The Peru Gazette

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Peru resident and SUNY Plattsburgh Assistant Professor Dr. Lauren Eastwood is in Tokyo and experienced yesterday’s earthquake.  She described her impressions and forwarded a few photos. The Gazette thanks Neil Hamilton for providing this information to us.

I happened to be at the Imperial Palace, which is very close to the center of Tokyo.  Fortunately, I was out in the open, but witnessed the 30+ story office buildings swaying back and forth.  When the first tremor hit, it was quite slight.  Then things got more dramatic.  There was a general rumbling noise, and the sound of things moving–some people sat down to prevent themselves from falling.  There were giant cranes on the top of some buildings that are under construction–the cranes were swaying back and forth and I was worried they would fall.

I’m amazed at the level of preparation here, though.  People were evacuated from their office buildings very quickly, and most people had hard hats and small backpack disaster kits.  They are prepared for earthquakes here the way we’re prepared for snowstorms!

All of the public transportation was shut down, and so everyone was walking home.  Tokyo is usually quite crowded, but this was like nothing I had ever seen before.  There were endless crowds of people trying to get home without public transportation.  All of the bicycle stores sold out their stocks within hours.  I walked for 7 hours to get back to Kichijoji, the suburb of Tokyo where I’m staying with family friends.

Along the way, people were clustered around stores that had televisions reporting the news.  There were some public telephones that appeared to be functioning, and there were long lines of people waiting to try to call home and check on relatives and friends.  Most of the phones were not working–and most of the cell phone services were down as well.

When I got back to where I’m staying, I was amazed to see the tsunami damage being reported on the news.  The scale of the devastation was not apparent to me until I saw the television reports.  There is very little structural damage here where I am located, thanks to the building codes and the necessity to plan for earthquakes during the construction process.  However, many glasses broke and things fell off of shelves–it is truly amazing and frightening to feel as though the ground is completely undulating underneath you to the extent that it is difficult to stand.  It was like being on a ship in rough waters–buildings and trees were swaying as well.

Overall, it was a frightening experience, but I was very impressed with how well prepared the Japanese are for this sort of disaster.  It is clear that the magnitude of the quake was extreme, and there was significant damage that is still unfolding.  However, there would have been much more devastation if people hadn’t been so well prepared.

I hope this gives some sense of what is going on here!  I have attached some images of people outside the office buildings in their hard hats, and also one of a car that was crushed by a piece of a building.

Best,

Lauren Eastwood

AGENDA, TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING, March 14, 2011, 7:00 PM

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION: Approval of minutes for the Town Board Special Meeting of February 23, 2011 and the Regular Meeting of February 28, 2011.

5. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour: Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning Report; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Banking; Website Report)

6. Community Input

7. DISCUSSION: Youth Commission Meeting Update.

8. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION: Alicia Drive Street Light.

9. DISCUSSION: Records Management Project Update.

10. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Board Actions to Fill Code/Zoning Enforcement Officer Position.

11. DISCUSSION: Hiring of the Part Time Court Clerk.

12. DISCUSSION: Highway Pickup Truck Problems.

13. DISCUSSION: 14 Locust Drive Issues.

14. DISCUSSION: Fairway Drive Issues.

15. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION: Rock Rd Schoolhouse Transfer of Ownership.

16. DISCUSSION: Water District Expansion.

17. DISCUSSION: Dog Licensing/Control Law Update.

18. Other Business

19. Community Input on Agenda Items.

20. Motion to Adjourn.

Updated 03/14/11 10:40 a.m.

AGENDA – PUBLIC HEARING ON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, MARCH 14, 2011, 6:30 PM

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION: To open the Public hearing. (Update – This grant relates to the South Acres Sewer System Upgrade)

5. DISCUSSION: Community Input and questions

6. MOTION: To close the Public hearing.

7. MOTION: Adjourn

Richard Williams, Chair of the Town of Peru Planning Board, called the meeting of Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 at 7:00pm to order.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

ROLL CALL:

RICHARD WILLIAMS, CHAIR : PRESENT

DALE HOLDERMAN, VICE CHAIR : PRESENT

ADELE DOUGLAS : PRESENT

JOHN KANOZA : EXCUSED

MARK LUKENS : PRESENT

MARK ROBINSON : PRESENT

BENJAMIN WRIGHT : PRESENT

KARA MCBRAYER : PRESENT

ATTY. THOMAS MURNANE: PRESENT

CEO: PAUL BLAINE: PRESENT Read more »

The adirondack almanac reports

The adirondack almanac reports

From the office of Congressman Owens

WASHINGTON – Amid growing concerns that rising gas prices would stifle continued economic development and job creation in Upstate New York, Congressman Bill Owens yesterday became an original cosponsor of a bill that would push gas prices down in the short-term by releasing a small amount of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).


“The rising cost of gas is a growing concern for my constituents.  I support a responsible plan to tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a way to increase supply and reduce the price at the pump,” said Owens. “My district covers nearly 14,000 square miles, and for rural residents who commute long distances every day, higher gas prices are completely unaffordable.  We need to consider all reasonable measures to control this recent spike and prevent any erosion to America’s economic recovery.”

Owens delivered additional comments at a Thursday press conference in Washington, D.C.  Watch the video here <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzfCD5GRG7M> . Read more »

The Press Republican reports

From the Office of A. Paul Scott

Peru Central School District and Peru Central’s budget advisory committee are hosting another public forum, slated for 6 PM this coming Monday, March 14th at 6 PM in the community room, adjacent to the main entrance of Peru High School. Monday’s 6 PM public forum will actively engage Peru School District residents by soliciting ideas and perceptions regarding key budget factors for constructing next school year’s proposed budget plan and the anticipated $1.1M in cost reductions for July 1st forward, in response to the Governor’s proposed $2.62M cut in state aid to Peru Central.

Peru CSD will sustain the $1.7M of cost reductions in place since last summer, and will expand cost reduction strategies by at least another $1.1M, reflecting the forecasted decrease in state aid, according to Peru Central Superintendent of Schools A. Paul Scott.

The 2011-2012 budget plan includes further reductions in the areas of BOCES services, transportation services, clerical services, custodial services, teaching assistants, teacher aides, monitors and substitute teachers. Six teaching positions and two teaching assistant positions are impacted, with attrition forecasted to involve four of the six teaching positions. Fourteen support staff positions are impacted, with attrition anticipated to involve several of those support staff positions. Superintendent Scott is work closely with the Board of Education to help Peru Central construct a responsible budget plan for voter consideration May 2011.

Scott believes the fiscal challenges for the years ahead will likely drive some aspects of how public education is funded, organized & delivered statewide, particularly in rural communities. Although more leanly staffed, Peru will still offer solid programs, Scott said.

Monday’s February 14th 6 PM public forum at Peru Central will start with distribution and discussion of pertinent facts. Next, district residents who attend will engage in small group discussions focused on the anticipated $1.1M in cost reductions. A brief stakeholder perceptions survey will follow, as part of the public forum.

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AGENDA, ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, Wednesday, March 16^th, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Peru Town Hall

1. CALL meeting to order.

2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

3. ROLL CALL.

4. APPROVAL of February Minutes.

5. OPEN floor to Public Hearing.

6. APPLICATION: WAYNE REEVES: Area Variance ~ Blake Rd.

7. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS.

8. CEO REPORT.

9. ADJOURNMENT.

The Free Press reports

Friday March 18th @ 7:30 p.m. the Peru Community Church Coffeehouse Concert Series Goes Green with St. Patrick’s music by the Too Tall String band including special guest fiddler Steve Iachetta. The band will be performing Irish fiddle tunes, classic St. Patty’s sing a longs, pub tunes and sea shanties on fiddle, hammered dulcimer, bouzouki, 6 & 12 string guitars, bodhran and bass. Concerts are held in the Fellowship Center.

For more information, audio clips and bios, check out the band’s website: tootallstringband.com

To read a review of the band’s CD, “While We Are Together”, click on: http://pressrepublican.com/0500_what_to_do/x984920300/Too-tall-string-band-drops-live-album

Peru Town Supervisor Peter Glushko announced that tonight’s Peru Town Board Special Meeting is canceled because of the storm.

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