The Peru Gazette

The Peru Central School District Board of Education’s winter-spring 2009 series of budget development workshops focused on establishing a budget plan for the 2009-2010 fiscal year continues 7 PM on Tuesday, March 31st in the community room adjacent to the Peru High School main entrance. 

 Tuesday’s workshop will feature an update from the Superintendent of Schools regarding a conservative approach to budgeting expenditures and budgeting revenues for next school year, given the prospect of a freeze or reduction in state aid for next school year.  

The Board of Education will examine any update from Albany received at Peru Central since last week’s budget workshop. Peru Central’s Superintendent and school board will engage in discussion with the School Business Administrator regarding early forecasts of revenues and corresponding impacts of those revenues on the property tax and on longer term financial planning. 

The school board and Peru Central Superintendent of Schools A. Paul Scott invite and encourage residents to attend the March 3rd budget development workshop, and will welcome their ideas and suggestions.

By Rachel Daly 

To be back in Nicaragua this year was quite a feeling. We arrived in the middle of the night on an antiquated but functioning bus, and as the compound came into view, there was comfort just in seeing it again. I was ready to be back with the Nicaraguan people I had come to care about so much.

At first glance, everything appeared the same, but I soon learned that it wasn’t quite so. Read more »

The Adirondack Brass Quintet will be performing at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center on Friday, April 3, at 7:30 pm.  Tickets are $8 general admission, $5 for students and seniors and $15 for a family.  Quinitet member Janet Geldert described what the audience can expect. “We will be playing a wide variety of music.  We will include baroque, classical, blues, show tunes, jazz, folk songs, and ragtime.  There will be music most people will recognize (such as St. Louis Blues, Londonderry Air, and Maple Leaf Rag) as well as pieces that may not be so familiar (such as a toccata and fugue by Bach, or the Voluntary on the Old 100th). Most of the pieces to be performed were not originally written for brass quintet, but were transcribed for that instrumentation.  It should be a fun evening, with something to please each audience member.”

The quintet members are: Matt Pray and Bill Long, trumpet; Janet Geldert, horn; Andrew West, Trombone, and JoLee Yeddo, tuba.

By John T. Ryan

Peru Town Counselor Cortland Forrence surprised the few people remaining at the end of the March 23, 2009 Council meeting when he announced that he would be leaving the Council sometime this year. Forrence said, “I don’t have the time to keep up the schedule of meetings that are necessary to fill the position.”  I haven’t turned in my resignation yet, but I will be sometime in the next maybe month or two before I leave.” Forrence said he had deliberated over the decision for a long time and that he just didn’t have the time or energy to continue on. He said he thought it would be best to find someone who has the time and energy to continue on.  Forrence said it will be up to the Town Council to fill the position or to wait until the next election.

       Read more »

by Jean Ryan

Nancy LaBaff from Canton, Colleen Kaulfuss from Cadyville, Diana Lavery from Plattsburgh, Lori Clark from Peru and I hiked two Adirondack high peaks, Whiteface and Esther Mountains, from the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, in Wilmington, on Saturday, March 21. Though most evidence of winter is gone in the Peru area, the trail at the higher elevations was either icy in sections or covered with a hardened crusty snow. These trail conditions required us to wear crampons throughout most of the hike. This hike was 12.4 miles round trip and took about seven hours. See photos

Tyler Haudberg

By John T. Ryan

On April 22, 2009 Tyler Haudberg will be celebrating his third birthday. Unfortunately, he won’t be celebrating it at his parent’s home on the Union Road here in Peru. Instead, he’ll probably still be in the Boston Children’s Hospital where he’s being evaluated for a double lung and heart transplant. Tyler is the son of Scott and Darci Haudberg and brother of five year old Dillan Haudberg. Tyler experienced respiratory distress five weeks after his birth and since then he’s been hospitalized approximately twenty times. The expenses have been tremendous and now several friends of the family are joining together and asking Peru and the North Country community to come together to assist the Haudberg family. 

On Sunday, April 19^th, 2009, a spaghetti dinner benefit will be held at the Peru VFW Post #309 from 12:00 – 7:00 pm. The Peru K of C has volunteered its services to cook and serve the dinner. The dinners will be $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 12 and under and will include spaghetti, tossed salad and a roll. There will be raffles, an auction and live music provided by local bands. Please help Tyler and his family by attending the dinner and donating out of the goodness of your hearts. If you cannot attend and wish to donate, please contact Lisa Gonyo at 563-3587 x2 or 643-6787, Heidi Barcomb at 569-3831 or 562-1538, Ruthie Guilbo at 637-6648 or Lisa Willingham at 569-5998 or 643-0230.

Summary Report of the Peru Board of Education’s March Meeting

By John T. Ryan

It’s official – on March 19th  the Peru Gazette reached 10,000 site visits.  We went online on September 17, 2008 and recently we’ve been averaging 65 to 70 daily site visits. People from twenty-nine countries and forty-seven states have viewed our pages.  While local people are our most regular readers, people from Vermont, Virginia, California, Oregon, Florida, Arizona and Canada often view the site.  Many thanks to all our loyal supporters. Please spread the word and if you know of anyone willing to contribute stories, story ideas, or photos please email us at editor@perugazette.com.

By Jean Ryan 

A climb of Gothics and Armstrong Mountains, two of the Adirondack High Peaks, was on my list of mountains to summit during the winter season. On Monday morning, March 16th, I met up with three other hikers at the hikers’ parking lot at the AuSable Club outside of Keene Valley. One of the three hikers, Lyle Montgomery from Ogdensburg, was heading for her final peak in becoming a winter 46er. This hike entailed a 14-mile loop hiking into Lower AuSable Lake, going over Pyramid Mountain, continuing on to Gothics Mountain, then hiking to Armstrong Mountain and finally proceeding down the Beaver Meadow Trail. The views ascending Pyramid Mountain are described as some of the most spectacular in the Adirondack Mountains. See photos

By John T. Ryan

Peru residents Dr. Tracy Orkin and her daughter Alice Robinson were two of the eight Peru residents who made the recent Mission of Hope trip to Nicaragua. This was the second mission trip for Alice, a senior at Peru Central, while this was her mother’s first trip. As Alice said, “It was a reversal in roles; I was telling my mom what to expect.”  Alice explained that last year had been such an amazing experience and she had made so many friends that she wanted to return this year. Alice said the Mission of Hope experience has even helped her choose a college major.  She hopes to major in either Spanish or nursing.

Alice’s mom Dr. Tracy Orkin is a family practice physician in Plattsburgh. Tracy explained, “This was my first trip. The Mission of Hope had identified a long-term need for pap smears.” Read more »

Samantha Mulcahy holds a newborn child

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Gazette previously reported on the Mulcahy’s and Daly’s preparation for their Mission of Hope trip to Nicaragua.  Brian Mulcahy, his daughter Samantha, Matt Daly his daughter Rachel and son Patrick were in Nicaragua February 15^th through February 24^{th. Read more »}

By John T. Ryan

In August, 2008 Lori Clark and a group of friends climbed Africa’s Kilimanjaro.  Now Lori has completed another goal.  Already, an “Adirondack 46er” she became a  “Winter 46er” when she reached the summit of Basin Mountain. She has climbed all the Adirondack High Peaks during the winter months.  While Lori says she thrilled to have completed her arduous treks, she’s disappointed that scheduling conflicts and seasonal type sicknesses prevented her regular climbing partners Joanne Kennedy, Jean Ryan and Colleen Kaulfuss from making the final climb with her.  Lori is looking forward to being at their sides when they complete their “Winter 46.”  Please watch the very beautiful photos in the slideshow format that Lori and her climbing partner Nancy took on their very beautiful Adirondack climb. 

Click for agenda of Board’s March 18th Meeting

By Jean Ryan

The hike to Redfield and Cliff (See photos) was a “makeup” climb for me as I had been sidelined by a stomach bug when Colleen Kaulfuss, Lori Clark and Joanne Kennedy climbed these two peaks in January. On Saturday, March 7, 2009 Colleen, Lori and I met Lyle Montgomery who had driven from Ogdensburg that morning to hike the two mountains with us. We met at Adirondack Loj Read more »

Alpha Pi Tau, a registered chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society at Clinton Community College in Plattsburgh, NY, is starting a service project to collect items and monetary donations on behalf of the Elmore SPCA located in Peru. Read more »

By John T. Ryan Posted March 11, 2009 at 12:21 p.m. and updated 1:09 p.m. 

A correction was made on March 12, 2009 at 6:55 a.m. Mr. Healy’s is concerned with brush being piled adjacent to his property and being a fire hazard, rather than limbs overhanging his building. 

The Peru Town Board conducted its March 9, 2009 meeting immediately following the Open Burning Law Public Hearing. During the public comment portion of the meeting resident Rick Healy addressed the Board. Healy said he owns property at the corner of Pleasant and School Street. He said that the owners of an adjacent School Street property hired a tree removal service service a few years ago and that the service had left brush piled adjacent to his barn. Healy is concerned that the brush is a fire hazard.  Read more »

By John T. Ryan

Four residents voiced asked questions or voiced opinions at the March 9, 2009 Public Hearing on the proposed Open Burning Law for the Town of Peru. John Ryan said he believed an article about the law’s provisions should have appeared in the Press Republican in addition to the required printing on the legal page. He asked how many residents were truly interested in the passage of such a law Read more »

Click here for agenda

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Community Church’s Coffee House Concert Series continues this Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. when the Castaways perform at the Fellowship Center. The two person band will be performing everything from rock and roll to country and folk. Tickets are $8.00 each and $5.00 for students and seniors.

By Carol Solari-Rusco

The Elmore SPCA Board of Directors is compiling a history of the Elmore SPCA. In 1964, the Clinton County Humane Society, Inc which dates back to the mid-1940’s, legally changed its name to the Elmore SPCA, Inc in honor of benefactor Elmore G. Elmore. Over the years, records have disappeared leaving us with very little information to put together an accurate accounting of the history of our local SPCA. If anyone has any information, whether stories recalled, or written documents which relate to the historical events associated with the Elmore SPCA please contact Carol Solari-Rusco, Secretary Elmore SPCA Board of Directors at carol@elmorespca.org or by calling 643-8048 (H)or 534-3484 (C).

Two youths sponsored by St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 were among the ten winners of the 36th annual Northern Conference Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest held at Massena Central High School on Saturday, March 7, 2009. Emily O’Connor won the twelve year old girls competition and Zane Bazzano won the twelve year old boys competition. The contest brought together the top free throw shooters from throughout the six county Northern Conference area of the Knights of Columbus, all of whom had won Council and District contests. Forty-six boys and girls competed.

Emily and Zane won the right to advance to the Upstate Regional contest at Bishop Ludden High School in Syracuse on March 21st, at which time they will compete against the winners from the Western, Finger Lakes, and Central New York areas. The winners of the Upstate Contest will move on to the New York State Final Tournament at West Point Military Academy in April.

Don McBrayer sent in this report. He lives at the corner of Route 22 and the Bear Swamp Road.

On March 6th around 7PM a transformer blew in front of the Grand Union
knocking power out for everyone on Rt. 22 and Bear Swamp Road. Read more »

The Peru Water Department has requested that the Peru Gazette publish this notice:

VIOLATION NOTICE
The Town of Peru has to sample quarterly for total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids to comply with the disinfection by-products rule for E.P.A. and New York State. Test results for the 4th quarter of 2008 exceeded the allowable maximum contaminant levels. Read more »

By John T. Ryan

Members of Peru VFW Post 309 responded when their country called and the local community responded last Sunday, March 1st, when the Post asked for help. Community members turned out in large numbers at a fund-raiser for the financially strapped organization. Committee Chairman Reginald Besaw reports that $7,800 Read more »