Readers’ Column for the week of August 1, 2021

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.

 

Many thanks to Jeff and his Owego DPW crew for a tremendous job on the road at Route 434 and Halstead Avenue – first class. Thanks again!

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Can anyone please provide a name and phone number for a reputable person who sells and installs house windows in the Owego area? Thank you.

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For a very long time our OACSD Board of Education has refused to post, or post in a timely manner, notice of BOE meetings as required by NYS Open Meetings Law. At least a week prior to Aug. 2 and Aug. 23 the BOE meetings were properly posted on the District’s Calendar. This meets and exceeds some of the spirit of the law. Check out these meetings, sometimes the teachers and staff really shine. It is the NYS Comptroller who has, by regulations, defined what a multi-year financial plan is and provides assistance for financial planning. This is very important since the BOE must responsibly negotiate a contract with the teachers union this year. Ever-onward OACSD!

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To the couple that cleaned up around the old Western Auto building in the Village of Newark Valley, it looks great! Wish the owners of the building showed half the interest that you both did! Thank you!

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For those of you enamored with wind farms: in the Oklahoma panhandle, nine towers less than 10 years old are in need of serious repairs or total removal, as they are a serious safety concern due to their dilapidated condition already. Issues in this process include securing the area; accessing the damaged blades / nacelle hubs; finding a way to dispose of these components that follows EPA guidelines; finding technicians that are capable and available; dealing with site debris, associated buildings, electrical cables / components and foundations for the towers that need to be completely removed. For the replacement blades / components, most must be made from scratch – a build that uses vast amounts of energy and material before they are even delivered to the site. So these are not all rainbows and puppy dogs.

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Thank you for adjusting the timer on the West Avenue to Mountain Road intersection. You deserve a raise!

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A massive thank you to the family from Maple Avenue in Newark Valley for their time in cleaning up the property on the corner of Whig Street and Maple Avenue in Newark Valley, where the redemption place used to be. Even though it’s not your obligation or property, it shouldn’t go unrecognized. Someday soon, hopefully, these people who own these properties will step up and take care of them.

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For the most part it’s been a cool and very wet spring and summer. Where is the sweltering heat and drought? It’s time the Global Warming loons start keeping their promises. Thirty years of climate scare, and palm trees still aren’t growing on Front Street. It’s California Hot Tub End of the World Psychobabble.

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Is carping about increasing OACSD property taxes and teacher salaries of benefit or a ranting of a curmudgeon? Is it important? “It’s for the children.” In 2015 the permissible property tax increase was .015, 15/1000 of 1%, or $2,460. It was essential the BOE had every penny.  No BOE member weighed this against the shameful 83% graduation rate. The blind eye to teacher’s union costs remains. A 1% increase in property taxes yields OACSD $164,000 in revenue. Relative to this year’s budget, that equals 3/10th of 1% ($164,000 / $49,835,000). Anywhere, except our BOE, this would be a rounding error. Whether it be factors in the property tax report card, NYS teacher’s retirement system bite, the 2021 Budget Presentation, etc., all are presented at 2 decimal places. Only the teacher’s union contracts are immune to any analytical rigor. It is horse trading without consideration of consequences for the children. Commitments are made that will last decades and never is the impact, beyond the end of the nose, considered. This is by intent and historically indisputable. When a 3- or 4-year union contract will cost taxpayers between $100,000,000 or $150,000,000 it is absolutely negligent not to analyze such lasting commitments with the same rigor as when the BOE wants more money. Unless stopped, the BOE shall continue their breach of financial fiduciary duty. If not prohibited, Superintendent Green and staff could bring union costs inline. Mr. Green and staff have been cost cutters, but that 1,500 lb. Gorilla, the teacher’s union contract, is under BOE protection.

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Something I never could understand is why they have a dog control officer, but they don’t have someone who controls the cat population. Ticks me right off to be working on my well-maintained landscape beds and find that my personal landscape has become a litter box for neighboring cats. If you own a cat, keep it inside or on a leash. Cats and cat people shouldn’t be held to different standards! If you don’t want the cat then you should take it somewhere, not just let it wander to be a nuisance to neighbors. Also, my dogs might not bark as much if these cats didn’t wander into my lawn. 

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If you refuse the vaccine because of your belief that’s one thing, but please be aware of others you are putting in jeopardy – grandparents, parents, your children, the elderly, the support workers that are out there daily. Don’t let political views stand in your way, please don’t be selfish, please get your vaccine before it’s too late. Let’s protect each other.

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If you refuse to get the vaccine and you become ill, you have no right to call emergency services, your doctor, or the hospital. It’s completely avoidable and you have no right to burden these people with your inaction. Part about being American is that we all work together, and we shouldn’t take care of those who refuse to take care of themselves.

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A friend just sent me an article from the Audubon Society related to the bird Audubon agency; they are requesting everybody in New York and Pennsylvania remove their bird feeders and birdbaths. There’s a dangerous fatal eye infection going through the birds, and they are trying to prevent it from spreading to all the other birds. So please, if you have bird feeders and birdbaths, please take them down. They can get water from other sources such as rivers, creeks and such, and food from the woods. 

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Just remember everybody – united we stand, divided we fall, and right now we are divided and we need to do something about this.

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It’s time we thank our law enforcement and all others out there keeping us protected and safe. What an excellent job was accomplished over a two-year period to finally apprehend these drug dealers of meth, cocaine, heroin, money laundering, and firearms on June 17 in Tioga County. We need our law enforcement and they need our support, 100%. To all of our officers, keep up the good work and stay safe. God bless you and be with you each day.

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I was going to respond to the people that were complaining about people that aren’t getting the vaccine. No need to do that because a person responded to all of them with nine different reasons. Good for him or her. Very well said. 

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Could someone tell me how to find out how many administrators work in the Owego district office? They don’t list it anywhere on their website. Thank you.

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It’s common knowledge that the Owego Apalachin teachers are the most highly compensated in the region. That being the case, why are they hiring teachers who are not yet certified to teach in New York State? 

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What kind of a racket is this Emergency Rental Assistance program sponsored by New York State? I want to know what kind of assistance there is for people in a two-person household with income under $46,300 that have to pay a mortgage, have to pay property taxes, have to pay school taxes, and have to pay for repairs on their home? Do you want to know what the answer is? There’s no assistance for us. We’re the suckers in this state. 

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Thank you to last week’s caller who wrote in about the reasons for not getting the vaccine. It beautifully articulated the reasons why I am happy to be unvaccinated. I am not going to allow poison to be put into my system just because the government and Fauci tell me to. I have more brains than that; and I do feel sorry for the people that got vaccinated because they have no idea what went into that vaccine, and they threw it together in record time. 

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I have a Bissell rug shampooer that I will give someone for free. Call 687-1512.

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What a nice bonus to have finding BigFoot perform at the Newark Valley Depot on Friday night to open before the main performance. They sounded great! And of course, so did the Irish Stoutmen, as always.

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For the person that took my cell phone, please return it to me. It’s got a lot of sentimental pictures and stuff on it. I’d appreciate it if you would give it back.

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To last week’s caller about the barking dogs – they are a nuisance and they disturb the peace.

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I refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and rely on Exodus Chapter 15, verse 26.

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There may be a lot of jobs out there available, but the problem is they don’t pay the bills and they are part time and the wages are low.

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I am one of the sheep you badmouthed for wearing a mask. Please try to be kind and not judge others when you have no idea why they wear a mask. I never stopped wearing a mask because I am on chemo and will be for many months. Kindness and compassion go a long way in this world. Judging someone and putting them down when you have no idea what their life is like. It’s just not necessary. Please try to be more kind in the future.

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The most poorly used word in the American language is free. Look around you, what the government is advertising is not free.

 

National Political Viewpoints

Let’s stop ranting about the past and concentrate on our current President, who has been in office for only seven months and appears to be doing an exceptionally poor job. Already there is runaway inflation; folks from all over the planet flowing across our southern border unchecked, some bringing disease, guns, drugs and bad intent towards our country. The mayors of his party are at a loss as far as stemming out of control crime, including the murder of children; theft, which affects us all; vandalism, ditto; in addition to being unable to convince many of their voters to receive the COVID vaccination, despite their out and out bribery. Fires rage out of control on the west coast with the smoke drifting into our area because special interest groups have convinced him and his party that methods used in the past to control this situation are not “green” and / or funds have been eliminated for this important task, ironically causing more destruction of natural resources and costing far more in trying to contain the blaze and in loss of property. His approval rating is dropping and rightfully so. Stop whining about the past and start holding our President and his backers to a higher standard instead of continuing the present backstabbing – it’s time.

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First of all, it is not “studies” that are reporting Republicans are less likely to get COVID-19 vaccinations, it is the polls; they are two different things. Liberal media or their puppets primarily conduct polls that are being reported on the liberal news channels. Surprise! You don’t think there may be some tweaking going on to make a story? Additionally, due to trouble with the initial rollout of the vaccine during the Trump presidency, such as obtaining materials and the temperature requirements, among other issues, many people did not have the vaccine available to them for many months. These folks are understandably confused and wary due to conflicting “science” and politicizing on both sides. 

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Boy, was I surprised today! I saw on Fox News the commentators and the Republican Party’s Mitch McConnell telling everyone to get their shots. Enough people have died; everybody should get their shots. Well, I guess that makes it easy for anybody that is only following his or her party lines. There you go, follow the lines. They’ve already got their shots. They had their shots months and months ago because they didn’t want this horrible disease.

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I just watched part of the Biden so-called forum last night. What a joke! I can’t believe that man is our president. He could not even complete a sentence and he wandered off and had no idea what he was talking about. How can you democrats defend him? Wow, what a joke.

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I’m glad Nancy Pelosi got rid of those two clowns that wanted to investigate Jan. 6. They would have made a circus out of it. You know, I know you are not going to print this, it would not surprise me at all if Jim Jordan himself was part of the attempt to overthrow our government. He sure acts like he wants to hide something amongst other GOP senators. Why all you idiots follow Trump I’ll never understand. 

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So, Biden dropped the charges against five Chinese spies. Are you serious? What, did they buy some of Hunter’s artwork, Joe? How ignorant are you democrats not to see what is going on here! This is such a pathetic joke! We’ve got to impeach this man.

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Oh, you call me jackass. You hurt my feelings so badly. I’m not a wimp like all you guys, so I don’t care what you think of me; but I’ll tell you what, you are ignorant. You still believe Fauci and Biden. Give me a break. 

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It just surprises me when I read the political part of The Owego Pennysaver, and how many people in our community still think that Biden’s doing a good job. Look at how many people he’s letting into the southern border without being vaccinated, going into our cities. Look at the people in Cuba. They are just looking for a place to go, but he doesn’t like them. By the way, how about the gas prices? So, all you people who love Biden, it just makes me cringe.

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Can anyone tell me what all the hype is regarding unvaccinated true American citizens, with everyone still having to wear a mask, and the so-called new Delta Variant? All this while Biden and Harris lead the wide-open southern border and continue to allow everyone from all parts of the world in, and then allow them to locate anywhere they want. Biden will even give them airplane tickets to their destination, if they so choose. So again, my question to everyone is, why all the concern about COVID? Answers please.

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Newsflash. Biden says to get your baby books today. Have more kids with as many fathers as you like. Vote democrat and you can sit home, watch TV, play games on your computer, drink beer or dumb out on marijuana and you will not have to work. President Reagan said the closest thing to eternal life is a government program. The Marxist welfare state is here today. The democrats will import illegal aliens to work low paying jobs and the working taxpayers will have to fund everything. 

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If all of the Trump hating supporters of the Biden administration think he’s doing a good job, I don’t think you are quite right. 

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So very happy that masks are coming back; I now feel safer. Hopefully there will be less death. Fox News does not like to hear this when interviewing health officials. You can tell that when they are told it will be best for everyone. They want to buck the truth and think that they are doctors at Fox.

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Biden makes no sense to me. He’s on TV every night fighting COVID with a vengeance, while immigrants are bringing in COVID in large numbers and being sent all over the country on planes and buses. I can’t figure that out.

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To all you liberals out there wearing a double mask and criticizing people that didn’t get vaccinated or wear a mask; what’s the problem? You’ve got a vaccine, you’re wearing a mask, and you are safe. Why do you care what other people do? This is a free country. I’m not listening to your friend, phony Fauci. I’ll tell you what, there’s no evidence that wearing a mask does anything to protect people from COVID. There’s no evidence. 

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Why do the majority of the intelligent American people see all the problems of the Biden / Harris administration except for Biden and Harris themselves? It’s no wonder that their poll numbers are now underwater. People are realizing the mess he’s created in this country and we’ve got to take the White House back in 2024 with a republican. 

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Biden says everyone should get a mask and be vaccinated. However, 150,000 illegal aliens per month are not being tested or vaccinated and are being welcomed and housed in hotels by catholic charities. Morons are in charge in the U.S. today and a civil war is on the horizon. 

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I just heard Biden say he ran for president to restore the soul of this country. Now, that’s hilarious! He’s done anything but that. He has divided us even more than Obama.