Letters to the Editor Policy

The Best Gift

This past Sunday (12/2/07), many Christians lit the first candle of the Advent Wreath. This marks the beginning of the four-week wait for the birth of Christ, a time of preparation and prayer. It is fitting that the entire world celebrate this great event in our history – both Christian and non-Christian – for Christ came for all mankind and each one of us is precious to Him.

As I do each year, I would like to invite all Catholics to come home for Christmas. Christmas is not trees – Christmas is not presents or decorations – Christmas is Christ's birthday. The only present that is truly important in this flurry is your gift of self to Christ. Through all of our excuses and sin, Christ waits for us. He did not come to condemn but to unite himself with us. Each year, special penance services are held which make the coming home easier.

December 16, there will be a service at St. Martin of Tours, Jackson at 2:00 p.m. and at St. John’s, Susquehanna at 4:30 p.m. There will also be special services at St. Lawrence, Holy Name of Mary and St. Joseph’s, but I do not have the time or date.

It does not matter how long you have been away – any priest would be happy to help you and would celebrate your return. Tradition tells us that Christ saw all of our sins in the agony in the garden. It also tells us that He saw those who repented and loved Him. To see you come home would be a great consolation for Him and the best gift you could give yourself – union with Christ in Eucharist.

Sincerely,

Annette Corrigan

Jackson, PA

An Apology

If anyone showed up for the autism support group meeting on December 11, please accept our apologies. At the last minute, the date had to be changed to December 18 because the speakers could not be present.

The meeting, for this month only, is December 18, the third Tuesday, at 7:00 p.m.

Topic is still wills and trusts. Speakers include financial advisor Ken Jumper and Karen Pasquelicco, advocate for Northeast Region of PA. She is an expert on the subject.

We apologize once again, and hope to see a lot of autism families attend and learn about this very important subject.

Sincerely,

Richard and Colleen Woodruff

Susquehanna, PA

Accept Responsibility

I would like to comment on some issues that have been brought up in the papers, through editorials and the local township news. I do not like this feeling I get, when I think of the group of rescue-ers who think I need to be saved.

1) Despite my wicked ways, I am not comfortable being represented by our version of local domestic terrorists.

They historically raise hell at meetings, to the point of the Sheriff's office removing them from the September County Commissioners’ meeting. Thank you to Jeff Loomis, who realized maybe our politicians should not be so accommodating to those who storm these meetings with the vulgarity and arrogance they possess to get help through these entities. I would be very mindful after I learned that we even teach people to fly planes.

2) I notice that there is no real response from the bankruptcy attorney, unless it is to have the news reporters guarantee his freedoms of speech through the monologue that is memorized. I do notice that two of the savers do at least read, although I wonder if they understand the real issues at stake here, because they follow the same script.

3) I do not want any tourists getting the idea that they came here to escape from all the zoning and land use regulations, only to have the prior "guests" decide they cannot live without all the crippling and hugely expensive regulations that they escaped from, and so decided they will run for local office, and bring the "Stringtown in New Jersey" mentality to us.

I have never lived in one of those towns where people do not know "Jack" and hate those who do. I always understood from the tourists who decided to stay, that they enjoyed being able to live where they could paint the house any color they want, without the "as long as its white, we don't care what color the house is".

4) I find it very alarming that J. Drann would use a very interesting choice of words, when he said, "Our obligation as members of a representative form of government"; what club is that? Are you suggesting or admitting what I have suspected all along, that you are not the "long-haired, hippy-type freak" environmentalists? Or are you more of the 1970 Black Panther radical group, whose ways of reform were proceeded by hate and discontent? "Down with the man"?

5) I don't like the idea of being represented by these savers, whose idea of Christianity is very prejudiced and limiting. I am more of the new testament type of gal. I am always reminded of the definition of a hypocrite when, at the town meetings, the tongues wag, eyes roll, and knowing looks are exchanged. Some of you folks can be seen exiting the church on Sunday. Probably hard to see with that mote in your eye. I think even the "Mexican" bleeds, and feels.

6) I do not like to be represented by a group who does not even try to "get" what the culture is. You were here in June, 2006 when the floods came. You did not try to help yourself, "that is the job of the town and boro." Help in the form of equipment, men and stone came. You complained. These quarry operators charged money! I would like to meet your employers that sent money, sandwiches, water? FEMA money comes from all over the country. I want you to know that even the money that the operators received was not even close to what was spent. I think you would complain about being hung with a new rope. I say, "Thank you, Thank you"! I love living in a town that pulled together, my road was plowed in June.

7) I do not like being represented by a group that will not accept any responsibility for the role they set up and play. I cannot believe the group has not been told by the leaders, "If we do this, this will happen." Maybe not. Has no one heard of the domino effect? Maybe not. Well, up here in the mountains, we know jack. That means I accept responsibility for my actions and do not have to hide behind a skirt or wanna-be politician to get my point across, even when it may not want to be what someone else wants to hear.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Allen

Summerville, PA

Your Support Is Appreciated

Thank you to all who participated in the 2007 Lucy Cotillo Dog and Cat Food Drive.

We couldn’t have done it without you.

And a double dose of thanks to all those who continue to give year after year.

Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all, and happy holidays!

Sincerely,

The Family of Lucy Cotillo

Road Hunters Are Lowlifes

To the person/s that shot the nine-point buck from the road on RR2/Westfall Ave. in Oakland Township (that my wife, in her first season hunting, had shot, tracked and left bed down to expire), on Wednesday, December 5 at about 3:30 p.m., you are a true lowlife. People like you should not be allowed to get a hunting license. You don't hunt, you slaughter with no regard for others’ property or ethical hunting practices.

You wonder why people don't allow hunting on their property; it's because of people like you. People that trespass, spotlight, or whatever else it takes to kill a deer outside of legal and ethical practices. It’s people like you that give all hunters a bad name.

She scouted this deer for weeks and sat in the woods for hours trying to get this buck in her sight. We tracked it together after she hit it and realized that it was going to expire shortly. We did all the right things, only to have her dream buck snatched away because you came along and took the lazy way, without putting any time into it, and stole her buck by shooting it from the road and trespassing on our property to get it.

If you have any remorse at all, I ask that you return the buck to her. Do the right thing, although I doubt you have it in you. I really hope it's true that what goes around comes around, because eventually you will get what's coming to you.

If anyone saw a vehicle on RR2/Westfall Ave. at the day and time mentioned above, I am offering $500.00 for information that leads to the return of my wife's buck. You can call me on my cell phone at (570) 687-5041. This is a small town and people talk. I really hope someone has some information that could help in this matter.

Sincerely,

Bob Diehl, Jr.

Susquehanna, PA

Start Where You Are

Everyone likes to stay home in their favorite comfortable easy chair, most likely watching the television, chatting on the phone or reading a good book. So do I. One thing you could add to that list of “good things to do” is take a moment to mark your monthly calendar for the next up and coming township meeting.

Hmmm... township meeting? Boring, dull, and probably repetitive – not! These meetings only tell you about your neighbors, your property, your water, the air you and your kids breathe, your safety. It only tells you about what’s happening monthly in this marvelous, fabulous countryside of ours. It only helps you meet and hear who’s running our community, their ideas, and it only helps you meet the most fabulous bunch of people living right in these woods with you. Ideas and questions are addressed. Anyone who raises his or her hand can ask anything they want. That is better than talking to the TV. You’ll  get answers when you ask.

Oh, no, these meetings are anything but boring! Latest example was learning that businesses who come to operate in our midst cannot and should not set out on a path alone. Even with governmental bodies, like the DEP, we, the local people are often the first line of action. These businesses are among us in our daily lives. We are a very important part of their business. It’s our business, too.

Now there are so called “landmen” driving up and down all of our roads, with the offer of money to drill for natural gas and/or money for right-of-ways to run pipes across your land to carry the natural gas out. What in the world does that decision of saying “yes” do to the value of your property eventually? Is the money they offer worth it? What do all those complicated words in their contracts mean? Your neighbors are wondering, just like you. What do you think about coming to a “boring” meeting and finding out?

When I moved into my house in New Milford Township eight years ago, I never bothered to attend any meetings. I was very happy to be home while other people, whoever they were, spent their time once a month going to a meeting in the township building. I was content and relaxed. Finally, a couple of months ago, I took a phone call from a neighbor I had never met. The talk was about BS quarry and did I have any information about what was happening. Of course, I had no info. As quick as a phone call, I didn’t feel so comfortable in my home anymore. I sat there awhile after the call, feeling stunned. The possibility of our air, water, roads, and everything else we hold dear going up in smoke overnight... could that be possible without having known anything about it? Finally, I stood up and said, “Wow. That’s it! I need to know what’s happening. I’m part of this, too!”

My point is, “Start where you are.” So you’ve never been to a meeting before, or for a heck of a long time. Go next month! Sometimes it’s like the nature channel, only you’re hearing about your own water, land, etc. It’s the history channel, too. There are “old timers” from this area that you’ll learn a lot from. It could be like a shoot-em-up western (people will be people), or the comedy channel (people will be people). There’s a whole lot going on in these woods. Come and get in the scuffle, participate, or just sit back and listen. Either way you are guaranteed not to be bored! We’re not just sitting there talking to ourselves. There are three supervisors listening to everything we say. They want to know what we want, what we need to keep this community running smoothly. Those three supervisors are our neighbors. They want what we want. Tell them what you want.

I finally came to a meeting three months ago. I stood up, I talked, I listened. It felt great! I met more of my neighbors, it felt great! I was surprised, it felt great! It’s like I’ve got a big family now... mixed heritages, backgrounds, and low and behold, opposite opinions from mine... way opposite opinions, just like family. It felt great!

Let’s fill up the township hall building next month and every month. It’s your channel on “real TV.” You might want to bring a chair in case all seats are filled. I was glad I did last time. We are all the first link in the lifeline of our community, and our dedicated supervisors are the connection to both us and the government bodies that are in place to protect us, DEP, commissioners, representatives, senators, and governor.

Be in your own show, start where you are.

Sincerely,

Anita Ambrose

New Milford, PA

Believe In Peace

Here it is again, the season of peace. Yet, we are in an unnecessary war in Iraq, in which our brave solders are doing the bidding for a do-nothing congress and a “mission accomplished” president. Why is peace spoken for a few weeks in December only? If we believe in peace, then we should do it.

Some of us oppose the Iraq war on religious and spiritual grounds. Some of us see the contradictions in salivating, gigantic companies making absurd amounts of money in the war effort. Corruption is rampant. Many of these profit-off-of-death companies have cozy offices in Washington, D.C. They have the politician’s ear. When did it turn from the common person’s government to government by money? When did peace become secondary to political posturing and profits? Bring our brave solders home.

Sincerely,

Leif Winter

Sincerely,

Hallstead PA

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