HamilSun Community Solar offers power to low, moderate-income households
Click here for the Sun Community News story
Posted: December 7th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Agricultural News, Community Events, Environmental News, Faces of Peru, Northern NY News, Peru News, Peru resident news/accomplishments, Peru/Regional History, Upstate New York.
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Peru, NY, December 6, 2024—Thanks to Dianne Miller for this photo of the Peru Fighters who carried Sant and Mrs. Claus to the Tree-Lighting Ceremony at Little Ausable River Park.
Posted: December 6th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, Faces of Peru, Fire Department News, Northern NY News, Peru News.
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- Call Meeting to Order
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Roll Call
- MOTION/DISCUSSION: To Accept Reports from all Departments (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; Banking Reports, and JCEO);
- MOTION: Acceptance of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of November 25, 2024.
- Community Input.
- MOTION/DISCUSSION: Approve Payment for Telegraph Rd. Project from C & S Engineers.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of Elmore SPCA 2025 Contract.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Placing W/S/V 2002 Service Van on Surplus List.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of AES Northeast Contract for the Peru WWTP.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of Purchase of 2020 Chevy Express 2500 Van. for the W/S/V Dept.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of Order for the Purchase of a Mohawk Equipment Lift for Highway Garage.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Approval of Payments Allowed in Advance of Audit by Board.
- DISCUSSION: Other Business.
- DISCUSSION: Department Head Comments.
- DISCUSSION: Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.
- RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION: Pay Nov./Dec 2024 Bills.
- MOTION: Adjourn to Executive Session.
- MOTION: Return from Executive Session.
- MOTION: Adjourn Meeting.
Posted: December 6th, 2024 under Community Events, Northern NY News, Peru News, Town Board News.
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Miracle on Margaret Street
1pm, The Nutcracker Ballet in the Strand Center Theatre, purchase tickets here >>
3-6pm, Holiday Art Activities in the Strand Center Gallery
3-6pm, Merry Mug Fundraiser in the Strand Center Gallery, mugs are $20/each
3-6pm, Photos with Santa Fundraiser in the Strand Center Gallery, photos are $10/each, and photos will be emailed to you
3-6pm, Pick up your “100 Years of the Strand Theatre” Commemorative Ornament, Make a $10 donation to our “Cucumber Tree” Fund to reserve your ornament >>
5pm, Pre-Parade Holiday Warm-Up Show
5:30pm, 9th Annual Holiday Parade in Downtown Plattsburgh
~6pm (following the parade), Tree Lighting on The Strand Center front lawn
Posted: December 6th, 2024 under Arts and Entertainment, City News, Community Events, Northern NY News.
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Peru—Debra Timmons, the wife of the late Greg Timmons, will light the Peru Christmas Tree this Friday, December 6, at 6 p.m. at Little Ausable River Park. Town Supervisor Craig Randall hopes the community will witness the lighting, sing carols, and enjoy each other’s company. Santa and Mrs. Claus hope to see all the kids there!
Posted: December 6th, 2024 under Arts and Entertainment, Congressional News, General News, Northern NY News, Peru News.
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December 3 in Peru
Blood collected by CVPH program helps North Country neighbors
PLATTSBURGH, NY (12/05/2024) – A single unit of blood can help up to three North Country residents, according to Adirondack Regional Blood Donor Center Supervisor Shannon Nutbrown, who encourages all eligible donors to attend a December drive and contribute to the community’s health and wellbeing.
The Donor Center is a University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) program. In addition to supporting the needs of CVPH patients, it supplies blood and blood products to patients at Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, Elizabethtown Community Hospital (including the Ticonderoga campus), Massena Memorial Hospital and Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake. “We rely on our dedicated sponsors and loyal donors to supply these facilities with life-saving blood and blood produce,” Nutbrown said.
The following is the December community drive schedule:
- Friday, Dec.6, Malone Centenary Church, Malone, noon to 3 pm
- Monday, Dec. 9, Adirondack Medical Center Redfield Room, noon to 4 pm
- Friday, Dec. 13, Burke Adult Center, 9 to 11 am
- Tuesday, Dec. 17, St. Edmunds Church, Ellenburg, 4 to 7 pm
- Wednesday, Dec. 18, Bloomingdale Fire Department, 3:30 to 6:30 pm
- Thursday, Dec. 19, Cumberland 12 Cinemas, 4 to 8 pm
- Friday, Dec. 20, Clinton County Government Center, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Monday, Dec. 23, St. Augustine Parish Center, Peru, 3 to 6:30 pm
- Tuesday, Dec. 24, CVPH Auditoriums, 9 am to noon
- Monday, Dec. 30, West Chazy Fire Department, 4 to 7 pm
- Tuesday, Dec. 31, CVPH Auditoriums, 9 am to noon
The Adirondack Regional Blood Center also welcomes donors to its Donor Center, located at 85 Plaza Blvd. The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and walk-ins are welcome.
Blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with written parental/guardian consent), in generally good health, and weigh at least 110 lbs. Prior to donating, a screening questionnaire addressing personal medical, social, and travel history must be completed, and a donor card or another form of identification is also required. Donors must wait 56 days between donations.
Learn more about the Adirondack Regional Blood Center, giving blood and becoming a sponsor at UVMHealth.org/GiveBlood or call 518-562-7406.
Posted: December 5th, 2024 under General News.
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Preschool students in need of special education services are not always getting the help they need or are getting services late, according to an audit released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The audit of the State Department of Education (SED) found many local school districts maintain waitlists for services because there are not enough providers, and SED’s oversight of services was hindered because it did not know how many students were enrolled in the preschool special education service program, the services they are receiving in real time, or the number of districts using waitlists.
“Providing timely, quality early education services to preschool children with special needs can make a world of difference in their development, and delays can have long term consequences for their academic futures,” DiNapoli said. “Too many children are not getting the services and therapies they are entitled to within required timeframes, and some are not getting the services at all. The State Education Department and school districts must do a better job serving these students. I am pleased that SED agreed with our findings and has taken several steps to improve service delivery for students entitled to these essential special education services.”
Children who are referred for special education services undergo a parent-approved evaluation within prescribed timeframes, and if approved, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed. The services recommended under the child’s IEP are supposed to start within 60 school days of receiving parental consent. School districts are responsible for ensuring services are provided in the 60-day timeframe. Eligible students are entitled to all services prescribed in the IEPs under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
DiNapoli’s audit found that many children are not getting the services they need and some are not getting them in the required 60-day timeframe. Of 550 school districts (not including New York City) that responded to an audit survey, 83% said they have a waitlist for services. In site visits to an additional 40 districts, auditors found 21 (53%) that also maintained waitlists – which accounted for a total of 301 students who were waiting for services.
SED acknowledged that waitlists are in violation of the requirement that students with disabilities receive the IEP programs and services to which they are entitled, but does not know how many students are not receiving required services. SED does not have the data it needs to be aware of the challenges, such as provider shortages, school districts face in fulfilling the services mandate that force the need for waitlists – and has been unable to support them in a solution.
SED also does not collect any information on school districts’ waitlists to identify potential need issues, nor does it monitor how districts choose waitlisted students for services to ensure fairness in selection and placement. Without knowing how many waitlists are in use across the state or how long those waitlists are, SED also has no awareness of how many students are not getting all or some of their services they’re entitled to, or what services are most in need and where.
DiNapoli’s audit also found that the SED division that monitors preschool special education services, Special Education Quality Assurance (SEQA), reviews only 1/6 of the state’s school districts (118 of 710) annually for compliance with requirements. As a result, there is a delay in addressing problems with student eligibility and enrollment, as well as in identifying where schools are facing provider shortages.
Discrepancies among various SED data systems and sources result in unreliable information regarding services provided, and SED’s lack of analysis of the information it does have limits its ability to monitor issues at school districts, such as unserved students or delayed evaluations.
DiNapoli’s audit made seven recommendations to SED, including that it:
- Develop a strategy to address the statewide shortage of preschool special education service providers and work with school districts to identify ways to obtain the necessary services.
- Increase monitoring of districts to strengthen the timeliness of evaluations, IEPs and regional service needs in real time.
- Identify school districts that need immediate review of their preschool special education services.
- Create data controls to ensure complete and accurate records.
In response, SED agreed with the audit recommendations, noting that it shared many of the concerns raised in the report, and said its Office of Special Education (OSE) is working on a long-term project for a real-time data system that the agency believes will help districts and parents identify programs to meet children’s needs.
Audit
State Education Department: Access to Preschool Special Education Services
Related Work
Department of Health: Oversight of the Early Intervention Program
Read more »
Posted: December 5th, 2024 under State Government News, Statewide News.
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L-R Shirley Joust, Dale Walton, Diane Natishak

Mike Sullivan

L-R Kevin Clark, Janice Kennedy, Jean Ryan, Mary Jo Juneau, Debbie Bell

Betsy Wickman
Peru, NY— Between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. each Wednesday, St. Augustine’s Soup Kitchen serves 180 to 220 take-out meals. Beginning at 8 a.m., volunteers from all segments of our community work for four to five hours preparing the meals with tender, loving care. Five volunteer teams serve the meals.
All the morning volunteers were present today, so the Peru Gazette thinks it’s a great time to recognize them. Bravo to you all—you’re great people! We love you!
Posted: December 4th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, Faces of Peru, General News, Northern NY News, Peru News, Peru/Regional History, Religious News.
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“HELP WANTED”
By John T Ryan, Peru Gazette Editor
Peru is a great community; unfortunately, I’m not reporting many interesting, meaningful stories. I do my best, but I have many responsibilities and interests, and I am getting a “little” older. I need contributing writers. The pay scale would be the same as mine, $0 per day, month, and year; however, the satisfaction scale could be very high.
If you love Peru and its people, enjoy current events, and are a decent writer, please email me at perugazette@gmail.com. We can meet over coffee. I’ll buy!
Posted: December 4th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, General News, Peru News, Peru/Regional History, Senior Citizen News.
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Peru—The St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus will resume their “Pancakes Plus” Breakfasts on Sunday, January 12, at St. Augustine’s Parish Center from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Attendance increased at every 2024 breakfast, so people are enjoying the meal and seeing friends and neighbors. The Knights can’t wait to serve you. They wish everyone a Happy and Blessed Christmas!
Posted: December 4th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, Northern NY News, Peru News.
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Peru – CVPH Donor Center Blood Brive, Monday, December 23, from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main St. in Peru. Each presenting donor during December will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Applebee’s gift card.
The drive is being coordinated by St. Augustine’s Knights of Columbus Council 7273.
Posted: December 4th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, Heathcare News, Northern NY News, Peru News.
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This event is for anyone who wants to support local vendors during the Holiday Season and find that unusual gift for a family member or friend.
The Babbie Museum is asking for a $1 donation to support the event, which includes free candy canes donated by TD Bank in Peru and free coffee and hot cocoa provided by the museum. Vendor items include hand-woven baskets, jewelry, antiques, glass art, hand-forged items from the Museum’s blacksmith shop, wood crafts, holiday gift baskets, hand-painted gifts, and baked goods.
According to the Museum Director, Lee Babbie Ledesma, the idea for the Holiday Bazaar came about in her attempt to find positive ways to use the heated indoor space to further connect with nearby communities. The Museum’s annual bazaar supports locals in displaying and selling their crafts and wares.
The Babbie Museum is a 501(c)(3) New York state-chartered Museum founded by Leeward Babbie and opened in 2010. The Babbie Museum focuses on enhancing the knowledge of rural agriculture life in Northern New York using an interactive, educational approach that features hands-on demonstrations, displays, exhibits, and historic buildings on 3.5 acres.For more information on this event or their upcoming winter classes, call them at 518-643-8052 or visit them at www.babbiemuseum.org or www.facebook.com/babbiemuseum.
Posted: December 4th, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Agricultural News, Arts and Entertainment, Business News, Charity Events, Community Events, Education News, Faces of Peru, General News, Northern NY News, Peru News.
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Town of Long Lake, Hamilton County, Wilderness Rescue: On Nov. 28 at 10:30 a.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received an SOS activation from a satellite device on the southeast shoreline of Little Tupper Lake. At 12:05 p.m., Forest Rangers Curcio, Nahor, and O’Connor located the 80-year-old subject who had overturned his canoe. Rangers brought the subject to DEC’s Little Tupper Lake Headquarters at Mount Whitney and warmed him. Once warmed, the subject declined further medical attention. Resources were clear at 3:05 p.m.
Town of North Elba, Essex County, Wilderness Search: On Nov. 30 at 4:55 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from a subject reporting his wife and a friend had become lost while hiking Street and Nye mountains. Forest Rangers Curcio, Odell, and Ordway responded. At 6:06 p.m., Ranger Curcio reached the subjects and assisted them back to their vehicle. Resources were clear at 7:18 p.m.
Posted: December 3rd, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, General News, Northern NY News, State Government News.
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$10 Pre-Packed Bags Available for Purchase through January 5
(Schenectady, N.Y.) Market 32/Price Chopper is inviting guests in all its stores to support local food pantries and nourish local communities by purchasing a $10 bag containing PICS brand items most in need by food banks and pantries: a 16-ounce box of elbow macaroni, 16-ounce jar of peanut butter, 10.5-ounce can of chicken noodle soup, 5-ounce can of tuna, 15.5-ounce can of kidney beans, and 5-ounce can of chunk chicken. The purchased bags will be donated to a food pantry local to each store, allowing guests to make an immediate impact on people who may be their friends and neighbors.
The bags will be available on displays at the front of each store, where signage will identify the name of the benefitting organization.
“At a time when most of us are celebrating and enjoying an abundance of food choices, the number of people experiencing nutrition insecurity is increasing, and local food pantries continue to provide assistance at record-breaking service levels,” said Pam Cerrone, Market 32/Price Chopper director of community relations. “In every community, there are people who experience food insecurity. Market 32 and Price Chopper are grateful to our guests, who are who are generous and happy to join with us in supporting local food pantries and the people they serve with this drive.”
Posted: December 3rd, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Business News, Charity Events, Community Events, Northern NY News.
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Grand Isle, VT – The Patrick Leahy Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP) seeks proposals for projects that will support increased organizational capacity and long-term effectiveness of watershed organizations working in the Lake Champlain watershed.
Funding requests of up to $20,000 will be considered. Approximately $250,000 is available to support awarded projects under this Request for Proposals. The LCBP anticipates supporting multiple projects through this funding opportunity.
This grant opportunity will support watershed organizations in the early stages of their development or assist established organizations in strengthening their capacity. Funding is not intended to support the development of new programming; this funding can be requested through other LCBP grant programs.
Dr. Eric Howe, NEIWPCC Program Director of the Lake Champlain Basin Program, said, “Local watershed organizations throughout the Lake Champlain Basin take on an incredible amount of work to restore our waterways. Our goal with Organizational Support funding is to help ensure these groups have the administrative tools and processes they need to carry out this essential work.”
The awarded grants will support projects that advance the goals of the long-term Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action. These projects are supported by funds awarded to NEIWPCC on behalf of the LCBP by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Proposals are due at 5:00 PM EST on January 6, 2025. Awarded projects will begin work in May 2025. More information, including grant guidelines and applications, is available on the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s website at lcbp.org/grants.
Posted: December 3rd, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Environmental News, General News, Lake Champlain News, Northern NY News, Regional NY-VT News.
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The Peru CSD Board of Education’s Policy Committee will meet on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 8:00 AM. The meeting will take place in the High School Community Room. The purpose of the meeting is for policy development of its 0000 – 9000 series.
The meeting is open to the public and current District, County, State and Federal safety procedures and protocols will be followed.
Posted: December 3rd, 2024 under Adirondack Region News, Education News, Peru News, Peru School News.
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