Readers’ Column for the week of March 11, 2018

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 spring show that the students put on was just fantastic. The amount of energy they had was quite unbelievable. The gal who played ‘Dolly’ would stand with the best of them. The most amazing part was the waiters with their gymnastics, with the serving trays in hand. Kudos for the great scenery, and to all who had a hand in this production. I wonder if there are any tapes of this that are for sale, it sure would be a great fundraiser. Thanks students for a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

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“She [Dawn Lindsey] knew she was addicted and needed to do something about it. Having read on the Internet about using marijuana for softening the agony of withdrawal, she hooked up with a cannabis-friendly doctor. Now getting sober for a second time, she and her doctor have worked out a regimen to help her manage her pain with cannabis. Cannabis advocates — including some physicians — believe that weed can help break addiction to opioids, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killed 63,600 people in 2016.” “Weed is Helping Me Quit Opiods” by Michael Kaplan. New York Post. March 5, 2018

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Peeve moment: The letter “t” does not appear in the word “second”.

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This is in regards to the grandmother who wrote in about the speeding on Whig Street. I too, am a grandmother, I have also complained about Whig Street for many, many years. I have written to the mayor, I’ve invited him to sit on my porch to eat caviar and drink champagne and watch the races go on. He didn’t take me up on it. I’ve written to road patrol in Owego. I find it absolutely amazing that in school zones speeding is allowed, but you won’t win the battle. I’ve tried for many years. I was also told when they pick up too many people for speeding, because occasionally they do pick them up, it clogs up the Newark Valley court and the courts don’t get any revenue off the money. I don’t know if that’s true or not but that’s what I was told. It’s a shame. We’ve got beautiful new sidewalks but when that car is going too fast it’s going to get some kid on the sidewalk or some kid on his bicycle. I just don’t understand, I never have.

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Has anybody noticed how much the Village of Newark Valley taxes have gone up? It’s about 20 percent in one year. The local officials owe us an explanation, but as of yet I have not seen or heard any. This is an alarming tax rate increase!

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I’m calling in regards to the comment in this column about removing Christmas decorations. They can also remove their ghosts and goblins from Halloween!

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I see where Don Castellucci wants to have a new building built to house the highway department at a tune of $7 million, and where does he think that money is coming from? I bet it’s going to be more than that! People better wake up.

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Congratulations, kudos and much admiration is due to Dick’s Sporting Goods and all others who are following in their steps. Thank you Dick’s!

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Clothes for Kids on Central Avenue has been closed for over a year, and I was wondering what they will do with all the clothes that are packed within the building. I hope they don’t go to waste. 

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This is the old man on the hill. I’d like to thank that old man who plowed during the storm this weekend. He was a jarhead at one time, but he knows how to do it. He’s not scared going up and down the hill like our regular guy was doing. You did a good job Mike. Thanks a lot!

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Someone left a comment last week that wanted two steel barrels. I have steel barrels if you are interested. My number is (607) 205-9547.

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I hope the Sayre police department gets these God darn drug people out of this town. Boy, it’s getting ridiculous! They should do something to these people instead of letting them back out on the streets. 

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Elmira leaders are looking to raise resident taxes 17 percent. That is a disgrace! They must be taking the advice of Democrat Cuomo. Just raise taxes to cover any shortfalls. I hope the Elmira residents fight that. 

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I have never watched the Oscars. I just have no interest. This year the Oscars had the lowest ratings ever. Good! People must finally be realizing there is nothing to gain from Hollywood. This does my heart good. 

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I walked the River Walk for this first time today since fall. I’d like to compliment the people who cleaned up the area near the buildings. It really looks nice with one exception. The person who owns the building where the insulation is hanging dirty needs to clean it or should be fined. It detracts from the nice work that has been done and is also unhealthy due to the flocks of pigeons that roost there and poop all over the walkway. Also, the Elks building looks very nice. A fresh coat of paint on the front door and a door guard would make it look even nicer. 

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On Feb. 19, our whole world changed. We lost the most important person in our life, Carolyn Mae Ahart Roberts. On behalf of my sister, brother, sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandkids, nieces, nephews, and the entire family – I would like to say thank you for your support during this difficult time. You don’t know what to say, “Sorry for your loss” – “My thoughts and prayers are with you” -“If there is anything we can do.” They are all so appreciated; you have no idea. We have endured so much with the loss of Doug, then the fire – losing Dad and the farmhouse. The outpouring of support and assistance has been astounding. Only in Candor could a home be replaced in such a short timeframe. We had lost Dad and the house on Sept. 17, and Mom moved into her new home on Nov. 21. A special thank you to our American Legion Family. With the Auxiliary assisting with the Celebration of Life after the funeral and all those that donated items, we are grateful. For the person that left the chocolate chip cookies in a Ziplock bag at the funeral home Saturday morning, please let us know who you are. We so enjoyed them and would love some more, and the recipe. We fought over them until they were gone! Small things help us get through difficult times; chocolate chip cookies are on top of the list! I love that I grew up in the small town of Candor, N.Y.

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Cheers and praise to the residents that obey the law and clean their sidewalks of snow. Jeers and disgust to those who disobey the law and do not. There is no excuse.

National Political Viewpoints

I have news for some people. The M4 and M16 don’t fire full automatic. They can only fire semi-automatically or three round bursts. Benefit is accuracy.

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I guess the M1s the forces carried in WWII and Korea weren’t assault weapons. They only fired semi-auto.

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Is Donald Trump so insecure that he feels it necessary to bring up President Obama and Hillary Clinton over and over? Why can’t he let go and move on.

Minority leader Nancy Pelosi knows a lot about firearms. She said the weapons that make the loudest bang are the most dangerous. 

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I have a question. Why would the Republican Party not admit they put a lunatic in the White House? Is their desire for absolute power more important than what’s good for this country? 

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To clarify, the AR15 is an assault rifle made for one purpose, to kill people. It’s a military weapon that has no use in the public’s hands. If you want to go out and target practice, go to a video game where you are not killing real people because right now those guns are responsible for multiple killings and the mass shootings in this country. You can keep all your NRA double talk, because that’s all it is, just Republican NRA bull. Assault weapons have no use in public hands. They say guns don’t kill by themselves, people do? Well then why don’t we legalize all drugs? I don’t know anything an illegal drug will kill unless a person uses it. That’s a very poor argument, so you can keep your assault rifles and take them off the streets. We don’t need them out in the public. There are too many mentally ill, sick people, and we just don’t need them anymore. It’s time for this to stop.

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I whole-heartedly agree with last week’s comment that assault type weapons should be outlawed for the average American. I would think the second amendment means to allow rocket launchers and grenades. 

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Jeannine Pirro should have been locked up for speeding 119 mph, then she wouldn’t be able to blabber her big mouth off. She should zip it already. Enough is enough of her mouth. Thank you Pennysaver for doing a good job and letting us voice our opinions. 

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Want to know the reason for most of the mass shootings in America? Just check the side affects of psychotropic drugs. 

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In response to last week’s caller, don’t blame the NRA for the school shooting. The NRA did not shoot anybody. Mental illness did the killings. Blame the parents and doctors that cover up the facts about their mentally ill children. In fact, all parents and doctors should be held responsible for holding back information that leads to any school shootings and should be prosecuted. Responsible gun owners did not cause that massacre. 

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Donald Trump needs to be censored. If he can’t be impeached, he needs to be censored by both parties. Let’s not forget that word, censored. That’s important!

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I can’t believe our District Attorney would reduce a ticket for Judge Jeannine driving 120 mph through our county. That’s ridiculous!

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I read the letter to the editor in last week’s Pennysaver regarding the Safe Act. I think it is obscene for Governor Cuomo to use the tragedy of the school shooting in Parkland Florida to push his own political agenda. I think it’s time for him to go. 

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It’s disgusting to read what the so-called gun experts have to say about automatic weapons in your latest issue. None of these so-called experts know what a wound from an AR15 is like. The rounds depart the muzzle at a velocity of more than 3,000 feet a second and cause devastating wounds because of the energy imparted to the human body by high velocity weapons. These are not guns that are needed by civilians; these are guns that kill. Wake up all you gun nut experts! Wake up!

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Two suggestions for anybody who is disappointed with the extra money in their paychecks. You can either give it back or you can donate it to a worthy cause. You probably did neither.

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While the higher power does not care about your checkbook, he does ask that you provide for others who are less fortunate, and a healthy 401K helps you accomplish that thanks to Mr. Trump.

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Can you imagine Abraham Lincoln being sued by a prostitute? Just imagine!

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It’s no wonder the Democratic Party wants to do everything they can to remove Trump, because his team is finding out that even some top dogs within the FBI are corrupt. How citizens would not know the sewer that Washington has become. 

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To the Republican who was complaining about Barack Obama’s three or four scandals, one being Benghazi, boohoo! This so-called president of yours has three or four scandals in one week. Why don’t you realize that? That’s something for you to complain about right there.

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Once again the Trump White House is showing us nothing but chaos and corruption. Putin scored a big one on us by installing Trump into the presidency and Putin is going to attack our elections again. Trump does less than nothing about it. Our spineless and complicit congress does nothing. Are they also controlled by Putin and Russia or simply complicit in their treason? They all took an oath to protect America and the Constitution and do nothing. Congratulations rubes.

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Trump wants to grab your guns! Who knew he was so grabby?

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Have you noticed, when the Socialist Democrats label something as a compromise, is when the other side, whoever that is, gives in. Like the only way forward is THEIR way.

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Two recent contributors to this column tried to make the argument that the AR 15 is not an assault weapon because it only fires semi automatic. One contributor admonished those who submit comments about these weapons to “Please educate themselves on the subject of firearms as they are at best misinformed…” Another contributor was going to “give us non-gun owners a little lesson,” then flatly stated that the AR15 is not an assault weapon. Well folks, let this “less educated” concerned citizen respond with a short history lesson and some “facts” that these two chose to ignore.  First, the Armalite Rifle (AR)15 was developed in the 1950s as a military grade weapon. It was a scaled down version of an AR10. When Armalite fell on hard times they sold the patents and other rights to Colt in 1959, who then, using those patents, developed the M16 in1963 for use by the military in Viet Nam. While it is true AR does not stand for assault rifle, that in no way means it isn’t one. The fact it fires only in the semi-automatic mode is a distinction with no difference. When you compare an AR15 to an M16 you will find they have the same muzzle velocity (each at approx. 3100 fps), same accuracy range (about 500 yards), fire similar ammunition (5.56 or .223) depending on the barrel fitted to the weapon, and they each have the capacity to fire a large number of rounds in a short period of time. When equipped with a $135.00 bump stock, an AR15 can be fired at nearly the same rate as an M16A2 or an M4 carbine. Another issue many choose to ignore is the fact that these weapons, while the process is illegal, can be modified with an “auto sear” that will make them fully automatic. Second, if these are not assault rifles, then why are they marketed as such? It is not a liberal calling them that; it is the people who market them. My point here is, “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck. gee, maybe it’s a duck.” I served during Viet Nam, and during that time I fired every small weapon in the Army’s arsenal; I know what these weapons can do, and no matter how you slice or dice it, these weapons were designed with only one thought in mind, do as much damage as possible in the shortest amount of time! I am not against the 2nd Amendment, I own a shot gun and several rifles; what I am against is putting in the hands of many untrained people, a weapon whose only purpose is to kill, because the facts prove an AR15 is in assault weapon.

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I must say Sarah Sanders is a very smart presidential aide and an excellent speaker.

She gives information, but never answers the questions that reporters ask. Or she has no knowledge of an issue and will get back with you.

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First they tell us we can’t say “Merry Christmas.” Then they remove statues. Now they want to get rid of “In God We Trust,” which means we would have to change all of our money that has “In God We Trust” on it. These things have been around for many years. The fact that they also don’t want to respect our flag that men and women have defended and died for, so all of us have the freedom to simply do the things we want to do is disrespectful to our Veterans and soldiers. As far as gun control, that won’t solve the shootings. The movie stars are upset, because if they stop making violent movies with guns and knives and whatever they use to kill or injure people or monsters with, they won’t be making all the millions to support their very expensive life-styles. I just saw that these awards shows give grab bags out to the stars worth $100,000.00, and in them is a mace decanter, some kind of device that if someone touches you inappropriately, or drugs your drink an alarm goes off. They have their own bodyguards to protect them, and criticize the President because he is not doing enough to protect our kids. The shootings have been going on for years, and President Trump is the first one who has sat down one on one with the kids and families who have lost a loved one. I wish they would stop putting these awards shows on TV and use the money put into these shows and give it to the schools for proper protection for the kids and the teachers. The movie stars are way overpaid and could be doing more with their money instead of stirring up protests against President Trump. Joy Behar from The View used to be a teacher, and the way she acts and spews things about President Trump and Vice President Pence (about his religion) should be off the air. She said it was a joke, but she only said that after Oprah said God did not send her a sign telling her she should run for President. Plus the video games are too violent. All the people who come to our country for the freedoms we have and enjoy should respect our cultures and stop trying to change us to become like what they have to endure over in their countries. Become citizens, no matter how long it takes, and do it the right way. Thanks for letting me vent. Merry Christmas, God Bless America, In God we Trust!