The loss of a restaurant can be a real hit to a small town in the North Country. We don't have a lot of them, right? So when even one goes down, it can leave a hole in the community. Conversely, when a new restaurant opens... A Tupper Lake local returned home and revived a defunct diner place with pretty spectacular results.
That's today's Story of the Day. Support for Story of the Day comes from Claxton Hepburn Medical Center, dedicated to providing patient care and regional services to the people of St. Lawrence County. Hey, I'm David Sommerstein. It's Thursday, April 17th. First up, New York State prison officials say they'll review the correctional system's culture after 10 employees were indicted in connection with an inmate's death.
Jimmy Veilkind reports for the New York Public News Network. It's the second time in less than two months that officers were indicted for their role in the beating death of a prisoner. Corrections Commissioner Dan Marticello condemned their behavior. There's no place for violence in the correctional system, regardless of who perpetrates the crime or the violence inside of our institutions.
Prosecutors say officers beat Masaya Nanchui last month at the Mid-State Correctional Facility with, quote, fists, batons, and boots. He later died from his injury. All the officers pleaded not guilty to the charges Wednesday. Their union called the indictment, quote, In Albany, I'm Jimmy Veilkind for the New York Public News Network. The community college in Plattsburgh will officially have a new home this fall. Kara Chapman reports it's moving to a SUNY campus.
Ken Kennelly says Clinton Community College's move to SUNY Plattsburgh is a game changer. It's not an overstatement to say that collectively the people in this room have saved a college. Why don't you give yourselves a hand for that? Kennelly is overseeing the transition as CCC's administrator in charge. He and others signed an agreement making the move official Tuesday.
Before the plans were first announced early last year, CCC was in rough shape. Enrollment had declined by more than half over the previous decade, helping to create a deficit of about $850,000. CCC also faced the possible loss of its accreditation. The college needs that to receive federal funding and for its students to get federal financial aid. SUNY Chancellor John King said the relocation plan and partnership in the community helped turn things around.
Clinton's accreditation has now been reaffirmed through 2030. Enrollment is growing again, donors are returning, confidence is being rebuilt. Clinton has a path forward and a home that will allow it to thrive. The majority of CCC's classes will be housed in SUNY Plattsburgh's Red K Hall. The administration will take over a house on Court Street, the former home of the Canadian Studies Program. Both buildings are undergoing renovation.
King says in addition to bringing new energy to SUNY Plattsburgh's campus, the move is also a win for the surrounding community. This partnership reinforces Plattsburgh's role as the North Country's higher education capital. It is a strategic advantage and a chance to lead the way in defining what collaboration and public higher education can look like.
Another agreement signed Tuesday makes nearby Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital the future home of CCC's nursing and EMT programs. Hospital President Michelle LeBeau started her nursing career in 1990 through an evening program at CCC. She says at the time, the college was trying to respond to a need in the community, like it is now. Every community needs a bright and vibrant hospital.
and I believe that ours is bright and vibrant and that through time after each of us has moved on to whatever comes next in our careers that this moment will mean a future for our colleges and for our organization. and why that for our community. Officials expect CCC to be fully moved into its new home by the start of the fall semester. Clinton County, which owns the college's current buildings, has hired a company to evaluate reuse and redevelopment options.
Kara Chapman, North Country Public Radio. North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is reportedly considering a run for governor next year. A source told NBC News that Stefanik received encouragement from New York Republicans, members of the Trump world and GOP donors. The speculation comes weeks after Trump withdrew Stefanik's nomination to become U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. He said he did so to protect a tight Republican majority in the House.
Ameris poll that came out this week found almost 60 percent of New Yorkers don't want Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul to run again in 2026. In a statement, Stefanik didn't confirm her interest in the seat. She said the polling shows that, quote, we can win and save New York.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought a lot of people back to the Adirondacks. They wanted to be closer to family, have more space, get fresh air. And some of those people started businesses, bringing new investment and ideas to our region. In today's North Country at Work story, we talk with a couple from Tupper Lake who revived and rebooted a shuttered restaurant and turned it into a community success story.
Anna Williams-Bergen has her story. I meet Evan Sloan in the kitchen of the Woodshed-on-Park. It's prep time before most of the staff show up. There is a ribeye slow cooking in the oven. Sloan works in quick motions, shaping up bread loaf. Today, this is his kitchen, but he first started working here as a teen in the 90s, back when it was called the Red Barn.
i started in this kitchen when i was 16 and started as a dishwasher and i just loved organized chaos you know like it comes in dirty you clean it you put it away and shortly thereafter it took over like running the line in the kitchen and the owner would never say it but he always come by later and you know like i noticed you're doing a good job
Sloan left Tupper Lake and went to culinary school. That's where he met his wife, Siobhan Spencer. The restaurant business became their life. He cooked, she managed. Just a few years ago, they were living in Brooklyn, working at big-name restaurants. Long hours, few days off, and then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Here's Siobhan Spencer. It was intense. We were in our tiny one-bedroom apartment. Both of our restaurants that we were running were uncertain if they were going to reopen.
The couple was going stir-crazy. In the fall of 2020, they moved back to Tupper Lake. They were looking at empty restaurants when they toured the Red Barn, where Sloan had worked as a teenager. It had closed a decade earlier. Coming in, it was almost just everything was still in its place. They were still... caddies on the table with the sugar you know so it was very much surreal to walk into um and it was just a lot a lot of cleanup a lot of just
A lot of work. They bought it and did all of the renovations themselves. It took months of elbow grease and paperwork, but the Woodshed On Park opened in May of 2023. The restaurant is gorgeous. It's moody and eclectic. The walls are a rich dark wood. A bookcase runs along the top of the booth.
Everything's bathed in warm lamplight. It glints off glass bottles and mirrored antique cabinetry. People come in and they see this vibe and they're like, oh, that's Siobhan. Spencer curates the wine list, makes sure the bills are paid, and the silver is polished. I do not know how to cook to save my life. That's why I married a chef. So we're a good team in that aspect because he, I can trust everything in the kitchen and then I run everything else.
There's an elaborate bar with specialty cocktails. As far as the food goes, it's classic American comfort food. But the gourmet, everything from scratch version. We do like chicken and biscuits, but, you know, we roast the bones, make the gravy, you know, fresh vegetables. You know, we're not buying anything pre-done, processed, make all of our own breads in-house and pretty much just doing simple well.
The restaurant has been a real success so far. They've gotten rave reviews, and it can be hard to get a table on a Saturday night. A lot of that's thanks to the community support they've gotten here in Tupper. From family members who pitched in on renovations to locals who come out time and time again.
They say it's been a beautiful experience moving back here. Just being able to come back to this area, to be able to come back and have the support and to be able to do what we're doing has been, I don't think we would have been able to do it anywhere else. The Woodshed on Park will celebrate two years open this May.
For North Country Public Radio's North Country at Work project, I'm Anna Williams-Bergen in Tepper Lake. Get this, our North Country at Work project is being replicated by other public radio stations. Texas has Texas roots now. And the Salt Lake City station was just talking to us the other day about wanting to make their own. NCPR is a trailblazing station, and it's powered by your donations. Often your good ideas, too. We listen to them.
It's the second last day of our spring fundraiser. We're trying to set a new record. Help us blow past $450,000 raise. We're going to need it. Our federal funding is uncertain. And in uncertain times, you can count on us for truth, for reliable news, music, and conversation. And we can count on you. Give right now at ncpr.org slash give. Thank you so much. Music today by Alan Dunham of South Glens Falls and Dan Duggan of Lake Clear. I'm David Summerstein, North Country.