The Peru Gazette

Peru – CVPH Donor Center Blood Drive, Monday, May 18, 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. in Peru.

CVPH uses all blood collected in our local trl-county region. Your neighbors need your support.

St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273 coordinates the blood drive.  

Ham 

Scalloped Potatoes 

Vegetable 

Bread 

Dessert 

Served 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., take-out only, at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St., Peru, NY 12972. 

All are invited and welcome!

Peru, NY, Sunday, April 26, 2026 – Livations Wines and Spirits is celebrating its 5th Anniversary today. Owners Scott Hite and Mary Ann Cayea are there to welcome you with 30% off wine and 5% of liquors. They are there until 5 p.m. Congratulations to Scott and Mary Ann and all the staff.

Click here to view the Peru Gazette’s 2021 Livations story

In the aftermath of the 30th Annual Conference on the Adirondacks, David Gibson reflects on what more the state could do for the region

Click here for the Adirondack Almanac story 

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Adirondack Farms’ Shane St. Cyr elected Treasurer 

Albany, NY, April 24, 2026 –  – The Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA) Board of Directors elected its 2026-27 officer team during its bimonthly board meeting on April 14. The newly elected and returning officers are:

• AJ Wormuth – Chair (Half-Full Dairy, Elbridge, NY)
• Greg Porter – Vice Chair (Porterdale Farms, Adams Center, NY)
• Shane St. Cyr – Treasurer (Adirondack Farms, Peru, NY)
• Hannah Worden – Secretary (Will-O-Crest Farm, Clifton Springs, NY)

Additionally, the organization announced the election of Keith Chapin of Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing to the board of directors. Additional continuing board members include:

• Kurt Hanehan (Hanehan Family Dairy, Mt. Upton, NY)
• Stuart Ziehm (Tiashoke Farms, Buskirk, NY)
• Nick Gilbert (Adon Farms, Potsdam, NY)
• Keith Kimball (La Casa de Leche, Groveland, NY)

“For more than 30 years, NEDPA has been the voice, the resource and the network for New York’s dairy industry, focused on issues and opportunities that are critically important to the sustainability and success of family dairy farms,” said newly elected NEDPA Chair and Dairy Farmer AJ Wormuth. “We look forward to continuing our advocacy work alongside fellow dairy farmers that directly supports our contributions to and care of rural communities, our environment, our employees and our cows.”

NEDPA also extends its sincere appreciation to Keith Kimball for his years of dedicated leadership as Board Chair, as he continues as a member of the board, and to retiring board member Jon Patterson for 12 years of service.

“Keith’s service and leadership have played a key role in advancing the organization’s mission, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in his role as a board member,” added Wormuth. “We are grateful for Jon’s years of dedication to and advocacy of dairy farms across the state and leadership on environmental stewardship.”

For more information about NEDPA and its work on behalf of dairy producers, visit www.nedpa.org.

APRIL 27 , 2026 AGENDA & RESOLUTIONS

Albany, April 22, 2026 – Governor Kathy Hochul today issued an executive order prohibiting state employees from engaging in insider trading on prediction markets. These markets allow individuals to place bets on the outcomes of real world events, including both major events such as outcomes of military activity, election results, or the severity of natural disasters, as well as obscure and manipulable events such as betting on the attire of public officials at appearances, when the President of the United States would next publicly insult a person, or the volume of social media posts made by an individual.

“Getting rich by betting on inside information is corruption, plain and simple,” Governor Hochul said. “Our actions will ensure that public servants work for the people they represent, not their own personal enrichment. While Donald Trump and DC Republicans turn a blind eye to the ethical Wild West they’ve created, New York is stepping up to lead by example and stamp out insider trading.”

This executive order builds on New York State’s Code of Ethics and creates the strongest protections against insider trading and public corruption on prediction markets in the nation. Under this executive order, covered state officers and employees will be forbidden from using confidential information acquired in the course of their official duties to further their personal financial interests through these markets. These officers and employees will also be barred from assisting others in profiting on confidential information through prediction markets.

This order comes at a time of increasing public scrutiny over the role of prediction markets and the need for further regulations of this emerging industry. Recently, massive profits have been made following bets placed on actions taken by the federal government, raising concerns around safeguards against corruption and self-dealing. In January, an anonymous trader made more than $400,000 on a bet that Nicolas Maduro would soon be out of office. Reporting has also documented more than $1 billion in “perfectly-timed” bets surrounding the ongoing war in Iran, including the location and timing of military strikes and the status of the Strait of Hormuz.

New York State is also taking action to protect New Yorkers from predictive market platforms that engage in unlicensed and unlawful gambling operations. In October, the Gaming Commission sent Kalshi a cease and desist letter for illegally operating an unlicensed mobile sports wagering platform in New York State.

Read Executive Order Here

“The American Revolution in the Champlain Valley from A to Z”

This year, the entire country is celebrating “America250,” a national commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1776.  In order to educate students and their parents and teachers about our beginnings as a country, the Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) has published a book, “The American Revolution in the Champlain Valley, from A to Z,” to be distributed to all fourth and fifth graders in the Clinton, Essex, Franklin County area, free of charge. 

Keeseville artist George “Speedy” Arnold illustrated key events, notably the Battle of Valcour Island on October 11, 1776. It was the first battle fought by the newly formed American Continental Navy, under the command of Benedict Arnold. Lake Champlain played a key role early in the War as British and American troops encountered each other along the lake from the Canadian border in the north to Fort Ticonderoga in the south.  We are thankful to CCHA volunteer Anne Bailey and Plattsburgh City Historian Jackie Stewart for identifying the A-Zs and to Anja Bouchard for the design.   The book is dedicated to former Plattsburgh City Historian James “Jim” Bailey (1936–2021). A tireless volunteer for CCHA, Jim took great pride in showcasing our region’s history, and his irrepressible spirit pervades the activity book.

The book contains a glossary at the end, to expand the students’ vocabulary. A production team of teachers, historians, librarians, and CCHA Board members all contributed their expertise and research. The team hopes that the information in the book will encourage students to learn more about the rich history of the Champlain Valley, from the time that Indigenous peoples settled the area, to the present day. 

This project is sponsored by the America250 Committee under the leadership of the Clinton County Historical Association with funding from a 2025 Special Programs Grant from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, Stewart’s Shops, a private donor and the support of the Clinton Essex Franklin Library System, the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and many others.  The formal presentation of the first copies of the book takes place at Keeseville Elementary School on 14 May by invitation only, after which copies will be distributed to the schools.  Copies will be available to the public after June 1^st at CCHA.

Join us at 10 AM on Opening Morning, Saturday, May 16th, for the unveiling of two new murals created by regional artist Greg Badger. Immediately following the unveiling, we’ll hold a ribbon-cutting and the Grand Opening of our nearly completed replica one-room schoolhouse.

From 11 AM to Noon, the Museum will host a community trivia game inside the new schoolhouse, featuring 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes for the top scores.

Food trucks will be on site both days:

◦Saturday: Sloppy Dog (10 AM – 3:30 PM)

◦Sunday: Adirondack Food Therapy (10 AM – 3:30 PM)

Browse handcrafted goods from local vendors set up across the Museum campus – find unique quilts, hats, handmade wooden items, fresh-baked scones and cookies, vintage treasures, and original art.

Throughout the weekend, enjoy plowing and planting demonstrations using antique farm equipment. Additional demonstrations will take place in the granary, blacksmith shop, and sawmill.

Kids can enjoy games with prizes, and families are invited to explore our new outdoor play area.

Peru, NY, April 26, 2026  – The April 13 Peru Town Board meeting included the board approving an agreement on an outstanding zoning enforcement issue and interaction regarding the board’s compliance with the NYS Open Meetings Law.

Zoning Law Enforcement 

Background: In June 2023, Lake Champlain Transportation (LCT) purchased Snug Harbor Marina, Mariner Restaurant and Bar, the Valcour Boat Rentals building, and the nearby campground, all Route 9 properties on the shore of Lake Champlain. LCT undertook several marina and building upgrades, requiring approvals from multiple state and federal agencies and the Town of Peru. At a February 11 Planning Board meeting, the owner of three parcels adjacent to the LCT properties raised concerns about reduced lake access to his property and LCT’s compliance with Peru’s Zoning Law.  On February 27, Peru’s Code Enforcement Officer, Duane Bibeau, raised concerns about LCT’s compliance with Peru’s zoning law and site plan review requirements, and directed that all activities on the properties cease and desist until the permit and site plan issues were resolved. At a March 20 Special Meeting, the town board authorized hiring outside legal counsel with expertise in code enforcement matters.

At this meeting the board approved amended agenda Item 19 giving the supervisor authority to sign an agreement with LCT that stated, “after negotiations, the board reached an agreement with LCT “in order to provide a path for LCT to have a timely opening and still comply with the Zoning Law.”  The agreement rescinds Bibeau’s cease-and-desist order and permits work on the properties to continue. LCT agreed to bring outstanding issues into compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and the town agreed to issue building permits and certificates of occupancy if the CEO’s inspections find that LCT complies with all applicable laws and regulations. LCT Resolution of April 15, 2026         LCT Agreement.    April 15 amended agenda

Acting on agenda item 18, the board approved hiring Jason Poulin as Interim Code Enforcement Officer for a minimum of two hours a week. He joins Stephen Imhoff, the Town of Plattsburgh’s CEO, who also works for the Town of Peru a few hours a week. Peru’s full-time CEO, Duane Bibeau, is working for his code enforcement officer certification.

Open Meeting Law

Peru Gazette Editor John Ryan addressed the board regarding its compliance with the New York State Open Meetings Law, particularly the availability of board meetings action documents. On February 17, Ryan sent the board an email stating that, after researching the NYS Open Meetings Law, he concluded that documents to be acted on at board meetings should be available to the public prior to the meeting and posted on the town’s website. He also included Open Meeting Law provisions regarding executive sessions and the public access to meeting minutes. Subsequently, Supervisor Craig Randall and Deputy Supervisor Melvin Irwin agreed that changes are needed; however, it will take time because some agenda items requiring complex resolutions often arrive at the supervisor’s office on Friday, the day the board is required to publish the agenda. Ryan has cited the Town of Plattsburgh as a community that complies with the Open Meeting Law. Randall responds that his research indicates that Plattsburgh has different practices and more resources than our small community. Ryan also expressed concern about public notice of Special Meetings held on short notice. The board has been posting the notices on the LCD screen at Little Ausable River Park. It has historically emailed regular meeting agendas to the Peru Gazette. Ryan appreciates this courtesy and would like it to apply to Special Meetings, especially those called on short notice. He makes every effort to video-record all board meetings. Open Meetings Open Meetings Law Email 

The Board approved the following:

• Thanks to a resolution passed at this meeting, henceforth, the town board will work in partnership with the highway superintendent to decide which town roads will be paved each year. The change complies with NYS Highway Law Section 284. Up until now, Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell has made the paving decisions. Farrell admitted he was happy to share the decision-making (and complaints) with the board.
• In other actions, the board approved: 
• A janitorial contract with Robert Crawford at a $19.50 hourly rate from April 14, 2026, to December 31, 2026, and from January to December 2027. 
• Purchasing a New Holland L334 wheeled skid steer loader for primary use at the wastewater treatment plant from the company quoting the lowest price, Taylor Equipment Sales Powersports, at a price of  $84,024.15. This purchase brings the town into compliance with the Waste Water Treatment Plant Contract. 
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Project payments to Murnane Building Contractors, John W. Danforth, K & L Plumbing and Heating, and Triangle Electric. 
• Use of Heyworth Mason Park by the Autism Alliance of Northeastern New York. 
• The annual contract with Casella Waste Systems for the rental and services for the waste and recycling dumpsters. 

Department Reports – March 2026

Click here to view the Peru Gazette meeting video 

Albany, April 23, 2026 – New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced DEC’s annual youth turkey hunting weekend will take place April 25-26. The youth turkey hunt, for junior hunters ages 12-15, is open across upstate New York and Suffolk County.

“Connecting young hunters with adult mentors provides a chance to teach the next generation about safety, ethics, and outdoor appreciation,” DEC’s Deputy Commissioner for Natural Resources Katharine Petronis said. “The youth hunt is another great opportunity to ‘Get Offline and Get Outside’ by spending quality time connecting with nature.”

Important Details for the Youth Turkey Hunt on April 25 and 26

• Hunters 12-15 years of age are eligible and must hold a hunting license and a turkey permit.
• Youth 12-13 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult over 21 years of age with written permission from their parent or legal guardian. Youth 14-15 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or adult over 18 years of age with written permission from their parent or legal guardian.
• The accompanying adult must have a current hunting license and turkey permit. The adult may assist the youth hunter, including calling, but may not carry a firearm, bow, or crossbow, or kill or attempt to kill a wild turkey during the youth hunt.
• Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to noon each day.
• The youth turkey hunt is open in all upstate New York, north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary, and across Suffolk County.
• The bag limit for the youth weekend is one bearded bird. This bird becomes part of the youth’s regular spring season bag limit of two bearded birds. A second bird may be taken only in upstate New York, north of the Bronx-Westchester County boundary, beginning May 1.
• Junior hunters may not use rifles or handguns. Junior hunters may hunt with a shotgun loaded with shot sizes no larger than No. 2 or smaller than No. 9, or with a bow. Fourteen- and fifteen-year-old hunters may also use a crossbow.
• All other wild turkey hunting regulations remain in effect.

DEC Continues to Encourage Hunter Safety

Statistics show that hunting in New York State is safer than ever.  Hunting-related shooting incidents are easily prevented by following the four basics of firearm safety:

• Always point your firearm in a safe direction.
• Treat every firearm as if it were loaded.
• Be sure of your target and beyond.
• Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

DEC also encourages hunters to practice these specific safety behaviors when hunting spring turkeys:

• Don’t wear red, white, blue, or black;
• Never stalk turkeys; and
• If you see or hear another hunter, shout and use your words. Don’t try to signal or wave to get their attention.

For more information on the youth hunt for wild turkey visit DEC’s website.

May 5^th, 5:30 pm, Plattsburgh Public Library, 19 Oak Street, Plattsburgh. The History of the Lozier Marine Engines and the Plattsburgh Boat House – from construction to demolition. with transportation historian Richard Soper.   After selling his bicycle business, Henry Lozier moved to Plattsburgh in 1900 to manufacture boats and marine engines. Learn the very early history of the Lozier company with rare inside photos of the boathouse. Lozier history is an exciting part of Plattsburgh’s rich past. 

May 7^th, 6:30 pm, Samuel de Champlain History Center, 202 Elm Street, Champlain. The Grange Movement in Clinton County and its Legacy. Beginning in Mooers in 1897, the Grange Movement quickly spread throughout Clinton County providing access to what was declared in the Plattsburgh Sentinel in 1904 to be one of the “grandest educational organizations in the world.” Welcoming both men and women into their organizational hierarchy, granges and their leaders built halls, published histories, held educational forums and hosted community events throughout Clinton County. Helen Nerska, the daughter of a ‘granger’ shares her research on the impact of this county-wide movement.

May 15^th, 12:30 pm, Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh.  William Henry Miner and His Lasting Legacy in the North Country with Amy Bedard.  William Henry Miner’s life is a true Horatio Alger story. Orphaned as a pre-teen, Miner was sent from the Midwest to live with his aunt and uncle in Chazy, New York. Miner returned to the Midwest as a young man and eventually became a successful inventor of railroad equipment by the late 19th century. After achieving his wealth, Miner returned to Chazy with his wife Alice to establish Heart’s Delight Farm. The farm was a model of agricultural innovation and self-sufficiency. The Miners also believed in using their fortune to help others and their remarkable generosity continues to impact the North Country.

May 16^th, 11 am to 2 pm, Champlain Mall, 60 Smithfield Blvd, Plattsburgh. History Day at the Mall.  Visit with local museum volunteers and historians from around Clinton County. 

May 17^th, 11 am, American Legion Post 1619, 219 Rand Hill Rd. Morrisonville.  America250 Kick-off Event – Honoring 250 Years of Veterans. American Legion Post 1619 will host an event to honor 250 years of American veterans with a rifle volley and taps.  Guest speakers are Legion Commander Robert St. John and Assemblyman Michael Cashman. Legion members will be attired in Honor Guard and Revolutionary War uniforms. This event marks the kick-off for Legion supported America250 events honoring veterans, including those ceremonies which will occur throughout the year at local cemeteries. Also, at this event those veterans missing in action and prisoners of war will be remembered and honored. For additional information please email John Rock at fatext@aol.com or call him at 518-569-7687.

May 19^th, 6:45 pm, Lake Forest Retirement Community, 8 Lake Forest Drive, Plattsburgh. William Henry Miner and His Lasting Legacy in the North Country with Amy Bedard.  William Henry Miner’s life is a true Horatio Alger story. Orphaned as a pre-teen, Miner was sent from the Midwest to live with his aunt and uncle in Chazy, New York. Miner returned to the Midwest as a young man and eventually became a successful inventor of railroad equipment by the late 19th century. After achieving his wealth, Miner returned to Chazy with his wife Alice to establish Heart’s Delight Farm. The farm was a model of agricultural innovation and self-sufficiency. The Miners also believed in using their fortune to help others and their remarkable generosity continues to impact the North Country.

May 21^st, 2:30 pm, Meadowbrook Healthcare, 154 Prospect Avenue, Plattsburgh. The Golden Age of the Cigar Trade in Downtown Plattsburgh – photos and stories of the men who generated this prosperous local industry.

May 21^st, 6 pm – Peru Free Library 3024, N. Main Street, Peru. The Battle of Valcour Island – before, during and after. With Reenactor and Historian Craig Russell. Hear the story of the most important naval battle of the Revolutionary War – fought on our lake on October 11, 1776.

May 23^rd, 11 am to 2 pm, Baker Burying Ground, 1161 State Rte 3,  West Plattsburgh.  Marker Rededication and Cemetery Tours.  Join the Saranac Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution for the rededication of a marker recognizing Revolutionary War Patriot James Call. Tours of the cemetery will follow the rededication ceremony. The cemetery holds the graves of nine revolutionary war veterans.  

May 28^th, 6 pm, Plattsburgh Memorial Chapel, Old Base, Plattsburgh, First Adirondackers: 12,000 Years of Indigenous Peoples in the Adirondack Uplands with David Kanietakeron Fadden. The newly released book by Curt Stager and David Kanietakeron Fadden “challenges the widespread, long-standing belief that the Adirondack uplands of northern New York were uninhabited before the arrival of European colonizers. Through local indigenous traditions and supporting findings by natural science, authors Fadden and Stager expose, document, and honor the long human presence in the Adirondacks, helping not only to redefine what it means to be an Adirondacker, but also contributing to a more complete understanding of America itself.”

All events are free and open to the public. 

There was a large turnout for tonight’s very interesting presentation conducted by David Glenn at the Peru Free Library. The audio is fine, but the video is not the best quality. I do not have the lighting to counteract the light coming in the library’s windows.

Click here for the Peru Gazette video 

Click here here for the NCPR story 

More Than 4,000 Volunteer Firefighters Have Successfully Completed Training Through the Stipend Program Since 2023

Albany, April 22, 2024 – Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York’s Volunteer Firefighter Training Stipend program is expanding to offset costs for five additional training courses available to volunteer firefighters. New York State created the program to strengthen the volunteer fire service and address recruitment and retention challenges by offsetting the costs of required training that individuals need to become a firefighter. This expansion will help reduce obstacles preventing volunteer firefighters from advancing their careers. Since 2023, more than 4,000 volunteer firefighters have successfully completed training through the program.

The new stipend-eligible courses and course equivalencies are:

• Firefighter Survival: Self Rescue: This course teaches firefighters how to rescue themselves if they become trapped or compromised during a fire incident. Stipend Amount: $250

• Firefighter Assist and Search Team, and Rapid Intervention Crew: These courses are designed to train firefighters in the critical skills needed to rescue fellow firefighters who are trapped or in distress during an incident. Stipend Amount: $350

• Fire and Emergency Services Instructor 1, Fire Officer II, and Firefighter 2: These courses are advanced leadership and instructor development programs. They aim to enhance the leadership capabilities of fire department members and improve their effectiveness in incident command roles, ultimately contributing to the safety of firefighters. Stipend Amount: $500

These five courses build on the catalog of trainings that are already stipend-eligible: Basic Wildland Fire Suppression ($250) Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations ($750), Fire Officer 1 ($1,000) and Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus/Interior Firefighting Operations ($1,250). Since the inception of the stipend program, completion of the Basic Exterior Firefighting Operations, and Interior Firefighting Operations courses have increased by 20 percent and completion of the Fire Officer I course has risen 35 percent.

Video of the Governor’s Announcement Available Here

Albany, April 21, 2026 – “Every state employee deserves a safe workplace. There is a systemic problem within our correctional facilities. We continue to face a staffing crisis. We continue to face a contraband crisis. These problems are not isolated: They are persistent, escalating, and unacceptable. NYSCOPBA’s assessment reflects what staff on the ground have been saying for far too long. We cannot normalize conditions that place correction officers, civilians, and incarcerated individuals in harm’s way. These challenges continue to languish without the level of urgency and coordinated action they demand, and it is long past time that state leadership steps in. I unapologetically echo their calls for real solutions.”

Click here to view NYSCOPBA letter.

NYSCOPBA to Hochul: State prisons in ‘systemic emergency’ amid surge in violence, contraband

Click here for the Spectrum 1 News story which includes NYSCOPBA’s letter to Governor Hochul