The Peru Gazette

Source: Garth Brooks coming to Buffalo for Highmark Stadium concert – syracuse.com

Former Press Republican reporter joins North Country Public Radio Source: Meet NCPR’s newest news voice: Cara Chapman, our Plattsburgh reporter | NCPR News

Click here to see minutes on the town’s website. http://www.perutown.com/min22/2022-04-11-RM.pdf

“Breakthrough infections have become more common in recent months, putting vulnerable populations at increased risk of severe disease or death as more and more transmissible variants continue to spread. This seems to be especially true for seniors in the United States, who were among the first to get their initial vaccine series.:

Source: Growing share of COVID-19 deaths are among vaccinated people

Source: Ever gotten lost on an Adirondack canoe trail? This new paddling app can help, just in time for summer. | NCPR News

Source: Massena Central High School students observe impact of driving while intoxicated | Education | nny360.com

APRIL DEPT. REPORTS – PARTIAL (Dog Control not included) 

Source: Wilmington wildlife – Adirondack Explorer

Source: N.Y. announces $35M investment to support abortion providers   | Sun Community News ALBANY | Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced a nation-leading $35 million investment to directly support abortion providers in anticipation of the Supreme Court overturning Roe

Source: Cadyville Field Day returns with even more in store | Sun Community News CADYVILLE | The locally cherished Cadyville Field Day is set to return in 2022 and for the first time will be a two-day affair.

Albany, NY – The Grow NY Farms Coalition today announced that the Business Council of New York State (BCNYS), the National Federation of Independent Businesses of New York (NFIB), and Upstate United have sent letters to Governor Hochul urging her to maintain the overtime threshold at 60 hours on family farms across New York State. 

Letter from the Business Council of New York State, Inc. 

Letter from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) New York

Letter from Upstate United 

Just a few short weeks ago, Congressman Antonio Delgado, now Lieutenant Governor-designate of New York, also sent a letter to Governor Hochul to express his disapproval regarding the New York State Farm Laborers Wage Board’s recommendation to lower the farmworker overtime threshold. Delgado said, “Lowering the threshold over the next ten years from 60 hours per week to 40 hours per week is not mindful of the dynamics of farming.”

Maureen Torrey, Grow NY Farms Coalition Member and Owner of Torrey Farms in Genesee County, said, “Family farms are facing some of the highest diesel, fertilizer, and feed costs in recent memory, and it is clear that any reduction to the current overtime threshold will be catastrophic for farms. Agriculture is an industry unlike any other and farms simply cannot pass these increased costs on to consumers. Maintaining the already negotiated 60-hour overtime threshold is critical to ensuring New York’s farms can retain skilled farmworkers while meeting the demands of local food pantries, school districts, and grocery stores. New York families, the next generation of farmers, and the state’s business community which depends on the success of our diverse agriculture industry, are counting on our elected leaders to make an informed decision. New York State must keep the overtime threshold at 60 hours.”

Heather Briccetti Esq., President & CEO, The Business Council of New York State, said, “The Business Council, while supporting the state’s farming industry, has concerns about lowering the overtime threshold as it would have a negative impact on farms, their workers, production, and ultimately consumers. Our family farms are some of the most rigorously regulated and inspected employers in New York State through the strong workforce protections in place at both the state and federal levels. Given the unique work schedule of farms, we urge the Hochul administration to take a long and hard look at the Wage Board’s recommendation and the consequences that will be felt by New York families, farms, and the economy if the threshold is lowered.”

Ashley Ranslow, NY State Director, NFIB said, “Family farms are critical to New York’s economy by supporting other local businesses, creating jobs, and generating more than $5.7 billion in gross income. Our family-run farms are still contending with increased labor costs, record inflation, high gas prices, enormous UI taxes, and an unpredictable market. Now is not the time to put even more pressure on a strained industry. We are strongly recommending that Gov. Hochul keep the overtime threshold at 60 hours.”

Justin Wilcox, Executive Director of Upstate United said, “Lowering the farm labor overtime threshold to 40 hours is not progressive – it’s problematic. Imposing this mandate would hurt family farms, farm workers and consumers across New York at the worst possible time. It would also be unconscionable for a governor who hails from Upstate New York to crush the family farms that are so essential to Upstate communities. We strongly urge Governor Hochul to stand together with farmers and farm workers and keep the overtime threshold at 60 hours.”

Research conducted by academics and industry experts was presented to the Farm Laborers Wage Board, and links to those presentations, which include data and science-based research, are included below:

Cornell Research Report: Click here to watch a video presentation by Cornell University E. V. Baker Professor of Agricultural Economics Chris Wolf.

Cornell Testimony: Click here to watch a video presentation by Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development Director Dr. Richard Stup.

Farm Credit East Report: Click here to watch a video presentation by Farm Credit East.

To date, more than 150 organizations representing New York’s agriculture industry, including the New York Apple Association, New York Association of Agricultural Educators, New York Farm Bureau, New York State Vegetable Growers Association, Northeast Agribusiness and Feed Alliance, Northeast Dairy Producers Association, and other family farms and ag-related businesses, have joined the Grow NY Farms Coalition. Visit GrowNYFarms.com to learn why family farms and farmworkers are asking Governor Kathy Hochul to maintain the current overtime threshold at 60 hours.   

Photo – Last November our local farmers called a press conference to warn about the economic challenges that the proposed OT changes would bring. 

Source: Armed with new regulatory power, Burlington City Council commissions plan to reduce carbon output – VTDigger

Source: Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum reopens for another season | Sun Community News PERU | “Our family always been collectors. My mother was a great collector,” Leeward Babbie, the founder of the Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum stated.

Source: Lunar eclipse to turn May full moon into a blood moon: When to see it – syracuse.com

Source: GOP Rep. Tom Reed of Upstate New York resigns after misconduct claims – syracuse.com

Source: Deadly new avian flu strain kills 9 bald eagles in Upstate NY: ‘It literally just fell out of the tree’ – syracuse.com

BATON ROUGE, LA (05/10/2022)– Alex Rine of Peru, New York, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Rine was initiated at State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

Rine is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Source: FirstNet cell towers being built in Essex, Clinton counties | Sun Community News ELIZABETHTOWN | Many towers connect FirstNet network, a public-private project through AT&T.

Source: How Russia’s war in Ukraine is changing the world : NPR

Source: Fire danger ‘high’ across the North Country | NCPR News

Source: Why COVID-19 vaccine boosters may be more important than ever

Clinton County is proud to announce that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved the application submitted to continue Essential Air Service at the Plattsburgh International Airport through the Alternate Essential Air Service program (AES). DOT will provide almost $10 million for AES over a 27 month term from July 1, 2022 through September 30, 2024.

“Clinton County has remained steadfast in its efforts to provide reliable air service to North Country residents and neighbors,” said Mark Henry, Chairman of the Clinton County Legislature (R-Area 3, Chazy.)  “It is clear that we have a top notch airport and this announcement is welcomed news. We thank our federal partners, Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, for their continued advocacy and support.”

“While SkyWest’s announced departure brought initial concern, we remained confident that this would open new opportunity for another airline relationship,” said County Legislator Bobby Hall (D-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh.) “It is clear that the service to Washington, D.C. was meeting a clear need for our region, and this flight to Philadelphia will continue to help local travelers reach destinations all across the country; this is truly great news!”

“The goal of our application was always to ensure uninterrupted services and a smooth transition from SkyWest to Contour,” said Airport Director Chris Kreig. “Since 2018, the SkyWest flight serviced almost 90,000 passengers and I am confident that with this renewed application for EAS with Contour, the Plattsburgh International Airport will continue to provide quality and reliable air service to our region and beyond. I am grateful to the DOT for their continued support of our airport.”

“This is welcome news, guaranteeing continued non-stop jet service to a major eastern hub,” says Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. “We thank our new partners at Contour for their commitment and look forward to working with them, including facilitating connections with the regional business and tourism community and spreading the word in Quebec. We also thank all who actively supported federal approval including Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, and our state legislators. Onward and upward to Philly and beyond!”

The grant funding secured from the DOT will be used to secure nonstop, roundtrip flights from Plattsburgh International Airport to the Philadelphia International Airport through public charter service provided by Contour Airlines. Thanks to an interline ticketing and check-in agreement between Contour and American Airlines, travelers will be able to ticket seamlessly from PBG, through Philadelphia and connect to a variety of destinations through American Airlines.

Source: Adirondacks-based reporter on covering war in Ukraine