The Peru Gazette

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Defendant Admits to Stealing in Excess of $51,000 of her Deceased Mother’s Pension

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Thursday, April 14, 2022, Valerie White, 58, of Middletown, pled guilty in Orange County Court to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree. Under the plea agreement announced on the record at the time of the guilty plea, White was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $51,532.64, which is the total funds that White illegally stole from the state pension system.

White’s mother was a pensioner, vested in the New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS). At the time that White’s mother retired in 2000, she elected to receive her pension benefits in full until her death. When White’s mother died in 2017, the death was not reported to NYSLRS and pension benefits continued to be made to an account that White jointly held with her mother. As a result, from 2017 until NYSLRS learned of the pensioner’s death in 2019, over $54,000 were unjustly deposited into the account. While NYSLRS was able to claw back approximately $2,500 of the amount stolen, the remaining was spent by White on personal expenses. At the time of her plea, White admitted to stealing the money and that she knew she did not have permission or authority to take the funds.

“Ms. White thought she could get away with defrauding the New York State and Local Retirement System of over $50,000, but she was wrong,” said New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Today’s guilty plea should be a warning sign to anyone attempting to steal state pension benefits that my office will find you and work with law enforcement to hold you accountable. I thank Orange County District Attorney Hoovler for his continued partnership and steadfast commitment to holding those who try to defraud the public accountable.”

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the New York State Comptroller’s Office and the New York State Police for their joint investigation of White that led to her arrest.

“The State pension system is the backbone of the hard-working public servants throughout the State,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “That this defendant would seek to manipulate the system for her own benefit is reprehensible. I am thankful for the dedicated investigation conducted by the Comptroller’s Office together with the New York State Police that ensured this defendant would be held accountable for her actions.”

The case is prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tanja Beemer.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by filing a complaint online at investigations@osc.ny.gov, or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.

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Fund Lauded for Performance During COVID-19 Pandemic

From the office of NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapooli

An independent fiduciary and conflict of interest review of the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund), released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, commended the Comptroller and Fund staff for holding “themselves to the highest ethical, professional and conflict of interest standards” and for being “well-prepared for the challenges that the [COVID-19] pandemic posed.” The review was conducted by Kroll LLC.

“The New York State Common Retirement Fund has proven once again to be a leader in transparency, ethics and performance,” DiNapoli said. “I’m proud of the outstanding work my staff has performed, especially under the difficult circumstances imposed by the pandemic. Amid very turbulent times for the markets, we will look to act on Kroll’s recommendations and ensure the Fund is well positioned for the years ahead to protect the pension benefits of our over 1.1 million members.”

Kroll reviewed documents for all investment transactions requiring DiNapoli’s approval during the review period of April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2021. Kroll concluded the transactions were approved and closed according to the Fund’s policies and legal requirements.

The analysis concluded that: “From the Comptroller down through the organization, Common Retirement Fund staff were knowledgeable, professional, and dedicated to their roles and we did not discover any unethical behavior or misconduct. The Common Retirement Fund was able to sustain operational integrity and meet their fiduciary duties despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. The Common Retirement Fund, under the leadership of the Comptroller, continues to be a leader amongst its peers for management and operational transparency.”

Kroll noted the great strides the Fund made in implementing past recommendations, particularly in staffing, but recommended adding staff and resources for compliance and information technology. In addition, Kroll recommended that the Fund establish a committee or working group to prepare for high-impact, unlikely events and develop policies and procedures to mitigate risks they might pose.

The independent review is mandated every three years as part of the regulatory framework established by the Department of Financial Services in partnership with the State Comptroller’s office in 2008. This is the fourth review completed since then.

Report

The Fiduciary and Conflict of Interest Review of the New York State Common Retirement Fund

Prior Reviews

2019 Report

2016 Report

2013 Report

Background on New York State Common Retirement Fund

The New York State Common Retirement Fund is one of the largest public pension funds in the United States with assets of approximately $279.7 billion as of Dec. 31, 2021. The Fund holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of more than one million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries. It has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best funded plans in the nation.

Source: Westport Golf Course opens Saturday, Apr. 16 | Sun Community News WESTPORT | Westport links, Winton’s Tavern under new management.

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Innovative Project to Help Increase Salmon Survival After Stocking 

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the second year of a five-year experimental Atlantic Salmon pen rearing project on the Saranac River Estuary. In partnership with the Plattsburgh Boat Basin, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Lake Champlain chapter of Trout Unlimited, SUNY Plattsburgh, and Paul Smith’s College, the initiative will help improve post-stocking survival of this species.

“Atlantic salmon is a prized native fish and a critical component of the ecosystem of the Saranac River Estuary in Lake Champlain,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “With the ongoing support and commitment of our partners, DEC’s innovative pen rearing program is improving the salmon population and enhancing the potential for increased spawning, bolstering future opportunities for New York anglers.”

Atlantic salmon smolts are being held in six net pens at the Plattsburgh Boat Basin docks for three weeks starting in April in an effort to improve survival and familiarize the fish with the stocked water in order to increase the likelihood of its later return for spawning – a process called imprinting.

The project will compare two lots of approximately 26,000 salmon smolts to evaluate effectiveness of net pen rearing as a stocking method. One lot of Atlantic salmon will be stocked into net pens in the Saranac River Estuary, pre-smolt, and held for approximately three weeks prior to release as smolts. A second lot will be directly stocked into the Saranac River Estuary at the same time as the net pen smolts are released, serving as a control. A comparison of returns between the two stocking methods will determine if pen rearing results in greater survival and homing than conventional, direct stocking.

Sebago strain of landlocked Atlantic salmon smolts and fish food will be provided by the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Fish Hatchery. DEC will supply the net pens, transport the smolts and coordinate a volunteer program with the Lake Champlain chapter of Trout Unlimited, SUNY Plattsburgh, and Paul Smith’s College to feed the salmon and monitor the fish until released.

For more information about salmon in New York State, visit DEC’s Salmon and Atlantic salmon webpages.

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Crew Boss Training: On April 7 and 8, Forest Rangers conducted a Crew Boss-level course for the Clinton, Essex, and Franklin County Sheriff’s departments’ Special Response Team (SRT). Ten members completed the certified training for search techniques, personnel management, and land navigation. Once certified, these individuals are better prepared to partner with Rangers and help coordinate search and rescue missions.

“While this disease is mostly carried by wild waterfowl, research has shown that other wild bird populations can carry it too, especially if they share nesting and feeding grounds with wild waterfowl. These populations include perching birds and songbirds. For this reason, we are recommending that folks that feed wild birds should take down their bird feeders until the threat of the disease has passed,” a USDA press release said.

Source: As avian flu numbers swell, so, too, does advice | Sun Community News NEW YORK | Cornell Cooperative Ext. and USDA offer guidelines for backyard and commercial flock owners.

(Plattsburgh, NY, 2022) – Healing Grace: Center for Hope and Healing www.healinggraceph.org is conducting a shoe drive fundraiser on May 1^st. 2022 to June 29^th, 2022, to raise funds to continue our support of families of infant death and pregnancy loss. Healing Grace will earn funds based on the total weight of the pairs of gently worn, used and new shoes collected, as Funds2Orgs will issue a check for the collected shoes. Those dollars will benefit our programming and ongoing operational costs. Anyone can help by donating gently worn, used and new shoes at Healing Grace: Center for Hope and Healing at 62 Brinkerhoff St., Suite 104, Plattsburgh, NY 12901. Healing Grace will also be collecting at their table at the Women’s Expo at the West Side Ballroom on April 30, 2022, and at their table in Champlain Centre on May 7^th, 2022, and at various locations throughout Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties. If you would like one of our volunteers to pick up your donation please call 518-254-5505.

All donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network of micro-enterprise (small business) partners. Funds2Orgs works with micro-entrepreneurs in helping them create, maintain and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited. Proceeds from the sales of the shoes collected in shoe drive fundraisers are used to feed, clothe and house their families. One budding entrepreneur in Haiti even earned enough to send her son to law school.

“We are so ecstatic about our shoe drive. This drive not only supports our families of loss in the North Country, but we are supporting families globally to create micro-enterprises that will create financial stability for their families,” said Sarah Wojtaszek, founder, and executive director. “We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets, and we ask you to donate them to our organization. By doing so, we raise money for Healing Grace, and we have the chance to help families in developing nations who need economic opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

By donating gently worn, used and new shoes to the Healing Grace Drive for Shoes, the shoes will be given a second chance and make a difference in people’s lives around the world.

About Healing Grace: Center for Hope and Healing

At Healing Grace Perinatal Hospice, Inc. a 501(c)3 our mission is to provide support, guidance, love, and community to families that have suffered the death of an infant at any stage of pregnancy and within the first year of life, to cultivate hope and healing in their journey after loss. To find healing and to learn to live again after the loss of a baby or pregnancy comes from connection. Providing peer support for mothers, facilitated groups for partners and fathers and implementing a children’s grief group and many other types of support to meet the diverse needs of our community.

Healing Grace Perinatal Hospice, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax-deductible as outlined by IRS tax regulations.

Click here to view a schedule. 

The state legislature passed the Fair Play Ambulance Recovery Act (A534B) as part of the state budget, a bill sponsored by Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) that would allow fire departments to recover the costs of providing ambulance services. This law will help fire departments statewide recover $100 million for providing these services and will save the North Country $3 million. New York was the only state in the nation that did not allow fire departments to recover these costs.

            “This is a major victory for North Country fire departments that provide ambulance services,” said Assemblyman Billy Jones. “This is a lifeline for struggling local fire departments, many of which are run by volunteers so that they do not have to make the difficult decision to not provide these important services. We take for granted that our local fire departments will be there when we need them most and my bill will ensure that they will be able to continue to answer the call when our loved ones are in need. After working diligently with local fire departments and emergency services as well as members of the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY), New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, and the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York to get this bill passed, this is indeed a day to celebrate.” Read more »

Grand Isle, VT – The Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), Lake Champlain Sea Grant, and the Lake Champlain Research Consortium are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 2022 Lake Champlain Research Conference. The conference will be held May 23^rd-24^th, 2022 at the Hilton Burlington Lake Champlain in downtown Burlington, VT.

The conference will bring together lake and watershed stakeholders, including researchers, resource managers, and the public to learn about findings from recent research on Lake Champlain and to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. The conference will feature participation and research from New York, Vermont, Québec, and beyond, providing an opportunity for discussion, networking, and collaboration across Lake Champlain’s multi-jurisdictional watershed. College and university students, cultural organizations and watershed groups are encouraged to participate and scholarships are available.

Registration is open through May 6^th, 2022. Pre-registration is required. Please visit lcbp.org/lcrc for registration, conference sponsorship and lodging information, and to view the draft agenda. Lodging reservations at the conference venue must be made by April 29^th, 2022 to secure availability. All conference participants will be required to demonstrate proof of COVID vaccination.

Please visit lcbp.org/lcrc for more information about the 2022 Lake Champlain Research Conference. LCBP looks forward to seeing you at the conference!

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