The Peru Gazette

Source: Rainbow Banquet Hall launches new restaurant to counteract COVID-related losses | Sun Community News ALTONA | Rainbow Wedding & Banquet Hall has long been a cherished event venue in northern  New York. However, with the venue’s number of events dropping dr

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Source: Appointments underway for region’s first drive-thru vaccination site | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | The New York State Department of Health will officially open its first drive-thru vaccination site in the region next week.

By John T. Ryan

This story is a follow-up to Wednesday’s post on the history of St. Augustine’s Parish’s first church. Over the years the parish had grown from 250 to over 1,000 families. The nearly 100-year-old old church was deteriorating. By the early 1980’s a new church was needed. Architects estimated its cost at $800,000. 

Paul Calkins and Paul Green chaired the fundraising committee. More than 100 volunteers made home visits in the fall of 1980. When Paul Calkins passed away on November 17, 1980, the parish dedicated the large hall at St. Augustine’s School (today’s St. Augustine’s Parish Center) to his memory. 

Tracy-Trombley Construction of Plattsburgh was the general contractor for the new church. Several St. Augustine’s parishioners were associated with Tracy-Trombley, including owner Michael Trombley and Larry and Art Senecal, who worked on the church and placed its cornerstone.

The Church Planning Committee conducted its first meeting on May 29, 1979, and its last meeting on January 20, 1981. It consisted of Rev. Clyde Lewis, Rev. Bruce Favreau, James Aloi, Paul Calkins, Donald Chauvin, Donald Craig, Fred Curtis, Ed Dienst, Stella Dienst, Betty Hughes, Stanley Hughes, Joseph Kelley, Bill Kivett, Charles Light, Michael Martin, Barbara Matott, Roy McGee, Bill McNeil, Tony Papero, Curtis Shipman, Anne Torrance, Michael Trombley, Lynn Wilke and Angie Zerrahn. Committee members poured their hearts and souls into planning the church. Father Clyde Lewis looked after every detail.

• Spring, 1981-Paul Calkins Memorial Hall completed; old church razed. Mass was conducted in Calkins Hall while the new church was being constructed.
• June 2, 1981—Groundbreaking for the new church.
• December 24, 1981—First Mass in new church.
• August 22, 1982—750 parishioners and friends observed the Most Rev. Stanislaus J. Brzana, Bishop of Ogdensburg, bless and dedicate the new St. Augustine’s Church.

Photo credit to Marilyn McNichols.

Click here to view construction and dedication photos.

“The retiring Lake Placid mayor will be moving to Peru at the end of his term with his wife a Peru native, the former Cheryl Woodward.” Source: Saying goodbye takes time | News, Sports, Jobs – Lake Placid News

Source: Vaccine reserve was already exhausted when Trump administration vowed to release it, dashing hopes of expanded access – The Washington Post

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The Plattsburgh location has worked for several people if they keep trying and are persistent. Source: New York | Covid-19 Vaccine

Source: New York high school graduation rates 2020: Search every public school – syracuse.com

School	District	Grad rate	Dropout rate	Enrollment	County
Beekmantown High School	Beekmantown Central School District	94%	3%	155	Clinton
Chazy Central Rural Junior-Senior High School	Chazy Union Free School District	94%	6%	33	Clinton
Northern Adirondack Junior-Senior High School	Northern Adirondack Central School District	92%	5%	74	Clinton
Peru Jr/Sr High School	Peru Central School District	90%	7%	136	Clinton
Saranac High School	Saranac Central School District	90%	7%	98	Clinton
Ausable Valley High School	Ausable Valley Central School District	88%	11%	75	Clinton
Plattsburgh Senior High School	Plattsburgh City School District	85%	8%	134	Clinton
Northeastern Clinton Senior High School	Northeastern Clinton Central School District	82%	9%	116	Clinton

Source: Activists, lawmakers announce campaign to pass two parole reform bills

Source: Adirondack lawmakers wary of adding clean air and water to state bill of rights | Adirondack Explorer

Source: DEC launches ice fishing survey on Lake Champlain – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Biden’s Covid-19 Plan To Include Billions For Vaccine Distribution : Biden Transition Updates : NPR

By John T. Ryan

Meeting highlights:

Water Superintendent Courtney Tetrault said his personnel have tried to get the Sullivan Park ice rink operating; however, the cold-warm weather conditions have hindered ice making. 

Youth Director John Flynn reported that Whiteface is available for the town’s skiing program. Thirty-eight youths signed up for the program that will take place over the next six Sundays. 

Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell reported that as many as five of his seven plow trucks and two pickups have been out of action for maintenance issues. He’s also concerned about COVID. Highway personnel in two other towns have tested positive. Farrell would like to see his personnel move up on the vaccination priority list. 

In other action the Board: 

Awarded the Trunk Sewer Main and Pump Station Reconstruction project to Rifenburg Contracting Corp. of Troy. The bid was $3,717,939. Work will commence as soon as weather permits. 

Awarded a $21,560 bid to Geographic Information Services to geo-map water and sewer lines. The locations of the lines will be digitized, making the design and engineering of new lines easier and maintenance of old pipes much more efficient. The highway and water-sewer departments will share the cost. 

Approved applying for an engineering planning grant to evaluate the southern end of the sewage collection system, i.e., the lines south of the Little Ausable River. 

Approved purchasing a wood chipper in the amount of $11,900. 

Scheduled a February 8th, 5 p.m. workshop to discuss water disinfection at the wastewater treatment plant. 

Discussed the Walking Trail extension between Maiden Lane and Sullivan Park. Adele Douglas, who played a major role in planning the existing trail, volunteered to assist with the trail extension. 

Satisfied NYS renewal requirements for the Section 467 senior citizen and Section 459 disabled person property tax exemptions. 

Washington, DC –  Congresswoman Stefanik has announced that public and non-profit colleges and universities in New York’s 21^st Congressional District will receive more than $45,000,000 in funding to support continued education. Congresswoman Stefanik released the following statement on this terrific news:0

“I am proud to announce that public and non-profit colleges and universities in the North Country will receive more than $45 million dollars from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), which I worked tirelessly to help pass in Congress last month. This funding can be put towards financial aid grants to students, student support activities, and a variety of institutional costs, including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll. Our higher education institutions in the North Country were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and I worked to deliver this much-needed additional funding that allows them to continue educating and inspiring the next generation of leaders.”

Allocations to institutions are based on the relative shares of Federal Pell Grant recipients, non-Pell Grant recipients, and Federal Pell and non-Pell Grant recipients exclusively enrolled in distance education prior to the coronavirus emergency. The list of awards is below:

Adirondack Community College: $4,876,146

Clarkson University: $3,872,273

Clinton Community College: $1,545,848

Clinton-Essex-Warren-Washington BOCES: $128,983

Fulton-Montgomery Community College: $3,014,275

Jefferson Community College: $4,618,540

Jefferson-Lewis BOCES Program of Practical Nursing:$138,888

North Country Community College: $2,219,613

Paul Smith’s College: $1,357,184

Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing: $197,013

SUNY Plattsburgh: $8,423,237

SUNY Potsdam: $7,227,985

SUNY Canton: $4,928,910

St. Lawrence University: $2,660,768

Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES:  $20,845

For more information, please visit the United States Department of Education’s website here.

Source: No credible threats to Albany, Montpelier ahead of Inauguration Day, says FBI special agent; two rioters at US Capitol from Upstate identified | NCPR News

Source: NYS Vaccine sites to open in Potsdam, Plattsburgh, but appointments limited | NCPR News