Editor:

Just like the Chinese curse, these are “curious times” to live through.

Republicans claim to be the Law and Order Party. But if that’s true, its new dominant MAGA element are the real Rinos (Republicans in name only). Real Law and Order Republican patriots  – both witness and special counsel alike – have described to grand juries what Donald Trump did.

Think of the pickpocket who tells you “I didn’t mean to steal, I just had my hand in your pocket and on your wallet.” Photos, tapes, acts, speak for themselves. Presenting false certificates as official electors is fraud.

It appears the special counsel has Trump blocked. For example, he can not rely on legal advice from his lawyer co-conspirators. The independent prosecutor indicted Trump for what Trump did, not what he said about losing.

The best defense to this indictment may boil down to taking the stand and claiming “I was too ignorant to understand that I lost the election and too stupid to understand that schemes like these are criminal and don’t work.”

Of course the people who should know – his Attorney General Barr, his White House counsel etc. – claim they warned him. But sorting out what’s true is what trials are for.

Both of Trump’s impeachments and two of his indictments now are about staying in power.  That tells a lot about him and the coalition he pulled together under the MAGA banner.

I think it’s fair to say that before Trump that most of us did not realize how many people would  team up with scoundrels and bigots to get retribution and take other people’s rights away.   Trump is the first President to run on a platform promising retribution. DeSantis says he going to be “slitting throats.” Don’t like something or someone, they will go after it for you. The movement seems to be about power and not governance.

This indictment will provide several sign posts. Do old-fashioned law and order Republicans have a place in MAGA? Will all the jurors faithfully apply fact, logic, sort out lies and follow the relevant law? How many people will pay attention and figure out that MAGA slogans and leaders are on a course to ground the ship? (Televising the trial so Fox and Newsday can not falsify would help.)

The speaking indictments and testimony are now part of recorded history. MAGA-allied politicians who sacrificed their honor will eventually go down as whores no matter what the verdict – the spotlight of history tends to be very unkind. Our bedrock tradition of peaceful transition of power presented was a mere nuisance to these co-conspirators. That cannot be unwritten without book burning.

We will get insight into the fate of MAGA. Will MAGA someday fade into history just like the “Know Nothing” party of the 1830 to 1850s. It too was a conspiracy-driven, nativist, bigoted party characterized by discrimination, suppression and  retribution. Will history repeat itself? Can anything so closed minded long survive? History tells us dictatorships eventually fall. But when?

I have followed Donald Trump’s career since he bought the Commodore Hotel in the 1980s.  Time and again, with every set back, he wormed his way out leaving destruction in his wake.  Some see that as strength. Some see bravado and threats like that  as the hallmark of a mobster.  So after the verdicts come in what will people think about him and, by extension, MAGA?

It seems to me that living in an idealized past, destroying things to get there, is living the Chinese curse we must avoid. Looking towards, and preparing for, the future is the recipe for building better together.

All  these responses to Trump’s indictments will inform us all. But in the end until these MAGA created schizophrenic divides are resolved, democracy and liberty are on the line.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

In response to his multiple criminal indictments, Trump stated publicly on August 4,  “If you go after me, I am coming after you.”

Is this a message to his followers to resort to violence? Could it be the comment of person looking at serious jail time for his crimes? Or a childish response to legal matters now beyond his control.

This is all very confusing. I ask the Orleans County Republican Party Chairman Skip Draper to clarify this situation and explain Trump’s comment. I look forward to Mr. Draper’s explanation.

Jack Capurso

Albion HS class of 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

On behalf of OCALS (Orleans County Accredited Learning Services) I would like to thank the public and local businesses for supporting our annual basket raffle fund raiser that was held this past July. OCALS is accredited by Pro Literacy and is a non-profit agency that provides free confidential tutoring services for adults, families and children in need of improving their literacy skills (including digital literacy).  We provide services to all individuals within Orleans County.

During the month of July, a total of 53 separate items were on display at Case-Nic Cookies in Medina for the public to purchase tickets in hopes of winning one (or more) of these prizes.  A special thanks goes out to the following businesses and individuals who donated these items:  Medina businesses – A Kut Above, Ashlee’s Place, Author’s Note,  Auto Zone, Avanti’s Pizza, Tompkins Community Bank, Bent’s Opera House, Blissetts Specialty Shop, BMP America, Inc., Case-Nic Cookies,  Creekside Floral, Cusimano’s, Della’s Chocolates, ellen j goods, Evan Ace Hardware, Flawless Beauty, Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, Orleans Ford, Orleans YMCA, Rosenkrans Pharmacy Inc., Shear Elegance Salon, Tim Hortons, Tops Friendly Market, Tractor Supply Company, Valu Home Center; Middleport – Friends of the Library Royalton Hartland Community Library and individuals – Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Cathy Hooker, Terry Kirkpatrick, Julie Keller, Amy Monti, Kathy Punch and Carolyn Wagner.

The backbone of our community is our local businesses and individuals who reside in the community. Your continued support (by donating items or purchasing tickets to the basket raffle) is truly amazing! We are grateful and humbled by the community support.

A special thank you to Mary Lou Tuohey for allowing us to set up in her store front at Case-Nic Cookies on Main Street in Medina and her staff for coordinating ticket sales and distribution of prizes won.

Thanks to all for making this fund raiser an even greater success in year 2 of this event!  We could not do it without you.

Carolyn Wagner

Secretary, OCALS Board of Trustees

Editor:

Several thank yous are due to all who participated in the Stone Soup Cookoff. Marie Gabalski and the Cornell Cooperative Extension staff worked long hours to put this event together.  And the judges gave up a Saturday in the pouring rain to judge and taste the food.

It was a wonderful event and we are all looking forward to next year.  Yes, there were a few glitches such as the hot plates that lost power a few times, but we all had fun.

Jeanne Crane

Carlton

Editor:

As a resident of Medina, NY, I am writing to express my emphatic opposition to the proposed 9-mile-long sewer pipeline from the STAMP manufacturing site in Alabama along Route 63 into Shelby, that would deposit up to 6 million gallons of treated wastewater into the Oak Orchard Creek.

Further, I stand in agreement with those statements made in opposition at the eminent domain hearing held July 27 in Alabama, NY, by Jennifer Persico, attorney with Lippes Mathias LLP, Michael Dobell, chief executive officer of the Orleans Economic Development Agency, Joe Cardone, the Orleans County district attorney, Scott Logan, a subchief for the Bear Clan of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation, Geri Hens of Niagara County, a beekeeper, Dr. Kirk A. Scirto, family medicine specialist at Tonawanda Family Care Center, and others who expressed their informed concerns on issues regarding the environment, ecosystem, tourism, economic development in Orleans County, health and the legality of the process.

I am not generally opposed to STAMP. The possibility of various economic benefits related to its operation could prove to be very positive for the Medina area and its citizens. That said, I completely agree with the statement made by Michael Dobell, chief executive officer of the Orleans Economic Development Agency:

“We are not opposed to the overall STAMP project as it exists in Genesee County. However, as representatives working on behalf of the residents and business owners in Orleans County, our mission is to foster economic development within Orleans County, and it would be inconsistent with that mission to support a project that would compromise local infrastructure, harm the county’s recreational waterways and is detrimental to economic development in Orleans County.”

I urge US Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, US Representative Claudia Tenney, NYS Senator Robert Ortt, NYS Assemblyman Stephen Hawley to employ the full weight of their offices in opposition to this project as currently presented, and work to find a better solution that puts people, communities and the environment above business at any cost.

Additionally, I would urge all others who desire to protect the quality and integrity of our communities, environment, ecosystem, tourism, economic development and health, along with a transparent and responsive legal process vis-à-vis this project to immediately contact those listed above and express your concerns.

Christopher M. Busch

Medina

Editor:

You know things are bad in our state when staunch liberals like Mr. Remley and Mr. Fine are concerned about rising taxes and costs of living.

The problems we face will not be fixed by drastic and impractical school consolidation, nor will they be fixed by increasing the minimum wage, school taxes, and child care tax credits. These “solutions” will only make our problems more burdensome.

What we need is quite the opposite: conservative policies that reduce government spending – and therefore taxes – and regulations that invite companies to do business in our state. New Yorkers are leaving in droves for red states because, among other reasons, it is cheaper to live there. Businesses are doing the same. Our state budget has increased $56 billion since FY 2019-20 ($173 billion to $229 billion). That’s a 32% increase.

Instead of radically consolidating school districts, let’s lower school taxes. Instead trying to help people by raising the minimum wage, child tax credits, and a bevy of government assistance programs, let’s lower the tax levy so people have more money in their pockets.

Let the people have the power (and money), not our government.

Dan Passarell

Lockport, formerly of Albion

Editor:

How many youth have the opportunity to learn from an internationally honored photographer, who even let them practice what he taught with his own professional and expensive equipment?

The answer to this is the Orleans County 4-H youth! These 4-H’ers had the opportunity to learn first-hand from Mr. Bruce Landis, from Photos by Bruce. Mr. Landis shared with students about aperture, shutter speeds and composition. He also inspired them with his fantastic photos which won international awards!

And he shared how you can take pictures for marketing, like an ad he did for New Balance with a focus of being made in America. The 4-H youth then had the opportunity to use his professional equipment to practice and apply what they had learned.

The 4-Hers returned to the classroom and Mr. Landis provided the youth with additional supportive and educational suggestions for improving the pictures that they had just taken. My children left the session excited to take more pictures, and critiquing my pictures, sharing that Mom that “water would be a rapids if it was tilted that way, remember what Mr. Landis said about making sure that your picture is level.”

We say a big thank you to Mr. Landis for taking the time and sharing his passion and amazing talent with the youth of our community!

If you have youth (5-18 years) that would be interested in learning from talented community members like Mr. Bruce Landis, then consider signing them up for 4-H through the Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension. There are so many different programs and talented volunteers that help to instruct, engage and encourage the youth of our community.

Also next week is the Orleans County 4-H Fair, so don’t forget to stop by the Trolley Building to see some of the 4-H’ers projects including photos!

Kerri Richardson

Barre

Editor:

After practicing medicine in Albion for over 30 years, I decided to retire on July 7, 2023. My active patients received their 30-day notice as required in New York State. I have been surprised and delighted by the outpouring of concern and well wishes from many of those patients and their families.

Family Practice as taught years ago was birth to death, outpatient and inpatient, acute and chronic problems. We did wellness and preventative medicine too, but that seems to be the larger focus these days.

I want to thank the many women who trusted me with their prenatal care and delivery. We created a special bond that alleviated anxiety and happily welcomed a new life into the world.

Likewise, I am grateful to the parents that allowed me to care for their infants and children, all the way into their post-high school years.

As I mentioned to several in the weeks before the practice closed, it was so nice to see them still coming to my office even when their parents didn’t make them any more.

I appreciated the women who came to me for their well woman exams – pap smears, breast exams, and colon cancer screening.

It is said that women are the catalysts for their male partners to get health care. We certainly saw this in the practice. Men, thank your wives and partners for encouraging you to see the lady doctor.

Families also entrusted to me the care of their elderly relatives once they needed extra help in the home or a skilled nursing facility. I was honored to provide that service.

I can’t thank the community enough for supporting me over the years, and I am forever grateful. I became a dinosaur practicing privately and solo. The business of medicine has changed.

Lastly, to all our students, listen to your parents and teachers, do your job which is to study and learn, help your fellow human in trouble, and may all your dreams come true.

With appreciation,

Eileen K. Kosieracki, D.O.

Albion

Editor:

I have been reading the posts on the Legislature’s committee to investigate the possibility of a district court for Orleans County.

There is a certain lack of transparency on the work of the committee, comprised of Orleans County District Attorney Joseph Cardone, Sheriff Chris Bourke, Public Defender Joanne Best, Albion Town Justice Joe Fuller, First Assistant DA Susan Howard, County Chief Administrative Officer Jack Welch, former Gaines Town Justice Bruce Schmidt, County Legislator John Fitzak and County Legislator Skip Draper.

Specifically, the public needs to know how the study is being conducted. Who is preparing the study? Is it an independent third party? Will actual numbers be presented in the study? When will the study be completed? How can taxpayers get a copy of the study? Can you clarify the benefits of a district court over town courts? Are there other alternatives to abolishing the town courts? And finally, will any members of the committee benefit should the District Court be established? Will they take positions in the District Court?

This District Court, if successful, would abolish the local town courts throughout the county. This committee has already decided and will vote to bring this matter to a referendum vote in the November 2023 election without answering the questions above.

The notice of a public hearing was just released on the County website. It will be held on July 19 at 7 p.m. at the legislative Chambers 14016 Rt. 31 W. Albion, NY. Written comments can be submitted to the Clerk of the Legislature at 14016 Route 31 West, Albion, NY 14411. To be considered, comments must be received by 3:00 p.m. July 19.

From the articles already published in the Orleans Hub, some committee members have suggested that this district court will save the county and town money; however, no numbers have been released to support the statement.

A district court would have at least one attorney judge with a pay rate of about $200k/year. There would also be full-time clerks making approximately $80k/year. All of these jobs would come with full benefits.

A facility to house the district court would be an additional cost. In the Orleans Hub on May 11, 2022, Mr. Cardone and Ms. Best stated there would be state funding to bear much of the cost with district courts. According to Assemblyman Steve Hawley, no line item in the State budget covers the cost of district courts. Which of these statements is true?

The current Town Judges are active members of their communities who have served honorably for years. This attempt to abolish the Town Courts is curious and begs the question of why it is being looked into now. The county residents will lose access to their local Town Courts, and, as taxpayers, the residents could be on the hook for this unnecessary spending by the Legislature.

If the Legislature is committed to transparency, I ask that the study results be released, and the cost differential is presented in the Orleans Hub well before the November vote date.

Respectfully submitted,

Wendi Pencille

Town of Shelby

Editor:

State Senator Rob Ortt complained that: “Instead of making New York more affordable, this State Budget failed to address the issues discussed around kitchen tables throughout our state.”

Mr. Ortt voted against a minimum wage increase and a cost of living increase to human service and mental health care workers. Mr. Ortt also voted against expanding the Empire Child Tax Credit, which will bring financial relief to struggling families.

The State budget that Mr. Ortt voted against also has increased funding for schools. Meanwhile, Mr. Ortt sponsored legislation, which allows the counties of Niagara and Orleans to continue to impose additional sales taxes through 2025, (S06064 and S5183).

I don’t know what issues Mr. Ortt discusses around his kitchen table but child care, education issues and increasing wages to pay for Mr. Ortt’s increase in taxes would be issues that most New Yorkers would discuss around the kitchen table.

William Fine

Brockport

Photo by Tom Rivers: Fireworks explode in the sky on the Fourth of July in Lyndonville.

Editor:

The Lyndonville Lions Club held its 49th Annual Independence Day Celebration on Tuesday, July 4th. Our fireworks display, which culminated the festivities, has become one of the largest shows in all of Western New York.

The fireworks display is by far the greatest expense that the Lions Club incurs during the celebration each year. 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 45 businesses and organizations that made contributions toward this year’s show. In addition, thanks to all those people who sent donations, who placed money in our Independence Day Firecracker Cans, who dropped money in the firecracker barrels being pulled along the parade route and who dropped money in the firecracker barrels on the school grounds. Once again, this year’s response for donations was awesome.

To repeat, 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 in the years ahead, I trust that displays like this may continue well into the future, especially next year in 2024 when we will be celebrating our 50th Annual Celebration.

Plans are underway for a fireworks display significantly larger than this year’s to commemorate this milestone celebration.

Sincerely,

Wes Bradley

Lyndonville Lions Club

Fireworks Fundraising Chairman

Editor:

After reading the article on Orleans Hub on June 20th, I couldn’t help but notice the opening line: that village officials state that the “playground equipment doesn’t get much use.”

I have been a lifelong resident of Orleans County and reside in close proximity to the Gulf Street Park. In the past decade or so I have noticed that in this area of Medina, there have been more than a handful of new, younger families moving in. These younger families have children.

I have also observed that the older generations who reside in the area have frequent visitors which include young grandchildren, nieces, nephews, friends, etc.

Having the Gulf Street Playground nearby has been a tease. Children and families are eager to have a playground to use and often look longingly at the playground but the equipment does not go unused due to lack of interest – it goes unused due to lack of safety.

Nearly every piece of equipment there is accompanied by safety concerns and children are frequently upset that parents and guardians limit their access to it (rightfully so). Furthermore, this side of the canal has also seen events happen in the Gulf Street Playground including a yearly catapult event, tents set up for get togethers, children kicking balls around, and the open grass used for softball.

I think it is also worth noting that as we drive by Pine Street Park, there are times when there is no parking available due to the crowding of families attending T-ball/baseball practice there on nights when multiple teams are using the same park.

Why hasn’t Gulf Street Park ever been an option? Why hasn’t Gulf Street Park been an option for soccer? I hear conversations about a disc golf course in this area of town. A beautiful part of town, a beautiful piece of land…used for one area of interest?

I strongly suggest considering the use of this park as a park: to accommodate families, to be a place for those young and old to spend time together, to serve as a location for a variety of sports or leisure activities. I am hopeful that what is included in this letter has already been considered and, if not, will be.

Thank you.

Alyssa Thomas

Medina

Editor:

The conclusion of the 2023 Legislative Session has clearly demonstrated – once again – that one-party control of state government is not working. New York is facing a criminal justice crisis as violence plagues our communities and a broken system continues to benefit criminals instead of crime victims and law-abiding citizens.

New York is also facing an affordability crisis — as inflation, a sagging economy, and oppressive taxes drive families, seniors, and small businesses away from our state in record numbers.

These two issues – crime and affordability – are at the top of every New Yorker’s mind.

So what did our colleagues across the aisle do to address these top two issues? Absolutely nothing.

They wasted the first few months of session engaging in self-serving partisan politics — playing fast and loose with the rules in order to pack the State’s highest court with judges that will do their bidding. Democrats then went on to pass the latest State Budget in 13 years – a reckless, fiscally irresponsible plan negotiated in complete secrecy.

Instead of making New York more affordable, this State Budget failed to address the issues discussed around kitchen tables throughout our state. Instead of strengthening our economy, they enacted new taxes that will punish hard-working New Yorkers and small businesses more than ever.

They approved a radical, first-in-the-nation ban on natural gas in new construction. This expensive, unrealistic one-size-fits-all mandate will make energy even more expensive and less reliable for millions of New Yorkers.

They once again bent over backward to enact new pro-criminal policies and failed to repeal the state’s disastrous cashless bail law. Instead of fighting to protect crime victims and make our neighborhoods safer, they passed a misguided “Clean Slate” law that will enable convicted felons to hide their criminal backgrounds.

We saw yet another example of a major leadership failure on behalf of Governor Kathy Hochul as her office tries to work out a new Casino Gaming Compact with the Seneca Nation. Toward the end of session, word came that a deal had been reached, only for her administration – and her Democratic allies in the assembly – to fail at completing the deal before session concluded.

Failing to get this deal done will cost New York State hundreds of millions of dollars, and our Western New York communities tens of millions of dollars. It’s time for Kathy Hochul to do her job as governor and get this deal done.

One of the biggest Democratic failures of all this session was their complete inability to address the massive, chaotic influx of migrants into our state in recent months. In fact, they doubled down on policies that reinforce our reputation as a “sanctuary state” by approving millions of taxpayer dollars to provide a free college education for non-US citizens and free healthcare for illegal immigrants.

They also tried to cement their one-party control of state government by making radical, unconstitutional changes to the state’s longstanding election laws, changing the dates of hundreds of local elections across the state, and holding them in years when major state and federal races are taking place. They want to reduce public awareness of key local issues and tie elections to national platforms because they know that on the everyday issues that matter to us most – they are wrong.

Unfortunately, the one-party ruling class in Albany completely failed to deliver for New Yorkers throughout the 2023 Legislative Session. The bottom line is that this year’s Legislative Session was a complete disaster for hardworking, law-abiding, tax-paying citizens of our State.

As a result, New York State will continue to be a completely unaffordable state, with sky-high taxes, a weak economy, and a badly broken criminal justice system. The people of New York deserve better than this, which is why we need to restore balance, accountability, and common sense to our state government. And we need to do it now.

Robert Ortt

State Senate Republican Leader

North Tonawanda

Editor:

While it’s disappointing that Joe Sidonio lost the Republican Primary it shouldn’t be the end of his political career, his many accomplishments speak for themselves and need to continue.

As I mentioned in my previous post, someone who Joe thought was his friend secretly recorded him in a private conversation without his knowledge to try to cause harm to Joe and his family.

They’ve gone so far as putting this recording on a website to steal the election and further discredit Joe. This is just another example of a string of attempts to get him out of their way, don’t fall for it.

I agree that Joe shouldn’t have used that kind of language as it was bad but he was venting to someone he thought was his friend about how he was being set up. Joe has since apologized and realized what he said was in poor taste but those opposed to him want to use this as a weapon against him.

I urge the town board members and the few disgruntled employees to stop their hateful disrespectful behavior and apologize to Joe, if they don’t it just further speaks to their character.

Joe is really a good person. When my wife passed away he was there for my family and I, he attended her funeral and even sent flowers, a true friend. He calls everyday to check on my granddaughter who’s about to give birth to make sure she is okay. There are many examples like this in the community about Joe, he’s not the cold-hearted monster that his opposition wants you to think he is. He’s someone who really cares about people.

As a veteran I appreciate Joe’s commitment to the Fancher War Memorial. Joe is a Marine Corps veteran himself and it shows in his work ethic and his never give-up attitude.

As a fellow veteran and his friend I will continue to support him in the November election and I urge every veteran, Conservative, independent, Democrat and Republican to contact him and get to know him then vote for him in November.

Jim Johnson

Murray

Editor:

I am saddened by the outcome of the primary in Murray. I would have thought the accomplishments of Joe Sidonio would far outweigh any negative talk.

He worked tirelessly for our town. Is he a perfect human? No. Are any of us perfect humans? No, nor could we ever be.

You who raged against him, hate him, do you really have our best interests at heart? Joe did!!

Donna Smith

Holley