The Peru Gazette

Source: Abortion, gun violence dominate final days of NY legislative session – syracuse.com

Source: New York gas tax break begins Wednesday as gas prices near $5 a gallon – syracuse.com

Source: I-81 plan reaches final destination: Officials issue final stamp of approval for grid – syracuse.com

National Dairy Month: June 2022 JUNE 2022 RELEASE NUMBER CB22-SFS.80 From the International Dairy Foods Association: “National Dairy Month started out as National Milk Month in 1937 as a way to promote drinking milk. It was initially created to stabilize the dairy demand when production was at a surplus, but has now developed into an annual tradition that celebrates the contributions the dairy industry has made to the world. After the National Dairy Council stepped in to promote the cause, the name soon

Source: National Dairy Month: June 2022

By Robert St.John

President, Rouses Point-Champlain Historical Society 

June 7^th – 6:00 pm 

House of Prayer, 63 Broad Street, Plattsburgh

The Clinton County Historical Association is proud to sponsor a presentation on one of the quirkier stories in Clinton County’s business history, that of the Perry Mills Frog Farm.  Founded in 1937 by Emil R. Neuenfeldt and located on the bank of the Great Chazy River, Neuenfeldt’s farm supplied frogs to restaurants around the country and, increasingly as time went on, to hospitals and schools for laboratory and educational use. Between 1937 and 1962, it was one of the largest industries in that village. The history will be told by Robert St.John, President of the Rouses Point-Champlain Historical Society who owns the former frog farm property and has stories to tell about how the frog farm came to be and how it operated. The presentation will be held June 7^th at 6 pm at the House of Prayer, 63 Broad Street, Plattsburgh. It is free and open to the public with donations appreciated.

Click here for a 1994 Calvin Castine – Bob Venne story on the Frog Pond 

Source: Canada’s government moves to make selling or importing handguns illegal | NCPR News

Source: Pending NYS law to replace “councilman” with council member on ballots | Sun Community News ELIZABETHTOWN | Women in small towns seeking office would no longer run for “councilman”.

Source: The 2022 Albany Power 100 – City & State New York

Workforce Participation Near Pre-Pandemic Levels, But Unemployment Still High

More Than a Third of Unemployed Workers Out of Work for 27+ Weeks

New York City lags behind the rest of the state and nation in regaining the jobs lost from the onset of the pandemic in March and April 2020, according to an analysis on the city’s labor force released by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today. By March 2022, the city recovered just under 71% of jobs lost, while the rest of New York state has regained 82% of jobs. By April 2022, the United States had regained 95%.

The city’s unemployment rate remains substantially higher than the rest of the state and nation and higher than its pre-pandemic rate. The slow recovery of pandemic job losses has left the city with an unemployment rate of 6.5%, 2.8 points higher than the February 2020 level of 3.7%, while the nation’s unemployment rate is only one-tenth of a point above its February 2020 level of 3.5%. The remainder of the state reached its February 2020 rate of 4% by October 2021.

“New York City suffered heavy job losses from the shock of the pandemic shutting down many businesses in early 2020, and it has not fully regained these jobs,” DiNapoli said. “The recovery is also uneven and unequal among the workforce, particularly with demographic groups and lower income workers. The pandemic intensified pre-existing inequities that left many unable to work. These issues are complex and will not be easily fixed. They warrant further study and require strong workforce development efforts to assist those disproportionally impacted by the pandemic that might take longer to recover.”

About 36% of unemployed workers living in the city have been seeking work for longer than 27 weeks and are considered long-term unemployed. While the gap in the long-term unemployed share of job seekers between the city and the nation was largest one year after the onset of the pandemic in March 2021 (69% in the city versus 43% in the nation), it is still sizeable two years later (36% in the city versus 24% in the nation). Over the course of the pandemic, many people also left the workforce. DiNapoli’s report found that some demographic groups rebounded to pre-pandemic levels of labor force participation by 2021, while other groups have not yet fully returned.

Major findings of DiNapoli’s report: Read more »

Source: DiNapoli: SUNY Campuses Need to Focus on Tuition Paid by Out-Of-State Graduate Students | Office of the New York State Comptroller

Source: Stefanik says NY schools are forcing a ‘radical and racist’ agenda on children. The false claim fits a pattern | NCPR News

“Give A Pint, Get A Pint” returns for the seventh year

May 25, 2022— The need for blood donations doesn’t take a vacation. Summer is a challenging time to collect enough blood donations to meet the needs of patients. That’s why The American Red Cross and Stewart’s Shops are incentivizing donors with a sweet treat.

For a seventh year, Stewart’s Shops is treating Red Cross blood donors to free pints of ice cream as a part of the “Give a Pint, Get a Pint” program.  For the month of June, presenting donors at blood drives in 26 counties across Upstate New York will receive a voucher for a free pint of Stewart’s Shop’s ice cream or gelato. Vouchers can be redeemed at any Stewart’s Shops location. Read more »

Source: Which Central NY school districts spend the most and least per student? Search 673 districts statewide – syracuse.com

Happy Birthday to WWII Veteran Curtis Banker of Peru, NY. Curtis celebrated his 100th birthday yesterday, May 29, 2022. Today he attended the Memorial Day Service at Peru VFW Post 309. Curtis entered the Army in 1942, stayed in the Army, and retired in 1963.

Correction of Mr. Banker’s age. It was stated in error that he is 100. He is 98.

Source: New Study:1 in 5 Adult COVID-19 Survivors Has Long COVID

Local farmers expressed their concerns about the OT threshold in a press conference last November. The Governor’s silence has been deafening.

“Immediately following the last public hearing on January 28, by a vote of 2-1, the Farm Laborers Wage Board members advanced a series of resolutions to lower the overtime threshold to 40 hours. The status of the Wage Board’s report to the Commissioner of Labor is unknown at this time.”

Albany, NY – The New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC), the Business Council of New York State (BCNYS), the National Federation of Independent Businesses of New York (NFIB), Upstate United, and Democratic legislators Billy Jones and Carrie Woerner are calling on Governor Kathy Hochul and Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon to maintain the overtime threshold at 60 hours on family farms across New York State. At the event held in the Capitol today, NYSAC and the business organizations cited the extraordinary challenges that farms and agri-businesses are facing to justify the rejection of the Farm Laborers Wage recommendation of a 40-hour threshold.

Antonio Delgado, who was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of New York on Wednesday, previously sent a letter to Governor Hochul to express his disapproval regarding the New York State Farm Laborers Wage Board’s recommendations. 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.”

Paul Ruszkiewicz, NYSAC Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Vice-Chair, Orange County Legislator, and Co-Owner of John Ruszkiewicz Farm, said, “The cost of fuel, fertilizer, and feed are the highest they’ve been in recent memory. Add that to record inflation and rising labor costs, the next generation of farmers are seriously considering what the future holds for them in this state. Family farms across the state are taking a hard look at their businesses and are in many cases facing tough decisions as we continue to wait for a final decision on the Wage Board’s 2-1 recommendation. We urge Governor Hochul to consider the unintended consequences before forcing additional regulations on an already fragile, yet necessary industry. Any overtime threshold lower than 60 hours will result in an even greater labor shortage, and fewer contributions to regional food banks and programs like Nourish NY. Please keep overtime at 60 hours and support the next generation of farmers and farmworkers in New York State.”

Resolution from the New York State Association of Counties. Read more »

Source: Injured hikers in Bolton, Keene; hiker death on Scarface – – The Adirondack Almanack

Clinton County Health Dept. News Release

Plattsburgh, May 26, 2022. On Friday, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) announced they were investigating two potential cases of Monkeypox in New York State. Since that announcement, one case has been ruled out and the second case is still under investigation. 

“There are currently no cases of Monkeypox in our region,” explained Debra Tackett, Director of Health Care Services at the Clinton County Health Department (CCHD). “While there is still a case investigation underway in the state, it is believed the risk to the general public is very low.” Residents do not need to take any specific action at this time. 

The NYSDOH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are monitoring the situation within NYS and the U.S. “CCHD participates regularly in situational briefs with the state and will continue to relay information to residents if the situation changes,” added Ms. Tackett. 

Monkeypox is a viral illness similar to smallpox but less severe. Read more »

Peru Gazette File Photo

New Adirondack Harvest Resource Provides Info on 65+ Area Farmers’ Markets 

Lewis, NY – Summer farmers’ market season has officially kicked off this month in the Adirondack region, bringing a welcome return of locally grown and made food, arts and crafts. Seasonal farmers’ markets offer a closer-to-home opportunity for folks to support farmers and makers in their community.

The Plattsburgh Farmers and Crafters Market has begun and will run through October 8 each Saturday from 9 am-2 pm in the Pavillion on Green Street downtown. Shoppers can use FMNP coupons at this market. There is also a farmers’ market in Peru that begins in June and runs through October on select Sundays from 11-3 in Heyworth Mason Park. 

Adirondack Harvest has just launched an updated 2022 Summer Farmers’ Market Guide that includes up-to-date information for every farmers’ market in the 13 counties they serve, Read more »

Source: Solos and Swashbuckling: Willsboro Festival of Theater Arts promotes arias and action | News | pressrepublican.com

Source: City weighs appealing court ruling to resume Durkee development | News | pressrepublican.com