How sad is it that we have to go to Monroe County and pay a fee to dispose of hazardous waste?
I’m cleaning out a garage that has chemicals from two homeowners ago, including lots of paint, stripper and other things you would find in a household garage. I call my local Orleans County office only to find out that they do this only once a year and that I have to go to Monroe County and pay a fee?
It was suggested to hang on to these until they have the pick up next August. Really? Are we really such a diminutive little town that we can only provide services once a year? What does our taxes pay for if not for services for the taxpayers?
The numbers tell the story. The Latino contribution to the US economy would make this group the eighth largest economy in the world (LDC – US Latino GDPReport).
There is good news but there are two glaring exceptions. First, the deficit is exploding in excess of GDP. That debt needs to be paid. Second, while our 3.6 unemployment rate looks good, it is not. In fact, the job force is losing 300,000 baby boomers a month and we do not have the workers to sustain even our less than 2 percent growth in GDP rate or, worse, service the deficit.
We need a 1/3 increase in our economy to do that. What this means is that we have to solve our immigration problems or our economy will collapse for want of workers.
In late June an Albion resident found an injured stray cat with a wound on his face and appeared to be blind and deaf.
The woman in Albion contacted Hope for Cats, an all-volunteer cat rescue organization, and she surrendered Sonny to us. After a visit to a veterinarian, Sonny received medication for his wound, surgery for one eye condition, and he was neutered and vaccinated.
Provided photo: Sonny the cat remains friendly despite being a target of cruelty.
We made an appointment with a veterinary eye specialist who confirmed that he had no vision in either eye, and recommended removal of his right eye, which was visibly damaged, in order to avoid possible later development of a malignant sarcoma which can develop in cats with lens damage.
During this surgery eight birdshot pellets were recovered from Sonny’s right eye, and a skull X-ray found 28 more pellets lodged throughout his face and head. So, we received the shocking news that Sonny’s facial wound, his blindness, and probably his deafness, were caused by an intentional act of cruelty toward this perfectly friendly young cat.
Based on the pellets visible in the skull X-ray, the veterinarian advised removal of his left eye also, again to prevent future malignancy. This surgery was performed during which the veterinarian did confirm that two more of the pellets were actually lodged in his left eye.
Sonny is now recovering from this surgery and he is amazing in that he remains friendly, curious, affectionate, loves catnip toys and has no problem finding his litterbox, food and water. He has a safe and loving home waiting for him, and we look forward to a long and comfortable life for him, in spite of the abilities which have been senselessly taken away from him forever.
It is incomprehensible that someone could look this handsome guy in the face and shoot him. However, we have confidence that this person is not representative of Albion residents. This weekend some churches are having pet blessing events.
Sonny is among the many animals who are deserving of kind wishes and actions. If you would like to help with Sonny’s veterinary expenses, please visit our website (www.hopeforcatsinc.org) and use the “Donate” button or find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hopeforcatsinc/), where we have his story, photos, and an opportunity to donate. Thank you for your attention to this letter and please be kind to our animal friends!
I sincerely hope that the residents of the Town of Barre do not believe the ads bought by Apex promoting how much money the town will have by accepting Heritage Wind into the community.
Apex is very adept at misleading the public and Town Boards. The term PILOT is Payment in Lieu of Taxes. PILOT payments generally pay only 25 percent of the value of a project. That is why companies like PILOTs so much and will often not move forward without a PILOT. So, from the outset there is a huge loss of taxes for the town. But that is only the beginning.
Apex makes it seem that all of the funds will benefit the town but that is not so. PILOTs are negotiated by the county’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) or Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and that is how they fund their staff and offices. So they take a large chunk of any PILOT.
The school district, or perhaps school districts, take a large portion of the PILOT money because students from the town of Barre attend one of four districts. (The Heritage Wind documentation (PSS) indicates school districts – plural.) However, PILOTs mess up limitations set by the state tax cap and will cause additional problems if and when it goes into effect and when it ends. So the New York State School boards Association has taken a stand against schools accepting PILOT payments.
The Orleans County IDA lists pilot payments to both villages and towns with the villages taking a greater share of PILOT payments than the towns. Whether any villages will receive any PILOT payments from Heritage Wind is unknown but must be considered.
In the 2018 Orleans County Economic Development Agency’s IDA report of PILOT payments, the schools received almost half of the PILOT monies (48%), the county received almost a quarter of the PILOT monies (23%), towns received just less than 10 percent of PILOT payments and villages were paid almost a fifth of the PILOT monies (19%). So, the town gets the last and smallest share of a PILOT payment.
But that is not the end of the Apex deception. This payment is over the life of the project – proposed to be 15 years or so. So instead of considering the advertised $35 million benefit to the town, consider $2.33 million each year divided among the EDA, school districts and the town [(and or village(s)].
How much will be left each year for the town’s benefit? It will certainly be less than a third perhaps much less and what will you be trading away to get it? And why does the Heritage Wind logo only show a tractor – not a wind turbine in sight?
There is way too much partisan baloney in the United States. But I have no intention of “going off” and writing a book at this time.
Depending on the Democratic nominee, I might vote for a Republican in 2020. But it won’t be someone who differs from Richard Nixon principally in that he isn’t smart enough to resign.
However, should Mark Sanford or William Weld be the Republican nominee, I may very well vote Republican in 2020.
It would take someone as level-headed as Senator Amy Klobuchar to get me to check the box on Row B. Of course, if the current occupant of the White House is re-nominated, my guess is that it will practically guarantee a Democratic victory in 2020.
I continue to believe that impeachment and conviction lets the citizens of this Republic off the hook. He and his entourage deserve it, but it is time to admit we made a mistake in 2016.
President Trump tried to use foreign aid to Ukraine to dig up dirt on his potential political opponent. Ukraine, an ally of the United States, is involved in a shooting war with Russia.
The aid to Ukraine is needed military aid which was approved by Congress to support our ally. Using taxpayer money to extort political favors is an impeachable offense. Using taxpayer money for personal gain is an impeachable offense. Using taxpayer money to impede a democratic ally in a shooting war against an autocratic adversary of the United States is an impeachable offense.
Republicans are pushing some conspiracy theory that Vice President Joe Biden did the same thing. There are several important differences. First, Joe Biden was working with our democratic interest and European allies. Second, Vice President Biden was pushing Ukraine to investigate corruption not to squash an investigation. Third, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Vice President Biden. If there was, the FBI would investigate, not a struggling democracy.
Chris Collins supports Mr. Trump. Collins doesn’t think using tax payer dollars to subvert U. S. foreign policies to enrich Mr. Trump is an impeachable offense. He does not think supporting an ally, a democratic ally, over an autocratic adversary is an impeachable offense. He doesn’t think using taxpayer money for personal gain is impeachable. He doesn’t think subversion of democracy is impeachable.
It is time to put country over politics. It is time to defend democracy. It is time to defend our constitution. It is time to elect new representatives. Thank you.
It was with sadness in my heart that I walked into The Family Hardware early Monday morning. A gaggle of long-time customers was seated in the back area for what will be one of the last get-togethers there.
Yes, this is so very sad for this community to lose yet another convenient and frequently entered store in the heart of our village. Thanks to Fred Miller and all that he maintained in the village of Albion following the loss of Fischer’s Newsstand and the loss of many county employees as they moved to the hill well beyond walking distance of any village retail stores.
Even with formidable health conditions last year and this, Fred kept his business open and the village and customers benefited from his dedication. And so Fred, enjoy the abundance of time before you now in good health!
I want to publicly thank Assemblyman Steve Hawley, his staff members Eileen Banker and Jayleen Carney, Eileen’s husband Dale Banker for a great and successful Patriot’s Trip to Washington, D. C. I also want to thank the bus drivers Mike Degaugh and Cory Duthoy for their mild-manner handling all the traffic conditions while being friendly and courteous to all passengers. Finally, a thank you to Jim Freas for all of his assistance.
We left the slow rolling hills of Genesee County, full of gently swaying corn fields, for the turbulent memories of war and conflict. The trip included too many stops to mention here. This was not just a trip to learn history, or to remember past heroes.
For me this was also a trip to remember men I knew, who fought next to me; men who died in my arms while a medic tried to save them. Remembering is not the word I want to use because I can never forget these scenes; they never leave me.
This trip served a therapeutic purpose, I got a sense of closure. Again, I want to thank Assemblyman Steve Hawley, his staff, the bus drivers and Jim Freas for a very successful trip.
Unfortunately we live in a time where all our student athletes are not able to participate in the sport or program of their choice in the school district in which they live.
Fortunately neighboring districts have recognized this and are willing to allow our student athletes to participate in their programs.
We live in the Barker Central School District. I work in the Lyndonville Central School District.
This weekend we had our “Mustang Pride” sign stolen from our yard.
Our student athletes are proud to be “Mustangs” for 3 months a year in the Medina football program.
Our student athletes are gladly “Rams” for 3 months a year in their wrestling program.
Our student athletes are thrilled to be “Barker Raiders” for 3 months a year in their own district’s baseball program – all while maintaining a GPA of 90 or above.
For a student athlete to participate in programs in a school district not their own is a huge commitment. They do it for the love of the sport, program and their teammates.
Our clothesline in the back yard consists of red, white and blue; purple and white; orange and black; and maroon and white.
We are proud of all of it!
We support our student athletes regardless of where or for whom they play, and you should, too.
I would agree with Gary Kent. Time to oust the present federal administration if you enjoy the following:
No economic growth.
Raising local taxes to fund public pensions caused by market declines.
Gun confiscations.
Open borders.
Brownouts and black outs as fossil fuel is eliminated.
Forget seeing your family if they live beyond 162 miles.
Free inferior health care and college.
Middle class tax hikes.
US corporate headquarters moving to Ireland.
Government regulations.
Not certain where your next meal will come from as US agriculture is fossil fuel based.
Look at the bright side, we are not in a coastal area where the rising seas will flood the county. Plan 2014 developed by the last federal administration already accomplished that.
