The Peru Gazette

Click here for the March 11 Planning Board Agenda

Saving New York Families Up to $450 Million Per Month on Grocery Costs

Albany, March 4, 2026 – During National School Breakfast Week, Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted that within just the first six months of the school year, 275 million free school meals have been served in schools statewide. The Governor celebrated this milestone today alongside students and administrators at Albany School of Humanities.

Governor Hochul’s Universal School Meals Program, launched earlier this year, ensures that every student in New York State has access to a healthy breakfast and lunch at school, creating more opportunities for students to succeed in school. By eliminating any financial requirements to receive this benefit, New York State has leveled the playing field by taking the burden off of families.

“Today marks a major milestone in our overall affordability agenda, ensuring that New York students are not going hungry while they’re at school,” Governor Hochul said. “Students do better in the classroom when they’re not worried about where their next meal is coming from. In just six months, more than 275 million free school meals have been served – proof that New York is stepping up to support our children’s success while bringing down grocery costs for families statewide.”

In the first six months of the academic year, New York has:

• Delivered more than 275 million free school meals to New York students so far this school year
• Helped families statewide save up to $450 million per month on grocery costs

The FY26 Enacted Budget included $340 million for school meals, a $160 million year-to-year increase, requiring all school districts, charter schools, and nonpublic schools that participate in the national school lunch and breakfast program to provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students regardless of their families’ income. Under this initiative, the State will pay the student’s share of costs for all meals served to students not already receiving free meals. This historic initiative expands eligibility to an additional 280,000 students who now have access to free school meals.

Albany, March 4, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State has received the top spot in a national ranking for technology laws that are keeping kids safe online. The Anxious Generation Movement (TAG) analyzed state policies across the nation in a new study called “The Childhood Index,” a first-of-its-kind ranking of all 50 states on how well their tech laws and policies support healthy, flourishing childhoods, both online and offline. This honor recognizes Governor Hochul’s nation-leading online safety efforts, including the SAFE for Kids Act, the New York Child Data Protection Act, social media warning labels law, safeguards for AI Companions, distraction-free learning, and her Safe by Design proposal that is part of the FY27 Executive Budget.

“As New York’s first mom governor, I’m proud that we are leading the nation in keeping kids safe online,” Governor Hochul said. “From groundbreaking restrictions on addictive social media feeds and data collection from minors to guardrails on AI chatbots and a bell to bell school cellphone ban, we are putting our kids first. These pioneering policies ensure our kids are shielded from predators, scammers and harmful algorithms, setting a gold standard other states can follow. We will keep pushing forward so every child can thrive safely in today’s digital world.”

The Anxious Generation New York Times Bestselling Author Jonathan Haidt said, “At its heart, The Anxious Generation Movement is about reclaiming childhood — not about screens or content moderation. The Childhood Index reflects that focus by asking a simple question: Are we building environments that allow kids to flourish?”

a2ihub photo

Who: Adirondack Innovation Initiative (A2i) has been developed by Adirondack Community Foundation to connect people, ideas, and resources to allow more people to live in the Adirondacks full time with a good job by building and supporting a tech innovation ecosystem and network; driving regional economic resilience by fostering entrepreneurship, supporting local startups, and expanding tech-enabled remote and local workers to thrive here is one essential piece.

What: A series of remote worker meetups taking place throughout March, hosted by Adirondack Innovation Initiative (A2i) at Adirondack Community Foundation; coinciding with National Telecommuters Appreciation Week (March 1-7).

The first event took place on March 3 in Lake Placid, with more than 30 people in attendance.

When: Select dates and locations:

Indian Lake – Welcome Center March 10, 5:00 p.m.
6132 NY-28, Indian Lake

Jay / Keene – Recovery Lounge March 11, 5:00 p.m.
12198 Old Rt 9N, Jay

Chestertown – Town of Chester Public Library March 12, 6:00 p.m.
6307 Rt. 9, Chestertown

Saranac Lake – Hotel Saranac March 13, 4:30 p.m.
100 Main Street, Saranac Lake

Wilmington – A2i Residence March 14, 5:00 p.m.
108 Indian Rock Road, Wilmington

Cost: Free. Light refreshments provided.

Additional information: Visit a2ihub.org.

Click here for the NCPR story 

Permanent exhibit to open in 2027, includes Fulton Fryar’s cabin that shows past segregation in the Adirondacks

Click here for the Adirondack Explorer story 

Participants must identify 10 or more birds 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Justin Wilson, Chairman of the Town of Peru Planning Board, called the meeting of Wednesday December 10, 2025 to order at 6pm.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

ROLL CALL:

                                JUSTIN WILSON, CHAIRMAN                               PRESENT

                                ALISON WEBBINARO, VICE CHAIR                      ABSENT

                                DANIEL HAMILTON                                              PRESENT

                                MARK HAMILTON                                                PRESENT

                                ROBERT LEPAGE                                                   PRESENT

                                GARRETT MASTIC                                                 PRESENT

                                JERRY MCGOVERN                                                ABSENT

                                PETER STONE                                                         PRESENT

Approval of  November 2025 Minutes

J.Wilson shared with the Board the minutes from the last meeting

MOTION:M.Hamilton made a motion to approve the minutes as corrected, Second G.Mastic

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

Mr. Wilson opens the floor to Public Hearing. He let everyone know that there are six Board members present, which is enough for a quorum.  The applicants are ok to proceed without a full Board

1.P2025-0019 Site Plan Review-Sign                      Americu Credit Union

280.-1-31.2

700 Bear Swamp Rd

Applicant not present

This is a simple sign change, for name.  Dimensions remain the same.

No questions from the Board

MOTION:P.Stone made a motion to approve the application as submitted, Second M.Hamilton

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

    2.P2025-021 Site Plan Review-Sign                             Eric Duquette

                                                                                                327 Route 22B

                                                                                                268.-1-31.2

Applicants are present

Mr. Duquette explains the one sided sign will be parallel to the road with small down facing lights, replacing the current 14 year old sign.

No questions from the Board

MOTION:G.Mastic made a motion to approve the application as submitted, Second M.Hamilton

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

    3.P2025-109 2-Lot Minor Subdivision                        Donald and Linda Covel

                                                                                                842 Mannix Rd

                                                                                                267.-1-13.1

Mr. Covel here along with Dean Lashway

Mr. Lashway explains the application.  The APA boundary is right where the proposed subdivision will be.   The portion to be subdivided out will be totally outside the APA, while the portion remaining will be in the APA.

It was acknowledged a SEQRA is required

SEQRA REVIEW:

MOTION:P.Stone made a motion to declare as an unlisted action and the Town of Peru Planning Board as the Lead Agency, Second M.Hamilton

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

J.Wilson went over the SEQRA;The Planning Board concurred there are no negative impacts

MOTION:M.Hamilton made a motion to declare negative declaration, Second P.Stone

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

MOTION:M.Hamilton made a motion to approve the application as submitted, Second G.Mastic

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

OTHER BUSINESS

The Board must elect the officers for the 2026 year.

MOTION:P.Stone made a motion to elect Garrett Mastic to be Chairman, Second M.Hamilton

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED MOTION:M.Hamilton made a motion to elect Peter Stone as Vice-Chairman Second G.Mastic

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

MOTION:G.Mastic made a motion to move Robert LePage from Alternate to Boardmember to cover the seat left by Justin Wilson as he will be deployed for 2026., Second M.Hamilton

Roll Call: D.Hamilton-y,M.Hamilton-y,R.LePage-y,G.Mastic-y,P.Stone-y, J.Wilson-y

MOTION CARRIED

Christine will let the Town Board know these recommendations

MOTION: Mr. Wilson made a motion to adjourn at 7pm

Voice Vote: all agreed

MOTION CARRIED

Taylor Jo Swan

Codes & Zoning Secretary

Codes and Zoning Department

3036 Main street

Peru, NY 12972

(518)-643-2745 ext. 106

PLATTSBURGH, March 3, 2026  – Active educators in Clinton and Essex Counties are invited to apply for a $1000 grant that will assist them in their classroom endeavors. The local association of the Retired Educators of New York (RENY), known as the Northeastern Zone (NEZ), will offer the Kramer Memorial Educator Award of $1000 to be awarded to a local educator. 

This biennial award honors Dr. Karl Kramer, former professor and mentor to Education Majors at SUNY Plattsburgh, and long time devoted member of the Northeastern Zone of RENY. The grant is designed to assist active educators in developing and implementing an innovative program or project. 

To be eligible for the grant, an educator must be a full time teacher, nurse, counselor, or administrator in a public school district in the Northeastern Zone region, Clinton and Essex counties (Lake Placid, Minerva, Newcomb). The full grant amount must be used for a program or project to improve instruction, academic achievement, or in support of a current issue in a classroom, school, or district. The grant is for the 2026-2027 school year. The winner of the grant will be determined by the end of June, 2026. 

Informational packets with directions and contact information were sent electronically to District Superintendents in March, 2026 for distribution to educators in their districts. Please contact your Superintendent’s Office for information packets if you didn’t receive one. Additionally, links for the application can be found on the NEZ (https://www.renynez.com) and NCTRC websites (https://www.northcountrytrc.com). Grant applications must be submitted electronically to the Educator Award Committee by May 16, 2026.

Click here for the Vermont Public story 

March 12^th, 2:30 pm, Meadowbrook Healthcare, 154 Prospect Avenue, Plattsburgh. Welcome to the Witherill with memories shared from the book authored by the late Susan Howel Hamlin.

March 12, 6 pm, Advisor’s Room, Beekmantown High School, Haynes Road Entrance, West Chazy– The Davidson Sisters: Darkness and Light. Local teenaged poets and sisters, Lucretia and Margaret Davidson, were once known nationwide as tragic and romantic figures in the literary world. Through anecdotal stories, journal entries, letters, and their own works, Author Lisabeth Guay will share insights into who these two extraordinary young ladies of Plattsburgh once were.  Seating is limited. Call 518-561-0340 before January 21 to reserve a seat.

March 20^th, 12:30 pm, Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh. Struggle in the Snow: The Storming of Quebec with Thaddeus Booth-Trudo.  New Year’s Eve 2025 was the 250th Anniversary of the attempted storming of Quebec City by American forces under the command of Generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold. Learn more about this event and the brave patriots who participate in this early revolutionary war battle.

March 31st, 6:45 pm, Lake Forest Retirement Community, 8 Lake Forest Drive, Plattsburgh. The Clinton County Suffrage Story with Helen Nerska. After nearly 70 years of persuasion, New York State allowed women to vote in all elections.  Hear the stories of the many Clinton County women and men who dedicated themselves to achieving this right for women. 

Customers invited to round up purchases during March to fund critical community services

Schenectady, N.Y., March 2, 2025– Market 32 and Price Chopper are inviting customers to round up their purchase total to the nearest dollar at checkout to benefit local United Way chapters and the various nonprofit partners they help support across the chain’s six-state footprint. The campaign runs now through March 31.

Funds raised will help advance United Way’s work addressing critical community needs, including food insecurity, housing stability, access to education, childcare, and financial empowerment programs that support individuals and families.

“United Way works at the heart of communities to identify urgent needs and mobilize resources where they can make the greatest impact,” said Pam Cerrone, director of community relations for Market 32 and Price Chopper. “Every donation—often just a few cents—adds up quickly to help fund essential services. And because funds raised stay local, customers can feel confident their contributions are directly helping neighbors in the same communities where they live, work, and shop.”

United Way partners with a broad network of vetted nonprofit agencies to ensure resources are distributed effectively and strategically. In addition to funding direct services, United Way convenes community

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the NCPR story 

Click here for the NCPR story 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac/Explorer story 

Spaghetti 

Vegetable 

Bread 

Dessert 

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., take-out only, at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972. 

All are invited and welcome!

Saranac Lake announced the installation of high-tech Flock surveillance cameras—do these have a place in the North Country? 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

February, 28, 2026, Sections VII Facebook page – Tonight before the finals at the NYS Wrestling Championships, Coach Mike Hogan was again honored with a NYS Hall of Fame induction. He was already inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. A lifetime achievement award for his success as a wrestler and Coach!