Readers’ Column for the week of May 21, 2023

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.

 

Who would I call to buy a plot in the cemetery on Marshland Road in Apalachin? Please call (607) 625-2907.

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How do I explain this? How can you enjoy relaxing outside when the person next door that is visiting turns on their diesel vehicle and just leaves it sitting there running for hours at a time? The smell comes over to my house, of course, and then there’s the swearing and yelling, constant, and it’s something you don’t call the police for because they have enough to do. These people that visit stay for a few months and then move on to the next place to visit. They have been doing it for years and it’s getting tiresome. So, what does one do? 

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To the person wanting furniture refinishing, there are several on the computer – Furniture Medic (607) 748-8657, The Early Owego Antique Center on Lake Street, and Refabulous Furnishings on Route 434 in Vestal.

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To the person looking for a cleaning lady, you would be much safer going with a cleaning service, even though it costs more, because they are bonded and insured.

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To the person that called in about how to get rid of their bags of yard waste, you should call your trash collection service and see if they can arrange a pickup to come and get rid of your waste, or hire junk removal companies, such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK.

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It’s not a good thing that Vestal doesn’t have codes like counties and cities around here. In Vestal you can have cars, trucks, junk, snowmobiles, and so forth, and they can be parked all over a yard as long as they are licensed. And don’t forget, it takes only one person to ruin a whole street and see if you can sell your home with all that.

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Thank you for validating the point regarding Social Security. It will not be here the way the government spends it, so you need to take care of yourself with smart investments. Just call me retired at 59 with so much money I have to give it away. So in case you didn’t know, you can take Social Security at 62, not at 66 as you mentioned in your comment.

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I was wondering if anybody could tell me when the hookah lounge is going to open up in Nichols? I heard it was supposed to be next month. If anybody knows, could you put it in this column? 

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We have three new OACSD BOE members, congratulations! It is hoped this new blood will invigorate the BOE to do due diligence, reinstitute transparency and community involvement, and work hard to know and understand the vast amount of knowledge they should know. This year it was identified that the BOE lost, through gross negligence, half of the district’s $3,000,000 (as of 2008) scholarship funds. BOE stewardship of these funds was an expressly defined responsibility defined in the bylaws before they improperly erased it in 2022. The BOE has refused to acknowledge this and has been requested five times since February 2023 to remedy this situation. Approximately $4,000 more in scholarship money is lost every month! Unless transparency goes back into BOE operations you will never see the BOE fix this, as it would be an admission of their negligence. There must be synergy between the BOE and Superintendent, rather than a BOE who divests onto the Superintendent all their responsibilities. BOE membership requires time and hard work to serve the community. It is not an honorary position; it is a sacred trust. The organizational character of the OACSD must change or it will bite us badly later. 

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The OACSD mailed out new budget proposals about two weeks before the budget vote. This coincides with The Owego Pennysaver’s Political Policy that prohibits commentary prior to voting. The big deal pointed out in the new budget was that there would be no tax increase. The budget increases by 7.4%, but there is no tax increase. Must be additional funds are coming from the magic money tree. No – they are coming from increased state and federal taxes. The district did its usual excellent job of misdirection to further increase its already bloated budget.

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Many thanks to Willy the lilac man. You did a nice thing, and the ladies greatly appreciated it.

 

National Political Viewpoints

What a great day listening to all the fake news pundits whining, complaining and hating on Donald Trump. Boy, it’s good to have him back. People love him. Just the fake news and the Democrats hate him. Well, it’s going to be a long six years for you people so get ready and buckle up.

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Five trillion dollars has been spent on clean energy and it’s only reduced the use of fossil fuels from 86 to 84%. Can you imagine what could have been done with that $5 trillion towards clean water and other things? It’s time to get rid of this Green New Deal crap. Grow up. As long as you let the Democrats shove it down your throat, they’re going to do it. So people, put your foot down. Let’s stop letting them break the law and go around Congress and put an end to this. We’re sick of it. 

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I can’t understand for the life of me how Biden is still in office. There’s a constitutional amendment specific to dealing with the lives of the people of the United States and endangering them; I can’t understand how that’s not grounds for impeachment with all his atrocities at the border.

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This nightmare is never going to end until you really get governors and senators that will listen to the scientists and not those in the White House that owe China favors. All this Green Deal climate trash is nonsense. They all know it, but they refuse to listen to the scientists. They quieted them down. They shut them up. They don’t want you people to hear. It’s nothing but a scare tactic as usual. But this is never going to stop. We’re going to live a living hell as long as you have governors and senators who go along with this foolishness that Al Gore and that idiot Kerry started and Biden is pushing because he is indebted to the Chinese. I don’t understand why we can’t get a governor and senators in the state of New York and California who will do away with this nonsense and get it over with and think of the people, not that crap.

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So in Newburgh, N.Y. they are getting in some illegal aliens and they are going to take over a hotel and kick out homeless Veterans. What is wrong with this country? What’s wrong with this? What is wrong with you people?

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I’m so enraged by the news today. They evicted homeless vets to house the migrants. What’s the world coming to? The vets sacrificed their lives to give us a better life. Now we are paying all their legal, medical and housing needs. If anyone would elect a Democrat in two years, they’re crazy.

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Biden, if you had closed the borders instead of opening them you would have saved this country billions of dollars!

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The Marxist Democrats proclaim that the Biden family is the most honest in U.S. political history. Never mind that this family owns and controls 15 LLC companies that have taken in millions of dollars. We all know that the big guy’s grandchildren control some of these LLC’s and our renowned experts in economics, energy, and political corruption, just like Hunter Biden. The whistleblowers that present real facts need our support right now and only a future President Trump knows whom to fire and how to “clean house” of the stench filled present administration.

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So glad Biden got out for a bike riding vacation this past weekend. After all, he worked five hours this past week. And how come his goldfish and his pet dog did not receive any money in this corruption deal? It seems like everyone else did, except for the pets. How did he forget them?

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I think it’s about time the citizens of this country take charge of the government. Now migrants are in the school gyms with the school kids. Unsafe. Unhealthy. Disturbing. These kids don’t have gym class with them there. What kind of country do we have anymore that this awful government has all the say? How long do the citizens lose their rights to migrants that are not citizens? All of a sudden they have all the power. They’re taking over every building; they’re taking our taxpayer money. For how long are we going to have to put up with it? 

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The national burden disgraceful, twice impeached, indicted, and convicted of liable, Donald Trump is now accused, along with Rudy Giuliani, of selling Presidential pardons for $2,000,000 each. They are supreme grifters, always chasing their money idle.

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According to the United States Capitol Police, since Trump took office, threats to Congress have risen 400%. This coincides with Trump’s rhetoric towards violence and supporting and defending the violence he gleefully watched as the Trump inflamed mob attacked our capital on Jan. 6. Homeland Security, The CIA and FBI all state that the biggest threat to our democracy and country are these violence fueled right wing extremists. Homegrown and politically encouraged terrorists are our biggest threat. If you want more peace and safety, not more guns with mass shootings and killings, 225 plus just this year so far, vote for Democrats to bring some sanity and a safer America for all. Vote like your life depends on it!

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Trump is facing multiple charges and stokes more chaos and claims he’s the victim of a witch-hunt. Well, when he is constantly riding the longest broomstick what do he and his cult followers expect?

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After reading last week’s column, I can no longer remain silent, seeing the often-repeated comments in the column that either show ignorance of our U.S. Constitution or are attempts to subvert it. In the 2nd Amendment, the phrase “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State” is a Prefatory or Introductory phrase to the Active phrase (“the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”) and as such has long since been determined by historical scholars, historians, and the courts to have NO bearing on the Active phrase. The “Militia” at the time of its writing was seen as the civilian population, and those civilians were expected to supply their own arms and ammunition. Also, many of them had arms that were at least equal to, if not better than, any militia or military; so saying that “there should not be weapons designed for military usage in a civilian’s hands” is misleading and misguided. It is also very misleading, as the modern firearms designed for civilians are NOT designed for military usage. Just because they look SIMILAR to military rifles, they are NOT the same. As far as proposed “common sense gun laws” are concerned, none are “Common Sense”, they do nothing to prevent criminals from getting or misusing guns, and only burden those that obey the law while trying to exercise their 2nd amendment rights for legal purposes.

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Back in the good old days of the nifty fifties, and when we were in high school, there was talk of immigration and the requirements of those wishing to come to this country. First and foremost it was required for anyone coming to this country to have a sponsor. What were the responsibilities of a sponsor? The sponsor was required to see that the immigrants had a place to live, help him / her or the family find jobs, and financially support the person or family with funds for food, clothing and the necessities of being a citizen with the expectation that the immigrant would learn some U.S. history and eventually become a productive citizen. The sponsor could be a relative, an organization, or even a church. And yes, the immigrants were expected to learn to speak the English language, not fluently but enough to carry on a conversation in English. We the people of Tioga County had better get acquainted with the rules and regulations or lack thereof. We cannot afford to take on more people who can not or will not help themselves and play by our rules and regulations. Where are the green cards now?

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In a recent committee interview with Senator Bill Hagerty questioning Yael Lempert, who was put forth as Biden’s nominee to be ambassador to Jordan, and in response to one question, nominee Lempert stated she supports spending $150 million of U.S. taxpayer dollars to build a border wall for Jordan because “walls are important in securing nations.” Important, and on our dime.

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So why hasn’t Joe Biden spoken to the American people about Title 42 and its expiration? He should have had an Oval Office national address about it in primetime on all the networks. The demise of our southern border is a big deal, but Biden continues to stonewall, ignoring the press and public. It’s a further dereliction of duty by the president. Biden has made his point with his policies and has lost operational control of our border, which is an impeachable offense as a demonstrated act of allowing our country to lose our sovereignty. A country without borders is not a country.

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Out of site, Out of mind! As long as the border crisis stays in those states it’s not an issue, per Biden administration and Homeland Security Secretary Mayokas. But, “It’s a sad and tragic day when Gov. Abbott uses migrants for political pawns” by delivering a few of the millions on their doorstep. And if it isn’t stopped they will be in our front lawns. We are all struggling to feed, clothe and get our medical needs taken care of. (Which Biden wants to provide for all these migrants on our tax dollar?) I can see what the high costs are doing to people in our area. I cannot even imagine what these Border States are going through. All this administration can do is blame someone else instead of taking ownership of the mess they’ve made. God Bless America.

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“As it happens, in the hours after the Oklahoma City bombing, before the authorities knew who McVeigh was, he was pulled over during a routine traffic stop and then arrested for carrying a gun without a permit. In 2019, however, Oklahoma legalized permit less carry. Under the new law, McVeigh would have been let go.” — Michelle Goldberg writing in The New York Times.

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Why did Representatives Langworthy and Malinaro vote to cut VA benefits for 225,400 New York Veterans? The extreme MAGA House Republicans’ proposal would result in 30 million fewer outpatient visits for our nation’s veterans all across the country. That means 225,400 could lose access to outpatient visits in New York, leaving them unable to get appointments for care like wellness visits, mental health services, and substance disorder treatment.