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November 15, 2009

Cheers and Jeers: Nov. 16, 2009

CHEERS to the Clinton County Board of Realtors for an almost fourfold jump in its annual contribution to Hospice of the North Country, which is raising money to build its own administrative building on Tom Miller Road. The board typically donates $10,000, but this year rounded up well more than $30,000. Hospice does wonderful work in comforting individuals and families facing a patient's final journey. The Board of Realtors does wonderful work in helping carry out that mission.

JEERS to stores that hold credit-card auditions in checkout lines. Many do it, we're told. The typical scenario works this way: a person reaches the front of the checkout line with people backed up behind them, whereupon the clerk at the register asks whether the customer would like to apply for a store credit card and save some money. The customers says yes, and the interview begins. A string of confidential questions are asked and answered in full throat for all in line to hear, which seems contrary to the customer's best interests. But, to make matters worse, the people in line are delayed in their passage through the checkout, which infuriates some of them. (One in particular, who called us about this Jeer, was especially exercised about the practice, which cost her 12 minutes in line.) For those two reasons — lack of privacy and annoying delay for others — it would make sense for stores to make accommodations away from the checkout line.

CHEERS to the Clinton County Board of Elections for being more conscientious than we gave it credit for in last week's installment. We jeered the board for not providing wipes at polling places as the pandemic of H1N1 spreads. An employee called to note that each polling place has a rest room within easy reach so workers and voters could wash their hands if they chose to. Some would say that's not as convenient as having a container of wipes or hand sanitizer, but it seems to us to be plenty accommodating. Incidentally, others have suggested CHEERS to stores, such as Price Chopper and Walmart, for providing customers with antibacterial wipes by the front door to wipe down cart handles. It's good health and good public relations.

CHEERS to Applebee's in Plattsburgh for serving military veterans for free on Veterans Day. The practice is very popular, understandably, and the waiters and bartenders, we're told, thanked each veteran while taking their orders. That's a clear case of a restaurant putting their money where their customers' mouths are.

CHEERS to Verizon for donating 25 cell phones to STOP Domestic Violence, a program of Behavioral Health Services North in Clinton and Essex counties. The phones will be given to victims of domestic violence to use as they wish, preferably emphasizing the need to get on with their lives through education, job searches, house-hunting or any other gap they must fill. Verizon has a history of answering such requests, betokening a commitment to the cause of combatting violence against women in communities across the country.



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