The Peru Gazette

Source: Conservation group, municipality sue to block Lake George herbicide use

Source: Tornado caught on video in Charlestown, New Hampshire

Source: The FDA just authorized an extra Pfizer shot for children aged 5 to 11

Source: A crisis leaves parents of mentally ill children on their own: ‘That was absolutely terrifying’ – syracuse.com

Source: Phil Scott to seek 4th term as Vermont governor

Source: Buffalo shooting: Attack racially motivated. 18-year-old shooter from Broome County – syracuse.com

Click here to view a brief slideshow.  Note – I hope to add sound

Click here to view photos on a single page. 

Don’t forget “Granny’s Attic” today at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center. Shoppers were lined up before today’s 9 a.m. opening. It will be open until 4 p.m. Stop by for a special bargain!

Source: Off-duty trooper hospitalized after crash in Jefferson County – syracuse.com

Legislation will Bring More Than $3M to the Region for Fire Dept. Ambulance Services

(ALTONA, NY – May. 13, 2021) – Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) joined with members of the North Country’s volunteer fire service to celebrate the inclusion of the “Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act” (A.534-A) in the NY State budget. The legislation allows fire departments to recover the costs associated with providing emergency medical services (EMS) – specifically ambulance transport services – in New York State.

EMS cost recovery for volunteer fire department ambulances was a top legislative priority of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY), representing 85,000 volunteer firefighters across the State, along with the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs and the Association of Fire Districts of the State of New York.

“We commend Assemblyman Jones for his hard work in bringing this critical legislation to its conclusion and thank him for his dedication to the volunteers of New York State,” said FASNY President John Farrell.  “Volunteers across the state train tirelessly to ensure they are prepared to respond to any and all emergencies. Allowing local fire departments to recover the costs of providing vital EMS services will help offset the costs of EMS services and allow volunteer departments to continue providing life-saving ambulance services in their communities.”

New York State was the only state in the nation that did not allow fire departments to recover the costs of ambulance services. The law facilitates the recovery of $100 million in EMS costs annually by local fire departments – with an anticipated $3 million dollars in recovery going to North Country fire departments that provide ambulance service.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of passing the Fair Play Ambulance Cost Recovery Act,” said Assemblyman Billy Jones. “This is an absolute game changer for fire departments that provide ambulance services. Now fire departments will no longer worry that they will reach a point where they cannot afford to answer an emergency call, a decision no one should have to make. These fire departments can also now afford to make important updates to their equipment to help them respond to all emergencies. It was ridiculous that New York was the only state in the nation to not allow fire departments to recover these costs and I am proud that this bill was included in the state budget. But I would be remiss if I did not mention all the lawmakers that preceded me and the firefighters who have fought for this bill for decades- it is thanks to their efforts as well that this bill finally passed and I am pleased that some of them were able to make it today to celebrate.” Read more »

Source: The Adirondacks need to diversify. But are words like “overcrowding” keeping people away? | NCPR News

Source: Supermoon eclipse may be visible this weekend in Vermont and New York

WILMINGTON — The Ausable River Association (AsRA) has announced the schedule for their free, guided interpretive outdoor programs in the northern Adirondacks this spring. “We are excited to grow our popular guided watershed tours this year,” said Kelley Tucker, AsRA’s Executive Director. “We’re offering guided tours in all seasons this year, and our spring tours will focus on native wildflowers, birds, bats, and other Adirondack species.”

 “This year’s programs include 15 guided trips to locations in the Ausable, Boquet, and Saranac River watersheds,” said Tyler Merriam, Donor Outreach Manager.

Three spring programs kick off the season. The first is a birding walk in a private preserve along the West Branch Ausable River. Dr. Larry Master, conservation biologist/zoologist and past Ausable River Association board chair, and Derek Rogers, ace birder and Stewardship Director with the Adirondack Land Trust, will lead this tour.

The second tour is a wildflower identification walk and drawing workshop at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center. Cris Winters, a full-time artist from Saranac Lake with a scientific background in conservation biology and botanical illustration, will lead this tour. “Hopefully people will continue drawing on their own after this experience,” says Winters. “For me it’s meant to be a skill you can take home with you and use forever.” AsRA will provide some supplies for this drawing workshop.

The third tour is a moth and bat research night at John Brown Farm State Historic Site outside of Lake Placid. Dr. Larry Master will also lead this tour, drawing on his experience as a bat researcher for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. He will use a bat detector hooked to a computer so that participants can listen to and view bat echolocation calls and learn how to identify bats that might be passing nearby. He will also set up a mercury vapor light behind a large sheet to attract some of the many species of night flying moths and other insects. The sheet keeps the insects safe and allows closer inspection for those attending.

“Some of our 2022 tours are back due to their past popularity and other tours are brand new,” said Merriam. “We’re excited to try new locations and bring in additional guest naturalists to further connect residents and visitors to our wild places and leave them with a better understanding of how to protect our biodiverse habitats.”

 AsRA’s free, guided programs begin the weekend of May 21. This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement (LC 00A00707-0) to NEIWPCC in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.

Program dates, registration, and additional information are available on the Ausable River Association website, https://www.ausableriver.org/events

Senator Stec and the men and women of Ward Lumber after receiving their official state Historic Business Preservation Registry Certificate 

Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) today presented Jay Ward and the workers of Ward Lumber with the official state certificate honoring the company for its addition to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry. The registry launched earlier this year and Ward Lumber, Stec’s nominee, is one of the first 100 businesses selected for this honor.

“I’d like to congratulate Ward Lumber on being added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry,” said Stec. “Since its start in the AuSable Valley in 1890 through the present day, Ward Lumber has become a cornerstone of this region. Between its rare status as a worker-owned cooperative and history of volunteerism and contributions to Jay and Malone, Ward Lumber is more than deserving of this honor.”

“We are honored and humbled to be one of the first businesses in North Country to be recognized as a New York State historic business,” said Jay Ward. “After 132 years and four generations of Ward family ownership, I’m privileged to be able to continue to lead Ward Lumber now as CEO into the next chapter of our long history as a worker-owned cooperative. The goal is that Ward Lumber will carry on for at least another 130 years.”

To view Ward Lumber and the other businesses designated for the registry, visit the interactive map at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx.

Plattsburgh Barracks including (labeled) Mess Hall, Barracks, Guard House.

Please join the Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) on Saturday, May 28^th at

10:30 am for a narrated walking tour of the historic buildings surrounding the Old Base Oval, in the City of Plattsburgh.  

The Old Base Oval has been a part of the Military Base from the War of 1812 until the closing of the Plattsburgh Air Force Base in 1995.  While on the Tour, your guide will point out the repurposed historic buildings and locations, share pictures of their glorious past, and narrate events that once took place at each site. Special arrangements have been made to see the inside of an Officer’s Quarters and the Memorial Chapel.

This one- and one-half hour walking tour will fascinate history buffs and those who have a special relationship with the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base and the rich history of the Champlain Valley.  At the end of the tour, copies of “The Plattsburgh Military Reservation, A Pictorial History” by Dr. Richard B. Frost and Melissa A. Peck will be available for those interested in purchasing a copy, and the museum will be open.

The tour will begin in front of the CCHA Museum at 98 Ohio Avenue. Please register for the tour by calling 561-0340.  Tours are free, and donations are appreciated.

“Eric Hittinger, an Associate Professor of Public Policy at Rochester Institute of Technology said, “Upstate New York has the cleanest electricity grid in the country.”

Source: Thinking about buying an electric vehicle? Is Upstate New York one of the best places to charge one? (video) – syracuse.com

Source: Buffalo Bills 2022 schedule: Opponents, dates, times finalized – syracuse.com

The FCC explains who qualifies and how to apply for a $30 monthly internet subsidy. Source: Affordable Connectivity Program | Federal Communications Commission

By John T. Ryan

Peru – I attended the Peru School Board meeting Tuesday evening May 10th where learned a lot about the 2022-23 budget, met administrators, and gained respect for all the people willing to serve as school board members.  

Something else impressed me – Peru High School’s Entrepreneurial Club. Club members invited board members and everyone at the board meeting to see The Lodge, just down the hall from the high school community room. The Lodge is what I’ve always referred to as a campus store. Students staff the store, order the merchandise and manage the finances under the guidance of Business teacher Karen Lash. The store faced several challenges in the recent past. The Covid pandemic and the school’s mascot change resulted in a bank balance of less than $1,000 at the beginning of the school year. Now it’s up to almost $6,000. The store is neat, well-organized, and stocked with healthy foods, drinks, apparel and other items. 

Congratulations to the Peru Entrepreneurial Club (a.k.a. Future Business Leaders of America – FBLA) students for their hard work and excellent presentation Tuesday evening.