The Peru Gazette

NY Mayor Bloomberg gives $311 million to charity last year, fifth biggest philanthropist in US – NYPOST.com.

Fans can take devotion to Big Blue on the road as N.Y. rolls out Super Bowl champ license plates

Lotta love on their plate for Giants!  – NY Daily News.

Watertown Daily Times | NDAA protest in Watertown takes aim at Owens.

Social services commissioner gets new five-year term – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Teachers concerned over new structure – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Adirondack Almanack: The Chazy Native Who Upturned Mormon Politics.

Plattsburgh, NY – The NCCCA Arts Center is delighted to offer its Winter ArtQuest series for kids during the upcoming school recess, from Monday, February 20th through Friday, February 24th, 2012.

The 2012 Winter ArtQuest series themed, “Hands-On History,” is dedicated to giving students the opportunity to learn about cultural and historical aspects of specific art objects and to create their own versions. Activities are age-specific and include jewelry-making, totem pole construction and the ancient Japanese art of origami, or paper folding, amongst others. Morning classes from 9am-12pm are available for kids ages 5 to 8, and sessions for older students ages 9 to 12 take place from 1-4pm.

“This is my first experience with ArtQuest and I’m very excited about the sessions we’re able to offer this February,” says Jessica Mitchell-Briehl, Education Coordinator at the NCCCA Arts Center. “Our Artist Teachers are excited about the historical themes this Winter ArtQuest and are looking forward to working with students who are here during the vacation.”

NCCCA Executive Director, Janine Scherline states, “We’re lucky to live in a community where there are several options for families. We’re happy to give parents and students an artistic and educational alternative here at the Arts Center – both during the year and while school is in recess – and we hope parents will consider enrolling their kids during the upcoming winter break!”

ArtQuest is a special educational series that takes place at the Arts Center. It is designed to enhance arts education during periods when students are on vacation from school. ArtQuest programming takes place three times during the year, during the Winter and Spring Break and for a 6 week period during July and August. In the past, ArtQuest has received funding by the Clinton County Youth Bureau and a limited amount of scholarships may be available. Please call the Arts Center for more information.

Contact: Jessica Mitchell-Briehl, NCCCA Arts Center Education Coordinator, (518) 563-1604 or: education@plattsburgharts.org

Website offers information for free tax filing services

PLATTSBURGH – Congressman Bill Owens today announced a new section of his website dedicated to promoting free tax filing services for New Yorkers.  Owens has added outreach to his website, located at http://owens.house.gov.  New features of the website include information on how to file taxes both electronically and by mail, and can be found directly at http://owens.house.gov/ConstituentServices/taxhelp.htm.

“Correctly filing one’s taxes can be a confusing and stressful process, and very few people know that there are free services available that can help them through these procedures,” said Owens. “During tough economic times, every penny counts and it is important that qualified tax specialists are available to the general public to help them receive the largest refund possible.”

The IRS Free File program is open to all taxpayers who made $57,000 or less in 2011.  Eligible taxpayers can visit http://www.irs.gov/freefile to prepare and e-file their federal tax returns.

AARP offers free services, run by certified tax preparers, for low-to-moderate income taxpayers of all ages every year. New Yorkers can find the nearest tax aide site by visiting Owens’ website <http://owens.house.gov>  or clicking here <http://www.aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/taxAideLocations.action> .

A number of organizations in New York also partner with the IRS to run a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA).  This free service, staffed by IRS certified tax preparers, is open to taxpayers making $51,000 or less.  A full list of VITA sites in New York can be found by calling 800-906-9887.

Prison guards wield big money clout « The In Box.

Watertown Daily Times | Massena mails sidewalk shoveling reminders.

Tax chief deputizes IG staff to permit use of returns – Times Union.

Donors spent $145G to fly Gov. Andrew Cuomo on private jets to fund-raising events – NY Daily News.

Study: 127 donors give $16.8M – Times Union.

Catholics speak out against ruling » Local News » Press-Republican.

Northern New York — Northern New York growers produce soybeans on nearly 9,000 acres. Six thousand of those acres are in Jefferson County, making it an ideal location for evaluating new varieties. The results of field trials conducted by Cornell University Crop and Soil Sciences Professor William J. Cox at Robbins Farms in Sackets Harbor, NY, are now available to help growers deciding which varieties to plant in 2012.

“Soybeans are an increasing attractive crop for northern growers. The climate in Northern New York is no longer too cool to produce soybeans so mid-season (Group I) varieties are adapted to most of Northern New York and early Group II varieties can mature if planted early near the Lake,” Cox says.

Cox points to the 659,000 acres of soybeans grown in Quebec and more than 100,000 acres of soybeans grown in the province of Ontario between NY’s northern border and Ottawa in 2010 as evidence of the adaptability of soybeans in northern regions.

“If global warming continues over the next several decades, Northern New York may well prove to be the ideal location rather than a marginal region for soybean production,” Cox says.

Cox also notes that the high price of soybean meal has more dairy farmers looking to grow their own soybeans and process them in an on-farm or local custom roaster.

“Soybeans are a low-input crop – you plant, spray once or twice, and harvest. This makes soybeans an attractive crop from a labor management perspective, especially on smaller dairy operations,” Cox says.

The current high price for soybeans make it an attractive cash crop.

2011 saw the wettest April-May period ever recorded at the Watertown Airport, five miles from the variety trial at Robbins Farms. The trial planting was delayed until June 3rd. The wet period was followed by the fifth warmest June-September in the area and the third wettest August-September period.

“Although the 2011 growing season in Northern New York was challenging, the trials produced very good soybean yields – 56 bushels per acre average yield for Group I varieties and 53 bushels per acre average yields for Group II,” Cox says.

“If the current price remains at $11 per bushel, I would expect soybean acreage in New York, including Northern New York, to increase in 2012,” he adds.

The trials were partially supported by Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station funding.

The 2011 Soybean Variety Trials for Northern New York data is available from Cornell Cooperative Extension and online at www.nnyagdev.org/_fieldcrops.htm#Soybeans.

Different trips with same view – Times Union.

Activists speak out, aid abused Asian women kept silent by culture 

Alien invasion imminent » Local News » Press-Republican.

Eco-Machine might provide pathway toward turning wastewater into a useful resource | Burlington Free Press 

Oswego girls basketball coach placed on leave over parent’s complaint | syracuse.com.

Tim Mitchell photo

By Donald McBrayer

Several months ago St. Augustine’s Parish joined TD Bank’s Affinity Program in hopes that parishioners would be willing to “link” their checking and savings account to St. Augustine in a fundraising effort.  At the 4:30 Saturday evening Mass TD Bank District Manager Robin Russom and Peru Bank Managers Chris Mullen and Diana Padron presented a check to Father Alan Shnob in the amount of $3968.37 for this year’s donation.

The TD Bank Affinity Program is designed to help the growth of non-profit organizations by making an annual donation to the organizations based upon the average balance of all linked accounts at TD Bank. Eligible accounts include business and personal, checking, savings, money market, CD, and retirement. Checking accounts generate 1/2 of 1% contribution based on the annual average balances of all participants, while savings accounts/CDs generate 1/4 of 1% contribution based upon the annual average balances of all participants.

If you would like to join the TD Bank Affinity Program ask your TD banking agent to link your accounts to any non-profit that is participating. The recipient non-profit will not receive any information from TD Bank regarding your account balances or any other personal information. This program is run solely through TD Bank and is a way to help local non-profits. There is no cost to the account holders.

Vermonters recall Giants’ days at St. Michael’s College | Burlington Free Press

Building the Ice Palace – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com

SL schools face $1.6 million budget gap – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Royal invasion: 2012 Saranac Lake Winter Carnival kicks off with coronation – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com