Readers’ Column for the week of November 23, 2025

You may call The Owego Pennysaver Readers’ Column at (607) 687-2434, extension 2, 24-hours a day, or email comments to ReadersOP@gmail.com. We reserve the right to revise or reject any messages. Please limit your comments to 100 words or fewer.

I’m pretty sure you have to file taxes to get the $200 rebate because it is based on income. You have to be on the radar. As for ringing in the ears, check for an infection. There is over-the-counter help available for it. You will have to ask the pharmacist for the name of it. According to the iPad, earwax, caffeine, and stress are factors. Alcohol, nicotine, sugars, fat, and vitamin deficiencies like B 12 and D cause it. Avoid loud noises; to help, use low-level sound or soft music. 

~

Don’t forget about Black Friday bowling on Nov. 28 for school-aged children at Owego Bowl. It will be free bowling, free pizza, and free soda from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sponsored by Owego Bowl and VFW Posts 1371. Hope to see you there.

~

I really hope that the bear on 17C doesn’t bother the homeless people living in an encampment behind the Grand Union.

~

In California, graffiti is considered a misdemeanor and can result in up to one year in county jail and a fine of up to $50,000. In New York City, it is considered a criminal mischief offense and could result in up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. One of our officials thinks that it’s okay to have graffiti in our $750,000 skateboard park. I think he ought to think twice about that. He’s posted that online.

~

Regarding the comment last week about the helicopters flying overhead: if the helicopters weren’t flying over us, there would be a significant job loss in the county. So thank God every day that they are flying overhead. Also, refurbishing those wreaths and doing something different looks much better. Thank you for doing this!

~

Regarding writers who complain about Lockheed testing helicopters in residential areas: I live on the NY/PA border, and the helicopters regularly fly over my rural property, heading into Pennsylvania and back again. Do these writers realize that Lockheed is the only employer in Tioga County paying decent wages? Or would they prefer that Lockheed leave this area, as IBM did, and drag down the Southern Tier economy even further?

~

As I understand it, during the 1950’s, retailers were hoping for a profit (be in the black+) at the beginning of the holiday season, instead of a loss (-, in the red); and police dreaded having to deal with the crowds. Black Friday. 

~

To the person who is bothered by ringing in the ears, this condition is known as tinnitus. Hearing aids can significantly help with tinnitus. Audiologists are best at fitting new hearing aids for people with tinnitus; however, if you can’t afford an audiologist, you can search online for “hearing aids for tinnitus” and find reasonably priced options that you can buy without a prescription. There are also other techniques that can help. For example, when tinnitus first appears, talking out loud to yourself or others, or singing or humming loudly, can help. Good luck to you!

~

Another car junkyard in the village of Owego? At the entrance to our village? Across from a children’s park? With hazardous runoff going into both the creek and the river just mere feet away? Keep carping about plastic straws and bags while giving things like this a pass.

~

The Town of Owego said to rake our leaves to the side of the road. Mine have been out there for at least three weeks. Now, they are covered with snow. What was wrong with using paper bags? They kept the leaves in place.

National Political Viewpoints

Why is Fox the only news network that doesn’t air the Epstein survivors speaking out? It’s almost as if they don’t want you MAGA people to find out. Please put this in the paper so you, the American people, will know what’s going on. Thank you.

~

Don’t you just love how Biden/Harris’s whole administration drove inflation up to an unbelievable rate, and now they complain about affordability and want President Trump to wave a magic wand and drop it overnight? Don’t they realize they are the ones who caused this problem? I think America is done with the Democratic Party.

~

I wish somebody would inform Fox News there is a Jeffrey Epstein story going on. They don’t seem to realize that. Don’t fall down the rabbit hole, people. Fox News is fake news.

~

I had to laugh at the last guy who wrote in the column, saying that the Republicans didn’t show up to vote and that more Democrats voted. Well, the Republicans probably showed up; they just voted for the better candidate. Even Republicans are getting sick of the way their own candidates are voting: Trump and nothing else. Start thinking for yourself, buddy who wrote this article, and maybe you’ll be better off.

~

Trump is after Marjorie Green, one of his allies. You know why? Because she wants the truth about the Epstein files to come out, as she talked to the victims and learned how bad it was. Now, if Trump is so innocent, as he says he is, why is he fighting tooth and nail to keep them secret? I can tell you why, and everybody in the world knows that he’s in those files up to his neck. Anybody who doesn’t think that lives in the sand because their heads are buried in the sand. Trump’s guilty, and you people know it!

~

I sure will be glad when I get Trump’s $2000, then I can donate it to the Democratic National Committee.

~

Isn’t it great how many people with TDS seem to know exactly which adversary President Trump should or shouldn’t talk to about ending certain wars he inherited from the last administration? As you should know by now, our president has negotiated peace pacts for eight wars and has gotten many live and deceased hostages returned by Russia, Venezuela, Hamas, etc. Why, exactly, do average, everyday people in Owego think they know better ways to accomplish anything? The profound hatred these individuals show for our president is the worst I’ve seen in my 73 years.

~

It appears that the administration is considering attacking another country under the pretext of stopping drug trafficking, echoing nineteenth-century imperial power that mimics the territorial ambitions of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. Political strategist Simon Rosenberg commented, “If Trump wags the dog in Venezuela, it is going to do enormous damage to his already degraded brand here in the US. Zero support for this in the public. Will be seen for what it is – [a] transparent attempt to rescue his flailing presidency.” — Heather Cox Richardson. November 13, 2025

~

“President Trump’s second term has been difficult for the nation’s most powerful law enforcement agency. The administration has removed safeguards that protected the agency from political influence. Trump officials have directed criminal investigations that would usually have nothing to do with the White House. They’ve ignored ethics rules and told attorneys to drop cases. They’ve fired hundreds of career attorneys. Thousands more have resigned. The department’s culture of independence and impartiality has shattered.” — New York Times, November 17, 2025

~

In response to comments in last week’s column, yes, I received my NYS inflation bribe (oops, check) several weeks ago (before Election Day, ahem – what an amazing coincidence). You do need to be someone who pays NYS income tax and files a return. 

Also, I belong to neither party, but perhaps Republicans didn’t turn out to vote because they are disillusioned and disheartened.

~

I thank and applaud all Democrats who voted to reopen the government. It says you are working for the Americans that voted for you, not for a party. God bless!

~

Don’t laugh at kids who believe in Santa; we have adults who believe Democrats are honest. — Mama Gump 

~

The most powerful government on Earth can’t keep a virus from spreading, but they say they can change the Earth’s temperature if you pay more taxes. — Studebaker Hawk