The National Weather Service in Burlington continues the lake effect Snow Advisory until 7 a.m. EST Friday for locations in southern St. Lawrence and Franklin counties.

Lake effect snow showers are expected to produce 3 to 7 inches of accumulation with localized higher amounts along the Jefferson and Lewis County border.

Lake effect snow bands will shift north into the southern portions of St. Lawrence and Franklin counties by late this afternoon and persist tonight before slowly abating toward sunrise on Friday.

NORWOOD – A DCI Sanctioned Booster Draft ‘Magic: The Gathering’ tournament will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18 at the Norwood Municipal Building.

An entry fee of $14 will be collected at the door.

For more information call Jeff Whittaker at 393-5251.

SARANAC LAKE – Pendragon Theatre will present the Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” for the first time in four years.

Performances in Saranac Lake are: Dec. 18 and 19 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dec. 21, 22, 23 at 7 p.m.

Tickets are: $10 for patrons above 17 and $8 for those under 17.

For reservations at Pendragon: 518-891-1854 or [email protected].

The rate of joblessness in St. Lawrence County jumped over 10 percent in November, and it remains the Upstate county with the highest unemployment rate, according to the New York State Department of Labor's monthly report, released this afternoon.

The rate was measured at 10.3 percent for November, a significant jump from the 9.5 percent reported for October, and well above the 9.2 percent rate reported in November 2009.

CANTON -- An open discussion Alcoholics Anonymous meeting has been started for women Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the conference room of the St. Lawrence University student health and counseling center.

The entrance is on Main Street.

From Lincoln Street, make the first left on Lincoln after turning from Main and drive through to the second parking lot.

Then walk around to the front of the building.

All women who think they may have a problem with alcohol are invited.

NORWOOD – A Holiday Bake Sale will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Perry’s Big M to benefit Norwood Fire Department Auxiliary.

The sale includes pies, cakes, breads and cookies.

For more information, call Sue at 353-2859.

POTSDAM – A homemade pie sale will be held Saturday, Dec. 18 on the porch of the Potsdam Food Co-op from 11 a.m. until sold out to benefit the C.O.R.C. Store Expansion Fund.

Their current location, 8 Willow St., is too small for the needs of the community, and they are looking for a new home.

The C.O.R.C. Store is Potsdam’s only not-for-profit thrift store that sells donated clothing and housewares.

For more information, call the store at 265-3940.

GOUVERNEUR – The New York State Police in Gouverneur, in conjunction with the Gouverneur Village Police Department, arrested Scott A. Bell Jr., 21, and Marc A. Matos, 22, both of Gouverneur, for two counts of second-degree burglary and three counts of third-degree burglary stemming from the investigation of several recent incidents in nearby communities.

To the Editor:

The members of the New Beginnings Thrift Store and Food Outreach would like to express our gratitude to the individuals and companies who made our distribution of Thanksgiving dinners to the less fortunate a success. Thank you again.

Donna Moore

Madrid