AGENDA

PLANNING BOARD

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2014 @ 7:00 p.m. Read more »

PERU, N.Y. Solomon Northup, the free born Adirondack man kidnapped into slavery who told his powerful story in “12 Years a Slave,” will be celebrated July 20 in Peru, N.Y.

Ironically, the small community of Peru played a part in Northup’s story. He once had a contract to ship Peru-grown lumber south on Lake Champlain to the Albany-Troy area. Northup did transport the lumber, but didn’t get paid, and then took George Washington Allen of Jabez Allen Road to court.

Details of this dramatic story, and much more, will form the basis of the Solomon Northup program at the Peru Free Library, sponsored by the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association.

Northup’s telling of his kidnapping into slavery was a best-selling book in the 1850’s, and the movie version won the Academy Award for Best Picture earlier this year.

Don Papson, the founder and past president of the Association, who has been researching and writing about the Solomon Northup story and other aspects of slavery and freedom for over a decade, will lead the program. Also speaking will be Helen Allen Nerska, president of the Clinton County Historical Association, and a descendent of the family involved in that lumber dispute with Northup. Her great, great, great uncle was born in Peru, grandson of Jabez Allen, one of Peru’s original settlers.

Free and open to all, the program begins at 5 p.m. at the Peru Free Library, 3024 Main St. Solomon Northup Day will be celebrated Saturday, July 19, at Saratoga Springs.

Ruling paves way for resort – Times Union.

The North Country Chamber of Commerce invites area business people to Business After Hours on July 17th from 5:30 – 7:00pm on the lawn at the Strand Center for the Arts. Co-sponsored by ETS and Coldwell Banker Whitbeck Associates, this month’s Business After Hours will be held in conjunction with The Strand Center for the Arts’ Jumpin’ in July concert series.

Business After Hours is open to all Chamber members and their employees. Future members are encouraged to contact the Chamber for a special guest pass. Read more »

By John T. Ryan

Almost every Peru resident has attended an activity at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center. The spacious building serves the church and the community at large providing space for meetings, homeless families, receptions, parties, showers, concerts, and more. Some of Peru’s most joyous and important events have taken place within its walls; however, 25 years after its construction, the Fellowship Center is in need of repairs and upgrades. About 18 months ago, the Peru Community Church formed a Capital Campaign Committee and charged it with raising the funds necessary to ensure the Fellowship Center’s future in the Peru community.

Roy Perry and Howard Paul Bell are Capital Campaign Committee members and Peter Lake is the Church Treasurer. Peter Lake talked about a high priority saying, “Our shingle roof is approaching the end of its useful life. We’d like to install a metal roof. It’s more expensive initially, but it will last a long time. We’d also like to restructure the east entrance with a simpler design. We’re having an ice build-up problem.” Roy Perry said, “The heating system is another problem. The electric thermal heating system was state of the art in 1989, but there are much more efficient systems available today. We’re using monitor heaters in most rooms. The thermal heating comes on during the coldest weather.” Entrance doors and the kitchen plumbing are also in need of repair or replacement. The current hot water heating system is also very inefficient. Howard Paul Bell emphasized, “We have to look to the future and try to reduce our operating costs.”

Thanks to gifts and pledges by church members and some fund-raising, the Capital Campaign has a current balance of $73,000, but the Committee has determined that amount needs to grow to $200,000 before initial work can begin. The cost of all repairs and upgrades has been estimated as high as $400,000. Church members continue to make annual pledges and people are coming forward with fund-raising events such as the August 2nd “Ride For the Roof.” The Capital Campaign will be successful with the support of church members and the local community.

Any person or group who would like to assist or contribute to the Capital Campaign should contact the Peru Community Church office at 643-8641 or mail contributions to the Peru Community Church P. O. Box 38, Peru, NY 12972.

Non-profit groups currently utilizing the Fellowship Center include:

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts

Alcoholics Anonymous

Peru Lions Club

RSVP Exercise Program

Town of Peru Children’s Christmas Party

Town of Peru weather back-up site for the Sunday night Gazebo concerts

Coffee House Concerts

Scrapbook Club

Yoga Classes

Everyone who enjoys motorcycling or a pig roast and contributing to a good cause should mark Saturday, August 2^nd on their calendar. Proceeds from the “Ride For The Roof” will be donated for a new roof on the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center. Experienced Road Captain Rick Lawrence will lead the cycles on a 100-mile ride through the Adirondacks. A pig roast for the riders and local community with all the fixings will follow at the Fellowship Center. You do not have to ride to attend the pig roast; it’s a family affair.

Registration with free donuts and coffee for riders are at 9 AM at Livingoods Restaurant. Rev. Robert Svenson and Rev. Alan Shnob will have a “Blessing of the Bikes” before kickstands go up at 10AM. The 1 to 5 PM pig roast will include music by Peru’s own DJ Don “Yo” McBrayer, raffles and a silent auction.

Tickets will be on sale at registration, at the pig roast or in advance by contacting Polly Lake at 643-8214, Faith Long at 569-9387 or Rick Lawrence at 802-323-6403. You can also email plake1@charter.net. The cost is $40 ($30 if paid in advance) for bike, rider and pig roast and $25 for passengers and non-riders.

By John T. Ryan

Alan Place, a member of Peru High School’s Class of 64, rolled out the red carpet for his classmates for a 50^th Class Reunion picnic at his family’s historic Eccles Road farmhouse. His classmates enjoyed the beautiful setting.

Alan’s grandparents, Putnam and Lola Place, purchased the home in 1915 and lived there until the time of their deaths. Lola died in 1975. Putnam died in 1978. His parents, Ken and Eleanor Place, lived in the home from the time of their marriage in 1944 until 1950.

The Honorable Josiah Everest, a local judge and member of New York State Legislature in the 1850’s, constructed the house in 1831. It is believed that the home’s beautiful sandstone blocks were mined somewhere near Macomb Park. Judge Everest and his wife Sally Sibley Everest had 12 children over the course of this marriage. He passed away on September 1, 1873 at age 73. Sally passed away on May 5, 1883 at age 77.

The Peru Central Class of 64 is having a great reunion this afternoon, July 5th, at the historic Ken and Eleanor Place farm at the corner of the Eccles and Felton Roads. Click here for individual photos 

Click here for slideshow 

Peru Central’s Board of Education will meet at 6:00 pm on July 8th for its Annual Reorganizational Meeting. It anticipates going into Executive Session at 6:15 pm to discuss personnel matters and reconvening for its Regular Monthly Meeting at approximately 7:00 pm.

Topics scheduled for the Regular Board Meeting include: accepting numerous reports and communications, appointment of personnel, professional development, and the District Code of Conduct.

The meeting is open to all.

VIOLATION NOTICE

The Town of Peru has to sample quarterly for total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids to comply with the disinfection by-products rule for E.P.A. and New York State.

Test results for the 1^ST quarter of 2014 exceeded the allowable maximum contaminant levels. Results are calculated by averaging the previous 4 quarter’s results. Current results represent the average of the last 3 quarters of 2013 and the 1^st quarter of 2014. Read more »

Family, friends grieve loss of young boys » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

2 boys dead in Harkness fire » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

Nicholas Uliva, a resident of Peru, N.Y., and a freshman sport management major, was named to Dean’s List in Ithaca College’s School of Health Sciences and Human Performance for the spring 2014 semester.

From day one, Ithaca College prepares students for success through hands-on experience with internships, research and study abroad. Its integrative curriculum builds bridges across disciplines and uniquely blends liberal arts and professional study. Located in New York’s Finger Lakes region, the College is home to 6,100 undergraduate and 400 graduate students.

Charles Remillard of Peru, NY, is among the 1474 students who earned Dean’s List honors for the spring 2014 semester at SUNY Oneonta. To qualify for the Dean’s List, undergraduate students must earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher while carrying a course load of 12 semester hours or more.

A liberal arts institution with a strong focus on undergraduate research, SUNY Oneonta consistently gains recognition for delivering excellence and value. The college has been named to Kiplinger’s list of “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” for eight consecutive years, was ranked No. 2 on the 2014 Kiplinger’s list of “10 Best Public Colleges With Lowest Debt at Graduation” and sits at No. 16 on the 2014 U.S. News and World Report list of the best public institutions in the region.The college enrolls 6,000 students in its 70 undergraduate majors and 14 graduate programs.

Peru – Peru Town Justice John Lawliss has resigned citing health concerns. The Town Board accepted Lawliss’s resignation at its Monday, June 23^rd meeting. Several Board members praised Lawliss’ nine years of service. Counselor Kregg Bruno said, “I wish he could have been here so we could thank him.” Counselor Brandy McDonald added, “Jack did a great job. It seems like he has been a judge for much longer than nine years.” Supervisor Peter Glushko will send Lawliss a letter expressing the Board’s thanks and respect.

The Town’s second Justice, James Kirby, has been handling all court cases for a few weeks. The Board could nominate someone to fill the seat until a successor is elected in November or it could leave the position open. After conferring with Judge Kirby, counselors could also decide to continue indefinitely with one town justice. Historically, the Peru Town Court has had a large workload. The State Police issue many tickets at the I87 truck inspection station, which lies within the Town boundaries.

During the public comment part of Monday’s meeting, Lawrence Cabana, a retired Department of Environmental Conservation Officer, expressed his interest in the position.

Peru’s sewer users could potentially see or smell smoke entering their residences or businesses in mid-July. Sewer Department Superintendent Greg Timmons told the Board that on about the third week in July pressurized smoke would be introduced into the sewer system to determine if any ground water is entering the sewer pipes. If leaks exist, smoke might enter a home or business. Timmons said he doesn’t believe the smoke quantity will be great or the smell will be obnoxious. The test is part of an on-going sewer system survey. Cameras were also sent through the system.

The Fuller Road Bridge should be reopening in the very near future. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said the bridge has been constructed and the highway has been paved. The contractor, Fuller Excavating, was planning to install guardrails this week.

Counselor Kregg Bruno and several Board members have expressed an interested in opening a Saturday farmer’s market at Heyworth/Mason Park. No firm plans are in place; discussions will continue.

Fuller Road Bridge photos taken June 27, 2014 

Price Chopper cuts 80 jobs at corporate headquarters – Times Union.

Here are the affluence rankings for all 861 Upstate cities and towns – Buffalo – Business First.

Elise Stefanik wins big in GOP primary » Local News » Press-Republican.

Peru’s Republican voted for Elise Stefanik by almost a 2 to 1 margin in today’s Republican Congressional primary besting Matt Doheny 156 to 87. Approximately 15% of Peru’s registered Republican voters cast ballots. Sadly, 15% is a good primary turnout.

Voters to decide GOP Congress candidate » Local News » Press-Republican.

Fire destroys Peru home » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

Click here for Zillow Home Photo

Benefit scheduled for Peru man on June 21 – North Countryman.

The following local residents made the Dean’s List for spring 2013-2014 semester at Rochester Institute of Technology:

Abigail Higgins of Peru, N.Y., (12972), who is in the industrial engineering program in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering.
Keegan Parrotte of Peru, N.Y., (12972), who is in the software engineering program in RIT’s B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences.
Degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for Dean’s List if their quarterly GPA is greater than or equal to 3.400; they do not have any grades of “Incomplete”, “D” or “F”; and they have registered for, and completed, at least 12 credit hours.

Rochester Institute of Technology is internationally recognized for academic leadership in business, computing, engineering, imaging science, liberal arts, sustainability, and fine and applied arts. In addition, the university offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. RIT enrolls 18,000 full- and part-time students in more than 200 career-oriented and professional programs, and its cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation.

For three decades, U.S. News & World Report has ranked RIT among the nation’s leading comprehensive universities. RIT is featured in The Princeton Review’s 2014 edition of The Best 378 Colleges, its Guide to 322 Green Colleges and The Fiske Guide to Colleges 2014.

To see more of RIT’s rankings and recognition, go to www.rit.edu/overview/rankings-and-recognition.

For RIT news, photos and videos, go to www.rit.edu/news.

TROY, NY Glenn Miller of Peru was recently named to the President’s List at Hudson Valley Community College.

Each fall and spring term, the college’s President’s List honors those students who have a term grade point average between 3.5 and 4.0. Miller is studying in the Mortuary Science academic program at the Troy, NY college.

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers 75 associate degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and an Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training. One of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York system, it has an enrollment of nearly 13,000 students, and is known as a leader in distance learning initiatives and workforce training. Hudson Valley has more than 75,000 alumni.

Fifteen local World War II Veterans and their escorts traveled from Plattsburgh to Washington DC on the Saturday, June 14th North Country Honor Flight.  The day began with ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial on the U.S. Oval and at Plattsburgh International Airport.

Peru Central teacher Jim Neyenhouse was kind enough to photograph the local ceremonies. The Peru Gazette is very pleased to present a slideshow of several of his photos for your enjoyment.  Click here to view our slideshow. Please watch on a PC/MAC to enjoy the music. It will be an emotional experience! 

Click here to view individual photos without music.