The Peru Gazette

Peru Gazette photo

Karen Land -Peru Gazette photo

Karen Land – Peru Gazette photo

By John T Ryan 

Peru – “Gee” and “Haw.” Those are the commands mushers use to tell their sled dogs to turn right and left. Until March 7, many local families and kids had never heard those words—at least, not until Karen Land brought her exciting world of sled dogs to a Peru Free Library Family Program at St. Augustine’s Parish Center. Land had everyone, from the youngest children to their parents, captivated with her thrilling stories, gear, and, of course, her friendly Alaskan Husky Sophie, who lay calmly nearby as she spoke. She’s been sharing her adventures at hundreds of libraries and schools since 2004, after competing in three consecutive Alaska Iditarod races, the nearly 1,000-mile trek from Anchorage to Nome.

Land explained that Alaska’s indigenous people were the first to develop these amazing mixed-breed sled dogs. She told the audience, “A Greyhound and German Short-Haired Terrier make the perfect combination!” She emphasized that sled dogs aren’t bred for looks—they need to be big, furry, strong, and, most importantly, friendly enough to work together as a team. Just imagine: at the start of the race, there are at least 12 dogs pulling the sled, and Karen raced with 16! By the end, mushers must finish with at least five dogs still running.

Kids and parents alike were amazed to learn about the costs and challenges of dog sledding. Land explained that she spent about $30,000 each year she raced—much of it to feed her hardworking dogs, who each eat up to 12,000 calories (that’s 7 to 9 pounds of food!) every single day. She even brought along some of the 2,000 tiny booties she needed to protect her dogs’ paws from sharp ice. The Iditarod is a true adventure: it can last anywhere from 8 to 15 days, with mushers and their dogs braving freezing temperatures, blizzards, and powerful winds. Land described moments when she had to trust her dogs to guide the way through whiteouts. The race has three mandatory stops for rest and food, and at each of the 23 checkpoints, veterinarians make sure the dogs are healthy and happy.

Rising world temperatures have impacted the race. Insufficient snow in 2015, 2017, and 2025 forced organizers to relocate the race 400 miles north from Fairbanks to Nome. Other years, it’s been run in segments, bypassing areas without snow or ice on mountains and bodies of water. Land said some small villages close to the Bering Sea are having to relocate inland. 

Nevertheless, people are finding new ways to enjoy sled dog sports, even when there’s not enough snow. Karen told the kids about “dry-land mushing,” where mushers race using mountain bikes and scooters instead of sleds! It’s become so popular that the International Federation of Sleddog Sports now recognizes dry-land mushing as an official sport.

If you ever get a chance to hear Karen Land speak, take advantage of the opportunity. Thank you to librarian Stacey Bousquet and Peru Free Library for bringing her to our little community. 

The regular meeting of the Peru Town Board was held on Monday February 23, 2026 at the Peru

Town Hall. Those present were Mr.Craig Randall, Supervisor; Mr. Kregg Bruno, Councilman ;

Mr. Eric Duquette, Councilman; Mr. Melvin Irwin, Councilman; Mr. Nick Weaver, Councilman;

Mr. Matthew Favro, Town Attorney and Mrs. Christine Crawford, Town Clerk. Also present

were Mr. Scott Thurber, Town Justice; Mr. Courtney Tetrault, Water/Sewer Superintendent; Mr.

Michael Farrell, Highway Superintendent; Ms. Pamela Barber, Confidential Secretary to the

Board; Mrs. Kristen Marino, Recreation Director; Mr. Tyler Jarvis, Deputy Highway

Superintendent and Mr. T’chaka Sikelianos, Dog Control Officer.

The meeting was called to order at 6:00 PM by Mr. Randall, with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Motion by Mr. Irwin; seconded by Mr. Bruno to approve the minutes from the February 9th,

2026 Regular Meeting.

Ayes 5 Noes 0

Motion Carried

Community Input

Rocky Divoll was here giving an update on the Library. Stacy Bousquet is doing a fabulous job.

Although the town supports the Library operating budget, Mr. Divoll says that donations are

down at this time. The Library has a lot of free programs, with an upcoming Iditarod

presentation that will be very informative and fun. Mr. Divoll offers an open invitation to the

Board members to attend a future Library Board meeting. Mr. Randall expresses the Town’s

thanks for the great things happening at the Library.

Discussion: Engineering Update on Telegraph Road Over Dry Mill Brook

Mr. Randall goes over the Project Status Report for this project. The project is currently on

schedule and within the budget

RESOLUTION NUMBER: 26.02-23-1 Read more »

Multi-year expansion project now complete with enhanced assisted living and amenities

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Scattered outages, locally slick travel possible through Tuesday morning

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The Adirondack Park Agency is one step closer to moving from Ray Brook

Click here for the Adirondack Explorer story 

The Recovery Lounge provides space for artists from around the region, but has struggled recently due to funding cuts

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

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Through a variety of different situations, everyone experiences pain and suffers unexpected loss at some time in their lives.  The goal ofAn Evening of Healing is to open communication for attendees to learn where and how to find strength, connect with people so healing can begin, and leave with a sense of hope and purpose.  Members from previous panels will be in attendance as well as our new panel who will share their stories of strength.

The program will be introduced by members of our Evening of Healing Committee.  Our panel discussions will be led by members Bonnie Black, Deena Giltz McCullough, and Sally Meisenheimer.  All the committee members have experienced loss, trauma, and life events where they struggled and consequently found ways to become stronger and more resilient.

Our Panelists have remarkable stories of resilience and thriving and who include:

• Dena Archer, who has a story of emerging resilient from racial traumas

• Damien Battinelli, of Your Space Between, Inc., will be joining us as a panelist to discuss his focus on ending negative stigmas, supporting military veterans, and preventing suicide.  His 9/11 experience along with suicide ideation has motivated him to  form this non-profit.
• Dragos Banu, MD, finding strength and healing after his infant daughter’s death.

The musical interludes will be performed by Jay Lasage.

Recipients of Be The One Scholarship will accept their scholarships and present their stories. Created in 2019, these scholarships are a means to reach graduating seniors in Clinton County and ask questions related to mental health and suicide prevention. The scholarship gives individuals an opportunity to discover how they can “Be the One” to make a difference by reducing stigma, sharing stories of hope and encouragement, brainstorming creative messaging to include social media campaigns to save lives.  This year we are joined by Keep Another Tomorrow (KAT) Foundation, with their generous support we are giving out four scholarships in place of two.

Parking on site at the Newman Center is reserved for those who have difficulty with mobility.  All others, please park in the Kehoe parking lot across the street.  The Kehoe lot can be accessed from either Broad or Rugar Street.

For questions, please call the Clinton County NY Coalition to Prevent Suicide Chair, Bonnie Black, at 518-578-1612 or Dana Jeweler of the Evening of Healing Committee at 518-578-0844.

Shepherd’s Pie 

Fruit

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!

Demonstrators demanded the release of the three detained immigrants and called on Vermont police to answer for their role in the raid.

Click here for the Seven Days story 

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Plattsburgh YMCA “Statement*

We were deeply saddened and disturbed to learn of allegations of physical abuse and inappropriate discipline by a now-former employee against children in our Bright Beginnings Childcare Center. We’ve since terminated this person’s employment and are cooperating fully with state and local authorities as they investigate the situation.

While investigating these allegations, the Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) found additional licensing violations, including failure to timely report abuse. These findings have led to the suspension of our Center’s childcare license, effective immediately. The Center will be closed until further notice.

We are heartbroken for those affected by these allegations which go against everything we stand for. The Plattsburgh YMCA has long-standing child protection policies and procedures designed to protect children in our care, and these violations highlight a failure to do so, which is completely unacceptable. We have placed certain members of Y leadership on administrative leave while this is investigated by OCFS and law enforcement police. Following the investigations, we will be reviewing our policies, supervision practices, and training procedures to ensure they reflect the strongest possible standards for child safety.

While this will not erase what has happened, we are hopeful that the board’s swift response will help build back trust within the community.

Click here to view a MYNBC5 story on the situation —

Click here for the MYNBC5 story 

Click here for the NCPR story 

The Peru Central School District is officially seeking candidates to fill two (2) at-large seats on the Board of Education. These vacancies result from the upcoming term expiration of Mr. Mark Hamilton and the resignation of Ms. Sarah Mitchell, which is currently filled by Mr. Steven Peters.

District residents interested in serving the community are invited to run for the following positions:

• A three-year term beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2029.

• A two-year term to complete a vacated seat, beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2028.

The elected candidate who receives the most votes will be granted the three-year term.

The Petition for Nomination of Candidate form is available in the District Office at 17 School Street on Mondays through Fridays, except on school holidays, or via BoardDocs on the District’s website. Petitions must be directed to the School District Clerk, shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and shall state the names and residences of the candidate and petition signers. The candidate’s phone number shall also be stated.

The qualifications that must be met to run for the school board are:

• A U.S. citizen

• At least 18 years old

• A qualified voter in the District

• Able to read and write

• A resident of the District continuously for one year before the election

• Cannot be employed by the Board

• Cannot live in the same household as a family member who is also a member of the Board

Petitions must be returned no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, April 20, 2026.

The School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

Ogdensburg and Moriah added to a long list of previous winners 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Events across the Adirondacks this week include concerts, snowshoeing, art exhibit openings and other activities

Click here for the Almanac Almanac story 

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Click here for the MYNBC5 story 

Owner of Norma J’s Cafe faces prison time for allegedly defrauding an elderly man for nearly five years

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Click here for the NCPR story