The Peru Gazette

Ausable River surpassed flood stage in some areas Monday morning

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Peru and Ticonderoga students prepare to record their joint podcast on Dec. 18

Peru and Ticonderoga students record their joint podcast on Dec. 18

Ticonderoga teachers Sarah Ellsworth and Kate Crammond accompanied Ticonderoga students to Peru on Dec. 18. (Photos: Peru Central School District)

Sweethearts and Heroes News Release

PERU, NY — Peru and Ticonderoga high school students gathered here recently for a special mini-summit that included a joint podcast recording and other inspiring activities that swirled around HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist).

On Wednesday, Dec. 18, 14 Ticonderoga students and their teachers, Kate Crammond and Sarah Ellsworth, went to Peru High School to catch up on each school’s activities since their involvement in Sweethearts & Heroes’ first Youth Leadership Summit last September.

Sweethearts & Heroes aims to prevent hopelessness, bullying and suicide by providing dynamic, inspiring content that centers on the human interaction skills necessary for schools and other organizations to change all aspects of their culture — skills such as empathy, compassion and teamwork. Sweethearts & Heroes programs are embedded in Peru and Ticonderoga schools and have changed the school culture in those districts, according to administrators.

On Dec. 18, Ticonderoga students joined a handful of Peru students to record an episode of Peru students’ new Sweethearts & Heroes-inspired podcast, The FISH Perspective. Students also weaved Circles with educators. Circle, which is built on the ancient ritual of communicating in a circle to build compassion and empathy, is one of Sweethearts & Heroes’ most popular and effective programs and is now a staple of Peru and Ticonderoga schools.

Sweethearts & Heroes also offers a profound, engaging signature presentation that calls for HOPE (Hold On, Possibilities Exist), Empathy and Action; and the BRAVE Youth Leadership System, which trains older students in bully drills that they, in turn, teach to students in lower grades, thus creating a sustainable, student-directed initiative that can change a school’s culture. Hundreds of Peru and Ticonderoga students have completed the BRAVE System.

During this school year, Sweethearts & Heroes started offering Train the Trainer, which teaches current educators how to weave their own Circle trainings for future hires; and STEP (the Student Teacher Empathy Program), which teaches high school students how to present Sweethearts & Heroes’ signature assemblies for students in grades K-2 and 3-5.

“Immediately after the Summit (last September), Peru students wanted to get together with other schools from the Summit as a ‘mini-reunion,’” said Jen Guay, Sweethearts & Heroes Director of Human Skills and Student Engagement. “The life-changing experiences at the Summit and the positive energy shared between students sparked a movement to continue connecting with attendees of the Summit. Many students were adamant about preserving the newly formed friendships. Yes, they could connect through social media platforms, but they craved more face-to-face communication in a shared physical space. A special bond was formed between Peru and Ticonderoga at they Summit, and they started calling their collective group ‘Peroga.’ Peru students asked Matt Berry (Peru High School Principal) if they could hold Circles with Ticonderoga students, and the wheels were set in motion. Peru students also recommended that some Ticonderoga students join the FISH. Perspective Podcast at Peru to expand student engagement and put a message of unity into the air.”

After the Dec. 18 event, Peru student Lahla Lashway said, “Peru should do this with every school. It is a great way to build relationships across North Country Schools.”

Ticonderoga student Avery Lender said, “It was a welcoming experience that built stronger bonds between the Ti and Peru students.” Ticonderoga student Quinn Lang added, “We all love talking about the Summit, so being able to share in a space like this was really amazing.”

In September, during National Suicide Prevention Month, about 140 students from seven Upstate New York schools attended Sweethearts & Heroes’ first three-day — and phone-free — Youth Leadership Summit with Spartan Race at Killington Resort in Vermont.

Sweethearts & Heroes’ central team of traveling presenters includes: Tom Murphy, Director and Founder, of St. Albans, VT; Ret. U.S. Army Sgt. Rick Yarosh, a HOPE expert, Purple Heart recipient and motivational speaker from New York who was burned severely while serving in Iraq; and Pat Fish, BRAVE Program Director & Circle Specialist, also of New York.

For more than 16 years, Sweethearts & Heroes has presented what Murphy calls “‘the ‘stop, drop and roll’ of bullying” to more than 2.5 million students in school districts from New England to Hawaii and north into Canada. Sweethearts & Heroes also tailors its presentations and workshops for businesses, non-profits and civic groups. Murphy said, “We go where we’re needed. That’s what heroes do.”

During Veterans Day week, Yarosh released A Bridge Named Amos, the inspiring, true story of his hero and service dog, Amos, who died in October, just before the book went to press. Born on Christmas, Amos was a lovable, black Lab who traveled with Yarosh over thousands of miles to hundreds of schools with Sweethearts & Heroes. Together, they taught children and adults how to overcome challenges, celebrate differences and embrace empathy. A Bridge Named Amos is told from Amos’ warm perspective, and it comes with a free downloadable workbook. OESJ Central School District (NY) Art Teacher Kevin Cannon illustrated the book.

Sweethearts & Heroes’ other books include Boredom School: For Those Bored in School, a collection of captivating, humorous and thought-provoking poems by Pat Fish; and 13 Pillows For Affective Teachers, a novel by Tom Murphy and Brian McKeon, of New York, that covers the themes of HOPE, Empathy and Action in the Sweethearts & Heroes curriculum.

Sweethearts & Heroes has also created The HOPE Classroom, a digital subscription service designed for various grade levels and different school sizes. This value-packed offering can allow Sweethearts & Heroes to be in every school in the U.S. For more on Sweethearts & Heroes, find them here on social media.

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By John T Ryan 

Peru, NY, December 30, 2024 – At this morning’s Town Board meeting, a C&S Engineering Project Status Report of the Telegraph Road bridge project elicited an opinion no one wanted to hear. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell told the board today, “The mussel study set the project back. With bid-letting scheduled for August, it’s my gut feeling the project won’t happen in 2025.” He added, ” I hope I’m wrong, but this is my gut feeling.” For several months, Farrell appeared confident that construction would occur in 2025. Farrell said this is the first project where a mussel study has come into play.

Supervisor Craig Randall asked if installing a temporary bridge would be feasible. Farrell said it wouldn’t be because a temporary structure must satisfy the same environmental requirements as a more permanent structure. Farrell had some positive news, saying he was thankful that the study had located only one mussel. If more mussels had been present, the town would have had to relocate them to another stream. August is also the end of the construction year so that bids might come in lower. This discussion is at the 18:25 to 22:00 minute mark of the video.

Other meeting Highlights included:

Scheduling the 2025 Organizational Meeting for January 13 at 5 p.m. and the Regular Meeting for January 13 at 6 p.m.

Reviewing the 2024 board meeting schedule. The schedule includes regular board meetings on January 13 and 27, February 10 and 24, March 10 and 24, April 14 and 28, May 15 and 29, June 9 and 23, July 14 and 28, August 11 and 25, September 8 and 27, October 9 and 27, November 10 and 24, December 6 and 30.

Scheduling a January 7, 4 p.m. work session with AES Engineering related to the wastewater treatment plant improvements.

Approving a $1,375,000 contract with Barton and Loguidice to design and engineer the mandated water filtration plant upgrade.

Reappointing James Falvo as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals

Appointing James Francesconi as Zoning Board Vice-Chairman

Accepting Shawn Lucas’ resignation from the Zoning Board of Appeals.  The board will send Mr Lucas a letter thanking him for his outstanding board service.

Appointing Lucas Tooker to the Zoning Board of Appeals

Appointing the Planning Board Chairman and Vice-Chairman is delayed pending a meeting quorum.

Approving budget line transfer related to the General, Highway, Peru Sewer, and Valcour Sewer accounts.

Note – The Peru Gazette did not video the board actions on items 4-9 of the meeting agenda because of tripod issues. The items are covered in this meeting story and will appear in the meeting minutes.

Editor’s Note – September meeting dates corrected 1/5/25 and 1/6/5

Meeting Minutes attached 1/19/25 Meeting Minutes

Note Meeting time is 10 AM

1. Call Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call 

4. MOTION:  Acceptance of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of December 9, 2024.

5. Community Input. 

6. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Set Date of the Organizational Meeting at 5:00 PM and First Regular Meeting of 2025 at 6 PM January 13, 2025.

7. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Review Regular Meeting Schedule of 2025.

8. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Schedule AES Work Session for January 7.  

9. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Approval of Barton & Loguidice’s Contract for the Water Treatment Plant Upgrade.

10. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint James Falvo as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

11. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint James Francesconi as Vice Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

12. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Appoint Lucas Tooker as Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

13. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Keep Chairman and Vice Chairman of Planning Board the Same Until a Quorum Votes.

14. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for General Fund 2024. 

15. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Highway Fund 2024. 

16. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Peru Sewer Fund 2024. 

17. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Valcour Sewer Fund 2024. 

18. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Water Fund 2024. 

19. DISCUSSION:  Other Business.

20. DISCUSSION:  Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

21. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Pay December 2024 Bills.

22. MOTION: Adjourn Meeting.

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Tuesday, December 24, 2024 – Sunday evening Steve Collier was the pianist for the Ecumenical Choir. Today, he’s bringing more goodwill to passers-by along Main Street with is sausaphone. Steve said, “My grandfather played this sausaphone.  He passed it on to my father and my father passed it on to me”

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Legislation aimed at helping to get assistance and information to EPIC participants

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Different regulatory environments in the two states have led to contrasting situations on either side of Lake Champlain.

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