Response to ‘Politically incorrect’

To the editor:

Thank you [Afi Phoebe] for your letter in response to my May 15 “Did You Know?” column. It did occur to me that the wording on the postcard quoted in the article was inappropriate. But I believe it was printed soon after Fort Delaware opened in 1957, and therefore reflected the questionable thinking of that era. Rather than change the wording, it might have been better had I added a postscript pointing to the prejudice of the time and how much more aware of, and hopefully accepting of, we are now of our differences.

The Trail of Tears was a desperately sad and shameful chapter in the history of our country, and walking in the moccasins of those Native Americans unimaginable. But one cannot change the past; one can only hope to learn from history and make changes for a better future.

Grace L. Johansen

A line in the sand

To the editor:

We, the people will save the Upper Delaware, the Catskills, and Damascus Township, PA. Please make no mistake.

We have retained Richard Lippes, the leading environmental lawyer, and we have the advice and support of Dr. Theo Colborn, the nation’s leading expert on the impact of Hallibuton’s gas drilling process on the public health.

The gas and oil industry talks about scale of operations, deployment and land grabs. The government enacts exemptions, preaches deregulation and patriotism and bows to lobbyists. And we talk about air and water. The gas and oil industry talks about human capital, issuing debt and the “Marcellus Play.” The government eliminates the science and takes a “wait-and-see” approach. And we talk about the eagles and the river. The gas and oil industry talks about signing bonuses and methodologies. The government silences the Environmental Protection Agency, ties the hands of the National Park Service and talks about “done deals.” We talk about the generations and the children.

For those of us who live within the beauty of the landscapes and riverscapes of the Upper Delaware, the very idea of 10,000 gas wells despoiling the pristine nature that surrounds us, is enough to make us feel sick. A culture that destroys its environment for profit is doomed, so humanity may soon share the fate of the polar bear and the penguin. Cosmic justice indeed. This environmental madness, greed, and corruption must stop here… or we will fail to save the planet for those generations yet to come.

There’s reason for hope. Last week, a federal court struck down some exemptions for the gas and oil industry to the Clean Water Act, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Preservation shut down drilling operations in Lycoming County, PA.

We, the people, will save the Upper Delaware River Region.

An unfair beat-down

To the editor:

On May 15, a conditional use hearing in Lackawaxen appeared to be more of a beat down than a quest for information. The shabby treatment of the Holberts by a gang of legal thugs should not have been tolerated. How can the town make an informed decision if much of the information offered is suppressed?

Outreach dinner-dance thanks

I would like to give a special thank-you to my husband, Bob, Eileen and Tom Hennessy, Stan and Darlene Rambish, Sandy Daub, Emily Grillo, Jean Kerrigan, Connie Surowiec, Kathy Sasilla and Gina and Tom Ferranti. They all worked so hard on making the St. Francis Xavier Outreach Dinner Dance on May 17 a success.

I also want to thank those who made all of the delicious desserts. We want to thank the Nutshell, Mickey Barnett Band and all those who came to the dance. A special thanks to all the businesses that donated the prizes. They were the Eldred Preserve, Dunkin’ Donuts, The River Reporter, Good Cheer Dog Grooming, Paisano’s, Landers, Whistle Stop Café, Ronnie D’s Cochecton Center, Kim Salon, Delaware Valley Arts Alliance, Kathy’s Beauty Shop, Peck’s, Tom’s Bait Shop, John’s Liquor Store, Agway, Cricket Hill Golfing, Doodle Dandy, Callicoon Candle, Mountain View Day Spa, Narrowsburg Wines & Spirits, Roasters, Three Wishes, Lake Huntington Garage and First National Bank of Jeffersonville.