Readers’ Column for the week of July 22, 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.

I read in last week’s column where there was a complaint about the Maple Grove Cemetery in Candor with rough roads and lawn not being mowed. This too is happening at the Willseyville Cemetery. Can someone tell me why it hasn’t been mowed in like over a month? Yes it has been over a month because I drive past that cemetery every day on my way to and from work. I am happy to be on a committee or be contacted through this column.

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Ringneck Preserve, in Candor, N.Y., is again offering our annual hunter safety program necessary for individuals to receive their hunting license. Now it is a one-day course from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Aug, 4, Saturday only. There are still ten openings. We encourage both male and female young hunters to attend this course. Reservations are required as openings are limited. Call (607) 659-3208 for details.

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The Angel’s over Afghanistan and Iraq are still accepting clean sellable items for the annual fundraising Yard Sale. This year it is one day only, Aug. 11, at the Owego Elks, located at the corner of Front and Church Street. Items may be dropped off at 48 Talcott St. in Owego. Any questions, please call (607) 341-0532. Thanks for your continued support, from Becca, Sarah, and the rest of the Angel’s.  

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Stray Haven is a wonderful animal humane and rescue organization that we are fortunate to have serving our community. Now, with the grant from the Floyd Hooker Foundation, Stray Haven has been able to offer a free Critter Camp to local kids for the last few years. Driving into Stray Haven, the first thing you can’t help but notice are the immense pot holes that could swallow an entire vehicle. Repaving their driveway and parking areas is out of their budget. I know that some paving companies may have some leftover paving materials at the end of the season that has to be used before winter. Even if it were enough to fill in one or two of the potholes it would make a tremendous difference. Please share this request with anyone you know who is associated with a local paving company who may be able to donate some of their remaining supplies and a few hours of labor. It would be most appreciated and would certainly get recognition of thanks on social media.

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Many folks have graciously volunteered to work at the Admission Booth at the Fair. However, many spots remain open, especially in the evening and on Saturday. More volunteers, age 18 and older, are needed. They can sign up by clicking on the volunteer link on the Fair’s website, www.tiogacofair.com, or they can email nora@tiogacofair.com. I will help them select a day and time to work at the gate. 

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Last year before the village taxes were sent to us, the Mayor sent out a newsletter saying that the village received a grant to tear down the Ladder factory and the village would have to borrow the money up front. The village borrowed over $500,000 at 2.5 percent, which means we, the taxpayers, were on the hook for 12,500.00 dollars; that translates to OUR TAXES GOING UP OVER 20 PERCENT. What the Mayor forgot to mention in the letter was that our taxes were going up! Is this being OPEN and HONEST WTH THE TAX PAYERS? Or is a little deception going on? Why is it that the village can spend thousands of dollars on plow a truck, a new John Deere x758 diesel tractor, which lists for well over $12,000 and add a cab, mower, plow, chains, etc., probably close to $16,000 or more. Borrow money to tear down the Ladder factory, but cannot buy a new air conditioner or at the very least a fan for the room that village board has its meetings? If you should come to a meeting (which you should) bring water and be prepared to sweat! 

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Tioga County Democrats: Beware of Republicans in Democratic clothing! They are the ones expressing shame over the functioning of a political party to which they recently converted. Max Della Pia overwhelming beat the front-runner in both Tioga and Tompkins Counties. That Democratic voters in the rest of the NY23CD weren’t drinking the Max Della Pia Kool-Aid isn’t the fault of the Tioga County Democratic leadership. Max Della Pia lost the primary race because 1) he is not a lifelong member of the Democratic Party – changing his party affiliation just last year; 2) he struggled to articulate the Democratic message to voters; 3) he didn’t understand the NY23CD because he hasn’t lived here but for a handful of years; 4) he plagiarized his platform from another Democratic candidate, Jon Ossof of Georgia; and 5) he ran a decidedly Republican-style smear campaign of character assassination, dirty tricks and lies.

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I moved to the Town of Spencer about a year ago thinking it was a nice town to raise a family. My neighbor has collected a bunch of junk cars and has stored garbage in some of them. Several people told me that the town allows people to do this. Also the Town Supervisor said that if anyone wanted to file a complaint that it had to be written. I checked further and learned that there was no law or a person to take care of these problems. I pay my taxes and keep my property nice. This is nonsense! I wonder now what kind of Town Government Spencer has?

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Giving veterans another tax break just means the non-veterans have to pay more to make up for it. And I said another tax break because veterans are already getting a break from other governments. I know because I get some of them. While there are veterans that could use a break there are many others who can get by just fine without an additional one. Send your nasty responses in for next week’s column.

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Always a great question, why the OASBoE has taken a knee in regards to Veterans Exemptions? Why not show veterans respect for the time that they served our country? Why not step up and do the right thing rather than knee in protest?

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This is for someone named Anita. You left a message on my answering machine but you didn’t wait for the beep, therefore I only got part of a word and your last name. So if you have the number, call the 659 number again.

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A&S Redemption by the Quik Fill is open again. It’s nice to have a pleasant option to return our bottles in Owego again.

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Too often I see people call in to complain but I want to the nice lady for her help today. I came out of the store to see I had a flat tire and she ran me home to save my groceries from melting. She then got a hold of someone to help me change my tire and I saw her slip the guy some money because she knows I’m on a fixed income. I just wanted everyone to know that I appreciate you and what you did for me; and she’s always like that. I just wanted to tell her thank you! People really need to call in and say thank you.

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To the person looking for a dog groomer – my two rescue dogs love Terry’s Tender Care, about three miles south of Apalachin on Pennsylvania Avenue. Call 625-2422.

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This is Jim Tornatore, Mayor of the Village of Newark Valley concerning a letter about the Village of Newark Valley garbage pickup and ladder factory demolition. First, the Mayor is not proposing that all homeowners be billed for garbage, it is a suggestion that will be placed into the next newsletter to get insight, never said that in fact it was a proposal. Second, in that there is data in a letter concerning a $50,000 additional payment for foundation work. One, that is incorrect, I don’t know where that came from but second; the ladder factory demolition cost is under budget. So, the best think I can say is please attend the board meetings to get the factual information and it will be in the newsletter also.

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I’d just like to say thanks to all the readers who called in and gave advice on curing hotspots on my dog. I am trying some of them and I want to say thanks again. It’s great to know people out there care for animals.

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I was shocked to learn that the Owego Apalachin and Union Endicott school boards turned their heads from our veterans by denying them a state sanctioned tax cut. What a step backward with our educational system! Military service is fundamental to our freedom and quality of life! We wouldn’t be America without our veterans. School board members, what message are you giving our students? Are you telling us that tokens of respect for our veterans are time warn, a bad investment, passé? As a retired teacher I find your decision irresponsible and embarrassing.

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I’m calling in about the pig farm nearby. The smell is a troubled problem. We can’t sit outside to enjoy the weather. Something’s got to be done about it. We shouldn’t have to put up with it. It’s worse than cow manure. I can’t hang my clothes out with this smell. She wrote a letter to the people who live in Newark Valley; we should understand it’s their business. Well it’s our life and if we can’t enjoy our outside in the summer then they have to do something about the smell. Who wants to stay indoors all summer long? Not me and I don’t think anyone else does either. Someone please help us with this problem!

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A message to all veterans: Maybe it’s time each of you send a letter of thank you for forgetting your time of service to the Owego Apalachin School District. Just a thought. Everybody’s on your side!

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I was just at the A to Z Vacuum Cleaner Repair Store on Main Street in Endwell and they repair sewing machines. They used to be up in Binghamton. He does not repair the digital ones; he repairs the older ones. He now has his business in his vacuum cleaner store and repair. I just thought that would be a handy bit of information.

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Again, I want to compliment the Blue Dolphin in Apalachin on a wonderfully run baby shower. This is for my granddaughter. They do a great job. We order off a menu of what you want and take home the leftovers. We had a private room, you can decorate any way you want, no charge for the room just the food eaten. The waitress was very efficient. This is our second party there and probably one of the most reasonable places in the triple cities to have a party. 

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One Sunday I was driving past the line of trees planted between the railroad tracks and the road on Route 17C or Fifth Avenue in the Village of Owego and it pained me to see the poor job of pruning that was done on those trees. It’s irreversible and I’m sure the taxpayers paid to plant the trees and now to have them very poorly pruned, it made me sad and will cause structural issues with those trees and we paid for it. 

National Political Viewpoints

I can’t remember the last time American was invaded by lunatic immigrants. They are running from corruption seeking asylum. They do work and contributed 64 million dollars to the states last year.  Why do we label and judge if everything is done legally? Only one can judge and he’s a tad higher than Mr. Trump.

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In all my 60 years, I have never seen such disgrace and despicable behavior from a specimen we call president. Does he really believe his repeated lies? How many times can the White House clean up his mess?  One thing I know for sure, the media is guaranteed job security with Mr. Trump as president.

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Ya gotta laugh. The city of Chicago (already broke and with high property taxes) is proposing giving 1,000 families a monthly stipend of $500, basically for existing. At a time when we have more jobs available than people looking to work, how does this make any sense whatever? Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of the U.K said it best, “The trouble with Socialism / Liberalism is that sooner or later, you run out of other people’s money.” 

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Where was the outrage in the 2008 McCain and Obama election when Russia was hacking back then? In 2012, Obama in an open mic told the Russian leader at the time he would have more flexibility after the election to work with Russia. The Russian leader said he would take this message back to Putin, who was just elected. In 2014, Devin Nunes warned of Russia’s attention in meddling and the Dems just laughed and said Russia is our ally. Obama, in 2016, said Trump should just worry about his election because there is no way to rig an election. Obama said that because he thought Hillary was a shoe in as well as the Democratic Party. Obama also said there is no evidence in the past that Russia ever meddled in any election. On Obama’s, Comey, Clapper and Brennan Watch, Russia worked with Iran to stabilize the entire Middle East and killed 100 thousand people in Crimea and Crane, and Obama is the one who sent Cargo planes with 150 billion and other currency to the Mullah’s in Iran who were shouting death to America and Israel and burning our flags. Where was the outrage then when the terrorist group Hezbollah funded their terrorist activities through drug trafficking in the United Stated and Obama looked the other way and did nothing? Someday the media will play fair and report all the news truthfully and not leave bits and pieces out just to make President Trump look bad, day after day. It gets old after awhile. God Bless America and stay strong President Trump.

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What a sad place our community has become. People praising Burger King because they’ll give veterans a couple cents off a sandwich, but spitting vitriol at those who voted to give the school board a few extra dollars to support our kids. People berating our local government because they’d rather save a dollar than see garbage get cleaned up efficiently. People taking time to call in petty spats about where local officials live, even though it’s still within jogging distance. People who feel more allegiance to an ultra wealthy person in Washington who they will never meet, than their neighbor who they see everyday. Love your neighbors first. Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump won’t call the fire department if your house is on fire. Work with your local officials first. The GOP and DNC do not know or care if your garbage is being picked up. This is our community. Like it or not, these are our allies. We must work together to make our towns and villages thrive, or slowly our kids and grandkids will move away because of all of the hatred and pettiness.

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Well Judge Jeanine paid her fine, and if she had to attend driving classes I am sure she did that. She did not verbally go tell people to go out and get in republican’s faces and tell them that they are not wanted here as Maxine Waters did. Maxine Waters is the dangerous one telling people to push back on anyone who supports Trump and get in his or her face. The Democrats are sore losers and if we the Republicans said half of the stuff the Dems are saying against Obama and his family, we would have been put in jail. President Trump was voted in fairly and the Russian collusion witch-hunt is just that, and facts are coming out that the Dems are the ones who are guilty. Not all Dems are bad, but the ones who have invented this collusion story line just because they don’t like Trump have proven they will try and do anything to run him out of office, even if there is no proof that he did anything wrong. They will keep digging and make of stories just to make Trump and his family look bad. Also, the immigrants who all want to come here must do it the way all of our families did it and go through the proper channels, no matter how long it takes. It’s worth the time to be able to say proudly that I am a legal citizen of the United States of America and I did it the right way.  

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When did the double-digit inflation happen under Obama? I must have slept through it. Please reply next week.

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The socialism comment was obviously made by someone that obviously does not understand what socialism is. Your roads and their care are socialism. Your public schools are socialism, as are the police and fire departments. Your insurance is a form of socialism. If you want to give up socialism you’ll also have to give up social security and Medicare, and municipal water and sewer systems. Most of the first world has socialized medical care. None are trying to eliminate it because it works. But hey, believe what you wish. Just remember that it may not be a fact-based belief.

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The difference between Democrats and Republicans is quite apparent. Democrats are intelligent and republicans are idiots. Get it? I doubt it.

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“We know that clean energy resources, in all their varied glory, can do all the things natural gas power plants can do. We know that the cost of natural gas power is tethered to the price of natural gas and has little room to fall, while the cost of clean energy is tethered only to technology, which has gotten and is continuing to get cheaper and cheaper. And we know that clean energy has defied all our forecasts, maturing and falling in cost faster than even the most optimistic advocates predicted. We should have some confidence that will continue. My bet, “The bridge is shorter than anyone now predicts. Clean Energy is Catching up to Natural Gas.” [The natural gas “bridge” to sustainability may be shorter than expected] by David Roberts. Vox.com.

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There are two types of Trump supporters, billionaires and idiots. Check your bank account to see which one you are.

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Today is a bright, sunny day, we hope. How many of you mothers out there and woman who have babies forever have used Johnson and Johnson baby talcum powder? This is another sin going across the gosh darn country just like all the stupid women did that actually had a few drinks and asked for what they got, even the young ones stood there and toyed with those men. This world is getting disgusting and someone has got to put a stop to it! It sure as hell is not going to be Trump, because he is right in there with it. 

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We still keep hearing complaints about Obama and Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump is Commander in Chief. How about we make him responsible for what’s going on today. He’s taken on this job, so this is his responsibility. 

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To the person who keeps calling in about Harley Davidson moving out of the country every week. You don’t know what you are talking about. For at least the last 20 years, 90 percent of the parts on the Harley Davidson have been made overseas anyway. The company has been in trouble for a long time. It has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with Donald Trump. Stop blaming Trump for everything in the world! He’s a good president and I love the guy.

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Hey you never Trumpers! All of you! Keep watching Donald Trump and all of his accomplishments. You will learn how a real president should operate. You should also email the Obama’s, Clinton’s, McCain’s, Bush’s and more wanna be presidents and tell them how they learn from Trump and his smart non-political, non-lawyer sense ways. Go Trump! You are showing them all. No one is making it easy for you – you are a true leader!

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I’m glad that Hillary didn’t get to be president. Personally I think it would be worse than Obama. She would have been flying over the White House on her broomstick cackling. 

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I am so sick of this unpredictable president, aren’t you? Is this the norm? Everyone should protest. Enough is enough already, stop foolishness and kick Trump out of office already! But then you would get lying Pence, and that would be bad too. This is no way to run a presidency when the president isn’t smart? Where are the Republicans? I didn’t think they would continue to allow this stupidity. What are they afraid of? Republicans are supposed to be smart!

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I don’t care what anybody says, Putin owns Donald Trump. 

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Finally, the two world’s superpowers were in front of the camera. The truth came out and the fake spinning news media just had their jaws on the floor. Love it! Go Donald Trump!

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I see where Trump had his meeting with Putin. Putin’s got his puppet all tuned up for the next thing he wants to do. He might have him go into China!

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The damage that Donald Trump is doing to this country is just devastating. It will take several presidencies other than his own to turn it around and if you haven’t already felt it in your pocketbooks, you will, believe me and I suspect many of you already have.

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I’m having a hard time understanding what is meant by this Russian in our election. Would one of you readers or perhaps more please explain to me what this meddling means. Did they rig computers to stuff the ballot box or what? Nobody ever explains that. What do they mean by meddling in our elections? I want to say thank you ahead of time for explaining this to me.

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It’s disgusting how Trump embraces and praises Russia and Putin. Not making American great again.

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Is anyone still curious about Trump’s taxes? I wonder how many rubles he has left.

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Taking the side of Putin over your own FBI is a sign of a colluder or a man with a very low IQ. 

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It’s not true that the popular news, Fox News, is a part of any Russian conspiracy to steal our elections. It’s just not true that Fox News would betray America.

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I wonder how many Trump worshipers had jobs that were subject to Social Security and Medicare tax deductions while their idle was writing off his faux bankruptcies and paying zero tax on millions of income. Say that during the 18 years you have reached $30,000 per year or $540,000 total. Even with no income tax you paid about $40,000 in payroll taxes. Your darling Donald ended up worth $10 billion. How much did you save? What did he say? I may show you my income tax returns after I leave office. Yeah, pigs may fly someday too!

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Donald Trump did exactly what he needed to do in Helsinki. The deep state wanted Trump to concede that the Russians had swayed the U.S. vote from Hillary to himself, thereby indicating an illegal or illegitimate election and giving the swamp snakes grounds for impeachment. Trump is too smart for the traitors in the intelligence community like Strzok, Comey, Brennan and many others, also those in his own party who are never Trumpers. Go Trump!