Readers’ Column for the week of March 17, 2024

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2378 24-hours a day, or email comments to ReadersOP@gmail.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any message. Also, to stay aligned with our political policy, political comments will not run until after the upcoming elections.

 

Why does the Apalachin fire whistle need to continue being used? Other fire department companies have “phased” them out with the new modem technology. It is not necessary and antiquated. It is a noise nuisance to those that live in the area. It also does not help when trying to sell a house in the area. Not to mention the impact it could be having on the children’s hearing that live in the area and at the schools.

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Driving around Tioga County and I mostly drive from Berkshire to Owego, and I live on Ballou Hill Road and the garbage is unbelievable on the roads. If somebody wants to make money they could make quite a bit just picking up the cans. Today as I drove into Owego by Park Settlement Road, someone had dumped a lot of garbage. There was fast food garbage everywhere! Come on, people. Let’s clean up! 

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It’s so nice now that we have the okay for an Aldi’s. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a Dollar Tree go into the Pizza Hut building? 

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I am looking for information on the AMBA Wellness Program for blood testing. Usually there is one in the spring and one in the fall. I cannot find any information on upcoming dates in Owego, Endwell, or nearby. Please give any information on this event in this column. Thank you so much! (Note from the Editor: If you visit www.owegopennysaver.com, and then type AMBA in the search box, you will find a link to the last AMBA Wellness Program announcement, as well as a contact for questions. There was a program in both May and in October of 2023, so maybe the next one will take place in Owego in May. Good luck!)

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I went outside and took a walk. All of a sudden in my face there were three dogs, they came running up to me and scared me to death. They were golden retrievers and a cocker spaniel. Anybody missing three dogs? I heard they were lost before. Someone should put a sign down there by the bank in Nichols if you are missing them. 

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Could someone please give me a number to call about a dog that barks all day and all night? 

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This goes out to the Lockwood window shooter, the poacher. We just want you to know we’re still watching you. We haven’t forgotten you. We’re going to keep reminding you what’s coming for next year’s deer and archery season. Our group is getting larger all the time. So always remember we’re watching, and we’re going to get you because DEC is going to help us get you. But you’re going to keep going like you are and we’re going to get you, and the law is going to deal with you like they should have done years ago. 

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Can we have an update on the Jake Brake law in the village of Owego? The problem seems to be getting worse. 

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Why does it seem that Apalachin does not get the same funding as Owego for maintenance and improvements (i.e., the Rhodes Road bridge). It is difficult and at times dangerous to live on Pennsylvania Avenue with the amount of traffic it was never made to sustain. Having the bridge closed diverts excess traffic through town, there is not another quick means of evacuation, it impacts the time response from the fire department and emergency services to our neighbors on the other side of the bridge, it increases gasoline expenditures for the school and town maintenance by having to take other routes around it, kids are on the bus for unnecessary extended periods of time, there have been more accidents due to the volume of traffic, and taxpayers that live on Pennsylvania Avenue have a difficult time getting out of their driveways at peak times. Pennsylvania Avenue was meant to be a community road, not a highway.

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Hello, Fiber Friends, this is Charity from Red Bird Fiber Arts! I wanted to let you all know that we have extended our shopping hours! Red Bird is now open Wednesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See you soon!

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This is for the completely rude and inconsiderate parents who drop their children off at Owego Elementary. The operative words are drop off!! When you pull up to the school your children should be ready to get out of your car when you come to a stop. It is not the time for you to have a discussion with them or for them to get their stuff together. If you are going to walk your child to the school, you don’t park where the drop off is and then walk them to the school as I saw a man do last week. If you are going to park, that’s what the parking lot is for. Letting the cars line up behind you because of your unprepared rudeness, as I saw happen this morning, is teaching your children that, like you, others don’t matter.

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So, let me see if I’ve got this right. I go to work every day, working nights and weekends. Because EVERY necessity of life has gone up exponentially (the last three years, by the way), I have to pass over items in one of the highest priced grocery stores in the area, which I’m forced to shop at, because gas prices are once again rising in New York State. Because people like me can’t afford items they sit on the shelves (instead of in our bellies) until they are nearly expired; then donated. Because these items are not sold the store loses any profit from them, forcing prices even higher, so even more people find them unaffordable. I’m not spending money on needed items, but others are getting these items I can’t afford, for free. Guess I’ll just give up working and trying to get ahead. I’d probably be better off. 

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“This is the beginning of a new day: God has given me this day to use as I will. I can waste it or use it for good. What I do today is important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving in its place something I have traded it for. I want it to be a gain; not a loss, Good not Evil, success not failure; in order that I shall not regret the price I paid for it.” I personally lost a dear friend who retired and spent the two years of retirement watching the news. He was angry and upset every day. He was very healthy and all of a sudden he was not, and he was gone. Please be kind, shut off the TV and spend a fruitful day so you will not regret the price you paid for it. 

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I have been complaining about the time change for years. I want Daylight Savings Time all the time. For some reason it has never dawned on me that I could make this happen. But the lasting daylight has inspired me! Did you know that there is a law that was passed by the Senate already? It is called the Sunshine Protection Act and basically states that if enacted – it would eliminate the changing of the clocks. If enacted, we would not”fall back” in November and would have a full year of DST. So, since this law has already been passed in the Senate – it is now awaiting action in the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Contact your representative and urge him or her to pass the Sunshine Protection Act. If you don’t know who your representative is – you can look it up at ziplock.house.gov.

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Loving our neighbors in this time of change can be challenging. We may have new people moving into our neighborhoods who may seem different, who may have new and fresh ideas for ways of living that scare us. A new neighbor comes with a story and existing residents also have stories. It’s easy to gossip and judge people whom we don’t understand or whom we fear. I believe the best way to love all our neighbors is to relieve ourselves of judgment and extend a form of Agape love to one another. We can wish the best for all, be helpful in emergencies, and cultivate love of ourselves, and our own gifts. Out of our self-love can emerge good boundaries, politeness, lack of gossip and a desire to see the best in each other as we navigate a very challenging world.