Katie Benoit
Reporter
WWNY
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Katie Benoit joined the WWNY news team in September 2018.
Katie was born and raised in Rhode Island. She received her master's degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 2018. Prior to SU, Katie received her bachelor's degree in communications/sports journalism at Springfield College in Massachusetts.
In her spare time, Katie enjoys watching working out and watching sports. At Springfield, she was part of the cross country/track and field team. Katie is New England sports fan and a Syracuse basketball and football fan.
Katie is excited to be reporting in the north country. If you have any story ideas or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out to her at kbenoit@wwnytv.net.
Updated: Oct. 2, 2020 at 5:12 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
After this week’s rain, a dance studio on Mill Street in Watertown is left flooded, and the owner is scrambling to salvage her business.
Updated: Oct. 1, 2020 at 6:36 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Don Alexander, longtime Chief Executive Officer of the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency, will retire at the end of the year.
Updated: Sep. 30, 2020 at 3:33 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Governor Cuomo is extending the moratorium on COVID-19 related residential evictions until the start of next year.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2020 at 5:42 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Ogdensburg residents were vocal at Monday night’s city council meeting. A few people were asked to leave, others say they were locked out, and even one councillor walked out.
Updated: Sep. 29, 2020 at 6:48 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Tensions were at a boil in Ogdensburg Monday night as people cheered when a city councillor stormed out and dozens of citizens were barred from entering a public meeting.
Updated: Sep. 25, 2020 at 5:11 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Shovels are in the ground and work is underway on Brown Shore Road in Sackets Harbor. In 2019, the road flooded as record water levels were recorded on Lake Ontario.
Updated: Sep. 25, 2020 at 12:45 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
An Adams man is celebrating a big a birthday. Clarence Sheley is turning 103.
Updated: Sep. 24, 2020 at 5:48 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
According to the National Weather Service, rainfall in Lewis County is more than 6 inches below average since April 1. As a result, a lot of people are filling up tanks with water in order to drink, shower and wash dishes at home.
Updated: Sep. 23, 2020 at 5:37 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
State Senator Joe Griffo, who represents parts of the north country, says he’s proposing legislation that would give essential caregiver status to family members of nursing home residents.
Updated: Sep. 22, 2020 at 5:22 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Officials in the village of Copenhagen and the town of Denmark have declared a state of emergency because of a water shortage. So what are the village’s plans as its water supply drops to dangerous levels?
Updated: Sep. 22, 2020 at 6:51 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Watertown city officials say they are taking into account both the concerns of residents and developers when it comes to building a dentist office on Washington Street.
Updated: Sep. 20, 2020 at 10:30 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
A group of Fort Drum Nurses is suiting up to test 10th Mountain Division Soldiers for COVID-19.
Updated: Sep. 18, 2020 at 10:32 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
ACR Health’s syringe exchange program helps hundreds of people in the north country who are suffering from addiction, but right now the program isn’t getting money from the state to help pay its workers.
Updated: Sep. 18, 2020 at 11:07 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The Watertown Urban Mission hosted an art contest asking participants to show what recovery looks like.
Updated: Sep. 17, 2020 at 3:37 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit and Diane Rutherford
There were some tense moments between police and a man who allegedly threatened them with a gun.
Updated: Sep. 15, 2020 at 5:13 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Waterfront sales on the lake and river are up about 130 percent in the last three months, compared to 2019, according to the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Realtors.
Updated: Sep. 10, 2020 at 1:54 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
For the first time in its 36 year history, Watertown’s Italian American Civic Association is unable to hold its annual Bravo Italiano Festival because of COVID-19.
Updated: Sep. 9, 2020 at 5:10 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
North country high schools are responding to a survey that will determine if Section 3 fall sports will get postponed because of COVID-19.
Updated: Sep. 9, 2020 at 3:00 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Remember when Wednesdays were known at school as pizza day, or taco day? Well, in today's COVID times, every Wednesday at Watertown schools is virtual learning day.
Updated: Sep. 8, 2020 at 4:35 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Students in the north country started going back to school Tuesday and the pandemic has changed a lot things for them.
Updated: Sep. 8, 2020 at 6:34 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
There has been pushback to the plan to demolish Watertown's Alteri Pool.
Updated: Sep. 7, 2020 at 1:50 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Watertown city staff says the Thompson Park Pool was busy this summer. Monday was the last day to make a splash before the pool closed for the winter.
Updated: Sep. 4, 2020 at 2:25 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
A Watertown woman wants to make others feel safer after a scary encounter at her home last month.
Updated: Sep. 3, 2020 at 1:40 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
7 News spoke to two Sackets Harbor High School students who are are hoping their seasons don’t end up sidelined.
Updated: Sep. 3, 2020 at 11:30 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Copenhagen Central School is getting an indoor obstacle course for elementary students.
Updated: Sep. 2, 2020 at 9:30 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
An art contest is underway at the Watertown Urban Mission to help those struggling with addiction.
Updated: Sep. 1, 2020 at 1:54 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The boards of elections in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties need more people to work the polls on Election Day.
Updated: Sep. 1, 2020 at 1:16 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The Watertown City Planning Board is recommending that city council not approve a site plan for a dentist’s office on Washington Street.
Updated: Sep. 1, 2020 at 6:25 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Last September, Amber lost her son Keegan Willis to a drug overdose. He was 25 and about to become a father.
Updated: Aug. 31, 2020 at 11:04 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
In observance of International Overdose Awareness Day, there’s a special message on the marquee at the Town Hall Theater in Lowville.
Updated: Aug. 28, 2020 at 3:10 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
A town of Ellisburg woman has gone from living on Social Security to hitting the jackpot. A scratch ticket and some luck have made Jeanette Beamer a millionaire.
Updated: Aug. 28, 2020 at 11:20 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
With COVID-19, the library can’t have its regular book sales, so workers came up with another idea.
Updated: Aug. 27, 2020 at 3:10 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
In Lewis County, it means more jobs and processing power for north country farms. A local creamery will be able to expand its business.
Updated: Aug. 27, 2020 at 1:00 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Lewis County agencies are teaming up to offer free Narcan training at the Town Hall Theater in Lowville.
Updated: Aug. 26, 2020 at 3:02 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
State lawmakers are pushing for Governor Cuomo to a sign a bill into law that could save the city of Watertown $3 million. It has to do with the controversial second city courtroom project.
Updated: Aug. 25, 2020 at 5:18 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
An Ogdensburg city councillor says he questions if Monday night's vote to make changes to the city's charter is legal.
Updated: Aug. 25, 2020 at 6:59 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The Watertown city council formally voted Monday night to appeal the release of a secret report involving the conduct of former city manager Rick Finn.
Updated: Aug. 21, 2020 at 7:35 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The United States Coast Guard says the boat, with 130 passangers aboard, hit something, but they are still figuring out what.
Updated: Aug. 19, 2020 at 4:31 PM EDT
|By Scott Atkinson and Katie Benoit
In a statement Wednesday, Samaritan said the system which handles patient records, payroll and accounting has been restored.
Updated: Aug. 18, 2020 at 5:32 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
A north country native is moving back to the area for good, and reopening a popular bakery in Sackets Harbor.
Updated: Aug. 18, 2020 at 6:32 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Protesters gathered outside Watertown city hall before Monday night’s city council meeting denouncing the closure of the Alteri Pool at the fairgrounds.
Updated: Aug. 18, 2020 at 12:55 AM EDT
|By Katie Benoit and Jeff Nelson
Simao says city lawmakers didn't follow the rules when designating a public parking area in Thompson Park
Updated: Aug. 14, 2020 at 12:00 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Developer P.J. Simao says he could sue the city of Watertown. He and his lawyer are questioning if Watertown is following the rules when it comes to a little piece of land at Thompson Park, right near the Watertown Golf Club.
Updated: Aug. 12, 2020 at 3:29 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Right now, Watertown’s old city landfill isn’t being used for much, but the city has the opportunity to change that.
Updated: Aug. 11, 2020 at 6:23 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
“It would be wonderful to have something to make it more viable again,” Deferiet's mayor said.
Updated: Aug. 11, 2020 at 2:46 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The Watertown city council member said "apparently there’s a myth that three pools is too much for Watertown. I think it’s a great thing that we have three pools,”
Updated: Jul. 31, 2020 at 12:31 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
An astronaut, who has ties to the north country, is getting ready to come back to earth after spending two months in space.
Updated: Jul. 30, 2020 at 3:05 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
Whether it’s on paper, online, or on the phone, U.S. Census officials want you to fill out the 2020 Census.
Updated: Jul. 29, 2020 at 4:06 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
We know what four more school districts plan to do when it comes to learning and keeping kids safe.
Updated: Jul. 28, 2020 at 2:06 PM EDT
|By Katie Benoit
The investigation at Samaritan Medical Center shows its computers were hit by malware. No further information is available from the hospital, but we spoke with another hospital, which knows the troubles of a malware attack all too well.
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