David Sommerstein, North Country Public Radio (88.7 Old Forge) Assistant News Director/Reporter, won two of the Station s five 2008 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for Excellence from the Radio and Television News Directors Association (RTNDA),  first for Best Continuing Coverage for his year-long series, Immigration in the North Country, looking at Congress  failure to pass immigration reform,  former Governor Spitzer s failed drivers  license plan, following the immigration issues closely on area farms, and second for Best News Series for  his, Farm to Farm, Family to Family, when he traveled with a group of Northern New York dairy farmers in January 2007 to a mountain town in Mexico called Malacatepec for a three-part series examining the complex issue from the perspectives of the farmers, the workers, and a North Country town being introduced to its first migrant workers. Adirondack Bureau Chief, Brian Mann, won a Murrow Award for Best Hard News Feature for, Hydropower Comes at a Cost for the Cree, when he traveled to far northern Quebec where the province s power company, Hydro-Quebec, is moving forward with the latest in a series of monumental hydroelectric projects, one that will uproot and re-channel the Rupert River, sacred to the Cree people who live nearby, and an engineering feat that rivals the Trans-Alaska pipeline. Reporter/host Jonathan Brown won Best Newscast for, All Before Five, NCPR s newest news program, specifically for the August 21, 2007 show that featured David Sommerstein reporting on villagers  opposition to Wal-Mart s request for village sewage lines for a new supercenter and Jonathan Brown s nighttime encounter with bats during a study at Fort Drum. Finally, the Station won the Murrow Award for Best Use of Sound for, Winter Dash to Avalanche Lake, when Brian Mann snuck away for a day with his friend Bob Martin from Saranac Lake to ski the trail to Avalanche Pass and sent an audio postcard that skillfully used the sounds of the day to put listeners right on the trail in the High Peaks last winter with snow covered trails and temperatures that plunged to double-digits below zero. RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with Murrow Awards since 1971, named to recognize the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.With 3,459 entries this year from regions across the country, judges gave awards in 14 categories, and winners automatically become eligible for the national awards competition, which will be judged in early June.

Linda Duffy of Lake George was elected President of The Lake George Winter Carnival, Inc. for the 2007-2008 Season, and Chris Connelly of Lake George was elected her Co-Chairwoman. Louis Tokos of Lake George was elected Vice- President and Ed Kokalas of Lake George his Co-Chairman.  Nancy Nichols of Lake George was elected Treasurer, Kathy Kokalas of Lake George her Co-Chairwoman, Alisa Connelly of Lake George, Secretary, and Simone Ramsey of Lake George her Co- Chairwoman. The Lake George Winter Carnival plans and hosts events every Saturday and Sunday during the month of February. For more information telephone (518)668-3024 or (607)760-0634.

Diane O Donnell of Utica, Blood Services Representative for the American Red Cross Mohawk Valley Chapter announced that the 2007 Herkimer County blood donations were the highest in the Syracuse Blood Region that covers the surrounding 24 counties (up 42.86% from 2006) and congratulations and recognition were received from American Red Cross Blood Services praising local volunteers (with 1,300 volunteer hours in 2007) for National Volunteer Week, April 27 - May 3, 2008. Blood helps cancer and burn patients, accident victims, people who are severely anemic and premature babies.  For more information about blood drives or how to become a volunteer contact (315) 866-2890 or www.mohawkvalleychapter.org.

Elizabeth Russell, a second year international studies student at Elmira College, was named to the Dean s List for the Winter 2008 Term with a GPA of at least 3.6. She is the daughter of Nanci and John Russell of Old Forge.

Renee Lasher of Woodgate and Buffalo finished her first marathon, the 112th Boston Marathon, 26.2 miles of what is known as the hardest marathon course, in four hours, 31 minutes, on April 21, 2008, running with the Miles for Miracles Team, raising over $6,000 for Children s Hospital Boston where she was a volunteer before she moved to Buffalo in 2007. Self-trained, she ran for eight-year-old Children s Hospital patient Erin who lives in Schenectady and secured sponsorship from family, friends and others towards her Team s overall goal of $1.6 million. One of the top U.S. hospitals specializing in pediatric care, it is also one of the world s largest research enterprises based in a pediatric medical center. She is a District Manager for Frito Lay, earned a B.S. in marketing from SUNY Oswego, is a 2000 graduate of the Town of Webb High School, and is the daughter of Mary and Jeffrey Lasher of Woodgate.