POTSDAM -- Bret Zvacek, a professor at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, will premiere a new composition in concert with the Central New York Jazz Orchestra and legendary saxophonist David Liebman next week.

David Liebman, a jazz icon who shot to fame with Miles Davis in the 1970s and was awarded the 2011 NEA Jazz Masters Award, is making a rare Syracuse appearance on April 15 and 16.

OGDENSBURG - Dagmar Jaunzems, Frederic Remington Art Museum Docent, will be the next presenter at the museum’s Wednesday, April 13 Art Highlights Series.

Jaunzems will be leading a discussion titled Looking at Paintings; Exploring Remington's Technique. The discussion will take place in the galleries at the Frederic Remington Art Museum, 303 Washington St., at 2 p.m.

Jaunzems will be heading a talk that revolves around interpreting Remington's use of color theory, compositional layout, use of positive and negative space, and light source in his works.

RUSSELL -- The Russell United Methodist Church will host their annual warmer-weather buffet suppers on the second Thursday of each month beginning April 14 at 5 p.m. and continuing through October.

POTSDAM – The book discussion group sponsored by the St. Lawrence County Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) will be discussing Tinkers by Paul Harding on Wed., April 13 at noon at the Potsdam Library.

In this debut novel, Harding, the former drummer for the Cold Water Flats (1990-1997), won the 2010 Pulitizer Prize for Fiction. The book for discussion next month, May 11, is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.

POTSDAM -- The scholarly work and achievements of students, faculty and staff at SUNY Potsdam will be presented at the college's 2011 Learning and Research Fair 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 13 in the Student Union.

Several awards for student research will be presented. The fair, which has been a tradition at SUNY Potsdam for more than 20 years, includes 74 presentations that address topics such as biosensors and autism, Potsdam sandstone, exploring the musical self, and health disparities and racism, among many others.

Everyone is welcome.

POTSDAM – Donations of good used books, videos, CDs, audio books, tapes, records and sheet music are being accepted by the Friends of the Potsdam Library for their ongoing book sales.

Donations may be dropped off at the Friends Book Store in the basement of the Potsdam Public Library any Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is also a book drop in the lobby of the Potsdam Public Library.

The Friends Book Store is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.. All proceeds benefit the Potsdam Public Library.

In advance of a potential shutdown by the federal government, Congressman Bill Owens renewed his call to pass a compromise bill to fund the government through the remainder of the fiscal year.

His aim, he said, is to prevent drastic cuts to government services critical to working families. Recent news reports have suggested that negotiations have broken down before the federal government runs out of funding at midnight on Friday.

“It is well past time to reduce spending in Washington, but we have to take ideology out of the process,” Owens said.

(Potsdam, N.Y.)- Lyndsay Coppola (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) blasted a three-run home run helping the SUNY Canton softball team beat SUNY Potsdam 8-0 in five innings on Thursday.  

The Roos, who dropped the first game 4-1, have won five of their last six games and moved to 6-12 overall.

POTSDAM, N.Y. – The SUNY Potsdam softball team saw mixed results Thursday, splitting a pair of games against North Country rival SUNY Canton in a non-conference doubleheader at Maxcy Hall’s softball field.

After a convincing 4-1 victory in the first game, the Bears (7-9 overall) suffered an 8-0 defeat in Game 2, which was shortened to five innings due to the mercy rule.