The editor is John Ryan at email: perugazette@gmail.com. The Peru Gazette is a free community, education and information website. It is non-commercial and does not accept paid advertising.
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Peru – There was an enthusiastic turnout for today’s 2020 Graduating Class Parade. Because the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed most of traditonal graduation celebrations the parade was just one small way the community could its congratulations and best wishes to the Peru High School Class of 2020. The Peru Fire Department escorted the graduates. The photos were taken on Washington St. where almost every resident turned out to cheer on the graduates. When the parade ended several people commented, “We should do this every year.”
Editor Error: Your editor misinterpreted the section of the street being renamed. Sorry! I originally reported that the new section of Washington St. was being named Gala Lane. That was incorrect.
By John T. Ryan
At the Peru Town Board’s May 11th meeting, the Board named the 100 feet of highway between Mannix Rd. and Washington St. Gala Lane. Deputy Supervisor/Counselor Jim Douglass said that Clinton County Emergency (911) Management officials requested that the new section have its own name. Gala is a well-known apple. The Board thought it would be the right name for the street, which overlooks Forrence Orchard’s Stafford Farm.
The Peru Gazette was unsuccessful is an attempt to contact developer William Sawyer to determine when and if he will resume work this summer. Last July an agreement was reached between Sawyer and the Town whereby another asphalt coat would be applied to the road and a turnaround would be installed at the end of the street. The trees and dirt piled on both sides of the street also have to be hauled away and Sawyer was required to post a bond to ensure the work is completed. The Town will not assume ownership of the road until that work is done.
MOTION/DISCUSSION:To Accept reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)
MOTION:Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meeting of May 28, 2020.
DISCUSSION/MOTION:Review/Decision of Sewer Upgrade Project Bid.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Letter of Agreement from AES for Water Treatment Plant Assistance.
DISCUSSION/MOTION:Acceptance of IT Consultant Resignation.
DISCUSSION:New IT Consultant Replacement.
DISCUSSION:Town Hall Front Paver Conditions.
DISCUSSION/MOTION:Restaurant Parking Lot Seating.
DISCUSSION:Town LED Street lighting.
DISCUSSION:Reminder of Workshop June 22, 2020 at 5:00 PM.
RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:Pay Bills
MOTION: Adjourn
**In an effort to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, this Town Board Meeting will not be open to the public.The minutes will be available online as soon as they are approved at the following Board Meeting of June 8, 2020.Thank you your understanding in this matter and stay safe!
Yesterday we saw the lowest number of both deaths and hospitalizations since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 42 people passed away due to COVID-19, down from a record-high when 800 died in a single day just eight weeks ago. While our hearts ache for the families and friends who lost a loved one yesterday, we are thankful for the progress we have made together. The people of our state radically changed our behavior to look out for one another and it worked. Today’s achievement is proof: We know change is possible and we know we can change course dramatically when we work in unity.
Slide of the Day: The long list of names of people who have been abused by the criminal justice system, often fatally. Enough is enough. It’s time for change.
Here’s what else you need to know tonight:
1. I am announcing the “Say Their Name” reform agenda following the murder of George Floyd and an ongoing pattern of police brutality against black communities. The four cornerstones of the agenda are: Transparency of prior disciplinary records of law enforcement officers; Banning chokeholds by law enforcement officers; Prohibiting false race-based 9-1-1 reports and making them a crime; and Designating the Attorney General as an independent prosecutor for matters relating to the deaths of unarmed civilians caused by law enforcement. Next week I will work with the State Legislature to get these policies done.
2. Nourish NY has been in place for 35 days and continues to provide New Yorkers across the state with access to food, by purchasing excess product from NY farms. To date, 306 distributions have taken place with an estimated 87,691 households receiving Nourish NY products. 4,000 farms have participated in the initiative.
3. We are continuing to aggressively test for COVID-19. Yesterday, the state conducted 66,064 tests, and only 1,075 of those tests came back positive for Coronavirus. For the latest data on the virus, visit the state’s COVID tracker.
4. The number of total COVID hospitalizations is on the steady decline. Yesterday there were 2,728 total hospitalizations, down from 2,894 the day before.
Tonight’s “Deep Breath Moment”: Every year, the International Photography Awards conducts a competition to showcase stunning photography from around the world. The winners of this year’s “OneShot: Movement” competition were recently announced and the photos are incredible. See all the winners and honorable mentions here.
If you were forwarded this email, you can subscribe to New York State’s Coronavirus Updates here.
A tense week punctuated by a grim reminder: the coronavirus is still infecting people and thousands died from it. In the last week, more than 4,000 people were reported dead from COVID-19 and more than 1,000 of those deaths were reported in just the last 24 hours. Officials fear those numbers will rise significantly with the protests. “Based on the way the disease spreads, there is every reason to expect that we will see new clusters and potentially new outbreaks moving forward,” Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams warned this week.
• There have been more than 1.8 million coronavirus cases and more than 108,000 deaths.
• Research disputing the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for coronavirus has been retracted after questions were raised over the data.
• A forecast published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now projects more than 127,000 coronavirus deaths in the U.S. by June 27.
“Baxtron says while she feels safer living in Potsdam than in Syracuse, racism is alive and well here. “I’ve been called a n*gger, a baboon, and told to go home. We were outside handing flyers out at [a gas station] and some guy went in the store and asked the man ‘Why do you let those baboons stand outside the store?’ That was just a couple days ago.” But she’s hopeful for the future. She says the support shown at the march was a first step.”
JCEO and Glazier’s are hosting another free drive-thru milk and produce box pick-up this Sunday, June 7th from 9 am-12 pm at the Franklin County Fairgrounds at 606 E. Main St.
There will be 1500 milk and 1500 produce boxes with the following food items included: sour cream, cottage cheese, string cheese, yogurt, milk, lettuce, carrots, potatoes, oranges, and apples.
4500 gallons of milk are available.
Boxes are only available while supplies last.
Camping at New York State Parks
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) will begin accepting new camping reservations beginning June 8, for check-in beginning June 22.
Campers are reminded to practice social distancing, bring and wear a face covering, respect the rules, and do their part to keep the campgrounds, parks and beaches open and safe for everyone.
Camping capacity is limited and visitors must make an advance reservation before arriving at a campground.
New reservations for all available sites – including tents, trailers, RVs, cabins, yurts and cottages — will be accepted at 9 a.m. June 8, for camping stays beginning on June 22.
Reservations are expected to fill quickly.
Reservations can be made in advance by calling toll free 1-800-456-CAMP or visiting this website.
Online reservations are encouraged.
Campgrounds in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks overseen by the Department of Environmental Conservation operate on a different schedule and are not open at this time.
OSHA Guidelines for Agriculture Workers
OSHA issued new guidances that include recommended actions to protect agriculture workers from exposure to COVID-19.
The guidance includes recommendations for shared workspaces and also for shared housing and shared transportation vehicles to and from the worksite.
Here are some of the recommendations:
Screen agricultural workers for coronavirus symptoms, manage workers who have symptoms upon arrival at work or who become sick during the day, and address return to work after worker exposure
Use touch-free clocks and automatic doors, install plastic barriers when distances of six feet between individuals are not possible, and rearrange chairs and tables in break areas
Implement cleaning, disinfection, and sanitation protocols
Train workers in a language they understand on the signs and symptoms of coronavirus, proper infection control and social distancing practices, and what to do if they or a coworker experience symptoms
Encourage workers to use cloth face coverings in certain circumstances (e.g., when utilizing shared methods of transportation)
Provide and train workers on the proper use of personal protective equipment through videos or in-person visual demonstrations
The Peru CSD Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2020, at 6:30 PM. It is anticipated that an executive session will take place immediately following the 6:30 PM start and that the Board will reconvene for public session business at approximately 7:00 PM. Due to current COVID-19 conditions, the meeting will be held remotely via Google Meet. The public may view the meeting live at https://youtu.be/-OXU6AxLhgs. The meeting will also be recorded and will be available on the District’s website at www.perucsd.org. The meeting will include a public comment period not to exceed twenty (20) minutes. Comments will be read in the order received and will be limited to two (2) minutes per sender. Public comments may be submitted until 12:00 noon on June 9th. Comments may be emailed to perucomments@perucsd.org.
The agenda will be available on the District’s website.
As we prepare to return to work it is important for us to reflect on the feelings that come with this change. Richelle Gregory, Director of Community Services at Clinton County Mental Health and Addiction Services, has prepared some strategies for us to use during this time. To view her video visit https://youtu.be/IEHOz2deh7I.
Saratoga, N.Y. – Today, President Donald Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act into law. This bipartisan legislation will provide flexibility for small businesses that have utilized PPP loans. Specifically, this legislation extends the period businesses can utilize funds and receive forgiveness to 24 weeks, allows a greater portion of the loan to be utilized on non-payroll expenses, ensures access to payroll tax deferment for businesses that take PPP loans, and provides flexibility on employment level requirements and loan maturity. This legislation was overwhelmingly supported and passed in the House. The Senate passed the bill Wednesday, clearing it for the President’s signature.
“This was a top priority of our North Country seasonal businesses who need greater flexibility to recover and I fought hard to deliver this result. It is good news for our region that President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act into law this afternoon,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I am a proud co-sponsor of this legislation, and I have been an outspoken supporter of greater flexibility for PPP loans that have provided immediate relief to our small businesses throughout the last several months. I have worked with the SBA and U.S. Treasury directly to provide clarity and make changes to this program, and I am fully supportive of the new flexibilities that this bill will provide. Our small businesses will greatly benefit from the implementation of this legislation. I will continue to advocate for real solutions for our North Country business owners as they reopen and recover from the COVID-19 crisis.”
Cornell Cooperative Extension Essex County and Clinton County are accepting applications for the Master Gardener Volunteer training to begin in September. There is an application process, reference check, and interviewing to be done in the next two months. Training will be held via webinar, Zoom, and classroom activities. Some evening and Saturday training will be held as well. If you are interested in more information or want an application contact Linda L. Gillilland, llg46@cornell.edu in Essex County or Jolene Wallace jmw442@cornell.edu in Clinton County. The training is done together with both counties.
Plattsburgh/Peru, N.Y. This spring, New York apple growers are applying the results of a computer modeling-based orchard management research funded by the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) to more precisely manage their orchard thinning practices with a goal of producing higher quality fruit for harvest this fall. A free recorded webinar highlighting this work is available at www.nnyagdev.org/index.php/nny-farm-videos.
In 2018, with small grant funding from the farmer-driven NNYADP, Cornell University and Cooperative Extension fruit specialists began evaluating how to best time the application of apple bloom thinning materials through use of the Network of Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA) computer modeling system at Cornell University. In 2020, a computer application known as the Pollen Tube Growth Model is available to apple growers for the second year. The model considers input by individual growers to generate orchard application-timing graphs. Read more »
Saratoga, N.Y. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has announced that Brianna Hanley, a 9th grader from Clifton-Fine Central School, is the winner of the 2020 NY-21 Congressional Art Competition. Brianna’s winning piece entitled “Hope” is a two-panel piece depicting a cherry tree with mixed tempura and acrylic paint with India ink.
“Congratulations to Clifton-Fine student Brianna Hanley for winning this year’s art competition,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Our district is home to many talented young artists and I was honored to choose Brianna’s piece. I especially appreciate her title choice, as hope is something we all rely on during these challenging times. This morning, I had the opportunity to congratulate Brianna over the phone and invite her to visit Washington when the Congressional Art Competition Reception is rescheduled for the Fall.”
From the office of Assemblyman Dan Stec Republican candidate for NYS Senate
Drive-thru diplomas, virtual ceremonies are simply inadequate
The Governor and State Department of Health issued guidelines for graduation ceremonies today and Assemblyman Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) is pointing out that they are just not good enough for our students and school districts. The DOH is encouraging virtual ceremonies or drive-thru graduations, where a student’s family drives him or her up to a stage where they can receive their diploma and snap a quick photo.
Instead of concluding students’ high school careers on a rushed, superficial note, Stec is encouraging state officials to allow socially distanced ceremonies akin to the Air Force graduation this past April and the impending graduation at West Point. At these events, students walk in their processionals at an acceptable distance and sit six-feet apart for a full ceremony.
“Our students have worked so hard and sacrificed so much. They deserve more than the graduation ceremonies currently recommended by the Governor and Department of Health,” Stec said. “Virtual ceremonies, drive-thru diplomas and similar concepts are well-intentioned, but we can and ought to do better.
By the time graduation rolls around, most of the state should be in Phase 3 of reopening. We don’t have to settle for these options offered by the state,” he continued. “I urge the state to reconsider and instead outline a plan for ceremonies comparable to the one conducted by the U.S. Air Force. These cadets were able to have well-organized, safe, full graduation ceremonies. Our students deserve the same and I urge the Governor’s office to reconsider its guidelines.”
