North Star Health Alliance

08/21/2026

Small communities have the biggest hearts!

We’re so grateful for the generosity shown to the Richard E. Winter Cancer Center and, most importantly, to the patients we serve. Community support like this means more than words can say.

Thank you, Debbie, Tammy, Duff’s Tavern, and everyone who helped make this donation possible!

The CTC was blessed to receive a visit from Debbie Knapp and Tammy Lord yesterday, making another incredibly generous donation following a co****le tournament recently held at Duff's Tavern! These ladies restocked our patient pantry with snacks and drinks, and also brought a beautiful piece of art to add to our collection!

Thank you Debbie, Tammy, and all who donated! 🎗️💝

08/19/2026

The first day of school is a milestone worth celebrating, and those first-day signs make wonderful keepsakes. Before posting a photo on that first day back, take a moment to check what the sign and background may reveal.

To help protect your child’s privacy, avoid including:

• Full name
• Age or birthdate
• School or teacher’s name
• Bus number or route
• Home address or location details

Look closely at the background, too. School logos, house numbers, street signs, license plates, and location tags can unintentionally reveal identifying information.

Even when a post is shared with a limited audience, photos can be saved or shared beyond the people you intended. A simple sign featuring “First Day of School,” the date, and a general message about the new year can preserve the memory without sharing personal details.

We wish all students, families, teachers, and school staff a safe, healthy, and successful school year!

08/18/2026

College move-in is right around the corner!

Between packing, dorm supplies, and getting everything ready for the big day, there's one more thing worth checking off the list: a meningococcal vaccination. Before your student heads to campus, take a minute to check their immunization record and talk with their healthcare provider about whether they're up to date. Most teens receive the MenACWY vaccine, but MenB is a separate vaccine that protects against meningococcal type B. Meningococcal disease is a serious illness that can develop quickly!

A quick conversation now can help them head to college with one more layer of protection.

08/15/2026

A welcoming place to call home, with space available now!

Meadowbrook Terrace Assisted Living in Carthage is currently accepting new residents, with availability for adults ages 55 and older.

Set in a peaceful country setting, Meadowbrook Terrace offers the comfort and privacy of apartment-style living along with the support and sense of community that can make each day a little easier and more enjoyable.

Residents enjoy:
• Private, single-occupancy rooms with a bathroom and kitchenette
• 24/7 emergency call service and supportive staff
• Restaurant-style, home-cooked meals
• Weekly housekeeping and laundry services
• Medication management and coordination of healthcare needs
• Social activities, community outings, and exercise programs
• A beautiful courtyard, gazebo, and walking path
• On-site barber shop and beauty salon
• Comfortable gathering spaces, a chapel, gift shop, and more

Whether you are exploring assisted living for yourself or helping a loved one find the right next step, we know it is an important decision. Our team is here to answer your questions, show you around, and help you learn whether Meadowbrook Terrace feels like the right fit.

Want to take a closer look? View our Meadowbrook Terrace brochure https://shorturl.at/Cg14o or take a virtual tour here https://carthagehospital.com/location/meadowbrook/ to learn more about our community, resident services, amenities, and what life at Meadowbrook has to offer!

Prefer an in-person tour? Give us a call to schedule one.
📍 21957 Cole Road, Carthage, NY
📞 315.519.1246

Meadowbrook Terrace. A vibrant community. A supportive home.

08/14/2026

Meet Adriania Fanelli, FNP-BC

Beginning September 1, 2026, Family Nurse Practitioner Adriania Fanelli will accept new internal medicine (primary care) patients ages 18 and older in the practice of Kritika Padala, MD.

Adriania provides adult primary and preventive care, with clinical interests in:

• Preventive care
• Women's health
• Diabetes management
• Addiction and substance use disorder care

She earned her nursing diploma from North Country Community College, an ​Associate's and a Bachelor's degree in nursing from SUNY Canton, and a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from St. John Fisher University. She is board-certified through the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

For Adriania, caring for patients in the community she and her family call home is especially meaningful.

"I am excited to be serving my home community and hope to build open, comfortable patient-provider relationships grounded in trust and genuine listening. My approach to care is rooted in advocating for my patients' health goals, ensuring they feel heard, respected, and fully supported at every step of their wellness journey. Practicing in the place my family and I call home makes this work deeply personal and immensely rewarding."

Medical Office Building
214 King Street, Suite A-200
Ogdensburg, NY
(Formerly referred to as 3 Lyon Place)

To schedule an appointment, call 315.394.7542.

08/13/2026

CT imaging services have resumed at Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, returning an important resource to our patients, providers, and emergency responders. This marks an important step in our continued commitment to providing the timely care our community expects and deserves.

The repair required numerous critical replacement parts, specialized technical support, calibration, and safety testing before the scanner could return to patient use. Some components of the process depended on the availability and installation of those replacement parts, which extended the timeline. Throughout the outage, our team worked closely with service experts to complete the repairs and restore CT imaging as quickly and safely as possible.

We understand that the prolonged outage created challenges for patients and families and placed an added burden on local rescue squads, EMS providers, and healthcare partners. We sincerely appreciate the patience, flexibility, and cooperation shown during this time.

With CT services restored, our Radiology team is diligently working to accommodate patients whose examinations were delayed or redirected during the extended downtime. We look forward to welcoming patients back and helping them resume their CT imaging care here at Claxton-Hepburn. Patients with questions or concerns may call the Radiology Department directly at 315.713.5141.

Claxton-Hepburn remains a full-service hospital. Our Emergency Department and other hospital services remain open, with our teams caring for patients every day. We know recent challenges have raised concerns about the future of local healthcare. We remain here, committed to caring for the North Country. We do not take the trust placed in us for granted.

Thank you for continuing to support Claxton-Hepburn. It matters more than ever and helps strengthen the future of healthcare close to home.

08/10/2026

Effective August 17, 2026, Dr. Kritika Padala, Internal Medicine, will relocate her practice from 100 Horwood Place to the Medical Office Building at 214 King Street, Suite A-200, Ogdensburg, NY, formerly referred to as 3 Lyon Place.

Dr. Padala is accepting new patients at her new location. Her new phone number is 315.394.7542, and her fax number is 866.506.5573.

Please note that Convenient Care will remain at the 100 Horwood Place office building.

08/06/2026

Su***de continues to be a serious concern impacting families and communities across the North Country. This free, one-hour virtual QPR training, sponsored by the Northern Area Health Education Center, Inc. and the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, is open to all North Country Residents. To register, visit https://shorturl.at/fYVTf

You don't need a medical degree to save a life.

Open to all North Country residents, this FREE one-hour VIRTUAL training will help you learn to recognize warning signs of su***de, start the conversation, and connect someone to the help they need.

To register visit, https://shorturl.at/fYVTf

08/05/2026

The Carthage Area Hospital Walk-In Clinic will close early at 5 p.m. this evening (August 5, 2026).

Thank you for your understanding.

08/03/2026

It was an honor to host these bright young minds in hopes of sparking an interest in a future healthcare career. Thank you to our partner, Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, for their invaluable investment and support in providing programs like MASH Camp.