The Peru Gazette

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is closing four bridges over the Mohawk River in Schenectady County immediately.

The bridges include:

• Interstate 890 bridge at Thruway Interchange 26 in Rotterdam Junction.
• Western Gateway Bridge carrying Route 5 between Scotia and Schenectady.
• Freeman’s Bridge carrying Route 5 (Freeman’s Road) between Scotia and Schenectady.
• Rexford Bridge carrying Route 146 between Schenectady and Clifton Park.

The bridges are being closed to ensure public safety following severe flood damage to the abutments of the bridge carrying Route 103 between Routes 5 and 5S in Rotterdam Junction.  Water from the Mohawk River eroded soil supporting the Route 103 bridge abutment, ultimately forming a new water channel between the bridge and Route 5.  This new channel could pose a significant safety threat to travelers in this area.

The Route 103 bridge has been closed due to flooding since last week. For the most up-to-date traffic conditions call 511 or visit www.511NY.org.

By John T. Ryan

Support from all over New York State and the region has been outstanding according to Town of Jay officials as they struggle to bring their town back to normal following  the August 28th flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. Three trucks dropped off food, storage boxes and other items during during a one hour period this morning at the Town of Jay offices.  Moriah Shock inmates were on hand to unload the trucks. Clerk Carol Hackel was outfitting workers from Surmount Treatment Center in Tupper Lake before they left to help clean out a resident’s flooded basement.

The building holding the Town of Jay offices once served as the local school. It is  filling up with donated clothing, food, cleaning supplies and other items. Hundreds of bags of donated clothing almost fill an upstairs hallway and a large classroom.  Canned goods and other unrefrigerated foods fill another room near the kitchen. A 40-foot refrigerated trailer is packed with everything from bananas to quiche.  Volunteers were working cutting up a delicious roast and preparing a boiled dinner for volunteers. More volunteers are still needed and are invited to call 647-2204 or 647-2201 for scheduling.  People from all over the region have been coming to AuSable Forks to help out.

The large room which once served as a school gymnasium is filled with staff members from a host of federal and state agencies.  People were coming in to file claims and to seek other help. The agencies on hand include FEMA, The NYS Departments of Health and Labor, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, The Social Security Administration and others. They are all there to serve people in any way possible and invite people to come forward for their services.  (Click here for more photos) 

The Press Republican reports 

Peru – The 34th annual St. Augustine’s Applefest celebration is only a few days away. It’s scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th. Volunteers will be busy next week setting up the church grounds with a stage, games and food booths. People always looks forward to the continuous music, fried, dough, sausages and great burgers, michigans and fries. Inside the Parish Center dozens of tables will be set up for the craft vendors who always come in large numbers to the Applefest. Saturday’s great parade starts at 11 a.m. and Sunday’s tasty chicken BBQ starts at noon. Everyone in the North Country is invited to the Peru Applefest! (Click here for more information)

The Free Press reports 

The Watertown Daily Times report 

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports 

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports

The Press Republican reports 

Disaster survivors who suffered damages and losses because of Hurricane Irene should remember to apply for FEMA assistance as soon as possible even if they have already registered with voluntary organizations. Registering with voluntary organizations doesn’t mean that they have automatically registered with FEMA.

The only ways to apply with FEMA are:

• Call the FEMA Hotline at 1-800-621- 3362, TTY 1-800-462-7585.  Multilingual assistance is available by phone. The toll-free line is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
• Register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or with a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone at m.fema.gov. Follow the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”

A FEMA New Release

ALBANY, NY- New York State residents who suffered losses as a result of the flooding caused by Hurricane Irene last month and who still have serious unmet needs may find help through the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) groups now and long after the emergency phase has passed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the New York State Office of Emergency Management (NYSOEM) are partnered with a variety of non-profit organizations to provide crucial assistance. Through a Voluntary Agency Liaison (VAL), FEMA assists the VOADs with federal assistance programs, deadlines, coordination and donation management. They also identify special needs populations and help applicants avoid duplication of benefits.

“Representatives from voluntary agency groups, local when possible, get together to develop a plan and access the resources needed for their recovery,” said FEMA’s VAL Ken Curtin. “Their mission is to plan for emergencies and disasters such as this. The emphasis is on communication, cooperation, coordination and collaboration.”

Voluntary agencies can provide a wide range of assistance to Hurricane Irene’s survivors. This assistance includes flood debris clean up, shelter, food, clothing, counseling, home repairs and reconstruction, and other unmet needs on a case-by-case basis.  New York State storm survivors who want to know more about the work of the national and local organizations should visit www.nvoad.org/ or www.nyvoad.org/. Disaster survivors in most counties can also call 2-1-1 to request help with debris clean up or get information on other available services.

Organizations responding to the Hurricane Irene recovery effort include the American Red Cross, AmeriCorps and The Salvation Army. Clean up help is being provided by local faith-based agencies like Southern Baptist, Lutheran Disaster Services and many others. They have also been crucial to the disaster response. These agencies’ efforts are not financed by the federal government; they are provided by volunteers through charitable donations.

Voluntary agencies will continue to help storm victims and to provide disaster relief services in all affected counties and any other county in need regardless of the federal declaration status.

The adirondack almanac reports 

The Watertown Daily Times reports 

The Times Union reports 

Lo-Hud.com reports

The adirondack almanac reports 

The Press Republican reports 

The Press Republican reports

The Watertown Daily Times reports 

The 2^nd Annual Leo P. Bourgeois Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Friday, September 30^th to raise funds for the scholarship in his name.  The tournament will be held at Adirondack Golf & Country Club in Peru with registration beginning at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start at noon.  The cost to enter the four person scramble tournament is $260 per team which includes greens fees for 18 holes, golf cart, gift bags, awards and a hors d’oeuvres reception following the tournament.  Non-golfers and alumni are encouraged to attend the reception at a cost of $20.00 per person. Volunteers for the day of the tournament are also needed.

Over a career that spanned several decades, the late Leo Bourgeois or Mr. “B” as he was affectionately known, impacted the lives of hundreds of Peru Central School students, encouraging them to do their best and not to give up.  For Mr. “B”, giving up on kids was not an option as their futures could not be seen. With his wisdom, warmth, humor and optimism, Mr. “B” gave students hope and helped them find their way.

In honor of Mr. “B”, several PCS alumni came together in 2010 to establish a scholarship in his memory for a deserving PCS Senior – a fitting tribute to a man who spent his life reaching out to students motivating them to be the best students possible for a brighter future.  The first $1,000 scholarship was awarded this past June to PCS Senior, Abigail Jodi, who is pursuing a pre-med course at SUNY Albany in the fall.

The cost to become a tournament sponsor is $50 to $150. For more information about the tournament, entering a team, becoming a sponsor or to volunteer, contact Cheryl Breen Randall at 524-1192 or by email at cheryl.breen-randall@verizon.net.

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports 

Washington, DC — A bipartisan group of 20 New York U.S. House members today thanked President Obama for expediting the Major Disaster Declaration process for several New York Counties and requested that the President quickly approve all 26 counties identified in Governor Cuomo’s request for federal disaster assistance. So far, 19 counties have been made eligible for Public Assistance (PA), and 8 counties have been made eligible for Individual Assistance (IA). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is currently reviewing the remaining counties to determine their eligibility for federal assistance.  Read more »

Lincoln’s historic decision to free slaves in southern states came almost 2 years into the Civil War, and it helped the North win.  But Lincoln was not elected as an abolitionist.

Local Lincoln historian Jim Howard, 2007 winner of the Horace Mann Lincoln Fellowship, offers a multi-media presentation tracing The Great Emancipator’s personal struggles with slavery and the nation’s highest ideals. It will be presented at the Peru Free LIbrary on Saturday, September 10th at 5 p.m.

The presentation is sponsored by the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association and is free to the public.  The Peru Free Library is located at 3024 Rte 22 in Peru, NY.  Refreshments will be served.

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports