Editor:

A huge thank you to the extraordinary road crew of the Town of Gaines during the month of January! Seven days a week, this crew was excellent at keeping roads safe during horrible weather conditions.

Every day, decisions must be made while most of us are still asleep. I live where a road terminates and while still half asleep I learn each day of that day’s weather just by the timing of the snow plow or sander turning off that road onto our road as it heads toward the canal bridge, turns around and heads right past my house again heading north.

If there has been snow accumulating during the night I will hear and see the light from the plow making its turn between 5-5:30 in the morning.

If the roads just need salting or pushing back I will hear that done by no later than 6:30. And, as a courtesy, if the driver notices an unusual situation, there is helpful notification made to a resident.

Of course, the county and state crews are out doing their work also. I am sure that I speak for residents of all our Orleans County towns. Thanks for getting up so early and doing such a great job almost 24 hours each day. Punxsutawney Phil predicts an early spring, but no matter, I am sure we all can count on our road crews!

Karen Watt

Gaines

Editor:

State Assemblyman Steve Hawley, in a press release, stated that he is worried that raising the minimum wage will hurt small businesses and the working poor.

However, that is not what economic researchers have found in peer-reviewed research. Dube, Lester, and Reich, in a study “Minimum Wage Effect Across State Borders” looked at the effect of one state raising minimum wages while a bordering state did not raise its minimum wages – and found no adverse effect on employment.

In a study from March 30, 2006, the Fiscal Policy Institute found states with minimum wages above the federal level had faster small business and retail job growth. Furthermore, raising the minimum wage hasn’t resulted in higher unemployment. The unemployment rate is at a 30-year low.

Economists cite several reasons for these findings: increased minimum wage allows employees to buy more goods and services which improves the bottom line and increased wages reduces turnover which reduces employers’ costs.

I would encourage Mr. Hawley to reconsider his position in light of all the economic research showing the benefits of raising the minimum wage. Thank you.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

It defies common sense. There is no study that can convince me that any normal human being would actually gravitate to a community where homes are dwarfed by giant 591-foot industrial wind turbines.

Nobody drives through a gauntlet of these gigantic spinning towers and starts looking for homes with “For Sale” signs, although my gut also tells me there would be quite a few of those. Find a cozy home and settle under the turbines? In all honesty, I cannot imagine a thinking person would be drawn to these as he or she would be to beautiful hills, a body of water, or some other natural landscape feature.

Yet, the insistence of this unnatural attraction leads me to recall an old fairy tale, “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. Essentially, the emperor in the story was swindled by two tailors who said they would weave him clothing out of the finest gold threads. The catch was that these clothes would be invisible to all but those who were worthy of their office.

In short, no one in the kingdom wanted to admit that he could not see these clothes either, for fear of admitting he, too, was unfit. All who viewed the emperor in his procession pretended to admire the beauty of his finery, until a child exclaimed that the emperor was unclothed.

Those people who exclaim the “wonder” of industrial wind turbines remind me of those in the emperor’s kingdom who, too, wouldn’t admit their leader was naked. They denied their own common sense and their own eyesight in favor of what they thought they “should” say.

Surely these people have common sense and decent eyesight to see, like I do, that these nearly 600-foot abominations do not attract people to live under them, or near them, or even to be in sight of them. I haven’t seen one ad or promotional piece for any land for sale, or home on the market that includes the proximity of IWTs. Not in photos, not in any descriptions. If anything, it would be handled as more of an undesirable disclosure to the prospective buyer. In the case of Lighthouse Wind, how about something/s 30x higher than your home? Who needs a real estate study?

All health and environmental reasons aside, the naked truth is that “Emperor” Apex is an embarrassment. Those who see clearly what is unfolding here are being true to their five senses and to their own common sense. The only ones eager to deny reality are those who are also mesmerized by Apex tailors. They are the same ones who stand to benefit from Apex cash—the gold threads the rest of us taxpayers made possible.

Christine Bronson

Somerset

(Bronson is a member of the Somerset Town Board)

Editor:

I’ve been walking at the Albion Elementary School for four years. I think the walking trail is the best kept secret in the entire school district.

I started walking after my heart attack. I begin when the weather turns cold and rainy in the fall and walk well into the spring. In those four years, I have made new friends, walked with old friends and have gotten to know some of the staff and teachers who are friendly and welcoming. I have seen other people like me walking to improve their health, friends exercising together, parents walking with their children and mothers pushing baby strollers. I especially like the kid’s art work that lines the hallways.

Last December I was asked to join the Walking Trail Club. This club and others are a part of the Community Schools Program. A group of about 20 children came together to learn about the health benefits of walking and to study how to improve the walking trail experience. We walked the trail several times in order to learn the route. One day we walked it with an odometer in order to determine the length (1/4 mile) and we designed a “Welcome to the Walking Trail” sign.

I want to thank Kim Burrell and Stephanie Schepis for making this a great learning experience for the children and for including me in the process. I also want to invite the Albion Community to use the walking trail. It is open from 4 to 8 p.m. during the week.

Sincerely,

Tom Gardner

Knowlesville

Editor:

The Holy Family Parish Social Justice Committee thanks State Senator Robert Ortt for his initiative requiring increased regular NYS inspections of Adult Care Nursing Facilities, i.e. more surprise inspections of such institutions, as well as sanctions against the owners of such facilities that fail to meet the minimum standards of care that are supported by the Orleans County Legislature.

This request was passed unanimously in the Holy Family Social Justice Committee on January 15, 2019 and we encourage the community to support Senator Ortt in this effort.

Thanks for your consideration,

Holy Family Social Justice Committee

Robert Golden, Chairman

Editor:

I wanted to give a public thank you to Medina Central School superintendent Mark Kruzynski for doing the right thing and closing the schools for the next two days.

You lead by example and put the students safety first. You provided the parents with enough time to plan child care accordingly and put the children first. Thank you for being a parent, a leader and part of this community.

Tim Elliott

Medina

Editor:

Tom Rivers, editor of the Orleans Hub,  provided a good recap of a local legislators gathering in Albion on Jan. 25. Assemblymen Hawley and Norris and State Senator Robert Ortt are good dedicated folks doing an often tough frustrating job. But support does not necessarily mean agreement.

Norris states, among other things, that he wants, “… residents better equipped to excel in the economy.” Hawley on the other hand isn’t keen on raising the minimum wage. If you raise the minimum wage (which Hawley opposes)  aren’t you enabling residents to be better equipped to excel in the economy (which Norris desires)? These are two people acting on our behalf who aren’t even on the same page.

Hawley’s concern is the impact that a raise in the minimum wage would have on businesses.  It’s a legitimate concern. Hawley’s thinking however is out of date – about 100 years out of date.

In 1914 Henry Ford made an announcement that shocked the country, causing the financial editor at The New York Times to stutter, “Is he crazy?” with further predictions that Ford Motor Company would soon be bankrupt.

Henry Ford began paying his employees $5.00 a day, over twice the average wage for automakers in 1914. He also cut the workday from 9 hours to 8 hours. In that year the Ford Motor Company sold 308,000 cars – more than all other carmakers combined – and set new records for profitability. A year later sales were up to 501,000. In 1919 Ford raised wages to $6.00 a day – and the wage hike produced even higher production numbers. By 1920 Ford was selling a million cars a year.

Henry Ford had several reasons for doing this. But paramount was his understanding that “The owner, the employees, and the buying public are all one and the same, and unless an industry can so manage itself as to keep wages high and prices low it destroys itself, for otherwise it limits the number of its customers.” One might conclude that things have changed since that time. They have. But nothing that was done 1914 is beyond our capacity or reason in 2019.

Assemblyman Hawley makes speaking points that higher costs and regulations discourage business growth. Since we’ve debunked the first point, I’ll make a brief point about the second. I would remind anyone listening that the U.S. Patent Office, the Department of Motor Vehicles, labor unions and the five day work week, the Clean Air and Water Act and non-discrimination based on age, gender, race or religion all fall under the “regulations” banner.

“We need less regulation” may play well at face value in front of unchallenging constituents. However most businesses want their intellectual property protected and most of us want to be paid overtime or to go to a restaurant that isn’t re-using dishwater. Regulation, conformity and enforcement of standards are necessary. If some regulations are deemed excessive – then address them directly – but let’s dispense with the political sound bites and generalities – we’re better than that.

Norris states that “Rural counties are not getting the attention they deserve.” Um – isn’t that why you’re there Mr. Norris? To get us the attention we deserve? Or is there some other reason you showed up to work today?

Since it looks like our legislators are going to get a $50,500 increase in their annual salaries, I’d like to challenge them all to become legislative innovators and thinkers – not mere complainers and echo chambers. I’m pleased Assemblyman Hawley is still “energized” after 13 years – but if one is going to simply sit in the same box does it matter?

Darren Wilson

Lyndonville

Editor:

This past week we watched with sorrow and amazement when the NYS Legislature passed, and Gov. Cuomo signed, the perverted Womens’ Reproductive Health Act, which actually should be called the Death of Unborn Babies Act. How ironic this action took place following the previous Sunday being “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.”

It was not unexpected, as the governor had promised to make this his number No. 1 priority now that he controls all three branches of NYS government. Where is the public outrage over the standing ovation of the legislators  which occurred when the measure passed? Have New Yorkers sunk that low in morality and conscience with regard to human life? Apparently so, as the majority of voters elected these individuals to represent them.

With absolutely no regard for the sanctity of human life, the next logical action will be to legalize assisted suicide, something we know the governor has already made plans for.

One of the reasons the Marxist-socialists give for wanting to import millions of illegal aliens into our country is because we need the workers. After murdering more than 60 million human beings through abortion since Roe v. Wade, we certainly have reduced the American workforce.

Where is the outcry from the pulpits of our churches? Since so-called “Christian” leaders are  so caught up with the social justice gospel, apparently they have no time or desire to preach the True Gospel of Jesus Christ, one which values all life, as created by God.

As a society, and especially as Christians, we should be crying out in repentance, begging God for forgiveness before it is too late. There will come a time when His patience will end, and He will turn us over to destruction due to our reprobate minds and hearts (Romans chapter 1). Personally, I believe that time has already come and we have begun to see the results of that perversion. May God have mercy on their souls!

Wayne and Belinda Lemcke

Waterport

Editor:

Governor Andrew Cuomo jumped onto the front steps of Upstate New York, rang the bell, and left a flaming bag of excrement at our door.

In the budget he has put forth, he has proposed to cut Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM), but not for everyone. Originally designed as an incentive program for municipalities to explore cost saving measures, the figures for such aid have remained flat for ten years. However, for the budget year 2019 for most towns and villages in Orleans County these numbers will go to zero! Interestingly, large cities and urban populations are exempt from such reductions.

According to the website of the State Comptroller, “Though not required in order to receive AIM payments, local government officials are encouraged to use multiyear financial planning as a long-term budgeting tool.” How ironic that the desire is to promote “multiyear financial planning as a long term budgeting tool,” and to then surprise us, after our budgets have been submitted, with a significant cut such as this in State aid.

Our budgets for 2019 have been approved and submitted according to the guidelines put forth by the state. This retroactive action by the Governor shows a blatant disregard for the problems of Upstate New York. He had not made mention of these plans prior to the last election. Now with his third term safely in hand, he can, and has, let us all know the disdain he obviously feels for rural upstate counties, towns, and villages, many of which did not vote his way in the last election.

His office’s statement that the loss in funding will not seriously impact these communities is just plain false. Full disclosure; the Town of Murray’s AIM funding, according to the formulas used, remains at last year’s levels at least for now. However, we are nonetheless disappointed in this action by the Governor, because we understand the budgeting hardships it imposes on others in Orleans County. We deserve much better than this.

Respectfully,

Robert G. Miller

Murray Town Supervisor

Editor:

“Speed kills”; “Haste makes waste”; “Short term gain, long term pain”; “Those in the biggest hurry to get there often have the least idea where they are going”. The last one is mine.

The Town of Barre in Orleans County was targeted for a reason. As someone who knows recently explained to me, with 96 miles of roads to maintain and a low population density, it makes a certain amount of sense to make the Town into a wind “farm”, especially when everything appears to have a price tag.

But two of the biggest words in the English language are “if” and “but”.

“If” everyone on the Barre Town Board, with even an intention to sign a lease with a wind energy company, recuses him/herself, the possibility of a conflict of interest might go away.

“But”, even then, any wind energy project—some would use a different word—makes sense only with a performance bond for decommissioning, according to my well-informed source.

Largely woodlot habitat destruction won’t be the only cost in the final cost/benefit analysis.  Any of our great-great grandchildren who haven’t moved out, will just have to grin and enjoy the view—or lack thereof—while they go elsewhere to catch the birds in migration.  Unfortunately—or should I say fortunately—for those who haven’t witnessed it, they will never know what they missed.

Sincerely yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

So, the Barre Town Board passed a resolution recommending that no changes be made to our current wind ordinance in light of Apex’s proposal to erect 47 industrial wind factories in our town. Surprised? No.

Actually the Town Board made this decision over seven months ago. On June 10, 2018 at 10:11 a.m. I had a conversation with a member of the Town Board. I had called to inquire if the Town Board was planning to review and/or revise the current ordinance. The board member’s response was “No.”

When questioned further, specifically about the three short statements that dealt with setbacks, he stated that three (out of five) board members had already decided that there would be no changes to the current wind ordinance.

So, you think your voice matters? It doesn’t. The final decision, that was just announced at the January 9, 2019 Town Board meeting, was already determined prior to June 10, 2018!

For all of you “unreasonable people” (AKA residents of Barre), whether you are for or against the industrial wind project, nothing you said or did over the past seven months mattered at all. Everything that has happened has been a complete ruse – the public hearing in July, the two  surveys done later that month, concerned residents being prevented from speaking about wind turbines at Town Board meetings and ordered to submit all wind turbine concerns, in writing, to the Planning Board, the public forum held in October by the Planning Board and all the written comments to the Planning Board, that were due by November 1, 2018, none of it mattered.

The Planning Board planned to review material it received and have a decision to the Town Board by the first of the year. Apex was hoping for a decision on the wind ordinance by the first of the year. Could that be why the Planning Board meeting of November 12, 2018, a meeting that started with an executive session with the town’s lawyer, ended abruptly with a motion, that was approved, to not make any changes to the ordinance? The “no changes” recommendation was forwarded to the Town Board in December and they announced that they would make their decision – no, that isn’t quite right is it? They announced that they would finally make their decision – public – in January.

Now Town Board members refer to Barre residents as “unreasonable people” and lament the fact that they had to sit through “14 meetings” and listen to the “same thing being said over and over.” Town Board members are “incensed” that residents would question their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of all of our residents. We “unreasonable people” are incensed about the ruse that has been perpetrated upon the residents of our town for the past seven months.

Donna Rhodey

Barre

Editor:

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and the Cancer Services Program (CSP) of Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming and Niagara Counties (GOWN) wants to raise awareness that cervical cancer is preventable!

Regular screening is key to preventing cervical cancer or finding it early, when treatment is most effective. Cervical cancer screening tests can find the cells that lead to cancer before it starts, or, find cancer early when it is most easily treated. Our program can help you get screened, even if you do not have insurance.

According to the latest New York State data (2016), women without health insurance are much less likely to be screened for cervical cancer (71%) when compared to women with private health insurance (88%). The CSP can help close the screening gap for women without insurance.

The CSP offers free cervical cancer screening to eligible uninsured women, age 40 or older. Our program also provides free breast and colon cancer screening to eligible New York State residents.

Orleans County Residents can call (716) 278-4898 and if you live outside of the GOWN Region, call 1-866-442-CANCER (2262) today to find out if you qualify for free cancer screenings.

If you have insurance, talk to your doctor about cervical cancer screening. It is a covered service under most health plans, including Medicaid plans and plans participating in the New York State of Health.

You can prevent cervical cancer by getting screened!

Jessica Downey

Program Coordinator

Cancer Services Program of Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming & Niagara Counties

& Community Partners of Orleans Community Health

Editor:

It’s an issue of protecting personal liberty, free markets and the 10th amendment. The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Most medical papers don’t combine the word addiction and cannabis. There’s a gray area there, the correct term is “cannabis use disorder.” Also there are already laws for impaired driving.  Legalization doesn’t significantly add to the problem, it’s always been there in the first place and comparatively minuscule to alcohol traffic accidents. Do we need laws to ban Ambien, cell phones etc… as well?

The Federal drug war has failed, prohibition has failed. We need to go back to a constitutional approach. There wasn’t even a law against cannabis use until the Marijuana TAX Act of 1937.  Up until this law was passed cannabis products were legal to sell in pharmacies and drug stores, as long as they were properly labeled and regulated. We’re on the wrong track and we can do so much better by just coming to common sense. The war against cannabis causes so much hardship, costs billions of dollars and has accomplished nothing.

The way the laws concerning cannabis are enforced is also very selective, even discriminatory. Statistics show that the socially disadvantaged, immigrants and ethnic minorities have significantly higher arrest rates.

Drug decriminalization, such as allowing the possession of small amounts of cannabis and possibly its cultivation for personal use, would alleviate these harms. Where decriminalization has been implemented – such as in several states in Australia and United States, as well as in Portugal and the Netherlands – no or only very small adverse effects have been shown on population cannabis usage rate.

The lack of evidence of increased use indicates that such a policy shift does not have adverse effects on cannabis-related harm while, at the same time, decreasing enforcement costs.

Licit and illicit drug use is a part of American society, we should work to minimize the effects rather than condemn them. In my opinion removing cannabis from the black market is an effective harm reduction policy.

Sincerely,

Greg McCarthy

Medina

Editor:

Photo by Cindy Burnside: A bald eagle is in flight last weekend in Barre at a field along Route 98.

I have been watching a Bald Eagle in Barre for over 15 years. I would catch sight of him/her flying very high up in the sky and was able to catch some fabulous photos of him about 10 years ago.

Over the last few years I have caught sight of him/her in various areas in Barre as well as in my own back yard.  A few years ago, roofers at our home were graced with his presence and he gave them a thrill to see his proud and majestic brilliance!

This past weekend, someone in the area, who knows how enthralled I am with this national bird, called me and told me that there was an eagle and a juvenile in a field on Route 98 in the Town of Barre. They gave me the location and I grabbed my camera – not having the best camera, I was able to photograph not only the baby, but its parents as well!

I am so excited that we, in the Town of Barre, can say we have a family of bald eagles living somewhere close by! I have waited years for this to happen and feel extremely blessed that this pair chose our town to live – with the wide open, unaltered, natural habitat, they have found it as lovely a place as we have!

Special notes regarding Bald Eagles from the DEC:

• In 1976 there was only one pair of bald eagles nesting in New York. Conservation efforts have increased that number to 389 territories in 2015.

• Bald eagles mate for life, which can be over 30 years. Nests are reused and added to each year, growing to over six feet across, eight feet deep, and weighing hundreds of pounds.

• An eagle’s 2-inch-long talons can exert 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch

• Harassing, disturbing or injuring a bald eagle is a federal offense and carries a penalty of up to $20,000 and/or one year in jail. Remember that bald eagles should remain undisturbed, and it is important that they conserve energy during the winter months.

Please remember, it is a federal offense to harass or disturb them or their nesting area. Enjoy from a distance and love what you can see! Welcome to the neighborhood, Mr. & Mrs. Eagle and Baby!

Cindy Burnside

Barre

Editor:

One of the worst ideas ever to come out of Governor Cuomo’s office and to be proposed to the Legislature is the idea to legalize the use of recreational marijuana. What made our Governor change his mind?

Perhaps it was the lure of additional tax money that can be used to influence and control people’s lives. Society does not need another addictive substance to be freely available. While we crack down on the use of tobacco in order to promote good health, the door will be opening wide to the use of another addictive substance that is equally as bad, if not worse.

More “driving under the influence” will be one of the immediate results along with the attendant human suffering that accompanies it. This is well documented in states that have already legalized. Then there are the other addictive substances alcohol and opioids that are creating huge problems within our society and another will be added.

We are told the “benefits” outweigh the negatives. Have the negatives ever been honestly and openly discussed? No! The Governor’s Study Commission dutifully did his bidding to obtain more tax money.

Perhaps Albany has come to the realization that the free things so lavishly bestowed upon some, such as “free” college tuition are really not “free” and somehow have to be paid for. There is no free lunch! Consequently, the main motivation behind legalization is pure and simple greed. Albany does not need any more money to spend but certainly needs a truck load of spending discipline, and honesty to boot. “The power to spend is the power to destroy.” This cliché is most appropriate at this time. Let us come to our senses and drop this dangerous idea.

We will all be the better for it.

James C. Hoffman

Somerset