Readers’ Column for the week of Nov. 12, 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.

Attention pet owners! Be very careful whom you take your pet to when they’re sick and need medical care. The one I took my sick cat to had no compassion, only cared about getting as much money out of me as they could. I ended up putting my cat down after she suffered needlessly when this vet had done an exam after three visits, and knew my cat’s mouth was full of cancer and never told me what they found, only told me she had an ulcer. I had taken my pets there for years. I could not believe how they changed. I don’t let my pets suffer. The pain my 14 year old had to have been in, I can’t even imagine! So I told this heartless vet, who should not even be one, I would never bring another pet there again. Unfortunately I can’t name names. I wish I could have sued for all the stress I went through and all the pain and agony my poor cat suffered. So people, please thoroughly check on any vet you choose. I certainly will from now on. Everything is all about the money. How sad!

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I would just like to say this to all you people who decide to dump their cats or dogs off in the middle of nowhere. Shame on you! Where is your conscience? Apparently you don’t have one. How would you like to be out in the cold, rain, no food or shelter? That’s what needs to happen to people like you who take the easy way out. Why do you bother getting a pet in the first place when you have no intention of taking care if it. Soon as they need to be spayed or neutered you dump them off. Thank God there are people like me out there that can’t stand to see a poor animal out in the cold or starved to death. Some day I hope they find a way to catch you in the act and fine the hell out of you. But don’t worry; you’ll have to answer to a higher authority. Thank about that! 

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If cats are so loved, why is the Pennysaver pet of the week always a cat? 

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I saw this on Nov. 4. Jacob Thompson is a 9-year-old boy fighting neuroblastoma cancer for four years. Doctors say he will not make it to Christmas. Jacob has requested Christmas cards from anyone who cares. He also likes penguin toys. Here is his address: Jacob Thompson, c/o Maine Medical Center, 22 Bramhall St., Portland, ME 04102.

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In answer to some of the repeated things in your column on Nov. 5, there is a place to drop off old glasses, it is the Ole’ Country Florist on Main Street in Owego. They still take donations and do appreciate it.

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To the person asking about snow removal in the Campville area – I would recommend Scott’s Lawn and Landscape Care. The advertisement is in the business section in the Pennysaver, but his phone number is (607) 239-0731 or (607) 642-8618.

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Looking for a pair of 4-inch camouflage or subdued black and green United States Air Force Sergeant chevron stripes, the rank of E4. Call 659-3354.

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Well, one good thing about dying, you don’t have to pick up cigarette butts anymore. What gives people the thought that they have a right to wing their butts all over town? Can we stop that? 

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My daughter lives in Broome County and she can get free mulch in the county if she shows proof of residency. I want to know if Tioga County has that. 

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I see Fred Akshar’s picture in the paper again for heroin and opioid education. What a waste of money this guy is. Big on the crack but nothing when it comes to expensive utilities, which is water and sewer for the Village of Owego. 

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Is there anybody in Owego that does snowplowing for residential homes? If you could leave your name and number it would be very helpful.

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Please remember, you don’t have to make a big wide arc to the left entering the oncoming lane to make a right hand turn. Your car can easily turn without leaving the lane!

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Tailgaters kill me and I guess literally they can. A sudden stop of the car in front can cause major damage to both cars and untold insurance forms to fill out, which leads to higher rates. Makes no sense to me.

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The VFW Children’s Christmas Party is going to be on Dec. 10 with a movie and free popcorn, and soda and a free gift at the VFW afterwards. You can look in this week’s Pennysaver for the ad and application.

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On Tuesday night, Trustee Hartman told the audience of historical supporters that they wanted to cut the commission from seven to five members and that the commission would have to decide whom the two members were that they’re going to get rid of. All I can say is that is nuts, it’s kind of like the Survivor TV program. Nothing like getting our board arguing with each other. They need to stand up and make a decision to go with it or they should decide if they should cut somebody.

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This probably won’t get printed but that’s okay, it’s off my shoulders. How can this newswoman get on national television and state that her 18-year-old son was abused and assaulted in a bar by Kevin Spacey where the young man worked. Now how, at 18, does he get to work with alcohol? This doesn’t ring quite true. Was he not checked for his age when he went in that bar and he drank? Was he not checked for his age when he got a job working with alcohol? Something is not right and to think he went home and told his sister? No. Have a great day and think about it.

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Can someone explain to me why a business would pay to have its services advertise, and yet when you call and leave a message asking them to come to your home to give you an estimate they never call back. Then again, some call you back to tell you they will stop by to give you and estimate and never show up. If they don’t want to do this service for you it appears they should be professional enough to tell you. Am I the only one to have experienced this?

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Tioga County Rural Ministry is holding a Holiday Cookie Sale fundraiser. We are looking for bakers to make six-dozen of your favorite holiday cookies for the fundraiser. If interested, please call 687-3021. 

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Recently an asphalt contractor put a reported one and a half inches of asphalt topping on King Circle in King’s Point. Now, whenever there is a manhole cover there are one and a half inch potholes because no one raised the manholes up to match the asphalt surface. There are commercial products that will permit the contractor or the town to raise the manholes up that much so the top surface is blended with the existing surface. The Town Highway Department and Asphalt Contractor should have known about this, apparently they didn’t. Ultimately the Town Highway Supervisor is in charge of specifications for roadwork. Why did this happen? In other locations, both in Owego and other places, the same problems are routinely noted. Somebody needs to fix it. 

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You guys are good. Thank you Town of Owego road crew, Waits Road is beautiful now. Smooth as silk! 

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It was really decent of someone in the Owego Post Office to take a stab at it and deliver a post card to us addressed to “Suzy and John, Owego, NY, USA”. If he or she had followed protocol, it would have been sent back – back to Sharon and Tony, Bordeaux, France. In other words, it would have gone to a Dead Letter Office, and the good wishes of Sharon and Tony for Suzy and John would have been lost forever. But fortunately for all concerned, the postcard went to a Concerned Citizen willing to go the extra mile who wants this thing to go to the right party. Dear Sharon and Tony: This mode of address went out in the 19th century. I know Owego looks, in some respects, like a 19th century village, but it really isn’t. You can tell by the shutters on the windows. Back in the 19th c., the shutters were made of wood, not plastic, and they actually fit the windows. Owego, alas, has mostly plastic shutters pasted onto the walls adjacent to the windows (even in the storied Historic District), and this ain’t authentic. No, it’s a 20th century con job. So, we’re not really 19th century here and you can’t address your mail to “Eddie” at “Haskell Village” any more. Where the postcard went was to Susan and John Peterson, 85 George St., Owego. Our number is (607) 743-1293, or you can send an email to jcsaxifrage@gmail.com. If anyone who knows who the real Suzy and John are would kindly alert them, please have them give us a call. I (John C. is writing this) worked for the USPS some 20 years and I guess the habit of getting the right mail to the right person somehow got into my blood.

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I wanted to express my thoughts on the Paving of Pennsylvania Avenue. What a wonderful job was done by all. The flag people did it with very little wait time, and there wasn’t a long wait before the paving was done after the old asphalt was removed. Great job. Also, I have driven up Route 434 and all of the on ramps and off ramps to Route 17 have lights showing a good view of the ramps except the on ramp to Route 17 East in Apalachin. It’s very dark there and I’m surprised there haven’t been many accidents there. 

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I was just reading this week’s Pennysaver and noticed an ad for a Boat and an ATV for sale. Isn’t this what the paper started out as many years ago? It sure would be nice to see this again instead of all the ads for places to eat and shop. Thank you for listening. 

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Curious if there is a line item in the OFA budget for the outside lights on the maintenance building recently built near the playing fields and behind the bus garage. It looks like an airport landing strip over there. Are these solar powered or hardwired? Why can’t there be motion detector lights instead of so many bright lights all night long?

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Why were their no Democrats or Independents running for local offices in Owego? Have we all of a sudden become a one party system? That’s very scary.

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Many thanks to the Tioga County Highway Department for doing a great job on resurfacing Day Hollow Road this past summer. They made it the best County road in Tioga County. Well it was, until someone in the Department decided to put two speed bumps on a bridge that’s about a half of a mile West of Tilbury Hill Road. When doing the speed limit and you go across the bridge, you just about lose control of your vehicle. Must be the County is looking to see how many lawsuits they can acquire. I hope someone doesn’t get hurt. Then again, maybe the County is looking to damage one of their trucks when they are plowing snow so they have a reason to do an emergency purchase.

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After reading the comments concerning OHPC, does anyone else get the impression the OHPC would rather see houses remain empty and/or fall into disrepair than have homeowners make needed improvements/updates?

National Political Viewpoints

Republican tax plan. If you have high medical bills and unexpected medical emergency bills you can expect to be left destitute under the medical deduction prevision for the new Trump tax plan. Call Congressman Reed and reject this farce, this millionaire giveaway.

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Now this rampage New York City truck driver terrorist wants to hang an Isis flag in his hospital room. I say we let him do it for an hour and then we put him in a cage and lower him onto a rip-roaring fire. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. It’s biblical.

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Where is the outrage from our so-called leaders regarding the recent New York City tragedy? Had this tragedy been carried out with a gun they’d be all screaming gun control, but no, this tragedy was carried out with a truck and our so-called leaders now say it’s the new norm. Well I don’t buy it! They need to get behind Mr. Trump and back him regarding our immigration laws. This suspect was here on a diversity green card, a program backed by Chuck Schumer. Mr. Trump is correct; build that wall, tighten our immigration laws. We can no longer let just anyone into our wonderful country as the Obama administration did and as Hillary Clinton would have continued to do, and what the rest still want us to do. Trump is right, when will the others learn? How many more innocent lives must be lost? Stop putting the immigrants ahead of the American people!

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And it continues, more scandal coming out of the Democratic Hillary side. Now we find out the election primary was rigged in Hillary’s favor against Bernie Sanders. Thank goodness the American people are smart and voted for Mr. Trump. Productivity is surging, the unemployment rate is low and the stock market is on fire. Go Trump! The man is amazing! He is accomplishing in one year what others, namely Obama, had not been able to accomplish in eight years; and some fools wanted eight years of more failure with Hillary? You must be joking!

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From Democrat Donna Brazil, we now know for certain, that crooked Hillary stole the Democratic primary from dumb Bernie. Even dimwit Democrats who voted for Hillary, the loser, must finally see the tremendous error of their vote. They should hide their heads in shame!

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I predict before next fall that Hillary Clinton will be a guest of the government in the crowbar hotel. That’s a fact!

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To the person who’s all excited about Trump getting impeached. Guess, what? It ain’t gonna happen! And what are you going to do? Are you going to be able to live in 2020 when Trump gets reelected for another four years? Good luck with that!

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I’d like to counter last week’s reader that said they were spending too much money on the Clinton’s, and that they weren’t finding anything. You apparently were not paying attention. Comey, just before the election, spoke for over five minutes on all the illegal things Hillary did before folding, saying she would not be charged. Why don’t you Democrats just wake up?

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Another mass shooting and killing in Texas on Sunday. I hate to say this, but I believe it could be because of what Trump has said. I’ll never forget the day on National TV when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue in New York and would get away with it. Trump was so proud of that, that to many unstable people this sounds like it’s the okay thing to do. I’m glad that Trump is out of the country. He doesn’t get anything done anyhow.

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For the life of me I can’t figure out sanctuary cities. Why put American lives at risk?

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The dimwit Democrats say the Trump plan is only for the rich. The truth is that the average middle class working family will save at least $1,200 in federal taxes. Remember when Obama lied to your face about Obamacare saving $2,500 per family? Well you can judge the Trump plan after it has passed. Go Trump!

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I believe that anyone that has a military disability or a mental illness shouldn’t own guns and if they do they should have them taken away. I think it would solve a lot of the problems that we have right now.

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Well, my candidate lost the election. Can I go riot like the Hillary Supporters, boo hoo, sob sob do?

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I am both amused and perplexed to read comments about the liberals obstructing Trump as if it was a major crime. They didn’t have a problem with the conservatives obstructing Obama. Where was the demand for acceptance then?