Readers’ Column for the week of December 25, 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. 

 

If we rename our Owego Apalachin Central School District after the Owego and Apalachin creeks will the New York Democrats still define us as criminals? Will Democrats withhold OACSD funding (our tax money)? Why are they so hell-bent on targeting public schools and removing decision authority from local civic institutions? Why must they take our rights away? There are 574 federally registered Native American tribes. Only 100 have expressed views on Native American names and imagery. Many of these represent the same tribe. Of whom should we ask permission? Who has a gripe? Who is offended by honoring Native Americans? This stinks, just like Cuomo’s midnight changing of the name of the $13B Tappan (Lenape Native Americans) Zee bridge to his own. Hypocrite Hochul is one of the foul players in the Buffalo Bills Stadium scam. She and her co conspirators, financiers, and other public officials and law firms refer to this as “Project Tatanka”. Tatanka is the Lakota name for the great American Indian Chief Sitting Bull. Always remember, “It’s for the children.” and the “Laws are for thee but not for me.” Believe it or not, as part of a strategy of creeping censorship in 2023 the Democrats are going to institute special income taxes and licensing fees on institutions that have “wrong” names.

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Here are a few tidbits of info about the Village of NV budget (7.9% proposed). First and foremost, the budget should be about our elected officials’ obligation to the residents and taxpayers! Why was it listed in another publication recently as just a “work session”? Should have been a Budget Work Session! Why is it that on the committee that was formed, two of the four on that committee have the most to gain by the 3% pay raise and compensation package? We pay 85% of employee healthcare premiums, which went up 6%. 

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It’s that time of year! Don’t forget to thank your Pennysaver delivery person with a small token of your appreciation. Don’t forget other outdoor workers as well, like your postal carriers and garbage men. This is the year of giving, and of gratitude. Merry Christmas to all!

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I think what the Mayor, three of the four board members, and the budget committee of the Village of Newark Valley are selling (proposed 7.9% increase) – we the residents and taxpayers are not buying! We need more people to attend the Board meetings (held every second Tuesday of the month). Two of the four on the budget committee are employees. Personally I don’t think two of the people that would gain or lose the most should be on the budget committee! 

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This is to the person that asked about the bridge at the intersection of McLean Road and Frank Hyde Road. A month or so ago I called the Town Highway Department and left a message with the secretary, asking about the bridge. The Assistant Highway Superintendent returned my call the next morning. If you remember, roughly three years ago, the culvert was replaced. A used culvert was used and it was too short. A smaller piece was attached to the longer piece. That attachment allowed debris to accumulate where the two pieces were joined, acting as a dam. After a rain the water was able to dislodge the two pieces, causing damage to the bridge. The highway department wants to replace the culvert with a box culvert of concrete or steel. Unfortunately at this time the funds are not available, so the one lane will remain until funds are secured to repair the bridge. The highway department moved to their new location on Route 434. The number at (607) 687-2641, on Delphine Street, the highway department’s old location is not answered. To contact the Town of Owego Highway Department call the Town Hall at (607) 687-0123 and use options 8 then 1.

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I attended the Newark Valley Village Board meeting on Dec. 13.  Boy did I learn a lot. A resident attending the meeting interjected that as business people they raised rents or prices whenever they saw fit, and that’s what they are doing with a Village tax increase of 7.9%. Stubbornly, they want to keep three clerks in the Village Office and have it be a full time office. Not one resident attending the meeting thought this was a good idea. They know that the sidewalk leading into the Village Office is in very bad condition and have not fixed it. Where’s the sidewalk committee? I learned that the Village newsletter is a propaganda sheet. It leaves out bad news that they don’t want residents to know about. Like the $166,000-plus local tax dollars for new windows in the municipal building in addition to the grant money. Or that the Mayor doubled his salary a few years back, or that in 2016 the NYS Comptroller’s office criticized the budget process of the Village. No wonder these politicians ignore Village residents.  All these politicians are unopposed when they run for office so they are really unaccountable to the public! 

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Winter is here. Once again the wail of the princesses echo across the land, “I want all the roads plowed instantly. Mine first.” Get real folks.

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The Owego-Apalachin Music Boosters would like to thank the O-A community for their wonderful support of music in the OA schools. We support music and music students via scholarships, special projects, support to the musical, and many other teacher and student requested activities. You can help us in this regard by procuring ads in this year’s Mamma Mia! musical playbill. Promote your business or just do a shout-out to a cast, band, or crewmember. Get details at www.oamusicboosters.org/musicals. Mamma Mia! will be presented Feb. 10, 11, and 12 in the OA Theater. The ad deadline is Jan. 7. Thanks! Hope to see you at the show.

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I’d just like to say thanks to the Tioga County Public Works Department. We just moved to Owego and we had an issue with a couple of trees that the woodpeckers killed that were leaning towards the road and the power lines and everything, and they were very quick to get back to me. They came out and took care of the trees and were very courteous. Their service makes us glad that we actually moved to the area. Service like that makes us feel very comfortable. We appreciate that. Thank you.

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I looked up on my iPad; Löwenbräu beer is available at Consumer’s Beverages Genesee, Buffalo, N.Y., (716) 893-7040. Also, Consumer’s Beverages at (716) 894-1353 and the Consumer’s Beverages Harlem, Buffalo, N.Y., (716) 897-2378. Also, I’m looking for someone who darns socks. If you know of someone, please leave the information in this column.

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Saw a flock of geese headed south on Dec. 20, the day before the Solstice. Saw another flock about a week before. By the time they get to their winter refuge they will need to head back north again.

 

National Political Viewpoints

Regarding last week’s comment about Amendments to the Constitution, as long as career politicians are in charge the chances of changes are slim and none, we the citizens must make demands to get the changes we need.

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Last week’s comment was incorrect. Amendments to the constitution require a 2/3 vote of both houses if congress AND a subsequent ratification by 3/4 of the states – in that order. Alternate: A constitutional convention can be called by 2/3 of the states to propose amendments, which must then be ratified by 3/4 of the states – again in that order. Article V.

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Whelan was court-martialed, convicted, reduced in rank, and received a bad conduct discharge from the Marines. Trump posted on Truth Social that he refused a trade to get Whelan back. Gaslighting doesn’t work on people that know how to do research.

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As Republicans continue to call for a congressional investigation of disgraced FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, Seth Meyers can’t help but wonder what good they think it will do. According to the “Late Night” host, it is seriously doubtful that congress would even know what to do. “The idea that Biden somehow stopped congress from getting to the bottom of what happened with FTX is absurd,” Meyers said. “You really think congress is gonna ask penetrating questions about cryptocurrency? You guys think 89-year-old Chuck Grassley is really gonna crack the case on crypto? I’m sure he probably still prefers to pay for everything with beaver pelts.”

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After Trump’s major announcement, are the rubes of Tioga County lining up to shell out $99 for one of his silly digital trading cards?

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Fox news aired a story stating that the Russians are beating the Ukrainians. Of course Russia picked up on that and they are running the same story under Russian state-owned TV’s over there. Now, my question is, why can’t Fox News be charged with aiding and abetting the enemy? I can’t believe you people watch that ridiculous network.

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I would like to know what you trumpsters feel about Donald losing support. It’s about time you snapped out this spell that you’re under. Good God. That guy is going down. I hope the man goes to prison if he is guilty. We all know he is.

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Well he certainly deserves coal in his stocking this year. Biden, I’m sure, will not get any because he has shut all the coal plants down.

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A friend of mine, who happens to be a Republican, asked me how it would look if we threw Donald Trump, the ex-president of the United States in jail. How would that look? How would that appear? And I argued with him, saying, well, the opposite. How would it appear if we don’t? If you give him a fair trial and he’s found guilty, and he does not go to jail, and then we turn around and say no man’s above the law. How would that look? I’d rather see the con artist behind bars. We finally live up to what we say we stand for. What we used to stand for. God Bless America. 

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Question to you Democrats and Biden supporters. Why does he have to continue to lie to the American people? There is no truth, absolutely no truth at all that he gave his uncle a Purple Heart. This man has to stop lying to the American people, if he can.

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What the Republican Party needs is somebody with a backbone. Not that jellyfish like we have in New York, they’re afraid of Schumer. I’m telling you, Chucky, if it weren’t for the mail in ballots he’s pushed for, he would be out. They rigged the whole deal. It’s been that way since 2020. Chucky is as corrupt as Hillary Clinton. I’m telling you, him, Hochul, neither one of them won, but we have no Republicans with a backbone. Chucky knows it and he’s going to keep being as corrupt as he always has. Republicans, get a backbone!

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Russia’s state-controlled propaganda TV features Tucker Carlson from Fox News, also known as fake noise, frequently, as he is supporting Putin’s anti-democracy authoritarian nationalism. I wonder what their Ukrainians think of an American TV host supporting Putin being broadcast so often. Why doesn’t Tucker support American ideals? The Putin regime obviously approves of what distorted misinformation he says and vice versa. 

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Trump’s White House counsel’s legal adviser warned Trump that if he joined the insurrection charging the capital, they would be charged with “every crime imaginable.” Trump is the greatest threat to democracy since the civil war with a deliberate presidential coup attempt with an armed mob.

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America’s economy improved more in Joe Biden’s first two months than any president during the past 50 years. Trump left with a 6.7 unemployment rate, and now with Biden’s economy it has dropped three whole points to 3.7%, both according to Bloomberg News. We did have new highs in the stock markets and if the Republicans would stop being obstructionists and help pass Build Back Better, the economy would really take off even more according to Wall Street and most economists.

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Anybody with half a brain knows that Trump is running for president only to avoid prison. Hey, vote for the conman, he ain’t gonna win. Then he’ll start crying again. You know how he goes. Big loser, big baby. What a whiner, you GOP people have got to get it together.

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So I turn on the fake news today and their headlines are still the Jan. 6 committee. You people are pathetic. And I can’t wait until the Republicans actually put forth all the facts about Jan. 6 and the things that the Democrats did to help sabotage it.

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Why doesn’t the House committee investigate Joe, Nancy Pelosi, and Chuck Schumer’s tax returns? Oh, because they’re not Republicans, and they’re afraid of what they’ll find, especially with Joe. He is so dirty it isn’t funny, but maybe someday. The truth will set us free.

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I wish somebody could explain to me why Biden is not being impeached. He is not keeping this country safe. What’s the answer? Please print it.