Press-Republican

Editorial

Discussion

PLEASE NOTE: There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

ALSO NOTE: Derisive name-calling of an individual or group will result in the entire comment being deleted. This includes the terms "stupid" and "idiot" and similar references.

Welcome to our new online comments feature. Before you can join the discussion, you must first register with Disqus and verify your email address.

Once you do, your comments will post after they have been reviewed by a moderator.

We welcome your thoughts and your opinions, including unpopular ones. We ask only that you keep the conversation civil and clean.

Not all comments are deemed printable. Some are disqualified, at the newspaper’s discretion, for a number of reasons. Here are some typical practices to avoid in trying to get your comment printed:

There is a 150 word maximum for comments. All comments greater than 150 words in length will be deleted in their entirety.

Don’t state as a fact something that is unsubstantiated or that our editors wouldn't know to be true.

Don’t presume someone’s guilt in a case when it hasn't been established by a court.

Don’t assail or impugn an identifiable individual or group. If you have that kind of criticism, sign your name and submit it as a Letter to the Editor. (There is some leeway on this in connection with public officials, but it is not unconditional.)

Don’t use profanity. This includes the term “tea bagger.”

Don’t be incendiary or tasteless. Those qualities are subjective, of course, and our editors will be the arbiters.

Do not identify yourself in the main content area of the article content form. Only by enforcing this rule can the moderators prevent unscrupulous commenters from falsely identifying themselves as someone they are not.

Don't type in all caps. It is considered the Internet equivalent of shouting.

In sports articles, do not criticize officiating.

Remember, moderators are not allowed to edit any article comments. If an article comment fails any of the above criteria, the entire comment will be deleted.

We monitor comments Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Approval of comments outside these times may be delayed.
comments powered by Disqus
July 29, 2011

Editorial: FEMA needs to take another look

Press-Republican

If Vermonters are eligible to get individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for this year's flooding damage, northern New Yorkers should be also.

The entire region was pounded by high waters and severe weather this spring, which caused significant damage throughout the North Country and much of Vermont. The event started the last few days of April and stretched into June.

Hundreds of homes, apartments and camps in northern New York were damaged by high waters from Lake Champlain and area rivers and streams. Homes in Essex County were severely damaged by mudslides, and residents in Tupper Lake had to fend off waters from their home lake.

Vermonters struggled too, not only along Lake Champlain, but in other areas, such as Barre, which experienced massive damage from heavy rains.

In situations like this, FEMA is the governmental agency that provides help for those who suffered damage. Officials from that federal agency have visited the North Country several times and evaluated the situation.

But, while FEMA granted help for municipalities and businesses in this area of New York, they declined to offer help for individuals here who sustained damage.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appealed the decision in hopes of getting FEMA aid for individuals, but the outcome remains to be seen.

It is hard to imagine that FEMA decided that individuals who suffered damage do not warrant aid. All one had to do was tour the north end of Margaret Street in May and see how high the water was around Lakeside Apartments to know the damage was real.

The problem, perhaps, is that our federal representatives did not see the damage for themselves. Congressman Bill Owens (D-Plattsburgh) did tour the area, but where were Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand?

Vermonters were granted aid for individuals who suffered damage after much lobbying by veteran Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy.

Now we know that Sen. Leahy has clout within the Democratic Party and certainly the ear of President Barack Obama, also a Democrat, but what about Schumer and Gillibrand?

They, too, are influential Democrats — especially Schumer; couldn't they persuade the president to help us out?

The late great State Sen. Ronald B. Stafford used to say that when it comes to political favors, the North Country usually winds up on the short end of the stick because there are not enough votes up here to fill a phone booth.

Well, this isn't politics — it's people's lives we are talking about.

Schumer and Gillibrand are fond of taking questionable guidelines to task on many other issues, so why haven't they taken up the cause of FEMA guidelines that seem unfair to this rural area?

It's all well and good for Schumer and Gillibrand to advocate for more affordable college tuition or tax credits or some other social program, but what we need now is some support when it comes to getting people back on their feet after a major natural disaster.

We can only hope our local elected officials can get the job done when it comes to convincing FEMA that our people need help. But they shouldn't have to do it alone, and we hope Schumer and Gillibrand will arrive at the party.

Better late than never.

Text Only | Photo Reprints
Editorial
  • Editorial: The real reason for the holiday

    Today is for creating new memories. Tomorrow, we should pause to remember. Memorial Day weekend, being the first big holiday of the sun season, is all about barbecues, picnics and outdoor activities; it is all about family and friends. After a North Country winter, even a fairly mild one like we just had, we need to relax in the sun and enjoy the outdoors.

    May 27, 2012

  • Editorial: Bright future, looking ahead A recent Associated Press story that ran in the Press-Republican must have brightened the mood of many college upperclassmen and their parents. It said statistics and anecdotal evidence point to a far more promising job outlook than students and graduates faced over the past four years.

    May 25, 2012

  • Editorial: Mail cuts will be fact of life The U.S. Postal Service, which turned 200 years old last year, is facing its most grave crisis since Benjamin Franklin took the helm in its infancy. Visionaries must now find that elusive balance between retaining vital service to the public and cutting costs to reflect actual revenue.

    May 24, 2012

  • Editorial: Traffic light isn't needed The City of Plattsburgh is wasting $100,000.That's how much it will cost to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Elm and Margaret streets in downtown Plattsburgh. It's a corner that we at the Press-Republican are very familiar with, as our main office is located on that block.

    May 23, 2012

  • Editorial: Hazing problem has local echoes

    News that Florida A&M University in Tallahassee has extended its suspension of its marching band for another year over a hazing death may seem a distant item for North Country readers. In fact, the story contains eerie echoes that make it not so far away and anything but inconsequential.

    May 22, 2012

  • Editorial: Promising developments

    Encouraging news reached the North Country last week on two economic fronts. The new contract for Bombardier Transportation and the revival of the Flanagan development show that our area still remains attractive in the world of business despite national economic strains.

    May 20, 2012

  • Editorial: Be safe on the lake

    Hundreds of people die every year nationwide in boating accidents. A free event tomorrow can help this area's boaters avoid being among those sad statistics.

    May 18, 2012

  • Editorial: Put new plan up for vote

    Plattsburgh taxpayers have sent an unmistakable message to the City School Board: Cut the budget.

    May 17, 2012

  • Editorial: Close loophole in porn law

    A court ruling last week regarding child pornography rightly drew gasps. We hope the State Legislature will act swiftly to adjust the law to eliminate this frightening new loophole.

    May 16, 2012

  • Editorial: Much rides on today's votes

    The vote you cast today will be one of your most important decisions of the year. It is imperative that residents think thoroughly about the ramifications.

    May 15, 2012