The Peru Gazette

The Post Star has the story

Clinton County Democratic Chairman Martin Mannix addressed Town of Peru Democrats last week and spoke optimistically about his party’s chances in the fall elections.  Today the Press Republican is reporting that Mannix has announced that he is running for Clinton County Treasurer.

By John T. Ryan

Sales statistics released on April 26, 2009 by the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR), Inc. point to a somewhat brighter local sales trend with the sales decline slowing and seasonal sales increasing. March sales were only 14.7% behind last year’s March sales. NYSAR chief executive office Duncan R. MacKenzie said, “We believe the 2009 market will be driven by first time home buyers taking advantage of the $8,000 tax credit, historically low mortgage rates and a variety of inventory to choose from. This will, in turn, free up current homeowners who are seeking to purchase their next home.”

Here are the sales statistics for Clinton County and three other Upstate New York Counties: Read more »

By John T. Ryan

On March 29, 2009 the Press Republican reported the arrest of Peru Town Supervisor Donald Covel on what the Press Republican reporter referred to as a “slew of official-misconduct charges.”  The Peru Gazette visited the offices of the Clinton County Court Clerk to review the March 25, 2009 Clinton County Grand Jury Indictment naming Covel as the defendant. Covel was indicted on seven counts of official misconduct and one count of obstruction of governmental administration in the second degree. Read more »

Peru Central School District remains open, despite the confirmation of swine flu cases in a private school in Queens, New York City.   Parents are asked, however, to prepare for possible closures if the new virus continues to spread. Like other school districts, Peru Central and local health officials are working together to monitor the situation. Parents will be updated with any important information, said Superintendent of Schools A. Paul Scott.

Read more »

By Donald McBrayer

 The April 27, 2009 Town Board Meeting adjourned about 8:45 and covered several topics.

Mr. Biggs and Mr. Forrence were not present. About twenty people attended the meeting. Community input included a noise complaint where the board decided to have Town Attorney Donald Biggs look over the current noise ordinance so more “teeth” can be put toward better enforcement. Several comments also reflected a general concern about filling the seat being vacated by Cortland Forrence. Questions about the process resulted in a general consensus that the position would be advertised publicly, interested parties would submit letters of intent, interviews would be conducted, and a selection would be made by the remaining members. A final selection would require three votes. Read more »

Link to the Times Union Column

AGENDA

TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING

April 27, 2009 at 7:00 PM

Read more »

Mike Relation points to the location of used car parts

By John T. Ryan

In two years one of Peru’s most colorful personalities will be recalling that its been 40 years since he erected his business sign at 85 Connors Rd. Mike Relation started Rustic Auto Body as an auto body repair shop. Over the years he’s added used cars, new car parts, used car parts, antique cars and project cars. (More Photos) 

Rustic Auto Body is probably best known for its variety of used car parts. Customers come from all over the northeast knowing that this is where they very likely will find the car part they need. Rustic’s twenty-acre junkyard contains almost 1,500 cars some dating back as far as 1914. There are 100 foreign cars including eight Volkswagen bugs.  Thirty-four school buses dot the landscape and are filled with such things as rims, wheels, headlights, doors and transmissions. When a customer enters and asks for a specific part Mike Relation casually reaches under the counter, pulls out his two-foot machete and uses the machete to point to an aerial photograph of the junkyard.  Relation knows the exact location of every part in the yard and points out its location on the photograph. The customer is given the choice of either walking into the yard or riding on an ATV with Relation or his right hand man Mike Wells.  During the brief time the Gazette visited with Relation one customer from Syracuse walked into the yard looking for a part for a 1980’s vehicle while Mike Wells took another man into the yard looking for wheels for a 1987 Lincoln.

Mike Relation is a Peru native who graduated from Peru High School in 1967. Many people doubted that he would ever be able to operate his own business.  He contracted polio at five years of age, Read more »

Charter Cable scheduling is a problem according to Gagnon 

Media Release from Peru Central School 11:15 a.m. 

Scott J. Osborne, with prior success as a K-12 Principal, elementary grades classroom teacher, a Reading First program literacy coach and peer presenter, was appointed last night by Peru Central’s Board of Education to a three-year probationary appointment as Primary School Principal, starting on or about July 1, 2009, when veteran administrator Christine Angevine retires from active service as a Primary Principal at Peru Central. The Primary School enrolls approximately 440 students in kindergarten through 2nd grade.

Read more »

By Carol Sorai-Rusco

The Elmore SPCA will be holding its second membership drive at Champlain Centres this Saturday, April 25 from 10-7.  Members of the Clinton Community College Honor Society will be selling raffle tickets for a beautiful handmade butterfly pattern quilt during the membership drive.  Proceeds from the membership drive and the quilt raffle will go to benefit the Elmore SPCA homeless animals.



The 12th annual Chazy Key Club “Run For Your Life” charity run/walk will take place on Saturday, May 16, at 10:00 a.m. Proceeds from this year’s event will benefit the Elmore SPCA Humane Society & Animal Shelter. Read more »

Bishop Robert Cunningham will lead Diocese of Syracuse

See the Press Republican’s online report

By John T. Ryan 

It’s very clear that the Sunday, April 19, 2009 fundraiser for Tyler Haudberg and his family was a tremendous success.  People from all over the North Country crowded the Peru VFW throughout the afternoon.  Lisa Gonyo, one of the event organizers, said she was overwhelmed by the community’s response. Hundreds of businesses and individuals donated merchandise, money and time to the effort. The Peru Knights of Columbus served over 500 spaghetti dinners while bands provided great music and people purchased bake sale items and bid on donated auction items. Congratulations to the organizers of this wonderful event and to everyone who contributed in any way. As usual, North Country residents demonstrated generous support for someone in need! See more Photos

By John T. Ryan

An enthusiastic Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Martin Mannix spoke to a Town of Peru Democratic Party meeting on Thursday, April 16^th at St. Augustine’s Parish Center. Noting President Barrack Obama’s election and the fact that a Democrat carried overwhelmingly Republican Essex County in the recent Congressional Special Election Mannix said,  “I think it is a great time to be a Democrat in the State of New York and in Clinton County. Times are changing.”  Read more »

The Peru Central School District Board of Education has two special board meetings slated for the week of April 20th. The first special meeting is set for 6 PM Monday, April 20th in the community room, when the Board will promptly re-convene in executive session to interview candidates for Primary School Principal. No public session business is on the agenda for that evening’s special meeting to interview candidates.

Read more »

Peru Central’s Board of Education is set for the full range of monthly business at its regular meeting, Tuesday, April 21, 2009 at 6 PM at the community room, adjacent to the high school’s main entrance. An executive session associated with collective bargaining and the performance history of particular employees will take place immediately following the 6 PM start. The school board is slated to reconvene for public session business at 7 PM. It’s anticipated the school board will: Read more »

By Don McBrayer

Peru Resident Don McBrayer helped out with the Tea Party held at Trinity Park on April 15, 2009 in Plattsburgh and submitted this report. There were many local voices who expressed concern about taxes and the growth of the federal government in Trinity Park yesterday.  Ron Wood Sr., Cortland Wood, and Carl Kokes performed a variety of patriotic songs. I estimate about a hundred and fifty people were there. For my part I helped Bill Ferris of Big Apple Audio with the staging and the sound system. I believe the attached photos were all taken by Bill Ferris.

Thanks to information from a frien our homepage is now linked to the National Weather Service rather than to Yahoo Weather. The National Weather Service site gives a concise seven-day forecast and one-click detailed data. Just look under our community links on the right side of the homepage for “Peru Weather.”

Click here for the story

By John T. Ryan

The Town of Peru Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct its monthly meeting on Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at the Peru Town Hall at 7 p.m. Code Enforcement Office Paul Blaine states that Patricia Pugh of 15 Campsite Rd. is seeking an area variance for a 16’ X 17’ shelter for her horse and goats. Blaine reported that the shelter has been erected without the required building permit Read more »

Easter eggs represent the new life of the people springing from the Resurrection of Christ and a large number of children turned out for this morning’s Easter Egg Hunt at St. Augustine’s Church. The Easter Bunny arrived at the end of the 10:30 Mass and led the children to the parish center where the eggs were hidden in the many classrooms. St. Monica’s Court 2598 of the Catholic Daughters of America sponsored the event. (See more photos)

The Town of Peru has announced its Sunday night summer concert series.  Our community will have another season of fine entertainment at the Little AuSable Park Gazebo. Concerts begin on June 28 and continue through August 9, 2009.  Concerts start at 6 and end at 8 p.m.

•  June 28 – Hot Rod Lincoln – “Genuine House Rockin’ Music”
•  July 5 – Inisheer – Traditional Irish, Celtic Music
•  July 12 – Roy Hurd – Adirondack Folk Music
•  July 19 – Flashback – 50’s, 60’s Rock & Roll, Easy Listening
•  July 26 – The Castaways – Country, Classic Rock, Folk, 50’s – Present
•  August 2 – Back Porch Band – Bluegrass, Country, Acoustic
•  August 9 – Beartracks – Bluegrass, Country, Acoustic
•  August 16 – Too Tall String Band – Adirondack, Celtic, Country, Bluegrass

In case of rain concerts will be held at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center.

Bring chairs & blankets. No alcoholic beverages allowed. Concerts are brought to you by the Town of Peru!

Many children enjoyed the Easter Eggs last year

By John T. Ryan

On Easter Sunday, April 12th, St. Augustine’s Parish will hold its 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt after 10:30 Mass.  Follow the Easter Bunny over to the Parish Center for the Easter Egg Hunt. There will be two age groups: 5 and under and 6 to 10. The event is sponsored by Catholic Daughter’s of the Americas, Court St. Monica 2598. 

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