Readers’ Column for the week of April 9, 2017

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 wait for the traffic light at West Main and North Avenue is much too long. The wait for the left turn arrow to Mountain Road is also much too long.

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I personally feel much safer the knowing that so many law abiding New Yorkers are exercising their right to carry a concealed weapon, and I encourage everyone who is able to, to apply to the Tioga County Sheriff’s Office for their New York State pistol permit as well. 

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About a year ago a jury found that big business had ruined people’s water supply and awarded them compensation to repair things in what is getting to be serious fracking problems in Pennsylvania. They never got a dime. Now, a judge all by himself a whole year later has decided that the jury did not know what they were doing and the people who still do not have water got zilch. It is a shame that these judges get so powerful that they can override juries as often as they do. It always seems to be in favor of the big bucks or people of high standing.

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I attended one of Congressman Reed’s town hall meetings and it seems that he is a good ewe in the flock, and he subscribes to the philosophy that “money talks and everything else walks”. 

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When I was a kid during the depression and about 10 years after it, whenever I told my mom that ‘I did not want that stuff’ her answer was either ‘eat it of go without’ or ‘that’s all you’re getting ’til suppertime’. Guess what, I ate it and never went hungry. I think that we should have this approach for anyone who passes up a free meal today. I am sure they are not starving or they would eat it. I agree that a child cannot be attentive if they are hungry but they have a choice – eat it or go without!

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The Town of Owego Board needs to address this issue in our community. For years, residents have had to endure looking at eyesores caused by negligent residential property owners. The town is always interested in promoting Owego for new business, for home ownership and community pride. Can the code enforcement official who is in a paid position please stop overlooking the abandoned vehicles that are littering the properties – namely on Main Street in Apalachin. On April 1 I counted 30 (yes, 30) vehicles unregistered and without license plates. These make the area look like a dump for those of us who do try to maintain an esthetic looking property. Anyone trying to sell a home is hampered by this offensiveness and ugliness. Now that the code enforcer has been informed, there should be no excuse for not diligently acting to get this resolved. We have tolerated this disgrace for years in Apalachin, and I know there are plenty of other areas with the same issue being “overlooked” and ignored. The Planning and Zoning Department is responsible to uphold regulations for the code and zoning chapter of the Town Code.

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Styrofoam 101: They say Styrofoam lasts for hundreds of years buried in a landfill. So what they are saying is Styrofoam is acting like a rock; it just sits there. It is when stuff decomposes, that’s when its components become soluble, and by leaching, contaminates our water. So what’s the problem with Styrofoam acting like a rock? Aluminum cans act this way too. The environmental nut cases don’t even know what is good for the land!

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CO2 101: Where does all fossil fuel carbon come from? It comes from the CO2 that was in the air many, many, years ago. So there was more CO2 in the air back then! So tell me, what is the normal level of CO2 in the air, back then or right now?

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More money is needed for the 9/11 Memorial? I thought we already paid for this? Does this mean there is now a shortfall in our town budget?

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I like animals as much as the next person but a dog continuously barking, the owner should be responsible and take him inside. The poor thing is chained out there. This is going to continue the whole summer? You can’t even enjoy going outside and cleaning up your yard because you have to listen to this dog barking constantly! It’s not the dog’s fault, it’s the owners and there are a lot of them around. So how about a little respect for other people, that’s all we need is a little respect.

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I was wondering why the bridges on Silk Street and Dr. Knapp Road in Newark Valley have not been replaced.

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I have been watching this giraffe attempt to have her baby since day one. I drew the attention to WBNG about it and they immediately started a big deal with this giraffe and I appreciate that so much. It was so much fun. But don’t you think that giraffe should have had more running room, more freedom? You can’t be pregnant, locked up in a 4×4 with everybody watching you. Come on, give the poor giraffe a break and she’ll give us a baby!

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I’m calling to suggest on Route 434 by Big Dipper that they also put no parking signs on both sides of 434 like they do in front of Bud’s Place. They park there and people can’t see to get in or out and it does create a parking hazard. 

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We’re glad to see someone else is unhappy with the unresolved sewer bill issue. It seems that it is a lot of lip service and no action is happening. It is about time we paid our fair share, but our fair share does not mean paying for every single toilet that is not being used in the building. We have five units, none are occupied and we are paying for five units where a restaurant has one unit, has a huge capacity and is only paying for the one. Someone needs to make things fair.

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Years ago people did not believe in germs or unclean bacteria in water. Now people don’t believe in climate change. They both exist.

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It’s my understanding that Tioga County was given a $100,000 grant through Governor Cuomo’s program to help fund combat drug and heroin addiction. The reason is to remove the barriers that keep our loved ones for seeking treatment. Their job is to go into the community, go into ER’s, go into their homes to help coax the people into rehab, give them understanding about drug addiction and some advice for the families. It’s also noted that even faith based can help. Each county or region can have two peer specialists. This is what Tioga County needs. Sometimes it takes a village to help raise a child. We sure need all the help with all the struggling abuse in our families, communities and in our hearts. Please take advantage of this ASAP. 

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Many, many thanks to the Town of Owego road crew for the great cleanup job they did on Maple Lane. Much appreciated! Thanks again.

National Political Viewpoints

Here we go again. Susan Rice says she didn’t spy on President Trump at any time ever for any reason. Yeah, right. Just like she told us in all seriousness that a video was the cause of the debacle in Benghazi that got four Americans killed. Sure, we’re about to swallow her trap again, just like her boss, “If you like your plan, you get to keep it, if you like your doctor, you get to keep him.” What is it with Liberals that they can’t seem to tell the truth?

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Didn’t Nixon spy on the Democratic Party? And now Obama has spied on the Republican Party. Don’t we have ourselves another Watergate? Is there such a thing as a retroactive impeachment?

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The Quran critic didn’t do the suggested reading, thereby missing the point.

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The congress just gave away your Internet privacy. Looking at the payouts from lobbying groups for internet providers and telephone companies I see that Reed got $31,500 for his vote and Tenney works cheap and only got $8,500.

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Trumponomics, all we hear from the Trump guys are spend, spend, and spend. $94 billion for alleged defense improvement, billions and billions of dollars for a wall, tax breaks for the rich, a health insurance program that doesn’t insure anything. Why don’t they do something about their promises to take care of the middle class? The little guys need some help once in a while. Hey, and thanks again all you Trump voters for a really depressing time. 

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History: Why do the Republicans have a hard time learning history? Cover up, sank the Nixon presidency, cover up with Trump as Putin’s puppets is going to sink the Trump administration. Why can’t the Republicans face facts and get out of the hole they keep digging for themselves?

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Can you President Pence? I knew you could!

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I know I’m being very difficult about these situations but I have to ask, if our President and his wife don’t live together, they say because of the boy in school, and she can’t smile, and they tell me because as a model she’s not supposed to smile, what the hell is wrong with our White House? It is not ours anymore; it is HIS. Let’s straighten this out somehow; please try. It’s OUR White House.

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President Trump should be real careful not to alienate the people who actually brought him to the dance, namely the Freedom Caucus, Conservatives including a few conservative Democrats and Tea Party Patriots. Trump should never trust a Democrat leadership. Chuckie Schumer is not your buddy, President Trump. Nobamacare should be totally repealed and a new plan like Rand Paul’s, which he has published for the last two years, has actual cheaper costs and these should be put in place. Trump should push through Judge Gorsuch for the Supreme Court immediately, then he should reform the tax code with either a flat tax or a vat tax and that will make American great once again. Go Trump!

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Healthcare repeal and reform is really very simple. You need to reign in Medicaid costs; it can no longer be free services to the recipients. The recipients should be required to pay premiums, deductibles, co-pays and co-insurances, just as all other insurances require. 

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Why isn’t anyone in congress asking for the resignation of Chuck Schumer? He gets paid very nicely to do nothing but argue, disagree, and try to stop everything that Mr. Trump and his administration put forward for the betterment of the American people. All he does is waste precious time with nonsense instead of cooperating with others to resolve our country’s very important issues. I’m very disappointed he represents New York State.

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The Socialist Democrats should be very careful of what they wish for in trying to push President Trump into a mud hole, lots of dirt is about to rise up and fill all around the Democrats themselves. Before this is all over the luminous unmasking of innocent people will provide orange prison suits for nobama operatives like Susan Rice, maybe even nobama himself. Trump is pure as the driven snow!

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Let’s face it, Mike Pence is nothing but Donald Trump’s puppet and Donald Trump is nothing more than Vladimir Putin’s puppet. It’s scary!

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This is just the beginning. The whole world knows we have an absolute fool for a president. We need to impeach him. Get somebody in there that can actually run the country. Donald Trump cannot, he’s an idiot.

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I would say it’s about time that we do something about President Trump who has incriminated himself and caused himself to be in treason. This is my belief and I hope that there are more of us who feel the same way.

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Donald Trump is about a week into sexual harassment month against women. I guess he interprets that to mean he should support all sexual harassment against women. Why is he standing up for people who settle for millions of dollars for their sex crimes and perversions? Give me a break! I didn’t vote for him, did you?