The Peru Gazette

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PLATTSBURGH, NY (June 30, 2026) – Assemblyman Michael S. Cashman announced today that the 2026 New York State Assembly Summer Reading Challenge materials have been distributed to all public schools within the 115^th Assembly District. The Summer Reading Challenge will take place between July 1 and August 31, and readers have the chance to win one of three gift cards.

“Reading is a pivotal part of early childhood development, and I am glad that my office will be continuing the Summer Reading Challenge tradition,” Cashman said. “I encourage all students to participate in this great challenge, and I look forward to congratulating all of those who complete the challenge.”

Students who read for at least 15 minutes per day for 40 or more days will receive a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading certificate. This year, the top reader from each county will receive a gift card to a local bookstore.

Students will mark their school-provided calendar pamphlet with each day they read at least 15 minutes. All entries received by September 7 will be considered for their counties’ gift card prize. If there is a tie, the readers with the highest number of days will be entered into a drawing to select a winner.

All student submissions with at least 40 days of reading marked will receive a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading certificate regardless of date of office receipt.

Materials will be sent home with students from their schools.

L-R Legislator Francis Peryea and Braydon Bushey

L-R Aubriana Budge and Legislator Ron Deragon

CLINTON COUNTY, NY (June 30, 2026) – The Clinton County Legislature is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Clinton County Off-Track Betting (OTB) Scholarships, recognizing two exceptional graduating seniors whose academic achievement, leadership, community involvement, and extracurricular participation have distinguished them among their peers.

Each year, the Clinton County OTB Committee awards two $500 scholarships—one to a student attending SUNY Plattsburgh and one to a student attending Clinton Community College. Eligible students must maintain a grade point average of at least 85 percent while demonstrating leadership, community service, and involvement in at least two extracurricular activities, including one that is non-sports related.

This year’s recipients are Brayden Bushey of Northern Adirondack Central School, who will attend SUNY Plattsburgh, and Aubriana Budge of Plattsburgh High School, who will attend Clinton Community College.

Brayden Bushey graduates ranked third in his class with a 95.64 average. Throughout high school, he served as Student Council Treasurer and Class President while mentoring younger students through the CFES Mentor Program. A four-year varsity athlete in both soccer and baseball, Brayden was named captain of the varsity soccer team and Offensive Player of the Year for varsity baseball. Outside the classroom, he worked as a lifeguard for the Northern Adirondack swim program and volunteered at community church breakfasts and dinners.

Aubriana Budge will attend Clinton Community College to pursue a degree in business with the goal of a career in management. During high school, she balanced academics with employment, participated in Science Olympiad, flag football, student government, and Upward Bound, while also serving her community through Boy Scouts, where she demonstrated exceptional leadership by founding her own troop. Her school counselor described her as hardworking, honest, and a natural leader who consistently sought opportunities to grow both personally and academically.

“The Clinton County Legislature is proud to recognize Brayden and Aubriana for their exceptional dedication both in the classroom and throughout their communities,” said The Honorable Mark R. Henry, Chairperson (Area 3-R, Chazy). “These scholarships represent more than academic success, they recognize students who lead by example, give back to others, and embody the values that strengthen our communities. We congratulate both recipients and wish them continued success as they begin their college careers.”

The Honorable Francis J. Peryea, Deputy Chairperson (Area 2-R, Altona), whose legislative district includes Brayden Bushey, praised the graduate’s accomplishments. ” “It’s always nice to see a young person who has worked hard and taken advantage of every opportunity that’s come his way. Brayden has been successful in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and in giving back to his school and community. We’re proud of what he’s accomplished and wish him nothing but the best as he heads to SUNY Plattsburgh.

The Honorable Ron E. Deragon (Area 8-D, Plattsburgh), whose district includes Aubriana Budge, congratulated her on earning the scholarship. “Congratulations, Aubriana! This scholarship is a reflection of the hard work, leadership, and determination you’ve shown throughout high school. Whether it was your involvement in school, Boy Scouts, work, or serving your community, you’ve proven that you aren’t afraid to step up and make a difference. I can’t wait to see all the great things you’ll accomplish at Clinton Community College and beyond!”

The Clinton County Legislature congratulates Brayden Bushey and Aubriana Budge on this well-earned recognition and extends its best wishes for continued success in their educational and future professional endeavors.

Photo provided

PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — Community members are invited to experience Lake Champlain from a new perspective during Summer on the Lake Educational Boat Trips on Thursday, July 16, 2026, departing from the Plattsburgh City Marina, 2 Dock Street, Plattsburgh.

Hosted by Lake Champlain Sea Grant and partners, these interactive boat trips will offer participants a unique opportunity to learn about Lake Champlain, its watershed, and the ways human activities impact the lake and surrounding environment.

Through hands-on activities, engaging discussions, and scenic views from the water, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of one of the region’s most valuable natural resources. Whether you’re interested in environmental science, local history, or simply looking for a fun and educational summer outing, these boat trips are designed for all ages and backgrounds.

Participants may choose from one of two trip times:

• 11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Space is limited, and advance registration is required.

For additional information and to register, visit tinyurl.com/LakeChamplain2026.

Join fellow community members this summer to discover the connections between people, water, and the Lake Champlain watershed while enjoying an unforgettable experience on the lake.

News Release – PLATTSBURGH, NY, June 29, 2026  — Clinton County resident, business owner, former EMT, and former New York State Correction Officer Cliff Berg has officially announced his candidacy for Clinton County Coroner.

Berg brings a unique combination of emergency response, investigative, and community service experience to the position. Having served as an EMT for over five years, worked in healthcare security, attended autopsies, assisted with death-related investigations, and spent seven years as a New York State Correction Officer, he understands the importance of professionalism, compassion, and attention to detail during some of life’s most difficult moments. “The Coroner’s Office serves families on some of the worst days of their lives,” said Berg. “My goal is to ensure that every family is treated with dignity, respect, and compassion while receiving timely answers and clear communication throughout the process.” As part of his campaign, Berg is advocating for modernization and improvements within the Coroner’s Office, including:

• Improving communication and support for families throughout investigations

• Enhancing training and continuing education opportunities for coroners and deputy coroners

• Developing consistent policies and procedures that promote professionalism, accountability, and public trust

• Strengthening 24/7 coverage to ensure families receive timely and professional service when it is needed most

• Expanding public education on suicide prevention, impaired driving, mental health awareness, workplace safety, and other preventable causes of death

Click here for the NCPR story 

Competition continues through July 5 

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Anonymous donors will match donations needed to complete renovations

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Click here to view the graduates’ names and future plans

These are copied from the Graduation Program.

July 8 Event part of centennial celebration

Plattsburgh, NY, June 29, 2026  – A special gathering for retirees of Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) will take place Wednesday, July 8, from 10 am to noon in the CVPH Boardroom as part of the hospital’s Centennial Celebration.

Retirees are welcome to stop in the boardroom to reconnect with former coworkers and colleagues, share stories, and reminisce. Light refreshments will be served. Read more »

PLATTSBURGH, NY- July 2026 marks the sixth annual Michigan Month in the Town of Plattsburgh. As part of this annual celebration, the popular Michigan Passport program is back for the FIVE Michigan restaurants in Plattsburgh (Gus’ Red Hots, Ronnie’s Michigan Stand, Clare & Carl’s, McSweeney’s Red Hots, and NEW this year, Michigans Plus. To pick up your passport, stop by Town Hall, City Hall, the North Country

Chamber of Commerce, or any of the participating restaurants. The first 25 passport holders to complete and return their passport to Town Hall will receive a free limited edition Michigan Month T-Shirt. The passport program opens at 8am on July 1st and runs through the end of the month. All participants who return their passport will receive a Home of the Michigan bumper sticker and will be entered to win a gift certificate from a local Michigan stand. The Town has both 2025 and 2026 T-shirts as well as Home of the Michigan pennant flags available for purchase at Town Hall Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm while supplies last.

The 2026 t-shirt design will be revealed on July 1st at 10am at Town Hall at the Michigan Month Kickoff press conference, co-hosted by the Town of Plattsburgh and MichiganFest.

The second annual MichiganFest is taking place this year on August 1st at the Clinton County Fairgrounds to round out the 2026 Home of the Michigan celebration. Proceeds from Michigan Month and MichiganFest will benefit the Battlefield Memorial Gateway project.

For more information about the kickoff, passport program, or the Battlefield Memorial Gateway please contact Senior Planner Jessica Kogut, jessicak@townofplattsburghny.gov

For more information about MichiganFest, please contact pbgmichiganfest@gmail.com

Town of North Elba
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On June 21 at 10 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call about a nine-year-old and an 11-year-old separated from their hiking group on the Marcy Dam Truck trail. The children were last seen an hour earlier. Five Forest Rangers and one Assistant Forest Ranger responded. Rangers assigned to the Marcy Dam Outpost began searching trails. At 10:40 a.m., Rangers found the children and reunited them with their family at the trailhead.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On June 21 at 9:50 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a concerned family member reporting a 24-year-old hiker overdue in the Johns Brook Valley. Last cell phone coordinates place the subject on the Hopkins Trail junction at 7 p.m. The caller was concerned the subject did not have an adequate light source or proper layers. Rangers located the subject’s vehicle at the Garden parking lot. The hiker signed into the trail register as hiking Big Slide. At 11:05 p.m., Rangers located the hiker and assisted them back to the trailhead.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s “Hike Smart NY,” “Adirondack Backcountry,” and “Catskill Backcountry Information” webpages for more information.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it’s for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on State lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can call 911. To contact a Forest Ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every Ranger listed by region.

Applications for Dairy, Livestock, Specialty Crop and Aquaculture Producers Now Available

Albany, June 29, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the release of the $30 million Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program for New York agricultural producers. The program, first announced in the Governor’s 2026 State of the State address, will help offset rising costs and market loss that New York farmers faced in 2025 because of federal tariff policy. Applications for dairy, livestock, specialty crop and aquaculture producers are now available here.

“The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are reckless and damaging to so many of our industries, including our agricultural producers, who rely so heavily on the forces of international markets.” Governor Hochul said. “I promised to stand up and fight for our farmers and I’m proud that our Agricultural Resiliency Against Tariffs Program will provide the much-needed relief to New York’s farmers who feed our communities.”

With an estimated 20 percent of a farmer’s income on average dependent on export markets of their product, the federal tariffs instituted in 2025 and resulting market instability are creating economic hardship for New York’s agricultural producers. In addition, farmers are facing the escalating costs imposed by tariffs on essential imports like grain, feed and other inputs. Over 80 percent of agrochemical imports and 70 percent of farm machinery imports originate from countries that were subjected to U.S. tariffs, making it difficult for farmers to secure alternative sources.

While the broader financial impact of tariffs on New York agricultural producers is still being calculated, many commodities have already reported financial burdens. For example, New York’s wine industry, which is the third largest in the nation, supports tens of thousands of jobs and New York’s grape growers, has seen significant impacts. Canada is the largest market for U.S. wine exports, including New York, and last year New York exports to this bordering country were down 77 percent, a major market loss at a time when the U.S. wine exports decreased 33 percent overall.

The Governor’s tariff relief program will provide direct payments of a minimum of $1,000 and a maximum of $25,000 to eligible producers. Distribution of funds will be determined through two tracks:

• Track 1: Cow Dairy Farms
• Track 2: Livestock, Livestock Products, Specialty Crops, Aquaculture

Eligible applicants must fill out a general application, provide agricultural sales or milk production data and meet specific criteria, including:

• Applicants must have at least two-thirds of federal gross income in excess of $30,000 derived from agricultural activities, as defined by New York State Tax Law.
• Applicants must produce eligible crops within New York State.
• Eligibility and production data must be certified by a qualified financial professional.
• All applicants must provide a complete substitute W-9 form, necessary for payment.
• Dairy farm applicants must sign a records release form, allowing confirmation of milk production data.

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Albany, June 26, 2026 – To mark the end of the school year, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that 396 million free school meals have been served in schools statewide. Governor Hochul’s Universal School Meals Program, launched last year, guarantees every student in New York State access to a healthy breakfast and lunch at participating schools, helping them thrive in and out of the classroom. By eliminating any financial requirements to receive this benefit, New York State has leveled the playing field by taking the burden off of families.

“It’s simple: No kid should go hungry, which is why we introduced free school meals statewide,” Governor Hochul said. “Making sure students have access to healthy meals improves their mental wellbeing and their academic performance. At a time when families are concerned about the affordability of everyday items, New York is proud to support our children’s success and bring down costs for families statewide.”

For the 2025-2026 academic year, New York has:

• Delivered more than 396 million free school meals to New York students
• Helped families statewide save up to $450 million per month on grocery costs

The FY27 Enacted Budget included $395 million for school meals, a $55 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 program, the State will pay the student’s share of costs for all meals served to students not already receiving free meals.

Move will connect more students to civic and career preparation

Albany, June 26, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the Empire State Service Corps will double in size, growing from 500 to 1,000 available spots and will include new program areas to meet New York’s most pressing needs. This expansion was proposed in Governor Hochul’s 2026 State of the State Agenda to increase capacity and to assist in new areas such as disaster recovery. Demand for the program has significantly outpaced the number of available spots, with applications exceeding the number of campus spots 4:1. Growth will help SUNY meet the widespread demand for paid service opportunities, and these positions will be distributed to every corner of the state, including areas that traditionally have had few AmeriCorps opportunities.

“The Empire State Service Corps supports local communities across New York State, while engaging students in meaningful paid service opportunities,” Governor Hochul said. “With the expansion of the SUNY Service Corps, even more students will have the ability to give back to local communities and secure life-changing experience and on-the-job training as they prepare for a wide range of careers.”

Students participating in the Empire State Service Corps dedicate at least 300 hours to engage in paid community service and convene regularly to share and learn from each other’s experiences. As New York State’s largest AmeriCorps program, participating students who complete 300 service hours also receive an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award of up to $1,400 for their service.

SThe Empire State Service Corps was launched in Fall 2024, thanks to Governor Hochul’s investment of $2.75 million allocation included in the FY25 Enacted State Budget. The first cohort of Empire State Service Corps and Empire State Summer Service Corps members logged a combined 102,343 service hours during the 2024-25 program, serving 74,638 New Yorkers. Empire State Summer Service Corps members also supported 200 new SNAP application submissions during the Summer 2025 session. Doubling funding in the FY27 Enacted State Budget to $5.5 million, Governor Hochul will ensure that the Empire State Service Corps has 1,000 available spots for SUNY students to give back to their communities in a variety of service-focused opportunities.

Focus areas Empire State Service Corps members traditionally work in include: Read more »

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Mexican Beef & Rice Skillet 

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!

The aviation company wants to build a Vermont empire. 

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Harkness, NY June 25, 2026 – Eighteen years ago, Art Ford dug his shovel into a hillside known as Serenity Garden on Clintonville Road, about 1.4 miles west of Harkness four-corners. Last Sunday, June 21, Ford opened a new chapter in the garden’s history by moving Serenity Garden to Clintonville, adjacent to the Methodist Church Thrift Store and in sight of the Ausable Valley School District offices. 

Last Sunday, Ford erected a sign at the Garden’s former location that reads: “No Trespassing, Due to extreme theft and vandalism, Serenity Garden has moved to Clintonville. The Food Stable will be at the Serenity Garden Greenhouse. Hope to see you there. Art.” 

Ford explained, “We started fixing the garden up for the spring. We’ve always lost stuff over the years. These last few years have been worse. This year, they really ramped it up. When we put plants down by the Cross, in two days they took almost every plant we put in.”

Ford said, “No matter what happens in your life, you’re going to have things happen to you. You’ll have things on the good side and on the bad side. If you dwell on the bad side, you’ll miss the good side. It’s not like the Garden has ended. The Cross is here, food staple is running, flowers are here, the angel is here, the same as always. People can still get involved in this garden and become a part of it.” 

Ford said people donated virtually all the flowers and hardware in his old garden, adding, “They want you to make something out of it. I never know what I’m doing. The Lord’s always doing his thing. It’s not like it’s a bad thing for the garden to move. It was time to move it anyway, to make something cool.” 

A logger by profession, Ford is using an excavator and brute strength to make space for a new Serenity Garden. A high rock wall made from rocks he unearthed with the excavator is a testament to the hard work he’s put in. People have already donated hand-painted rocks. There are a few changes: hanging plants are for sale in a greenhouse. Nearby perennials surround the Cross and there’s a beautiful mountain view in the background.  Beginning on Monday, June 29,  Art plans to be selling fresh cake donuts from his food truck. He also hopes to have his soft ice cream machine operational soon. 

The word “serenity” is defined as a state of calm, peace, and untroubledness. Speak to Art Ford, you’ll sense that state, and it will likely rub off on you. Please react to this story positively. That’s the reaction Art wants you to have. 

Click here to read our September 1, 2024 story on Serenity Garden  

Click here to read our September 4, 2021 story on Serenity Garden

Click here to read our May 19, 2014 story on Serenity Garden