Letters to the Editor: March 8, 2009

What about the plastic wrap?
TO THE EDITOR: Terrific editorial Tuesday, Feb. 17! The LWV is to be congratulated and encouraged!

However, their list does not mention the plastic wrap around the paper that is delivered. I discovered that the Union Leader in Manchester, N.H., accepts that wrapping from their customers. Is the Press-Republican working to receive the same and thus keep them out of landfills?

Sister Sheila Murphy

Malone

Playday a great tribute
TO THE EDITOR: Once again our community has shown the depth of their caring and generosity. On Saturday, Feb. 14, Lake Placid hosted The "Jim Kordziel Memorial Basketball Playday" for the second year. This event was organized by Brian Brandes, who frequently helps with the Lake Placid Youth Athletic Association. Thirty-two teams of boys and girls in grades 3 through 6, came from the surrounding communities to play a total of 50 games. The day was enjoyed by everyone who attended.

Many thanks need to go to Brian Brandes and his team of volunteers who helped make the day a huge success. Many people worked the entire day at the event; businesses and individuals donated food or money to help keep a very busy concession stand going for the day. Our sincere thanks go to everyone involved. The day was such a great tribute to a wonderful man, Jim Kordziel. The money raised will help to keep the scholarship in his memory alive.

We are truly blessed to live in such a wonderful community with such great support.

Joanne Kordziel

James Anthony Kordziel

Christopher Kordziel

Wilmington

Beyond politics
TO THE EDITOR: Congratulations to Art Devlin and Zay Curtis on their victory in the Republican primary election.

To my fellow candidates, let's move beyond political affiliations and become collective Lake Placid Village candidates, rather than Republicans and Democrats.

To my fellow Lake Placid citizens and residents, when looking ahead to the March 18 village election for village trustee, we must vote for the best candidates to bring change and a fresh perspective to Lake Placid.

With only a fraction of village Republicans choosing to vote in the primary, I would ask that the citizens and residents of Lake Placid vote on March 18 so their voices can be heard. I will bring that fresh perspective to Lake Placid. I'm asking for your vote on March 18. God bless.

Jason C. Leon

Lake Placid

Pray for the Baha'i in Iran
TO THE EDITOR: The local Baha'i community would like to share our anxiety and dismay about actions against leaders of our faith in Iran. The seven men and women arrested last year on trumped up charges will now be put on trial for "espionage and propaganda."

The U.S. State Department has described these charges as "baseless." The trials could mark a new wave of persecution against the Iranian Baha'i community, which has recently experienced the destruction of cemeteries and shrines, arson and raids against Baha'i homes and properties, the closing of Baha'i business and stores, refusal to hire, rent to, or loan money to Baha'is, the closing of higher-education possibilities to Baha'is, the vilification of Baha'i children by their teachers, and threats against Muslims who associated with Baha'is.

More than 200 Baha'is were killed in Iran between 1978 and 1998, the majority by execution, an thousands more were imprisoned.

Please join us in prayers for the Baha'i community in Iran.

Larry Allen

Morrisonville

Lacking local sports coverage
TO THE EDITOR: You can count on me to join the club of unsatisfied people with the lack of North Country coverage with our "local" WPTZ news station.

When Channel 5 first came out, I never could get a good picture. I tried every antenna possible back in those days. I even had my wife hold a bicycle wheel on a ladder to get a better picture of a World Series game. I was cross-eyed for years looking at the snowy reception. One thing I can say is that back in those days, at least WPTZ covered a wide variety of local news and sports.

Today, the station has switched to covering mainly Vermont and the "Upper Valley" as priority news, especially in sports coverage. In recent weeks, I watched 90 percent of high school basketball around the Burlington area, which is fine if you live in that area and are familiar with the boys/girls and high school teams. The same coverage would be considered a privilege for our local North Country high school sports.

In the past few weeks, two boys in our area reached the 1,000 point mark in their high school careers, and neither were interviewed, nor even mentioned by WPTZ sports. These boys are Matt Farbotko from Northeastern Clinton Central School and Conner Gach from Saranac Lake Central School. Ironically, both boys reached their 1,000 career point at Plattsburgh High School during a regular season game. Again, there was no coverage, nor mention of this in any sports report by WPTZ.

With that said, I watched a segment last week wherein South Burlington High School boys basketball went undefeated this season. The coach was interviewed, as well as a couple of the players. Perhaps the Channel 5 News sports team should take interest in also interviewing Coach Robb Garrand and his Northeastern Clinton Central School Cougars on their 20-0 undefeated season in the CVAC, as well as setting a school record. This is also newsworthy, albeit on the other side of the lake.

I feel that I am writing about this problem for many people who are frustrated in this viewing area. In closing, do we need more news and sports coverage in our area? YES!!!

On a more positive note, I do like the weather reports from Tom Messner and company. Keep up the good work!

Ves Pivetta

Lyon Mountain

Don't let facts get in the way
TO THE EDITOR: This letter is in response to the Jan. 28 editorial "Don't Halt Fluoridation."

This poorly researched and worded article would be amusing to me if it had not such serious consequences for all denizens of Plattsburgh. After reading it I was reminded of a famous Einstein quote: "Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance."

If the editor would have bothered to research the information for himself he would have reached the conclusion that the biggest proponents of fluoridating American water supplies concede that the "benefits" of fluoride are topical, meaning that it works from the outside of the tooth and not from within the body after ingestion (eight glasses a day, kids!!).

The editor states that "...no one we know of has demonstrated that children's brains have been fogged, though local dentists attest to substantial gains against tooth decay." Again, investigation would have led the editor to the fact that dental caries (cavities) are also substantially lower in areas where fluoridation is not permitted (see almost all of western Europe). Ostensibly, it is the editor's brain which is fogged.

Furthermore, the editor should also know there are very genuine moral and legal questions that are raised. How can the city morally medicate the public if there is no informed consent of and how can the city legally medicate the water supply if you cannot control the doses. The answer is you cannot.

Finally, just because something has been occurring for so long and is espoused as beneficial and veracious doesn't necessarily make it so. But I'm afraid that arrogant local dentists like Robert Heins ("I'll have every dentist on the planet there if I have to.") and many others would risk the health of fellow citizens as opposed to admitting they were sedulously incorrect. After all, Mr. Heins has had a nice career. Why let facts get in the way of that?

Chris Dewey

Plattsburgh

Disappointed by squabbling
TO THE EDITOR: As a tax-paying property owner (non-resident) in the Town of Black Brook, I am writing to express my disappointment and embarrassment at the petty squabbling of Black Brook Town Board Officer Howard Aubin in disbanding the Planning Board due to a technicality over swearing-in (Press-Republican, Feb. 18).

For a number of years, Mr. Aubin has attempted by various means to disband this group, which has been valiantly attempting to uphold the existing town-development codes, with which Mr. Aubin does not agree. Ironically, he is using these codes to accomplish his goal of disbandment, an action which he could take only after he was appointed "deputy supervisor."

Black Brook is in great need of proper management at this time of economic crisis. However, based on these recent actions, I question the motivations and abilities of the Town Board to responsibly govern. Don't they have more pressing issues to deal with than this? This childish, petty issue should be immediately resolved by swearing in the existing planning board members to allow them to carry out their important mission.

Linda Hormes

Ann Arbor, Mich.

Logo should be used
TO THE EDITOR: Now is the time to "mark" Plattsburgh and Clinton County as the Gateway To History as recognition that this is where it all happened 400 years ago.

From the discovery by Samuel de Champlain of this beautiful lake in 1609, bordered by New York and Vermont, down to the Hudson River and points south where Henry Hudson made his entrance, this area has been where it all happened; discovery of the various Native American tribes, trade between the French and Indians, the Revolutionary War of the late 1700s, and War of 1812, lake and ground battles that precluded the civilization that we know as Clinton County and Plattsburgh, along with smaller towns. Yes, this is where it all started.

The area needs to be recognized as historically important and what better way than to establish signage from the border south as the Gateway To History to attract visitors to stay awhile and visit our various museums and historical sites. Back around five years ago when I was Collections Chair and a board member of the Clinton County Historical Museum, I started using this logo at the end of my written correspondence to contributors and various other letters. This, after checking the trademark and copyright offices for prior usage — none recorded.

I first suggested the logo to CCHA, the Battle of Plattsburgh museum, then former Mayor Dan Stewart, Mayor Donald Kasprazak and Common Council, followed by letters to the Clinton County Legislature, and to Garry Douglass and the Chamber of Commerce. No response!

The time has come to make the Museum Campus on the old base, the historical sites, the towns from the border down through Clinton County, and the whole area, known as where history and civilization started, therefore, I am again asking that the use of the "Gateway To History" logo as an attraction to visitors be utilized.

Philip J. Gordon

Plattsburgh

Same old scare tactics
TO THE EDITOR: Barack Obama has been quoted as saying, "We can't continue to do the same old thing and expect anything but the same old result."

President Obama and Majority Leader Pelosi have been pounding us with the same scare tactics used by he Bush administration to get the war started and the Homeland Security Act under way. ("My son is stationed in Iraq.") The Chosen One can be quoted stating in one form or another, "We have an urgent situation and if we don't do something now, dire consequences will result. We must act immediately"! Loosely translated this means, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

Why, after all the fear mongering to sign this bill by Friday the 13th was it not signed until Tuesday, Feb. 17 in Denver? (Operating Air Force one costs $68,000 per hour, and burns 8,000 gallons to get from Washington, D.C. to Denver.)

This Pelosi Emergency Measure Program, also known as the Congressional Reactive Action Plan or C.R.A.P., was voted on before the ink (and penciled in afterthoughts) was dry on the rough draft. Why wasn't Obama pacing the halls of the Oval Office like an expectant father waiting for this bill to be delivered and signed the same night it was passed? Was it a boy? Was it a girl? No, it's a big lump of C.R.A.P. (1,000-plus pages).

Why didn't congressional members collectively stand up and say, "Hey Stupid, fire us if you want, but we won't finance a lawn mower without reading the contract first. Why should I give away a trillion dollars before reading the bill?" (unless, they really are that stupid).

If Congress reviewed it, they'd be morally obligated to flush this C.R.A.P. down the toilet (or recycle the pages to make toilet paper).

Mike Fournier

Malone

Opinion

Search Results

Discussion

Site Map

Contact Us