Readers’ Column for the week of Oct. 15, 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.

If you are a voter in the Town of Candor and helped elect the current Town Supervisor, Bob Riggs, you should know that you will not find his name on the ballot in November as a result of not winning the Republican Primary endorsement. Bob Riggs is on record as saying he would accept and serve if he were to be elected by means of a Write In Vote. It happened three terms ago, and if you like what he has done, you can do it again when you come to the polls Nov. 7.

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Last week’s caller’s statement regarding Jehovah Witnesses was beyond pathetic. I served and would gladly serve, as old as I may be, again to protect conscientious objectors. For the uneducated, Johnny come lately, and intellectually and spiritually devoid ignoramuses who can only find the worst, I have no such enthusiasm. 

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I agree with the Letter to the Editor on Oct. 1, 2017, if we can not abolish the OHPC, at least give the homeowner the right to do, within reason, what they choose to on their own property. Not every home is historic; after the floods of 2005, 2006 and 2011, the vindictiveness of OHPC has done the Village in. No one can sell and no one wants to buy, and contractors do not want to deal with the OHPC board. 

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I am very interested in your couch. Is it in good shape? If it is, then I am interested. Call 659-5582. 

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For the person who is looking for a wheelchair, I have an electric wheelchair. Please call 785-5820.

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My name is Amelia, and I am a five-year-old female spayed cat, black and white. I was living with an older lady and she had to go in the nursing home. I was in a shelter for five years and I went to a new owner a year ago. The owner’s life changed and I will be taken back to the shelter. Please don’t let me go back to the shelter. I am very quiet, a little chubby and a sweetheart! Please call 687-5620 to save me from the shelter.

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Attention young artists, parents and art teachers. The “KEY TO THE CASTLE”, a drug prevention play, is holding a poster contest to help promote the play. Students from 12 to 21 can participate; the deadline to submit artwork is Oct. 29. Please call Veronica for guidelines at 223-4211. 

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Everyone Can Help! Simply save your can tabs to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Pick up the TAB, providing families a home away from home while their loved ones are receiving medical care. Little things Can make a difference. Tabs can be dropped off at the neighborhood redemption center on Route 17C next to Paul’s Dry Cleaning. Let’s pull together!

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The Town of Richford doesn’t even have a name once they transfer the sick and injured to our local hospitals. The Town of Maine is transporting Richford residents to the local hospital. Let’s hope there’s not many stroke patients needing transportation to our local hospitals. The town supervisor is fairly new at his job and doesn’t really understand a lot about how the Town of Richford is run. Richford seems to find money for other less important projects around town. The town purchased the old Clark’s Seed Farm building on the back street and we’ll be paying for the building for years to come. It takes so much money to renovate it into the town hall and office spaces. What’s more important?

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I’m calling about the Gold Star mothers and families that were honored at the VFW in Owego. It’s a lovely article and I think this is a very important thing, but you forgot to include the Owego American Legion who contributed the lovely cake they had at this occasion. 

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I just read the letters from Trabucco and several other people in regards to the hysterical society. I call this the hysterical society because of the ridiculous things that we have to do to keep up to code. I live in this district. I have been to the board twice. Once they told me if I couldn’t repair the way they wanted it I should move out of the district if I couldn’t afford to live there. The second time they told me to change my insurance companies. When you want your house to change colors you have to get their permission. If the roof is leaking you have to get their permission to put a new roof on, the right shingles, the right color. These are just some of the ridiculous things they want you to do. I’m glad the Village Board has finally heard all the complaints. There are homes that have been flooded on Front Street that have never been repaired because of the code restrictions the hysterical society has put upon them, so they are being sold for $80,000; there was even a house on Front Street that was sold for $35,000 because they don’t have the money to bring it up to code. Please, Village Board, I implore you to get rid of this board. 

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I, too, am a resident of Glenmary Drive in Owego. Kudos to the gentleman who made the comment that at night you can’t see the middle of the road. There are absolutely no marker strips on this road at night and in a rainy situation with the trucks that run through there, it is terrible! And also kudos to the gentleman who wants to know where all these new airports and lower taxes are in the state of New York. I’d like to join him if possible. 

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The local pothead who acknowledges it is illegal to use marijuana but then, this genius says that pits one group against another group because the potheads want to pursue happiness! How about thieves performing an also an illegal act? Do we let them pursue their happiness too? Get off the weed fellow and clear your brain you deadhead!

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Moron? Who’s your moron? Ninety-seven percent of the world knows, believe me.

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There is a very, very rough spot on Front Street near the museum. A sign should be there to warn motorists to slow down. 

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People who have flood insurance are now getting letters saying they need to get an elevation certificate or risk an increase in their flood insurance. Does anyone have information on this? Who does this type of work?

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This is a message for all you Republicans. There is an election coming up and if you want the same deal you’ve had for the last eight years, vote the Republican ticket. Otherwise, there are other people running. Let’s put it this way, the supervisor and the guy that doesn’t work very much, the Town of Owego Superintendent. Think about it before you pull the lever.

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I know this is long shot, but I’m looking for a manual for a new home treadle sewing machine #119604 that I can copy and I will return it to you as soon as possible. Please call 659-3871.

National Political Viewpoints

I think that the NFL players should have respect for the United States National Anthem. After all, they have a lot of respect for United States dollars. And it would be nice, too, if the young people at our nighttime high school football games would show respect for the flag and take their caps off and place them over their heart that is beating, because so many men just slightly older than them are fighting for their actions to happen.

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Finally, Hillary is going to do what everyone wants, go away. Imagine a reporter asking her, “Hey, what do you think of Harvey Weinstein?” or “Why don’t you give his money back or to a charity?”  

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“Understanding the urgency of CO₂ emission phase down requires understanding the slow response of the climate system, the role of amplifying climate feedbacks, and the danger of passing a point of no return. Regrettably, these points are not yet matters of widespread knowledge.” –James Hansen, best known for his research in climatology, his 1988 Congressional testimony on climate change that helped raise broad awareness of global warming, and his advocacy of action to avoid dangerous climate change.

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I am tired of Republican lawmakers using the “small family farm” as a reason why multi-billionaires should not pay inheritance taxes.

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They just don’t get it! When these late night clown “hosts” insist on being disrespectful to our duly elected President, they are being disrespectful to the majority of America who voted Trump into office by a vast majority. We used to watch some of the late night shows, but no more. The VOTERS put President Trump into office, NOT the likes of Kimmel, or some of that ilk! Can you imagine someone with the class of a Johnny Carson stooping to the low level of some of the latest wannabes? They need to be gone, otherwise, their programs are going to fall on dead airwaves; because more and more people I talk to feel the same way and are no longer watching. Just like the NFL, the Cowboys owner has it right, kneel and you don’t play AND you don’t get paid!

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In 2012 the NFL had an issue with Tim Tebow kneeling for each game to pray, also making an issue with Tebow wearing John 3:16 as part of his blackout to avoid glare and made him take it off. In 2013 the NFL fined Brandon Marshall for wearing green cleats to raise awareness for people with mental health disorders. In 2014 Robert Griffin III (RG3) entered a post-game press conference wearing a shirt that said “Know Jesus Know Peace” but was forced to turn it inside out by an NFL uniform inspector before speaking at the podium. In 2015 DeAngelo Williams was fined for wearing “Find the Cure” eye block for breast cancer awareness. In 2015 William Gay was fined for wearing purple cleats to raise awareness for domestic violence. In 2016 the NFL prevented the Dallas Cowboys from wearing a decal on their helmet in honor of five Dallas Police officers killed in the line of duty. In 2016 the NFL threatened to fine players who wanted to wear cleats to commemorate the 15th anniversary of 9/11. So tell me again how the NFL supports free speech and expression all of a sudden. 

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Here we go again. Our stupid, lying, Russian Commander in Chief, Donald lying Trump! Here he is, going to de-certify the Iran nuclear when the Secretary of Defense James Mattis said it is a good deal and stick with it – that it is working. But no, not Donald Trump. He knows more than anybody else. He wants to start a war to get all the pressure off the Russian investigation. I can’t wait until they lead him out in handcuffs. It will make my day!

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Most Republicans think there’s nothing wrong with having a moron in the White House leading the United States. You know that they are going to take care of you right after all the millionaires have finished feeding at the trough with your tax dollars. Good luck trumpsters! 

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To the man who stated there are worse things than being called a Republican. Sorry, I can’t think of any unless you want to include bigot and racist. Democrats don’t run because of the intimidation and the nasty tricks your party has done for them. My question to you is why are you so afraid of Democrats? Is it because they may be smarter than you, think outside the box and not have tunnel vision? They actually think about people first, not money. You are an example of the stagnant one party thinking of Tioga County and why I would never want to be called a Republican.

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I would like to comment about two things. I really agree with the caller who made the comment about the shooting in Los Vegas. When you take God out of the loop that’s when things like that happen. And two, I think those spoiled NFL protesters are biting the hand that feeds them. There was an old song called don’t bite the hand that’s feeding you. That’s what those players are doing. It was also said that if you don’t like it in this country, you should get out.

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I see Hillary complaining again about Donald Trump. Trump went to Los Vegas to see the people who were hurt by the massacre. I didn’t see Nancy, Hillary or Chuckie there. They went after guns instead. This is because they don’t care about ordinary people being able to defend themselves. Do the Democrats think that just because they pass a law to ban guns that the people are just going to turn them in? Guess what, not going to happen. Why don’t we let the top Democrats be the people going door to door to pick these guns up? That would be great!

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I am so glad that the TV stations are once again showing the tapes of Trump on the bus and talking about groping women. Republicans seem to have forgotten about that and his filthy talk. But the present we all got Sunday was when Senator Bob Corker stated that the White House has become an adult daycare center. Good going Corker, it’s so true! Trump will never be smart or grow up, but Pence can’t be president either! Pence is as bad as Trump, only sneakier like a snake. Many people who voted for this buffoon finally woke up, thank God. Maybe that was calm before the storm that Trump was talking about. He caused his own trouble and can’t blame anyone else.