The Peru Gazette

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

The Samaritan Family Counseling Center located in Peru, NY has been awarded full accreditation for the years 2012-2016, The Samaritan Institute, located in Denver, Colorado, announced today.   “Accreditation is a major accomplishment and demonstrates a Center’s commitment to excellence,” according to the Rev. Dr. Paul Bretz, Executive Vice President of the Institute, which is the headquarters for an international network of Samaritan Centers.  “The accreditation process indicates that Centers offer professional services within a framework of quality organizational, administrative, and financial practices,” Bretz said.

The Samaritan Family Counseling Center was established in 1980 by an independent board representing a cross-section of the community and is supported by the Peru Community Church with assistance from the Presbyterian Women of the First Presbyterian Church of Plattsburgh and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court St. Monica 2598 of St. Augustine’s Church of Peru. Other key community supporters of the Center include the Adirondack Community Trust and the Memorial Chapel of All Souls. The Center provides a wide range of outpatient counseling services, including counseling for individuals, couples, and families; educational programs; and consultation for professionals and organizations.

The Samaritan Ministry advocates the concept of interfaith, team-oriented, and cost-efficient counseling, emphasizing the inter-relatedness of mind, body, spirit, and community. The Executive Director is Dr. Donald Haight. The Center therapist is Ms. Alison Rosenbaum, a licensed mental health counselor and a graduate of the CACREP accredited Mental Health Counseling Program at Plattsburgh State College. The office manager is Ms. Judith Stafford. The Board of Directors includes The Rev. Dr. Robert Svenson, Chairperson, Ms. Anne Hurd, Vice-Chairperson, Mr. Clay Reaser, Secretary-Treasurer, Ms. Diana Aguglia, Ms. Jennifer Booth, Mr. Paul Connelly, Rev. Jenifer Deming, Ms. Faith Osborne Long, Mr. Kristofer Michaud, and Ms. Donna Scott. To assure accessibility to community residents, counseling services are offered in offices housed in the Peru Community Church where privacy is assured and sufficient parking is abundant.

The chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Rev. Dr. Robert Svenson, noted that “…at some time in everyone’s life, we face difficult issues and need help to address them. We’re here to provide that assistance.”  The Center’s hours are flexible in order to serve the needs of individuals and families.  For more information, call 518-643-6894.

The Center, in cooperation with the Fitzpatrick Cancer Center, and sponsored by a seed money grant from the United Way of the Adirondack Region, will soon start a support group for people with chronic disorders. The meetings will be held at the Blessed John XXIII Newman Center, 90 Broad Street in Plattsburgh, on the second Tuesday of the month from 4:30-6:00 PM. The first meeting will be held on April 10. Please call 643-6894 to reserve a space. There is no charge.

Analysis: Cuomo’s proposal for a less expensive pension plan would cost state, local governments millions to implement | syracuse.com.

Businesses knock new state law requiring employers to verify salaries | Press & Sun-Bulletin | pressconnects.com.

Watertown Daily Times | Potsdam Central is looking at ‘major’ gap in its budget.

Marble River Wind Farm work continues 

The Peru Central Board of Education launches its annual budget workshop series on Tuesday, February 7th at 6 PM in the community room, according to A. Paul Scott, Interim Superintendent of Schools at Peru Central. At their budget workshop, the Board will:

A. Receive ‘Budget Packet #1’ for the school board’s budget development binder containing various budget development documents and charts.

B. Discuss the Budget Snapshot of February 3, 2012.

C. Discuss the research brief entitled ‘Advancing in a Different Direction: Grade Six at Peru CSD’ which outlines the choice ahead for the school board to reduce annual operating costs by roughly $200,000 annually by returning grade six to an elementary grades program September 1st forward, rather than keeping grade six at the middle school.

D. Receive and discuss the preliminary first draft cost reductions list of roughly $1M for July 1, 2012 forward, in response to continued scarcity of additional state aid revenues and the first year of the state-mandated property tax cap threshold.

E. Identify any particular areas the Board commissions the Interim Superintendent move ahead with, in regard to early notice to potentially impacted employees associated with preliminary cost reduction considerations.

F. Examine the updated budget development timetable.

Interim Superintendent Scott said each and every budget document outlined above will be available to members of the school community attending the workshop Tuesday night.

Deceased Senator’s Campaign Account Still Alive and Kicking | PolitickerNY.

Capitol Confidential » DiNapoli: State recovery lost big mo in 2011.

Watertown Daily Times | Feds to reconsider rules for child labor on farms.

Del Rey disc tops sales, gets mixed reviews – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Republican woman enters race for Congress » Local News » Press-Republican.

Congressman announces 27 nominations to service academies

WASHINGTON – Congressman Bill Owens announced today the nomination from his office of 27 students to service academies. A member of Congress can nominate students to attend an academy if the students meet eligibility requirements and submit a detailed application.  The four service academies that accept nominations include the Air Force, Army, Merchant Marines and the Navy.

“These academies offer young New Yorkers the opportunity to receive an excellent education while serving their country,” said Owens.  “I am pleased to see so many young men and women receive nominations into the service and I know they will do us all proud as American service academies help to develop them morally, mentally and physically.  As home to Fort Drum as well as National Guard and Reserve units, our region has long been known for the highest ideals of duty and honor and I look forward to seeing these future leaders carry on that tradition.”

Owens, a veteran of the United States Air Force, is pleased to announce the nomination of the following individuals to their respective academy:

United States Military Academy
Damon Draught, Watertown
John Roberts, Adams
Matthew Whitcomb, Massena
Matt Donovan, Cazenovia
Anthony Finocchiaro, Canastota
Max LaBrague, Hamilton
Matthew Miller, Plattsburgh
Sarah Bodwell, Lisbon
Jessica Locci, Parish

United State Naval Academy:
Seth Adams, Cleveland
Joseph Cambareri, Sandy Creek
Sebastian Bailey, Morrisville
Eric Merrell, Oneida
Rebecca Wheeler, Cazenovia
Barrett Waling, Plattsburgh
Nathan Lundquist, Lowville
Douglas Fitzgerald, Malone
MaryCatherine Murphy, Plattsburgh
Andrew Baxter, Massena

United States Air Force
Conner Biolsi, Carthage
Jordan Read, Sackets Harbor
Joseph Tobin, Cadyville
Agustine Rietsema, Plattsburgh
Christopher Cahill, Oneida
Steven Mesmer, Chittenango
Nicholas Petricca, Mayfield

United States Merchant Marine Academy
Rebecca Wheeler, Cazenovia

Gov. praises Senate passage of DNA databank expansion – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

Environmental groups fight hunting cabin plan – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com 

iWitness | Seven Days.

Saratoga Springs contractor charged with tax fraud.

Daily Courier-Observer | Massena Teen Under Arrest For Bomb Build.

Pfizer recalls 28 lots of birth control pills | syracuse.com.

Appellate court agrees Jordan-Elbridge School Board violated open meetings law | syracuse.com.

Adirondack Almanack: Adirondack Family Activities: Pendragon Theatre on the Road.

Watertown Daily Times | Owens raises $214K, has $554K in campaign account.

Watertown Daily Times | BRAC gives housing developers pause.

Plattsburgh City School Board prepares for difficult budget season 

Forecasted Scope of 2012-2013 Cost Reductions May Be Roughly $1M

Peru CSD will create and discover ways to respond thoughtfully to the financial challenges ahead, as Peru Central enters its fourth extraordinarily challenging budget development season in a row, according to A. Paul Scott, Interim Superintendent of Schools. “These financial challenges are not of our own doing. However, those challenges are upon us,” he said. “In the 1930’s, American school districts faced similar challenges. American school districts rose to the challenge then, and our school districts will rise to the challenge now,” according to Scott. Read more »