| |
| EDITORIALS/OPINIONS |
|
Please visit our kind sponsors |
|
||||||
|
It’s A Scam Help us stop the scam, a warning from your friends at the Brushville Baptist Church. It has come to our attention that at least two young women, ages 16 to 21, have been working our neighborhoods from Susquehanna to Hallstead collecting donations of can goods and money in the name of the Brushville Baptist and Jackson Baptist Churches. We at Brushville Baptist Church do not and are not running any door-to-door collections. The PA State Police have been contacted with a description of the women. If they come to you home for a handout, please contact your local police or the PA State Police. Thank you. Sincerely, Pastor Terry Jenks Brushville Baptist Church Please Help The Children Operation Christmas Child touched the lives of 5.4 million needy children in 94 countries last year. 530 lives were affected by the gifts we sent from our area. That is an increase from 394 in the year 2000. Shoe boxes filled with toys, candy, and other small gifts brought happiness to boys and girls who otherwise wouldn’t have received any presents. The gifts also opened doors for presenting the good news of Jesus Christ through children’s literature, personal witnessing, and evangelistic programs. We praise God that many lives have been changed for eternity. I would like to invite you to join us again this year as we reach out to boys and girls in the name of Jesus. Won’t you fill a shoe box this year for a child who faces the daily struggle against war, persecution, disease, natural disasters, and poverty. These children could very well have been our children had things escalated on 9/11/01. Boxes are being collected again at the United Methodist Church, Pratt St., New Milford from November 11 to 16. If you would like further information or wish to make a donation please contact Rae Fiske, at (570) 465-3760 or e-mail raefiske@nep.net. Sincerely, Rae Fiske New Milford, PA A Huge Success! The Pro-Life Committee would like to take these means to thank all those that made our raffle such a huge success. Winners of the raffle, which was held on October 6 were: cradle, afghan – Peg Burdick; quilt, miscellaneous – George Overmeyer; diapers, kimonos – Sarah Krause; warming dish, bibs – Maria Heffner; bath accessories – Rita Ranieri; books and toys – Don Heffner. Sincerely, Tonya Romanofski Susquehanna, PA School Bus Safety October 20 through October 26 is National School Bus Safety Week. Most people do not realize that school bus transportation continues to be one of the safest forms of ground transportation. In fact, a school bus is 28 times safer than a passenger car. This is no accident. It is through the efforts of hard working and dedicated professionals, particularly the drivers, that makes this so. Our tremendous safety record is due to tough federal and state regulations, extensive school bus driver training and review and our commitment to safety. School busing is a much more complex and demanding job than most people realize or appreciate. It is supported by an extensive network of personnel including mechanics, dispatchers and driver safety trainers. The vehicles are designed, built and equipped for the safety of the children they are used to transport. They are operated during the busiest travel periods of the day and in all types of road and weather conditions. The problem is that our best efforts can only deliver a part of the results. An awareness of the law and behavior of the driving public remain a critical element in the safety of the children we transport to and from school. Too many times school bus drivers report motorists passing stopped school buses when they are picking up or discharging students. School buses are equipped with an 8-way lighting system. The amber (yellow) lights will begin flashing between 300 feet and 150 feet before the school bus stops. During this time, the motorist must prepare to stop. When the school bus stops, the red lights will begin flashing and the side-stop arm will be extended. All motorists meeting or following the bus must be stopped at least ten feet from the bus and are not to proceed until the red lights are no longer activated and students have reached a place of safety. Pennsylvania law is quite simple to remember: a motorist must always stop for a school bus when the red lights are flashing. There are no exceptions. This includes fire engines, ambulances, police cars and funeral processions. If a motorist fails to stop for a school bus, it is an automatic 60-day suspension of their driver’s license, five points on their driving record and a $100 fine. School bus safety is also influenced by activity on the bus. The driver has to contend with weather and road conditions and maintain an awareness of all activity around the bus, driveways, intersections, people, pets and wildlife. While a driver has all this to consider outside the bus, he need not be distracted by misbehavior inside the bus. Rules are provided for students to follow while riding the bus and are there to maintain a safe and orderly environment. Parents/guardians should serve as role models and instruct their children in appropriate and socially acceptable behavior on a school bus as well as everywhere else. The driver should be accorded the respect he has earned and deserves. Observe School Bus Safety Week, every week; it could save a life. Sincerely, Montrose School District Bus Drivers Monument Rescuers Thank you to the person or persons that rescued the bluestone monument underneath the last pier of the Starrucca Viaduct in Lanesboro. This monument was installed in June of 1998, during the 150th anniversary of "our" wonderful bridge. More often than not, the monument has been covered with brush and overgrowth. I was so pleased to drive by and see it, again. Thank you for not just driving by and thinking about changing the problem, but actually fixing it. We are so lucky to have this amazing structure in our community, and, sometimes that is taken for granted. Sincerely, Butch Coleman Brushville, PA What Is Wrong With Thompson Council? When we moved to Thompson 16 years ago, the town was pretty run down. The house that we purchased was basically falling apart, with three feet of hay growing in the yard – and it didn’t look much different than a lot of other houses in town. At that time, there were several rental properties, and certain individuals flocked to this town for the simple fact that they could do whatever they wanted to do, without any recourse. Now, residents work on their properties and take pride in this town. We hear nothing but positive comments from our customers on what a great little town this is. Unfortunately, as with every town, there are still those who blatantly refuse to follow property maintenance rules. It’s one thing if a resident is sent a letter by the boro for cleanup, and this council decides not to fine the person – after all, it’s not about the money, it’s about keeping the town clean. Unfortunately, when a resident does the same thing repeatedly for four years and to this day has not been fined, there is definitely a problem with enforcement in this town, and with the legal system. Meanwhile, this same resident, who has more than earned the right to be slapped with a fine - to hopefully learn that this council is serious, is at home laughing because he got away with it again. (By the way, this time it went to the point that the boro solicitor was paid to go to a hearing and taxpayer money was spent for nothing, because supposedly, there was no violation according to the boro policeman.) There is also no speed control in this town. On a daily basis, you’ll see at least 10-15 cars going 50 miles an hour through here; I’ve even seen cars pass each other on the main drag. I know when I go to Susquehanna, when the speed limit drops to 35, I go 35, because I know if I don’t I’ll get a ticket. That’s called enforcement. This town also has a burn ordinance -there is to be no open burning after dark. But, in that case too, I guess it depends on who you are. One resident has known that there is no burning at night, and has been warned about it before, but continues to do it anyhow. The next time there was a complaint made about him, guess what he got? Another warning. I’d personally like to know why the boro spends money to budget a policeman, when nothing ever gets enforced? There’s no point in having ordinances if nothing is ever going to be done with them. I don’t want to see this town go back to how it was 16 years ago, and I’m sure a lot of other residents agree. Last month, this council voted to enact an animal ordinance, and spent taxpayer money to have it drawn up by the solicitor. A lot of people won’t like me for it, but I personally agree with it. I shouldn’t have to walk out the front door of my house and step in cat feces, or look in my backyard and see any one of ten cats killing the frogs, birds, chipmunks and squirrels that I spend money to feed. My customers shouldn’t have to smell the cat urine that was sprayed all over the side of my shoppe by the neighbor’s cat, or be chased by the neighbor’s dog. I shouldn’t have to (at least once a week) clean up piles of vomit and diarrhea, from my neighbor’s cats (who even though they are loved sooo much, are obviously sick), in the yard and front porch of my shoppe. We’ve had a cat ever since we have lived here. Most people didn’t know that because she wasn’t in their yard, killing their birds, and urinating on their houses. It’s called having respect for your neighbors. (And I’m not talking about everyone here, it’s just a select few.) When someone decides to go walking, they shouldn’t have to step in dog feces either. Most residents who walk their dogs, carry a bag (which is the law by the way) and walk their dogs on the outskirts of town. Others blatantly refuse to carry a bag and have their dogs do their business right here on the sidewalks and yards of the main streets. This ordinance would have helped others, as well as me, to have the right to do something about it. It doesn’t mean you can’t let your cat outside, just to have respect for your neighbors and keep it on your own property where it belongs. Unfortunately, after taxpayer money was spent, this ordinance wasn’t adopted. Certain council members vote on town issues according to how it affects them personally, instead of the town as a whole, while some other members blow with the wind. If this council didn’t want the ordinance, that’s fine. But don’t go spending money first, for nothing. And, 20 years ago, my husband, Dennis, couldn’t have fixed this town’s sewer problem - we didn’t live here. But, you did. So, why didn’t you fix it? You accuse Dennis of doing things for personal gain and wasting money. Obviously, he’s not on council for the money he makes, he has stayed on council all these years because he cares about this town. (Have you ever been on council?) He puts himself last, when it comes to decisions. He looks at how it is going to affect the town as a whole, not us personally. And just so you know, that’s what makes a good councilman. Some have no idea the hours spent on the phone, dealing with organizations, engineers, and complaints, or how often people show up at our home instead of the council meetings to complain, or to get explanations about different things that are going on in this town. I don’t know too many people who would do that. Here’s a thought - if you know so much, get everyone in this boro to remove him, and take his place. And, as for this council, one or two can’t be expected to do the right thing all of the time, and speak for the rest. Grow a spine, before this town goes back to what it was before. Sincerely, Anita Price Thompson, PA LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR POLICY Thank you, Susquehanna County Transcript For questions, comments and
submissions contact us at:
News
|
Living
|
Sports
|
Schools
|
Churches
|
Ads
|
Events
Military | Columns | Ed/Op | Obits | Archive | Subscribe © |
