The Peru Gazette

The North Country Regional Economic Development Council met today and conducted its third meeting, which was open to the public.   The meeting at SUNY Potsdam was attended by Lt. Governor Robert Duffy and led by North Country Regional Economic Development Council co-chairs Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, and Anthony Collins, President of Clarkson University.

During today’s session, the Council presented and adopted its vision statement, which is intended to guide the council’s long-term strategic planning process moving forward. The vision statement can be found on the North Country Regional Economic Development Council’s website at www.northcountryopenforbusiness.com and is as follows:  “The North Country will lead the Economic Renaissance of New York State’s Small Cities and Rural Communities by: Read more »

2010 Walk of Faith on Pleasant Street

The Catholic community of St. Augustine’s and St. Patrick’s and the Peru Community Church are sponsoring the 5th Annual Walk of Faith on Sunday, October 9th.  The entire 2.7 mile walk takes place within the Peru hamlet.  Proceeds will benefit the North Country Mission of Hope and the Peru Community Church’s Jamaica Project. Registration begins at 11:45 a.m. followed by an opening ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine immediately behind the St. Augustine’s Rectory.  After the walk, participants will gather in the St. Augustine’s Parish Center for a closing ceremony and refreshments.  Everyone is invited to participate.

The Town of Peru Planning Board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, 2011 has been cancelled.

Lake George Mirror reports 

By John T. Ryan

Usually a Peru Gazette story includes a picture of the person or persons featured in our story. This story is a little different because by the time this reporter arrived on the scene the task at hand was complete. Instead, several bags of trash and a long metal object were neatly placed adjacent to the entrance gate of the New York State D.O.T. storage area on  the Bear Swamp Road. While most Peru residents were still sound asleep last Saturday morning members of the Peru Lions Club were picking up roadside trash for 4.5 miles along the Bear Swamp Road between Route 22 and Route 9 including the entrance and exit ramps of the Adirondack Northway. Some Lions arrived at about 6:30 a.m., others at 7 a.m. The job was finished about 8 a.m.

Larry Ewald Sr. has led this Peru Lions Club activity since the beginning. Ewald commented, “Duane Waterman, one of our members, brought the idea back from Texas. I know we were one of the first groups in this area to take part in the Adopt a Highway Program. It’s been at least twenty-five years.”   Ewald said about ten to twelve members usually participate each month from April or May through November.  Each person is assigned about one-half mile segment of highway. Ewald said, “We can usually complete the job in about an hour, except when we do our first pick-up in the springtime. That usually takes at least two hours.”  Very few Lions Club activities are all work and no play. The Lions usually meet at McDonald’s for coffee when their work is complete.

Ewald says they pick up all manner of trash. Some items you’d expect such as cigarette packages, paper cups and bags, cans and bottles.  Used baby diapers aren’t unusual. Sometimes it’s bigger items such as car and truck tires.  Occasionally, money is found. This past weekend five one-dollar bills were blowing in the breeze. Another time it was tens and twenties totaling $100.  Ewald said, “We donated that money to a good cause in Peru.” Let’s hope the $5 they found Saturday went to pay for the coffee at McDonald’s!

The Watertown Daily Times reports           See the hometown newspaper report on the death of one of these American heroes

The Post Star reports 

The Watertown Daily Times reports

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports 

The Press Republican reports 

AGENDA TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING, September 12, 2011, 7:00 PM Read more »

The Watertown Daily Times reports 

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports 

NCPR reports 

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.