Peru Council seat
to be filled in November

PERU — Town officials will not fill a seat on the Town Council recently vacated when former councilman Cortland Forrence retired.

The remaining four councilmen, including Supervisor Donald Covel, interviewed several candidates who had submitted applications for the opening but then decided against temporarily filling the position until the Nov. 3 general election, when a permanent candidate will be elected to complete the final two years of Forrence's term.

"We had several qualified candidates, but we felt it would give one of them an unfair advantage (if appointed to the position) come election day," Covel said. "We felt in fairness to all that the person should be determined by the voters."

Although that means the town will be short one councilman through 2009, Covel said he may bring a request to the council to appoint the winner of the November election to the vacant seat for the final two months of the year.

CCC approves
tuition waiver program

PLATTSBURGH — The Clinton Community College Board of Trustees has officially approved the creation of a tuition waiver program for Clinton County high-school students having a Regents-based high-school average of 90 or higher.

The new program is called the Clinton Presidential Scholarship. Once they meet their goals at Clinton, they may choose to transfer to a four-year college or university or to enter a career.

Qualified students must complete the application for Federal Student Aid and New York State Tuition Assistance Program applications. Once completed, the tuition will be waived.

"I am very proud of our college and our trustees for supporting our county students in this manner," Dr. Stephen St. Onge, vice president for student affairs, said in a news release. "In these difficult economic times, we want to demonstrate our commitment to our community."

This Clinton Presidential Scholarship applies to current (June 2009) and future high-school graduates. For additional information, call 562-4125.