Former north country legislators Dede Scozzafava and Darrel Aubertine were in Keene, Essex County this morning at 9 a.m. to help the cleanup efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

They were there as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Labor for your Neighbor" initiative, encouraging New Yorkers to pitch in and help one another dig out of the storm that caused billions in damage and killed 46 nationwide.

Ms. Scozzafava, the former assemblywoman of Gouverneur who declined to run for reelection in 2010, was named deputy secretary of state for local governments in Mr. Cuomo's administration. Mr. Aubertine, of Cape Vincent, lost his bid for reelection to the state Senate in 2010. He was named agriculture commissioner.

They're two of 14 high-level members of Mr. Cuomo's administration to lend a hand.

Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties were spared from the hurricane's damage; our neighbors to the south and east bore the brunt.

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