Hochul directs flags to half-staff to honor New York State Parks employee Aaron J. Peters
Flags will be flown at half-staff on January 24. On Tuesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul made an announcement that flags on state buildings would be lowered to half-staff on Wednesday, Jan. 24, from sunrise to sunset. This decision was made to honor the late Aaron J. Peters, an employee of the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation.
On January 17, Peters, a dedicated member of the regional sawyer crew, tragically lost his life during a tree removal operation at Golden Hill State Park in Niagara County.
New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul expressed her condolences and highlighted the bravery and sacrifice of New York state employees in the face of danger. She acknowledged the tragic death of Aaron Peters, emphasizing the risks that state employees willingly take to enhance the safety of their communities and coworkers.
Hochul assured that Peters would always be remembered by his loved ones and extended her sympathy to all those who were touched by his life. Peters spent three years working at the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. During his time there, he was a part of the regional ropes access team and sawyer crew.
His family had strong connections to the state park system, as his father, Ron Peters, recently retired as the Deputy General Manager of the Niagara Region, and his mother, Jennifer Ray, recently left her position at the regional business office.
