Governor Kathy Hochul today directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney who passed away on November 3, 2025. Flags will be flown at half-staff immediately through interment.

“I am directing flags across New York State to be lowered in honor of Dick Cheney, our former Vice President and lifelong public servant,” Governor Hochul said. “I extend my deepest sympathies to the Cheney family as we remember his life, leadership, and patriotism.”

Readers often ask questions about Absentee Ballot Procedures. Ballots must be postmarked no later than November 4, 2025 and received by the Board of Elections no later than November 12, 2025.

700 Clinton County residents requested absentee ballots. The Board of Elections has no idea how many will be returned.

The NYS Board of Elections website states the following.

How to Cast an Absentee Ballot

Once your receive the ballot, mark the ballot according to your choices for each office following the instructions on the ballot
Once you have completed marking your ballot fold it up and place it in the Security Envelope. (This envelope will have a place for your signature.) Sign and date the outside of the Security Envelope. Seal the Security Envelope.
All absentee ballots include a pre-paid Return Envelope. Place the Security Envelope in the Return Envelope. (This envelope will have the return address of your county Board of Elections on the outside and should have a logo that reads, “Official Election Mail”.)The Return Envelope does not require any additional postage. Seal the Return Envelope.

Absentee Ballot Tracking

Voters can track their absentee ballot via the Board of Elections’ Poll Site Search, Voter Registration, and Mail Ballot Tracker available at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

You may return the ballot in any of the following ways:

For the November 4, 2025 General Election:

Put it in the mail ensuring it receives a postmark no later than November 4th. Must be received by the County Board of Elections no later than November 12th.
Bringing it to your County Board of Elections Office no later than November 4th by 9pm.
Bringing it to an early voting poll site in your county between October 25th and November 2nd.
Bringing it to a poll site in your county on November 4th by 9pm.
Mail-time Considerations
When mailing your completed ballot, the USPS recommends that voters allow enough time for ballots to be returned to the Board, which is generally seven days ahead of the general election.

Voters who mail in their ballots on Election Day must be aware of the posted collection times on collection boxes and at the Postal Service’s retail facilities, and that ballots entered after the last posted collection time will not be postmarked until the following business day.

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Town of Martinsburg
Lewis County
Wilderness Search: On Oct. 29 at 8:32 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a lost hunter near Graves Road on Lesser Wilderness State Forest. The 67-year-old from Ancram became lost in the darkness while tracking a deer they shot. Forest Ranger Maxwell worked with New York State Police and the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department on the search. Using cell phone coordinates, rescuers located the hunter at 9:30 p.m. in good health. The hunter had a flashlight that died and a cell phone that was nearly out of charge.

Rangers suggest hikers and hunters bring light sources such as headlamps with extra batteries and not rely on phones for navigation and light. In the wilderness, cell phone batteries lose charge more quickly.

Town of Ticonderoga
Essex County
Wilderness Search: On Nov. 1 at 12:30 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from the family of a hunter missing since the previous day. The 34-year-old from Ticonderoga spoke with a hunting partner through the night but failed to make it out of the woods. Forest Rangers Kabrehl and Quinn searched the area and found items belonging to the hunter. At 4 p.m., the hunter made it to a home on Canfield Road. The hunter refused medical attention from Rangers but accepted a ride from a friend to the hospital due to cramping from dehydration and exhaustion. Resources were clear at 5 p.m.

Town of Brownville
Jefferson County
Rescue: On Nov. 1 at 9:50 p.m., Forest Ranger Cooley assisted the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Chaumont Fire Department, and Watertown Fire Department with the rescue of two anglers on their boat stuck approximately 100 yards from shore in Black River Bay. The pair accidentally operated their boat in shallow waters, causing it to run aground. Rescuers used an inflatable raft to safely retrieve the two fishermen.

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

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Vote adds to local pushback against Adirondack Land Trust’s effort to change the name of Westport landmark

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November 4, 2025 – These totals are unofficial and DO NOT include 270 Early Voting Ballots, Affidavit Ballots, and Absentee Ballots.  

Peru voters cast 1,704 in-person ballots today.

Town Supervisor 

Republican Craig Randall – 752

Write ins – 2

Superintendent of Highways

Democrat Chip Blair – 482

Republican Michael Farrell – 562

Write ins – 2 

Town Board

Democrat Nick Weaver – 506

Republican Melvin Irwin – 661

Republican Dwane Bast – 500 

Town Clerk/Tax Collector 

Democrat Dianne Miller – 503

Republican Christine Crawford – 553

Write-ins – 1

Town Justice 

Democrat Sarah Mitchell – 725 

Write-ins – to be clarified. Initially reported at 63.

Click here for the NCPR story 

Peru, NY, November 4, 2025 – As of 12:11 p.m. voters had cast 711 ballots at St. Augustine’s Parish Center. The Clinton County Board of Elections reports that 270 Peru voters participated in Early Voting.

The Peru Gazette plans to post in-person voting results as soon as possible after the polls close at 9 p.m.  The Clinton County Board of Elections usually posts its results on its website by 10:30 p.m.

Peru’s in-person voting takes place from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972. 
Voters cast ballots for several NYS Supreme Count, NYS Assembly. Clinton County, Town of Peru Elective Offices and for a NYS Constitutional Amendment on the reverse side of the ballot. 

Here are Peru’s sample ballots posted by the Clinton County Board of Elections. 

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Cyclists on the newly completed section find serene scenery with wetlands teeming with bog-loving plants

Click here for the Adirondack Explorer story 

Peru – CVPH Donor Center Blood Drive, Monday, November 17, 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. in Peru.

CVPH uses all blood collected in our local trl-county region.  Your neighbors appreciate and need your support.

St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 coordinates the blood drive.  

Chicken’n Biscuits 

Salad 

Fruit 

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 four massive chip factories Micron plans to start building this year in the town of Clay, NY could cost $100 billion and one day produce billions of chips.

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Locals share their fears, strategies of survival without SNAP

This story may not be visible to people who do not subscribe to the Press-Republican. It connects the political budget impasse to our neighbors.

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Click here for the VTDigger story 

Click here for the NCPR story 

Click here for the NCPR story 

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $135 million was made available to help communities across the State affordably undertake critical water and sewer infrastructure improvement projects. The Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors approved low-cost financing and State and federal grants that empower local governments to advance crucial upgrades — such as replacing lead service lines and removing emerging contaminants from drinking water — without passing high costs on to ratepayers. These investments protect public health and the environment, reduce future risks, and support good-paying jobs

“From the water we drink to the places we swim, New Yorkers rely on strong and reliable water systems,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments keep our water clean, our communities safe, and our costs low while building more sustainable and resilient infrastructure for the future.”

The funding approved today includes a $19 million federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) grant for the Town of Southampton’s new wastewater collection system and treatment plant in Riverside. The grant reinforces the State’s commitment to safeguarding Long Island’s sole source aquifer system, the Peconic Estuary, and other water bodies.

The funding also includes a State grant under Governor Hochul’s $100 million Lead Infrastructure Forgiveness and Transformation (LIFT) program. EFC’s Board approved $2 million in LIFT and IIJA funding to replace lead service lines in the Southern Tier’s Village of Bath. It’s part of a broader $469 million Statewide effort to get the lead out. Bath is one of 13 communities receiving these loan forgiveness grants to help cover costs not fully paid for by federal grants, minimizing the financial burden of these vital projects on local ratepayers. Read more »