The Peru Gazette

Source: Cadyville community unites behind injured firefighter | Sun Community News CADYVILLE | Hoping to help give back to one of their own, volunteers with the Cadyville Fire Department will host a benefit dinner for an injured firefighter who faces a long road t

Source: Unbolting the rails | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

The Peru CSD Board of Education will hold a fully remote special meeting on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7:30 AM.  The sole purpose of this meeting is to vote on the BOCES (CVES) administrative budget and on the slate of candidates running for open CVES board seats.  At this time, no other action items are anticipated.  The public may view the meeting live via Zoom at https://E2CCB-GST.zoom.us/j/92409629587.  This meeting will also be recorded and available on the District’s website.

The full agenda will be available on the District’s website.

Source: APA committee denies Lake Luzerne’s map amendment request

Source: Labors of Love taking Place on The Adirondack Wildlife Refuge – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: AMR permits: Your questions answered | Adirondack Explorer

Source: ADK Visitor Interpretive Centers get new rounds of funding | Sun Community News PAUL SMITHS | Visitor Interpretive Centers in the Adirondacks will soon see a significant financial boost with new funds included in the 2021-2022 New York budget.

Tax collections for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21 totaled $82.4 billion – $3 billion higher than forecast by the state Division of the Budget (DOB) in the Amended Executive Budget Financial Plan in February (latest projections), and $6.8 billion higher than forecast in May 2020 (initial projections), according to the March State Cash Report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Total tax collections for SFY 2020-21 were $513.3 million lower than the previous year.

“The state’s year-end financial position was significantly better than anticipated,” DiNapoli said. “We face a long road to recovery, and the state’s economy still faces serious challenges, both in the short-term and long-term. Better-than-anticipated tax collections, federal resources and new revenues in the recently adopted budget allow for important investments in critical programs and services, but state policymakers must ensure that spending commitments are in line with recurring revenue sources.”

Personal income tax (PIT) collections totaled $55 billion, exceeding prior year collections by $1.3 billion or 2.4 percent. PIT collections exceeded the latest projections by $1.9 billion and initial projections by $5.9 billion, even with $437 million more in refunds being paid in the last quarter than previously anticipated.

Consumption and use taxes, which include sales tax receipts, totaled $16.1 billion, falling short of prior year totals by $1.9 billion or 10.6 percent. Collections were $116.4 million higher than the latest projections and $643.4 higher than initial projections.

Business tax collections totaled $8.8 billion, which was $203.4 million lower than the previous year. Collections exceeded the latest projections by $614.4 million and were below initial projections by $164.6 million.

State Operating Funds spending totaled $104.2 billion, which was $2 billion, or 2 percent, higher than last year. The General Fund ended the fiscal year with a balance of $9.161 billion, an increase of $216.6 million from opening balance. DOB took the following actions at the end of the year:

• $3.1 billion was paid in debt service prepayments and debt defeasance, which was $1.5 billion higher than the most recent forecast;
• $918 million in payments were made to eliminate all remaining pension amortization costs;
• $692.8 million from the General Fund was used to support education aid to offset lower than anticipated receipts from Video Lottery Terminals, $448.8 million higher than the most recent forecast;
• $513 million in previously collected monetary settlements from financial and other institutions was transferred from the General Fund to the Dedicated Infrastructure Investment Fund, $617 million lower than the most recent forecast; and,
• $3.4 billion in debt service on short-term notes issued earlier in the year was paid as planned.

March Cash Report

The Lake Placid complex would include 355 housing units, including some apartments and condominiums. spread over 22 new buildings on the 35-acre site. The project includes a clubhouse, greenhouse, pool, recreation facilities, maintenance building, and on-site parking, including a parking garage for residents. Source: Lake Placid apartments, Ticonderoga solar park both up for final APA approval | NCPR News

Source: Pfizer CEO: Third COVID vaccine dose likely needed within 12 months – NBC2 News

Source: Burlington airport adding new weekly flights to Dallas this summer

Source: Burlington High School Could Be Demolished After More Contamination Found | Off Message

Source: Parole changes could be next criminal justice push in Albany

Source: Curfew on New York bars, restaurants extended to midnight starting next week, Cuomo says – syracuse.com

Source: Rotary Fishing Classic returns to Lake Champlain | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | The highly anticipated 35th-annual Rotary Fishing Classic will return to Lake Champlain June 4-6.

Source: Officer seriously injured following inmate attack | Sun Community News DANNEMORA | A local corrections officer suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized after being attacked by an inmate in the recreation yard at Clinton Correctional Facility.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Police Officers (ECOs) and Investigators enforce the 71 Chapters of NY Environmental Conservation Law (ECL), protecting fish and wildlife and preserving environmental quality across New York.

Air Rifle Used to Take Deer – Ulster County
In November 2020, ECO Bastedo responded to a hunting-related complaint and observed an untagged antlered deer and an untagged antlerless deer on the lawn of a residence. The hunter, Jun Chen Shang, produced his regular season antlered deer tag and bow/muzzleloader tag filled out with the harvest information for that date. The bow/muzzleloader tag cannot be legally used during the regular season. Further investigation by ECOs Bastedo and Walraven determined the antlered deer was killed using a 25-caliber air rifle, which cannot be legally used to take deer. The officers issued tickets to the man for illegal take of a white-tailed deer, illegal implement, and failing to tag as required. The man’s regular season antlered deer tag was seized along with his bow/muzzleloader tag and DEC donated the deer to a local food pantry. On April 8, 2021, the Ulster County man paid a penalty in the Town of Gardiner Court for the illegal taking of deer. Jun Chen Shang settled by civil compromise in court and agreed to $1,107.50 in fines and surcharges.

Untagged deer on lawn

25 Caliber air-rifle used to take antlered deer

Somebody’s Always Watching – St. Lawrence County
On March 8, ECO Schneller received a call from a concerned local law enforcement officer, claiming an ice fisherman on the St. Lawrence River in the town of Waddington had caught several walleye without returning the fish to the water. The Officer advised that the angler was well over his daily limit of three walleye. ECO Schneller responded to the location, approached the suspected poacher, and noticed four walleyes on the ice next to his portable ice shelter and three more concealed in the bottom of the portable ice shack. The Officer issued one ticket to the angler for going over the daily walleye limit. ECOs cover large areas and sometimes rely on information from local residents to report environmental crimes.

Stranded Dolphin – Nassau County
On March 30, ECOs Macropoulos and Small received reports of a dolphin stranded in Manhasset Bay, Nassau County. When the ECOs arrived, they met with Nassau County Police, already on scene along with the Manhasset Lakeview, Great Neck, and Port Washington fire departments. The New York Marine Rescue Center (NYMRC) was responding and requested ECO assistance in getting a better look at the dolphin to determine its condition. With help from the three fire departments on scene, ECO Macropoulos geared up in an ice suit and went into the bay while ECO Small remained on shore to communicate with NYMRC. ECO Macropoulos determined the marine mammal was a Common Dolphin showing signs of illness. NYMRC arrived on scene and following instructions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and directed responders to reassess the situation the next morning. At first light on March 31, ECO Small observed the dolphin, now closer to shore. The dolphin was later determined to be deceased and DEC transported it to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society for a necropsy.

ECO Macropoulos and local fire departments in Manhasset Bay observing dolphin

Intentional Deer Strike – Herkimer County
On March 31, Town of Webb Police contacted ECO Noyes about a deer struck and killed by a vehicle in the village of Old Forge. Multiple eyewitnesses claimed the driver intentionally accelerated his truck toward two deer standing in the road, striking one and dragging it approximately 70 to 100 yards down the road. ECO Noyes accessed video footage from a local business’ security camera that corroborated eyewitness statements. With help from Old Forge Police, ECOs located the truck and driver in the town of Forestport, Oneida County, and found deer hair in the front bumper of the suspect’s truck. After interviewing the driver and presenting him with the evidence, the driver admitted to accelerating toward the deer, striking one, and dragging it down the road before stopping. The subject was issued appearance tickets to the Town of Webb Court for Environmental Conservation Law violations of taking deer from a public highway, taking deer while in a motor vehicle, and taking deer during the closed season.

CSI Sampling Team Highlight
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, DEC’s Division of Law Enforcement CSI Sampling Team has been performing thousands of N95 respirator fit tests for first responders statewide. The team has also been assisting other agencies, including the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, to create and develop respirator fit testing standards in compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations. Acting Lieutenant Stephens developed an instructional PowerPoint presentation and helped produce and star in a video last week. The video will help train new fit test machine operators to test up to 14,000 employees statewide.

Acting Lieutenant Stephens recording a new video about how to properly use a respirator

A Special Birthday Wish – St. Lawrence County Outreach
ECOs Ryan and Canary recently joined members of the New York State Police and St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office to grant a special birthday request from a four-year-old battling an illness. The birthday girl requested a birthday parade from local law enforcement agencies. Her mom said that while treatment is going well, the parade could help boost her daughter’s spirits. ECOs didn’t think twice about joining their law enforcement partners to grant this birthday wish. Police, fire, and rescue vehicles drove past the girl’s home with lights flashing as she and her family stood outside waving and enjoying the show. On their second loop around, ECOs Ryan and Canary stopped by to drop off some presents, say hello, and share their wishes for a speedy recovery.

ECOs Ryan and Canary meet with the birthday girl

Source: What’s The History Of French Canadian Immigration Into Vermont? | Vermont Public Radio