A bill to expand the Ogdensburg Foreign Trade Zone to include all of St. Lawrence County was signed into law Thursday by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

It is hoped that the bill, sponsored in the Senate by North Country representatives Patty Ritchie and Joe Griffo, will help create jobs by making the North Country a gateway to overseas companies and global commerce.

HANNAWA FALLS -- Hospice and Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley has put out the call for swimmers to swim a mile in a fundraising event Aug. 6 at Postwood Park.

They are also asking for the help of kayakers and canoeists to escort swimmers along the course, and for other volunteers.

Swim a Mile for Hospice is a non-competitive, open water swim to support Hospice.

Swimmers will set off at 8 a.m. at their own pace.

Prizes will be given to those swimmers and boaters who raise the most money in sponsorships.

POTSDAM – Learn something new this summer at the St. Lawrence County Arts Council.

All classes are held at Downtown Snell Hall in Potsdam. Contact the council to register and pre-pay for classes at 265-6860 or www.slcartscouncil.org.

POTSDAM -- The Potsdam Central School Athletic Hall of Fame has announced the list of athletes and teams that will be recognized during induction weekend Sept. 16 and 17.

Outstanding individuals to be honored are Don McLennan, 1953-1957; Darrell McLennan, 1954-1958; John Charlebois, 1963-1967; Ed Cunnings, 1963-1967; Michael Murphy, 1964-1968; Dan Forbush, 1967-1971; Christine Reichhart, 1984-1988; Michael Warden, 1984-1988; Sean Agnew, 1986-1990; Mark Van Leuven, 1987-1991; and Danielle Cornett, 1996-2000.

POTSDAM -- SUNY Potsdam President John Schwaller says his focus will remain the quality of the offerings at the college as he and SUNY Canton President Joseph Kennedy begin finding ways to share and use the resources at both schools to their mutual benefit.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher announced Tuesday that President Kennedy will retire at the end of the 2011-12 academic year, and then be appointed as a special advisor to SUNY, concentrating on shared services.

OGDENSBURG -- The Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center Medical Staff & CHMC Family will battle the WWNY-tv No-Stars for the second consecutive year on the softball diamond on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus’s Father Martin Field.

Doctors Kiri Brandy, Chris Brandy, Thomas Herzog and Sarika Sekhon highlight the medical staff portion of the roster with CHMC personalities Tom Cobb, Jim Flood, Danny Sekhon, Steve Krauz, Jennifer Ethridge, Renee Robinson, Ashley Ives and Kristen Cobb rounding out the roster thus far.