Readers’ Column for the week of May 31, 2020

You may call the Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to readerscolumn@stny.rr.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message. Due to limited space, we have removed comments that exceeded the amount of space allowable to print them. Thus, a reminder to keep your comment brief, that way we can print more!

 

I was highly impressed by the wisdom exhibited by Hannah Peake last week and her thoughts about finishing off senior year in high school abruptly and atypical. It was refreshing to see a young teen understand how important it is to live in the moment and really appreciate little things more, not take anything for granted, because life can change in an instant. Life changed for everyone with COVID-19, and it can (and will) be thrown off guard again, for better or worse. Health and family are the most important things, everything else is secondary and you can change the rest if you have desire. The 2020 “pause” gave us time to reflect, and as Hannah did, appreciate small things. We will all have personal stories of this unanticipated historical event. Your maturity at your age is very impressive! It’s great when people see the glass “half full!”

~

More important than Sasquatch or where to get a chili dog, the Candor School District has mailed a limited number of ballots to voters in the school district, supposedly to anyone that has voted in the last three years. Rather than, as should be, all voters having the right to vote in the school district balloting, the school district has selectively determined who will be voting in the district this year. Whether one has or has not voted in three years, it is their rite and imperative that they have the opportunity to vote. If you pay school taxes you should be especially concerned about this vote. Call 659-3178 immediately to get a ballot sent to you. Ballots are due June 9.

~

The Flags on the Owego Bridge are displayed wrong. The Flags should face in, so the Union is to the high left. USMC

~

I need help getting rid of a skunk. It’s actually living under the house next door but it comes over to me and I literally almost ran into it tonight. Ammonia, mothballs, black pepper, garlic doesn’t work. Help, anything other than trapping it? I can’t trap it because it’s not on my property. 

~

The Town of Richford cannot afford a new fire station at this time. Richford is probably the poorest town in Tioga County. The property taxes are already very high and would be quite a bit more with a new station.

~

I want to thank the Newark Valley Catholic Church for the free dinner they gave out this week. It was a delicious dinner and I was very impressed how smoothly the whole thing ran. I was in and out of there in less than four minutes. Thank you very much!

~

I just have to say I’m so disgusted and so depressed with the situation today with politics and even in small communities. A coward is a coward and if you don’t have what it takes to stand up to what’s wrong, then you have been a coward. 

~

Is there any place in the triple cities that sells live bait, especially minnows, more towards Johnson City / Binghamton area? If anybody knows of a good bait shop in that area, please respond.

~

To the person who wrote in about the inmates in the Tioga County jail not having visitation and they are suffering. Maybe if they hadn’t committed crimes, they would be home with their families. Why are the criminals getting much more slack than the law-abiding citizens? It’s ridiculous! 

~

I’m noticing that a lot of the comments I’m making lately aren’t making it to this column. I realize my view may not align with your view, but I’d just like to say and still congratulate the New York State DOT on Route 96B, Owego to Candor, for doing an excellent job with social distancing, keeping their 6-foot apart from any potholes on that road. Heaven forbid, if you take your eyes off the road for one minute you’re going to hit something hard.

~

This is to all Richford taxpayers. Pretty soon the new fire station vote will occur again. Hopefully they will advertise the vote a lot better than they did before. Also, give us more than three hours to vote on it. The $2.1 million is a lot of money for Richford taxpayers. General Steel and other metal building manufacturers have deals on these buildings; $100,000 for example for a 40 by 60 and they could hire the Amish to put it together. You could probably finish it for another $500,000 and save at least one and a half million dollars. We don’t need the high price jammed down our throats!

~

This is my third attempt at getting my question answered in this column. Do we in Owego have a noise ordinance and if we do, does it apply to roosters that begin crowing at 3 in the morning and continue on endlessly until daybreak? I’d appreciate an answer. 

~

On this Memorial Day after we have lost so many with the pandemic, I would just personally like to say thank you to all the first responders and to all the law enforcement agencies and people that have taken oaths to protect and save us, and protect our safety. You’ve certainly stuck to your oath by staying on the job and I just so appreciate it on this different, different Memorial Day. Thank you, first responders.

~

Jim Raftis Sr. is a true American Veteran. It’s too bad that some of the town officials don’t care about our veterans. A lot of the officials in Owego don’t know what Memorial Day is all about. It’s very sad they don’t understand or care.

~

When are they going to repave Route 434 between the Tioga County line and Apalachin? There are so many potholes it’s ridiculous. 

~

To the person so concerned about the comfort of the inmates in the Tioga County jail and surrounding correctional facilities, I ask, why are they there? If they had behaved themselves in the first place they wouldn’t have to be there. Get my point?

~

Does anybody know where you can find hand wipes and hand soaps for soap refills and so forth? I’m so tired of going into these big box stores and nobody has anything. The shelves are almost bare; it doesn’t matter if it’s canned goods or what it is. I’m an old lady and I have never seen shopping as it is. It’s awful!

~

I just moved up here from the south and have a hankering for some great fried fish. I’m wondering where you can find the best, fried fish in the area.

~

It’s so nice to see that everyone is now seeing Cuomo for what he really is. I’ve said it all along, that he’s no leader, he’s in over his head and he proves me right every time he opens his mouth. Isn’t ironic that New York State had 14 times more COVID-19 fatalities than the nursing homes in Florida. Go figure. And here we’ve got Cuomo opening his mouth and blaming everybody but himself. Why doesn’t this man get it? Oh, that’s right, he’s a democrat.

~

I just want to say that first, I am grateful to receive The Owego Pennysaver each week. It’s quite informative and seeing we don’t get our paper that often, it’s a good fill-in between the papers. I was just wondering if anybody out there has switched from Direct TV to Dish, and if you enjoyed it and if it was any better, if it ended up being cheaper. Anything like that, I would be interested in knowing.

~

I’d like to inform people what quarantine means. If a person infects you, you should stay 14 days in your home, not taking walks, not going to grocery stores, staying put. After the 14 days are up, everything should be fine.

~

If COVID-19 was designed to wipe out the whole world there would be no one left to do any of the taking over now would there? THINK!

~

Cuomo hasn’t closed New York until June 15 so that’s another reader that needs to do more research.

~

New York City pays more into the state than it gets back. Upstate gets back more than it pays in. Upstate is subsidized by the city. Translation: We benefit significantly from their presence.

~

In my own war against COVID-19, I see three outcomes. First, if I am lucky, I will be infected and recover without compromise. The second and third are two holes, one financial and one six-feet deep. Even though it would be hard, I can dig my way out of a financial hole. The other hole is permanent. I choose financial. Think about it – which do you choose?

~

The website, coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home states, “Coronavirus is still spreading in New York. New Yorkers are required to wear a mask and maintain 6-feet distance in public.” It is so insulting to all the people that have worked so hard to help everyone get through this event that has devastated so many lives, families and our entire community. The COVID-19 virus is a National / New York / Global Health Crisis! This behavior is endangering everything in our lives, community and world. This is not just a BIG CITY issue – just look at the local positive cases and death total for our area. It’s obvious that keeping ourselves separated for the past few months has decreased the number of cases and deaths. We need to keep up safe behavior for a while longer until a treatment or vaccine is developed.

~

I see where, in all fairness, some car insurance companies are issuing refunds / credits, as folks are not on the roads, thus chances of accidents are greatly reduced. Where is the same for health insurance companies? Aren’t they continuing to receive payments while not having to pay out for many things these past few months, including “optional” procedures, such as life-saving cancer screenings?

~

My grandparents came to this country to escape oppressive regimes, raids on their villages by military forces attempting hostile takeovers, abject poverty. They spent weeks packed in the hold of a ship crossing a vast ocean with not much more than the clothes on their backs. Upon arrival they endured quarantine, inoculations, and body cavity searches at a time when folks had some modesty. They went to work in coal mines, factories; worked as farm hands mucking out barns, as housemaids.

They suffered, sacrificed, endured much, including insults, slurs, blatant discrimination, nasty jokes. They endured this willingly, eyes wide open, because they wanted a better life for themselves and future generations; they wanted to be Americans, which meant honoring and following the laws of America. So no, I will NOT get over the fact the country is being overrun with illegals who are disgraceful and dishonorable, spitting in the face of every law abiding citizen.

~

The problem with the Town of Spencer is that the Board does not follow the rules and regulations set down by the State of New York. Previous assessors advised the Town that they had problems. The Town had a revaluation and this is the result. The Board sadly needs training or to be replaced. The Board does not support employees that know how to do things right. 

~

I had a typo in last week’s Pennysaver comment, talking about maintaining separations when out in public. The required separation is six feet (not two as I posted), which came from the original request of two meters, which is approximately six feet. Again it should be emphasized that not covering your nose while wearing a face mask makes it totally useless: it does not protect you from someone else’s cough or sneeze or someone else from your droplet spray, either from a cough or sneeze or even speaking loudly. So please keep that in mind when you are out in public; make sure your nose is covered, no matter how inconvenient that may seem.

 

National Political Viewpoints

Once more the fake news experts will be proved wrong on the time to produce a Wuhan virus vaccine. They say it will take 12 to 18 months. President Trump says hopefully by the end of 2020. Guess who will be right. Go Trump!

~

Another one of Trump’s friends, John Radcliff, this week narrowly confirmed as Director of National Intelligence. He also lacks many qualifications. This seems to be the norm with Trump. His other unqualified friends are now getting out of jail and he’ll probably put them back in the White House. What a circus this is!

~

If for some ungodly reason Trump should win reelection, I may have to commit myself to an insane asylum. 

~

House Bill 6666, please look it up and read carefully in particular the line stating “at individual’s residence and for other purposes.” This is a democratic house of representative sponsored bill that originally had one republican on it but they withdrew their support. Call your representative to ask them to vote no on this bill. People, please be smart, do your own research. Look up info on COVID-19 vaccines. Patriot Nurse is a very good source of information on YouTube. 

~

I notice that the calls that praise Donald Trump as the smartest, best, greatest president have dropped off and even ceased. What could have done this? Could it be his calling the pandemic a hoax, or the pandemic was contained, or that everyone could get a beautiful test? Are these the factors that have discouraged the calls? Or is it his saying the COVID-19 victims should ingest disinfectant? 

~

I’ve never seen anything like what’s going on. Trump just loves hate and divide. Governor Cuomo would do a spectacular job as president. He’s smart and has intelligent news briefings and has empathy and love of family, and that’s just what America needs right now!

~

China will pay for the destruction they did after Mexico pays for Trump’s wall. Remember that famous wall? Remember that lie he kept telling us? What a waste of millions of dollars, a bunch of hogwash. We all believed him. 

~

Newsflash! The Marxist democrats have finally found a presidential candidate who matches their intellect and energy, namely Biden, who surfaces from his basement hideout about once a week with a monumental gaff. Sleepy Joe is the best the democrats have but can he really measure up? Everyone knows he cannot. Go Trump!

~

Trump and McConnell are pushing for any new COVID legislation to include liability protection for companies against lawsuits from employees who feel that their place of business did not do enough to protect them from being infected by the coronavirus. How much are you willing to bet that as they push this provision they will expand it to include all other health and safety protocols that currently are in place. Beware people; the politicians are in support of those who contribute – not the working class.

~

President Trump’s push to completely and totally open up America (economically), I can come to only one conclusion; in his and the Republican Party’s opinion – WE ARE EXPENDABLE.

~

Wow! America under Trump has reached a milestone today! 100,000 people dead from a disease that our dear leader has all but ignored, except to spread false claims and bold-faced lies. I can’t wait until Jan. 20 to see him being led from the White House. Now for those that follow his playbook, how did you like your socialist stimulus checks? Funny, how ignorance begets ignorance. Oh those socialist Democrats this and that does show that some people just do not get it. The Democrats have been working on more stimulus checks but the Republicans do not want to hear of it. So thank those Democrats when you get another check. Hypocrites.

~

The Democrat hypocrisy continues: the Michigan governor doesn’t allow socializing but her husband drops her name to get his boat in the water so the family can travel; the Virginia governor says everyone must wear a mask but he does photo ops without one; the fake media calls people out for not wearing masks but half the crew isn’t wearing them. We need to stop being lemmings and stand up. How many people died from COVID? No one knows because the numbers are being manipulated for the benefit of politicians. Congress is still being paid, but store owners and the workforce are not.