The Peru Gazette

Source: Vermont tourism industry estimated to be down by about $700 million

Source: Atlantic Salmon Experiment on Lake Champlain – Mountain Lake PBS

Source: City and Town of Plattsburgh Settle Differences – Mountain Lake PBS

Source: State Board of Education orders 3 districts to pay tuition at religious schools – VTDigger

Key Stats

Statistics in Schools > SIS Resources > Fun Facts > Earth Day Fun Facts (April 2021)

Infographic: Fun Facts: Earth Day – April 22

Source: Chamber prez: Border impact hard to quantify | Coronavirus | pressrepublican.com

Source: Plattsburgh airport runway reconstruction begins | Local News | pressrepublican.com

Source: Clinton County ‘mobile’ vaccine clinics have available appointments

Source: Syracuse man arrested, charged as ‘Proud Boy’ who led crowd storming U.S. Capitol – syracuse.com

Source: NYS Climate Impact Assessments: Call for Experts and Stakeholders – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Regulating road salt like acid rain – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: The 2021 Higher Education Power 100 | City & State NY

Source: Teen party source of Saratoga Springs High COVID-19 outbreak

Source: Adirondack Experience Waterfall Challenge | Adirondack Experience

The Peru Federal Credit Union is now the Mountain Valley Federal Credit Union. The name change emphases that Mountain Valley now serves anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in both Clinton or Essex Counties. Soon a Wilmington branch will join the branches in Peru, Au Sable Forks and Keeseville.

Awardees Recognized for Extraordinary Service to Improve DEC Facilities and Enhance New York’s Natural Resources

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the first recipients of the inaugural Stewardship Appreciation Awards. The award recognizes outstanding contributions of volunteers and partner organizations in stewardship, promotion, and maintenance of state lands, waters, and DEC facilities.

The announcement was made during the Department of Environmental Conservation’s week-long celebration of Earth Day 2021.

DEC Commissioner Seggos said, “With nearly five million acres of land and hundreds of buildings and facilities, DEC works hand-in-hand with our dedicated partners and volunteers to keep these special places welcoming and accessible for the visitors who enjoy them each year. Whether New Yorkers are hiking, paddling, fishing, birdwatching, or just appreciating our natural resources, more often than not there’s a partner or a volunteer helping to make that experience more meaningful. As New Yorkers continue to seek refuge on our public lands during the COVID-19 pandemic, our partners are more important than ever. My sincere thanks and congratulations to all of the winners of DEC’s first-ever Stewardship Appreciation Awards.”

The Stewardship Appreciation Awards were launched in 2020 to recognize not-for-profit organizations, individuals, educational institutions, and municipalities that have formal agreements with DEC. This year’s winners were chosen for their commitment to stewardship, promotion of environmental education, and creativity in programming. The 2020 winners are:

Stony Kill Foundation – Public Engagement Award

In 2017, Stony Kill Foundation launched a new collaboration with San Miguel Academy of Newburgh that bridges the Foundation’s hands-on farming and environmental education programs with San Miguel Academy’s mission to educate and inspire City of Newburgh youth, so they may break the cycle of poverty and achieve new potential. Every two weeks, San Miguel students spend time at Stony Kill Farm with the Foundation’s educators, helping raise lambs, tapping maple trees, incubating chickens, and participating in a wide range of immersive projects that encourage students’ curiosity and confidence and foster a closer connection to the working farm, its fields, and forests.

Students participate in hands-on learning at Stony Kill Farm

Adirondack 46ers – Natural Resources Steward

From its 46ers Trail Crew to Outdoor Skills Workshops, the 46ers collaborate with DEC to steward state lands and educate the recreating public. In 2017, the 46ers started a Trailhead Steward Initiative held on summer and fall weekends to help educate hikers heading up Cascade Mountain about Leave No Trace principles, proper gear, waste disposal, and general DEC guidelines. Over the course of a season, the completely volunteer-run Trailhead Steward Initiative interacts with more than 13,000 hikers. Other recent projects include the relocation of the Mt. Van Hoevenberg lean-to and rock and gravel work at the bridge over Santanoni Brook.

Adirondack 46ers trailhead steward program,
courtesy of Adirondack 46ers

Mike Medvesky (Friends of Five Rivers) – Natural Resources Volunteer

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North Country native Kathryn Sloat “whose harp playing evoked the angels” (Brooklyn Discovery), is known for her work in opera, Broadway, orchestra, and contemporary chamber music in New York City and throughout the United States. Her program has a nocturnal theme. The one-hour concert (without intermission) will finish just as night begins to fall – how poetic! Among the mix of classical, contemporary, and popular works are Debussy’s “Clair de lune,” Glinka’s “Nocturne,” Salzedo’s “Chanson dans la Nuit,” and Henry Mancini’s “Moon River,” Optional fundraising dinner before music; dessert for all afterwards.

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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from across New York State.

Town of Dannemora
Clinton County
Law Enforcement Action: On April 16 at 12 p.m., Forest Ranger Booth overheard New York State Police emergency radio traffic advising of a domestic situation involving a loaded firearm. Ranger Booth responded to the location, and once on scene, quickly sized up the situation. From a position of cover, the Ranger encouraged the male subject, who had access to a loaded firearm, to calmy come outside. After complying with Ranger Booth’s request, the unarmed subject was taken into custody and turned over to the State Police.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 17 at 3:15 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch Center received a call regarding a hiker with a possible broken ankle on Blake Mountain in the High Peaks Wilderness Area. After consulting with Forest Ranger Captain Kostoss and based on the injury, location, and amount of daylight left, Forest Rangers Praczkajlo and Lewis requested New York State Police Aviation assistance to conduct a helicopter hoist operation. With Ranger Balerno as Crew Chief, Rangers O’Connor and Lewis were inserted near the summit of the mountain. From there, the Rangers quickly located the 61-year-old subject from Johnstown. The woman was safely hoisted out and flown to a local hospital for medical treatment. Rangers then escorted the remaining members of the hiking party out of the wilderness. All Rangers and hikers were clear of the incident at 8:30 p.m.

Hoist Rescue on Blake Mountain

Town of Bolton
Warren County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 17 at 7:20 p.m., DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from two lost hikers in the Tongue Mountain Range. The pair was concerned about becoming lost in the woods after dark. The hikers were still on the trail, 3.5 miles from the nearest trailhead, and an additional five miles away from their vehicle. The hikers were encouraged to continue making their way out of the woods. About an hour later, the hikers called back as one of them was having a panic attack, fearful that their cell lights wouldn’t last much longer. Forest Ranger Kabrehl responded to assist the 26-year-old women from Montgomery, NY, and Oradell, NJ. By 10:14 p.m., Ranger Kabrehl and the hikers were out of the woods.

Town of Lyonsdale
Lewis County
Wilderness Search: On April 18 at 8:34 a.m., Acting Forest Ranger Lt. Hoag received a call from DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch advising of a request from Lewis County 911 for assistance with a missing 39-year-old man from Pittsburgh, PA, in the Fowlersville area, along the Moose River. The camper missed a planned meeting with a relative on April 17, and had not been heard from since April 13. Forest Ranger Snyder responded to the scene and met with Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputies, New York State Police, and family members. Forest Rangers Hanno and Evans also responded to aid in the search, along with Forest Ranger Baldwin with a drone. Further investigation determined the man had sustained an arm injury on April 14, and he evacuated to a nearby road where he was transported to a local hospital by a passing motorist. All units were clear of the scene by 12:35 p.m.