‘Still amazed by the Santa Express’

To the editor:

Along with some of my staff, I was privileged to follow the Santa Express as the 50-foot lighted sleigh made the 50-mile trip from the corner in Eldred to Circle Park in Glen Spey, through Yulan’s four corners and onto Main Street in Narrowsburg, NY.

This is the third year that I have seen this amazing project, and each year it keeps getting bigger—bringing smiles and looks of wonder and hope to the faces of area children in this area that our listeners have named “Thunder Country.”

I have heard it said that Thunder 102 sponsored the Santa Express. I want to say that we do not. One of the amazing things about the Santa Express is that there is no commercial sponsorship or attachment at all. The Eldred Preserve spearheads the project and has coordination help from many organizations, individuals and some businesses. A lot of people put in a lot of heartfelt hard work to help create the innocent holiday magic of the Santa Express. We are just honored that we have the privilege of letting our listeners know the details and following along to enjoy the spirit. I hope next year you have the opportunity to experience the magic and see the looks that we see. You’ll be amazed, too.

The battle continues

To the editor:

The fight to end cruel force feeding (foie gras) is not losing steam, as your article states (“Foie gras battle continues,” December 10-16). At least not in the Pacific Northwest.

My non-profit organization, Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), has a “Foie Gras Free Seattle Campaign”—going strong for about 10 months now.

We have convinced several prominent restaurants to take it off the menu and pledge to never serve it in the future. It has disappeared from the menus of about 10 other restaurants since we have started our campaign.

We have worked hard to educate the community about the inherent welfare issues and there is growing discussion and movement in Seattle for taking a stand against the cruelties of foie gras.

The campaign should reach critical mass when the California ban begins, with Washington soon to follow.

Show your support to a pair of good citizens

To the editor:

Opportunities for good can come from strange beginnings. Don and Nelia Wall of Shohola will know how much they are appreciated by the people of Shohola and many others.

Don volunteered after 9/11 at the towers site and after Hurricane Katrina. Nelia has used her grant writing expertise for the good of Shohola and has volunteered for many committees and organizations in the county; she has even been a good bartender at the firehouse functions. Then, there are the countless hours that Don has spent with Shohola’s emergency services: Don in the frozen water at Twin Lakes, hooking up gear to a car that a jackass drove onto the ice that broke under the weight and the middle-of-the-night calls for assistance that rouse the whole household.

This couple is now accused of using their positions in Shohola to promote their own business, and to believe that flies in the face of reason.

During the last six years of the 24 that I spent as zoning and sewage officer for Shohola, I have been involved with both Don and Nelia in our desire to keep Shohola the wonderful township that it is.

Now, during this season when we light up the darkness, let us “light” the spirits of Don and Nelia by sending support by mail to Steve Dellert, Chairman, Shohola Supervisors, 159 Twin Lakes Rd., Shohola, PA 18458, by e-mail to shohtwp@ptd.net or by fax to 570/559-7523.

As was done over a beer at the White House Rose Garden, perhaps the best for all would be a beer at Rohmans with a new spirit of cooperation.

Come on, people! Make this a real Christmas.

William G. Gabriel

To county legislators on proposed 2010 county budget

To the editor:

After going over the Sullivan County budget proposals, I find it necessary to comment on the proposal to eliminate two vital permanent positions: senior database/E911 research clerk and senior GIS technician. To even consider the elimination of these two positions would result in the immediate loss of the entire 911 addressing department. Even the elimination of only the one title of senior GIS technician would result in the senior database clerk not being able to engage in new addressing or correcting of the 911 database or map. If only the senior database clerk were kept, she would still be able to do all the research to find answers to address questions; however, she would not be able to maintain the Microdata X-9 Database, which is the database that all of our information is on.

The question that arises with the total elimination of the above two titles/positions is, who then in county government will, on a daily basis, be involved in the in-take work, research, question answering and follow-up work on E911 house and commercial establishment addresses that are currently provided to all Sullivan County property owners? Who will answer questions relative to 911 addressing? Who will research and resolve these issues with the public, as well as government agencies in the county? Who will provide the utility companies confirmation of accurate addresses? And most importantly, who will request updates and edits of the one database crucial to keeping our E911 system working?

To say the least, many entities will be drastically affected.

It is my belief that the county government has no idea of the ramifications of moving ahead with such a drastic mistake. You will begin to realize this when you read in the local papers where “fire department couldn’t find this address” or the “ambulance crew couldn’t locate that address” or the “police said there was no address posted.” Please give up this idea of eliminating those two positions.

Joseph T. McDonald, Jr.

Yulan, NY

Economic benefits of gas drilling

To the editor:

In the ongoing debate about drilling for gas in the Marcellus Shale, much publicity has been given the concerns for water safety, local road conditions and esthetics. However, little has been mentioned of the positive aspects of drilling in the area. As is well known, the economy of the state and of our area is in dire straights. This is particularly true of Sullivan County. The latest news of the apparent collapse of the plans for an entertainment city on the site of the former Concord Hotel is but one more indicator, in a decades long list, of Sullivan County’s economic ills.

It would seem prudent to develop the energy potential lying here beneath our soil, because we continue to import oil and gas from afar, oil from unstable areas of the world. In this respect, the recent hijacking of an oil tanker by Somali pirates is symbolic of the manner in which the United States is hostage to its utter dependence on oil.

There is so much more to the question of drilling in the Marcellus Shale than the questions raised by opponents. Much of this seems to be an elitist indication of “not in my backyard, but okay in another state.”

It should be mentioned that Europe is far ahead of the United States, as it is in so many other ways, in the utilization of cleaner burning natural gas, including the use of natural gas in automobiles. Germany offers a 2,000-euro grant toward the conversion of one’s auto from gasoline to natural gas.

These are matters that should be considered in the present debate.

Let’s seek out better representatives

To the editor:

I’ve just read the articles about the legislature and the budget, and the closing of the landfill. Is any of this news a surprise to anyone? While we, the residents, have been behaving like ostriches, our esteemed legislators have, for years, placed the fiscal future of Sullivan County on two issues that seemed like Easy Street for them—garbage and gambling. How forward thinking! How original! What deep concern for us and our county! So, folks, what did you really think would happen?

I will say it again (and again). We keep electing people who are very self serving. Watch them at meetings; their photo ops mean the world to them. Do we really want such shallow and superficial people “leading” us (to disaster)? I believe there are some people out there who do care. And we have a responsibility as citizens to seek them out and urge them to run for office and get us out of this incumbency mess we are in. Otherwise, you can be sure, it’ll be more of the same, and there is no future in it for any of us.

A week before Christmas

To the editor:

‘Twas a week before Christmas when the budget was due,

All the legislators were not sure what to do.

Over the year, while the economy was tanking,

The legislators were thanking

Certain employees with praises,

Along with large raises.

Press releases were printed with care,

In hopes that the taxpayer would not care.

With visions of job layoffs dancing in their heads,

Taxpayers and employees were left scratching their heads.

The managers were summoned to “cut the fat,”

And select “bodies” to sacrifice for that.

Unions were told to give, give back,

While their bosses’ salaries remained intact.

As the end of the budget process was nearing,

The legislature was having a public hearing.

When who should appear about the matter,

But the taxpayer, mad as a hatter.

With the garbage they made such a stink,

That the legislators chose not to go over the brink.

In hopes that “leave without pay” would fill the void,

We asked to keep services and people employed.

The college could be nice,

And give back a slice.

So after the vote, we could hear someone exclaim

“Taxpayers, there is no reason to complain.”

Grahamsville, NY