The Peru Gazette

PLATTSBURGH, NY – The Strand Center for the Arts is delighted to host artist Eric Reinemann in the Main Gallery in March, 2017. This upcoming exhibit, “Phases 2009-2016,” will open in The Strand Center Main Gallery on Friday, March 3; an opening reception that is free and open to the public will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. that evening.

Eric Reinemann received his MFA from the University of Oregon in 2003 and BFA from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh in 2000. His works are on display at GF Contemporary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and have been acquired by numerous public and private collections across the country.

Reinemann works with his daily environments, which he can reconstruct, re-imagine, and remember in a new way on the pictorial plane. Read more »

Vegetable Soup
Chicken Breasts & Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes/Gravy
Cranberry Sauce
Corn
Cherry Cobbler
The cooks are at work. The welcome mat is out. Serving begins at 4:30. Come and enjoy this free, delicious meal.

Gov. Cuomo’s office has warned public-relations officers at 55 state agencies to start churning out a lot more good news about the administration — or else, sources said. Cuomo’s communications

Source: Cuomo warns state agencies to start pumping out good news | New York Post

His overall veto rate of 14 percent over the past six years is higher than the 11.4 percent of bills that were vetoed by former Gov. George Pataki and the 8.5 percent that were blocked by Cuomo’s father, Mario Cuomo

Source: Cuomo’s 2016 vetoes, by the numbers

North Country travelers will have a new option for direct flights to the East Coast starting this spring. Boutique Air will begin offering daily service from Massena to Baltimore, as well as twice daily flights to Albany.

Source: New airline with flights to Baltimore taking off from Massena | NCPR News

Exams set for April 7; Registration deadline is March 17

Examinations for individuals seeking a license to practice the sport of falconry, become a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator, or use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or injured big game animals are scheduled for Friday, April 7, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today.

The exams will run from 10 a.m. to noon at most DEC Regional Offices across the state. A list of DEC Regional Offices can be found on DEC’s website.

The registration deadline for these free exams is Friday, March 17, and exam registration forms are available from DEC’s website. Read more »

A Message from the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program

Northern New York. Two soybean diseases not previously confirmed in Northern New York crops were identified in 2016 by the annual corn and soybean disease survey and assessment funded by the farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program. The proactive disease assessment program helps protect the security and profitability of corn and soybean, two major agricultural crops for the Northern New York region. The results of the 2016 survey are posted at www.nnyagdev.org. Read more »

PLATTSBURGH — Call them the hidden homeless — the 100 individuals and families in Clinton County that live in local motels.

Source: Clinton County inks deal with ETC to help the homeless – Sun Community News & Printing

From the Office of Assemblyman Billy Jones

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) announced the launch of his districtwide tour
to hear the concerns of residents and let them know how his office can help them. The tour will
kick off on Feb. 20 in the town of Champlain.

“As your voice in Albany, it’s my job to make the North Country stronger,” said Jones.
“I’m here to listen, take notes and bring home the results our families deserve.”

Jones will also visit local businesses, schools and senior centers, as well as meet with
local officials during his tour. The 115th Assembly District includes all of Clinton and Franklin
counties, as well as the towns of Brasher, Lawrence, Piercefield and Hopkinton in St. Lawrence
County. Residents are encouraged to join Jones to discuss community issues at one of the stops
on his tour.

The tour will begin in Champlain on Monday, Feb. 20, at the following locations: Read more »

Plattsburgh, NY – 2/15/17 – On Saturday, April 29, 2017 the United Way of the Adirondack Region is once again teaming up with Project H.E.L.P. at SUNY Plattsburgh and the Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau for the Annual Day of Caring. Each year, this volunteer-driven event brings together local businesses, organizations, clubs and individuals to help regional nonprofit human service agencies and nonprofit attractions accomplish a variety of projects. During the last Day of Caring, more than 606 volunteers completed over 57 projects including facility improvements, senior citizen housework, neighborhood cleanups, enhancing attractions, bottle drives, food drives, building ramps, insulating walls, painting for non-profit organizations, helping move furniture, yard work for senior citizens and more.
United Way of the Adirondack Region is now seeking projects and volunteers throughout Clinton, Franklin and Essex counties for the 2017 Day of Caring. Focused on addressing some of the urgent needs facing our community, this event gives volunteers a firsthand look at these needs while carrying on the tradition of giving back to the community. Read more »

CANTON, NY (02/16/2017)– Henry D. McCormick of Peru has been selected for inclusion on St. Lawrence University’s Dean’s List for academic achievement during the Fall 2016 semester.

McCormick is a member of the Class of 2017 and is majoring in Geology. McCormick attended Ausable Valley Central School.

To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have completed at least four courses and have an academic average of 3.6 based on a 4.0 scale for the semester.

About St. Lawrence University: Read more »

Source: Refugees, migrants flee U.S. on North Country roads, seek asylum in Canada | NCPR News

Source: Cross-border workers could feel pain from “tweaks” to NAFTA | NCPR News

AGENDA Planning Board, WEDNESDAY, March 8, 2017 @ 7:00 PM
TOWN OF PERU
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL of February 8, 2017 minutes.
OPEN FLOOR to public hearing
APPLICATIONS:
1. 2-Lot Subdivision with SEQR: P-2017-001
Forrence Orchards Inc.
2-Lot Subdivision
2731 Rt. 22
Peru, NY 12972
ANY FURTHER BUSINESS:
CEO REPORT:
ADJOURNMENT

Mahoney’s Auto Mall and Employee Andrew Fuller Plead Guilty to Environmental Law Crimes; Must Pay $187,500 in Fines

CANTON – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced the conviction of Mahoney’s Auto Mall, Inc. (“Mahoney’s”) and its employee, Andrew Fuller, for violations of the Environmental Conservation Law (“ECL”) related to burying more than 140 gallons of hazardous substances on Mahoney’s property. Read more »

The Town of Peru, Town Board has scheduled a Public Hearing on Monday, February 27, 2017 at 6:45 PM. The Purpose of the Public Hearing will be to hear the public concerns on a local law amending the Local Law #2 of 2013 of the Town of Peru, concerning Zoning Board of Appeals Manning Reduction.
The meeting will be held at the Town Hall at 3036 Main Street, Peru.

Kathleen Flynn
Town Clerk
Town of Peru

During three hours of budget testimony, state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia tried to make the case that anything less than that would shortchange the state’s growing population of non-English speaking students, teachers who need training to roll out a revised set of Common Core learning standards, and families seeking quality prekindergarten programs. The biggest gap between the two proposals centers around foundation aid — base aid that is awarded to school districts through a complex formula that takes into account the level of student need and a community’s wealth in order to drive more funding to schools that really need it. Education officials also urged lawmakers to increase state support for the growing population of students who are learning to speak English. Elia also tried to make the case that the state should develop a $30 million professional development fund for teachers, who will need training as they draw up lesson plans and curriculum around a new set of K-12 learning standards.

Source: Elia: Budget plan shortchanges education – Times Union

The Peru Democratic Party meeting will be held on Thursday February 23rd, 2017 at 7 00PM.
The location will be the Peru Town Hall.

15 wrestlers heading for state championship meet Feb. 24-25

Source: Peru wins wrestling title as athletes punch tickets to Albany – Sun Community News & Printing

Dr. Spear in his office today

By John T. Ryan

Peru – Dr. Merritt Spear’s longtime friend Nancy Fegan expressed the sentiments of many people when she said, “He’s there when you need him.”  His friends, family and associates agree that those words can be applied to his practice of medicine, pubic service, military service, politics and most importantly family.

This year Dr. Merritt Spear will celebrate his 52nd anniversary of practicing medicine in the North Country. His experiences have been vast – private practice, Peru Central School physician, Clinton County Coroner, Director of SUNY Plattsburgh Health Services and Director of SUNY Plattsburgh Sports Medicine. Anyone attending hockey games at the Ronald B. Stafford Ice Arena will see him at the end of the rink. His resume reads: SUNY Plattsburgh Director of Sports Medicine 1976-present.

Peru residents probably know Dr. Spear best as the team physician for Peru’s great wrestling and football teams. Others know him as Director of Sports Medicine for the Empire State Games and Chairman of Medical Services for the Bobsled and Luge World Cup and World Championships or as a medical team member at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympic Games.

Alison, Stephanie, Dr. Spear, Joan, Jennifer & Geoffrey (2009) 

Nevertheless, with all these accomplishments on his resume , when asked what he’s most proud of Dr. Spear quickly responded, “My family!” This year Dr. Spear and his wife Joan will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary. While sports medicine has taken him away from home for many hours, Dr. Spear believes it has enhanced his family life. He explained, “My kids (Geoffrey, Stephanie, Alison and Jennifer) are athletic. I’ve been able to see what they were doing. It fit into a pattern. I’ve followed the kids and I’ve gotten to know the people who taught them. I loved every minute of it.”

Dr. Spear (Ft. Row, 3rd from left) Albany Medical College Class photo

A Plattsburgh native, Dr. Spear is a Plattsburgh High School and University of Vermont graduate. He and Joan were married in 1959 during his last year at Albany Medical College. The Spears moved to Peru in 1965 when he was hired as Peru’s school physician. They purchased their historic home at 2985 Main Street where Dr. Spear opened a private practice. In 1973 he joined Dr. Travers Robbins and Dr. Victor Ludewig to open the Beaumont Medical Center on the Bear Swamp Road.

While Dr. Spear is reticent when speaking of his accomplishments, he has wonderful memories of his military service. Not long after arriving in Peru he joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps, first as a member of the Vermont Reserves and then as a member the Vermont National Guard. His weekend duty and summertime encampments continued for 29 years. He retired in 1994 at the rank of Colonel. He remarked, “I’m very proud of my association with the Reserves and National Guard. I met some good people.”

Politics has also been one of his special pursuits, an interest undoubtedly sparked by his father Merritt Spear who served two terms as Plattsburgh mayor and one term as a city counselor. Dr. Spear was elected Clinton County Coroner in 1976 and was reelected two times.

A dedicated Republican, he has served on the Peru and Clinton County Republican Committees and has a special regard for former NYS Assembly member Janet Duprey. He said, “I worked hard for Janet Duprey. She was very good in that position.” Janey Duprey in turn considers Dr. Spear to be a very special man. She said, “Dr. Spear has been there for me for forty-one years. He’s definitely the person most responsible for me running for the state assembly. He told me to run and he said I could win. I thought about it. Then I told him, ‘I’ve got a deal. I will run for the assembly if you will be my campaign manager.’” Dr. Spear accepted that deal and was ready to continue if Janet had run for reelection in 2016.

Members of the SUNY Plattsburgh Sports Medicine Department hold Dr. Spear in the highest regard. Physicians Assistant Anna D’Angelo, Assistant to the Director of Sports Medicine, has worked with Dr. Spear since 1978 at SUNY Plattsburgh, at the Empire State Games and at Peru Central. She said, “Dr. Spear is very sensitive, a very dedicated physician who truly cares about the people he takes care of. He taught me the art of medicine.” Her description reinforces Dr. Spear’s self-characterization when he said, “I like working with people. I’m not a gadget guy.”

Jason Pachter, SUNY Plattsburgh’s Head Athletic Trainer said, “Dr. Spear is an icon in this department. He helps cover all seventeen of our sports and he’s a member of the SUNY Plattsburgh Athletic Hall of Fame. He gets along with the athletes and he knows sports medicine.” Pachter said Dr. Spear knows when the athletes can safely return to action after an injury, something that’s very important to the athletes and the teams.

Today Dr. Spear considers himself semi-retired, but he still says, “I have no desire to quit what I’m doing.” Undoubtedly Dr. Spear will be here as long as he is able and as long as we need him. He will continue practicing his art – the art of medicine.

Dr. Merritt Spear’s still-active resume:
Private Practice 1965-1976
Peru Central School Physician 1965-1990
Director, College Health Service – SUNY Plattsburgh 1976-1991
Director of Sports Medicine, SUNY Plattsburgh 1976-present
College Physician (half-time) 1991-1999
Consultant in Adolescent and Sports Medicine, CVPH Medical Center 1976-1991
Clinical Instructor in Medicine at Albany Medical College 1965-1999
Colonel. Medical Corps, U.S. Army Reserves and Vermont National Guard, Retired.
Member, Advisory Committee, NY State Governor’s Council on Lifetime Health, Fitness and Sport 1993-1994
Director of Sports Medicine Empire State Games 1980 – present
Team Physician, Peru Central School 1965-1990
Member Medical Services, 1980 Olympic Games, Lake Placid
Chairman, Medical services for World Cup and World Championships Luge and Bobsled, Lake Placid February – March 1983
Physician in Training, Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs August 1982
Chairman, Sports Medicine section of United States Bobsled Association 1982-1984
Member, Sport Medicine Advisory Board, U.S. Olympic Training Center, Lake Placid
Lecturer – Various
Clinton County Coroner 1976-85
Member Board of Directors March of Dimes, Northern NY Chapter 1966-1991
Member Board of Directors Senior Citizens Council of Clinton County – 2005-2011, 2013 –

Awards:
SUNY Plattsburgh Sports Hall of Fame October 1995
Eastern Athletic Trainers Association David G. Moyer Award January 2006
New York State Athletic Trainers Association Kent Scriber Award July 2015

Forest Ranger Actions for 2/6 – 2/12/17

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers respond to search and rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from New York’s backcountry.

In 2016, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 356 search and rescue missions, extinguished 185 wildfires that burned a total of 4,191 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 3,000 tickets or arrests.

Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers include: Read more »

State government’s 2016 overtime queen is an information technology specialist whose extra pay nearly tripled her regular salary.

Source: IT specialist was New York State’s top overtime earner in 2016 – NY Daily News

ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo proposed $2 billion in his budget to be used over five years to upgrade and protect drinking water but some estimates for the total cost of water infrastructure needs in the coming decades are 40 times that amount. A joint legislative budget hearing on environmental conservation held Monday in Albany shed light on the state’s overall needs for the largely unseen infrastructure that keeps clean water running and wastewater treatment humming. […] state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s office estimated Monday that the state’s water systems may need roughly $40 billion for drinking water system repairs and improvements over 20 years. Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, R-Long Island, suggested at an unrelated event Monday that the Legislature and governor should enter into a memorandum of understanding on how to spend this year’s proposed investment.

Source: New York’s water infrastructure needs estimated at $80B over 20 years – Times Union

Good morning everyone,

Just a few important reminders this morning, since we are in the final days of preparation for Mission #67. I’m not certain I will get a regular news/notes out later this week, so did not want you to overlook the following:

1. Deadline for applications for summer mission is March 1, 2017. Tentative travel dates will be around July 5th. Applications can be found on our newly designed website via this link:http://www.ncmissionofhope.org/index.php/get-involved-2/apply/mission-application-form/

2. News and notes daily during Mission: Back by popular demand will be our daily news/notes while we are on Mission next week. Bonnie Black will do the bulk of the daily info and I’ll add bits and pieces as needed. We have a VERY full schedule, so I think you will really enjoy reading about our “hearts and hands working together to improve lives”. Stay tuned….and thanks in advance, Bonnie!

3. I still need a few more folks who could pick up an education sponsorship. If you think you could do that, please contact me this week. Read more »

Please watch the explanation on Calvin Castine’s Home Town Cable