Editor:

I just read Dirk Lammes post stating he’s running for the Town of Murray Highway Superintendent position in the General Election on November 3rd.

His opponent, Jim DeFilipps, is an honored Orleans County deputy sheriff. He is an exemplary law enforcement official and by my own personal experience a good person.

While I know and respect both of these men my vote will be for Dirk Lammes because he is the most experienced and best qualified for this position. If there was an emergency or  a water main bursts at 2 am. and you were without water, who would you want on the job?

Dirk has the experience to step into this job and we’re fortunate to have a person with his level of experience running for this position.  This shouldn’t be turned into a popularity contest.

Jim Johnson

Murray

Editor:

My name is Dirk Lammes. I’m running for the Town of Murray Highway Superintendent position in the General Election on November 3rd.

Over the past few years, I’ve been asked to consider the position and after much encouragement I accepted the endorsement of both the Republican and Conservative Parties. Humbled to be selected as their nominee, I pause to comprehend the importance of community service and the responsibilities of the position.

I have happily lived in Holley for 26 years with my wife Kathy, raising our two sons and building my business. My Dad, a union equipment operator and my hero, taught me how to operate heavy equipment while sitting on his lap.

During my school years I spent every summer break working with him and the guys doing whatever was necessary and loving every minute of it. I tapped my first water main at age 12 and became an entrepreneur while still in high school then incorporating Lammes Construction in 1995.

Municipal work requires operating within a budget. As a professional in my field, experience has taught me to do the work right the first time to minimize spending. I’ve run my business from top to bottom – bidding, payroll, insurance, staffing, trucking and excavating.

I’ve run road jobs from start to finish – paving, curbing, catch basins and sidewalks. Placed water mains, sewer mains and performed emergency repairs to both and even installed a booster pump station and master meter station right here in Murray. I plow, salt and remove snow when necessary.

My construction experience is vast. I’ve developed excellent working relationships with several area municipalities with whom I’ve worked for many years. I am confident that I can hit the ground running meeting every challenge the highway department will face. I look forward to working with the veteran staff as well as the next generation of highway crews.

I plan to continue coaching youth baseball at the Holley High School as I have for many years.  Helping kids develop baseball skills parallels the development of life skills. It’s been a real pleasure of mine to participate in youth development, sportsmanship and love of the game.

I’d appreciate your vote on November 3rd.

Dirk Lammes

Murray

Editor:

You can. Admitting you are wrong is tough, but you can. Several of my republican friends have.  Just say, “I can” and do it.

After all, you are an American before you are a republican, just as I am an American before I am a democrat.

I know many quite well informed, intelligent people who cannot bring themselves to admit they are wrong to have supported what may be the world’s slickest con man.  “I can” theoretically learn from my mistakes. As ostensibly rational human beings, we all can.

Allow me to remind your readers that Russia’s Putin wants our widely revered President to be re-elected for a reason. That reason should be apparent when you see our President undermine confidence in our institutions of government and our very elections. When words give encouragement to domestic terrorists who are emboldened enough by them to plot the kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, it should begin to be obvious what that reason is.

Such radical domestic terrorists were thwarted by the FBI and our intelligence services the President has—unwittingly, or no—spent time undermining public confidence in, though they are important parts of our government.

These terrorists reportedly want what one prominent Orleans County businessperson told me that he/she would welcome—another Civil War!

Wake up, those who love your country, before the republic you love is lost to chaos and those who put themselves above the law. Learning from history should come before imitating it.

Alarmedly yours,

Gary Kent

Albion

Editor:

As a parent of 3 children in the Albion School District, I find it disheartening the way these children are being forced to learn. The struggle for the parents and students has increased the anxiety and depression levels, not only for the students but the parents that are trying to “teach” our children.

As mentioned, I have 3 children, each one is in a different school (2nd, 7th & 10th grade), and I find my 7th grader having many of the struggles between the three of them. Last year my child was on the high honor roll, and this year he is barely passing.

Now, I do understand that the older these children get, the harder the material gets. However, this is not the case. Most of the material the first 2-3 weeks was review from the amount of school they missed last year. Again, coming from 6th grade on the high honor roll, there’s no excuse for him to be struggling. I’ve found that his struggles come from the lack of structure. These children (all children) need structure and unfortunately, New York State has deeply failed them.

Now let’s talk about my 2nd grader. He’s a typical 7-year-old boy. His attention span can become non-existent in the drop of a hat. The best way to describe his parents teaching him is “like nailing Jell-O to the wall.”

Putting him or any other elementary student in front of a Chromebook on Schoology (which is an absolute horrid platform when it works) for hours on end is ridiculous. What do you think these children are obtaining from staring at a screen? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I find myself feeling like a failure as a “teacher” and a parent. Why? Because or routine is frequently interrupted due to the high volume of students on Schoology at the same time. When we had Google Classroom while in quarantine, we very rarely had any issues. Though, I am grateful that the school has provided the built in MiFi, that also is a nightmare to work most days.

The bottom line is, our children need structure. They need school 5 days a week. They need regular teachers teaching them full time. They need their old routine back. I do understand that parents are nervous about the spread of Covid-19 and their children contracting it, but cold and flu season is also upon us.

Do we, or have we, deprived our children from a solid learning environment during cold and flu season? No. We have not. Five to 20 percent of New Yorkers will contract the cold or flu virus as 2.42% of New Yorkers to date have contracted Covid-19.

New York needs to open the schools back up. These children need to learn full time from educators in person, and not their parents/grown-ups that struggle just as much as they do. We as parents are not equipped to “teach”. That is why we pay school taxes, for educators to teach our child.

As a full-time working mom, and having to “teach” my children, I find it nothing less than a struggle. New York needs to get it together and give these children a chance to learn adequately.

Marene Donnelly

Albion

Editor:

Bullard Park on Route 31 in Albion has been closed since the beginning of the Covid pandemic crisis.

That means the amphitheater that many people worked very hard to raise the monies needed to build it cannot be used, nor could the water park, something that would have been a welcome relief for families in the warm summer months but was the entire season just sitting there with no one to enjoy it.

At the same time all the other parks opened up but sadly Bullard did not. If it is the water park that is causing concern and delaying of the opening of the park then put a fence around it.

Bullard is a very large park. It is beautiful place for being outdoors, which right now is very important when we are trying to social distance and trying to get some exercise and fresh air.  Not everyone has a space to get out and enjoy nature.

Lori Laine

Kent

Editor:

Remote learning is not effective and is detrimental to our youth. The children have been putting in more hours and learning far less.

The frustration level is at an all-time high and there are many tears flowing because of it. According to the NYS COVID-19 reopening plan, schools can open as long as they “ensure that social distancing (of at least 6 ft. or a physical barrier) is maintained between individuals while in school facilities and on school grounds, including in the cafeteria, unless safety or the core

activity (e.g. moving equipment, using an elevator, traveling in common areas) requires a shorter distance or individuals are of the same household.

“If social distancing is not possible, individuals must wear acceptable face coverings; excluding students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering.”

I want the schools to open 5 days a week and follow the state guidelines. It’s time that the Albion Central School District started to put our children’s education at the forefront.

Click here for the link to the change.org petition to have Albion Central School open for in school instruction five days per week.

Ryan Woolston

Carlton

Editor:

Once again the local left places blame on national Republicans and ignores any responsibility on NYS Democrats.

On October 8, Mr. Joseph Gehl wrote to try to compare the President of the United States to Hitler. I don’t know where he came up with such trash. The party of “diversity and inclusion” is anything but.

I recently asked a writer 3 times the following question and never got a reply – just personal attacks and insults. Let me try again with Mr. Gehl. Mr. Gehl, why is it that Governor Andrew Cuomo is above reproach?

Why is it that NY’s deaths are double that of other states – even California? Of course it couldn’t be because “King Andy” forced nursing homes to accept Covid patients resulting in thousands of lives lost.

Who in NY has been “given full law-making and financial powers and anyone who was suspected of opposing him was shot or jailed by the Gestapo”? As a “Bible-thumping, gun-toting conservative,” Mr. Cuomo has said I do not belong in his state. What is next? What is his intention after he tries to take our weapons?

No reasonable person could argue that Cuomo does not have this state under his thumb. He completely controls the most dysfunctional state government in our nation’s history. (Yep, we beat out California on that one too).

We suffer from the highest tax burdens, We have the greatest over regulation. Cuomo’s power means that he controls what businesses can open, and which ones must remain closed. He controls where we can go and where we cannot for fear of quarantine – a list of states that seem to change daily. The list of what he now controls in our personal and professional lives is lengthy and continues to grow to the point that our freedom is very questionable.

And no, I will not be taking his personally approved vaccination. He implies that because Trump is President that any vaccine coming from the federal government is not to be trusted, and I should trust him instead.

The 6,661 nursing home patients who died had no choice but to trust him. And to be clear –  that order was 100% state government’s (spelled A.N.D.Y.’S). A state directive sent thousands of Covid-19 patients into nursing homes, but the Cuomo administration has given other reasons for the virus’s spread.

You know, those leftist “leaders” that never make mistakes. The NY Times recently published an article based on a report by the NYSDOH stating the inordinate amount of deaths in NY nursing was not government decisions (of course). It instead blames 37,500 nursing home workers.

Even the leftist NY Times adds that NY’s numbers are actually much higher because it does not include nursing home patients that contracted the virus, were transferred to hospitals and subsequently died there.

Mr. Gehl, if there were a realistic comparison to be made of current government officials to the Hitler gestapo, these nursing homes would be Cuomo’s gas chambers, would they not?

Bob Harker

Clarendon

Editor:

Nate McMurray will change directions towards a more civil society. A study by Georgia State University Professor Jennifer Lynn McCoy found that polarization of politics is stimulated by the rhetoric of political leaders. She wrote: “Since launching his campaign, President Donald Trump has vilified so-called external enemies such as ‘criminal and rapist’ Mexican immigrants, terrorist Muslims and foreign allies out to drain America’s coffers through ‘unfair trade deficits.’ Now, the president is targeting internal enemies.”

We need to stop vilifying and demonizing people of different ethnic or religious backgrounds. This has the effect of dividing and isolating people, instead of solving problems.

To overcome this polarization of politics the study states: “With a spirit of inquiry, generosity and openness, rather than blame and vilification, the U.S. can move past the bitter divisions that threaten the democratic foundations of the country.”

Chris Jacobs is emulating Mr. Trump’s rhetoric of blaming peaceful protestors on ANTIFA, and demonizing Asians and migrants.

Nate McMurray has visited everywhere in the 27th district, listened to everyone’s concerns and will bring people together.

We all want clean water, nutritious food, good schools and safe neighborhoods and good jobs. Working together, Nate McMurray, will change direction from vilifying people to solving problems for N.Y. 27th district. Let’s elect a leader, Nate McMurray.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Chris Collins did the crime, it’s time, do the time. Our ex-congressman was convicted of fraud, insider trading and lying to law enforcement.

Collins needs to go to jail, no matter who he is, no matter how much money he has, even with “connections” in high places, a Trump loyalist.

Lawyers’ excuses to further delay or eliminate his 26-week prison sentence for Collins include his age – 70, ill health – asthma and hypertension, as well as health risks.

Equal equals equal. Shall we release all 70-year old prisoners with asthma and hypertension due to health risk? The pandemic is a fact of life we all must deal with.

I have not committed any crimes, am in the same age group with the same illnesses; I quarantine at home due to the pandemic. Collins is a criminal deserving greater punishment than I. Collins is old news; the public is tired of his face, hearing his woes. Time to do the time, like anyone else.

Fast forward to the present. Who will fill that N-27 seat? We deserve better than the series of wealthy ex-congressmen named Chris who have embarrassed us, cheated or confused easily.

Chris Jacobs claims he was confused when he failed to support the USPS. Jacobs must be confused again, when he lies in his ad, claiming he fights to protect pre-existing conditions and jobs for us. Jacobs is a Trump loyalist; Trump fights to eliminate The Affordable Care Act during a pandemic.

We are desperate for leadership with integrity, someone who refuses corporate money, whose “connections” are us, supporters, met while visiting towns in N-27. That is Nate McMurray.

Carol Nochajski

Wilson

Editor:

Over the past several weeks I have been lucky enough to walk beside (often behind) Diane Shampine as she boldly knocks upon the doors of complete strangers.

Quiet and reserved by nature, Diane has managed to muster the inner strength to enter an arena of which she had previously disavowed, and even truly dreaded – the world of politics. I stand in awe at the strength required to do so.

If you have a fear of public speaking, multiply that by a factor of ten, and then you have half an appreciation for what this actually requires.

I have witnessed first-hand how this overtly polite lady (afraid to knock too loudly, step on someone’s grass where no sidewalk was present, or interrupt a Buffalo Bill’s game on Sunday) became a confident, assertive individual on the campaign trail for the position of Orleans County Clerk.

Each encounter resolved clearly in her favor yet accompanied by a small cloud of confusion as to how a citizen may clearly cast a vote intended as approval for her effort to meet, greet and present.

Her shirt is red, her sign has stars, she’s a life-long Republican, and it would seem logical that if one were to vote straight down the Republican line, she will receive your vote. No! Not correct. Diane has supported the Republican Party her entire life, but even though she was clearly the most qualified, I dare say the only qualified candidate for the position, she didn’t receive their support. The people we meet fully intend to vote for Diane, but many also intend to vote the Republican line from top to bottom. Unfortunately, that is going to end with unintended consequences, and the wrong person may inadvertently win this race.

However, from the very beginning of this campaign Diane understood the value of the Conservative Party endorsement. At the very heart of every true Republican, and deep down within every thinking person is a conservative leaning voter. Someone who honestly believes the hand of government upon the throats of the citizen must be restrained, and the coffers accrued via collected taxes should be spent as a parent balancing a limited household budget.

I witnessed Diane reviewing a multi-page questionnaire from the Conservative Party Committee as if she were taking a midterm exam, beginning at 7 a.m. and finally concluding sometime after 11:30 p.m. on a Sunday night because she was determined to submit her honest and heartfelt answers on time. Upon doing so, she not only received the Conservative Party endorsement, but also received high praise as having provided “some of the most impressive answers they had ever seen.” Because of that cherished endorsement, she is now allowed to continue on in the general election as the Conservative Party candidate.

It would seem Diane Shampine is not simply running against another candidate, but rather she finds herself in contention with a very powerful letter. The letter “R” for Republican.

A letter can be a powerful thing, one cannot debate with a letter, only a candidate. When one candidate refuses to present their competency in a public forum, the other is catapulted into a position where they must somehow convey that an “R” is not always an “R”, and quite often a “C” is truly the best option.

James Schwenzer

Ontario, New York and part-time Holley resident