The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Peru – Rehabilitating the Town of Peru’s Lyon Street School is continuing. Randy LaValley Construction is in the process of staining and installing new clapboards on the 150+ year old one-room schoolhouse at the corner of the Lyons Road and Rock Road. School centralization forced the school’s closing in the 1930’s. Frederick Lyons, a nearby farmer, purchased the building in 1939 and used it as a hay barn for many years.

AGENDA – ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS, WEDNESDAY, October 17, 2018 @ 7:00 PM, TOWN OF PERU

Click here to view Home Town Cable Video Report 

Source: First look: Plattsburgh Chick-fil-A readies grand opening – Sun Community News & Printing

Source: Stefanik on Kavanaugh: ‘We’ve weaponized the politics of personal destruction’ – Sun Community News & Printing

The importance of the Battle of Valcour – Source: Tales of red, of blue | News | pressrepublican.com

GOP Candidate for Governor of NYS Source: Editorial board meeting with Marc Molinaro: 6 takeaways

A fascinating story about our nation and especially Plattsburgh raised money to support WWI

Source: World War I: New Yorkers Get Behind the Liberty Ball – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: State urges caution after 3 moose killed in car crashes – Times Union

A Message from Peru Central School

At approximately 11:20 a.m., an accidental activation of the automated “Lock-Down” protocol was initiated. There was never a safety issue!!! Peru Central School has resumed its normal school day functions.

AGENDA – Planning Board, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2018 @ 7:00 PM, TOWN OF PERU

CALL MEETING TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL of September 12, 2018 minutes.
OPEN FLOOR to public hearing
APPLICATIONS:

Dear Peru School Community,

Time is flying and we are already into October. This is a friendly reminder of this week’s events. We are conducting an evacuation drill on Thursday, October 4th and the campus will be closed at 11:30 a.m. and will re-open at 2:45 p.m. (Dr. Palmer emphazed to the Peru Gazette that all students being picked up for appointments must be picked up prior to 11:30. The campus will be closed to all outside traffic at 11:30.)

Legislation sponsored by Senator Betty Little and Assemblyman Billy Jones banning the construction of stand-alone mausoleums in New York State was signed into law yesterday by Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The North Country lawmakers proposed the measure in the wake of the abandonment of Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens in the towns of Plattsburgh and Ellenburg.  Both towns were obligated under New York State law to take responsibility for the operation and maintenance of two abandoned mausoleums, which had deteriorated to the point of near disrepair after years of neglect.

“The condition of these mausoleums was appalling,” said Little.  “It was a disgrace for those interred and heartbreaking for the families of loved ones.  A tremendous amount of progress has been made to rehabilitate both facilities, costing taxpayers more than $2 million.  It had to be done and was obviously the right thing to do given the circumstance.  But we need to make sure this never happens again.”

“The resting places of our loved ones should always remain well maintained and cared for,” said Assemblyman Billy Jones.  “The owners of Whispering Maples Memorial Gardens failed families and members of our community when they made the conscious decision to abandon their duties.  The legislation signed into law today is crucial to ensuring that this does not cost taxpayers money in the future and that the memory of our loved ones will be respected and upheld.”

According to the lawmakers, mausoleums have proven successful for many cemeteries when part of a larger financial plan and presented as an additional burial option. They have also been successful helping cemeteries extend their ability to offer burial services by utilizing burial space otherwise unavailable for in-ground burial.
 
However, they have proven unsuccessful when a cemetery is created solely for the purpose of construction of a stand-alone mausoleum or columbarium. This model exposes local governments and other entities to financial hardship if a facility is subsequently abandoned.  In addition to Whispering Maples, another stand-alone mausoleum in the town of Osegatchie in St. Lawrence County was abandoned about two years ago.

Little and Jones said the new law will protect taxpayers as well as municipalities, as well as better ensure that those who have passed away and their families will not have to endure a similar indignity.

The new law had passed both houses of the State Legislature in June and, now signed by the governor, takes effect immediately. Read more »

Source: Tony Goodwin: A Railroad To Lake Placid Is Not Sustainable – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Senate GOP reviews New York’s parole process – Times Union

Here is an example of the service DEC Forest Rangers provide to us each and every day.

Town of Newcomb
Essex County
Wildland Rescue: At 5:36 p.m. on Sept. 30, DEC’s Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a hiker reporting his partner had injured his knee descending a steep, eroded section of the Mount Adams Trail. The 71-year-old hiker was located less than a quarter mile from the summit of the peak and was unable to put any weight on the leg. Under the authority of Lt. John Solan, several Forest Rangers and one assistant Forest Ranger were requested to assist with a night carry-out of the injured party. At 10:08 p.m., Forest Rangers arrived at the hiker’s location and provided patient care. Once the patient was stabilized and secured in a litter, Rangers began the difficult carry out to a staged six-wheeler at the base of the mountain. With slippery, steep, and hazardous conditions, the rescue required low-angle rope rescue techniques. At 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 1, the man from Tolland, Conn., was out of the woods and Newcomb Volunteer Ambulance transported him for further medical treatment.

Source: Miner Institute and Burke family prepare to honor a legend – Sun Community News & Printing

Source: Clinton County ‘susceptible to fiscal stress,’ report says – Sun Community News & Printing

Source: North Country reacts to new NAFTA deal – Sun Community News & Printing

Peru – Progress is continuing on the Washington Street expansion. Paving took place today. Developer Willian Sawyer is installing the infratructure for 13 new homes. One home has been sold and is under construction. Sawyer plans to also construct two spec homes.

Click here to read previous story

By John T. Ryan

Peru –  The VFW and its Auxiliary are renown for their support of veterans and patriotism. This year the New York State VFW Auxiliary and the Peru VFW Auxiliary are working with the Wreaths Across America program to raise funds for wreaths at 55 cemeteries across New York State. The Peru Auxiliary, led by its President Judy Lefebvre, needs to raise about $3,000 for wreaths at the Old Post Cemetery, 8 Lake Forest Drive in Plattsburgh. This historic cemetery is the final resting place for 136 Unknown and 163 Known soldiers, sailers, airmen and family members including Thomas Kelly, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. The cemetery is also the site of our nation’s first Tomb of the Unknowns and where the Battle of Plattsburgh (1814) soldiers and sailers are interred.

The Wreaths Across America program was established in 2008 to coordinate wreath-laying ceremonies at more than 1,400 locations across the United States. Its goal is:

To remember fallen U.S. Veterans

To honor those who serve 

To teach children the value of freedom 

The wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for noon, Saturday, December 15, 2018.  

Please make donations by October 31, 2018. Sponsorships are $15 for one wreath, $30 for 3 wreaths. Donations can be made online or checks made payable to the New York State VFW Auxiliary can be mailed to Judy Lefebvre, President, Peru Memorial VFW Auxiliary, 710 Pleasant St., Peru, NY 12972. Judy will ensure that donations are directed to the cemetery donors designate. Click here for a donation form.

If you wish to donate online visit www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org. Click on “Donate Through a Group” Sponsoring Group IS Number: NY0109, Location ID: NYOPCP, Name of Cemetery: Old Post Cemetery Plattsburgh

Questions: Call Judy at 518-593-5628.

By John T. Ryan

Peru – The staff at K&S Body Works at 780 Telegraph Rd. is #45 in our Peru Gazette photo series featuring people who make Peru a great place to live. It was 60 years ago in 1958, when Karl and Shirley Schweikert transformed the Schweikert family dairy barn into an auto body shop. Karl was the auto body man and Shirley handled the bookkeeping. Karl recalls, “When we first started we plowed snow, dug ditches, installed septic tanks. Anything you needed done we did.”

Click here to view. 

By John T. Ryan

Peru – The Town of Peru Highway Department has been upgrading and widening the Liberty Rd. over the past several days. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said either a stone chip – oil base or ashphalt will be laid down on the 432 ft. road.

Liberty Rd. is one of the town roads intersected by the Adirondack Northway. The Town of Peru did not take formal action to abandon the road. A double-wide trailer was recently placed along the road which meets Telegraph Rd. about 1/4 mile south of the Bear Swamp Rd.