The Peru Gazette

On Tuesday, November 22 at 6:30pm, the Peru Community Church along with St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Church will be hosting a Community Thanksgiving Worship Service at 6:30pm at the Peru Community Church. This will be a service of celebration for the abundant harvest and the many blessings in the Peru community. Rev. Peggi Eller, Pastor of the Peru Community Church, will be offering the message. All are invited to join us in celebration and worship.

Donations will be accepted for the Elmore SPCA and the JCEO Food Pantry. A free will offering will also benefit these organizations, remembering that we are all God’s creatures.

Anyone interested in singing in a community choir should meet at the Peru Community Church at 6:10pm to review the music. Mrs. Carol Gallagher will be leading the choir.

The Peru Town Board will hold a Special Meeting to finalize the 2017 town budget at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 17th.
The Board did not vote on the budget at the Monday, November 14th became negotiations with the unionized Highway Department have not been concluded.

Carson Larrow and Lynn Wilke performed Taps

At the Veterans Day Peru VFW Post 309 Commander Rick Cornish introduced Peru Town Counselor Donald McBrayer, Clinton County Legislator Rob Timmons and Rev. Shnob. A Rifle Salute was conducted by the U.S. Army Reserve Unit of Plattsburgh Center. Taps was performed by Lynn Wilke and Carson Larrow.

Click here for a video of proceedings. 

PLATTSBURGH — The City of Plattsburgh Recreation Department is exploring the idea of restructuring their department, a process that would place more of a regional emphasis on sustaining infrastructure.

Source: City rec department explores alternative leadership – Sun Community News & Printing

PLATTSBURGH — The oldest building on the Clinton Community College campus will be soon be getting a much needed makeover.

Source: CCC main building to receive makeover – Sun Community News & Printing

Photos from today’s Peru Memorial VFW Post 309 Veterans Day Service. The program included a welcome by Post Commander Rick Cornish; Posting of the Colors by the James P. O’Connor Composite Squad Color Guard Civil Air Patrol; Opening Prayer by St. Augustine’s Pastor Rev. Alan Shnob; Addresses by the VFW’s Voice of Democracy Contest Winner Matthew Fall, Peru Town Counselor Donald McBrayer, Clinton County Legislator Rob Timmons, Benediction by Rev. Shnob, a Rifle Salute by the U.S. Army Reserve Unit Plattsburgh Center, and Taps by Lynn Wilke and Carson Larrow.

Click here to view view. 

SUNY Plattsburgh freshman, their families, and members of the local community filled the E. Glenn Giltz Auditorium in Hawkins Hall Friday, Oct. 21 for the North Country Scholarship reception that celebrated 150 recipients who received the North Country Scholarship this year.
“This event allowed local scholars and their families to meet the benefactors who support this growing scholarship program,” said Faith Long, director for development at SUNY Plattsburgh. “For students, it’s a great opportunity to thank generous donors and also to network and meet business and community leaders who offer both scholarship support and mentorship for our North Country students.”
Funded by area businesses and individuals, as well as the Plattsburgh College Foundation, the North Country Scholarship program aims to retain local youth.
Free Tuition Program
“Although the program has been around for eight years, this was the first time that we were able to offer free tuition,” said Anne Whitmore Hansen, vice president of institutional advancement. Read more »

Source: Stefanik sweeps every North Country county | NCPR News

Source: For Woolf, life after politics includes filmmaking and a historic Adirondack tavern | NCPR News

By John T. Ryan

The Town of Peru’s Preliminary 2017 Budget will be open for public comment at a Thursday, November 10, 2016 Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m. at the Peru Town Hall.  The budget increases are under the New York State imposed .68% tax cap. Some rates increase, while others decrease.  Health care costs are a major budget item. Taking all offices and departments into consideration Peru’s health care expense is budgeted at $237,504, a 8.7% increase over this year.

Click below to review the historic and projected tax rates for the various town functions.

tax-rates-2017-town-budget

Peru’s 2016 Unofficial Election Totals are as follows not including any absentee ballots:
President of the United States
Hillary Clinton – 1183
Donald J. Trump – 1352
Jill Stein – 42
Gary Johnson – 134
U.S. Senator
Charles E. Schumer – 1506
Wendy Long – 1100
Robin Wilson – 23
State Supreme Court Justice
Mark L. Powers – 706
Timothy J. Lawliss – 1975
Representative in Congress
Mike Derrick – 1126
Elise Stefanik – 1571
Matthew Funiciiello – 44
State Senator
Betty Little – 2220
Stephen Ruzbacki – 216
Member of Assembly
D. Billy Jones – 1223
Kevan A. Mulverhill – 1472
County Court Judge
Keith M. Bruno – 1736
Mark E. Anderson – 965
Surrogate Court Judge
Catherine M. Paul – 1235
William A. Favreau – 1470

The Peru Town Board has scheduled a Public Hearing on the 2017 Town of Peru Budget for Thursday, November 10th at 6:30 p.m.  The Preliminary Budgets for General, Highway, Peru Sewer, Valcour Sewer and Peru Water appear below.  It is our understanding that the budgets stay below the NYS imposed tax cap. The Peru Gazette will be analyzing the budgets and hopefully interviewing Supervisor Peter Glushko tomorrow. Please attend the Public Hearing if you have any questions.

general-budget-2017

highway-budget-2017

peru-sewer-2017

valcour-sewer-2017

peru-water-2017

Peru – As of 3:50 p.m. 1,883 or 42.8% of Peru’s 4,306 registered voters had cast ballots at St. Augustine’s Parish Center. In 2012, the last Presidential Election year, almost 63% of Peru’s voters cast ballots either at the polls or by absentee ballot. The polls close at 9 p.m.

Public Hearing on 2017 Town of Peru Budget scheduled for Thursday, November 10th at 6:30PM at the Peru Town Hall.

As of 8:15 this morning Peru’s voting was proceeding normally at the St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. The polls will close at 9 p.m. The Peru Gazette will post Peru’s results as soon as possible after the polls close.

[Plattsburgh]- Please join the Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) in celebrating New York History Month on Saturday, November 12th, 10 am to 3 pm with the opening of the Town of Clinton Exhibit and special Behind Closed Doors Museum Tours. Learn about the history of the Town of Clinton. See museum volunteers at work behind the scenes. Free gifts for the first 50 visitors. Light Refreshments. Free Admission. 98 Ohio Avenue, Old Base, Plattsburgh. For more information call 561-0340.

This winter, State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) wildlife biologists are seeking the public’s help to learn about new black bear dens throughout New York.

As part of DEC’s ongoing monitoring of black bears in New York, wildlife biologists periodically check on black bears during the winter den season. The bears may be fitted with a radio collar to help biologists track the bears’ activities throughout the rest of the year and to relocate dens in subsequent years for monitoring cub production, condition, and survival.

Bears may den in a rock crevice, tree cavity, or under heavy brush or fallen trees. Since female bears generally give birth in January or early February, a high-pitched squeal from the cubs may be audible if near a den. New York hikers and hunters typically cover countless miles of wooded terrain each year. DEC urges anyone who finds a bear den to not approach or disturb the den, but simply to note the location and move away from the den site.

DEC requests that anyone locating a bear den contact their local DEC Wildlife office with specifics about the den location, including GPS coordinates if possible. A list of regional wildlife offices is available on DEC’s website.

More information about black bears in New York is available at DEC’s Black Bear web page.

The Peru VFW Post will host a Veterans Day Service On Friday, November 11th at 11 a.m. Everyone is invited. A free hot lunch will follow.

The North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association invites you to the 11th Annual Meeting, which will be held November 12, 2016 at 4:00 pm at the North Star Underground Railroad Museum, 1131 Mace Chasm Road, Ausable Chasm, New York. Come and learn about activities at the museum over the open season for 2016 and to see a short video on Human Trafficking, which is slavery under another name today. Members will be elect Trustees and honor our Lantern Light Awardees. If you are not a member, you can join.

There will also be a raffle of beauty baskets and a $500.00 visa card. Tickets will be $3.00 each or 2 tickets for $5.00 for the beauty baskets and the visa cards. Tickets for the card can be purchased from any Board member. A list of members can be found on our web site.

Members are encouraged to bring a dessert and snack. We will have drinks available. Guests are always welcome. We look forward to seeing you at the North Star Underground Railroad Museum on November 12 at 4:00 pm. Our address is below. If you have questions or need directions, please contact us.

Peru – The Peru Knights of Columbus Tuesday night bingo will not be conducted on Tuesday, November 8th because Peru’s Election Day voting takes place in the St. Augustine’s Parish Center. Bingo will resume in the Parish Center on Tuesday, November 15th. The Knights encourage everyone to vote on Election Day.

By John T. Ryan

November 5, 2016 – Peru’s new dog park adjacent to Heyworh/Mason Park was officially dedicated this morning. Town Supervisor Peter Glushko read a Town Board Resolution officially dedicating the park to Ann and Lynn Wilke. Glushko also thanked Peru residents, the Town Board, town employees and everyone who has supported establishing the park.

Ann Wilke explained, “Until they passed the dog leash law everybody had their dogs running loose. It became obvious that there were a lot of dogs that were not real happy with having to be tied up. That’s when I got the idea for the an off-leash dog park. The Town weren’t using this location and it seemed like the perfect spot.” Ann approached the Town Board and after a few years of discussions the park is a reality. Lynn commented, “I love the park!”

The dog park has been a big hit since its unofficial opening a few days ago. Dogs appear to love it and users are striking up friendships with other dog owners. Glushko has asked the Town Board to purchase additional fencing so that a small area within the park can be reserved for smaller dogs. Exuberant large dogs can cause injury to the small dogs. A few dogs were present during the brief dedication ceremony. All was peaceful!

The Town of Peru, Town Board will be holding a PUBLIC HEARING on the 2017 Preliminary Budget on Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 6:30 PM, at the Peru Town Hall. The proposed schedule of salaries for the elected Town Officials are as follows:

Supervisor: $24,600.00
Town Clerk/Tax Collector $24,289.00
Highway Superintendent $56,105.00
Town Board (4) $ 7,299.00
Town Justices (2) $18,292.50

Fermentation Tank

Large building containing computer controls, electrical generation equipment and solids screwpress

By John T. Ryan
Peru – Dairy farming has undergone a worldwide revolutionary change over the past half-century including here in Peru. Manure disposal is the change most evident to local residents. Huge trucks and spreaders transport manure on rural roads to distant fields and when the manure is spread the odor can be considerable. If things go as planned over the next several months Adirondack Farms, Peru’s largest dairy farm with some 5,000 head, will be significantly reducing its manure odor and the farm equipment travel associated with its disposal.

Adirondack Farms co-owner Jon Rulfs explained, “We’re doing this for two reasons – environmental and community relations. We’ll be significantly reducing the odor.” The odor reduction will be accomplished by an anaerobic digester and introduction of a draghose manure application system.

Anaerobic digestion takes advantage of decompositoin of organic matter (manure) by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. Fermentation occurring in a digester’s controlled environment transforms manure into a liquid effluent and biogas. The digested liquid emits significantly less odor. The biogas can power an electrical generator or can be converted into natural gas. At this point in time all the electrical power generated at Adirondack Farms will enter the NYSEG power grid. The heat generated in the fermentation process can also be put to multiple uses on and off the farm and the manure solids can be used as an animal bedding material.

Rulfs said, “There’s been a tremendous focus on solar and wind energy. This digester will run 24-7, 365 days a year.” Adirondack Farms has a tremendous supply of raw material. A mature cow produces approximately 120 pounds of manure daily.

The draghose manure application method is feasible because digested manure is more liquified than raw manure making it easier to pump long distances. In a few months Adirondack Farms will be installing 12 inch pipes to transport liquified manure up to two miles from its Brown Road barns and from other satellite storage pits. Rulfs said, “We’ll be eliminating spreaders and will be pumping manure directly to the fields where we can.”

Once liquified manure reaches the field it is pumped via flexible hose to a tractor equipped with an implement that immediately incorporates the manure in the soil. Very little manure is exposed to air resulting in significant odor control.

Hopefully, this significant Adirondack Farms investment will result in sweeter smells in and around Peru.

Draghose Benefits Outlined

EnviTec Biogas Video explains the fermentation process. Adirondack Farms will not be utilizing corn/maze. 

Numbering 4.4 million, these newcomers make up 22 percent of the state’s population, placing the Empire State well above the national average of 13 percent and making it the nation’s second-largest destination behind California for new arrivals, according to a report released Wednesday by state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. […] while New York City has long been known as a magnet, the report notes that immigrants have helped stabilize the population size of a number of struggling upstate cities, from Buffalo to Albany. In Schenectady, they make up 13.3 percent of approximately 66,000 residents. […] while the population overall dropped in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area, as well as in Syracuse and the Utica-Rome region, the drops would have been steeper if not for the immigrants coming to those locations. In many cases, immigration is filling the population gaps that would open when longtime residents move away, often to warmer, lower-tax locations like Florida. Immigrants include both those who have been recruited to work in the region’s growing tech sector such as in nanotechnology research or at the Global Foundries microchip plant, as well as refugees who in some cases bring little more than the clothing on their backs. Some old-line Catholic churches are being re-purposed for immigrant groups, and several new mosques have gone up in recent years.

Source: Report: Almost a quarter of New Yorkers are immigrants – Times Union

Peru vs. Ichabod Crane 11/01/16 

Click here to view .