The Peru Gazette

State makes progress, but more needed – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Common Cause Calls On Gov. Cuomo To Call Special Elections To Fill 10 Legislative Vacancies | New York Daily News.

From the Office of Congressman Bill Owens 

WASHINGTON—Today, Representatives Bill Owens (NY-21) and Kevin Cramer (ND-at large) pushed the federal government to protect communities located near the nation’s railways from dangerous materials transported by unsafe rail cars.

“Recent accidents in the United States and Canada are warning signs that the nation’s railways currently lack adequate protections for Americans living near railroads where trains carry hazardous materials,” Representative Bill Owens said.“New Yorkers deserve sensible guidelines that strike a balance between maintaining public and environmental safety and meeting the needs of the businesses that rely on rail infrastructure to grow, create new jobs, and compete in the global economy.”  Read more »

Wednesday January 15^th 2014, will mark the 4^th annual Dine United for the Adirondack Region. There will be a wide variety of restaurants throughout Clinton, Essex and Franklin Counties participating.

Every patron that visits a participating restaurant on January 15^th 2014 will be giving back to the local community, as well as supporting local restaurants. Each restaurant has agreed to donate a portion of their sales to the United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. “With their donations and our 40 partner agencies, we will be able to help fellow residents with critical needs such as food, clothing, shelter, child care, safety from domestic violence, and much more,” according to John Bernardi, Executive Director of The United Way of the Adirondack Region.

“Start your day with a breakfast treat, and then visit one of your neighborhood restaurants for lunch. Finally, go home and grab the family for a delicious dinner at any participating restaurant. Mention to the restaurants that you are there to DINE UNITED and enter the drawing for raffle prizes. It is a day to have fun and give back to the community”, Kathy Snow, Director of Development said.

Participating restaurants include:

Elizabethtown                                                                       Rouses Point

Deer’s Head Inn– 7552 Court St                                            Sandy’s Deli Inc-133 Lake Street

Malone                                                                                   West Chazy

Donovan’s Steak & Ale, Inc. – 3853 St. Rte 11                      Gumas Restaurant– 7577 Route 22

Mo’s Pub & Grill- 3357 State Route 11

Lake Placid

Plattsburgh                                                                            Chair 6-5993 Sentinel Rd

Arnie’s Restaurant- 20 Margaret St

Duke’s Diner- 8 Tom Miller Rd                                             Keene

Ground Round- 32 Smithfield Blvd                 Baxter Mountain Tavern & Grill-10050 NYS Rt.9

My Cup of Tea- 317 Cornelia St       

Pizza Palace- 334 Tom Miller Rd

Smooth Moves- 4 Broad St

Uno Chicago Grill- 578 Rt.3 

Tax cuts would flow upstate | Crain’s New York Business.

Upstate, Opposition to a Casino Is a Surprise – NYTimes.com.

Medical marijuana focus shifts to bill – Times Union.

ORGANIZATIONAL MTG AGENDA 13JAN2014

Regular Mtg Agenda 13Jan2014

Peru Central’s Board of Education launches its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday January 14, 2014 at 6 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 PM start. The School Board  is slated to reconvene for public session business at approximately 7:00 PM. Anticipated topics include:

 A Successor Collective Bargaining Agreement

 Multi-Year Finance Plan

 Positive Culture-Building Initiatives

Exclusive: NYSUT Will Seek No Confidence Vote On King.

Cuomo wants to pay best teachers more | New York Post.

WASHINGTON—Today, Representative Bill Owens announced the students he will nominate to attend the nation’s service academies. To earn the nomination of their Member of Congress, students applying to service academies must submit a detailed application and meet eligibility requirements set through statute and regulations issued by each academy. Students can apply for a congressional nomination to study at the United States Air Force Academy, United States Naval Academy, United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Military Academy.

“These young men and women reflect the upstanding character and strong work ethic of New Yorkers,” Representative Bill Owens said. “I am excited for the opportunities that await those selected to attend a service academy and earn commissions as military officers. I wish all of these students success and thank them for their commitment to serve and defend our nation.”

Representative Owens, a retired Air Force captain, nominated the following New Yorkers to the respective service academies: 

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY—COLORADO SPRINGS, C.O.

Kylie Austin (Essex) Ticonderoga

Nicholas Petricca (Fulton) Mayfield

Jeremiah Reagan (St. Lawrence) Massena

Francis “Lloyd” Staats IV (Essex) Essex

Joseph Tobin (Clinton) Cadyville

Morgan Winnie (Saratoga) Saratoga Springs

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY—WEST POINT, N.Y.

Blake Basmajian (Saratoga) Corinth

Chandler Gach (Franklin) Saranac Lake

Daniel Hill (Warren) Adirondack

Joshua Keruski (Jefferson) Sackets Harbor

Nicholas Petricca (Fulton) Mayfield

Hunter Tuttle (St. Lawrence) Russell

Mitchell Valenza (Warren) Queensbury

Noah Whalen (St. Lawrence) Colton

UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY—ANNAPOLIS, M.D.

Emma Bobbitt (Saratoga) Greenfield Center

Chandler Gach (Franklin) Saranac Lake

Alexandria Harrington (Saratoga) Rock City Falls

Daniel Hill (Warren) Adirondack

Andrew LaFay (Washington) Hudson Falls

Mathew Orr (Clinton) Rouses Point

Connor Paquin (St. Lawrence) Massena

Nicholas Petricca (Fulton) Mayfield

Aidan Switzer (Warren) Queensbury

Dustin Wilson (Washington) Salem 

UNITED STATES MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY—KINGS POINT, NY

Riley Thomson (Jefferson) Alexandria Bay

Emily Brown (Saratoga) Middle Grove

Watertown Daily Times | Storm brings NNY to a halt.

Bombardier receives approval for 365 rail cars » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

AuSable Forks and Peru youths are invited to the Knights of Columbus Free Throw contest on Saturday, January 18^th at 10 AM at Holy Name School in AuSable Forks. Boys and girls ages 9-14 are eligible to compete. Winners can advance to regional, upstate and state competitions. The New York State Championship Contest will be conducted at the West Point Military Academy.

Cuomo: state should eliminate upstate corporate income tax, freeze prop taxes « The In Box.

A Cuomo plan to fund pre-K, preempt mayor | Capital New York.

ALBANY, NY The New York State Bar Association today released its state and federal public policy priorities for 2014.

State priorities include ensuring adequate funding for the courts, creating more Family Court judgeships, expanding the number of veterans treatment courts, reducing wrongful convictions, restricting the use of solitary confinement and providing more civics education for New York school children.

Federal priorities include ensuring adequate funding for the federal courts and the Legal Services Corporation, repealing Section 2 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), supporting efforts to increase voter participation and opposing measures that would restrict the ability of states to determine how injured individuals can pursue legal remedies in the courts.

“Our public policy priorities focus on helping New Yorkers to achieve justice throughout the legal system and exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens,” said State Bar President David M. Schraver of Rochester (Nixon Peabody). “The State Bar Association has a long history of supporting initiatives that make our legal system fairer, more accessible and more effective.”

STATE PRIORITIES

Courts and Access to Justice Read more »

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?'”

Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and communities.  The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President’s national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems.

The North Country Regional Volunteer Center operated by the United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. along with the SUNY colleges in the region are remembering Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Monday January 20, 2014) by promoting volunteerism throughout Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence Counties.

The North Country Regional Volunteer Center and the following SUNY Colleges will be doing a “Basic Needs Drive” from January 20^th, 2014 to February 3^rd, 2014: SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College, North Country Community College, SUNY Potsdam, and SUNY Canton.

Some items being collected are Coats, Scarves, Hats, Mittens, socks, Pajamas, Lines, Personal hygiene items, Baby items, etc.  These items will be distributed to LOCAL agencies in the 7 counties. You may drop these items off at the following locations: SUNY Plattsburgh (Center for Student Involvement Angell College Center), Clinton Community College (Director of Campus Life Moore Building 140), North Country Community College (Office of Campus & Student Life), SUNY Potsdam (collections will be made door to door), SUNY Canton (Student Activities Office Miller Campus Center 211) and United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. (45 Tom Miller Road, Plattsburgh).

The North Country Regional Volunteer Center is also offering 10-mini-grants worth up to $300.00. The mini-grants will be awarded to non-profit agencies, organizations, and groups with the purpose of doing projects that use volunteers to complete the task at hand.

If you or your organization is interested in applying the application can be found at www.unitedwayadk.org under the News Release tab, or you can contact Kathy Snow at 518-563-0028 or Kathy@unitedwayadk.org. The application deadline is January 10, 2014.

Peru – St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 will host a spaghetti dinner on Saturday, January 11^th at the St. Augustine’s Parish Center. “ALL YOU CAN EAT” spaghetti, salad, Italian bread and a delicious dessert will be served from 4:30 to 6:30 PM for only $7.50 per person, $2.50 for children 6 to 12, free for children 5 and under and a $20 per family maximum (parents & their children).  Take-outs are available.

TROY, NY (01/03/2014)(readMedia)– Kyle Kemp of Peru, NY was named to the Deans’ List at Hudson Valley Community College for the Fall 2013 academic term.

Each fall and spring term, the college’s Deans’ List honors those students who have a term grade point average between 3.0 and 3.5.

Kemp is in the Business – Accounting academic program at the Troy, NY college.

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

TROY, NY (01/03/2014)(readMedia)– Several local students were recently named to the President’s List at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY for the Fall 2013 academic term.

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. Local students include:

Geoffrey Halevan of Peru, NY. Halevan is in the Respiratory Care academic program at the college.

Glenn Miller of Peru, NY. Miller is in the Mortuary Science academic program at the college.

James Rock of Peru, NY. Rock is in the Liberal Arts and Science: Humanities and Social Science academic program at the college.

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College offers 75 degree and certificate programs in four schools: Business; Engineering and Industrial Technologies; Health Sciences; and Liberal Arts and Sciences; and workforce and academic preparation programs offered through the Educational Opportunity Center. One of 30 community Educational Opportunity Center.

Watertown Daily Times | Governor Cuomo announces $4.5M winter sports ad campaign, then snowmobiles in Lowville (VIDEO).

By John T. Ryan (Story Updated 12/26/13  to include Kenneth Jahn Obituary) 

The Peru Town meeting of Monday, December 23^rd began with a sad note when Supervisor Peter Glushko stated that the Town Hall had received a call on the passing of Kenneth Jahn who served as Peru Town Supervisor from 1996 to 2005. Ken and wife Marlene have been residing in Fort Pierce, Florida. (Click here for Ken Jahn obituary). (Click here to see a photo of a honor bestowed on Ken Jahn by the Peru Town Board)

Supervisor Peter Glushko informed the board that the town has been awarded a total of $288,000 in New York State grants. A $200,000 and a $58,000 grant are dedicated to the Heyworth/Mason Park – Sullivan Park Walking Trail. A $30,000 grant will finance engineering related to improving/expanding the Town’s sewer plant operations.  Construction of the Walking Trail will begin in 2014.

The board passed the Town of Peru’s revised Zoning Law. The Clinton County Planning Board recently approved the law. It will not take affect until approved by the New York State Secretary of State.

Deputy Town Supervisor Brandy McDonald informed the board that he would not be able to attend several meetings. McDonald is having back surgery in early January and must limit his physical activity for 60 to 90 days.

The board plans to vote on the purchase of a security system for the Little Ausable River Park and the Heyworth/Mason Park at its December 31^st meeting. Six cameras and associated equipment will be installed at a cost of under $3,000.  Vandals have damaged signs, equipment and structures at the both parks.

The board will be pursuing grants to repair the roof and general condition of the Lyons Street School. Roof replacement has been estimated to cost at over $8,000, not including labor. Counselor Kregg Bruno was outspoken in opposing any substantial town expenditures on the schoolhouse. Town Historian Ron Allen has indicated that he would be willing to dedicate part of his budget to the schoolhouse. Bruno said he did not want to see that happen. Supervisor Glushko said he would talk to Ron Allen and Adele Douglas about the possibility of applying for grants. He noted that the school has been included on the National Historic Register.

Deputy Supervisor Brandy McDonald reported that earlier in the day a Water-Sewer Department vehicle was involved in a collision the vicinity of Hammond Lane and Route 3 in the Town of Plattsburgh.  The accident happened when the town’s Jeep apparently had to hit the ditch in order to avoid a collision with an out of control vehicle.  The town vehicle sustained bumper damage.

Town Clerk Kathy Flynn reported that a UPS delivered package was recently stolen from the front steps of a McIntosh Street resident. She also reported seeing two individuals walking by her house at about 2:30 AM. Brandy McDonald said that Flynn is not the only person who has seen two young men walking the streets at that hour of the night.

Councilmen and Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell thanked outgoing Town Councilperson Susan Polhemus for her service to the people of Peru.  They specifically mentioned her budget and audit expertise. Supervisor Glushko thanked Polhemus for helping get the town’s accounting system on track. Polhemus thanked everyone and said she would be willing to serve as budget officer in 2014 if needed.

The board will hold its last meeting of the year on December 31^st at 8 AM. Counselors will make required fund transfers and plan to vote on acquisition of a park security system.

The 2014 Town Board Organization Meeting will be held on Monday, January 13, 2014 at 6:30 PM. Department liaisons, the budget officer, website operator and similar appointments will be made at that meeting.

Merry Christmas to all our Peru Gazette readers and your families! Click here to see Peru bathed in ice at 8 AM this Christmas morning.