The Peru Gazette

Source: New York lawmakers propose tax increases for rich. Who would be affected

Source: Saranac Lake woman dies in early-morning house fire | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

The refusal of prison workers to take the vaccine threatens to undermine efforts to control the pandemic both inside and outside of prisons, according to public health experts. Prisons are coronavirus hot spots, so when staff move between the prisons and their home communities after work, they create a pathway for the virus to spread.

Source: US prison guards refusing to get Covid-19 vaccine despite outbreaks – syracuse.com

Source: ‘I’m What This Guy Has’: A Doctor Reflects On Treating Vt.’s First COVID-19 Patient | Vermont Public Radio

Source: WHO Points To Wildlife Farms In Southern China As Likely Source Of Pandemic | Vermont Public Radio

Source: Can an employer require the Covid-19 vaccine? It depends which lawyer you ask – VTDigger

Source: August Regents examinations canceled; only four tests may be administered in June

Source: Renters in Onondaga County owe at least $26 million, landlords say – syracuse.com

Source: Inoculations in northeastern N.Y. climb, continuing to lead NYS | Sun Community News NORTHEASTERN N.Y. | During the week ending March 15, the number of residents of Warren, Essex Clinton and Hamilton counties inoculated with COVID-19 continued at a fast pa

Source: One year lookback at COVID-19 in Clinton County | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | March 16 will mark one year since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in Clinton County.

Source: Three issues to watch in state budget negotiations | City &

Source: City & State Albany Agenda

1,715 checks totaling more than $1.88 million

March 15, 2021—After a tough year for many, Stewart’s Shops is happy to be delivering some good news to nonprofits in need. Holiday Match had another successful season, and checks are now in the mail to local children’s charities. Funding has now been allocated to 1,715 organizations across the communities where Stewart’s Shops are located.

From Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day, customers donated over $940,000 to the program, which was doubled to over $1.88 million with the Stewart’s Shops match. There are no administrative costs with this program, meaning 100% of the funds collected and matched benefit these organizations.

“With Covid, nonprofits are hurting now more than ever and the fact that we were able to raise over $1.88 million together with Stewart’s customers during a pandemic, is a true testament to the integrity of the Holiday Match Program and our generous customers ”, says Stewart’s Shops Director of Contributions, Amy Potter.

The Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match program has now allocated more than $32 million since the program’s inception in 1986. The success of the program is credited to Stewart’s Shops customers for their generous contributions, dedicated shop partners who worked diligently to collect the funds, and to the media partners who helped spread the word.

Stewart’s Shops is committed to giving back to the communities in which they are located, donating approximately $2.5 million a year to local non-profits with The Dake Family Foundations contributing an additional $5 million.

A listing of the charities which received the Holiday Match grants is available here.

Early Season Hunters Report Successful Harvests in Northern and Southern Zones

New York State bear hunters took 1,723 black bears during the 2020 hunting seasons, Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today.

“Black bears continue to prosper in New York’s excellent bear habitat,” said Commissioner Seggos. “Bear hunting seasons allow DEC wildlife managers to collect valuable information that our scientists use to help maintain healthy bear populations. And successful bear hunters help maintain populations at sustainable levels and are rewarded with outstanding food for their families and friends.”

Hunters took an estimated 1,152 bears in the Southern Zone, comparable to the record set in 2019, and 11 percent greater than the recent five-year average. While take in the regular season was lower than last year, hunters had record success during the early and bow seasons.

In the Northern Zone, hunters harvested an estimated 571 bears-the highest number since 2015. A productive early season in the Northern Zone is generally followed by a relatively low regular season harvest, with the reverse anticipated in the year to come. The 2020 bear harvest followed this pattern, with an early season harvest that increased four-fold from 2019, and a regular season harvest that dropped approximately 25 percent from 2019 numbers.

Bear Harvest Totals

Notable Numbers

• 3: the number of bears harvested per 10 square miles in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 3K, which includes southern Sullivan County and a portion of Orange County. WMU 3K had the greatest bear harvest density of any unit, but the town of Monroe in Orange County yielded 4.5 bears for every 10 square miles.
• 116: the greatest number of bears reported taken on any one day was recorded on September 12, the opening day of the early bear season in the Southern Zone.
• 550 pounds: the heaviest dressed-weight bear reported to DEC in 2020, taken in the town of Greenville, Orange County. Scaled weights of dressed bears were submitted for 26 percent of bears taken in 2020.
• 13: the number of tagged bears reported in the 2020 harvest. These 13 bears included two bears originally tagged in Pennsylvania and one from New Jersey. The remainder were originally tagged in New York for a variety of reasons, including research, nuisance response, relocated urban bears, or released rehabilitated bears.
• 911: the number of hunter-killed bears from which DEC collected teeth for age analysis in 2020. Hunters who reported their harvest and submitted a tooth for age analysis will receive a 2020 Black Bear Management Coordinator Patch. Results of the age analysis are expected to be available later this year.

DEC’s harvest estimates rely on successful hunters reporting their harvest. For more information on game harvest reporting, visit DEC’s website.

2020 Bear Take Summary Report

A complete summary of the 2020 bear harvest with results and maps by county, town, and WMU is available on DEC’s website.

Source: Fire damages multiple South Plattsburgh apartments; no injuries reported

Source: Crews from multiple departments battle fire in South Plattsburgh