The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan 

The Town of Peru is dealing with a troubling issue: thieves have stolen and damaged street and stop signs. At the town board meeting on Monday, March 24, Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell reported that one or more individuals have taken approximately 30 signs and 10 posts over the winter months. When the thieves cannot remove a sign, they drive over the sign and its post. Farrell noted that it will be challenging to catch those responsible, as the signs are often out of sight of residences or cameras such as on the John Boswell and Davern Roads. The total replacement cost as of now is about $4,000.

Residents Scott and Tricia Thurber of 482 Laphams Mills Road raised concerns about the status of a house at 496 Laphams Mills Road. (According to tax rolls, the property is owned by Chad Snow.) Mrs. Thurber asked Code Enforcement Officer Bob Guynup about the conditions that lead to a house being condemned, the process for obtaining a certificate of occupancy after condemnation, the steps taken to ensure necessary improvements are made, and how an occupant can be removed from a residence without a certificate of occupancy. They also inquired whether the Clinton County Health Department has condemned the property. Guynup stated he is responsible for the condemnation process and did not recall if this property had been condemned. He also mentioned an aggressive dog on the property, adding that he would need to be accompanied by a sheriff’s deputy if he returned. The Thurbers said they and some neighbors feel unsafe due to the situation. Supervisor Craig Randall thanked the Thurbers for bringing the issue to the board’s attention and indicated that there would be a follow-up. (See discussion beginning at the 3:10 mark and concluding at the 23:50 mark of the meeting video).

Youth Director Kristen Marino announced that sign-ups for summer youth activities began on Monday, March 23. Youths not residing in the Town of Peru must obtain a waiver from the Clinton County Youth Bureau. Sign-ups for fall sports will begin in June.

In other actions, the board:

– Approved an annual $5,000 contract with the Clinton County Youth Bureau.

– Authorized a temporary $200,000 loan to finance the purchase of a 2025 Western Star plow truck for the highway department.

– Reviewed the engineer’s monthly report for the Telegraph Road culvert project, which is still on track for a bid advertisement by August 15.

– Approved hiring an appraiser or contacting real estate agents to appraise the Jenkins Street tennis court property the board intends to sell.

-Reappointed Terry Aubin to the Board of Assessment Review.

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Swearing-in ceremony to be held at Hawkins Hall March 28

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History of Railroad Series – 1 pm, on the 1^st Tuesday of each week in April at the Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. With Transportation Historian Dick Soper.

April 1, The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Part 1.

April 8, The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Rouses Point (Part II).

April 15, The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Mooers (Part III).

April 22, The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Lyon Mountain (Part IV).

April 29, The History of Railroads in Clinton County – Plattsburgh (Part V). 

April 2, Noon. Talk and Walk Wednesdays at Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. Portraits and Painters with Helen Nerska. Stories of local itinerant painters and their subjects, including a temporary exhibit of the actual paintings.

April 10, 2:30 pm, Meadowbrook Healthcare, 154 Prospect Avenue, Plattsburgh. Remembering Clinton County’s World War 1 Veterans and the Hometown celebrations which welcomed them back with Helen Nerska.

April 12, 10 am to 3 pm, Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. Slow Art Day. Enjoy the museum art with guided tours throughout the day. 

April 16, 6:45 pm, Lake Forest Retirement Community, 8 Lake Forest Drive, Plattsburgh. Maple Sugaring: More Than Just a Sweet Tradition. Come explore the history of maple sugaring with Kristina Parker, Altona Town Historian and New York State Maple Producers Association Treasurer. We will look beyond the Native Americans and modern methods to the political and social impacts of maple production.

April 24, 6:30 pm, Clinton County Historical Association, 98 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh. Maple Sugaring: More Than Just a Sweet Tradition. Come explore the history of maple sugaring with Kristina Parker, Altona Town Historian and New York State Maple Producers Association Treasurer. We will look beyond the Native Americans and modern methods to the political and social impacts of maple production.

April 25, 12:30 pm, Plattsburgh Senior Center, 5139 North Catherine Street, Plattsburgh. Profiles from Portraits. From the Clinton County Historical Association’s collection, see portraits of men once posted at the Plattsburgh Barracks whose uniforms hint at their military history, uncovering special stories yet to be told by Military Historian Thaddeus Booth Trudeau.

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Blood donations support health of patients in several North Country hospitals 

PLATTSBURGH, NY (03/27/2025) –The Adirondack Regional Blood Donor Center, a program of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH), has planned 18 community blood drives in April and continues to welcome walk in donors at its Donor Center as part of its mission to maintain an adequate supply of blood and blood products for the North Country.  In addition to benefiting patients at CVPH, blood collected by the Donor Center also supports those in need at Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, Elizabethtown Community Hospital (including Ticonderoga) and Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

The April schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, April 1, Bouquet Valley High School, in Elizabethtown, 10 am to 2 pm
• Wednesday, April 2, North Country Community College, Ticonderoga Campus, 10 am to 2 pm
• Thursday, April 3, Northeastern Clinton Central School, 10 am to 2 pm
• Monday, April 7, Adirondack Medical Center, Redfield Room, Saranac Lake, noon to 4 pm
• Tuesday, April 8, New York State Department of Conservation, Ray Brook, 10 am to 2 pm
• Thursday, April 10, Beekmantown Fire Department, 4 to 7 pm
• Monday, April 14, Willsboro Fire Department, 3 to 6 pm
• Tuesday, April 15, Saranac Lake EMS station, 4 to 7 pm
• Wednesday, April 16, Salmon River High School, Fort Covington, 10 am to 2 pm
• Thursday, April 17, University of Vermont Health Network – Elizabethtown Community Hospital in Ticonderoga, 1 to 4 pm
• Monday, April 21, St. Augustine Parish Center, Peru, 3 to 6:30 pm
• Tuesday, April 22, Chateaugay American Legion, 4 to 7 pm
• Wednesday, April 23, Bloomingdale Fire Department 3:30 to 6:30 pm
• Thursday, April 24, Cumberland 12 Cinemas, 4 to 8 pm
• Friday, April 25, Burke Adult Center, 9 to 11 am
• Monday, April 28, West Chazy Fire Department, 4 to 7 pm
• Tuesday, April 29, Ellenburg Knights of Columbus at St. Edmunds Church Hall, 4 to 7 pm
• Wednesday, April 30, Chazy American Legion, 4 to 7 pm

The Adirondack Regional Blood Donor Center, located at 85 Plaza Blvd., is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. Blood donors must be at least 16 years old (16- and 17-year-old donors must have written parental/guardian consent), in generally good health, and weigh at least 110 lbs. A screening questionnaire addressing personal medical, social and travel history is completed before donating 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.

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The Peru Central School District is seeking candidates to fill two (2) at-large seats on the Board of Education, due to the upcoming expiration of the terms of Ms. Sarah Graves and Mr. Steven Peters.

The three-year term for each seat runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028.

The Petition for Nomination of Candidate form is available in the District Office at 17 School Street on Mondays through Fridays, except school holidays, or via BoardDocs on the District’s website.  Petitions must be directed to the School District Clerk, shall be signed by at least twenty-five (25) qualified voters of the District, and shall state the names and residences of the candidate and petition signers.    The candidate’s phone number shall also be stated.

The qualifications that must be met to run for the school board are:

• A U.S. citizen
• At least 18 years old
• A qualified voter in the District
• Able to read and write
• A resident of the District continuously for one year before the election
• Cannot be employed by the Board
• Cannot live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the Board

Petitions must be returned no later than 5:00 PM on Monday, April 21, 2025.

The School Board Election will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

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Winooski had already removed about 30 trees from its Main Street corridor when it learned that the federal government had canceled the $1 million grant that would cover the trees’ replacement—130 new street trees. 

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Free to the public on Monday, April 14, 2025, at the Newman Center, 90 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.   

Everyone experiences pain and unexpected loss at some point in their lives. The goal of An Evening of Healing is to open communication so attendees can learn where and how to find strength, connect with people so healing can begin, and leave with a sense of hope and purpose. Members from previous panels will be in attendance, as will our new panel, who will share their stories of strength.

Members of our Evening of Healing Committee will introduce the program. Dana Jeweler, Deena Giltz McCullough, and Sally Meisenheimer will lead our panel discussions. All the committee members have experienced loss, trauma, and life events in which they struggled and consequently found ways to become stronger and more resilient.   

Our Panelists have remarkable stories of resilience and thriving and include:

• Iasia Mosley, who has a story of emerging resilient from childhood traumas

• Michele Armani-Munn, who is a suicide loss survivor.

• Thom and Jackie Hallock, who lost their infant son and created a wonderful legacy in his name. 

Jay Lasage will perform the music.

Recipients of Be The One Scholarship will accept their scholarships and present their stories. Created in 2019, these scholarships are a means to reach graduating seniors in Clinton County and ask questions related to mental health and suicide prevention. The scholarship gives individuals an opportunity to discover how they can “Be the One” to make a difference by reducing stigma, sharing stories of hope and encouragement, brainstorming creative interventions, and creating a social media campaign that can save lives.

The Foundation of Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital is proud to co-sponsor “An Evening of Healing” with Northern Insuring Agency, the Clinton County NY Coalition to Prevent Suicide and TwinState Technologies.  This event is free and open to the public.  

Parking on-site at the Newman Center is reserved for those with mobility difficulties. All others should park in the Kehoe parking lot across the street, which can be accessed from either Broad or Rugar Street.  

If you have questions, please call Bonnie Black, chair of the Clinton County NY Coalition to Prevent Suicide, at 518-578-1612 or Dana Jeweler of the Evening of Healing Committee at 518-578-0844.

“Most of the population loss in the North Country is due to people moving away.”

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Click here for Census Bureau Detailed Analysis 

LAKE PLACID — The Adirondack Center for Writing (ACW) will host an eight-week Legacy Writing Workshop, “What I Want You To Know,” for adults over the age of 55. The course will be held from 10 a.m. to noon every Wednesday, May 7 through June 25, at Heaven Hill Farm in Lake Placid.

The workshop will be led by experienced educator and author Elaine Handley. Students in this workshop will be introduced to engaging writing prompts and inspiring literary texts, as well as a supportive community. No prior experience with creative writing is necessary.

“Legacy writing, sometimes referred to as an ‘ethical will,’ is a way to preserve our values, stories, opinions, history and experiences through a creative lens,” said workshop leader Elaine Handley. “It encompasses what we wish for our loved ones to know about us and how we have navigated our lives.”

The workshop is offered at a pay-what-you-can scale of $80-$200; reserve your spot by registering at adirondackcenterforwriting.org/event/legacy-writing-workshop-2025.

“This workshop clearly struck a chord with people,” said Nathalie Thill, ACW’s executive director. “Those who attended last year raved about their experience and now we regularly see them at other ACW events, they’ve been so inspired.”

The Adirondack Center for Writing has been bringing people and words together for 25 years through provocative events and meaningful programs. For more information about ACW, visit adirondackcenterforwriting.org or follow @adkctr4writing on Facebook and Instagram.