The Peru Gazette

Service Dogs Offer Some Mentally Ill People a New Leash on Life | Seven Days.

Watertown Daily Times | Massena boy drowns in Grasse River.

For three Adirondack railroads, debate over taxpayer costs « The In Box.

Confirmed: Fort Drum losing 1,500 – 2,000 troops « The In Box.

By John T. Ryan

There’s rarely a dull Peru Town Board meeting and the Monday, June 24, 2013 meeting was no exception.   The first 35 minutes of the meeting involved an alleged zoning law violation in one of Peru’s most beautiful neighborhoods on the shores of Lake Champlain. Coastland Drive residents Jay and Heidi Danis told the board that a neighbor who owns property, but does not reside in Peru, is renting his home by the week.  Heidi Danis stated, “We’ve tried to be good neighbors.”  She described some weeks as being like The Fourth of July. Danis alleged that the house is typically rented during June, July and August at about $4,000 a week. She related an incident saying that about 100 people attended a party featuring karaoke and loud music. When she complained she encountered a drunken, verbally abusive individual. Danis said she complained to Town of Peru Code Enforcement Officer Frank Slycord and did not receive any satisfaction. Danis said, “We’re here to appeal to the board.” She ended her presentation by presenting the board with documentation measuring about two inches thick.

Supervisor Peter Glushko told Danis that Code Enforcement Officer Slycord has responded to her complaints. He said Slycord talked to the property owner and was assured that the house was being rented on a monthly not a weekly basis. Glushko said monthly rental complies with the current zoning law.  Glushko assured Mrs. Danis that the town would enforce the law if the house is rented to more than one party during a given month.  The Code Enforcement Officer will be making regular visits to Coastland Drive.

A neighbor, Dr. Driss Hassam, was present to support the Danis’ complaint.  He told the board that he has lived on Coastland Drive since 1978. He said, “I take great pride in being a resident there. It’s a residential area.”  (Click here to see the home in question)

Water quality was also a subject of discussion. Supervisor Glushko asked Water Superintendent Greg Timmons to inform him whenever water appearance is degraded. Glushko said he received numerous recent phone calls regarding discolored water.  Glushko would publicize the problem whenever such a situation exists. Timmons said the water has been safe to drink.  Record rainfall caused the problem. As of June 25th, Peru has received approximately four inches more than the average rainfall during June (7 inches vs. 3 inches).

In other actions the board:

• Began the legal process required to borrow money and apply for grants to reconstruct and repair the Highway Department garage roof. The project is expected to cost not in excess of $360,000.
• Approved the annual swimming program contract with the YMCA in the amount of $3,500.
• Approved purchase of clay for the Laphams Mills ballpark in the amount of $4,231.
• Discussed a letter from Ed Schiffler complaining about speeding vehicles heading north on Main Street.  Supervisor Glushko said the NYS State Police have been notified of the situation several times, but there hasn’t been a resolution of the problem.

Adirondack Independence Day Celebrations – The Adirondack Almanack –

JOIN US FOR AN EVENING OF MUSIC AT THE LITTLE AUSABLE PARK GAZEBO EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT FROM 6:00 TO 8:00 PM JUNE 30 THROUGH AUGUST 25

JUNE 30 THE CHILLBILLYS – CLASSIC THROUGH CONTEMPORARY ROCK

JULY 7 BOOTLEG BAND – COUNTRY, TOP 40 VARIETY, 60’S ROCK- PRESENT

JULY 14 THE CASTAWAYS – COUNTRY, CLASSIC ROCK, FOLK, 50’S – PRESENT

JULY 21 TOWNE MEETING – FOLK, COUNTRY TO ACOUSTIC ROCK

JULY 28 FLASHBACK REUNION – 50’ AND 60’S MUSIC

AUGUST 4 DANA & SUE ROBINSON – FOLK AND TRADITIONAL MOUNTAIN MUSIC

AUGUST 11 COMPASS ROSE BAND (FORMERLY BACK PORCH BAND) – BLUEGRASS, COUNTRY

DOUBLE HEADER WEEKEND – AUGUST 17 THE BROTHERS KASCHAK BAND – INDIE, ACOUSTIC MUSIC DUO

AUGUST 18 NO CO LOCAL – ROCK, SOUTHERN ROCK, NEW COUNTRY

AUGUST 25 TOO TALL STRING BAND – ADIRONDACK, CELTIC, COUNTRY, BLUEGRASS

IN CASE OF RAIN, CONCERT WILL BE HELD @ THE PERU COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP CENTER **BRING CHAIRS & BLANKETS, NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ALLOWED**

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE TOWN OF PERU 643-2745 x 7

Watertown Daily Times | Fort Drum releases additional information about soldier killed Sunday.

Watertown Daily Times | Fort Drum may lose 1,500 soldiers in long-term cuts.

Syracuse’s Lennon finishes second in 10,000-meter USA Championships » Sports » Press-Republican.

Sales tax hike approved in St. Lawrence, Essex, Clinton, Franklin counties « The In Box.

From the office of State Senator Betty Little

The New York State Senate passed an historic package of bills today
that would ensure equal pay for women, strengthen laws against human
trafficking, provide greater support and protection for victims of domestic
violence, stop sexual harassment, and end discrimination of women in the
workplace related to gender, pregnancy, and family status. Read more »

Regular Mtg Agenda 06242013

Lawmakers Approve Use of Lever Voting Machines for Fall’s Mayoral Voting – NYTimes.com.

Watertown Daily Times | Schumer urges the Army to consolidate 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum in the face of potential cuts.

Watertown Daily Times | Drum connector lures military drivers, leaves businesses in dust.

Watertown Daily Times | Indian River student prepares to graduate after death of parents.

Big Adirondack issues – hogs, landswaps – clear legislature « The In Box.

North Country Cross Burnings Are Nothing New – The Adirondack Almanack – The Adirondack Almanack.

Senator Betty Little (left) and
District Attorney Kate Hogan and Sheriff Bud York of Warren County

From the Office of state Senator Betty Little

The New York State Senate will act today on the “Public Assistance
Integrity Act,” sponsored by Senator Tom Libous (R-C-I, Binghamton) and
cosponsored by Senator Betty Little (R-C-I, Queensbury)  that would help
cut down on the flagrant abuse of EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) cards
by prohibiting welfare recipients from using cash assistance to purchase
tobacco, alcoholic beverages, lottery tickets or to gamble. Read more »

Woman charged with robbing 96-year-old » NEW TODAY… » Press-Republican.

Click here to see graduation rates by county and then by district

The State Education Department (SED) today released high school graduation rates for the 2007 cohort (students who entered 9th grade in 2007). These data show that New York’s overall graduation rate continues to rise slowly over time. SED also released outcome data for the same cohort based on aspirational performance measures, which are designed to measure how students are progressing toward college and career readiness. Outcomes on the aspirational performance measures are significantly lower than the cohort graduation rates. The data also show that in both the graduation rate and the aspirational performance measures, the achievement gap between white students and students of color remains.

“New York’s overall graduation rate has improved, but nearly a quarter of our students still don’t graduate after four years,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch.  “And too many of those students who do graduate aren’t ready for college and careers. Read more »

In 2013, the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) is funding research to evaluate the agricultural benefits and environmental impacts of using tile drainage on farms.

The use of tile drainage has been a critical best management practice on American farms since 1835. In the early 1900s, William H. Miner, for whom the agricultural research institute in Chazy, NY, is named, championed the use of patterned tile drainage to dramatically improve drainage efficiency and crop production potential on poorly-drained North Country soils.

The farmer-driven NNYADP has identified the need for research to better understand how the use of tile drainage interacts with the soil, crop production and the environment in the Lake Champlain Basin region of Northern New York, where agriculture is considered a major nonpoint source of phosphorus to the lake. Read more »

The CFA was opened to applicants today and applications will be accepted until 4 p.m. on August 12, 2013. The CFA is available at https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/. Read more »