To the editor:

I’m taking this opportunity to remind everyone that the Annual Sullivan County Litterpluck will be take place on Saturday, May 8.

We’re asking everyone to help us beautify our county, neighborhood, and community. Please feel free to Litterpluck at your convenience. Here are 10 reasons why you and your family should Litterpluck!

Litterplucking will:

1. Beautify our county, community, and neighborhoods.

2. Teach your family the importance of preserving the community in which you live.

3. Teach your family important organizational skills.

4. Teach your family about safeguarding wildlife.

5. Teach your family about the importance of a safe, neat, and orderly environment.

6. Teach your family the skill of recycling.

7. Teach your family the skill of community service to others.

8. Teach your family the sense of accomplishment and togetherness when a family works together.

9. Teach your family that littering is legally and morally wrong to others.

10. Teach all of us what an impact we make when we work together.

Remember, we are tomorrow!

A special thank you to everyone who decides to Litterpluck. The Town of Delaware and Sullivan County appreciates your efforts.

Sharon Fife, Town of Delaware Litterpluck Chairman

P.S. Most residents can obtain plastic bags from their local town hall.

To the editor:

Our New York State Comptroller, Alan Hevesi, mailed letters to all state retirees stating that our esteemed governor, George Pataki is trying to use our state pension fund to solve the state’s budget problems that he created.

Friends, neighbors and fellow retirees, please call the governor’s office at 518/474-8390, your state senator at 518/455-3181, and your assembly member at 518/455-4100 to express your grievances.

Every retiree that I know and that is able to work IS working, because their retirement and social security does not cover their living expenses now.

I say it is time to clip the dipper! He has reached too deep into our pockets already!

We can’t afford to live here now and sure as hell can’t afford to leave!

Betty Kelly

Narrowsburg, NY

To the editor:

On behalf of the 13 women who gathered at my house for the first-ever Mammogram party, I would like to thank the people who made the “slightly wacky idea” a reality.

First, Nurse Practitioner Kathy O’Mara. When the idea of providing the life-saving test in a party context was first broached to her, she didn’t hesitate. She embraced the idea and suggested we contact George Osmun, the coordinator of the Catskill Regional Medical Center’s Health Van. George was terrific. He did everything he could to provide the van’s services in a new and effective way. What a pleasant surprise to encounter a program coordinator whose sole focus is meeting the needs of his clients! Thank you, George for seeing “the big picture.”

Each woman who participated in the Mammogram Party commented on the friendly, warm, welcoming atmosphere created by Kathy, Amanda Farr (the radiology technician who administered the Mammograms with professionalism, courtesy and gentleness) and Leon Eldred (the driver of the van who welcomed us with humor and tact.) Ten of the 13 women who participated were adamant that they probably wouldn’t have gotten a mammogram this year if it hadn’t been for the party and the CRMC Mobile Health Van.

The day would not have been a success without Kohler Lumber. If that business family, with its long history of community support, had not provided us with a parking area, the party could not have been held. Giant kudos to the Kubeniks!

Special thanks are owed Lucette Barker (Western Sullivan Massage Therapy) who enhanced our day with healing massages. For those of us who rarely have time to relax, it was a purely pampering experience.

And last but not least, we owe our community newspapers a great big “Thank you!” Without their dedication to community, the people of Sullivan would never know how much fun a mammogram can be.

Liz Bucar

Kohlertown, NY

To the editor:

It’s a shame that we, the citizens of a supposedly democratic country, have to look so hard to find the truth. It’s not for lack of information—between the radio, TV and Internet we’re bombarded with it. No, it’s the sifting of all that information to glean the truth—like panning for gold in a muddy stream—that’s the chore.

Apparently it’s not just we—the common citizens—who have this problem. Last Thursday, April 29, Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, when asked by Congress, fell more than 30 percent short of the current death toll in Iraq, the actual being 722 deaths, 521 in combat.

Given our administration’s propensity for hiding the real costs of the war, it’s not surprising that the numbers would escape the man on the street, but you’d think the no. 2 man in the Pentagon would know how many lives have been lost in a war he helped design. Perhaps he just fell victim to his own policy of misinformation, telling lies so often he begins to believe them himself.

Zeke Boyle

Callicoon, NY

To the editor:

Seemingly, a government of one person acting as a figurehead having unlimited power, granted by his supportive formed regime.

Bush—in an outright misuse of power—promised just a while back to watch in silence openly ratified, again, another appeasement policy which will surely react against the always-intruded-on Palestinians, who are still being denied their pledged nationhood equality and freedom. This agreement with Israel can be interpreted, in every part of our globe, as meaning a hollow confidence game with the high-sounding phrases made up to impress.

Bush’s regime is taking up support of Israel, who are still very determined on retaining the strategic frontiers they always desired, as a cause.

Sharon cloaks his territorial ambitions in hypocrisy and deception, and is always quite prepared to throw all principles to the wind. I wonder why wasn’t this amoral, personal absolute political given discussion never brought up before our Congress?

It is unbelievable how certain cross-filed ethnic regional Democrats are now neo-conservatives since the last presidential election.

Money talks now. It will always remain the lifeblood of politics dominating any campaign. And the well-heeled power brokers and contributors in return of favors; will corrupt any system.

Chas. J. Sidlowski

Beach Lake, PA

P.S.: Senator Kerry has, as Bush, for elective reasons to strengthen his drive to be elected, also promised in a way to be silent in the course of this decision making action.