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

Editor:

In answer to the concerns of Mr. Knab I offer the following:

Appointments by law are made by the Republican committee to fill vacancies.  The Town Board does the same.  At the last town Republican meeting 8 of the 10 members were present, including Mr. Sidonio, we filled two vacancies and endorsed a candidate for council unanimously. No other names were brought forward by any committee member. Anyone interested could contact any member at any time and their help will be greatly appreciated. We have a committee of 12 and generally have two alternates. We are elected every two years.

The Town of Murray meeting room holds 90 people and at the most was half filled during the discussions about the property maintenance law, and there were people on both sides. The property maintenance law, as you are well aware, mirrors the State property maintenance law, (click here to the state law  and click here to see the local Murray law) with the addition of the requirement to pick up garbage cans and limit the time refuse stays roadside. The local law allowed us to treat infractions as violations, not misdemeanors. Please take the opportunity to review and compare.

Potholes are not a violation. The grass as in the state law must be kept shorter than 10 inches. The aerial imaging you refer to is the Pictometry, which is taken once every three years, is hardly intrusive. The Supreme Court has ruled on the admissibility of this evidence. Further I have never had to use it in court, but do use it to help those that forget to obtain a permit become compliant.

No there is no politics in code enforcement, every violation has a picture. The code enforcement position is a Civil Service job, it has nothing to do with politics. I was number 1 on the list when I was hired. There is a lot more to code enforcement than property maintenance. My job is to protect the people in the Town. When there is a fire, a faulty appliance producing carbon monoxide, a car crashing into a house, I go out whatever time of night. When a contractor does faulty work I inspect and have it corrected.

I am the Town of Murray Republican Chair because I was elected by my fellow committee members. I have served in leadership positions in the American Legion, the County Joint Veterans Council and the Rotary. I have a proven record of leadership.

The committee interviews prospective candidates, fundraises, collects signatures on petitions and helps to get our candidates elected. The committee endorses, but supports the winner of the primary. That person is the choice of the party. These are hardworking unpaid individuals. Sometimes I think your group doesn’t seem to understand that it’s not the loudest voice, but the majority that rules in this country. I know you are new to the party, but the American principles should be familiar to you.

Hope this helps you to understand how the party works.

Ron Vendetti

Holley

Editor:

On July 10th at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference room at The Villages of Orleans Nursing Home there will be a Family Council meeting. I am strongly encouraging all family or representatives of a resident to attend.

Under regulation 10NYCRR 415.5, a resident’s family has the right to meet in the facility with the families of other residents. The Villages of Orleans may in no way prohibit the formation of a Family Council.  As the Family Council, we shall be allowed to meet in a common meeting room within the facility, in private, without facility staff at least once per month upon a mutually agreed time.

It has been quite a period of time since the families have gathered and it is time we re-establish the council. Join me on Tuesday, July 10^th, at 6 p.m. in the Large Conference room. Looking forward to seeing and hearing from you all.

Sincerely,

Kelly M. Bentley

Albion

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Editor:

There is a new arrival in town. I am referring to the recent appointment by Apex of Mr. Paul Williamson as Development Manager for Lighthouse Wind. The story, however, remains the same. Apex, ignoring the overwhelming local opposition to Lighthouse Wind, has doubled down and recommitted to completing this project in the towns of Somerset and Yates.

Clearly, Apex is relying on Article 10 and the “burdensome clause” contained in it to ram Lighthouse Wind through the Siting Board dominated by Albany Bureaucrats, and thus obtain the authority to industrialize our quiet rural community with up to 70, 600-foot-high wind turbines.

Being ignored are the surveys showing overwhelming public opposition, the hundreds of unanswered comments on the Public Service Commission site, the dozens of organizations with issues relating to Lighthouse Wind, the Power Coalition opposition, the Save Ontario Shores activities, the town’s restrictive industrial wind turbine laws and the numerous negative environmental and physical impacts that will plague our community for generations. The list is practically endless!

The economic and environmental benefits are continually extolled by Ms. Mosley of Apex, yet after more than 4 years of activity in our community we know little more than when Apex first arrived. The inescapable conclusion is, there are no benefits, but very many negatives to Lighthouse Wind.

One thing is sure, over the last 4 years the communities of Yates and Somerset have paid a heavy economic and social price as we attempt to regain the home rule stolen from us under Article 10. Consider the human and capital costs associated with revision of Comprehensive Plans, revision of local laws associated with the siting of Industrial Wind Turbines, the endless series of public meetings and hearings, the met tower applications and their associated activity and subsequent intimidating lawsuit. This list is also practically endless!

We know Apex wants a PILOT as has been stated several times. A PILOT is a tax break, so from the outset Lighthouse Wind wants to get by “on the cheap.” Complete honesty would dictate what is never mentioned, that the PILOT monies will be distributed among 6 taxing jurisdictions thus substantially watering down any benefit. Taxes should be based on the full assessed valuation of the project.

Apex has recommitted itself to Project Lighthouse Wind and likewise we in Somerset and Yates will recommit to what one of our opposition signs so aptly states, “Apex Go Home.” Project Lighthouse Wind is the wrong project in the wrong place being proposed by the wrong company.

Perhaps Mr. Williamson will assist us in sending this message to the home office in Charlottesville, Virginia.

James C. Hoffman

Somerset