(WWNY) – Prison strikes had corrections officers from several north country facilities out in the cold in late February and March, demanding changes to make working conditions safer inside prisons.
“It’s very unfortunate this has come to this, but the union members have pleaded with the officials for change and change has to happen. And unfortunately, they’ve fallen on deaf ears,” said Ted Nevills, a retired CO.
Tariffs from Washington hit local businesses. 1812 Brewing Company in Watertown had its beers taken off Canadian shelves, a move that cost the local bottler $100,000.
It brought U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer to Watertown, calling President Trump’s foreign relations reckless.
“Enough is enough. We must end this destructive trade war with Canada that’s crushing the North Country’s economy,” the New York Democrat said.
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history lasted 43 days from October 1 to November 12.
Government workers went without paychecks, including civilians working at Fort Drum.
SNAP benefits were delayed, causing uncertainty for North Country families.
“This month, we’ve so far had a total of 206 new families. That’s not counting today,” said food pantry manager Amy Klemgard.
“Feels like I have to carry more weight. More responsibilities and stuff like that, but there’s only so much I can do myself,” said Thomas Knott.
New York state saw a massive boom in dairy processing projects, the biggest of which was a $1.2 billion Chobani plant that will be built in Rome. More plants mean potential for growth in the ag industry.
“That equals 7 billion pounds more milk that will be needed from our farms, so it’s a great opportunity for farms to grow production,” said Jay Matteson, Jefferson County Agricultural coordinator.
One expansion could come from Texas-based Southern Dairy, as it had its eyes on Jefferson County in 2025. The plant would take raw and skim milk and whey sourced from regional dairy farms to produce products like whey protein and infant formula.
The Hood plant in LaFargeville kept busy this year thanks to social media trends, as the demand for cottage cheese skyrocketed.
“It took us by surprise when it first started increasing, and then it was like, we started seeing more and more and more and more and now we can’t produce enough of it,” said T.J. Babcock, operations manager.
At Empire State Mines in Fowler, the discovery of a 22-million-ton graphite deposit could mean double the number of jobs at the mine. It will be the first facility in the U.S. to mine the mineral in nearly 70 years.
“And to have that right here in St. Lawrence County, the only graphite mine in America, that is a huge opportunity for national security purposes and continued economic growth right here,” said Rep. Elise Stefanik (R. – 21st Congressional District).
2025 brought upgrades to north country airports. Multi-million dollar renovation projects were completed at both the Watertown and Ogdensburg international airports.
“The airport is a reflection of the community and vice versa and we worked hard to achieve that here with our artwork with the local artist and with the seating, and then making sure that our customers have a positive experience from the moment that they check in.” said Grant Sussey, director of aviation at the Watertown airport.
And at Ogdensburg, a flight to Raleigh-Durham was added with airline Breeze Airways, connecting the north country to a new area.
The North Country also lost a few long running businesses this year. Gray’s Flower Shop closed its doors after 107 years of operation.
in St Lawrence County, Al Smith’s Superette closed after providing groceries and household goods since 1907. After the current co-owner’s father died in 2021, she says the store was never the same.
“It took the umph, I guess, out of the store, and that was our hub, we just – When we lost that, me and Karen, it’s hard to come into work every day and not have him here,” said Tammy Villnave.
Just a few economic stories the north country kept track of in 2025.
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