The Peru Gazette

L-R Becky Leahy (North Country Home Services), James Rolla (HCP), Assemblyman Jones, and Kathy Febraio (HCP)

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) was recently recognized as the New York State Association of Health Care Providers (HCP) Elected Official of the Year during their annual meeting at Bolton Landing. This distinction is given to a local or State official who has made significant strides in advancing the interests of home and community-based care. The team at North Country Home Services nominated Jones.

            “I am extremely honored to be HCP’s Elected Official of the Year,” said Jones. “I am proud to support home care in our communities to make sure that everyone can age in place and to support all home care workers who ensure that our loved ones receive the care they deserve. I have seen firsthand how much our local home care agencies care about their patients and will continue to support them during my legislative efforts in Albany.”

            “Assemblyman Jones has represented the North Country Home Services’ area for nearly a decade,” said Rebecca Leahy, Chief Executive Officer of North Country Home Services. “His commitment to home care is not just professional; it is personal. Billy has been a tireless advocate, consistently supporting every issue we bring before him. His efforts have been instrumental in securing fair remote rural rates, a critical factor in ensuring that the unique needs of our community are met.”

            “Assembly Member Billy Jones has been an invaluable ally to the home care community, showing a deep commitment to addressing the challenges facing our industry,” said James Rolla, HCP Board Chair. “His advocacy has brought much-needed visibility to home care, and his support has been crucial in advancing our mission. We proudly recognize him as our Elected Official of the Year.”

            “Assembly Member Billy Jones exemplifies what it means to be a true advocate for the people of New York.,” said Kathy Febraio, HCP President/CEO. “His dedication to ensuring that quality home care is accessible and sustainable has positively impacted providers, caregivers, and the individuals we serve. We are honored to celebrate his leadership and commitment.”

Peru Gazette file photo

To adjust to spaçe requirements, Elmore SPCA closed seven of the ten municipal contracts 

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Thanksgiving Dinner 

Turkey

Potatoes 

Stuffing 

Squash 

Dessert

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., take-out only, at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972 

All are invited and welcome!

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Peru, NY—Come one, Come all! Peru’s 2024 Tractor Parade will occur on Friday, December 13, beginning at 6 p.m. Farmer Don Dimock will be the Grand Marshal. It’s a great family event.

It starts at the Irwin farm on Jarvis Road, left on River Rd., right on Laflure Lane, right onto Rt. 22, right over the bridge, right at Liberty’s on Union Rd., left on Cross St, left onto Route 22, back over the bridge to Stewart’s, left on Holden Ave, left on School Street to 22, and done.

Peru Gazette 2023 Parade Video

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This burn ban prohibits the starting of outdoor fires statewide for purposes of brush and debris disposal, as well as uncontained campfires, and open fires used for cooking. Backyard fire pits and contained campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter are allowed, as are small, contained cooking fires. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State. Several municipalities also have burn bans in effect.

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The Peru CSD Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the High School Community Room. It is anticipated that an executive session will take place immediately following the 6:30 PM start and that the Board will reconvene for open public session business at approximately 7:00 PM. The meeting will be recorded and will be available on the District’s website at www.perucsd.org.  The meeting is open to the public and current District, County, State and Federal safety procedures and protocols will be followed. The complete agenda will be available via BoardDocs on the District’s website (perucsd.org).

Currently, two (2) public comment opportunities are planned as follows:

First public comment:  Related to items on the agenda.  Comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker.

Second public comment:  Comments are limited to three (3) minutes per speaker.

Individuals who are unable to attend the regular meeting in person may submit public comments by emailing perucomments@perucsd.org no later than 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, November 19^th.  Online comments are also subject to the conditions stated above.

Anticipated topics include:

• Independent Audit
• Strategic Plan
• Bonds
• Appointment of Personnel
• Policy Review

Prior to this regular monthly meeting, the Board will hold a committee meeting and a retreat.

At 5:30 PM, the Board’s Audit Committee will gather.  It is anticipated that they will conduct an executive session. No other business is currently planned for this committee meeting.

At 6:00 PM, the full Board will gather for a retreat, for the purpose of training and self-evaluation.

The regular monthly and audit committee meetings are open to the public. However, the retreat, and the executive sessions of the regular mo. & committee meetings, are closed sessions and not available for public viewing.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced a new state record for smallmouth bass was set on Sept. 22, 2024. Using a soft plastic lure, Dante Piraino of Baldwinsville, Onondaga County, reeled in a nine-pound smallmouth bass from the St. Lawrence River while fishing in a bass tournament hosted in the city of Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County. The record-breaking “smallie,” caught in 30 feet of water, surpassed the previous state record caught from Cayuga Lake in 2022 by eight ounces.

“New York provides some of the best bass fishing in the country and Mr. Piraino’s incredible catch is a testament to the outstanding angler opportunities across the state,” Interim Commissioner Mahar said. “There’s nothing better than spending time with family and friends on the water pursuing these exciting sportfish. DEC encourages those fishing in New York’s world class waters to check out the Angler Achievement Awards Program before their next trip.”

Pound for pound, smallmouth bass are considered one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish in New York. When hooked, they will often take acrobatic leaps out of the water, making them a highly desirable sportfish for anglers. Smallmouth bass can be found across the state in cooler lakes, rivers, and creeks in rocky/gravelly areas. Aside from the famed St. Lawrence River, some of the best smallmouth bass waters in New York include Lake Erie/Upper Niagara River, Lake Champlain, Cayuga Lake, Oneida Lake, and Chautauqua Lake. Lake George, Mohawk River, Susquehanna River, Lower Niagara River, and Keuka Lake are also great options.

The smallmouth bass record comes only a few months after a new state record for largemouth bass was set on July 11, 2024. James Britenbaugh of Pennsylvania reeled in the record-breaking 12-pound, 6-ounce largemouth bass from Cayuga Lake, Cayuga County. Earlier this year, a new state record for longnose gar was set. On June 21, 2024, Chuck Zimmerman of Hilton, Monroe County, reeled in a 15-pound, 14-ounce longnose gar from Butterfield Lake, Jefferson County.

Mr. Piraino and the other record-holders submitted details of their winning catches as part of DEC’s revamped Angler Achievement Awards Program, which tracks state record fish. Through this program, anglers can enter freshwater fish that meet specific qualifying criteria and receive official recognition of their catch along with a species-specific sticker commemorating their achievement. The program’s three categories are: Angler Award, Youth Angler Award, and State Record. As part of the program revamp, anglers can now submit entries for qualifying catches from the convenience of their smart phones through an online entry form.

The program supports Governor Kathy Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative, which was launched to promote physical and mental health by helping New York’s kids and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings.

For official program rules, eligible species and associated minimum qualifying lengths, visit the Angler Achievement Awards webpage.

For more information on where to find smallmouth bass, visit DEC’s Places to Fish and Warmwater Fishing webpages.

Anglers are also encouraged to check out ‘Tackle Box’ feature in DEC’s HuntFishNY App, which provides anglers one-stop shopping for waterbody-specific information on fishing regulations, stocking, and fishing/boating access sites.

Gregson is actively looking for younger people he could train to take over. But he hasn’t had much success.

“Masonry is hard work and that’s what everybody thinks of it: it’s hard work. And so, you know, the volunteers just don’t step right up.”

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The Peru New York Lions Club will be hosting the 47th Annual John P Adams Memorial Turkey Trot on November 28 @ 9:00 on Thanksgiving Day. Pre-registration for the 5K and 10K runs can be found on www.adirondack coast events.com, Click on Upcoming races, then Peru Lion Turkey Trot. Follow the prompts for pre-registration and information.

More info:

• The Peru Lions Club will host its 47th annual John P. Adams Memorial Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 28th, 2024.
• Proceeds benefit the charitable work of the Peru Lions Club.  
• The race was started 47 years ago by three guys (two of them Lions), one of whom was John P. Adams. Today, his grandson attends as a volunteer.
• This is a family run with participants at all levels. There is a 5 K and a 10 K
• The race starts at 9:00 AM Thanksgiving morning. Starts and ends at Peru Central School, Peru, New York.
• Everyone must pre-register. Pre-registration is open now and ends at 8:45 AM Thanksgiving morning.
• registration is $27.50 (a family discount of $2.50 per Registrant)
• Pre-registration is required and can be done online at  www.adirondackcoastevents.com . Go to this site, click on “upcoming races”, then page down to find “47th Annual Peru Lions Club John P. Adams Memorial Turkey Trot.”
• Bib pick-up starts at 7:45 AM on Thanksgiving morning.
• Awards will be given to the top three men and top three women in the 5k and the 10k; Swag is given to all at the end of the race.
• Raffle prizes are available to all who donate at least $15 to the Lions Club. Donations can be made by going to the donation tab on the same website as the runner signup. Winners don’t have to be there to win.

By John T Ryan

On THURSDAY, November 14, at 5:30 p.m., the Peru Town Board will hold a Special Meeting to adopt the town’s 2025 budget. On Monday, 4, 2024, the Board held a public hearing on its Preliminary Budget. No resident appeared before the Board to ask questions. The Peru Gazette asked Supervisor Craig Randall to outline the budget highlights.

While expenditures are increasing, the budget is under the state’s 2% tax cap (By $3,000). The board and town clerk-tax collector are not accepting a 2025 pay raise. All other employees will receive a 3% raise. As he has done several times, Supervisor Randall cautioned that staying under the tax cap in 2026 would be much more challenging given the planned water, wastewater treatment, and culvert upgrades.

The budgeted 2025 tax rates: 

Town General – $1.552/M, down from $1.636 this year

Town Highway  – $1.871/M, up from $1.783 this year 

Town Sewer #1 – $!.968 /M, down from $2.07 this year 

Valcour Residential $.25/M, down from $.332 this year 

Valcour Commercial $.704/M,  up from $.332 this year 

Town Water $1.067/, down from $1.12 this year 

2025 PRELIMINARY BUDGET

EDITOR’S NOTE: THE ORIGINATIONAL POST STATED WEDNESDAY. THE CORRECT DAY IS THURSDAY.

WASHINGTON, DC – House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik released the following statement:

“I am truly honored to earn President Trump’s nomination to serve in his Cabinet as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. During my conversation with President Trump, I shared how deeply humbled I am to accept his nomination and that I look forward to earning the support of my colleagues in the United States Senate.

President Trump’s historic landslide election has given hope to the American people and is a reminder that brighter days are ahead – both at home and abroad. America continues to be the beacon of the world, but we expect and must demand that our friends and allies be strong partners in the peace we seek.

The work ahead is immense as we see antisemitism skyrocketing coupled with four years of catastrophically weak U.S. leadership that significantly weakened our national security and diminished our standing in the eyes of both allies and adversaries. I stand ready to advance President Donald J. Trump’s restoration of America First peace through strength leadership on the world stage on Day One at the United Nations.

I will forever be grateful to my beloved constituents in New York’s 21st Congressional District for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to work my very hardest to serve and give them a voice at the highest levels of Congress. Ten years ago, Upstate and North Country voters took a chance on a young, first-time, unknown candidate who very few believed could win. I was proud to be the youngest woman elected to Congress at the time and to earn their overwhelming vote of confidence in six general elections.

Thank you to my colleagues in the House for entrusting me to serve as House Republican Conference Chair as a part of your leadership team. I am proud of my strong record as a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Intelligence Committee, and the Education and Workforce Committee, as well as the legislative and constituent services results my office successfully delivered to our district.

Thank you to the hardworking families, small businesses, farms, law enforcement officers, military families, veterans, seniors, and local elected officials whom I have worked so closely with on behalf of our communities. And most especially, thank you to my extraordinarily dedicated staff in the District and Washington offices for serving our constituents tirelessly for the past decade.

My family and I are excited for this next chapter in New York and Washington to work hard to serve our country on President Donald Trump’s team.

No matter where this journey takes us, Upstate New York – the cradle of the American Revolution – will always be my heart and home.”

President Trump’s statement:

“I am honored to nominate Chairwoman Elise Stefanik to serve in my Cabinet as United States Ambassador to the United Nations. Elise is a strong and very smart America First fighter. She graduated from Harvard University, with honors, was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, and is the highest ranking woman in Congress, as the House Republican Conference Chair. She was the first Member of Congress to endorse me, and has always been a staunch advocate. Elise is a senior Member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Intelligence Committee, and led the charge against antisemitism on college campuses. She will be an incredible Ambassador to the United Nations, delivering Peace through Strength and America First National Security policies!”

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Dan Stec, Paula Collins, Billy Stec in the speculation mill 

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