The Peru Gazette

Several members of the Plattsburgh High School Band and Select Chorus imparted the Spirit of Christmas at Champlain Centre today.

State and Partners to Lead Hikes on Jan. 1 to Celebrate New Year

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced “first day” hikes planned for Jan. 1, 2020, in DEC’s Region 5. DEC encourages New Yorkers to connect with nature by getting outdoors on the first day of the New Year with DEC Region 5 staff and partners.

“First Day Hikes are a great way to start the New Year,” said Bob Stegemann, DEC Region 5 Director. “DEC is excited to work with partners, Paul Smith’s College, and SUNY College of Environment Science and Forestry (ESF), to provide exceptional guided adventures for this year’s First Day Hikes.”

“We can’t wait to have folks here starting off the New Year on snowshoes with their families and neighbors,” said Thompson Tomaszewski, Lead Naturalist and Environmental Educator at Paul Smith’s VIC. “We love getting people outside on our gorgeous 25-plus-mile trail system to explore and learn about the natural world no matter the season, and we think this is a great way to give people a taste of what we do here.”

Hikers should come prepared for the conditions with warm layered clothing, water, sunglasses, and proper footwear to be worn with snowshoes, warm hats, and gloves.

Each participant will receive a pair of Adventure NY branded gloves and First Day Hike sticker. Guided hikes will be cancelled if snowfall or other weather events creates hazardous travel conditions or outdoor recreation conditions. Participants will be notified if a hike is cancelled by December 31.

DEC Guided Hike Up Prospect Mountain
January 1, 2020, 10:00am
Details: The hike is 1.5-miles and climbs 1,630-feet from the trailhead to the 2,030-foot summit. The spectacular 360-degree, 100-mile view of Lake George, the Queen of the American Lakes, the Southern Adirondack Mountains, the Green Mountains of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the Adirondack High Peaks of New York, and on a clear day the Laurentian Mountains of Canada.
Prospect Mountain: Trailhead on Smith Street, Village of Lake George (43.4254°N, 73.7197°W)
Registration: For information and registration: Ben Thomas, benjamin.thomas@dec.ny.gov or call (518) 623-1268.
Be Prepared: This event is free of charge. All hikers must have appropriate clothing and footwear. Snow shoes or crampons are required. Weather conditions may make this trail extremely icy and require additional traction. Bring water, snacks or anything else you may need for a hike. Read more »

Issued by: Burlington – VT, US, National Weather Service,

…DANGEROUS SNOW SQUALLS POSSIBLE TODAY… SNOW SQUALLS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 9 AM AND 1 PM AS AN ARCTIC FRONT MOVES ACROSS NORTHERN NEW YORK. AFFECTED LOCATIONS WILL SEE RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITIONS…WITH BRIEF HEAVY SNOW, WHITEOUT CONDITIONS, AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH. A QUICK SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 1 OR 2 INCHES IS POSSIBLE, WITH UP TO 3 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHERN ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY. THE SNOW SQUALLS WILL RESULT IN BRIEF HAZARDOUS TRAVEL LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… BE PREPARED FOR AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW. THIS COULD LEAD TO TEMPORARY WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING AND ENCOUNTER ADVERSE WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS…REDUCE SPEED AND MAKE SURE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON.

Stats for January – September 2019 tell a very positive story about our continued attraction of Canadian visitors via the Champlain/Lacolle border crossing over the last two years.

Compared to 2017:

Source: Impeachment day NY21: Stefanik to vote No, Cobb says she would vote Yes | NCPR News

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released the below statement following the House passage of FY2020 Appropriations to keep the government open:

“The House secured a crucial bipartisan result today: authorizing spending through September 2020 and keeping the government open and working for the American people,” said Congresswoman Stefanik.“Importantly, this Appropriations bill included many critical wins for my district and our entire country, including a pay raise for our military, millions in resources to maintain and improve Fort Drum’s military readiness, support for veterans, expanded health care access for North Country seniors, support for rural communities, and protection for our region’s environmental priorities and needs. I am proud to have helped secure these results for the North Country, and applaud the House for coming together to get this done.”

Key Defense Wins

• Provides a total of $738 billion to the warfighter to carry out the mission to protect national security interests and defend the homeland.
• Provides a 3.1% pay raise, the largest in a decade; and addresses child care and other critical issues to the military and their families.
• Provides $34 billion for Defense Health programs for service members to research traumatic brain injury, suicide, and cancer affecting our men and women in uniform.
• Provides $1.3 billion for National Guard and Reserve equipment modernization.

Wins for Fort Drum and the Community

• Secures $21 million for Fort Drum’s Railhead.
• Provides an additional $23 million for Fort Drum’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Hangar.
• Provides $232 million for Energy Resiliency and Conversation Investment Program—which will continue to support Fort Drum’s energy resiliency.
• Increases funding for DoD’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Programs for a total of $297 million, which will enhance prevention and response training, and improve resources for victims.
• Appropriates a $50 million increase for Impact Aid ($40 million increase for Impact Aid and $10 million for Impact Aid for Children with Disabilities)—which will provide financial support for the children of servicemembers at Fort Drum.
• Supports and funds research, clean-up, and regulatory work addressing PFOS/PFOA water contamination.
• Fully funds naval reactors such as Kesselring at $1.6 billion.
• Increases the Procurement Technical Assistance Program by $19.5 million to assist small businesses.

Supporting our Veterans

• Increases funds for Atomic Veterans Service Medal.
• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to Congress on the Vietnam-Era Veterans Hepatitis C Testing Pilot Program.
• Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to Congress to ensure that the Veteran Crisis Line provides an immediate response.

Promoting Economic Development and Rural Communities     

• Provides $642 million for rural broadband, including $555 million for a broadband pilot called ReConnect designed to provide certain flexibilities to remote and underserved areas.
• Allocates $25 million for the Northern Border Regional Commission, which provides infrastructure and economic development grant opportunities to all counties in the 21^st district.
• Provides $5.5 billion for electric improvements for our rural communities through the Rural Utilities Service Electric Loan Program.
• Issues $660 million for updates and new infrastructure in water and waste disposal systems for local municipalities through the USDA Water and Sewer Loan Grant program.

• Gives a seven-year extension of the Export-Import Bank, which enhances U.S. competitiveness and directly supports workers and job creators in the North Country.

• Ensures $146 million for the Manufacturing Extension Program to equip small manufacturers with the resources they need to support counties across the 21^st district.

Protecting Environmental Priorities

• Gives $320 million to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which addresses vital environmental issues across the Great Lakes region, such as improving water quality, protecting native habitats, and combating invasive species.
• Provides $13.4 million for the Lake Champlain Basin Program, which coordinates and funds efforts to support Lake Champlain and the surrounding watershed.
• Provides $21.6 million to support acid rain monitoring and research through the EPA’s Clean Air Allowance Trading Programs.
• Allocates $495 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a significant increase in funding.

• Allocates $75.3 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct a new lock at Soo Locks, which will help navigation throughout the Great Lakes system and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Expanding Access to Healthcare and Supporting North Country Seniors

• Allocates $1.6 billion in discretionary funding for the Health Centers program which supports Community Health Centers.
• Includes the Creates Act, a bipartisan provision included in H.R. 19, the Lower Costs More Cures Act that the Congresswoman helped introduce to lower drug prices. The Creates Act will help lower drug prices by promoting competition for drugs by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic versions of those drugs to the market.
• Provides $41.6 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting medical innovation and disease research.
• Permanently repeals the Medical Device Tax, Cadillac Tax, and Health Insurance Tax.
• Gives $936 million for Congregate and Home Delivered Nutrition Services for seniors, key programs under the Older Americans Act.

• Ensures $305 million to support energy assistance to low-income families and seniors though the Weatherization Assistance Program.

Keeping our Communities Safe 

• Provides funding to hire 1,200 additional Customs and Border Protection officers and 100 new border protection processing coordinators.
• Advances treatment and recovery initiatives and improves prevention and enforcement by investing $518 million in grant programs that support drug courts, prescription drug monitoring, overdose-reversal drugs, and at-risk youth programs.
• Protects our communities from heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamines by increasing federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers.
• Provides $502.5 million for grants, contracts, and other assistance for the prevention and prosecution of violence against women.
• Allocates $355 for the FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
• Provides $38 million for regional information sharing systems to support data collection and information sharing at local police departments.

Source: Republican incumbents continue heading for exit in NY Senate

Peru, NY – The Peru, NY Knights of Columbus bingo scheduled for Tuesday, December 17th is canceled because of deteriorating road conditions.  The Peru K of C Bingo will resume on Tuesday, January 7th.  The Knights  wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Source: A New Adirondack Snowmobile Trails App – – The Adirondack Almanack

The North Country Chamber of Commerce is proud to offer an opportunity for emerging leaders in 2020.  Through a series of Community Exploration sessions, participants will learn about the challenges facing our region and how they can get involved to make the North Country stronger than ever. Professional Development sessions will be included to help build the skills necessary to take their careers to the next level. Registration has begun, and space is limited, so register today.

Participants will get an inside look at our community, network with business leaders, and learn leadership skills that will help them succeed. This is a cost-effective way for businesses to train their employees and develop a strong team.

This program is ideal for new employees, those who are looking to take on leadership roles – both in their career and community, or those who are looking for a way to get involved and grow both personally and professionally.

The entire program is only $169 per person for Chamber members/partners and $269 per person for not-yet members. This includes a welcome reception, admission to Business After Hours each month, and multiple training sessions.

Sessions include Economic Development & Government Affairs, Tourism Promotion, Networking, Conducting Effective Meetings, Resolving Conflict & Dealing w/ Difficult People, Identifying & Utilizing Resources, and more! The program runs from February 27^th  – May 28^th . The full schedule with course descriptions can be found at www.northcountrychamber.com.

Take the next step in your career development, discover how you can play a vital role in our community, and make valuable connections that will last for years. Visit northcountrychamber.com, call 518.563.1000, or email jodyp@northcountrychamber.com for more info.

Source: Who’s ready for some Old Timey Radio at the Strand?

Source: Long Lines as Undocumented Immigrants in N.Y. Rush to Get Licenses – The New York Times

Source: NY State senator probes public authorities, finds mounting debt and little oversight – New York Daily News

Source: Acting Chief Had Her Own Fake Social Media Account — and Has Been Replaced | Off Message

Source: Setting the Agenda: Previewing Albany’s 2020 session | CSNY

Source: State set to implement Green Light law as legal challenge is dismissed – The Buffalo News

Source: Schools monitor kids with vape, sound detectors and now facial recognition

Source: Cuomo proposes gun ban for out-of-state offenders

Source: Council OK’s more Rec Complex increases | Local News | pressrepublican.com

Peru VFW Holiday Party
Saturday, December 21st, 1 -4 p.m.
Music by A Country Band and buffet only $10.

Peru – This coming Friday, December 20th, Stewart’s will hold a Grand Opening at its new Peru Shop. Ribbon cutting will take place at 11 a.m. There are too many sale items to mention, but they include free single scoop ice cream cones, coffee and tea. Hot dogs and soda at $.50 each and $.10 off per gallon on all fuels.

Stewart’s Shops promised a tight construction schedule and they lived up to that promise. Construction of the new Stewart’s shop began about September 6th. After only eight weeks on November 6th the new shop opened adjacent to the old shop. The old shop was demolished the same day and removal of the old fuel dispensers began. On December 6th fuel sales resumed as promised.

Click here for a previous detailed Peru Gazette story on the new shop. 

From the office of Assemblyman Dan Stec

Assemblyman Dan Stec (R,C,I-Queensbury) announced his candidacy today for the state Senate’s 45th District. Senator Betty Little announced she’ll be stepping down in 2020 after serving 25 years in the Legislature. Stec, who has worked closely with Senator Little both as an Assemblyman and as a local elected official, has the experience and proven record necessary to ensure North Country residents continue receiving honest, accountable leadership in the Senate.

Source: Peru students get crash course on adulting – Sun Community News & Printing

Source: Storm damage in Essex County exceeds $4 million – Sun Community News & Printing

Source: Origins and History of Christmas Trees – – The Adirondack Almanack