The Peru Gazette

Source: Northern NY hospital to stop delivering babies after resignations over Covid-19 vaccine – syracuse.com

Source: Retired Goldman Sachs partner donates $500K for Saranac Lake Civic Center upgrades | NCPR News

Calvin’s coverage of the annual Battle of Plattsburgh parade starts with an 18-minute visit to the Clinton County Historical Association Museum, 2021

Cal

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Comptroller DiNapoli and District Attorney Hoovler Release Report Examining Corruption and Negligence at the IDA

“Making matters worse, their scheme was enabled by a complacent board, which neglected its fiduciary duty…”

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that three former officials of the Orange County Industrial Development Agency (IDA), who pleaded guilty in June to corruption charges, including hiding self-dealing and concealing conflicts of interest, were sentenced today to pay more than $1 million in restitution.

Comptroller DiNapoli and D.A. Hoovler today also released a report detailing the defendants’ crimes and how the systemic failures and neglect of duty by the IDA board and its officials enabled their scheme.

“Cozzolino, Villasuso and Diana betrayed their duty to the public in order to enrich themselves through a web of conflicts of interest, false statements and pay-offs,” said DiNapoli. “Making matters worse, their scheme was enabled by a complacent board, which neglected its fiduciary duty and allowed Cozzolino to assume near unfettered control of the program. It is because of the joint work of our partnership with Orange County District Attorney Hoovler and the New Windsor Police that we were able to bring their crimes to light and recover over $1 million.” Read more »

Source: Six months and still waiting | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | Sen. Dan Stec has written letters to Gov. Kathy Hochul and President Joe Biden regarding the northern border being closed.

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION/DISCUSSION: To Accept Reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)

5. MOTION: Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meeting of August 23, 2021
6. Community Input

7. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Clinton County Health Dept., Routes to Better Health

8. RESOLUTION/MOTION: Approval of George Coon’s Reappointment to Board of Assessment Review.

9. RESOLUTION/MOTION: Acceptance of MOU from Clinton Co. Health Dept. for Clinic Services (WIC).
10. RESOLUTION/MOTION: Acceptance of Clinton County Contract for Youth Bureau.

11. RESOLUTION/MOTION: Speed Limit Reduction on Arnold Rd.

12. DISCUSSION: 2022 Budget Schedule.

13. DISCUSSION: 2020 Population Total. 

14. DISCUSSION/MOTION: Approval of Rifenburg’s Pay Application #5 

15. DISCUSSION: Sewer Project Update. 

16. DISCUSSION: Other Business. 

17. DISCUSSION: Public Comments on Agenda Items Only. 

18. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Pay Bills 

MOTION:     Adjourn

Source: Anti-vaccine protestors rally in Saranac Lake | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Residents and staff to be tested following positive COVID-19 test 

PLATTSBURGH, NY (09/10/2021) – All visitation has been temporarily suspended at the UVM Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) after a CVPH team member who was recently on the Skilled Nursing floor tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee, who has not been in the facility since Monday, September 6, is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and began experiencing symptoms on Wednesday.

Suspending visitation is one of several actions CVPH SNF took in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidelines for long-term care facilities immediately following notification of the positive test result by the hospital’s Infection Control team yesterday morning.

CVPH SNF Administrator Susan Biondolillo said other steps taken to ensure the health and safety of residents and staff members include:

• Testing all SNF staff members and any CVPH employee who has been on the floor since Monday.
• Requesting permission to test all SNF residents.
• Employees caring for SNF residents will continue to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Preparing for further testing as required by state guidelines.

Family members and residents have been notified about the positive test result and the suspension of visitation.

“We know it is incredibly difficult for our families and residents to have visitation suspended,” Biondolillo said. “We are working to resume visitation as quickly and safely as possible based on state guidelines while limiting the spread of COVID-19.”

Biondolillo also encouraged loved ones to remain connected with residents through phone calls and digital meeting technology. Staff members can assist in facilitating those connections.

“I am grateful for the incredible work our team has done to provide compassionate care for our residents throughout this pandemic,” she said. “Once again, we are reminded about how opportunistic this virus can be. It is important to remain vigilant and continue taking all the precautions necessary to keep it at bay.”

Hospital officials added that includes getting vaccinated, which they said is proven to be the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from severe illness and death caused by COVID-19.

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Source: Town of Plattsburgh looks to honor 9/11 response trooper | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | In 2017, the nation and community mourned the loss of New York State Police Trooper Brian Falb following a long battle with brain cancer stemming from his assignmen

Rifenburg Contracting will be closing Elm Street from Sanborn Lane to 22B intersection (Town Park entrance) tomorrow September 10^th from 7 am till 5 pm

There will be NO through traffic during this time.  Emergency vehicles will have limited access to that section of the road

From the office of NYS Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli

The historic surge in unemployment claims at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly depleted the New York State Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund, resulting in the state borrowing from the federal government to pay claims. State UI tax rates have already risen to the highest level permissible under law in 2021. Unless the state or federal government takes significant action, federal UI tax rates on employers will also increase in 2022 and beyond, according to a report issued today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“The pandemic put many New Yorkers out of work and forced the state to borrow heavily from the federal government to meet their urgent unemployment claims,” DiNapoli said. “The state currently owes Washington $9 billion and the obligation to pay back this money and rebuild the trust fund balance presents a serious challenge for the state and businesses struggling to recover from the pandemic. Action is needed to avoid hiking costs for New York businesses and slowing the state’s economic recovery.”

The pandemic had a crippling effect on some state businesses and their workforce, causing a historic surge in layoffs and claims for UI benefits. From the fourth quarter of 2019 to the second quarter of 2020, regular state UI benefits paid increased from $530 million to $6.5 billion – a staggering increase of 1,124%.

New York’s UI trust fund account was not well-positioned to weather the crisis. On January 1, 2020, the balance was $2.65 billion, below the standard recommended by the U.S. Department of Labor. When the pandemic hit, the state began to borrow from the federal government to pay claims in May 2020. As of September 2, 2021, the amount owed to the federal government was $9 billion, down from a high of $10.2 billion at the end of March 2021. The current balance is more than double what was owed during the Great Recession.

Rate Increase

UI benefits are paid for with federal and state taxes collected from employers. State UI tax rates are determined for each employer based on their length of time as a liable employer, utilization of UI benefits by former employees and prior UI tax contributions, and the balance of the UI fund. Rates can grow with increased employee UI claims or a low UI fund balance.

Given the current negative balance in the state unemployment trust fund, 2021 UI rates for New York employers increased to a range of 2.1% to 9.9% of taxable payroll, up from 2020 rates that ranged from 0.6% to 7.9%. As a result, employer tax payments grew between 26% and 160% in 2021. Until the balance in the state account returns to a positive level, employers will continue to make state UI contributions between 2.1% and 9.9%. Read more »

Former Treasurer of Essex County Agricultural Society Stole Over $60K From Organization

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Franklin County District Attorney Craig Carriero and the New York State Police announced that Bridget Brown, former treasurer of the Essex County Agricultural Society (the Society), has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $60,000 in funds from the organization which operates the Essex County Fair.

The Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage and promote agriculture in young children and adults through the Essex County Fair. Brown worked for the Society from 2013 to 2019 and currently is the Willsboro Fire District Treasurer, as well as the Clerk/Tax Collector for the Town of Willsboro, NY. District Attorney Carriero was appointed Special Prosecutor by the Essex County Court.

“Brown was entrusted to ensure that funds collected from the fair were managed for the benefit of the community. Instead, she allegedly abused her position for her personal benefit and now faces the consequences of her abhorrent actions,” DiNapoli said. “My thanks to Franklin County District Attorney Carriero and the New York State Police for their partnership in fighting public corruption.”

The investigation found that while employed with the Society, Brown over-paid herself, and made unauthorized ATM withdrawals and credit card purchases using the Society’s bank accounts. She also obtained a $20,000 loan on behalf of the organization, which the Society’s Board was unaware of and did not approve. To hide her theft, she allegedly falsified business records.

Brown was arraigned before Judge Richard Carpenter of the Town of Moriah. She is scheduled to appear in court next on October 11th at 10 a.m. at the Town of West Port court.

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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 https://www.osc.state.ny.us/investigations, or by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236.

Source: Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources

Source: Covid vaccine mandate for kids is ‘an option,’ Hochul says – syracuse.com