John Pirsos
Reporter
WVLT
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John Pirsos joined the WVLT team in August 2022. He is an award-winning journalist, and comes to Knoxville after spending two years as an anchor and reporter at WWNY in Watertown, NY.
John is a New Jersey native and graduated from Seton Hall University in 2018 with a major in broadcasting and a minor in journalism.
While at Seton Hall, John covered Seton Hall’s athletic programs and local news stories for the student-run radio station.
In his free time, John enjoys going to the gym and playing pick-up basketball.
Updated: Aug. 23, 2022 at 5:19 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A rainy Tuesday afternoon, two people are lying down in the gazebo at Library Park in Ogdensburg.
Updated: Aug. 22, 2022 at 4:55 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A rainy day might make for slick conditions on the road. But it’s important for plants to get a necessary amount of rain. This summer, that hasn’t been happening.
Updated: Aug. 20, 2022 at 5:05 PM EDT
|By Chad Charette and John Pirsos
A local non-profit is looking to warm up the homeless.
Updated: Aug. 20, 2022 at 4:48 PM EDT
|By Chad Charette and John Pirsos
To play soccer you need a ball. And now, about 200 kids will be able to play.
Updated: Aug. 16, 2022 at 3:46 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Facing a $3 million deficit and a deep drop in enrollment, SUNY Potsdam is getting back on track.
Updated: Aug. 15, 2022 at 4:00 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
When the new mental health urgent care opens in Watertown, anybody will be able to use its services, including people who are or who have been in the armed services.
Updated: Aug. 9, 2022 at 2:51 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Local leaders broke ground Tuesday to turn the former Great American supermarket in Watertown into a mental health urgent care facility.
Updated: Aug. 8, 2022 at 4:17 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Ogdensburg could be applying for grant funding to help with the demolition of the city’s old cheese plant.
Updated: Aug. 7, 2022 at 3:38 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Who doesn’t love a good teddy bear? On Sunday, kids had the chance to bring their favorite teddy bears to lunch.
Updated: Aug. 2, 2022 at 4:31 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
One of the most popular bars and restaurants in Watertown is being sold for a million dollars, a far cry from the $1 it sold for back in 2000.
Updated: Aug. 1, 2022 at 5:17 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The water treatment plant in Ogdensburg is being revamped. A project that’s costing the city about $32 million. This is where the city’s sewer and storm drains run to, but city officials say that shouldn’t be the case.
Updated: Jul. 31, 2022 at 9:57 PM EDT
|By Ashley Seybolt and John Pirsos
Two cars were involved in a rollover crash Sunday night in the Town of Theresa.
Updated: Jul. 26, 2022 at 5:22 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Ogdensburg is looking at a $2 million budget deficit for next year and now city officials are thinking about what to do next. Cuts to its police and fire departments and tax increases are on the table.
Updated: Jul. 26, 2022 at 4:19 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A final round of golf raised thousands of dollars for charity Tuesday.
Updated: Jul. 25, 2022 at 6:06 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low-income people pay their heating bills in the winter and air conditioning bills in the summer. Right now, that pool of money has dried up.
Updated: Jul. 24, 2022 at 3:46 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The Lewis County fair wrapped up on Saturday and organizers are happy with the turnout.
Updated: Jul. 18, 2022 at 6:18 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The north country is known for its nature and outdoor activities, and according to a report by the state, that’s one sector that generated billions of dollars during the pandemic.
Updated: Jul. 17, 2022 at 3:23 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Sunday was the final day for the Jefferson County Fair, and organizers are thrilled with the outcome.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2022 at 5:17 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The old cheese plant is not the only building that’s going to be demolished. The city has plans to tear down seven other buildings throughout the city, like another one, which is right around the corner from the cheese plant.
Updated: Jul. 12, 2022 at 5:10 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
As they determine if Watertown needs a third pool, city council members are weighing costs against attendance and going on social media to provide a point, or offer up a counter point. It’s a lot of back and forth which boiled over Monday night.
Updated: Jul. 11, 2022 at 4:50 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The proposed $80 million Thousand Islands Event Center is aiming to be a major draw for sporting events in upstate New York.
Updated: Jul. 10, 2022 at 4:40 PM EDT
|By Sandy Torres and John Pirsos
From rock, to country, and jazz music, it could all be heard in Carthage this weekend.
Updated: Jul. 5, 2022 at 5:09 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
According to Lewis County’s sheriff, some school officials are not happy paying for their own school resource officers.
Updated: Jun. 30, 2022 at 2:58 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Preventing teen suicides and sextortion. That’s the goal of a St. Lawrence County youth ambassador program.
Updated: Jun. 28, 2022 at 3:58 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
With no Democrats in the running, the winner of the three-way Republican primary will become the new sheriff.
Updated: Jun. 21, 2022 at 4:34 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The ongoing labor shortage has hit state prisons, forcing certain facilities to temporarily close inmate housing units. One of them is Cape Vincent Correctional Facility.
Updated: Jun. 20, 2022 at 5:33 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Jefferson County now has to find a new location to house sex offenders. That's after the owner of the Pleasant Night Inn in West Carthage says he won't take them in anymore.
Updated: Jun. 20, 2022 at 5:24 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
At North Country Store, a deli in the town of Philadelphia, the cost of refrigerating meats and cheeses has skyrocketed this year.
Updated: Jun. 18, 2022 at 5:19 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The owner of the Pleasant Night Inn doesn’t want anymore sex offenders in his motel.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2022 at 5:02 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Ogdensburg City Manager Stephen Jellie says he will look into hiring a new police officer for the city.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2022 at 4:56 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Ogdensburg City Manager Stephen Jellie was up for a new public service job in Alaska, but he said no.
Updated: Jun. 14, 2022 at 4:28 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
As prices go up, so does the amount of tax you pay on that item. And that has local governments collecting more money. On paper, that's a good thing. But in reality, counties are paying more because of inflation.
Updated: Jun. 13, 2022 at 5:39 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
It's a resolution on Monday night’s council agenda. If it’s approved, the council would recommend for Jellie to provide enough funding for the police department for two new officers. That would cost the city about $260,000 out of its fund balance. But Jellie doesn’t intend on taking action.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2022 at 4:43 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
AAA in Watertown has a new location, although they didn’t go very far.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2022 at 2:56 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Sunday was the last chance for gamers and cosplay lovers to get their fix of the North Country Comic Con: Noco-Con.
Updated: Jun. 12, 2022 at 2:12 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The Watertown Police Department is investigating a social media threat directed at Case Middle School which appears to make a cryptic statement about a mass shooting.
Updated: Jun. 11, 2022 at 8:32 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Celebrating 150 years, that’s what one local church did Saturday.
Updated: Jun. 11, 2022 at 4:25 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A Watertown drunk driver was arrested Friday night for hitting five parked cars across the street from a popular restaurant.
Updated: Jun. 7, 2022 at 4:31 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Lowville’s mayor says the cost of the village’s summer recreation program is getting expensive and Lewis County should be doing more to help. Meanwhile, the county manager is pushing back - saying Lowville needs to start being a team player.
Updated: Jun. 6, 2022 at 6:09 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Fall Island Park in Potsdam looks like any other park. Green space, benches, and it overlooks the water. But this space could be turned into a unique skate park.
Updated: Jun. 6, 2022 at 4:09 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The president of St. Lawrence Health System is the recipient of one of SUNY Potsdam’s highest honors.
Updated: Jun. 5, 2022 at 3:25 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Kids weren’t exactly driving tricked out Cadillacs or Camaros Sunday, but rather soap boxes.
Updated: Jun. 4, 2022 at 4:09 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
The North Country Quilt Guild is holding its Quilt Show at Cerow Recreation Park Arena this weekend.
Updated: May. 31, 2022 at 4:23 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Cracked, broken, and tossed aside. Several headstones at the cemetery on Old Rome State Road in the Town of Hounsfield are damaged.
Updated: May. 30, 2022 at 5:13 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A North Country group is speaking out and raising money after the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, Texas.
Updated: May. 29, 2022 at 9:46 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A barn in Gouverneur went up in flames causing major damage.
Updated: May. 29, 2022 at 4:29 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Military honors were given at the gravesites of veterans on Sunday.
Updated: May. 29, 2022 at 3:38 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Final roll call: a way to honor fallen Fort Drum soldiers on this Memorial Day weekend.
Updated: May. 29, 2022 at 3:31 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
Sunday’s warm weather made for a great day to take the boat out on the St. Lawrence River.
Updated: May. 28, 2022 at 3:46 PM EDT
|By John Pirsos
A Watertown house up for auction will help benefit a local non-profit organization.
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