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.
Science is not a consensus. Just because 97 percent of government paid scientists agreed that global warming is caused by man does not mean they are right. The majority can be wrong like they were about the earth being flat while one man, who everyone laughed at, turned out to be right. Remember Columbus? This goes back to seventh grade science where we all learned that there are no absolutes or facts in science. This is because what we know to be true in science today may not be true tomorrow. Science is constantly evolving and changing so when you hear a climate scientist use words like “Absolute” or “It’s a fact”, beware. They are obviously ignoring the basic principles of science to push an agenda and that’s not what science is about.
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Sir Robin Hood-wink, his Maid Marion and Friar FOIL seem to have lost their way since the budget vote results came in. Could it be that they’re lost in the Sure-would forest? Who knows what could be “creeping” around the forest at such a “taxing” time as this? Stay tuned to see if this band of “do-gooders” can find their way to the land of Affordable Education and Excellence.
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If Richard Ives thinks $589,134 in school tax increases is a small amount of money, he is way out of touch with reality and this community. Maybe he needs to get out and talk to the people – someone other than the school people. There are many in this community that struggle now to pay their school taxes. And when the school adds more taxes on top of what the taxpayers already pay, the school is making life more difficult for many of our neighbors.
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I agree with Joe Chartrand when he said in a Letter to the Editor last week that calling people names in this column is kid’s stuff. Just because you don’t agree with someone, it is no excuse to call names. Grow Up! Act like an adult.
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Last week in a Letter to the Editor in this paper, Richard Ives said 60 percent of the people support the OACSD tax increase this year. He must have his head in the sand! There are approximately 10,000 voters in the OACSD, but only 1,061 voted. Six hundred thirty-eight voted for the school budget and 423 voted against the budget. This means about 10 percent of the people voted, and the way I look at it only approximately 6 percent voted to increase school taxes – this is certainly not 60 percent of the people! More likely the 60 percent are school employees and parents, not the tax paying public. This is voter apathy, but the truth is only 6 percent of the total voting public in the OACSD voted to increase taxes. This is a far distance from 60 percent as stated by Mr. Ives.
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Maybe the Tioga Central School Administrators and teachers should take a pay freeze and contribute more to their health care to help balance the 2015 – 2016 school budget. All we hear is raise the taxes or cut programs. Why can’t the Administrators and the Teachers be part of the solution too?
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As long as everyone’s attention is focused on school budgets, maybe it’s time Tioga County school districts start looking at their transportation costs. These costs are growing faster than education costs! Our local districts need to consider how they can pool resources to share administrative costs and staffing of bus garages and put the savings towards education.
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Just a heads up for all honest users of prescription controlled drugs. Be sure to count what you get and assure it matches what it says on the bottle. Notify your Pharmacist right away if an error occurs. Keep records.
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Ya gotta laugh. Our “Dear Leader” says the economy is going gangbusters, but his own government states that the 1st quarter GDP was a minus .7 percent. Not gangbusters in my book! With 93 million Americans not able to find work, how is that gangbusters? Oh, I get it, it’s like, “If you like your plan, your doctor, etc., you can keep them.” Said by our “Dear Leader” 33 times on record! Now, people WITH Obamacare can’t afford to use it because the deductibles are too high. Guess that kinda flies in the face of the “Premiums will go down $2,500 per year with Obamacare.” Makes one wonder how this walking disaster ever got elected once, let alone twice!
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Whose idea was it to make the North Avenue and Main Street traffic light a do not turn on red for trucks? It has made traffic a NIGHTMARE on North Avenue, backing up traffic all the way through town. The light is short, so once the truck makes the turn only a few more cars can get through light. Not only is it a traffic nightmare – the poor businesses on North Avenue have to be suffering. You can’t even see the shop with the lines of traffic. And even if you get a glimpse, you dare not park for fear of never getting out with traffic. I hope the Mayor will try to resolve this issue for our merchants and for outsiders enjoying a trip to Owego – not avoiding it because of the annoying traffic issues.
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I like to read books. However, I don’t like it when I’ve read a good portion of a book and find something offensive in it such as profanity, sex, etc. It would be nice if publishers would put a rating on their books like they do for movies and then I wouldn’t waste my time reading a book that’s not the kind of book I would like to read.
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To the person who is burning garbage on Glenmary Drive. Please stop. All you smell day after day after day is burning garbage and burning plastic. You’re ruining your neighbors’ well being. Plastics are recyclable and are picked up in front of your house. Please start recycling. I’m not even a close neighbor but I sure can smell it. I do not want to live all summer with my windows closed. Have some common courtesy. Thank You!
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It’s time for the OACSD BOE to stop the name-calling and instead focus on accomplishments for students, including those with the greatest needs. Fixing the most inefficient District in the Southern Tier, improving academic performance, and the graduation rate need to take priority. Instead of perception management, accomplishment management is required! They need to use the fundamental measurements provided by the New York State Education Department’s District Report Card. If done, OACSD will be a better District, whatever one’s opinion. Economically there could not be a clearer case of the waste by throwing money at education. The coming school year would be a good start.
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Don’t eat CRAP: carbonated soft drinks, refined sugars, artificial foods and processed foods.
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To all women considering voting for Hillary Clinton for president just because she is a woman – Hillary wouldn’t make a pimple on the posterior of previous great world leaders such as Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher or Angela Merkel. She and her husband Bill Clinton have demonstrated repeatedly over the last 20 plus years how thoroughly dishonest, untrustworthy and corrupt they are. If voting for a woman is that important to you, consider supporting Elizabeth Warren for president. While she may be a flaming liberal (also known as “progressive” in many circles), at least her positions on major issues are clear and consistent and don’t change based on which voter group she is talking to. If Warren is too far left for you, take a serious look at Carlie Fiorina, a former successful business executive in the financial world (CEO at Hewlett-Packard) who is running as a Republican candidate for president.
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The Tioga Central School newest budget comes with a 17 percent increase. When you vote on June 16 just remember that an increase of that size this year will be with us forever. Have you ever known a tax levy to drop back? Thirty percent was bad, but 17 percent isn’t much better. I don’t see any significant effort to economize. It’s a lot easier just to say the voters need to give more. Please vote no.
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I would like to thank the woman who found my purse in a shopping cart in the Price Chopper parking lot and turned it into the office. I come from a big city in Florida and if it had been at home I would be spending the next month trying to cancel and replace everything. Small town folks are great. God bless you.
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Wednesday, May 27 was election night at the Owego Fire Department. I attended and voted. I would like to know why there were only two people sitting at the sign in desk. They said find your name and initial next to your name. What happen to having a representative from every company checking people in? If these two people didn’t know you, anybody could have voted. All you had to do is find a name that didn’t have initials next to it and put a set of initials next to it, and possibly vote a second time. This was poorly run this year. I hope they get there act together next year and do it right. Imagine that, we had a controversy.
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I would like to tell you about something that happened to me in Miami, Fla. I am white, and had decided to take a vacation with my family to Florida. We took our dog with us, just a miniature puppy. It had been a beautiful day. It was very warm and only had just started cooling down slightly. Because it was so nice I decided to take the puppy for a walk on the beach. This was something I loved doing, walking on the beach at night. However, Miami Beach was very dark. I no sooner got half way down the steps that led to the water when someone beckoned to me from the bushes, and then I heard a car door slam. I turned to see who it was. It was the local police. I had no idea what they were doing. I also had no idea the beach was not permissible at night. One policeman dashed into the bushes. I walked quickly back to my motel. Then I heard someone say, “Stop.” I just kept walking. I had no desire to tangle with the police. The command was yelled again, “Stop or I’ll shoot”. I stopped. When the officer caught up with me he forced me to the ground. I thought he’d broken my arm. He handcuffed me and took me to the police station. At the receiving desk was a sloppy woman. The minute I passed through the door she began calling me many homophobic slanders. I was taken to a cell and after an hour or so the officer who hurt my arm came in to ask me many questions. The last question he asked me was what my occupation was. I said I was an ordained clergyman. He scoffed and said he’d heard that one before. I said he could check with the syndical office. To my surprise he did. A half an hour later he came back crying like a baby. He knew he only assumed I was up to no good on the beach. His mindset was for me to stop at his command and if I didn’t obey he was more than prepared to shoot me in the back no questions asked. He pleaded with me not to press charges; saying he was married and had a family and couldn’t lose his job. I said nothing except, “Let me out of here.” He replied, “Yes sir, right away.” I went back to my motel room to wash off the blood, which had been dripping the whole time. I turned on the TV and tried to calm down. I didn’t press charges but I could have cost the officer and his sloppy secretary to lose their jobs. Since I was hurt I bet I could have sued them both. I believe to this day to shoot first on an assumption, and prove the facts afterwards to be totally wrong. I don’t care what color the person is. I was white and a clergyman. He was too quick to shoot me in the back. I’ve always thought from that time I should have sued.
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Common Core: Should all members of the New York State Board of Regents take the Common Core 8th Grade ELA and Math exams? This should be done in the same environment and under the same stipulations, as a New York State 8th grade student would experience.
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Regarding the damage the kids did to the Hickories Park, it’s only right that their sentence would be to work for free for the summer cleaning up the Hickories.
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The first quarter economic results are in for the nobama regime. Guess what? The GDP, that means gross domestic product for you liberals, is down, down, down. This president has had seven years to improve the economy. As in foreign affairs, nobama is a dismal failure and even worse, democrats support Hillary whose only claim to fame is her gender.
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I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Liberty and seeing all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that have gone into redoing the Ransom Steele Tavern. I’m hoping the community comes out and gives a good turn out and supports all the work they have put into the new building and giving new life to the building and Apalachin. Please support the Ransom Steele Tavern every weekend and hopefully it will turn out to be a good thing for the community and a good thing for the Liberty family and all the time they have put into making the building come back to life.
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It sure would be nice if the Village of Owego would get after NYSEG and fix some of the patches they put in on Talcott Street that have settled so much over the years. There are three or four that are terrible!
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I’m always amazed about the people complaining about the Clinton’s income that don’t seem to understand our capitalistic system. The Clinton’s write books, they give speeches, which they get paid for. So instead of calling into the Pennysaver, start writing your own books and speeches, all after you have become president, senator, or secretary of state and really have something to say.
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We have several boxes of readers digest condensed books in good condition to give away to a good home. Call 659-3134.
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I would like to thank the unknown residents who live on North Avenue across from the Xtra Mart for improving the overall look and appeal of the property. I see many vegetable and flower plants, and it’s great to see such an improvement-taking place in our community. More should follow through. Great job!
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I just had a HP 2530 printer and put all new cartridges in it. If anyone wants those cartridges they can call me at 687-3268.
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Will the Public Works Department please fill in the potholes at the beginning of Halstead Avenue and Southside Drive? Don’t wait like last year, just before winter.
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I’d like to know when the Hickories Park is going to get off their butts and do something with that road. It’s absolutely disgusting. Also, I’d like to know when they are going to start the band show, which was granted over $65,000 from Tom Libous. Or is it going in their pocket.
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I want to say I think it’s great the village is getting all new sidewalks. Thank you. I can’t wait until they get to my house. I do hope that everybody’s getting them because it’s the owner’s responsibility to take care of their sidewalks. How unfair would it be if I am getting mine replaced for free and others have to pay for them?
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Vote YES for the TCS budget on June 16, 2015, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Proposed is a 17 percent increase with a donation of over $294,000 to the sports and other extra activities.
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On June 16, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Tioga Central School budget should be passed in order to receive the children’s extra activities, sports, etc. They are also receiving a donation of over $294,000. Please vote YES!
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Mr. Graves doesn’t think people living on social security, their only income, should look out for themselves. Maybe he will pay all of our added school tax for us. All people employed at the Tioga Central School District should help out the budget and be put on a two-year wage freeze, pay their own health insurance, and their retirement fund. All parents who have children in the school’s extra activities should pay $5 per trip for each student to other schools for playing football, baseball, basketball or any other activities to help out transportation costs. Add it to the school income; go vote on June 16 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Vote NO to the 17 percent increase.
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This comment is in regards to the construction of a new $10.2 million replacement Mill Street Bridge in Candor that was originally built in 1984. I attended an informational meeting held at the Candor school last week. I had gone under the current bridge and examined it myself and the photos shown at the meeting were very deceiving. Minor rust spots appeared at least four times larger than they actually are. The one so-called major spot was only four inches wide, but the photo made it look at least two feet. Another photo that looked four feet wide was only one foot wide. There is nothing wrong with this relatively new bridge that couldn’t be fixed for about $500. I believe there is a lot of greed and corruption going on. Go under this bridge and look at it for yourself. This truly is a taxpayer’s rip off and the numerous DOT officials involved should be investigated and held responsible.
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I have a question about high intensity blue lights. Headlights, fog lights, there is this blue Dodge Durango that comes from Newark Valley and sometimes Owego also. They have them in the headlights, fog lights, in the grill and on the roof rack. They’ve got all these lights on and when they are coming towards you, you almost run off the road because it is so blinding. I think these lights should be outlawed or just be run for whatever lights you need to have. I’d like a comment from the sheriff’s department if these are legal to be on vehicles.
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For those ding-a-lings who supported Obamacare, be prepared for huge premium increases from 20 to 50 percent in cost. Remember Obama’s phony promise of you will save $2,500 per family per year for your healthcare cost? This is yet another failure for the socialist Marxist Obama regime.
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I’m calling about the loud motorcycles, cars and trucks. I thought there was a law against having loud mufflers. I can’t have my door open when it’s warm out because of all the noise let alone all the roadwork that’s been going on; but I understand about the roadwork. Another thing is the sidewalks. They need to be looked at. I tripped and fell again and hurt my knee and elbow and shoulder. Something’s got to be done about these sidewalks.
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I have a question for people who know about birds. I guess you would call them bird lovers and I don’t blame them because I love birds too. I have morning doves in my cherry tree. They laid two eggs, the female has been laying on it but the past two days has not been in the nest. I was wondering if this is common or if they had abandoned the nest. I would like a response.
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Yes Mr. Graves, it’s time for some conversation. My self-interest is that my husband and I receive only social security each month, no pension as you receive, and that far outweighs what is good for the kids. We did also get it Mr. Graves. If someone will help us pay our taxes for the rest of our living years we will gladly vote yes on the budget revote on the 16th.
