By MAUREEN PICHÉ

The feral cat population in St. Lawrence County is growing, and local animal advocates suggest the problem stems from a combination of the bad economy, public apathy/misconceptions, and a quickly adapting wild population.

Bea Schermerhorn of Hammond is founder of Spay/Neuter/Now, a regional traveling animal clinic that focuses entirely on the importance of cat and dog sterilization.

CANTON -- The Zonta Club of Canton is accepting applications for 2012 scholarships from students attending Canton, Norwood-Norfolk, Madrid-Waddington, Potsdam, Colton-Pierrepont, Parishville-Hopkinton and Edwards-Knox high schools and single parents at SUNY Canton.

Applications are available at school guidance offices or by contacting Penny Pitts at 38 Goodrich St., Canton, NY 13617, [email protected] or 379-0977.

POTSDAM -- Clarkson University has received $40,000 from the Dominion Foundation to support the University's Local Energy Efficient Food Facility (LEEFF).

The program aims to provide Clarkson students with opportunities to apply their engineering, science, and business skills to a project that addresses a real-world problem.

The grant will be used to integrate a pilot greenhouse, using the technology of aeroponics to grow plants year round utilizing a biomass-solar thermal heating system, and an anaerobic digester into a "living laboratory" facility, LEEFF.

CANTON -- Ann Heidenreich will teach a tai-chi class for beginners at the Yoga Loft in Canton from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays starting January 10 through March 13. Students will learn the principles of tai-chi ch’uan and the postures and transitions of the first section of the Yang-style short form. For more information or to register for the class, please call 379-0959.

Winners of its last five games and eight of the last nine, the Clarkson University Women’s Hockey team closed out the first half of the schedule as one of the hottest teams in the nation. Guided by fourth-year co-head coaches Matt and Shannon Desrosiers and assistant coach Matt Kelly, the Golden Knights will look to pick up where they left off after the lengthy break when they resume action in early January playing two nationally-ranked Hockey East powerhouses in Boston.

Kyle Flanagan and George Hughes combined for three goals and three assists in their return to action following injury and St. Lawrence University's men's hockey team advanced to the championship game of the Ledyard Bank Classic at Dartmouth College with a nine-round shootout win after skating to a 6-6 tie with nationally seventh-ranked Merrimack in the tournament opener Friday night.

A strong third-period rally fell short for the Clarkson University Hockey team in the consolation game of the Florida College Classic on Friday afternoon as the Golden Knights lost in non-league play to 13th-ranked Cornell, 5-3 at Germain Arena in Estero, FL.