Fri news roundup: Earthquake, jail crowding, movies

So I’m about to go on vacation for two weeks, during which time my In Box shoes will be capably filled by other NCPR newsies. Lots today from our newsroom, including: David Sommerstein puzzles out why low water levels on Lake Ontario mean high water levels on the St. Lawrence; people who live in and around Ogdensburg express major concerns about unemployment if the New York State Office of Mental Health closes the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center there; and an Adirondack company is looking into the possibility of developing a big resort on Loon Lake in Franklin County. And so much more!

Other excitement this morning came out of Canada, as an earthquake that started north of the border was felt by many in our region, including a couple people here in our office in Canton. The Watertown Daily Times reports that the earthquake reached a magnitude of 5.0 after originating northwest of Ottawa (others are saying the magnitude was 5.1 or 5.2.) An aftershock seems to have been felt at least as far down as Syracuse.

WWNY-TV is reporting that the St. Lawrence County jail is overcrowded. NCPR actually reported back in August of last year that the jail, which is just three years old, was already full. Things haven’t improved since then, with 29 inmates having to be housed in jails in Washington and Essex Counties, and some being double-celled. County Sheriff Kevin Wells told WWNY that the conditions are due to several factors, including more drug-related arrests and a backlog of probation department investigations of inmates. The jail’s official capacity is 164 inmates, but the state allows it to house 186 (as it’s currently doing) before it has to move some out.

A planned English school in Ogdensburg for international students is on hold, the Watertown Daily Times is reporting, because owner James Ma hasn’t yet been authorized to do everything he needs to do to get visas for his students. He told the paper there’s not a new opening date yet for the school.

And in the Lewis County village of Lyons Falls, the Valley Brook Drive-In theatre will be open for another season. At the risk of editorializing, I love drive-ins and I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. As the Watertown Daily Times reports today, Valley Brook owner Michael Dekin had been very concerned about whether his theatre would survive the transition to all-digital film distribution that’s been scheduled to take place in September.

This has been a worry for many small theatre owners in the North Country. But Valley Brook and other theatres that haven’t made the (very expensive) transition yet are being given a temporary reprieve, Dekin told the Times, apparently until at least the end of the calendar year. And, Dekin says, the price on the new equipment he’ll have to buy has come down, from about $100,000 to between $51,000 and $64,000.