The Peru Gazette

Lions Club volunteer Lois Roberts screens 5 year old Jillian Garrant

By John T. Ryan

June 6 – Only a few days ago the Peru Lions Club helped the “Safe Kids Adirondack Program” distribute bike helmets to Peru Central 2^nd graders.  This week Lions Club members were conducting a “Screening Eyes Early” program at the Peru Primary School. The vision screening program was offered free of charge to children being registered for this fall’s kindergarten class. The program’s goal is to decrease childhood blindness through the early detection and treatment of the most common vision disorders that cause amblyopia – the leading cause of monocular blindness (blindness in one eye). The local program is conducted in collaboration with the Lions SEE Program at the Ross Eye Institute in Buffalo.

RN Rena Hart explained the screening to Jill Garrow and her daughter Maggie

Specially trained Lions Club volunteers take digital readings of children whose parents have agreed to participate. The readings are read and evaluated by professionals at the Ross Eye Institute and parents will be informed if problems have been detected. The volunteers do not see the children’s screening results. Confidentially laws and regulations are strictly adhered to.

Peru Lions Club member Ed Eisele explained, “Our club has been screening children at pre-school and daycare centers for the past three years. This is the first year we’ve screened children in public schools.”

Jim McCarty had the happy task of giving stickers to the children

Eisele was the first local volunteer to be trained in the eye screening procedure and he has trained several other volunteers. He emphasized, “Children’s eyes begin to change at age 6. If the child is too old, some eyes issues may not be able to be corrected. As many as one in ten children may have an issue.”  Eisele recalled screening children at a local daycare where two of the four children who were screened had an issue which required follow-up by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

Longtime Lions Club leader Jim McCarty, who was assisting at the Peru Primary program, commented, “I’m happy it’s being accepted by parents. It’s helping out a lot of kids.”

Three weeks ago the Lions screened 42 children at the Keeseville Elementary School.  Sixty-two pre-kindergarteners were screened this week in Peru with more Peru Primary sessions scheduled for July 16^th and August 20^th.

L-R Jim McCarty, Ed Eisele, Rena Hart and Lois Roberts are Lions Club screeners. Roy Perry is another trained volunteer.

Parents in other local communities are taking advantage of screening offered by the Plattsburgh and Chazy Lions Clubs.

Assembly bill introduced to bring back lever-operated voting machines – NY Daily News.

Tax-free plan gets a lukewarm reception – Times Union.

Cuomo unveils ‘Women’s Equality Agenda’ including proposed controversial abortion bill – NYPOST.com.

Poll Finds Voters Think Silver Should Step Down as Assembly Speaker – NYTimes.com.

OSWEGO, NY (06/05/2013)(readMedia)– Alyssa Estus of Peru, a senior history major, has been named to the President’s List for the spring semester at SUNY Oswego.

Students who achieve grade averages of 3.80 and above on the 4.00 scale are named to the President’s List, the top 8.3 percent of Oswego students.

Admission to SUNY Oswego is competitive. U.S. News Media Group counts SUNY Oswego among the top public regional universities in the North for 2013, and the Princeton Review includes Oswego in its 2013 college guidebook “The Best Northeastern Colleges,” as well as its 2013 list of “best value” colleges and universities nationally.

A 152-year-old comprehensive college in the State University of New York system, Oswego enrolls about 8,000 students in its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; School of Business; School of Communication, Media and the Arts; and School of Education.

Visit oswego.edu for more information.

On the web: http://meritpages.com/achievements/Peru-resident-named-to-SUNY-Oswego-Presidents-List/6413972.

From the office of Representative Bill Owens 

Washington, DC – This week, Congressman Bill Owens introduced legislation, the “Spending Reduction Act” (H.R. 2250), in support of federal spending cuts outlined in a series of reports by the General Accountability Office (GAO).  Specifically, the Congressman’s legislation would require executive agencies to put into place the efficiencies identified by the GAO after reporting to Congress and the President on how they would enact the recommendations.  Congressman Owens issued the following statement on the bill: “The GAO identified $100 billion or more in savings the federal government can achieve without reducing services or endangering federal programs, but now we must fully implement these cuts,” said Owens.  “As sequestration takes its toll across the country and deficits remain at dangerous levels, we cannot wait any longer to responsibly address America’s spending crisis.  Wherever there are reasonable, common-sense options to reduce federal spending, it is incumbent upon Congress and the Administration to take action.” 

In addition to requiring implementation of the GAO’s report, the “Spending Reduction Act” would provide a road map to achieve savings outlined by the GAO.  Read more »

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the competition guidelines and resources available for Round III of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative. Together with funding from twelve additional New York State agencies, up to $750 million in economic development resources will be available to applicants through the 2013 REDC process.

The 2013 Available CFA Resources Manual, which outlines the funds available from 29 state agency programs, and the 2013 REDC Guidebook, which provides the competitive guidelines for this year , are both available at www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov.

“Under Governor Cuomo’s leadership, it is clear that New York State is on the path to building an economy made for the 21st Century. The past two rounds of the Regional Economic Development Councils have shown what a difference we can make to local economies by listening to regional business and community leaders,” said Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy, Chair of the Regional Economic Development Councils. “This year we’re looking for even stronger projects – from businesses and applicants of all sizes – that will create new jobs for New Yorkers and ensure the Empire State remains a leader in the global economy.”

2013 Guidelines

The 2013 Guidebook indicates the priorities regions should strive towards this year, which include: Read more »

First Weekend events kick off Friday and Saturday » Local News » Press-Republican.

Lyon Mountain home destroyed by fire » Local News » Press-Republican.

Capitol Confidential » Conservative Party opposes tax free zones.

CANTON, NY (06/04/2013)(readMedia)– Korey M. Devins of Peru, was among the 548 students awarded a degree at St. Lawrence University’s Commencement ceremony, held May 19 on campus in Canton, New York. Devins was awarded a degree in biology and is a graduate of AuSable Valley Central High School. Read more »

Adirondack historian Amy Godine, whose ground-breaking research helped re-open the narrative of Timbuctoo, the black settlement at Lake Placid, is back with another revealing story.Godine has found that wealthy abolitionist Gerrit Smith’s land give-away may have benefited black Americans still being held in bondage in the south.

Speaking at the Peru Free Library on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m., Adirondack Life contributor Godine will discuss the results of her latest research. With the help of primary and archival documents, she reconstructs the dramatic story of a Maryland slave who came into possession of an Adirondack deed he was never able to use, and the long struggle of his sons and heirs to hold onto their Adirondack patrimony in Essex County and Albany courts — a court battle that carried into the 20th century. Read more »

The Peru Lions very a big help in fitting and handing out 150 helmets

On Tuesday, May 21, Safe Kids Adirondack held the 3^rd Annual F.U.N. Ride (Fittin’ Ur Noggin). Community volunteers traveled to five elementary schools in Clinton & Essex Counties (Lake Placid, Ausable Valley, Holy Name, Keeseville & Peru).  Peru Elementary was the largest number of kids, with 150 second graders given helmets.  Thankfully, members of the Peru Lions Club were on hand to help fit the kids with helmets and keep the event running smoothly.

Peru students made bike safety signs

Cyclists Robert Light and Richard Kozak rode from school to school to talk about safety and the importance of staying active.  In total, 417 kids received free helmets and nearly 1,000 kids learned the importance of riding safely through school assemblies held by Officer Light prior to the May 21 event.

Funding for the purchase of the helmets was supported by the David Reuter Helmet Fund held by the Foundation of CVPH, Siemens, Casella and the Keeseville Elks Club.

Safe Kids Adirondack is a two-county organization serving Essex and Clinton and our mission is to prevent unintentional childhood injuries. It accomplishes this by providing education at health fairs and community events; conducting child passenger car seat checks and providing new car seats to those who need them; providing bicycle helmets and demonstrations of safe bicycle techniques; and much more.  Its lead agency is the Foundation of CVPH Medical Center.

Fire destroys Rouses Point home » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

Watertown Daily Times | Biomass facility on Fort Drum officially opens on Friday.

Watertown Daily Times | Fort Drum soldier dies in Afghanistan.

By Adele Douglas

This past Sunday two snapping turtles could be seen burying their eggs – one near the entrance to the Fellowship Center and the other in Little Ausable Park.  This morning this mommy was trying her luck in Heyworth/Mason Park.  Here are a few snapping turtle facts.

From NYSDEC’s webpage about snapping turtles:

• The snapping turtle is a very aggressive predator and one of the largest turtles in North America.
• It often buries itself in the mud with only its nostrils and eyes showing, waiting for unsuspecting prey. These turtles will snap at anything they find threatening. Their snap is so powerful that it can easily shear fingers – so stay a safe distance away! Snapping turtles live 30-40 years on average. The snapping turtle is New York’s official state reptile.

And from The Waterman and Hill-Traveller’s Companion, a Natural Events Almanac out of Illinois:

• Female snapping turtles have the ability (as do most turtles) to plan their pregnancies. Sperm cells from the male survive in the female’s reproductive tract for up to three years in a specialized duct so that when food is plentiful and life is good she can fertilize any eggs she happens to be carrying. When the eggs ripen (usually in mid June in our area) she develops a wanderlust and leaves the water (one of the few times these turtles willingly leave the water) to search for a suitable location to lay her eggs.
• Snapping Turtles will sometimes lay their eggs considerable distances from the water – up to a quarter mile away has been recorded. Once the site is chosen she digs a bottle-shaped hole with her hind feet as deep as she can reach – which can be up to eight inches. She then lays from ten to thirty ping pong ball sized eggs and covers them with the previously excavated soil grading it smooth with her lower shell and tail. Depending on the temperature, rainfall and moisture content of the nest the eggs the eggs hatch in from 55 to125 days after laying. In northern climes some nests overwinter with hatching occurring in the spring of the following year. Around here most nests have hatched by the end of September.

Read more on their website: http://www.naturealmanac.com/archive/snappers/snappers.html

Testing debate: are teachers, parents protesting too much? « The In Box.

AVCS educator named top tech teacher » NEW TODAY… » Press-Republican.

College to host teaching initiative » Local News » Press-Republican.

By John T. Ryan

June 1 – The Peru Youth Commission is holding its Annual Early Bird Baseball Tournament today.  Parents and children filled the Laphams Mills Recreation Park at 9 am to participate in and view the opening ceremonies. Over 300 young people ages 5-15 will be members of 23 teams.

Youth Director John Flynn thanked the community for its strong support of youth programs. He gave a special thanks to the local businesses, service organizations, the Peru Town Board,  parents and volunteer coaches who so generously support the program.

Youth Commission Chairman Greg Mills thanked everyone for their assistance especially the volunteer members of the Peru Youth Commission.

John Flynn closed the ceremonies by inviting several members of Peru Central School’s successful boys and girls baseball/softball teams to throw the season’s first pitches.  Flynn said they all had participated in Peru’s summer sports programs during their earlier years.

Bill to promote NY-grown products in restaurants passes Senate, Assembly | syracuse.com.

Medical marijuana: 610 doctors want option – Times Union.

Capitol Confidential » Owens joins in the pro tax-free crowd.