The Peru Gazette

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$500 scholarship awarded to a high school senior or current college student majoring in music

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The first Republican presidential primaries are nearly a year away and the candidate field is unsettled

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According to the NHTSA recall notice, 2013-2018 Ford Fusion models and 2013-2018 Lincoln MKZ models may have front brake hoses that could rupture and leak brake fluid.

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Communities come together to express their pride and excitement

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AMC deemed tops in managing risk, providing quality care with better outcomes, patient satisfaction, and at lower cost

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L-R Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Garry Douglas, Assemblyman Billy Jones, Barrie Finnegan, MC Matt Boire, State Senator Dan Stec

Plattsburgh – (3/17/2023) | The North Country Chamber of Commerce has hosted the St. Patrick’s Day breakfast for over 60 years. We were thrilled to host our breakfast to a sold-out crowd this morning at the West Side Ballroom, with more than 380 attendees. The event played off a “Tonight Show” format. With Matt Boire, CDC Real Estate, at the helm and channeling his best talk show host character, he commanded the room for more than an hour of merriment and malarky. 

This special event honors the Irish person of the Year, a tradition based on dedication to volunteerism, whether in business, community, civic activities, or a combination of any of these. This Year we honored Barrie Finnegan, Director of the North Country Honor Flight.

Barrie Finnegan has been an incredible nonprofit leader in our community for ten years. He is the Executive Director of the North Country Honor Flight. This organization honors those men and women who left their homes and families to fight a foreign enemy on foreign soil and gave so much in service to us all. The priority for the North Country Honor Flight is to give World War II, Korean War, terminally ill, and Vietnam Veterans the opportunity to fly to Washington, D.C., to visit their National Memorials at no charge to them.

Barrie’s name is synonymous with the North Country Honor Flight. He has spent countless volunteer hours reviewing applications, booking flights, fundraising, and coordinating a proper take-off ceremony for each honor flight. Tasks have not gone unnoticed by those of the North Country.

Janet Duprey, a longtime supporter and volunteer with the Honor Flight and last Year’s Irish person of the Year, states, “Working side by side with Barrie is a total pleasure. We always discuss issues to ensure we make the best decisions for our Veterans. Barrie puts in more hours, travels more to collect fundraising money, and meets with organizations or veterans on request than anyone I know. It’s a privilege to call him a great friend, and North Country Honor Flight is fortunate to have Executive Director Barrie Finnegan. And we are delighted to both be Irish!!”

Beyond his Honor Flight Service, Finnegan is a lifelong North Country Resident who grew up in Keeseville and graduated from Suny Cortland. His day job as a New York Life Insurance agent keeps him busy too. He is married to his wife, Lisa. He has three children, Christopher, Ben, and Elizabeth, and one granddaughter, Mae, who he adores.

“The Honorary Irishman of the Year Award has become one of the most singular honors in the North Country each year,” says Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “The list of past honorees is a litany of people who have left a lasting impact on our area, from leading officials to extraordinary volunteers. Barrie Finnegan is a perfect addition to this list, providing inspiring leadership with the North Country Honor Flights, demonstrating real appreciation for our region’s veterans, and, in a very real way, continuing this area’s long and special relationship with our armed services. Congratulations and profound thanks to this eminent and deserving citizen. Onward and upward!” 

To learn more about his work and the work of countless volunteers, you can visit northcountryhonorflight.org or follow them on Facebook @NYnorthcountryhonorflight.

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Through their investigation, they learned the threat made on social media was not credible.

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Feast Day—March 17

The patron saint of Ireland, Patrick was born in Roman Britain. He describes his life and ministry, including his work to convert the Irish people, in his short autobiography and testimony, Confessions. Kidnapped at age 16 by Irish raiders and sold into slavery in Ireland, his time spent in captivity transformed him spiritually. He was a lonely shepherd for six years before escaping and returning home.

After returning home, his dream of converting the Irish from pagan belief propelled him to priestly studies in Gaul (now France). In about 432, Pope Celestine I consecrated him as a bishop and sent him to Ireland. For nearly 30 years, he preached tirelessly, made countless converts, founded monasteries, and established the primatial see at Armagh in modern-day Northern Ireland. Toward the end of his life, he made a 40-day retreat on Croagh Patrick mountain in present-day County Mayo. That gave rise to the pilgrimages that are made on the mountain to this day. Stories that Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity and drove snakes from the island are unconfirmed legend.

Internationally recognized technology will now help Washington Metro achieve green goals

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The Town of Peru Town Board has scheduled a Special Meeting Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 5:15 PM at the Peru Town Hall.  The purpose of the meeting will be Executive Session to interview candidates for the Recreation Director position.

New Features Include Same-Day Reservations, Among Others

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced changes to reservations at DEC campgrounds for the upcoming season, including new same-day reservations to help add flexibility and ease to last-minute bookings.

“DEC is excited to make some changes and updates to this year’s reservation window for DEC campgrounds,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “While many campers book weeks or months in advance, there continues to be a high demand for last-minute bookings. Adding same-day reservations will allow our customers to check availability and book a reservation on their way to a campground. An additional 17 hours to book a camping stay will ensure sites are available before arriving and prevent anyone from arriving to a full campground.”

The change will afford last-minute campers the security of a reserved campsite at any of DEC’s 52 campgrounds and aligns the Forest Preserve-based campgrounds with the reservation window currently employed by the facilities operated by the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. All New York State campgrounds will now accept reservations as late as the same day.

Reservations will be required, and patrons can now book a camping reservation as late as 5 p.m. on the desired day of arrival. The public can also book a one-night stay for the 2023 season at any DEC campground beginning April 7, 2023. This will mean that gaps between reservations will be able to be filled earlier than in the past.

For more information on DEC-operated campgrounds, including a list of campgrounds and schedules, visit DEC’s website or call DEC’s Bureau of Recreation at 518-457-2500. To make reservations at any of DEC’s camping facilities, call ReserveAmerica at 1-800-456-CAMP (2267) or visit the ReserveAmerica website (leaves DEC website).

STEC: SENATE BUDGET CONTAINS MANY IMPROVEMENTS BUT CONTINUES TOO MANY OF STATE’S BAD HABITS

From the office of State Senator Dan Stec 

            Senator Dan Stec (R, C-Queensbury) today issued the following statement concerning the one-house budget resolution passed by Senate Democrats:

            “I was pleased to see several items I advocated for included in the Senate’s one-house budget resolution. This includes relief for local governments with the restoration of $625 million in eFMAP funding for local governments. Our region’s environment received needed attention with $10 million to manage and reduce visitor impacts on the public Forest Preserve in the Adirondacks and Catskills, $4 million for the Survey for Climate Change and Adirondack Lake Ecosystems and $500,000 to continue to preserve Camp Santanoni. Our schools receive support through increased school aid and a $21.4 million allocation for Teacher Centers. And they finally acted on corrections to the state’s ill-conceived concealed carry laws that I proposed, which will protect the Second Amendment in the Adirondack Park.

“But there was even more in this budget that I was discouraged by. First, Senate Democrats propose providing $1.7 billion in health care funding for illegal immigrants. At a time when legal, law-abiding residents are struggling with their own health care costs and everyday cost of living, this is an absolute insult and this money should be used to help those individuals and families first.

“This plan also falls short on the Medicaid reimbursement rate for nursing homes. It’s an improvement upon the governor’s proposal, but it is still far below what is needed for our facilities to survive and continue to provide quality care for our seniors.

“Public safety would be further eroded. The continued problems caused by the unsafe HALT Act and the state’s bail reform laws continue to be ignored. This budget also includes Clean Slate, which would seal the records of convicted felons who return to their communities.

“If that wasn’t enough, the Senate budget comes in at $236 billion and increases spending at an alarming rate, far beyond the already excessive budget proposed by Governor Hochul earlier this year. At this rate, the state would be spending 1.5 times that of California, per capita.  For these reasons, I voted no on the Senate budget, and over the next few weeks I’ll continue to advocate for common sense policies and solutions for our final budget.”

Spending Plan Fully Funds Foundation Aid Includes $280 Million to Make School Lunches Free for all Students

From the office of NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie 

Speaker Carl Heastie and Education Committee Chair Michael Benedetto today announced the Assembly’s State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023-24 Budget would provide $34.3 billion in funding to General Support for Public Schools (GSPS), an increase of $3 billion or 9.7 percent, over the 2022-23 school year (SY).

“The Assembly Majority has always been a tireless advocate for our public schools and our students,” said Speaker Heastie. “Our budget reflects our continued commitment to ensuring that every student has access to a high-quality public education, regardless of where they live.”

“As an educator for more than three decades, I understand that an investment in the education of our students is an investment in the future of our state,” said Assemblymember Benedetto. “This budget prioritizes the needs of our public schools and our students to ensure that they are on the road to success.”

“Libraries are an essential resource in the communities they serve across the state,” said Libraries and Education Technology Chair Carrie Woerner. “The Assembly remains committed to ensuring that they are funded appropriately so that they can continue to provide the services and programs New Yorkers have come to rely on.”

The Assembly’s proposed spending plan includes $2.6 billion to fully fund Foundation Aid for the first time since the formula was created in 2007. In addition, the Assembly’s plan provides the State Education Department (SED) with $1 million for a Foundation Aid and prekindergarten funding formula study so that SED can recommend updates and changes to both formulas.

The budget also includes an additional $75 million for the Statewide Universal Full Day Prekindergarten grant program for a total of $200 million in new funding for prekindergarten programs in SFY 2023-24.

The proposal also includes $280 million in funding to make school meals free for all students in the state, as well as $2 million to expand the Specialized High School Test Preparation program to sixth grade in New York City.

Community schools provide support to both children and parents with services such as before and after school, summer learning programs, mental health programs and dental programs. The Assembly’s spending plan would increase funding for Community Schools Regional Technical Assistance centers by $800,000 for a total of $2 million to help support existing community schools and to help new schools become community schools.

The Assembly’s budget would also eliminate the governor’s proposals to remove the regional charter cap in New York City and to reissue the authorization of “zombie” charters.

The plan also includes a $2 million restoration and a $10 million increase of funding for Private Schools for the Blind and Deaf (4201 schools), for a total of $117.9 million.

Also included in the plan is an increase of $6.5 million in funding for Adult Literacy Education for a total of $14.3 million, which is an increase of $5 million over SFY 2022-23.

Seven years ago, New York became the first state in the nation to fund the My Brother’s Keeper initiative. The initiative focuses on family and community engagement, professional development, the expansion and development of exemplary school practices and models, and addresses issues related to restorative justice and racial disparities in education. The SFY 2023-24 Assembly Budget includes $18 million in ongoing funding for the My Brother’s Keeper Programs for a total of $144 million in funding since the program’s creation.

The Assembly’s proposed spending plan also makes critical investments in New York’s libraries. The budget would increase funding for libraries to the statutory level of $104.6 million, which is an increase of $5 million over SFY 2022-23. An additional $40 million is also included for library capital for a total of $54 million.

The Assembly also proposes to provide $1 million in funding to revive the Summer School for the Arts program and to increase funding from the Love Your Library account from $150,000 to $175,000 to ensure that every library system receives a minimum of at least $6,000 for summer reading programs.

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