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.
The Tioga County Sheriff’s office and the New York State Police barracks in Owego are 5.9 miles away from each other. Driving the speed limit it takes 12 to 14 minutes to drive from one office to the other. The Owego Emergency Squad is stationed in the center of the Village of Owego. Considering the State Police and the Sheriff’s are far more educated and trained than the OPD, how can we honestly justify having an Owego Police force? Our village will actually be safer without the Owego Police Department.
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I don’t care what anybody says, I love Chuck Schumer. That man is on the ball. He’s not coasting on somebody’s coattails; he’s coming up with stuff that needs to be done, needs to be addressed. I don’t care, I love Chuck Schumer.
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So nobama’s new budget is $4 trillion. The national debt is now $18.6 trillion and will be over $20 trillion when the dear leader thankfully leaves office. That’s more than every other president combined since George Washington. So what can we expect after that? Well, of democrat voters polled, no one could name at least one of his or her two senators. About 50 percent think nobama is doing a good job. But get this, 95 percent said they would vote Hiliary for president. God help the USA!
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I have two responses to the column calls for Feb. 15. First, the call from the person with breakers being tripped in an inaccessible basement. Why on earth would you call this column? Step one would be to call your landlord. Obviously there is too much power drawn on one of the breakers and this needs to be resolved. If you can’t get a hold of your landlord, step two is to call the code enforcement office. This column cannot do this for you. Number two, if you have received a notice from the New York State Thruway Department stating that they have your license number on film, that is accessible to you on the internet. Simply have them send it to your email address so you can view it and properly dispute it.
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To the person wondering about the HEAP program in this column. I finally got a hold of them. Our application is still pending, even though we applied right after the beginning of November. We don’t have a shutoff notice and we are not out of fuel, therefore our application doesn’t get processed as fast as those who are burdened with those issues. If you really need to get a hold of them because you have that problem please keep calling. Otherwise call Social Services and they will dispatch you through to HEAP, otherwise you have to wait for your HEAP to come.
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I also agree with the caller who thought the Super Bowl was fixed. The offensive coordinator Darrel Bevell and Pete Carroll should have been fired that night. I agree – a peewee football coach would never have called that play.
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Newark Valley High School did a marvelous job of acting in Pajama Game. Amy Kay directed a very good play. The band was a special part of the play. Thanks to all for your hard work!
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I would like to publicly thank Legislator Loretta Sullivan for voting no to hiring an economic development specialist in the county’s Economic Development Planning Department. I have read the 1994 annual report of Economic, Development and Planning they did on March 7, 1995. For 20 years this county has been a bottomless money pit for the hardworking taxpaying property owners of Tioga County. This department is one reason my county property tax has almost doubled in the last 20 years. I have lived in the Town of Tioga for the last 72 years. Lead on Loretta Sullivan!
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The future success of any country depends on the education and skill set of its workers. Thirty-five years ago the pay differential between high school and college graduates was 40 percent. Today it is 80 percent. In 2025, 50 percent of the jobs being done today will disappear. Today about 50 percent of high school graduates cannot even pass the military entrance requirements. The whole U.S. education system needs a massive overhaul. In addition, we need trade schools for highly trained service workers such as electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc. Education reform is not being addressed by any politician today.
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I see in your paper and all the comments in this column that New York is just thrilled that they have banned fracking and I think that they are so proud of themselves that they should have no more imports of any kind into the state of New York. If it doesn’t happen in your backyard you shouldn’t take it. That’s the fair way to do it. You wouldn’t want to take that fuel and have it discovered in somebody else’s backyard but New York residents are just so prideful that they’re willing to take the fuel from someone else when they don’t want to pay for it themselves. New York should be ashamed of itself and should all be forced to live like the Amish.
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In regards to Cal Harris, I do not think there will ever be a trial or it will ever come to an end. This man is going to go free because of the money. Poor Michele’s family is left out in the cold. He’s got his family brainwashed, his kids, he’s got the community brainwashed. He’s a free man, why waste all this money, all this time and they can’t have an open circuit for anybody to see. That doesn’t seem right either. Where is the justice in that?
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I am looking for a book called The Wild Truth by Karine McCandless.
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I hope this could be put into bold print. I just witnessed something pathetic in Owego. A mother and two children trying to navigate the sidewalk under the underpass. The children were falling; the mother was slipping and sliding. It seems though whoever is supposed to take care of that would at least open up one of the sidewalks on one side or the other so the poor pedestrian could get up and down and be safe. I hope this gets into your paper and rattles somebody’s chain.
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I just read a nice article about all the barbershops in Owego. How about all the beauty shops in Owego? There’s some great ones around Owego!
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The Village Board continues to attack the Owego Police Department. At their last meeting they asked for information that no other department has asked them to do, but they asked Chief Vinti to produce it in three days with a staff of zero. This board needs to change or be changed by the voters.
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I would like to inquire about the Rebuild Owego Party wanting to move the village barns to where its not been flooded, and 80 percent of Owego was flooded. I was just wondering, are they going to move the village barns out of Owego?
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Recently Senator Schumer voted to cut the IRS budget. Great. Now you can’t get any federal instruction forms from the library, yet they still want you to pay your taxes. If you don’t have a computer you’re stuck. There is a number you can call, however just try getting through. Instead, call Schumer’s local office at 772-6792. They should be able to download on the computer and send you any copies that are needed. This political game playing is typical of how policies are carried out. Just another example of New York State’s representation. Remember, you voted them all in.
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Congratulations to coach Dick Brown on his selection to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame of Stillwater, Oklahoma. When mentioning some of his standouts during his career I think we would be somewhat remiss not to mention CHARLES WILES who had an outstanding record during the 1976/1979 timeframe. I know we cannot mention all the wrestlers under his reign but Charles sure belongs in the elite. Dick was a fantastic coach.
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Crestwood is providing letters, envelopes, and stamps to get support for its LPG storage project from Governor Cuomo. The corporation lied that the propane storage facility on Seneca Lake is vital to help with U.S. Energy Independence. Their goal is to export it. Contact Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Martens today. Tell them, “NO LPG STORAGE AT SENECA LAKE!”
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Ann Lockwood’s resolution at Tuesday’s village board meeting was a blatant attempt to produce a grossly inflated OPD budget. It was based on 12 full time officers, which is 50 percent more than the chief asked for in the 2014 OPD budget. It included a Deputy Chief and a detective, which the department has not had in 25 years. This is part of a continuing attempt by some trustees to convince village residents that OPD is too expensive and needs to be abolished. Police department costs are mostly for personnel, highly trained personnel at that, and their salaries are a large part of any police budget. The current OPD budget provides funding for eight full time officers, but trustees from the A+ Party have blocked attempts to hire qualified people while they pursued a secret plan abolish OPD.
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I agree with the person who explained the origin and the side effects of the #1 hormonal drug called “Premarin”. It is indeed collected and distributed to females in a cruel, disgusting manner. I know. I took it for several months before I had the courage to ask my doctor where it came from. He didn’t know. So, I did my own research. The name “Premarin” is “pregnant mare urine!” It is given to those who are supposedly low in estrogen and is supposed to balance the hormones in the body. It doesn’t. It puts one at high cancer risks for the (breast, uterus and more). It causes gallbladder disease, heart disease, blood clots, etc. Estrogen supplements should NOT be taken by anyone! Before submitting to any estrogen meds, check it out! They are patented disgusting drugs, which are making millions for the drug industry!
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River Rock Diner has amazingly good food and a great wait staff. Owego is very fortunate to have this gem in its midst. I’ve enjoyed both breakfast and lunch there and can’t wait to return. Best gyro I’ve ever eaten. It’s just a stone’s throw (if you have a good arm) west of the Treadway – same side of the road.
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Why does the village have a snow removal policy when they cannot even follow it? If it snows on the weekend, the streets do not get plowed until the next business day, and oh wait, if there is a Holiday on a Monday then it gets pushed back another day. If the village does not have to plow to even shovel sidewalks like the bridge then I, as a village resident should not have to either if it is a weekend or a Holiday.
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Thank you Jean for putting a new zipper in my coveralls and pants. You saved me from buying new ones. Call her at 687-2069.
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I find it odd that the OPD doesn’t have enough officers to prevent crime, but they do have enough to give out parking tickets on Valentine’s night with single digit temperatures and high winds!
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To the commentator who stated the Social Security Trust Fund has a $2.8 trillion surplus. Technically true – but in actuality false. It exists only in the form of treasury bonds, or borrowed money. Borrowed money is deficit financing. With SS disability skyrocketing, don’t expect it to last long. It has all been frittered away by kick the can down the road politicians and an irresponsible electorate. A Federal Trust Fund is a contradiction in terms.
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Something is wrong; our OACSD has the lowest graduation rate in Broome and Tioga Counties; simultaneously we have the highest teacher salaries, pensions, and benefits. They are also the least qualified by the New York State measure of APPR. Based on our community demographics, our academic standing should be second to Vestal. Come to the Feb. 25 budget meeting and ask why it isn’t.
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Wondering how long the $500,000 St. Patrick’s School needs will keep the school open? I haven’t seen that answer in any of the stories.
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Global warming? Nope. Global COOLING, maybe? No, wouldn’t work. Has to be something really, really dramatic sounding; brings up pictures of volcanoes, fires, etc. in the mind. If you’re going to try to sell a hoax to the low information consumer, then it has to be dramatic. Global cooling just isn’t dramatic enough to get people to fall for it, and then you can’t control them.
