Serving the Towns of Wawarsing, Crawford, Mamakating, Rochester and Shawangunk, and everything in between
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Labuda Reportage Doesn't Contain All Facts

Judge Frank LaBuda and his brother Peter Labuda unfairly cast doubt on the investigation being conducted by the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff has been involved in several high profile cases over the years and has always acted with integrity and transparency. Some of those cases have involved the arrests of public officials, celebrities and even several employees of the Sheriff's Office. They have never shied away from their responsibility to the public to conduct a proper investigation and take appropriate action.

In this case, as in many, law enforcement agencies are at the distinct disadvantage of not being able to comment while the investigation is in progress. This leaves the press with only one side of the story to report and it is often missing a lot of the important information. One would expect that a responsible editorial board would obtain all the facts first before making allegations the way they did.

Jim Reed
Ellenville


Stand Together To Condemn Anti-Semitism

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County strongly condemns the desecration that took place Oct. 9 at Temple Beth Shalom cemetery in the Town of Warwick. We support Temple Beth Shalom and the local authorities to label this a hate crime and to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators to the full extent of the law.

There is a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in this case. The spray-painting of swastikas at this local cemetery sends a message of hate, which reverberates throughout our community. Anti-Semitic incidents such as this have only one goal: to intimidate and instill fear. The image of a swastika is particularly troubling at this time when Jews across the globe are set to gather for the solemn day of Yom Kippur — Day of Atonement — and feeling especially vulnerable in the wake of recent terrorist attacks abroad.

We urge public figures and community leaders across Orange County to stand with us in solidarity and condemn this incident in the strongest of terms, and make clear that anti-Semitism and other acts of hate are unacceptable.

Leslie Green, M.D.
Chester


State Convention Is Nothing But A Con

Earlier this month the Mamakating Town Board was cajoled into voting for a resolution to support a state constitutional convention without being provided all of the facts.

Every twenty years, voters are given the opportunity to make a decision on whether to hold a constitutional convention or not, with the next vote being held on November 7, 2017. In theory, a convention would bring together citizen delegates from across the state to consider a variety of possible reforms to the constitution. Many civic minded New Yorkers believe a conclave is an opportunity to pass state ethics reform, which some believe would provide a major blow to the corruption plaguing state government. Unfortunately, history has shown con cons are merely a carbon copy of a typical legislative session, resulting in nothing more than a costly government boondoggle.

It is important to note that in past conventions, elected officials, including state legislators, have served as delegates at the convention. These elected officials essentially "double dip", collecting two salaries and significantly boosting their government pensions.

The most recent convention took place in 1967 and ended up costing taxpayers $47 million ($336.5 million today, adjusted for inflation), while producing zero changes to the constitution. With the exception of the 1938 convention, gatherings have faced partisan fighting and little progress on the issues that bedeviled the legislature during a regular session.

There is another way for Sullivan County residents to make changes to their state constitution. The statewide referendum process allows voters to cast their ballot on individual issues without having to face the financial burden of a convention. Over the past 100 years, over 200 amendments were added to the constitution through this process, including seven since 2013.

New Yorkers would be ill-advised to vote "yes" to an upcoming constitutional convention. The sure way to make changes to our constitution is by the voters participating in the legislative process, which begins in every January and ends in June.

Anthony Figliola
Brookhaven


Supports Jack Hayes For Assembly

Corruption is as rampant in Albany as in Washington, DC, which is why we need new leadership from top to bottom. I fully support Jack Hayes for Assembly District 103 representative. Jack is a career public servant, from his time in the Navy, through his many years with the State Police, and on to serve as Gardiner town supervisor and Ulster County legislator. Jack fully supports term limits for all public offices and ethics reform that is sorely needed. Please vote for Jack Hayes on row C on November 8.

William Barrett
Gardiner


Believes Trump Is Unfairly Treated By Media

I think many would agree that this year's presidential election is not our finest. However, there is truth in the liberal media bias complaints, as your paper is guilty of this on a daily basis [Not referring to the Shawangunk Journal]. If you're going to put Trump on the cover with a headline about his foundation and nothing about the Clinton Foundation and the pay to play scandal then you have no business calling yourselves a newspaper. It's not up to the press to shape elections. Report everything and let the voters decide.

On his worst day, Donald Trump's faults would never even measure up to the constant lies and blatant disregard for the law that Hillary Clinton has exemplified her entire life in politics. Just because she manages to slither out of her legal and moral issues doesn't make it right. The press is obligated to be fair and balanced, not ignore or candy coat the egregious errors of the candidate they prefer.

Julie Recine
New Windsor


How We Can Be Truly Great...

There's a letter by a New York Times editor, Michael Luo, to a woman who told him to "go back to China." Luo, a Harvard grad born and raised in the USA was more saddened than angry at the encounter, having experienced this sort of prejudice many times before. But perhaps he was surprised that a well-dressed woman on the upper East Side of New York would yell, "go back to your f—-ing country." He comes to the conclusion that "you had these feelings in you, and, the reality is, so do a lot of people in this country right now."

Maybe we should thank candidate Trump for helping bring to the surface the ugly underbelly of America. It by no means represents the majority of our citizens, but it is deeply disturbing to see the roiling pot of hatred which has been bubbling over during his campaign. You can't fix a problem, nor cure a disease, until you identify it. It's obvious that we as a nation have a lot of work to do.

Oft-quoted words by Abraham Lincoln, made on the occasion of his first inauguration to a population scarred and deeply wounded by the war between the states, have never been more appropriate, "We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature."

Hillary Clinton has said that "America is great because America is good." Let's not let fear, anger and resentment define us. Let's celebrate our diversity and use what can divide us to make us better. We need to be good to be great.

Nancy Campbell
Saugerties


Bill Larkin is there when you need him

Bill Larkin — a name everyone in this area knows! Why? Because he is always there when you need him. Any person or organization that needs help knows who to call. They know he will "go to bat" for them and he has an outstanding batting average.

His position has never gone to his head. One on one or a room full of people, Larkin doesn't "play the role." He is just a regular guy. He is always there for firefighters, police, all non-profit and/or charitable organizations and ordinary people — like you and I.

Al Mazzocca
Cornwall-on-Hudson


Vote Pramilla Malick For Senate Dist. 42

George Billard's salient letter "Dereliction of Duty" from late September, concerning the Millennium Pipeline expansion and planned compressor station near Highland, warrants repeating, at least in part: "As part of the FERC permitting process, citizens and their representatives are required to intervene if they are to have any legal standing about the project moving forward. State Sen. John Bonacic, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther and the entire legislature of Sullivan County failed to do so."

Readers might be interested to know that Minisink area resident and Democratic Party State Senate candidate Pramilla Malick has intervened on the docket, as a private citizen, and would certainly not shirk her responsibility from such actions for her constituency as an elected official. She is the candidate for all the people of Senate District 42, and I urge all to vote for her if you care about your children's future — Pramilla Malick certainly does.

Ann Finneran
Hurleyville


Citizens Recognize Effective Leaders

There is something wrong when political campaigns resemble an afternoon at the Roman Coliseum rather than presenting agendas. Media hype has evolved into hypocrisy and comedic sarcasm. Common sense and courtesy have disappeared.

Voters have become spectators rather than participants, apathetic naysayers.

The general public is knowledgeable. We have been known to possess the ability to distinguish between façade and reality. Give us voter education, not verbal assault and battery. Spare us pompous boasting.

Give us straightforward, realistic objectives on which to base our choices. Spare us meaningless rhetoric, since individual leadership can and has transformed the course of history. Give us the opportunity to vote for rather than against.

Our forefathers worked together to build our nation, trusting in civic ethics of future generations to prevail. They served with dignity and dedication. Were they perfect? No. However, they did craft a document with the elasticity to endure.

Our democratic process works, it is filled with conscientious individuals who willingly guard world peace and resolve constituent woes. Most are impelled by passion to right a wrong by provoking change.

If we truly strive for effective leadership, we must elect the most qualified person(s), intelligent diplomats who will represent the United States with inclusion. It is time for "liberty and justice for all." We must learn to respond, not react.

Barbara M. Traynor
Slingerlands


Why Doesn't Stewart Offer More Flights?

We enjoy utilizing Stewart airport in our travels, but since the Port Authority had taken over, available flights have decreased! The last two trips we planned we had flights during peak times eliminated, one at the last minute. If you need to change planes, as most Stewart flights require, prime early and late flights are often necessary. Why have they allowed these, usually fully booked flights to be eliminated? This discourages people from flying Stewart.

I have had employees tell me they do less business all day now than they did from 5-7 a.m. before. Why have the most utilized flights been cut, leaving passengers little alternatives? We have a great facility that is under-utilized. The Port Authority has failed miserably to influence airlines to stay at Stewart and increase passenger load and grow Stewart!

Jean Rudy
Middletown



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