To the editor:

In examining the roots of the current casino issue, it now looks like the double-talk concerning casinos is being generated by the embarrassing bind in which the legislature finds itself. Thanks to Robert (“Ever been stung by a dead bee?”) Berman, the legislature needs to justify casino impact fees publicly by documenting their monetary costs while, in order to justify casinos to constituents, they need to play down monetary and human costs to the community.

In their search for figures to support their demand for $15,000,000 for casinos, the legislature learned, to their naive dismay, that the real monetary costs would be substantially higher than the impact fees. But being locked into casinos by their huge expenditures of time and effort, rather than making their devastating economic news public, they simply buried it, crossed their fingers and tip-toed ahead, hoping for the best.

Reporter David Hulse noted that Binder, the legislative chair, now “admitted that the size of the (conservative) numbers are frightening and said she would make no attempt to put a positive spin on it.” After which, of course, she clumsily attempted to do just that.

The legislature continues to blunder ahead with its plans for casinos without any of its members making noticeable waves—which indicts all of them in the crude cover-up.

Lee Karr
Forestburgh, NY

To the editor:

I am not a stranger to the “River,” having married the former Catherine Dexter of Narrowsburg upon graduation from West Point in 1956. I have been retired as a full colonel from the Army for 27 years after having spent more than 20 years on active duty, including Vietnam. I feel compelled to respond to some very misleading comments regarding medical care for veterans with at least twenty years service in the military.

In the Seniors Lifestyles section of the June 26-July 2, 2003 issue of The River Reporter: “Joe McDonald (A Vietnam veteran) of Yulan said the issue of prescription drug costs was a particular sore point for veterans. McDonald spoke about a class action lawsuit that has been brought against the government for reneging on a promise made to servicemen who had spent at least twenty years in the military. … The government assured veterans that they would be covered for health care and prescription drugs for life. … The government rescinded those benefits.”

Mr. McDonald’s statement is absolutely false and misleading.

The facts are that all veterans who retire with more than 20 years service and are enrolled in Medicare are automatically enrolled in a Department of Defense funded program called “Tricare for Life.” There are no co-payments to the doctor or hospital, and prescription are filled without charge at every military installation in the world. There is a charge of $3 for generic prescriptions and $9 for non-generic at civilian pharmacies, all of whom honor TFL. There are no extra forms to fill out—Medicare automatically sends the information to TFL, which very quickly pays the doctor or hospital.

Any seniors who have retired after twenty years of active duty and are not aware of this benefit should contact Tricare for Life (www.tricare.osd.mil), the Retired Enlisted Association (www.trea.org) or Military Officers Association of America (www.moaa.org) for details.

Mr. McDonald, “We are not being forgotten!”

In my view your article does a great disservice to the defense department, to all retired veterans, and to our young servicemen now standing in harm’s way.

Robert P. Sullivan
(Col. Ret.) U.S. Army
Alexandria, VA

To the editor:

We are developing a television program series highlighting the romantic relationships between WWII military personnel and their loved ones at home. While numerous films and documentaries have captured heroes, battles and the brutality of war—few, if any, have focused on the relationships that suffered, endured, even thrived after wartime years of aloneness, hardship and hoping against the unknown.

We are currently collecting stories of the “everyday” heroes during WWII—the many men and women who kept their love and commitment intact despite the hardships of war. We want to share reminiscences that teach us how they coped. How did their love and commitment survive? How did they keep hope alive? Where did they find their strength?  How, in the midst of war, did new love begin and old love sustain?

Our goal is to give a platform for these wartime heroes—both the veterans AND their families—so that we may benefit from the wisdom of those who lived, loved, and hoped during the years of World War II. We believe their stories would call this generation to a higher standard in its commitments, character and relationships.

We know this generation of veterans and their spouses are passing from us, and we have missed opportunities to talk to some of them directly. Hopefully, however, those who have gone will have stories still alive in their children.

If your readers would be interested in our project—if they have a love story to tell, if they desire to share the lessons they learned during an amazing time in our country’s history, or if they know someone who does—we would appreciate hearing from them via email or mail.  Thank you.

Mindi Mathews, Producer
Hero Productions, L.L.C.
1820 S. Boulder Place, Ste. 102
Tulsa, OK 74119
Email: mindi@heroproductions.com

To the editor:

We write this letter to thank all of the people who make holidays in this area special. This includes the many volunteers who plan community events, the retail and service establishments who give up their own holiday to help our many visitors, and emergency service volunteers and professionals who deal with the mishaps of visitors and residents on a holiday weekend.

The River Reporter staff
Narrowsburg, NY