Readers’ Column for the week of Sept. 28, 2014

You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or e-mail comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message.

CVS’s decision to drop cigarettes may sound like a great decision, but it is the tip of the iceberg. It fringes on our freedoms and can lead to endless removal of other items that cause bad health (i.e. candy, soda, food, hair sprays, etc.) that causes obesity, diabetes, heart, lung and other diseases. Where does it stop? Is the crowd the judge?

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If the major league baseball really wants to cut down on the three and a half hour and more game times, they can start with the automatic ball four instead of the pitcher throwing the ball to the catcher four times. Ridiculous! Next, we do not need seven players at the mound for a conference between the pitching coach and the pitcher. Set a one-minute time limit instead of the poor umpire having to come out and break it up. The ump is on his feet the whole nine innings while no one else is. No changes will probably take place because it will cut down on the millions that the concession stands make for the longer games and their high prices. We’ll see what happens.

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Derek in the Hall unanimously? Give me a break! He is not even retired yet and has five more years before he is eligible for the Hall. I’ll bet he is getting as sick of all this hoopla since April as some of his most ardent fans.

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This is to the person who sounds like they’re sue happy and likes the way Honeypot has been paved, but yet has to complain about it. Relax! Take a chill pill. If you knew anything about road construction and paving you would probably not be complaining right now. They still have to come back through and oil and stone on top of the paving they did to seal the road up, because if you did not do that the road would fall apart and you would be complaining again. Like I said, relax, let them oil and stone the road and then maybe or maybe not your wish about getting a line put up the center of the road will be fulfilled.

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Small scale rooftop solar, together with larger scale projects actually added 2478 megawatts of total capacity in the first half of 2014 whereas EIA’s data showed only ~1000 megawatts of solar capacity added. This is a significant difference. Total gas fired capacity was ~159 megawatts below the total solar figure making solar the clear winner.

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As it turns out, Andrew Cuomo did take Tioga County over Zypher Teachout once the absentee ballots were counted. Seems as though Tioga County residents are not so angry over his decision. There is another way to look at the outcome of the primary. The huge number of votes for Teachout could indicate support for not fracking Tioga County.

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In a recent vote on Water Regulation, Tom Reed voted to pass a bill that would prohibit the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing an expansion of the federal water pollution law. What? We have a choice this year for those of us in the 23rd Congressional District. Consider very carefully whom you vote for and remember, this many republicans are climate change deniers and work for the Koch brothers and don’t give a darn about the environment.

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H.L. Mencken, born 1880 – died 1956, was a journalist, satirist, critic and a REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. Mencken wrote this brief editorial comment while working for the Baltimore Evening Sun, which appeared in the July 26, 1920 edition. If this has appeared in this column before, apparently not enough voters read it so please run it again. He wrote, “As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron.” Yeah. What he said. God help us. Follow the news? How about a better question: Do you study history?

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Hey, here’s an idea regarding ISIS, beheadings, etc. How about we declare war on ISIS, remove all rules of engagement, get the politicians of the way, and let the military have at them. Let’s stop playing nice. Let’s absolutely destroy them! If another innocent westerner is beheaded, we take out at least 30 of theirs, and I mean, TAKE THEM OUT in the most destructive, nastiest way possible. Hanging comes instantly to mind, with a video to go with it of course. How about we play to win for a change?

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I nearly suffered from cardiac arrest when I opened my 2014-15 school tax bill. Having listened to the endless bragging of politicians and local officials that this year’s school tax would come in under the governor’s tax cap of 2 percent, I had carefully been setting money aside to prepare for that level of increase in our annual tax. But like our neighbors in this small section of the Town of Nichols that happens to fall in the Owego-Apalachin school district, I was shocked to see that our school tax had increased BY OVER 29 percent, with no forewarning or explanation from any of the powers that be. We always pay our taxes on time and owe nothing in arrears, and we have done nothing recently to improve our property. Mystified, I pulled out my receipt from last year’s taxes; not only did our (very modest) home’s assessment go up dramatically, but the TAX RATE cited on the bill went from 79.73213600 per whatever in 2013 to 93.341683 per whatever in 2014 – with NO advance notice or explanation. From anyone. Just “pay up, or else”. My neighbors on East River Road are equally distraught. Many in this neighborhood are only now recovering from the devastating effects of the flood, and we were blindsided by this unexplained tax increase. No one resents paying his fair share to educate our county’s children, but I fail to understand how this jaw-dropping level of increase can be imposed on a select neighborhood without someone – anyone in charge giving us a heads up so we could prepare, or a justification for such an enormous increase. It’s a sleazy and underhanded way of doing business, and the taxpayers of Lounsberry – working schmoes who pay the bills for the district – deserve far better.

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When social issues affect a football player’s performance and contract, I think it is a severe overreach. These guys, I assume, are exceptional players. They should not have to have their lives judged under social microscopes. If there are legal charges issued and they are found guilty and go to jail, they then break their football contracts and lose their jobs. We are a free people and have systems for judging. The ones judging now are not qualified.

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Surprise, surprise. The Corning Leader reports a convention of mayors to discuss hunger problems in the Southern Tier, noting that one in four people in the Southern Tier could use food assistance. This problem has existed for a long time. How has your congressman met it? Why are they regularly cutting budget levels for food stamps and other food programs? His nonsense ideas of economy are a threat to the well being of his constituents. In November vote the republicans out for common sense.

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Readers call in about the current republican lead house of representatives passing a huge quantity of bills that have not have had action in the senate. In fact, a total of just 86 bills were signed into law by the worst do nothing congress ever. No major laws or regulations were passed to protect our environment or our wildlife. In fact, republican speaker of the house John Boehner stated his goal when he said, “We should not be judged on how many new laws we create, we ought to be judged on how many laws they repeal”. They certainly tried hard enough, with almost four-dozen votes to deny health care for American citizens. Let’s vote the bums out in this next November election.

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I read about the Owego Gardens coming to Southside. I hope it don’t take as long for the Owego Gardens to get built as it has the dog Park. That has taken too long.

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Is it legal for someone to set up an area on their property to lure deer in with food and then shoot the wildlife as they are eating and the “hunters” are waiting for them in hidden tents and buildings?

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There’s a new place on East Avenue in Owego called the Hard Knox Boxing and Fitness owned by Jeff Sibley. I joined last Thursday and it is fantastic! I want to tell everybody about that place. I really, really, love it!

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I don’t understand why someone thinks that the seniors can’t walk on the hills of Tioga County when they don’t seem to have any trouble doing it at the senior living area development in Broome County. I think this person needs to open the door and look out. It can be done. That property deserves to be developed.

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In our primary elections in Waverly, two weeks ago on Tuesday night, we were told in the Sayre paper, The Morning Times, to go to the firehouse out on Ellis Town Road to vote. So, everybody goes out there, there’s nobody there, the place is all closed up. How many people said, “Oh the hell with it, we might as well go home.” The voting was done at the Waverly/Ithaca station where the police station is AND after we cast our ballots, put it in the envelope to put in the machine, I asked the young lady why it wasn’t where it was supposed to be and she said, “I don’t know why, I’m from Newark Valley and they called me at the last minute.” Now you people better watch out when the November elections come because you will not know exactly where to go.

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This is in response to the Officer DeMarco comment in the Pennysaver last week as far as being paid while he is on administrative leave. I think you should ask the Chief of Police because obviously he didn’t do anything wrong.

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If there’s anybody out there who has more beets than they can use, I’d be interested in taking them off your hands and putting them to good use. Call me at 659-3871.

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We still have the remains of an old barn, barn boards and kindling, whatever you might need, some beams. Free for the taking; give me a call at 659-3871.

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We on Maple Lane want to thank the Highway Department for the major pothole repair and resurfacing we recently received. Our road is the best we’ve had in years and we appreciate the attention and hard work it took to make it so.

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I’m a little bit concerned about our county legislature and some of the decisions and bills that they’re passing. For an example of this, they had a 90-day hiring freeze on. What do they do? Before the 90 days are up they put a waiver in so they can hire somebody. This is not very good thinking. I think we could do better.

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At election time especially, why do republican male legislators seem so consumed with women’s bodies and particularly health issues characteristic of all women? We know by their regular voting records that republicans don’t want equal pay for women nor a living wage for women, and male legislators fought for decades to deny women their right to vote. Isn’t it time for women to have their right to their own health decisions? A vote against Tom Reed is a vote for women.

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As a taxpayer of Tioga County, I’d like to thank the county legislature or whoever made the decision to shut down the bus company. As a taxpayer I get no benefits out of it. I’ve never ridden the bus. I live out in the country and they wouldn’t come get me anyway, so I thank you for closing them down and saving my taxpaying money.

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I just opened a letter from Owego Apalachin Central School district, poorly trying to explain why me and 200 other properties in Nichols were all assessed higher. I was told of a website to go to basically passing the blame. The letter had a “feel-good message” about a tax relief and a rebate check in October. I guess we starve, buy no meds or fuel oil until October. Good to see the new school will not affect Owego taxes.

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Oh my, the railroad crossings must be repaired. The detour to Blodgett Road crosses the railroad. Many cars must go there. I was coming back to Route 38 at 0 miles and my car crashed in a hole and snapped my neck. I had to go to the chiropractor. The tracks on Blodgett, West Avenue, East Front Street, and by the bus garage to the middle school are abominable! Do we have to start picketing?

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I was happy to see the article in the Press & Sun Bulletin last Tuesday. The main theme was “Obamacare was not the disaster it was predicted to be.” “The law is working even better than some of the proponents had hoped.” “Some Republicans have acknowledged that Obamacare has worked as it was meant to!” The day Obama got elected, the republicans announced they would fight and go against anything Obama tried to do! I wish all the nuts that keep bashing Obama would be quiet and spend more time with their families instead of spending all their time shooting off their ignorant mouths! Isn’t it marvelous that Obama flew all over and got other countries to help us instead of boots on the grounds and more of our soldiers are not killed!

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You may be wondering why Obama gave ISIS two weeks notice that he was going to bomb Syria. The answer is that Obama was just notified there were some tea party members vacationing in Raqqa Syria. That was certainly motivation enough.

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I’m calling in on parking lots. I really believe that they should put the barriers back up in the parking lots preventing people from doing drive-thrus and coming across the parking lots. It’s getting so it’s so dangerous at the grocery store. People all the time are doing it. Maybe someone else feels the same way.