The Peru Gazette

4 more lab-confirmed cases than yesterday 

By John T. Ryan

April 14 – The Peru School Board is conducting 2020-21 budget meetings this week. It is a very difficult budget year with many unknowns. State aid and the amount the Governor will cut are the greatest concerns.  No decisions have been made. The Board is looking at potential cost savings.

District Superintendent Dr. Thomas Palmer commented,  “The Board has made no action or acceptance and will have further discussion and hopefully a Board Adoption of the budget at their May 19 Board Meeting to present to the public for their vote.  I will be having a Podcast on Friday recapping the Budget workshop and hopefully have some more numbers to share at that time.”

Click here to view program

Source: Local officials: Maintain public health focus as reopening begins | Coronavirus | pressrepublican.com

Source: As the Covid-19 economic crisis unfolds, Vermont women stand to be hit hardest – VTDigger

Peru – The 34th Annual St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Bill McBride Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament scheduled for June 19th at Adirondack and Country Club has been canceled because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  The Peru Knights thank all past tournament sponsors and participants and look forward to hosting the tournament in 2021. If conditions permit an informal golf day may be scheduled later this year.

L-R Lions Dennis Hulbert (Plattsburgh), Ricky Laurin (Chazy), Jim Keislick & David Dalton (Peru) yesterday at Clinton County Nursing Home

Lions David Dalton (Peru) and Rick Laurin (Chazy) at Meadowbrook Healthcare

Lions David Dalton, Sandra Geddes Meadowbrook’s Director of Community Relations, Rick Laurin & Chazy Lions

By John T. Ryan 

Over the past several days members of the Peru, Plattsburgh and Chazy Lions Clubs have been delivering danishes and donuts to essential personnel at Meadowbrook Healthcare, the Villas Home, the Clinton County Nursing Home and the Plattsburgh Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Peru Lions Club Acting President David Dalton commented, “ The Lions Club mission is focused on several aspects of healthcare including vision, hearing, and diabetes, so it’s a natural fit for us to support these healthcare workers who are doing such an important job under these difficult circumstances.” 

The three clubs donated equal amounts to purchase the baked goodies from Rulfs in Peru. Next week they’ll continue their frontline support with visits to some of our local law enforcement departments. 

Washington, D.C.  – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik sent a letter to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs asking for the increased use of community retail pharmacies for non-active duty service members and veterans currently covered under TRICARE. In response to COVID-19, Military Treatment Facilities (MTF) and their pharmacies have changed or limited access to non-active duty service members and their families, and are encouraging TRICARE beneficiaries to use mail order services which are steering patients away from retail community pharmacies like Kinney Drugs, who have already implemented necessary safety precautions.

Additionally, the letter restates the Department of Homeland Security’s designation of pharmacy employees as critical infrastructure workers and emphasizes the need for the DHA to recognize the critical role community pharmacies fill when providing prescriptions to patients during a public health crisis.

“Community pharmacies in the North Country have implemented the necessary no-contact precautions for those picking up prescriptions due to COVID-19,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Our servicemembers covered by TRICARE should still be able to safely pick up prescriptions at their local pharmacies and, in turn, support our community businesses during this economically challenging time. I am asking that the Defense Health Agency consider encouraging TRICARE beneficiaries to still support their local pharmacies that are practicing safe, no-contact procedures. This action will minimize further disruption for service members during this unprecedented time and support our local economy.”

Read more »

Source: What will the state’s regional “control rooms” do? Mostly monitor data, businesses | NCPR News

Source: As some Burlington stores scramble to reopen, others decide not to – VTDigger

Source: Gov. Cuomo gives north country green light to reopen Friday | Public Service News | nny360.com

Source: FCI Ray Brook to be holding site for new federal prisoners | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Without aid from Washington, hospitals, schools and local governments could face billions in budget cuts

The state’s Enacted Budget Financial Plan anticipates a dire fiscal outlook in State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21 and projects sweeping budget cuts that could affect essential services provided by the state, schools and local governments, according to an analysis released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

As much as $8.2 billion would be cut from Aid to Localities spending, while large reductions in funding for State Operations are also planned. School children and college students, people living in poverty, individuals with disabilities, and aging New Yorkers are among those who may suffer the loss of services.  Programs that help fund front-line responders, safeguard health, protect the environment, ease the burden on property taxpayers and maintain a sound transportation system could also face significant cuts.

“The Financial Plan warns of deep cuts and very troubling actions the state anticipates taking to address the revenue loss and growing costs of fighting the coronavirus,” DiNapoli said. “New York is facing an unprecedented public health and fiscal crisis that could dramatically change our landscape for years to come. As reports by my office have repeatedly shown, New York ranks first among the small group of states that send more dollars to the federal government than they receive in return. Now we need help from Washington that comes without strings to protect New Yorkers from seeing essential services decimated.”

DiNapoli’s report finds:

• The economic projections of the state Division of the Budget (DOB) that underlie the Financial Plan are in keeping with those of the Congressional Budget Office and other forecasters, and the revenue projections appear reasonable. Given the potential for major cuts in funding for essential services, DOB should make detailed data underlying its economic and revenue forecasts publicly available, and update such information throughout the year along with more detailed information on spending, cash flow, out-year gaps, and borrowing. Cuts to key services should be minimized by reevaluating less essential spending where possible.
• DOB does not anticipate the use of deficit financing this state fiscal year, nor the use of rainy day reserves to avoid a deficit. These are positive factors in addressing the reality of what is expected to be a multi-year fiscal challenge. The state’s plans to delay paying $667 million in Social Security taxes and to defer an additional $700 million of the state-share Medicaid payments, among other steps, will push certain costs to future years.
• Medicaid and other health care costs represent a significant budgetary risk this fiscal year and onward. State co­­sts will rise by levels not yet identifiable due to the direct and indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While increased federal aid will pay for some of these new costs, the net impact to the state remains unclear.
• The state may be able to use substantially more of its $5.1 billion allotment from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund than is reflected in the Financial Plan. The U.S. Treasury should explicitly make these resources flexibly available for use as needed, while more direct federal aid is needed to help both the state and local governments fill gaps from new lost revenues and new costs.
• Projected out-year budget gaps, after delaying payments and other actions, have tripled compared to those in the Executive Budget proposed in January, now totaling $25.6 billion over the out-years of the Plan. Without additional, urgently needed federal aid, the state has limited flexibility to avoid undesirable actions including spending cuts, revenue increases or deficit financing.

Report on the SFY 2020-21 Enacted Budget Financial Plan

Find out how your government money is spent at Open Book New York. Track municipal spending, the state’s 170,000 contracts, billions in state payments and public authority data. Visit the Reading Room for contract FOIL requests, bid protest decisions and commonly requested data.

Source: Placid brewery wins gold | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Source: Help out your local farms – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Gauging the psychological impacts of COVID-19 – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Stewart’s Shops drops milk prices, working to prevent dairy farmers from dumping milk | WRGB

More than 180 nations worldwide have confirmed cases of the coronavirus. The following have the highest number as of 4 a.m. ET*:

1. US 1,369,964 (+1.63%)
2. Spain 269,520 (+0.51%)
3. Russia 232,243 (+0.00%)
4. UK 227,741 (+1.52%)
5. Italy 221,216 (+0.64%)
6. France 178,349 (+0.45%)
7. Brazil 178,214 (+5.08%)
8. Germany 173,171 (+0.34%)
9. Turkey 141,475 (+1.22%)
10. Iran 110,767 (+1.36%)

Source: Johns Hopkins University

*Percentage change over 24 hours

Source: Advice for reopening: 6 lessons CNY manufacturers learned while operating during coronavirus pandemic – syracuse.com