Editor:

This is one of the most despicable moments in our history. The President of the United States has publically chosen to side with a foreign government over the work of the men and women of our intelligence agencies.

I grew up in the era of Ronald Reagan. I remember Reagan standing up to Gorbachev and demanding, “tear down this wall!” He did this with strength, not weakness. He fought for American values on the world stage because they were also human values. Humane values. We have seen nothing but weakness from this president.

It’s clear now that the pre-eminence of Western Democracy is in jeopardy. The threat is coming from inside our country. Every citizen has a responsibility to stand up and say that this is wrong. The alarm bell has to be rung: we have to defend Democracy. We have to be outspoken today. We have to vote in November.

Nate McMurray

Grand Island

(McMurray is the Democratic Party candidate for Congress in the 27^th District.)

Editor:

We urge you to read the July 2018 Western New York Catholic with four articles on immigration: Bishop Malone’s “Let’s Build Bridges, Not Walls,” “Catholic Leaders Condemn Zero Tolerance” and two columns.

When President Trump first took office, he said, regarding the “undocumented,” it doesn’t make sense to deport successful, productive people.

Regarding refugees, thanks to President Trump for stopping his administration’s odious process of separating, even infant children from their parents and siblings and imprisoning them without contact.

But that’s just the beginning of needs that the US Conference of Catholic Bishops have asked our government to address:

We’re still faced with these unjust and/or inhumane actions:

1. Imprisoning refugee children and parents “indefinitely.” According to Time magazine, they secured a memo that the Attorney General and HHS are considering using a Super Fund toxic-contaminated former army base, with “austere” conditions.

2. Denying asylum to women fleeing domestic violence.

3. The attorney general is still calling for “zero tolerance” regarding the “undocumented.” That creates the prospect of separating a million-plus children and families.

4. Deporting persons (DACA eligible), who came here as children through no fault of their own, and have prospered and contributed, many now with wives and children.

5. Deporting anyone who came to the US to work since 1986 until recently (and we allowed employers to hire “undocumented,” although it was against the law), and did work and contribute, who’ve educated themselves, who’ve served in the US Military, who are caretakers for children and elderly, who are victims of and witnesses to crime, and not serious criminals nor discernible security threats. (Protected up till recently by Prosecutorial Discretion.)

6. Depriving farmers of productive, non-criminal workers. (Being “undocumented” is not a crime, where hiring them is.) We’ve allowed this for so long, particularly from 1986 to 2003, to enforce the law harshly now would be both unjust and economically foolish.

It seems the President has taken some poor advice or appointed the wrong people.

As Catholics we should urge the President to allow more refugees (as we’ve done in the past) and follow his initial thoughts on “undocumented” farmworkers and other such workers. We should likewise urge Congress to finally approve a bi-partisan bill, that takes into consideration the justice and Christian principles that the Bishops and other religious and civic leaders and organizations have advised since 2003.

We realize the President has expressed concern over criminality of the “undocumented.” The reality is that immigrants are no more likely to commit crime that any other population group, and victim studies verify that.  Even with respect to “street crime,” they’re likely less prone, than American citizens, who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

Bob Golden and the Holy Family Social Justice Committee

Albion

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Editor:

This letter is for Mr. Capurso and any other left wing extremist who I gladly offend. Mr. Capurso’s uneducated response to my recent letter on July 2 was a result of his exposure to fake news from CBS, NBC, CNBC, CNN, late night talk show hosts, the entire Democrat Party and many others foaming at the mouth with vitriol and hatred for Conservatives, the Supreme Court and President Trump that happens to be beating the pants off of this twisted ideology. Leftists are losing at every turn and are about to be swept away with a big “Red Wave” this November.

Mr. Capurso, those that are sneaking across our border with children, they are coming here with lots of money? They are paying their own way? Or are the taxpayers now responsible for their welfare? I’m am sure for a fact that your grandfather worked very hard and that your grandmother stayed home, kept the house and raised the children, but doesn’t that conflict with the radical feminist views of woman in your party today?

Mr. Capurso, you mention morality. You are a member of a party that demands the taking of human unborn life by mere choice at all trimesters. You also by supporting illegal entry to this country condone human trafficking, rape, child sex, murder, drug smuggling, gang violence and all the degradation that come with it.

You support taking away the self worth and dignity of a human by training today’s youth that the government trough is where you feed – by destroying generations of humans with Johnson’s new deal. Please Mr. Capurso don’t talk to me about morality when you are a proud Democrat.

So when you’re confronted with the truth and that brick wall comes up over common sense – and the words Christian values, charity, benevolence, children, mercy and compassion – start to remember you belong to a party that fights for, condones and is its number 1 issue since Roe vs. Wade is the murder by choice of 60,069,971 Americans and non-Americans on our soil in the womb. That’s more than Hitler, Stalin and Mao combined.

Trump will appoint another Antonin Scalia to the Supreme Court very soon. Trump equals America winning! Build the wall. No watered down weak bills. Congressman Collins, are you listening? I hope so.

Paul Lauricella

Lyndonville

Editor:

We, the undersigned Municipal Historians of Orleans County, are profoundly disappointed with the disregard the Gaines Zoning Board of Appeals has shown for the only National Historic Landmark in Orleans County by entertaining the possibility of building a Dollar General across the road from the Gaines District No. 5 Cobblestone Schoolhouse in Childs.

The Cobblestone Society stands as a stalwart supporter of historic preservation and derives much of its authenticity from the nature of the surrounding community. The three buildings that constitute this significant landmark demonstrate a unique method of construction developed and perfected between 1825 and 1860.

In 1993, the Secretary of the Interior designated the Cobblestone Historic District as one of just over 2,500 National Historic Landmarks in the United States. It is imperative that the integrity of this district and designation remain intact. Regardless of what type of faux finish is used for the facade, the new structure will be inauthentic, and will destroy the tenor of the neighborhood.

We respectfully request that the Town of Gaines protect what is both a local and national treasure and reject the proposal.

Thank You,

Matthew R. Ballard, Orleans County Historian

Adrienne Kirby, Gaines Town Historian

Adrienne Daniels, Barre Town Historian

Lysbeth Hoffman, Carlton Town Historian

Melissa Ierlan, Clarendon Town Historian

Marsha DeFilipps, Holley Village Historian, Murray Town Historian

Alice Zacher, Shelby Town Historian

Dawn Metty, Yates Town Historian

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Editor:

The Lyndonville Lions Club held its 44th Annual Independence Day Celebration on Wednesday, July 4th. The fireworks display, which culminated the festivities, has become one of the largest shows in all of Western New York.

This fireworks display is by far the greatest expense for the Lions Club on this day. It is only due to the response and support of area businesses, organizations and the general public that a show of this magnitude is possible. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to each of the over 50 businesses and organizations that made donations toward this year’s show.

In addition, thanks to all those people who gave donations, who bought raffle tickets, who placed money in our Independence Day Firecracker Cans and who dropped money in the firecracker barrels along the parade route.

Again, without the tremendous community-minded support of each and every one of you, a display such as this would not be possible. With your continued support, I hope that displays like this may continue for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Wes Bradley

Lyndonville Lions Club

Fireworks Fundraising Chairman

Editor:

A recent writer to the Letters to the Editor in the Orleans Hub suggested we might learn more about the proposed Lighthouse Wind project if we “Attend Meetings.” All I can say in reply is “I’d love to!”

If Lighthouse Wind were to be so kind as to tell me where and when they were holding public meetings, I would be standing in line to be the first one in the door so I could get a front row seat. The truth, however, is that Lighthouse Wind holds meetings for their leaseholders and, except for one or two public meetings early in the process three to four years ago, has been unavailable to the public at large.

The Town Boards of Yates and Somerset have invited Mr. Mark Goodwin, CEO of Lighthouse Wind’s parent company, Apex Clean Energy of Virginia, to meet with them; Mr. Goodwin has not even shown the common courtesy to have acknowledged receipt to their letters of invitation.

The new project manager for Lighthouse Wind, Mr. Paul Williamson, has thus far not shown his face in public since becoming involved in the project. The truth appears to be that Lighthouse Wind does not want public discussion, does not want to hear the voices of opposition to the project, and wants to force this project down the throats of these unwilling towns through the Article 10 process which has stripped home rule from the people.

Steve Royce

Appleton

Photo by Tom Rivers: Save Ontario Shores members had a float during the Lyndonville Independence Day Parade showing their opposition to the proposed Lighthouse Wind project.

Editor:

The table below shows the results of an empirical assessment of public comments made to the DPS website in relation to the Lighthouse Wind Project as proposed for the Towns of Yates and Somerset by APEX Clean Energy.  All comments made to the DPS site regarding the Lighthouse Wind Project were included in the assessment and cover the time period from January 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018. All comments were read fully in order to ascertain position regarding the industrial wind turbine project. The positions were tabulated as in favor of or opposed to the project.

The results are as follows:

The overall results for the time-period January 2015 to June 30, 2018 are as follows:

Comments in favor of Lighthouse Wind Project =  233

Comments opposed to Lighthouse Wind Project = 1024

Percent of comments in favor of Lighthouse Wind Project = 19%

Percent of comments opposed to Lighthouse Wind Project = 81%

For over three years, the results continue to show overwhelming opposition to Apex Clean Energy’s Lighthouse Wind Project.

Overwhelming opposition…

Thank you,

John B. Riggi

Councilman, Town of Yates

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Editor:

Mr. Lauricella recently posted his concerns on the matter of immigration. It’s a serious subject requiring deliberative thought and actionable solutions. Our United States immigration policies unquestionably require considerable and comprehensive reform if they are to stand any chance of working. Given that, however, Mr. Lauricella merely retreads the same tired, worn and stereotypical opinions that have been entirely disproven over the past 150 years. That Mr. Lauricella also does not provide any support for his positions is personally disturbing.

I could offer to Mr. Lauricella that Republican President Ford  created the “Domestic Council Committee on Illegal Aliens” to study the effects of undocumented workers in the United States. The results of the study showed that immigrants were good for the economy and they gave more in taxes than they took in welfare or health care.

I could add that as a result, during the Reagan administration the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was passed. It allowed legalization of status for both undocumented people who had lived in the United States before 1982 and agricultural workers.

Mr. Lauricella may care to recall that in September of 1996, the Democrats were done with liberal Reagan reforms so the Clinton administration passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. The bill intended to make deportations easier and focused on immigrants with criminal convictions. It also penalized employers who hired undocumented workers.

Mr. Lauricella is undoubtedly aware that during the Obama administration more immigrants were deported than in any other presidential administration in history. Most of those caught were within 100 miles of the border and the Obama administration required that all were finger-printed and thus had formal criminal records attached to them. This last fact may not fit neatly into Mr. Lauricella’s preconceived notion of the Leftist Democrat Socialist vote.

It’s true that immigrants use state and local resources. Quite a few native-born American’s exploit and take advantage of government programs too.  However, take a high-immigrant state, like North Carolina, and we see immigrants utilized $900-million in available state programs. On the other hand – those same immigrants paid out nearly $4-billion in state and local taxes and contributed an additional $14.2 billion in spending power.  This is data, Mr. Lauricella, not opinion.

I would add one additional and widely overlooked argument for why immigration as a whole to this country is worth keeping an open mind about.  This has to do with our national security – but not in a way you may be thinking. When national security analysis are created, the United States makes net assessments against our near-peers– specifically China and Russia – and our near-peers do the same.

When Russia and China view the United States, it is not our weapons systems, our technology or our military budget that scares them most – it is our immigrants. Russia’s population is unhealthy and declining rapidly. China’s population is aging out rapidly. When China and Russia look at the United States they see millions of mostly young people from all over the world flocking to our shores and not theirs.

Our exponential expanding manpower assisted by immigration is the one thing neither of these other countries can reproduce, reengineer or compete against and they know it. From a long-term national security viewpoint, China and Russia would consider themselves blessed to have immigration problems to concern themselves with.

Darren Wilson

Lyndonville

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Editor:

Usually, Paul Lauricella’s ultra-conservative points of view don’t bother me. However, his recent letter of July 2 crosses the line of accuracy and morality. To believe him is to assume all immigrants, undocumented or not, are living high on the hog, milking all kinds of public services at taxpayer expense. As we have learned to do with our current “president,” let us fact-check Mr. Lauricella.

My grandparents didn’t come here from Italy believing the “streets were paved with gold”, as he said. They were ready to work, despite the hardships and privations of being in a strange county and not knowing the language. And work hard they did. My grandmother kept the house and cared for the children so my grandfather could work the stone quarries, build the buildings and pave the streets with sandstone.

Regardless of what people like Mr. Lauricellla and Fox News say, there are very few taxpayer services immigrants can qualify for. Since the 1980’s, less than one percent of Medicaid goes to screening and stabilizing emergency patients regardless of citizenship status. Let me restate that; a minuscule amount of money is spent on the emergency health needs of immigrants. Who among us, besides Mr. Lauricella and Mr. Trump would turn away very sick children? This is not prenatal care or other vital treatment services. Immigrants don’t qualify for that. In this country, we don’t advocate neglecting hungry children or their education. Therefore, Congress has allocated funds for school nutrition programs, WIC nutrition, and Head Start. Mr. Collins, are you listening? Do you care?

And Mr. Lauricella, undocumented immigrants cannot vote. Undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive Social Security benefits, even though many contribute to the system.

Democrats are not “the enemy, trying to take down America.” Mr. Lauricella sees “leftists and socialists in every nook and cranny, even heads of religious institutions.” We have heard this kind of talk before. Read your history of Nazi Germany and the McCarthy era in 1950’s America. Cynicism designed to divide our country and scapegoat the helpless.

I don’t know any of Mr. Lauricella’s “leftists, communists and socialists.” But I do know the difference between Democrats and Conservatives. The former is the party of “US.” The latter is the party of “ME.”

Lies and paranoia will not serve our country well. Christian values of charity, mercy and benevolence will. When you see an immigrant child and their hard working parents, ask yourself a question that Charles Dickens asked; “Are they not of the human race?”

Al Capurso

Gaines

Editor:

I am writing to refute some statements by the Town of Somerset Supervisor Dan Engert in an interview recently. Dan said that the Town of Somerset is “fully supportive of spending whatever money is necessary to defend their interests and defend the health and property values” of our Town.  He said that 70 percent of the town’s residents are opposed to windmills and that over 60 turbines will be erected.

Our town is not fully supportive of opposing windmills. And there will not be 60 turbines. In truth, no more than 50 is the number planned at this time. In truth, there are over 100 contracts signed so there are over 100 signers plus their families who support this project in the total project area of Somerset and Yates.

Over 10,000 acres are signed up with more being signed periodically each month. In truth, we still don’t know what 44 percent of the people who received the survey from a couple years ago think about the project (they never returned it) so it’s impossible that 70 percent of our residents oppose it.

I am concerned about the reporting of inaccurate and incomplete information concerning this project. One thing that is truth, is the amount of our tax dollars being spent to oppose the only major development to come to our town in years. Now our county is spending more of our dollars to prevent it. Somerset alone has spent $260,000 since 2015. Another $250,000 from the Town of Somerset and Yates, plus another $15,000 from Niagara County, is planned for the upcoming year alone!

This is not insignificant and this information should be known by every family in our towns. All to prevent economic development in our town and work opportunities for local businesses, that would equal several million dollars over the next many years.

What’s the plan here when the coal plant completely disappears from the revenue stream?  What’s the plan when people begin to leave our town because our taxes continue to increase and the benefit of living here away from jobs and stores, continues to disappear? What’s the plan for a school whose enrollment is declining rapidly and multiple classrooms are empty?  What’s the plan for empty storefronts?

The only positive I see in our town, other than the prospect for wind turbines and all they can bring to a community, is that multiple houses have gone up for sale recently and have sold very quickly, leaving me to believe that people are not being scared away, as some would have you believe, because of the probability of wind turbines in the Town.

Please ask questions and research. There is a new project manager in town. Talk with him. Attend meetings. Somerset needs an infusion of positive energy and development. This is our opportunity.

Susan P. Atwater

Town of Somerset

Editor:

I listen to these “Pro Invasion” proponents harkening back to when their ancestors came here, how great it made the country. The one thing that they leave out is that those people had no safety net. No welcome to America we are setting you up in a hotel and gas station chain or putting you and your entire family on welfare, food stamps, housing, Medicaid, and every other freebie that the working man has to pay for.

Those ancestors came here thinking the streets were paved with gold and quickly found out that you had to make your own way. They also had a high opinion of America, learned the language, assimilated and became part of the American culture. They studied and became legal American citizens.

There was also a point in time when we stopped all immigration so those who were here had time to assimilate and to love their new country. Today we have those in power within our own institutions teaching those coming to the country to hate it. That it is racist, homophobic, riddled with white privilege.

No wonder some won’t assimilate. They teach them how to take advantage of our system, to use every advantage to come here illegally and stay here on the taxpayers dime indefinitely – all for their vote. They are the Democrat Party. Leftists, Communists, and Socialists in place in every nook and cranny of the public sector and heads of religious institutions. They are the enemy with one goal – to overwhelm the system. To take down America. Vote for candidates that will stand firm against this invasion. Are you listening, Congressman Collins?

Paul Lauricella

Lyndonville

Editor:

What a pleasure to be able to look at all the pictures and to read the descriptions for the Barre Bicentennial presented in the Orleans Hub. It is simply wonderful for all of us who read the Hub to be able to slowly reminisce on the rich history of this historic rural community while lauding the depth and continuation of Barre families with so many youngsters.

The continuation of so many family businesses in Barre shined through each picture.

Barre, take a collective bow, you did yourselves proud! As did the Hub!

Karen Watt

Albion

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Photo by Tom Rivers: The Mighty St. Joe’s Drum and Bugle Corps from Le Roy performs during the Albion Strawberry Festival on June 9.

Editor:

Along with most of the local residents I was totally unaware of the amount of time, effort and – yes, even money – expended by the members of the Albion Strawberry Festival Committee to present, arguably, the Village’s largest social event.

This year I became involved in the project by volunteering to solicit sponsors of the newly-acquired banners to be displayed along Main and Bank Streets during the festival. In all my many years of volunteering I have never worked with such a dedicated group as this one, which truly represents the adage “it’s a labor of love” for the community. The members are so concerned in doing everything properly, and in a timely fashion, that this project has become a true neighborhood event enjoyed by all.

One of the banner sponsors told me that she had just come back from Atlanta, Ga., where she attended one of their “Blossom” Festivals and she said ours (Albion) far exceeded theirs. A well-deserved compliment to our hard-working committee!

From the Albion-area community I thank each and every member of this group who work so hard every year for our enjoyment.

Joe Gehl,

Co-Director

Albion Betterment Committee

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Editor:

One of the delightful aspects of Gaines is how much the past is connected to our present. From the old homes to the cobblestone structures which are unique to the area, we find beauty in the work of those who came before us. After almost 200 years, we can still find hospitality at the Village Inn. The farming families who till the fields and care for the orchards we pass by daily have known each other for generations.

It has been tremendously disheartening to hear of plans to build a Dollar General across from the Cobblestone Schoolhouse in Childs. Dollar General reflects nothing of the character of Gaines. It has nothing to do with agriculture. Nor is it a small business with a vested interest in the community. Dollar General is a faceless corporation, with no responsibilities to anyone except its shareholders, who care for nothing except more profits.

We will have lost much if a Dollar General is built across the road from perhaps the most pristine one-room schoolhouse in the state. We will look a little less like Gaines, and more like every other community in the United States that finds itself situated on a major highway. Some things are more important than the bottom line. Character matters.

Sincerely,

Adrienne Kirby,

Resident of Childs in Gaines

Editor:

Danny Donohue released a statement that it is outrageous the Supreme Court caved to greedy corporate CEO and the wealthy on the Janus decision. He no longer can force public employees  to join his union.

Mr. Donohue also is eligible for three pensions totaling over $130,000. Much of this pension was funded from this forced membership. Talk about greedy and wealth. You will now have the freedom to join the union. If the cause is worthy his membership will not be impacted.

Why blame greedy corporate CEOs and wealthy when all the court did was give everyone the freedom of choice? Gov. Cuomo as he typically states that protection is stripped away. He would much rather eliminate your freedom of choice and force you to join something against your will. If the union supports their members, this decision will have no impact on them.

Edward Urbanik

Lyndonville