The Peru Gazette

Peru – The 38^th Annual St. Augustine’s Applefest will be held on Saturday, September 19th and Sunday September 20^th. Saturday’s 11 a.m. parade is followed by live music, a giant craft fair, food, games, rides and a Sunday afternoon chicken BBQ.  All the activities take place at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. in Peru.  The parade begins at the Peru Elementary School.

Saturday’s music includes the Plattsburgh Pipe and Drum Corps, the SUNY Plattsburgh Gospel Choir and the Bootleg Band. On Sunday at 11:30 a.m. the Compass Rose Band will perform followed by the Durham County Poets Band. Click here to learn more about Peru’s Applefest!

Ausable Chasm is organizing the first annual 5k Run, Ruck, or Walk to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. The Wounded Warrior Project has helped tens of thousands of wounded service members and their families return to civilian life.

The race will be held on Ausable Chasm’s scenic walking trails. After the race enter into the raffle for a chance to win prizes from local companies!

The race will be held on Saturday September 26th starting at 8:00 am. You can register online at www.ausablechasm.com. The entrance fee is $25 per person.

So come on out and help support a great cause while enjoying some beautiful trails!

Contact:

Alex Myhr

ausablechasm5k@gmail.com

By John T. Ryan

Last September when the Peru Town Board appointed Dave Drollette as Dog Control Officer (DCO) it’s doubtful that they anticipated what was ahead. As of September 4^th, 2015, 160 more dogs were licensed than last year at this time. Dog licensing is important because it ensures that rabies shots are current and permits rapid animal identification.

Town Clerk Kathy Flynn collects the dog license fees. She remarked, “Dave’s so visible with the DCO sign on his truck.” Flynn said Drollette is good at working with people to resolve complaints. She said, “He has a soft, gentle way about him.” Town Clerk Flynn and Drollette have been coordinating license enforcement. Flynn mails annual license renewal notices and a second notice 30-days later. When the second notice is not paid within 10 days, owners can expect a personal visit from Drollette.

Dave Drollette, a retired 23-year U.S. Navy veteran, tries to work with people rather than issuing tickets. He explained, “I approach people and I don’t harass them. I don’t issue a ticket unless I have a second violation.” Drollette said he doesn’t go out of his way looking for violations; he usually gets a phone call from a neighbor when there’s a problem. An unlicensed stray dog can be expensive to the owner. If Drollette brings a dog to the Elmore SPCA, the boarding charge is $50 for the first day and $25 for each day thereafter. If a dog is not claimed within seven days it is put up for adoption. While Drollette has issued only 24 tickets over the past year, a ticket results in a court appearance and possible fine.

Dogs four months of age or older (there are exceptions) must be licensed. A license costs $9.50 per year ($5 for seniors 65 and over) and $17.50 for non-spaded or non-neutered animals.

DCO Drollette can be reached at 578-2217.

Our first photo post of the Saturday September 5, 2015 30-6 Peru Indian defeat of the Beekmantown Eagles contains 180 photos. We tried our best to narrow some of the game highlights down to 31 photos. We managed to photograph Troy Lawyer’s 86 yard 4th quarter run and several other highlights.  Click here for our highlight photos.

Indians ready to take to the field

The Eagles scored first, but a block of the extra point kick was a key play.

The Peru Indians won their Opening Day football game and Ryon O’Connell won his first game as Indians Head Coach this afternoon at the Apple Bowl. The Indians defeated arch rival Beekmantown 30 to 6 in a game featuring opening day mistakes, a spirited defense, surprise plays and an explosive offense. The Peru Gazette was there. We hope our photos captured some of the excitement and the plays as they unfolded. Anyone is welcome to download any or all the photos. Click here to view photos.

Peru Central’s Board of Education launches its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 6:00 PM at the school district’s Community Room, adjacent to the main entrance of Peru Jr/Sr High School.  An executive session associated with particular personnel matters will take place immediately following the 6:00 PM start.  The school board is slated to reconvene for public session business at approximately 7:00 PM.  Anticipated topics include:

·         Public Hearing on the comprehensive district-wide and building-level school safety plans

·         Award Surplus Bid items

·         Review the Agreement for Health Services

The full Board agenda is available on the District’s website at www.perucsd.org.

All are welcome.

The Peru Town Board has proposed updating the Town’s Dog Control Law.  Town Supervisor Peter Glushko explained that the changes being proposed are concentrated in Section 17 of the law. Mr. Glushko stated, “We clarified the requirement for dog owners to pay all vet bills incurred by the Town before they can reclaim their dog from the shelter. That requirement used to be spelled out in our contract with Elmore SPCA before all the changes they required before contracting with us.” Glushko said NYS law requires that the Town provide stabilizing vet care to any dog picked up with medical issues.  He concluded, ” Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay vet bills because of violations of the leash law.'”

The Town Board’s public hearing will be held on Monday September 14, 2015 at 6:30 PM before its regular meeting.

Source: Long-awaited Lake Champlain cleanup plan targets farms | NCPR News

Click here for Run for Jon 2015 Results

By John T. Ryan

The past several days were undoubtedly memorable for Reverend Dr. Robert Svenson. Last Friday evening the Peru Community Church hosted a Recognition Dinner to honor his service as their pastor. Sunday he delivered his last sermon at the church and Monday he officially retired after forty-two years of ministry.

Anyone attending Friday night’s dinner soon became aware of that it was going to be a joyous, friendly, informal evening. All the speakers, including the church’s youth group president, addressed Reverend Svenson as “Bob.” It was very clear that his congregation regarded him as both a pastor and a friend. St. Augustine’s Church Pastor Reverend Alan Shnob was one of the people sitting at Rev. Svenson’s table. Interviewed last Thursday Rev. Svenson explained, “Our two Peru churches have always had a close relationship. My friendship with Father Alan started with a lunch. I don’t recall who asked whom out to lunch. Now if we can’t do lunch every Friday we’ll do dinner. He often invites me over to the rectory where Roberta (the rectory housekeeper) or his sister Carol cooks a great meal.”

Asked what he considers to be his great accomplishment Reverend Svenson responded, “I can’t think of any one thing. A lot has nothing to do with me, but I supported it – the Jamaican Mission, the Youth Group DC Mission program, teaching counseling to other pastors with Don Haight. This church also has a history of community outreach. We participated in the Family Promise Program where every month we would house one family for a week. Last night a group worked at the St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen. These are the types of things that really matter. If my ministry has been successful it’s because God has been good to us and because the people in this church are sensational at pitching in.”

Reverend Svenson said the Peru Community Church’s community outreach flows from its worship service. He said, “Preaching! It’s a huge responsibility. You are teaching the people about God and who Jesus Christ is. If the worship service isn’t the center of the church then it’s just a social agency. Worship is the center of what we do here and everything else flows from that, our mission, our action.”

After The Peru Gazette published photos of Friday night’s Recognition Dinner, Community Church member Paul Madore addressed a comment to Rev. Svenson, “Your sermons here were second to none, and you have helped so many, many members with such well prepared, Holy Spirit inspired sermons. Words cannot express the admiration for you as our preacher, our mentor, our angel on earth, and I’m proud to say a friend.”

Reverend Svenson had special praise for Amanda Connelly, the church’s office manager/bookkeeper. He said, “I could not do what I do without Amanda Connelly. My career here has to a large extent been successful because of Amanda. She has been invaluable.”

Wednesday morning Reverend Dr. Robert “Bob” Svenson will be driving a truck to Syracuse where he’ll meet one of his five children who will accompany him to Tucson, Arizona. There he will reside with his daughter Elizabeth. His son Christopher lives next door to Elizabeth. Christopher’s job often takes him out of town, so Reverend Svenson is looking forward to spending a lot of time with Christopher’s three children.

He would like to stay in contact with his friends and recently joined Facebook. He can be emailed at robertericsvenson@gmail.com.

Click here to read our 2008 story about Reverend Svenson’s being installed as pastor. 

5^th Annual Kids Fair and Festival – September 12-13, 2015 – Hours 10am – 4pm.

Babbie Rural and Farm Learning Museum, 250 River Rd., Peru, NY 12972.

Old time games including hopscotch, sack races, corn box, bobbing for apples, pumpkin tic tac toe, egg races, bean bag toss; stagecoach and Thomas the Train rides; hayrides; face painting; visit the animals; climb the hay mound; watch the Blacksmith at work.  Picnic area available. Lunch will be available from Kat’s Katering.

A Northern New York Agricultural Development Program project report encourages farmers to consider the benefits of tile drainage to both crop production and environmental stewardship. The research is especially timely as farms face changes to the environmental standards they are required to meet and at a time when federal and state funding is available for installing the tile drainage.

As many states refine their phosphorus management requirements for farm nutrient management plans, it is critical that the models they use are based on representative field conditions and sound data, says project leader Eric Young, research agronomist at W. H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY.

Young estimates the return on investment from installing tile drainage on farms with slow or very slow permeability is from seven to 12 percent over five to 10 years.

The goal of the most recent tile drainage research funded by the farmer-driven NNYADP was to compare phosphorus losses between tile drained and undrained test plots designed to simulate field-scale conditions typical of northern NY dairies.

Undrained conditions resulted in greater surface water runoff and phosphorus losses compared to tile drained lots, Young says. Read more »

Today was the 25th anniversary of the Run For Jon. In 1990, 13 year-old Jonathan Evans was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Soon after his diagnosis, two long time friends of the Evans family, Mark Elmore and Scott Woodward, organized the first Run for Jon to raise money to help pay for expenses related to Jon’s illness. Two weeks before the 2nd Run, Jonathan passed away. Every year since then, the family and friends have held the Run for Jon to raise money for the families of local children with serious medical problems.

The Peru Gazette arrived before today’s run to take photos of the Evans family and several of the volunteers who make the event possible. Click here to see our Peru Gazette photos. 

Learn all about today’s farms today at Maplegrand/Irwin Farms, 135 Jarvis Rd. in Peru. You still have time. The program ends at 3 p.m. Here are a few Peru Gazette photos. It was a pleasure seeing Mrs. Bert Irwin out and about. It’s a beautiful day to visit one our region’s most beautiful farms. It’s a small farm by today’s standards milking 80 cows. However, Brothers Melvin, Jim and Bob Irwin also lease land and sell rolled hay, registered holsteins and feed crops as well as running an orchard opposite Peru Elementary School. Today’s program is sponsored by the Clinton County Farm Bureau. Click here to see our Peru Gazette photos.

Rev. Svenson receives a parting gift from dinner chair Cindi LaFountain

August 29, 2015 – There was a very large turnout at the August 28, 2015 Recognition Dinner for retiring Peru Community Church Pastor Reverend Dr. Robert Svenson. It was a joyous evening as members of the clergy, church members and Reverend “Bob’s” friends thanked him for his service over the past twelve years. The evening closed with a surprise performance from Reverend Svenson’s longtime friend Broadway Star Karen Mason. A video of her performance is posted on the Peru Gazette Facebook page.

A Peru Gazette interview with Rev. Dr. Svenson will be published next week.  By the time that interview is posted, Reverend Svenson will likely be on his way to Tucson, Arizona where two of his five children and three of his grandchildren reside. He will deliver his last Peru sermon tomorrow.  Click here to view more Peru Gazette photos of last evening’s dinner.

Everyone rose with applause at the evening’s close.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today (August 29, 2015) Maplegrand Farms/Irwin Farm,135 Jarvis Road in Peru will host farm tours, agricultural exhibits, hayrides, a machinery lineup, a children’s activity center with coloring and activity books, local vendors, bouncy house, cheese, wine and maple tastings. A BBQ lunch will be available for purchase.

Jessy Jolicoeur, owner of Oval Craft Brewing, says his brewery is set to open around Christmastime at the U.S. Oval

Source: Brewery coming to Plattsburgh’s U.S. Oval | Local News – WPTZ Home

Congresswoman Elise Stefanik’s (R-NY-21) staff will be on hand with the NY-21 Mobile Office at the Saranac Town Hall on Tuesday, September 22nd from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Town Hall is located at 3662 Route 3 in Saranac, 12981.

Congresswoman Stefanik’s mobile office hours will be updated on her website here. For a list of constituent services our office provides, click here.

“One of my key goals and commitments as the Representative of New York’s 21^st district is to ensure that our residents have unparalleled access to constituent services,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “Our district is one of the largest districts on the East Coast, and in order to make sure everyone who needs our help can be served, I’m proud to launch this mobile office to help North Country residents who reside in areas across the district. Please let us know how we can be of service to you.”

Nate and Rebecca Bushey

James, Gary and Aedan Bushey

My name is Nancy, and I am working with a group of unbelievably generous people who are putting on a huge Benefit this coming Sunday, 8/30, for Au Sable Forks native, current Peru resident Nate Bushey (my son), who was recently diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma to the brain, lungs and lymph nodes.  We were hoping something could run in the paper letting area residents know of the event, being held at the American Legion Post 1619 in West Plattsburgh.

We hope the turnout will be quite large, is scheduled to last all day. There have already been an unbelievable number of donations for a huge auction, all to go to Nate and his family (wife Rebecca, and young sons James, Gary and Aedan, ages 5, 3 and 2 respectively) to help with medical and living expenses as Nate cannot work because of the location of the largest, inoperable, brain tumor.  We are also humbly accepting donations at www.GoFundMe.com/NateBushey.  Below is Nate’s story thus far and attached is the advertising poster we’ve created.

We would so GREATLY appreciate more exposure for Nate, his Benefit on 8/30 and the GoFundMe campaign.  Thank you for your time in reading this.

Kindest Regards,

Nancy Revelle

———————————————————————-

Nate’s story:

Nate is a 26 year old husband and father of three beautiful little boys, aged 5, 3, and 2 years.

Nate’s cancer journey began in 2013 when a skin lesion on his back was diagnosed as malignant melanoma. The large lesion was removed along with nearby lymph nodes and he began a series of PET scans, all of which had been clear.

On June 22, 2015 Nate was in a serious automobile accident, from which he had only minor injuries, but was comprehensively evaluated for head and neck trauma by the incredible staff of CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh, NY.  A suspicious head CT lead to an MRI, which revealed 4 brain tumors, 5 lung tumors and the dreaded diagnosis of stage IV metastatic melanoma.

The largest brain lesion is dangerously situated next to the brain stem in the pons and is inoperable.  The pons region of the brain controls the body’s motor function (movement).   Immediately he was started on whole brain radiation to shrink this critical tumor.

Nate had no insurance coverage at the time, and could not continue his job as a FedEx Ground driver. Driving is out of the question as the pons tumor could at any time cause seizures, stroke or paralysis. Needless to say, I dropped everything and was on the next plane to NY from my home and work in California.

In July Nate had a consultation for chemotherapy at the renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to give him the best possible chance at seeing his little boys grow up. The prognosis is not encouraging, however.  A treatment plan was drawn up and Nate is currently in the first phase of immunotherapy treatment.  His doctor at Sloan Kettering is working very closely with Nate’s local oncology team in Plattsburgh.  We all hope and pray that the treatment plan will be successful in managing Nate’s widespread cancer.

Unable to work and with very little income on state disability, Nate, his wife Rebecca and sons James, Gary and Aedan need significant help with medical and other bills, utilities, food and daily necessities.  All funds donated go directly to Nate to help get him and his family through this nightmare. To say your help is immensely appreciated is such an understatement. Every little bit helps, every prayer, every dollar, every positive thought and good wish.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!! Click here for all the details

The Strand Center for the Arts (SCA) proudly announces the grand reopening of the beautifully restored Strand Center Theatre on Saturday, September 26th, 2015 with WELL-STRUNG, The Singing String Quartet

WELL-STRUNG features classical musicians who sing, putting their own spin on the music of Mozart, Ravel, Beethoven, Taylor Swift, Green Day, Katy Perry and more.  The group has quickly gained international attention for being a unique combination of string quartet and boy band.  

The New York Times called them “a talented quartet of men that brilliantly fuses pop and classical music from Madonna to Beethoven”; and the New York Daily News called them “the hottest thing with a bow since Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games”.

The group has been featured on The TODAY Show with Kathie Lee & Hoda, Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live, the CBS News and ABC Television as well as The Huffington Post among many other national media outlets. While making their London debut in the West End at the Leicester Square Theatre, BBC Radio host Jo Good called Well-Strung “absolutely amazing” after their on-air performance and interview for her show.

For more information about WELL-STRUNG visit www.well-strung.com.

Prior to the performance we will unveil the new look and feel of the SCA with a short interactive mixed media rebranding presentation by Boire Benner Group.

Boire Benner Group is a Plattsburgh based marketing and design firm who has been working on a comprehensive rebranding for the SCA and The Strand Theatre. Prior to the September 26^th performance, by WELL-STRUNG, using the theatre’s state of the art digital cinema equipment, they will unveil the new look and feel of the SCA through their efforts in social media marketing, rebranding, logo design, brand identity, website design, SEO, graphic design and print & digital advertising.

The Well Strung performance will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at the historic Strand Theatre at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 7:00 pm.

Tickets range in price by $25 to $45 depending on assigned seat location. Tickets purchased before the 26^th the day of the performance by Strand Center members, seniors, military and students will receive a discount of $5 per ticket.

To purchase advance tickets, visit www.plattsburgharts.org, call 518.563.1604 or visit our Box Office at 23 Brinkerhoff Street, Plattsburgh, New York. Box office hours are Wednesday-Friday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the concert (if available) at the Strand Theatre located at 25 Brinkerhoff Street, Plattsburgh, New York.

The Strand Center for the Arts programming is supported by: The New York Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York Legislature, This Event is Sponsored by Meadowbrook Healthcare, University of Vermont Heath Network-CVPH, Best Western Inn and Suites, Northern Insuring and the Cloudsplitter Foundation.

The Strand Theatre is a landmark of cultural and historic importance. Located in the heart of downtown Plattsburgh, New York, the Strand Theatre was originally built as a Vaudeville Theatre in 1924 and is currently on the National Register of Historic Places.

By John T. Ryan

Peru’s Rehoboth Homestead is well known as a Community Supported Agriculture (C.S.A.) farm where members come for fresh, organically grown produce. However, the C.S.A.’s operator Beth Spaugh-Barber would like everyone to know that you don’t have to be a member to purchase items at her Route 9 farmstand located just one mile south of the Bear Swamp Road.

Organically grown vegetables and flowers thrive on the three-acre plot of rich soil surrounding the roadside stand and within the three hoophouses on the Jabez Allen Road. Beth says the farmstand’s business has doubled this summer attracting both local residents and visitors to our beautiful area and it’s easy to see why. This morning numerous fresh flowers, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, candy onions, squash, kale, eggplant, fresh eggs and numerous other items were offered for sale. The farmstand is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays until Columbus Day (October 12^th). If Beth isn’t at the stand, you can leave money in a box, so bring small bills. Click here to view all our Peru Gazette farmstand photos. 

Beth Spaugh-Barber harvests fresh flowers each morning for her farmstand

The Peru Lions Club will be hosting its 21^th Annual Stanley Hughes Golf Classic on Sunday, September 13^th at The Barracks Golf Club at 12:00 p.m. The tournament is a four-person scramble with a team handicap of 40+.  Cash prizes are awarded for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd places.  There will also be prizes for closest to the pin and closest to the crooked line.  A buffet dinner will follow the round.  Cost is $65 per person.  Barracks members are $40.

Player forms can be picked up at The Barracks, online at Perulionsclubnewyork.org (click register for events), or contact: Jim Kieslich – 643-2482,  Dave Dalton – 643-9618,  Ed Eisele 643-2865

This morning, August 22, 2015, The Peru Gazette took two hours to visit three beautiful places along Route 9 beginning at the Peru Dock, then the  veranda at Clinton Community College and the Plattsburgh Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market. We don’t think it will take you long to discover why we enjoyed out brief trip.

Peru Dock:  At the end of South Junction Rd turn right onto Route 9. The Peru Launch is about ½ mile ahead on the left.

Clinton Community College veranda view of Lake Champlain, 136 Clinton Point Dr., Plattsburgh, NY 12901 

Plattsburgh Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market, Durkee Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 

Slideshow of all three with music (on a PC) 

The GE lab, which will focus on packaging silicon carbide chips for use in power devices, will be part of the $500 million manufacturing consortium that GE and SUNY Poly created last year, which is setting up a pilot manufacturing line at SUNY Poly’s Albany campus. The GE lab will look at how to package silicon carbide chips into power components such as solar panel inverters, electric vehicles and wind turbines. Two years ago, Cuomo announced the construction of the $125 million Quad-C building as the centerpiece for his $1.5 billion “Nano Utica” program that would focus on computer chip packaging technology research. Ruiz was CEO of Advanced Micro Devices when it struck its historic $1.4 billion deal in 2006 with New York state to build a computer chip factory in Saratoga County. Ruiz confirmed he had looked into possibly buying IBM’s computer chip packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec, earlier this year after IBM unloaded its computer chip manufacturing plants in East Fishkill and Essex Junction, Vt. to GlobalFoundries. The deal with AMS appears to be similar to the one Cuomo negotiated with SolarCity to build a solar panel manufacturing factory in Buffalo. The ownership allows the state and SUNY Poly to keep control of the site instead of giving money directly to a private company, a method Cuomo prefers. The Utica fab will produce analog chips used in sensors and other devices that convert light, sound or vibrations into binary code used to route information in microprocessors.

Source: Utica gets win as Cuomo announces two major chip projects – Times Union

AGENDA – TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING, August 24, 2015@ 7:00 PM 

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION: Approval of Minutes for the August 10, 2015 Regular Board Meeting.

5. Community Input

6. DISCUSSION: Surveillance Cameras for Walking Trail. 

7. DISCUSSION: Retainer Wall in Heyworth Mason Park. 

8. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION: Fund Transfers.

9. DISCUSSION: Holden Avenue Update.

10. DISCUSSION: Unison Update.

11. DISCUSSION: 2016 Town Budget. 

12. DISCUSSION: Employee Handbook Updates. 

13. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION: Approval of 2016 Contract for Assessment Services by Clinton County

14. DISCUSSION: Other Business. 

15. DISCUSSION: Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

16. DISCUSSION/RESOLUTION: Approve/Pay Bills. 

MOTION:    Adjourn