 9, 2024) Donna Stoner came to watercolor after retiring from the medical field. Now she co-ordinates an annual Plein Air art festival in Old Forge.
(Aug 2, 2024) A smokejumper jumps out of planes to fight fires. A former smokejumper shares why it's important we remember a watershed moment in firefighting history.
(Jul 26, 2024) "The God of the Woods" is a mystery set in the Adirondacks in the 1960s and '70s, and weaves in themes of income inequality, friendship, and inheritance.
(Jul 19, 2024) Two filmmakers say that it's time to re-examine Arnold's history due in no small part to his time spent in Northern New York.
(Jul 12, 2024) You know Corwin from his years of showing off wild animals on TV. But it's his work as a conservationist that is among his greatest achievements.
(Jul 5, 2024) The investigation into the 1722 death of an indigenous man named Sawataeny is like something out of an Agatha Christie novel. But it all really happened.
(Jul 4, 2024) Mike Colburn was the director of The President's Own, the Marine band based at the White House. Now, he becomes the second permanent conductor of the Orchestra of Northern New York.
(Jun 28, 2024) For Darien Cain, the funeral industry is a calling, not a job. And she knows that it's important that families feel seen and heard when planning for a service. She's trying to modernize the funeral to make it a better experience for everyone.
(Jun 21, 2024) The Seagle Festival has been bringing musical theater to our region for over 100 years. Its artistic director shares his unique history with the organization.
(Jun 7, 2024) Mo Fitzgerald's memoir is filled with poems, lists, essays, and journal entries that chronicle her soccer career and her toxic marriage to an addict.
(May 31, 2024) NCPR morning host, Todd Moe, reflects on the stories that will stick with him as he heads into retirement after 40 years on the radio.
(May 24, 2024) Vermont Green FC is the first club in the U.S. to marry its responsibility to the sport of soccer to its responsibility to the planet.
(May 17, 2024) Describing the feeling of flight is near impossible. But Aurora Pfaff captures it well in her exploration of air travel through the Adirondacks.
(May 10, 2024) The new novel "Catherine's Dream" was inspired by an arranged marriage that brought a Polish woman to live in the sleepy hamlet of Pyrites
(May 3, 2024) Lobbyist... doctor... spy... accused murderer. Just a few words that describe Josephine McCarty, the "abortionist of Howard Street."
(Apr 26, 2024) North Country filmmaker Scott Carroll is about to visit Svalbard, a tiny Norweigian island that he says provides a window into the future of our world.
(Apr 19, 2024) North Words looks back at some of the best revelatory moments from the last year and a half and pulls back the curtain on how public radio is made.
(Apr 12, 2024) Retired SUNY Potsdam Professor John Massaro talks with Mitch about how Bruce Springsteen’s political awakening can help untangle politics for young people.
(Apr 5, 2024) Barry Keane was content just working at a record company. He didn't expect to eventually play on hundreds of records with over 250 musicians.
(Mar 29, 2024) It's the March edition of North Words The Radio Show, with all the interviews back-to-back-to-back in a 54 minute package of great listening. Enjoy!
(Mar 29, 2024) Peter Lourie reflects on his 315 mile journey. He's the first person on record to have made the entire trip by canoe.
(Mar 22, 2024) A song recorded in the '80s by the popular North Country band, "Double Axel," has found new life thanks to a cover by the former drummer's son, Kyle Tupper.
(Mar 15, 2024) Paul Wylie is an Olympic Gold Medalist who now trains students on the ice. And his secret for the perfect routine? Well, you've got to fall down a lot first.
(Mar 8, 2024) Jess Milton hosts a podcast that digs into the Vinyl Cafe archives. She voices essays that explore her relationship with the late host and icon, Stuart McLean.
(Mar 1, 2024) "Making Camp" explores the unexepected history of essential camping gear and the revolution of one of the North Country's favorite past-times
(Feb 9, 2024) For a decade, the contest has been providing opportunities for unsigned artists to be heard around the world
(Feb 2, 2024) Mark Wish is a novelist who, between books, makes ends meet by giving "tough love" to writers whose stuff isn't up to snuff. His new mystery is "Necessary Deeds."
(Jan 26, 2024) On this week's North Words, we'll hear from some B&B owners whose ancestors keep us connected to a simpler time.
(Jan 26, 2024) All the interviews from the January edition of North Words, in one breezy 54-minute package!
(Jan 19, 2024) Tim Brookes is fascinated by language and writing. So he invented a day to celebrate them.
(Jan 12, 2024) On this week's North Words, Mitch features a conversation between news director, David Sommerstein, and podcast hosts Emily Russell and Zach Hirsch.
(Dec 29, 2023) No reruns for us! It's a fresh, 53-minute radio show for the last Friday of December.
(Dec 22, 2023) Drake Jensen says that when he came out, his music stopped getting the attention it used to. But now his Christmas song is an independent country sensation.
(Dec 15, 2023) Jim Madeja is a founding member of the Orchestra of Northern New York. We asked him to name the song that started his musical journey.
(Dec 8, 2023) Everyone thinks Croghan Bologna is a huge business. But it's actually a mom-and-pop shop. Its fourth-generation owner is bringing things into the 21st century.
(Dec 1, 2023) In order to write about Rudi Vrba, Steve Sheinkin had to walk in his footsteps. Literally. But most people don't know who Rudi is or why he's important to WW2.
(Nov 24, 2023) It's the last Friday of the month, so this is when we would normally inflict your podcast player with an extra episode of North Words. But it's also Thanksgiving week, so this is the only one you're getting today. It's the best content from the past month - think of it as Thanksgiving leftovers for your brain.
(Nov 17, 2023) A former Crane student and financial planner knows that the way to keep art healthy in the North Country is to encourage financial literacy in musicians.
(Nov 10, 2023) This Saranac Lake teacher reached out to a Pulitzer Prize winner to say she adored her book. She didn't expect a response... or to be asked for a personal favor.
(Nov 3, 2023) How we frame the story of our lives might have profound health effects. A new series is trying to make it easier for us to start telling our stories differently.
(Oct 27, 2023) It's the last Friday of the month, so we are filling your podcast queue with all the content you can stand, or maybe more!
(Oct 27, 2023) The journey toward equity in the North Country has been ongoing for more than 150 years. A new book explores our region's surprising history of racial justice.
(Oct 20, 2023) I don't like craft stores. But I loved these stories about fiber arts... which should tell you that they're good.
(Oct 13, 2023) Before you make a movie, you have to ask yourself "why am I making this?" Some stories maybe shouldn't be told. The co-founder of Stone Lantern Films stopped by the pod (along with ACW's Nathalie Thill) to talk about effective storytelling.
(Oct 6, 2023) It takes a lot of guts to get up on stage and tell a story in front of a live audience. Up until a few weeks ago, Ethan Shantie, host of NCPR's storytelling podcast, had never done it. Which is more than a little ironic.
(Sep 29, 2023) If it's the last Friday of September, it must mean your monthly dose of an extra North Words episode! This month's radio edition of North Words features two hand-selected interviews plus a special musical performance, perfect for listening on a crisp autumn day.
(Sep 29, 2023) Folks often define themselves by their career. But all of us have a side-gig that we're probably more passionate about. Some of us work on cars or sew or go fishing. But if you're NPR's Ari Shapiro, you sing on stage for thousands of people.
(Sep 22, 2023) Aron Lee Rosenberg's new book is all about his year offline and what he learned about himself - and humanity - after he cut himself off completely from tech.
(Sep 15, 2023) Mitch Teich's claim to fame is that he's a 2-day Jeopardy champion. But this Ontario native? Well... let's just say he's a game show pro.
(Sep 8, 2023) jim bourey has had all kinds of jobs. he's a veteran, he's sold used cars, he's a former plumbing wholesaler. And all of that has helped his new profession: the poet laureate of Dickinson Center.
(May 26, 2023) Hey, how about 54 minutes and 11 seconds' worth of great North Words content? Here is the May edition of North Words on the radio, long enough for a ride from Potsdam to Paul Smiths, or Plattsburgh to Port Henry. Or between two towns that don't start with "P."
(Apr 28, 2023) As a kid, Doug Smith only connected with the outside world through TV - stand up specials on Comedy Central and MTV. But what really inspired his own career were the comedians he thought were terrible.
(Apr 21, 2023) For decades, the entire state of New York was serviced by only 30 weather stations. But for the last 5 years, one group has been working to change that.
(Apr 14, 2023) The "toilet gardens" of Potsdam have captured the public attention of the North Country and the world. And a documentary that's now available on streaming services chronicles the legal battle of Hank Robar, the man who built them as a protest against the village government. And the question is - are the "toilet gardens" art, or are they something else?
(Apr 7, 2023) It’s not every small-town newspaper that wins a Pulitzer Prize. But that was the case for the Glens Falls Post-Star in 2009, at a time when the paper had not only grown in size, but in national stature. It was also right in the middle of Ken Tingley’s two decade tenure as editor. His latest book is called "The Last American Newspaper."
(Mar 31, 2023) What comes to mind when you think about the tuba? Maybe a German guy in lederhosen, playing an oompah tune at Oktoberfest. Or a concert band playing a patriotic John Phillip Sousa song on July 4th. Well... Charles Guy would like you to reconsider your image of the tuba.
(Mar 24, 2023) Spring is here, and even though it’ll be a while before all the snow is gone, it’ll be composting season before you know it. I had great plans to feed my backyard composter through the winter, but gave them up as soon as it was covered by a backyard snowbank. Recently, I had the chance to sit with three people who are setting out to change the composting landscape of the Adirondacks... and maybe someday, the entire state of New York. John Culpepper, his daughter Katie Culpepper (plus Katie's young baby), and Jennifer Perry invited me to join them on John's backyard deck as he recovered from knee surgery. They are not your average composters. They are the founders of the Jay-based organization, Compost for Good, and I wanted to hear the story of how the organization got started and their efforts to create community and compost at the same time.
(Mar 17, 2023) A lot of folks take selfies in front of signs at landmarks, like the Las Vegas sign, or Welcome to Canada or Grand Canyon National Park. But have you ever taken a photo in front of an entrance to the Adirondack Park? The blue line encompasses an area larger than some states, yet it holds a different place in the hearts of Americans than other great natural places. This week on the North Words podcast, writer Matt Dallos talk about his new book "In the Adirondacks," and the inherent contradiction of living in a place that has as many neon signs as it does trail markers.
(Mar 3, 2023) Kingston, Ontario singer-songwriter Julia Finnegan might be youthful in age, but her music will have a familiar vibe to Gen X children of the ‘80s and ‘90s. And her playful lyrics call on songs and artists who were on the charts well before she was born - from Derek and the Dominos to America, and from Bob Dylan... to Jakob Dylan. Finnegan’s most recent album is called “Listen to the Wallflowers,” a title which works both as a metaphor, and as a literal tribute to the younger Dylan’s band. On this week’s North Words, Mitch Teich talks with Julia Finnegan about her songwriting, and her life as an up-and-coming Kingston musician.
(Feb 24, 2023) How do you describe your part of the North Country to people who live in other places? Chances are good that you’d talk about the Adirondacks or the St. Lawrence River. Maybe the snow, or hockey, or Fort Drum. Or it could be SUNY Potsdam or Plattsburgh. How about Stewart’s ice cream or a pizza place you like? For years, North Country writer Ginger Henry Kuenzel has been taking on an even greater challenge. She describes life in her tiny community on Lake George to people who might never have been to an American small town - and for whom English is not their first language.
(Feb 17, 2023) If you ever travel to places like New York City, Boston, or Montreal, it can seem like there are theaters and concert venues on every street corner. So many events going on all the time. When we’re holed up in Potsdam or Keene or LaFargeville, it might feel like the only active culture at hand is in the yogurt in your refrigerator.But you know, there are always things happening in the North Country, even if they can be tricky to find. That's a problem that North Country transplants Beth Rowland and her husband Tim are trying to solve.
(Feb 10, 2023) The North Country. We love this place, and yet we hate it. It's a conflict that is both charming and one that can drive people away. And it's not unique to northern New York. Writer Idra Novey's conflicting attitudes towards her own Rust Belt town were a major inspiration for her latest novel, "Take What You Need." In this episoide, Novey talks with host Mitch Teich about the book and the difficult questions that lie beneath it in this politically polarized era in rural America.
(May 26, 2020) On the May edition of First Person, the leaders of three community foundations in the North Country explain how they plan to be safe spaces for nonprofits who are devising ideas to weather the pandemic.
(May 26, 2020) The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak was felt very quickly by many nonprofit organizations in the North Country. As people lost jobs and income, the groups that depended on those people to support them saw their funding dwindle. Quickly, the region’s community foundations swung into action, creating emergency needs funds for groups that provide vital services.
(Apr 7, 2020) On a special evening edition of NCPR’s interview magazine, First Person, we look behind the curtain to learn how the NCPR news team is able to cover the news in a time of social distancing.
(Mar 20, 2020) Can poetry and the arts in general help get us through a situation as perilous as the COVID-19 crisis?
On the March edition of First Person, a reflection on how the beautiful works of poets, writers, and artists have helped us process horrible times.