Readers’ Column for the week of December 11, 2022

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. 

 

Can anyone recommend a good place to go for a Sunday Breakfast Buffet or for Sunday brunch in Owego or the surrounding areas? Thanks, I appreciate it.

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It is no wonder that so many of us are not techno savvy when the so-called experts we call for help give us totally wrong information.

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A big thanks to the youth of the Baptist Church in Newark Valley for putting on a community dinner for free for the entire community. They did a wonderful job. The food was excellent and it was just so nice seeing all these young teenagers helping the community, preparing the food, serving the food. They did a wonderful job. I hope they do it again sometime. 

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Now that the U.S. soccer team has been eliminated, why do they continue to air the World Cup? Nobody cared before. I can’t imagine anybody caring now. Oh well, just change the channel. No big deal.

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I disagree with the caller who said they liked having the trees cut down on the courthouse lawn. The trees were beautiful in the spring, with lovely pink and white blossoms, and they framed the courthouse. They also have been decorated with lights for the holidays.  

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What is happening with the sign in front of the American Legion on Front Street? Let the Legion turn on the sign for a month and see if anyone complains. That’s fair.

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Is there anyone that darns socks in the area? If there is, please call (607) 625-3564. Thank you.

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To the person that called in last week looking for information about running for the Owego village board of trustees job, you should contact the village clerk treasurer who also controls the voting for the village. I applaud people who want to get out and compete and allow things like projects in the village for senior citizen housing and all that, which was turned down by the present party. One party system doesn’t work. One party system has not worked. 

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I think the greatest thing that could happen in the village of Owego is to have a two party system along with primaries. That would stop some of this senior citizen project prevention and things like that, but it would be a fair way and an equal way for things to happen. A two party system in the Village of Owego rather than one party, which is how it’s been for years and years and years, controls everything. 

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I just read that the Tioga County Land Bank bought another property, this time off Spencer Avenue. It seems like the Land Bank and the DRI will own most of the property in the village before long; I wonder who will be left in the village to pay taxes.

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Climate change comes into focus when alternate energy sources are considered. The energy sources relate to production, utilization and substitution. Solar panels are a possibility. They require space. A typical home floor tile is 1 square foot, an acre is 43,560 square feet, a complete football field is 1.32 acres, a square mile is 640 acres, Cayuga Lake 42,956 acres or 67 square miles. Depending on the individual size, an acre of panels may number 2,000 and a square mile would be about 1,280,000 panels. A substitute for? If the Earth actually receives energy from the Sun every hour equal to societal utilization for a year, what can be affected? What will 49 Billion dollars buy – 49,000 millionaires? Think about it. What happens to the other 8,739 years of energy? How will this be affected? 

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The “Lights On The River” Holiday Program was a wonderful community family affair. This celebration, held on Friday, Dec. 2, was full of magic. The hundreds of people who came from far and wide shared happy and loving greetings. At 6 p.m. Santa magically turned the Lights on the Bridge and the big beautiful Christmas tree in the Courthouse Square. Food and craft vendors, entertainers, dancers, musicians and choral and instrumental groups came, sang and played throughout the evening in the Village of Owego. Shops were beautifully decorated and were constantly packed with enthusiastic shoppers. Live reindeer even ‘flew’ in and a Parade of over 30 festive and colorfully decorated SUVs brought great applause! The Grinch, Cindy-Lou Who and residents from the Whoville holiday classic ‘The Grinch Stole Christmas’, and Santa and his elf happily appeared to meet and greet children and parents, who in long lines enjoyed socializing while they waited to get their photos taken. And the finale of brilliant fireworks brought rousing cheers from the happy crowd. 

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Thanks to those who have already donated non-perishable food items at the Coburn Library that will be delivered to TCRM. There is still time for others to join in and bring non-perishable food items to Coburn Library. You simply leave the items in a box near the decorated Christmas tree, and then help yourself to one of the books on or near the tree. This food collection will continue until Friday, Dec. 16.

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Great news to share with one and all! There are trees on the porch of the Owego Methodist Church Office. On these trees are handmade hats and scarves. There are also socks! These items are for anyone who needs them.

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Regarding the issue of the Owego Indian Mascot; let me say it has turned into quite a discussion amongst our residents. The vast majority of people I was with during several local events do not support changing our Mascot, and view it as a tribute and not an insult in any way to our Native Americans, who have deep history in our area. The first Issue with this is the State holding us hostage with tax money (that we paid) if we don’t comply with their demand. This is a dangerous precedent! What is to stop them from doing this with any issue in the future? Secondly, before this decision is made, the School Board owes us an explanation of what this will cost. (Things such as new uniforms, replacing banners, letterheads, etc.) And, finally, will we all be required to bring all our yearbooks and Owego Indian memorabilia for a huge bonfire to cleanse ourselves and burn our history? I have and will continue to Honor the Owego Indian, as it so deserves.

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Was it really necessary a couple weeks ago when we received two inches of snow in Newark Valley for both plow trucks to go up and down the streets, and then come around again to spread salt? It happened on the weekend, which means comp time was being used. (Overkill.) With the proposed 7.9 tax increase, things like this should be taken into consideration. I understand about the liabilities and keeping the streets safe, but we are paying two men and the cost of two trucks when in my opinion and others, one would have done the job.       

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“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.” — Bill Nye

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I want to echo the caller last week who encouraged the Village of Newark Valley residents to attend the Dec. 13 general meeting at 6:30 p.m. and the budget hearing on Jan. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Decisions made by the Mayor and Trustees have resulted in the need to again raise taxes, dramatically. For example, excluded from the Village Newsletter was the fact that $166,624.80 of local money was spent to put new windows in the municipal building; a building in which no one lives. Wouldn’t plastic over the windows have been sufficient? The Trustees are again proposing that the Village office be open full time with three clerks. The Village of Newark Valley has a population of 931 residents. Note that the Town of Union with 60,000 residents has four clerks. In 2016 the NYS Comptroller noted the need for the Village to “Develop and adopt a formal, comprehensive multiyear capital plan to establish the goals and objectives for funding long-term operating and capital needs.” Well now we are told that the Municipal building furnace is shot ($30,000) and the Village garbage truck is on its last leg. There are no plans to pay for replacements. No one is listening. Come and make your voice heard. 

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Thank you Jeff Gural for your great generosity to the community. You are truly a mensch. 

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I guess the Native Americans are entitled to complain if they feel that the names of some sports teams offend them. I doubt that it was the intent of the teams to offend anyone when using these names, more likely that the names signify strength, cunning and unity. So, in order to ensure that there are no future issues I suggest that all of the streams, creeks, rivers, lakes, mountains, forests, villages, towns, counties, states and any other entity that contains a Native American name have the name changed. That should fix the problem.

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The village clerk should be able to help you in your village board quest.

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Businesses that operate a storefront should be required to accept U.S. Mail at that location. 

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I have a suggestion. Why not get rid of all the sports teams? That way you won’t have to worry about the names and no one will be offended.

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I would just like to complement the village of Owego for taking down the trees in the courthouse square on the South end. It makes the view so much nicer from the end of the bridge, but what I discovered today, it is totally fantastic to be on Park Street waiting for the red light and being able to see Riverow, Front Street, that whole area, it makes it more inviting when you’re going through town. I think it’s just great, that change. Hope it stays that way.

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I was wondering if there’s anybody who collects used golf balls. I pick them up when I’m walking my dog and I have a small bucket of them. Please call me at (607) 687-3637 and let me know where I can drop them off. Thank you. 

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I happened to turn the television on today and there was a talk show on there. I could not believe the guests she had on there. The dress code was horrible. She needs to have a more conservative dress code when she has them on the television. It was absolutely disgusting! 

National Political Viewpoints

I have to laugh when I see people saying that they want Biden to run in 2024. What do you think he’s going to be like in another two years?

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Here is a question for all Americans, but especially for Republicans. Can the twice-impeached disgraced ex-president still continue to run for president in 2024 from a prison cell?

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Trump’s legacy will be to the detriment of America’s long held values and of his personal undisputable corruption. His chickens are coming home to roost as he loses, delaying legal battle after legal battle, expecting the judges he appointed will save him. But they are not siding with Trump, that he is above the law, just as should and is prevailing in time finding the ex-president as the disgraced criminal that he so obviously is.

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Anybody out there that thinks Joe is making any of these decisions is as ridiculous as he is.

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Our moron Joe is sending air Marshals to the southern border to make sandwiches and wait on illegal aliens. What is wrong with this person? What is wrong with this picture? Are you serious? 

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When Trump calls for the termination of our constitution and yet people follow him. It’s amazing! Don’t you love America?

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Following the likes of California, Oregon, Washington and six other Democrat / Progressive states, Albany legislatures are following in suit to continue to make stupid laws that produce negative outcomes. The most recent is the ban on a store’s ability to provide shoppers with checkout bags and place the burden on the consumer, who must provide their own. Put this in the category of just one more insipid and stupid piece of legislation. About 95% of most household purchases require bags to transport from store to home. In our area the options to make many of those types are local, but when not those purchases are either in Vestal, Ithaca, or Sayre, Pa. With all being of equal in miles from mid-point Tioga County, I’ll take Sayre where the tax rate is 6% and the stores provide shoppers the convenience of providing bags for purchases and actually place the items in the bag with the convenience of a REAL person ration of one to every two scanners at the busiest stores and one to zero for others. We all may not be able to relocate from New York State, but we do not have “buy” into their stupid policies.

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Well, he’s done it again! This time Trump, the traitor, is calling for an overturning of our country’s Constitution. What? Who does he think he is? Oh, that’s right, he thinks he is the ruler of all since his followers always let him get away with everything and do whatever he wants, with no responsibility or consequences. Come on, people, we have to be better than this!

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Our Climate Pornographers and Global Warming Grifters tell you to follow the science. God’s language for science is math. You can’t follow science without higher math. Until Climate Loonies can understand the 3-body or double pendulum problems they need to learn math! Carbon taxation is GS grifter theft. It’s like we have substantially modified our planet (i.e., plowing land, deforestation, ocean pillaging, jet contrails) and had no effect on our environment. It is about control, not preservation of the planet. Carbon taxation and Green initiatives only make the Grifters rich and you poor, while accomplishing nothing. 

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I must be a part of the “Trump Cult”, as a reader called us. I would like to thank you, as I find this honorable. The problem isn’t what he is saying; the problem is people are unable to face the truth, despite his unorthodox ways. The Catholic Church does stand behind a man, any man, who is Pro-life and is fighting the traffickers against abused and molested children. Everything you watch on TV is a lie. It’s playing out exactly as planned as in a movie. I sit in the day chapel at church. I genuflect and take Holy Communion on the tongue. This past Sunday, the priest’s homily was based on three words, “Go to Confession.” The only thing we, as true Americans, are taken in by is the ludicrous and unsettled behavior by the extreme left! To you, the truth WILL set you free when you realize how vulnerable and unwise you have been. The confessional is now opened for you to release and seek God’s graces. May the Divine God grant you peace this holiday season as we welcome in His son who came to destroy pride, the cause of man’s ruin. 

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Well, surprise me. Benedict Donald wants to terminate the U.S. Constitution. All you fools are following, why don’t you just run off to jolly old England. You know you’re really not Americans.

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Calling Trump Mr. Potato Head is perfectly appropriate. Also, let us not forget that he, Trump, is famous for giving people he doesn’t like nicknames. A couple nicknames that come to mind are Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren, Michael “Minnie Mike” Bloomberg, Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Letitia “Peekaboo” James. That’s just a couple, and there’s not enough room to write them all down. I do not hate Trump. I just don’t like him. I find there’s nothing about him to like. He’s a compulsive liar, a sore loser. Now he’s calling for the termination of the Constitution. 

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The paradox for Republicans is that they can’t win in 2024 with Donald Trump, and they can’t win without Trump. Bye, bye.

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Schumer, I see your mail in ballots did it again in Georgia. Someday they’re going to do away with those and you will be out of office, and so will the rest of them. I know how you’re winning, because nobody’s going to vote for you or anybody else in that party. 

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The saddest part of the state of our country is the fact that it did not need to happen. All Biden needed to do after the election was given to him, stolen, was go to his Delaware beach house and stay there for four years. This country is in a mess and I’m very afraid that it will never come back to what it was when President Trump was in office. Good luck to everybody, because we really need it. We need a lot of prayers, too. 

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I’m still amazed that everything Biden and his administration gets involved in turns into one big mess. I’ve never, ever known anybody like this until now.

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Late Nighters on Raphael Warnock’s win in the Senate; “But despite that, it was close. It was really, really close. In fact, if I were Raphael Warnock, my victory speech wouldn’t have been me smiling. I would have been a lot more different. He’s a gracious man. He was talking about democracy and America’s promise. I would have been up there like, ‘Are you people kidding me with this [expletive]? You guys are giving me a two-point win over this walking vasectomy commercial? Are you kidding me?’ He is a better man.” — Trevor Noah; “This is a tough break for Walker, though it’ll take him a couple days to understand what has happened.” — Stephen Colbert; “When you take a moment, when you step away from a race, you understand how crazy this was? You had Raphael Warnock, a pastor — a pastor who is preaching at the same church as M.L.K., and Herschel Walker, a man who thinks M.L.K. is how you spell ‘milk.’” — Trevor Noah.

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It’s amazing how many conservative capitalism-favoring people get so upset at high salaries.