Flow of military gear to local police raises questions

The mine-resistant armored personnel carrier was built to help U.S. troops survive roadside bomb attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, but its new home is among malls and outlet stores just north of Glens Falls. Last fall, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office was among eight local police agencies in New York that received mine-resistant, armor-protected vehicles through a Pentagon program that gives surplus military equipment to domestic law enforcement organizations. Although the vehicle was free, its acquisition set off some criticism. And across the region, civil libertarians and others have lately been raising concerns about what they describe as the militarization of local police.
read more

Scouting group keeps multi-generational link to Vermont forest

Ira Ellis, a founding member of Snowald, leads members of Boy Scout Troop 7 of North Haven, Conn., on a snowshoe hike in the 1970s. Snowald, a retreat founded in the 1950s on 250 acres high in the Green Mountains, continues to serve its founders’ families and scouting groups to this day.
read more

New frontier for local agriculture: Medical marijuana?

The recent legalization of medical marijuana in New York is opening up a new market for entrepreneurs who would become the state’s first authorized growers and processors of cannabis. Among those who hope to join this nascent industry is Ted Berndt, who says he has been actively preparing to submit an application for a cultivation facility at his Washington County Agribusiness Park near Cambridge. read more

Election 2014 Preview: Who’s on your ballot

From the hard-fought race for governor of Massachusetts to hot congressional contests in New York and the competition for open legislative seats in Vermont, decision time is approaching on Nov. 4
read more

Critic’s picks: Five films for the Halloween season

As Halloween approaches, cable channels will soon be unreeling a steady stream of horror flicks: Expect repeated showings of classics like “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” and familiar blockbusters like “The Exorcist” and “Nightmare on Elm Street.” But there are a handful of older thrillers worth seeking out that are available on DVD. Instead of the widely recognized classics, consider a few overlooked gems. For example, check out “Don’t Look Now,” which was released the same year as “The Exorcist” but is far superior.

read more