The Peru Gazette

Source: NY’s health commissioner tests positive for Covid as Hochul says millions of home tests are coming – syracuse.com

Source: Flu returns to Vermont after taking a year off – VTDigger

Source: 2021 Last-minute “Support Local” Holiday Gift Guide – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: ‘We are keeping schools open’ says Hochul | NCPR News

Source: Gov. Hochul: $65 million to help counties enforce New York’s mask or vax mandate | Local 22/44 News

The Stewart’s Holiday Match Program is showing the true spirit of the holidays with giving; customer donations have reached over $765,177 through Wednesday, December 15th. That’s over $1.5 million with Stewart’s match so far, and there’s just over a week left to collect!

APPLICATION DEADLINE NEARS

Time is running out for children’s charities to apply for Holiday Match funding. The deadline is January 31, 2021.  Organizations can easily apply online at stewartsshops.com.  All groups applying must be locally based, benefit children under 18, and be a qualified, charitable 501c3 organization.

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) recently announced that he will prioritize providing easier access to health care and broadband internet services, particularly in rural communities, during the upcoming 2022 legislative session.

“New York’s rural communities have long dealt with unique struggles that continue to receive insufficient attention from the state government,” Assemblyman Jones said. “Rural health care providers suffer from high operating costs and a lack of state aid, while access to broadband in rural communities is hampered by unnecessary fees and bureaucratic roadblocks. I’ll always fight for legislation that addresses and alleviates these issues for the health and safety of North Country families.”

Currently, travel and delivery reimbursement rates for rural home health care providers do not adequately cover the costs of the services, as travel times are generally longer than they would be in larger cities. Assemblyman Jones’ bill would amend this oversight by increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate for rural home health care providers to cover actual transportation costs (A.802). Additionally, current state law does not allow fire departments to recover costs from providing emergency medical services, forcing many to stop offering these lifesaving services due to the increased cost. To remedy this, Jones has sponsored legislation that would allow fire departments to recover these costs (A.534). Similarly, in order to help EMS agencies have greater access to funding opportunities, Jones sponsored a bill that would classify emergency medical services as “essential services” (A.8395).

In an increasingly virtual world, it’s critical that all New Yorkers have access to broadband internet services not only for entertainment but for job opportunities, school assignments and doctor’s visits, Jones noted. A recent report by the state comptroller found that 19.3% of households in the North Country lack reliable broadband access. In order to remove a potential roadblock to rural broadband access, Jones has cosponsored a bill prohibiting fees for the use and occupancy of the state right of way in an agreement with a fiberoptic provider (A.8287) and introduced a bill that would prohibit charging these fees for fiberoptic broadband projects funded by the federal government (Bill # Pending). Fiberoptic providers are the only utilities that are required to pay these additional fees.

The Town of Peru Water & Sewer Department will be closing Birchwood Drive between McDonald & School Street, today Monday, December 20^th  til approx 4 pm to fix a water line break.

There will be NO through traffic including Emergency vehicles during that time period.

Source: 147 New York dams are ‘unsound’ and potentially dangerous

Statewide local sales tax collections grew by 17.5% in November compared to the same month in 2020, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced today. Overall, local collections totaled almost $1.6 billion, up $235 million from November of last year. Collections for the month were also notably robust when compared to pre-pandemic levels, up 9.2% (or $133 million) from November of 2019.

“As has been the case the past several months, November’s sales tax collections were greatly improved over last year,” DiNapoli said. “Although the bulk of holiday spending is expected to be reflected in December collections, November collections may have benefited from earlier shopping this year.”

New York City’s estimated collections totaled $696 million, an increase of 12.6% – or nearly $78 million – when compared to November of 2020. Nearly every county experienced significant year-over-year growth in collections for November.

Rockland County saw the largest increase at 51%, followed by Cayuga County (40%) and St. Lawrence County (32%).

During the last month of each calendar quarter, the state Department of Taxation and Finance reconciles quarterly distributions against what had been reported by sales tax vendors for the reporting quarter and adjusts payments to local jurisdictions in those months upward or downward accordingly. During the other months, including November, the payments are based on estimates. The next reconciliation will be reported in mid-January 2022 and will provide more information on the regional picture of collections for not only the fourth quarter (October through December), but for the entire calendar year of 2021.

Monthly Local Sales Tax Collections by County and Region (for detailed monthly breakdown)

Click here to view minutes as posted on the town’s website

Click here to view the minutes as posted on the town website. 

Town Clerk Dianne Miller announced her January 2022 tax collection hours:

Monday- 9am-2pm -January 3, 10, 24 & 31
4pm-6pm- January 10, 24 & 31
Tuesday- 9am-2pm
Wednesday- 9am-2pm
Thursday- 9am-2pm
Friday- 9am-2pm
Saturday- 9am-11am- January 29

At its November 22nd meeting, the board hired Jason Burl as a machine equipment operator in the highway department. At this meeting, the board waived the remainder of this probationary period moving his status to permanent. Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald stated, “He’s working. We don’t want to lose him.”

Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell has difficulty replacing his 2004 pickup because no sellers responded to the bid advertisement. As a result, the town readvertised the truck with a December 16 bid opening date. (Note – On December 20, Farrell told the Peru Gazette that no one responded to the second ad. He is trying to determine why no one is responding.

Source: Friends, colleagues mourn passing of ‘Adirondack icon’

Source: Moderna booster shot increases antibody levels against Omicron, company says – CNN

Source: First case of Omicron variant confirmed in Vermont – VTDigger

Source: Catskill man who burst into flames from police Taser dies at Syracuse hospital – syracuse.com

Source: New Covid cases in NY hit record high for 2nd straight day; ‘SNL’ goes on without audience – syracuse.com

Source: SUNY Canton awarded $1.1 million in REDC funds for campus entrepreneurship space | Education | nny360.com

Source: Search for city police chief continues | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | Since the end of June, the City of Plattsburgh has been on the search for a new police chief. As part of the process, a nine-member Police Chief Selection Committee was formed to hel

Source: Pop-up vax clinic for all coming to Oval YMCA Saturday | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | The Plattsburgh YMCA has teamed up with local pediatricians and New York State to offer a youth pop-up vaccination site at the Y on the Oval location Saturday, Dec. 1