We appreciate input from our readers, and we publish letters to the editor without charge. The letters should be written by the person who submits the letter and not be “ghost written” by someone else. While open speech and responsibility are encouraged, comments may be rejected if they are purely a personal attack, offensive or repetitive. Comments are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Orleans Hub. Although care is taken to moderate comments, we have no control over how they are interpreted and we are unable to guarantee the accuracy of comments and the rationality of the opinions expressed. We reserve the right to edit letters for content and brevity. Please limit the length of your letter (we suggest no more than 500 words) and provide your name, telephone number, mailing address and a verifiable email address for verification purposes. Letters should be emailed to news@orleanshub.com.

Editor:

Getting where you’re going a minute earlier may seem necessary, but it often is unnecessary and stresses the only planet we have a bit more.

On Monday, September 11, a red-tail hawk was doing what they do for us while attempting to survive when hit by a vehicle just east of Millville on 31A. Was that machine being driven above the speed limit by a person who didn’t care what is more likely to happen when we drive too fast? Would it have happened anyway? Was it just absent-mindedness? Or was it just a young bird who misjudged a dangerous situation?

Living things may be killed by individuals driving within the posted limits. However, death—or serious injury—is more likely when we drive above the legal limits.

Red tails hunt mice and other small rodents. They help all areas but are especially valuable to an agricultural one such as ours.

They are also beautiful creatures who have their place in the grand scheme of things. Please consider giving them—and all of our birds—a brake.

Sincerely yours,

Gary F. Kent

Albion

Editor:

I grew up in Orleans County in the 1960s and graduated from Albion High School in 1970. I retired from the USAF after 25 years of service and settled in south Texas. I follow the Hub and see an occasional letter to the editor that speaks to the state of our democracy.

I think there is little question that we are in a steady state of decline. Our politics have become so polarized with anyone trying to find conscious and middle ground being singled out and chastised by the fringes of both parties. At the federal level we have the three branches of government all of which at best are self-serving and ineffective and at worst corrupt and engaged in unethical and unlawful behavior.

We have members of Congress who are habitual liars, conspiracists and unprincipled leaders who refuse to rid the governing body from this poison. The Congress refuses to pass meaningful legislation to address gun violence, immigration reform, budgetary and debt reduction or any number of important issues.

The Supreme Court membership is now too far to right and proven to be less than truthful based on their testimony during confirmation hearings and then their votes regarding abortion rights. Perhaps the most glaring issue is Justice Thomas who repeatedly took favorable trips, vacations and sold properties to a right wing Texas billionaire. His wife is a former President Trump confidant and he sees nothing wrong with anything he does.

Chief Justice Roberts refuses to establish firm ethics policies and thumbs his nose at the Senate when they want to pass ethics rules for the court.

Lastly, the executive branch with current President Biden showing signs of advancing age and with a family member under attorney general investigation and running for a second term makes us think are there better candidates available.

The Republican Party seems hell bent on making former president Trump their candidate in 2024. The man has at least four felony indictments, some of which are undoubtedly justified. Maybe I am showing my bias but in my observation he facilitated the attack on the US capitol, he admittedly (his own words) tried to overturn the results of the previous election and he mishandled highly classified government documents.

Being a retired USAF colonel I happen to know quite a bit about handling classified information. What he did with the hoard of classified documents is inexcusable. If myself or any of my military colleagues were caught with top-secret classified information outside of line of sight and not in a secured area we probably would be court marshaled, perhaps lose our pension or worse.

He should get no free pass on this and honestly should be held at a higher standard. For this single reason alone he is unfit for the presidency.

So here we are with disfunction, lying and unethical behavior at every branch of our government. Can Congress do its job? Can the Supreme Court clean up its act and rule by law and precedence? Can one of the political parties find and promote a centrist candidate without a ton of baggage?

Would the polarized electorate elect such a person? As a member of the baby boomer generation I fear we failed our parents, the greatest generation, and future generations to come.

James Fraser,

Colonel, USAF retired

Garden Ridge, Texas

Editor:

Recently, I read an article on the New York Times website: “We’re All Water-Bottle Freaks”, written by Matt Richtel. Matt writes about the fact that we have increasingly become concerned about the amount of single-use plastic we dispose of, meaning that we are taking this issue seriously.

This, of course, is a very good thing. So, we have been purchasing substantially more reusable drinking containers. However, despite this, consumers continue to buy an alarmingly increasing number of single-use plastic water bottles, even as faucet water remains free. This doesn’t seem to make much sense.

I know that despite the fact that I have joined a group, “Green Orleans”, which was created to encourage community members to incorporate actions to help preserve our environment, I often forget to bring my reusable water bottle to a sporting event, or the ice cream stand, and also forget to bring my clean reusable container to a restaurant when the meal is complete and I have leftovers to bring home. So, I collect another plastic container and add it to my pile.

I guess we can make many excuses for purchasing and accumulating a large number of plastic bottles, containers, etc. Liking the looks of that new reusable bottle we see in the store, not trusting the quality of the water from a faucet, forgetting to carry our reusable bottle, looking “foolish” by taking our own container into a restaurant to take home leftovers, etc. Since, most of us are taking the “plastic” situation seriously, I guess that we just need to do a better job of remembering to “cut back”, me included.

And, we just need to be willing to “model” the behavior that we wish others would use. I do believe that taking a reusable container for leftovers into a restaurant may serve as encouragement for others to consider doing this the next time they go out to eat.

Sister Dolores O’Dowd (Green Orleans Coordinator), sda_albion@rochester.rr.com, and I, Tom Robinson, thomasarthurrobinson@gmail.com welcome any thoughts regarding this opinion letter, and/or thoughts and ideas for our group, which meets monthly on the third Thursday, 11:30 a.m. at the Hoag Library in Albion. All are welcome.

Tom Robinson

Medina

Editor:

The Clean Energy Revolution that is being heavily promoted is neither clean nor is it cheap as those who promote it want us to believe.

Many important issues are being  ignored as the push to electrify accelerates. An evolutionary approach is in order. This will allow time to work through some of the serious issues that have developed.

For example, recently in the village of Chaumont, Jefferson County New York, four tractor-trailer size lithium-ion batteries used to store renewable energy caught fire and burned for four days. Residents were advised to shelter in place as toxic gases were being emitted. Letting it burn out was the default firefighting method. This is not acceptable!

Governor Kathy Hochul was wise in quickly appointing a Fire Safety Working Group to investigate this and other fires of a similar nature occurring around the state. All lithium-ion battery installations must be suspended until the Fire Safety Working Group completes its work and declares that lithium-ion batteries are safe, and acceptable methods to extinguish such fires are available.

Lithium-ion batteries are in wide use and have a long history of unexplained fires that are difficult to extinguish. Typical lithium-ion battery applications include standalone installations for grid stabilization, storage to support wind and solar complexes, and powering of e-cars, bikes, scoters and skateboards.

The mining of the critical materials lithium, nickel and cobalt and the associated activity raise serious pollution issues. Further the disposal of tens of thousands of discarded turbine blades, worn-out solar panels and e-car batteries present a huge disposal issue. There are no acceptable recycling methods available for these items, consequently they will continue to litter our landscape.

Conservation, repair, reuse and recycle appear not to be in the Clean Energy Revolution game plan. Perhaps clean energy activities should be suspended until acceptable recycling methods are developed. Let us try to leave a cleaner planet to our children and grandchildren.

With regard to costs, heavy government subsidies – national, state and local – are an integral part  of the Clean Energy Revolution. Low interest rates, production tax credits, energy credits, PILOTS  and the like, mask its true cost. Without subsidies there would be no wind turbines, no solar installations, no e- cars.

Our children and grandchildren are being left with untold trillions of dollars in debt. These costs are only the “tip of the iceberg” as the government continues to assault the fossil fuel and automobile industries with legislation and directives that eliminate jobs and raise costs. It is an undisputed fact that e-cars are more expensive and dirtier to produce and require less labor than their fossil fueled counterparts.

It is an undisputed fact that despite all the government subsidies the automobile industry is laying off workers and losing billions of dollars in the manufacture and sale of e-cars. The deficit is being made up by fossil fueled car purchases. Consequently, those who  purchase fossil-fueled cars are subsidizing the purchase of e-cars.

In summary, let us turn the Clean Energy Revolution into a Clean Energy EVOLUTION. Let us stop operating in a crisis mode, stop deliberately confusing weather and Climate Change. One bad storm indicates nothing about Climate Change.

Let us stop doubling down on bad policy and legislation and stop throwing money around with no accountability. Climate science is not settled and likely may never be. Let us stop pretending that it is.

Climate prediction models do not adequately predict the future. The effect of a major greenhouse gas, water vapor, is not adequately accounted for or well understood. Responsible research shows hurricanes are not increasing in frequency or intensity. Responsible research shows the burned area of Planet Earth have decreased over the past two decades. Let us pause to pay attention to the consequences of previous policy actions.

An excellent place to begin the evolution is to hold the Governor-appointed Fire Safety Working Group accountable to ensure that lithium-ion battery installations are safe and pose no threat to the public. Perhaps lithium-ion battery technology is not ready for prime time!

James C. Hoffman

Town of Somerset

Editor:

We read, with interest, Mr. Lauricella’s letter to the editor regarding his least favorite months of the year, September and January.

In his editorial, Mr. Lauricella states that, “They [taxes] have been on the steady up creep for the last 3 or 4 years.”  In another passage, he says, “I want to remind both boards that staying within the tax cap is not and should never be the measure that is used for a successful budget.”  He also includes a confusing statement about the Super Bowl. Lastly, Mr. Lauricella seems to indicate that the Yates Town Board as well as the Lyndonville School Board, are “fleecing…” the taxpayers.

To let the Hub readers decide for themselves whether we are prudent stewards of the taxpayers hard-earned money, we offer the following:

From 2021-2023, the Town “Inside Village” tax rate was either flat or decreased each year (2021 = 3.66, 2022 = 3.55, 2023 = 3.66).  And while the Town “Outside Village” tax rate has increased 2% per year (2021 = 4.83, 2022 = 4.93, 2023 = 5.03), the combined tax rate increase each year averaged below 2%.

Keep in mind, in those same years, the inflation rate has increased, on average, over 5% per year. Since Town Boards are elected to provide core services, would it make sense for the Town to increase the budget by 5%? Definitely not! We made prudent decisions to keep quality services at a sustainable cost – the true, “measure…for a successful budget.”

And in answer to Mr. Lauricella’s question, “Is there no discipline when it comes to spending?” Yes, there is!  One example: the Yates Town Board has voted eight years in a row to freeze the board members’ and the supervisor’s pay.

Mr. Lauricella might also remember some additional fiscal accomplishments of the Yates Town Board in recent years:

We worked closely with town departments to publish the first-ever Town of Yates 5-Year Financial Plan which captures short-term funding goals and long-term fiscal vision.

We nearly doubled the Town’s portion of the underfunded Lyndonville Fire Company budget over six years, and we worked with the fire company and the village to establish the Joint Fire District.

We competed for and were awarded a $2,531,000 NYS REDI Grant for a comprehensive upgrade to the Yates Town Park to include a new pavilion, pier, kayak launch and handicap-accessible playground.

Meanwhile, the Yates Town Board is exploring the idea of a biodigester for farmers (unanimously supported by the local Farm Bureau), working to purchase a new snowplow using maximum leveraging of state funds, and expanding the Summer Youth Recreation Program.

By the way, personally, we believe that the months of September and January are a wonderful part of God’s creation.  From the beautiful fall colors through Thanksgiving, to Christmas and each new year, we are blessed!  The Super Bowl is OK too, even if the Bills aren’t in it!

Go Bills!

John Riggi, Susan Hrovat, Harold Suhr, Terry Chaffee Jr. and Jim Simon

Yates Town Board

Editor:

My least favorite months are September and January. School and Library, then Town and County tax bills. I am not pleased. My taxes went up $101.00 over last year.

They have been on the steady up creep for the last 3 or 4 years. Why is this? School districts are heavily subsidized by the tax payers of the entire state. So why is this happening?

Is there no discipline when it comes to spending? Nothing that can be trimmed down or out of the budget? As a businessman I cannot believe that.

I want to remind both boards that staying within the tax cap is not and should never be the measure that is used for a successful budget. That is a Buffalo Bills Super Bowl big loss and in these recent times predictably choking during the playoffs.

Only you are losing with taxpayer money. Why should anyone vote for any of you ever again. The taxpayer should always come first.

Without the fleecing of state and local taxpayers year in and year out public entities could not operate. Bloated labor contracts, waste, and other programs and functions could not take place.

You are killing us with 1%, 2%, whatever % you inflict on us, year after year. After a while those percents add up to a good chunk of our flesh. Enough already with the tax increases.

No wonder people are leaving this area and this state in droves. It’s not just Albany’s fault. There is blame locally. Do I have to run for School Board?

Paul Lauricella

Yates

Editor:

It was refreshing to read the second half of Gary Kent’s recent letter to the editor about how a few Republicans impressed him during their recent presidential primary debate.

Allow me to return the sentiment.

Wouldn’t it be great if President Joe Biden would debate Marianne Williamson, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Dr. Cornel West?

Unfortunately for Democrats – and for democracy – the powers that be in their party will not allow for an open and frank discussion on the progressive side of the political aisle.

This is especially disconcerting given the candidacy of Dr. Cornel West, a former Harvard and Princeton professor and a formidable Christian intellectual whose defense of the poor and marginalized is legendary.

I disagree with much of his platform (foreign policy and climate change in particular), but Dr. West, and America, deserve a Democratic Party presidential primary debate.

For those interested in some civil yet hefty debates, check out the numerous YouTube videos of Dr. West discussing weighty issues with his decades-long close friend, conservative Christian Dr. Robert P. George of Princeton University. In a word – refreshing!

Jim Simon

Yates

Editor:

On August 6, in a letter to the editor, I asked Ship Draper, Orleans County Republican Chairman, to explain in the Hub, Trump’s comment “If you go after me, I am coming for you.”

To date neither Mr. Draper, nor any other Republican has responded.

Perhaps he, and other Republican leaders believe the way to survive politically is by keeping their heads down, never take a stand, hide in the shadows, not make any comments, and pray really hard all of the legal controversy swirling around Trump will go away.

Many of us remember the old Hogan’s Heroes TV comedy show in which German guard Sgt. Schultz would avoid taking a stand or a position on anything by saying, “nothing, I know nothing.”

Could it be Orleans Republicans are thinking Schultz was on to something?

Jack Capurso

Albion High School Class 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

We live in a republic and have a republican form of government – a representative democracy. Some Americans would apparently be willing to trade what the Founding Fathers created for an authoritarian system. A few of our national political figures think characters such as Putin and Hitler are/were great – even brilliant leaders.

Many of my Republican friends have grown tired of their party’s front runner for the 2024 nomination. Some fell for it initially, but that time has come and gone.

Much of what their party has as an alternative took part in a debate last week. What follows are a few of one Democrat’s thoughts on that exchange of views.

Nikki Haley impressed me with her smarts, ability to articulate, and combativeness. Her performance suggested to me that she was ready. A ticket including Haley and Chris Christie would be formidable in my view. I thought he had a strong night as well. Asa Hutchinson seemed to be another viable candidate.

Senator Tim Scott fell short of my pre-debate expectations and was disappointing, as was Mike Pence.

My awards for the most absolutely disastrous debate night performances had to go to Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy. DeSantis seemed to utter the same tired comments repeatedly. Ramaswamy made some perceptive observations along with others that were “off the wall.” He claimed to be “data driven” in a later interview but during the debate made a comment about climate change being a “hoax”!

My goal was to keep this brief while calling attention to what may be the most important presidential race in American history.

Sincerely yours,

Gary F. Kent

Albion

Editor:

A bright thread in the fabric of our democracy endures in spite of unprecedented threats.

George Washington provided the model of moral stamina for all Americans and rejected suggestions that he should consolidate power and become king. He set the precedent that no one should serve more than two terms as president.

American spirit produced Lincoln, who led the Union through the Civil War to defend the nation as a constitutional union and succeeded in abolishing slavery. Lincoln and later Garfield may have been assassinated but those who believed in civil rights never gave up.

T. Roosevelt left his mark on the American landscape with national parks and first used the justice department to break-up big-time corporate monopoly of the 19th Century. F.D.R. and an L.B.J. were in the right place at the right time to build our country in the 20th Century.

The presidency of the first black president, Barack Obama, signaled a “post-racial” America at first, but a reaction of racial conflict shows that hate hides. Obama’s vice-president, Joe Biden, studied and learned the lessons of his predecessors. President Joe Biden has proved to be the right person to protect and further extend the great experiment of government for the people, by the people and of the people.

Corporate power is at the forefront of the political debate. A massive corporate tax cut, a billionaire cabinet in Washington and historic corporate profits unravel the fabric of our democracy.

US inflation is low. It has fallen for 12 consecutive months. Prices remain high due to corporate consolidation of markets manipulating high prices and record profits.

Low-income earners truly feel the burden, paying the steepest portions of their income for necessities. US household debt has risen nearly 50% since 2003, after adjusting for inflation. People owe more; top 3 debts are mortgage, auto loans, and student loans. Credit card debt is at historic highs.

Biden has lit a torch, a spectacular “new deal” to rebuild our economy. Historically, Americans pay more for prescription drugs than other countries. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, Medicare can finally negotiate prices to get better deals for Americans struggling to pay for drugs. Cheaper Eliquis, Jardiance, Xarelto, Januvia, Farxiga, Entresto, Enbrel, Imbruvica, Stelara and various forms of Fiasp, prescribed to treat: heart disease and clots, blood cancer, diabetes, arthritis and kidney disease, is good news for everyone, except Big Pharma.

The government can be a force for good; all politicians are not corrupt. The wind is behind us, in our sails.

Carol Nochajski

Wilson

Editor:

It is sad that so many people would rather write you and display their ignorance about claims of 2020 election fraud than inform themselves.

As lawyers lose their licenses and ringleaders are being indicted, they still are not humble enough to do their homework.

The presentation of edited tapes, testimony from people who assumed what was being talked about, made up numbers were all debunked ages ago. One Trump lawyer cried in court when the federal judge asked him to demonstrate why he should be believed.

Dozens of the major fraud allegations repeatedly presented on TV, in over 60 court cases, and in legislatures around the country were reviewed in KING v. WHITIMER.

The long-term problem with Trump and MAGA supporters is their complete lack of humility about being wrong. They prefer to think they are victims both in life and when they do not win rather than grow up. Shilled by doctrine and fueled by hate, they have joined in the creation of some of their own problems.

This is a big world. There are challenges now and ahead to tackle and work on together so we can all prosper. I am tired of tired people with tired ideas who can not be bothered to read.  They hold themselves and everyone else back.

In this case the bogus claims of election fraud are long debunked in black and white.  And to make my point, true or not, the crimes were not the false speech about fraud or the bogus claims in election cases but about the subsequent falsification of records, testimony and violence.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Election officials take voting very seriously. Every claim of election irregularity is thoroughly investigated. Officials don’t finalize the vote until every single voter irregularity is investigated and properly resolved.

Every voting district reports the results of the election only when all voter irregularities are resolved. All election districts in the country reported their election as fair and free from any irregularities. To claim election fraud or irregularities you would impugn the integrity of every election official in the country.

Studies looking at voter fraud in the 2020 election found there was no fraud sufficient to change election results. Studies from the University of Chicago which focused on statistical claims of the Trump administration found fraud did not change the outcome. Furthermore, studies from the Brennan Center for Justice confirm that voter fraud did not change the outcome. Mr. Trump’s own campaign hired two companies, Berkeley Research Group and Simpatico Software Systems which found no evidence of voter fraud.

Not only did election officials, colleges, universities and independent organization investigate election irregularities but the major news media in Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, etc. investigated all claims of election irregularities in their cities and found none. Every single claim, from mathematic irregularities to whatever, you name it. There is no evidence that voter fraud sufficiently effected the outcome of any electoral district in the country. None. Again, to claim election fraud or irregularities you impugn the reputation of every reporter for major news outlets.

Mr. Trump is free to challenge the outcomes of the vote. Indeed, Mr. Trump’s legal team filed 60 court cases challenging the election; 60 times they failed to produce any evidence of voter fraud. 60 times they couldn’t produce facts supporting their claims of election irregularities; 60 times. Mr. Trump’s claims were found to be unsubstantiated, unsupported, baseless or just plain false. 60 times; more than any other candidate in the history of this country, probably more than all other candidates combined.

Mr. Trump and his allies can make all kinds of claims to the press and social media but in a court of law facts matter; evidence matters. Mr. Trump has neither facts or evidence to support his claims.

Mr. Trump did freely question whether the election was free and fair and all the evidence — even research his campaign paid for — showed that it was free and fair.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

“Lies, damned lies and statistics.”

Trump was the first president to try to use the full power of the federal government to overthrow a free election. He lost all challenges brought before judges he appointed!

Are Pence, Barr and Romney the liars here?  The election was unique: “Trump or No Trump” and the individual American voter overturned the entrenched power. The Founders would have been proud.

Look at the Maricopa County, Arizona recount run by the Republican power structure. “No Trump” had 306 more votes than credited.

Stand up for the Rule of Law, the Constitution and the American voter.

Gerard M. Morrisey

Albion

Editor:

A previous contributor to this column spoke recently saying “…as an American, I am free to condemn his (former President Trump’s) behavior based on his own public speeches, writings and actions.” Of course the contributor is absolutely right, he is free to do so. However, President Trump’s efforts as a free American, to challenge what he believes were  blatant violations of a free 2020 election have been denied repeatedly.

After the 2020 “election” scores of voter poll workers and inspectors, everyday American citizens, came forward to speak under oath in front of their state legislative committees of gross procedural irregularities experienced first hand.

They did so at risk to their families, jobs and reputations. The majority of these citizens came from cities like Detroit and Atlanta – democrat strongholds. Mathematicians and researchers who crunched the “election” data and statistics testified the numbers didn’t add up, going drastically contrary to any past election statistics. Are you aware of any of these citizens’ testimonies? Have you read any articles that compare 2020 statistics with past election statistics?

Since 2020, questions raised regarding voter poll practices, illegal ballot harvesting and new election procedures passed  frantically by state legislatures have been abruptly quashed. Despite the point that these practices have been previously deemed unsavory by both sides of the aisle, the current democrat response is to scream, “BIG LIE!” Half of Americans, including a rapidly growing number of registered democrats are seeing this for what it is. Democrats have no honest way of proving election tampering did not take place.

Abrupt suppression, mocking and vilification of individuals who dare to speak otherwise is what the guilty do when they have no viable defense for their own actions. Such tactics are commonly developed on the grade school playground and perfected in the middle school lunch room.

As much as the American people deserve to hear evidence from both sides in order to intelligently decide for themselves, they won’t get it, for they have been informed very unceremoniously by the left, that they are not intelligent enough to do so.

Until Trump is allowed to challenge the 2020 results without retribution, as did his predecessors Al Gore (2000) and Hillary Clinton (2016) there will be no presentation of facts provided for you, ever.

We’ve known for more than 6 years that those who have had their delicate sensibilities damaged by Trump’s speeches, writings and actions will not allow themselves to accept the many astounding accomplishments of the Trump presidency. Are they giving serious consideration to the warnings of constitutional scholars Jonathan Turley and Alan Dershowitz?

What of the testimonies of the many poll workers who dared step forward after November 2020? Anti-Trumpers who demand “facts” fail to realize it’s hard to hear them while screaming, “BIG LIE” at the same time. Facts are not truly wanted by them. In time, the results will be catastrophic to our American way of life.

Respectfully,

Claudia & Gary Deiboldt

Albion

Editor:

I would like to personally thank all of the people and organizations who helped make the Town of Yates’ 2nd Annual Street Dance such a smashing success.

I am very grateful to the Town of Yates Highway Department, Clerk’s Office and Town Board, the Lyndonville Village Department of Public Works, the Village Trustees, the Lyndonville Fire Company, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, the Who Dats, and the numerous food and craft vendors.

The street dances were a big draw over thirty years ago, and it is heartwarming to see young and old alike dancing in the streets again! So mark your calendars for next year’s tentative date of August 23rd, 2024 for our 3rd Annual Street Dance!

Jim Simon

Yates Town Supervisor