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:

As a freelance writer, I often find myself going down the rabbit hole. The one that nobody else wants to bother with or talk about.

I am very aware how many people feel about Donald Trump. Many reasons have been cited, and no one seems to hold back the abundance of ammunition pointed at this man.

As I reread everyone’s comments, there was not one writer who explained why Kamala Harris would be the best choice for America. I find that very interesting and somewhat odd- that they would bring forth everything bad about Trump but nothing good about Harris.

This made me wonder why. Are people tending to lean toward a candidate, with a broken track record, because they hate Trump so much? To sacrifice better judgement at all costs to elect someone who displays no standard of excellence?

As many of you know, I attempted to explain her lack of productivity and was accused of not shedding light on Trump’s record. Perhaps I expect the same in return.

Where is the evidence or timeline of exemplary accomplishments for Harris? What makes her the better candidate? Why have no writers on this platform illustrated her proficiency?

There is an obvious imbalance between the overload of negativity toward Trump and the noticeable scarcity of positivity toward Harris.

Questions such as these make me go down the rabbit hole. I might not like what I find, but I usually get my answers.

Mary Mager

Fairport, formerly of Albion

Editor:

The iconic Kennedy family inspired me and millions of others to become interested in politics  in the 1960s.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is the nephew of the late President John F. Kennedy and eldest son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy Sr., was effectively forced out of the 2024 election for next President of the United States by his own party…the same party that revered his family and rode their legacy for generations.

He risked so much in entering the election of 2024, as he was denied any real platform where he could discuss his views. He was excluded from debates, which made it virtually impossible to get his message to voters. He risked his own personal safety to launch his campaign, as he was denied Secret Service protection, in spite of the fact that his uncle and his father were both felled by assassins.

Those of you who still think the Democrat Party is the party of your fathers might want to watch RFK Jr.’s speech, delivered on Friday, as he suspended his campaign and then endorsed and joined forces with former President Trump.

Now, none of us will ever know what he might have done if given that chance. But, as one path ends another path begins, and one on which I wish him godspeed and much success. The Washington Democrats didn’t want him, but everyone else will gladly take him as our own. He received thunderous applause on Friday night at the Republican rally in Arizona, and former President Trump looks forward to working with “Bobby” in forming a committee to address the myriad of health issues that plague the children of America today.

How can the richest country on earth have the sickest children?  That is what we all want to know. All parties surely must agree on this because the children are our greatest national treasure.

Finally, as far as the media goes, they are corrupt and sink lower and lower in the eyes of the public on a daily basis. They have enjoyed and abused the power they were entrusted with, but their time is rapidly coming to an end.

Truth is finding its way into the light, as truth always will. Kennedy said the people who practice censorship are not good people. He is certainly correct. Nobody believes anything the press prints. We all find alternative places to get our news.

Mary Hare

Medina

Editor:

I am beginning to see a current trend occurring in this column that I find disturbing. The Hub has a forum for the opinions of our area residents.

At the moment, our presidential elections are only a few weeks away. I am seeing a lot of mud-slinging from the progressive left. OK, you’ve written and have had your comments published.

It seems to me that if anyone dare to write and have published a different opinion, these contributors are verbally attacked …as if they’re not allowed to have their own political opinion.

I find this being unfair and narrow-minded. No one will ever see everything the same way and that’s what makes everyone unique and with value. Please be kind to one another in this column.

Ms. Major was unfairly attacked in the letter she contributed to this column. Be fair to one another. Please, all have the right to their opinion.

Sincerely,

Sandra Shingleton

Albion

Editor:

As I find myself living my 75th year on the planet, I am reflecting on some of the most strange and surprising things I have witnessed.

Nothing seems more bizarre to me than the idea that nearly 50% of our citizenry is willing to support, and vote for, Donald Trump. If I agreed with all his plans for and opinions about our nation, I still wouldn’t be able to vote for him. If he could somehow eliminate the five worst things he has done in his 78 years, moving up #s 6-15 to his “top ten of awfulness,” he would still appall me.

 I had a brief discussion with a stranger a few days ago. Got around to my observation that if, on 9/11, the jet that struck the Pentagon had targeted the Capitol building instead, both Senator Ted Kennedy and First Lady Laura Bush would have been killed.

He told me that it was a missile that struck the Pentagon. I said, “Oh, you are a Trump supporter, I bet!”  He went on to tell me what a “great patriot” Trump is. (If Trump is a great patriot, I might be the Pillsbury Dough Boy.) We soon parted ways. Can’t recall whether or not I informed him what I wouldn’t do if Mr. Trump was on fire.

How such a life-long con man can be supported by more than 10% of our citizens both astounds and frightens me.

Tom Taber

Albion

Editor:

Stephen Miller said something that is truly evil. On the Aug. 7 Ari Melber show on MSNBC he specifically stated that Biden & Harris are the # 1 sex traffickers of children, girls, into sex slavery.

Miller is one of Trump’s  longest term advisors. He served throughout Trump’s presidency and was  the architect of Trump’s policy to ban Moslems from flying into the US. He was the main force behind Trump’s family separation policy that was put in place at our southern border.

To be clear: I do not believe anybody is inherently evil but there are forces for evil. But there evil forces and Trump utilizes those forces.

Dennis Seekins

Lyndonville

Editor:

I have explained why: 1) Trump’s proposal to increase tariffs across the board is the same folly we saw the Smoot-Hawley Tariffs Act which increased prices brought down our small economy and created a world-wide cascade leading to the great depression.

2) The Republicans (not Democrats – 2024 excepted) have fueled the deficit for over 40 years and brought on inflation.

I now address how the proposed cuts in social programs and disproportionately leaving the middle class behind is economically unsound.

Our inflationary deficits and trade deals – neither Reps and Dems  adequately anticipated how much investors and corporations could and would move high tech and skilled  jobs overseas – also added to the situation lowering middle class income and increasing the disparity which creates fall of Rome-type economic problems.

Simply put our economy in total now depends too much on investment rather than labor productivity. Roosevelt built the middle class with investment in infrastructure and jobs.

Neglecting the middle class economically causes: 1) Investment bubbles – think of the dot com investment bust, 2) over lending and overextended borrowing – think of the 2008 housing bust, 3) an imbalance between domestic long-term investments and domestic long-term productivity – this hurts domestic jobs and job growth, 4) lost sales due to lack of consumer spending to keep plant doors open – an easy example is deflation which can lead to financial collapse; Japan is now and great place to borrow funds in 0 to negative interest rates to avoid collapse. Having a huge and well paid middle class to buy things floats any modern economy.

It is true that investment can lead to new industries. But unlike government investment in infrastructure (Biden) and investment to assist the middle class with real tax cuts and child care credits, private investment does not keep jobs here. Public investment in our middle class does.

True the Trump cuts for the rich and big corporations will be allowed to expire and pay for this investment in us, the US.  (Personally I also think will see a renewed push to have an international corporate minimum tax rate so no multinational park profits in a tax free or low tax countries. This is a big reason you can not rely on increases in any given multi billionaires wealth.)

 As a last note regarding price gouging regulation. Most states already have laws against price gouging but gouging on a national scale needs a national response. It is not socialism.

People forget that the only truly unregulated market is the criminal black market. Broken knee caps and gang wars are no way to run a country. So looking at companies with soaring prices far in excess of the cost of materials, labor, plant and distribution is logical and little different than anti-trust regulation which stops unfair predatory practices which also lead to market domination and price gouging.

So there you have it. Biden-Harris is using proven tools to rebalance growth through investment and growth due to labor.  We have lost ground the last 40 years due to “Voodoo” economics. But, with an economy 20 times the size of Russia and California being the 4th largest economy in the world, if we are smart we have plenty of capacity to get back on track.

Respectfully,

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

The article on the Alms House sadly left out just how abandoned it was, when skulls of some of the deceased were found in the ditch along County House Road.

Someone should have had responsibility to those unfortunate souls. What if they had been your ancestor? Maybe they were?

Dawn Kittle

Clarendon

Editor:

In my letter to the editor on Aug. 8, I asked Ms. Mager to be specific in discussing Trump’s presidency and the criminal charges against him. Instead of providing that information, she said she would not discuss Trump because of the negative reactions it would generate.

She is correct. Many Republican women across the country have found Trump so objectionable, that for them like Ms. Mager, he is now unmentionable.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School 1960

Ashburn, Va.

Editor:

The Medina Joint Recreation Summer Recreation Program in Medina has come to the end of the 2024 season. This program is supported by the Village of Medina and the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby.

Without the support of the representatives from each of these municipalities: Jess Marcaino and Debbie Padoleski from Medina, Mary Woodruff and Jeff Toussaint from Ridgeway and Linda Liminia and Steve Seitz  from Shelby, this program would not be possible.  Also a special thanks to Jada Burgess, the Medina village cler, for all the behind-the-scenes work she does.

This summer we offered park activities at Oak Orchard and swimming lessons at the Roy–Hart pool. Seventy-one children registered for our park program this summer. They played games and enjoyed crafts at the Oak Orchard Playground. Thank you Superintendent Mark Kruzynski for allowing us to use the school grounds. Thank you also to Principal Jen Stearns and the janitorial staff for providing us space inside the building.

The kids enjoyed many activities including 4 square, our new dunk chair, and walking field trips to Cas-Nic Cookies, Mark’s, Lee-Whedon Library, Medina Fire Department and Medina Bowling Lanes. Thank you to these places for having us. The kids loved their time at each.

The group also enjoyed several bus trips during the summer. Thank you to the Medina Central School Bus garage for driving us to our destinations.

There were 224 children registered for swimming lessons. This year, the Medina pool was closed for repairs so lessons were offered at the Roy-Hart pool. Thank you to Superintendent Jill Heck, Dottie Barr and the janitorial staff for allowing us to use your facilities. Children enjoyed learning new swimming skills and had fun in the water.

I would personally like to thank my staff at both the pool and the park: Gabe Mark, Maddie Mark, Baliegh McAdoo, Liliah Class, Honesty Hill, Taylor Frentz, Allie Frentz, Aleena Silker, Hayden Woodroe, Sophia Goyette, Will Rousch, Cam Kenward, Miriam Fike, Brennan Woodruff, Cam Fike, Lexoni Russo, Maddy Farley, Tegan Balaban and Andre Toussaint.

It is clear how much you enjoy working with children by the wonderful activities you provide for them. I hope to see you back next summer. I also look forward to seeing all the children next summer and hope to create new memories and experiences for them.

Michelle Capstick

Director of Joint Recreation

Medina/Ridgeway/Shelby

Editor:

As I am no longer an active member of the Lyndonville Board of Education, I believe it’s important to ensure our parents, teachers, taxpayers and all school employees are aware of some things at the Lyndonville school district.

I wanted so badly to let everyone know the details regarding the negotiations I was part of with the Lyndonville Teachers Association (LTA) during the election, but was I advised to wait until after the election. At the request of the LTA and district, I was nominated by my fellow board members to lead the effort of procuring comparable or better health benefits.

Here are some things about the health insurance proposed that no one wants you to know:

1. No previous benefits would have changed, due to the HRA setup. The only thing that would have changed was the cost (much lower) to the school and employee. There would have been an additional step involved in submitting an expense to the HRA, but for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings for the district and premium savings to the teachers, and other school employees, it was well worth it. I also had the rates locked for 3 years!
2. Everyone would have been able to choose an individual, two-person, single parent and children, or a full family plan. Currently, only certain employees get family benefits. This would have been expanded to all employees! Under the current plan, a single parent must purchase a full family plan. The new plan was half the cost, as it was set up for these situations.
3. Dental was part of the new plan! There is no dental plan currently.
4. Retirees would have been fully covered as well, before they turn 65, and then with a supplemental plan after 65. This was never proposed to change. This was a lie from the LTA president.
5. It was brilliant. If NYS schools used this strategy statewide, there would be hundreds of millions of dollars available for budgets.

Teachers/taxpayer’s/substitutes/custodians:

You were not told all the facts. These details were all part of negotiations, and no one wanted you to know. The one day you were allowed in the room, the LTA president requested that nothing be discussed outside of the proposed specific plan. We had three different unions in the room, and some employees that were not part of any union. The LTA’s request was clearly a way of suppressing information.

The union president was so desperate to ensure he had new board members, that he personally lied (I have the texts) to retirees stating they would no longer have any health coverage under any new plan. He used these scare tactics to get people to vote a certain way. LTA members followed along, calling every retired teacher in the district.

I think you should wonder “who is negotiating for the taxpayers and school district now?”

Another fact is that the school business administrator admitted he tried to delay getting information to the teams (licensed insurance brokers) I had working on this for me as a personal favor. No one at the district was any help at all, until I had the full support of board members Ted Lewis, Sue Hrovat, Kristin Nicholson and Harold Suhr.

Anyone who knows anything about insurance knows that insurance cost reduction is all about spreading risk. We were trying to join a pool of millions versus the pool of just about 2,000 the district is currently in.

It’s disappointing to have served six years on a board, and the relationships and trust I thought I had built, got completely ignored. People I called friends literally avoided me over this. There was enough money to lower taxes, make our teachers the highest paid in the county, and provide full and better benefits to all the school employees. These efforts resulted in a teacher’s union president not giving their union full details on the proposed plan with the HRA and dental, interference by the district business administrator, and the teachers union literally endorsing other candidates for school board.

I have all the information on the proposed insurance and would be happy to share with anyone. I also have the text messages sent by the LTA president to retired school employees stating I was trying to take away their benefits. He clearly never gave NYSET all the proposed information either. Their comparison lacked the details of the proposed HRA.

While insurance is complicated, contracts are contracts. We can’t change insurance unless the benefits are comparable or better. They were better.

I think the question to ask now is why the union president wanted new board members so bad that they passed on the largest raise and expansion of benefits they would have ever seen?

I understand some just didn’t want change, as they are comfortable with what they have. I can respect that. It is the lying about what was truly trying to be accomplished that has me worried for our district.

Steven Vann

Lyndonville

Editor:

Week One: You will be represented. Unlike other Congress members, I will not spend my day making calls to raise money for the next election. I will spend my time working to improve your life.

Monday: You will be heard. While DC politicians don’t listen to each other, perhaps it’s time they started listening to their constituents. In week one, we will host our first “NY-24 Conversations.” I will dedicate 2 hours per week to take questions, comments, and suggestions from the residents of NY24 – live, via scheduled videoconferencing (Zoom). You will be heard. Not by staff. Not by a recording. Not by a form letter. Not via a photo-op. But by me, your Congressional representative, doing my job.

Unlike our current Representative, who inundates you with tv ads and emails detailing what she’s got to say – or incite you to be as angry as she is – I want to hear from you.

Tuesday: Reaching out. The finger-pointing and blame game needs to end and getting things done needs to take a front seat. In week one, I will reach out to Democrats and especially Republicans to actually do something about systemic problems such as the Border Crisis. You can complain, or you can do something. I choose getting things done. I will also reach out to start the process of getting the money and influence peddlers out of our governing process. Stock trading, corporate PACs and Congress-to-lobbyist track – out, term limits and public service – in.

Wednesday: Improving lives by making Upstate and WNY more affordable – groceries, gas, healthcare and housing.  Reaching out again to Congress members such as Senator Casey (PA) to fight Big Corporate greed and working to hold Big Oil and other big Corps responsible for price fixing, price gouging and addressing other causes of inflation.

Thursday: Protect, improve, and enhance Social Security and Medicare, not cut them. There is a plan by a group of more than 170 GOP Representatives to cut the benefits we are paid. I will fight them. We have worked our entire lives paying into a system and we should have no worries that it will serve us well in our retirement years.

Friday: Air and water. NY-24 is one of the leaders in cancer clusters in NY. Our toxic waste and superfund sites – and currently operating and closed landfills – threaten our water, our air, our families’ health, and our agricultural and tourism economies. Every day we take in tons of garbage from NYC and the Northeast and are left with toxic “forever chemicals” that threaten our water supply. Building garbage mountains in Upstate and WNY is not a long-term answer. In Week one, I will hire and dedicate staff whose sole responsibility will be to address these issues.

Saturday: Protecting women’s healthcare choices is a priority, as is improving access to affordable healthcare, especially mental health care in our rural areas. While nearly half of all Americans will suffer through a mental health issue, there is a scarcity of mental health professionals in rural areas.

Waiting for three months to see a psychiatrist to get needed therapy and medication, let alone one who accepts your insurance, can have real and tragic results. In week one, I will begin writing legislation that addresses the scarcity of mental health care in rural areas, including insurance parity, incentives and making training and education more accessible.

Sunday: Rest, mass, recharge with family and friends, watch the Bills and prepare for the challenges of the weeks ahead.

The challenges facing our nation will not be solved in a week. But the ultra-partisan standoff needs to end and we need to start listening to – and working for – the American people. I will be responsive from day one to the needs of my Upstate and WNY neighbors. I will listen to what matters to YOU in our weekly conversations and get the ball rolling by bringing a common-sense, positive attitude, and willingness to work across the aisle to get things done to make your life a little better. One week at a time.

David Wagenhauser

Waterloo

Wagenhauser is the Democrat-endorsed candidate for the 24th Congressional District, which includes Orleans and 11 other counties.

Editor:

When I write a letter to the editor, I do not target previous writers who hold differing opinions than myself. I find this type of writing both unscrupulous and crude.

This is the second time I have written a letter to the editor and been bashed for my perspectives. For those of you who take offense to my most recent letter, perhaps, it would be beneficial to reread by POV and see where the facts lie.

In my opening paragraph I provide a timeline of Harris’s unremarkable record. I included her failures at the border and then cited her initial stand on defunding the police and how that changed when she became VP.

I’ll be honest, I don’t say anything about Trump because others writers go overboard in listing everything wrong with him.

Instead, as a former English teacher, I want people to think and relate to my statements. In this way instead of causing an overindulgence in what I think and trying to win control over others, my writing intends to give them time to ponder and decide for themselves what’s best for them.

When you start name bashing other writers, you enter a cruel arena of tactlessness.

That is not a place for me.

I read many letters to the editor on this forum and appreciate and respect their perspectives.

Please afford me the same courtesy.

Mary Mager

Fairport, formerly of Albion

Editor:

As a former high school history teacher, I would have given Ms. Mager’s Letter to the Editor of Aug. 1, an “Incomplete” for two reasons.

First, she criticized VP Harris with generalizations. Teachers always ask their students to “be specific.” She was not.

Secondly, how is it possible to write about the 2024 Presidential Election and mention only one candidate. Perhaps she declined to include Trump because there is so little to praise as a President, and so much failure as a person.

On July 31, Mr. Fine of Brockport wrote an excellent Letter to the Editor that was specific, persuasive, and included detail on Trump’s criminal situation.

Perhaps Ms. Mager should write another letter to the Hub. This time using Mr. Fine’s letter as an example, she could discuss in detail Trump’s presidency, and explain how he came to be charged as criminal in New York, Washington DC, Atlanta and Florida.

Jack Capurso

Albion High School 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 fundraiser 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 49 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, ATB Staffing Services,  Author’s Note,  Auto Zone, Avanti’s Pizza, Tompkins Community Bank, Blissetts Specialty Shop, BMP America, Inc., Case Nic Cookies,  Creekside Floral, Cusimano’s, Della’s Chocolates,  Evans Ace Hardware, Key Bank,  Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, Mark’s Pizzeria,  NAPA Auto Parts, Ontario Shore Federal Credit Union, Orleans YMCA, Roberts Farm Market, Rosenkrans Pharmacy Inc., Valu Home Center; Middleport – Friends of the Library Royalton Hartland Community Library and individuals – Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Terry Kirkpatrick, 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 once again 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 a success for the third year in a row!  We could not do it without you.

Carolyn Wagner

Secretary, OCALS Board of Trustees

Editor:

Trump-Vance probably have 3 or 4 days to  shape Tim Waltz’ first impression as Harris’s vice presidential choice.

Day 1. Trump placing blame on Waltz for Minnesota riots: Taped conversations between the two exist disproving what’s being said. Trump said he did “great job.” Strike one on DT.

Vance on timing of Waltz Military Discharge: Congressional campaign filing documents and Waltz retirement application both exist in the public realm. Waltz was on his way to retirement and on to Congress. Off by several months, strike two on Vance.

Both: Waltz a radical leftist claim. Coach’s record shows he’s the real populist. In Congress he was a Blue Dog Democrat. He passed radical things like food for kids in school. Passed  $300,000,000 increase in his state’s police spending. Increased VA programs and insisted on long -erm funding commitments. Both DT and JD whiffed for strike 3.

Regarding Vance’ s image:  Why is he stalking Harris from city to city.  Walking over to her plane for a photo op and fell flat on going out for a beer. Cringe worthy.

And for something bizarre to read check out realdonaldtrump on Truth Social of August 6 at 3:49 p.m. Mostly unintelligible, the rant includes a claim that Biden will crash the Dem. convention to get his “stolen” nomination back. It made the news around the world.

First day: Advantage Harris-Waltz, 0 for 3. Plus a “fell flat”  for Vance  and “whoa” (what’s going on here?) for Trump.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion