Much like the proverbial blind pig that comes across an occasional acorn, FOX NEWS did report a bit of truth. Anyway, that tiny bit of truth got me to suspect there exists justifiable cause for court martialing Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl. In exchange for five detainees at Guantánamo, the sergeant was released by his self-alleged Taliban “hosts” to American custody. To my mind, that casts in a new light our armed services’ unofficial but inspirational dictum: “no one left behind”.

In accordance with what this new light reveals, besides applying to loyal personnel, that dictum even applies to deserters. Anyway, enough details about how the sergeant fell into the hands of the Taliban did more than just pique my suspicions.

They lead me to envision captured Taliban fighters testifying against Sergeant Bergdahl. Oh, yes, there’s precedent for that. The commander of a Japanese submarine that sank an American war ship testified at the court martial of that ship’s commander.

Bottom line, not only is it honorable to retrieve fallen comrades from the battle field, it is also meritorious to retrieve alleged deserters out of that asylum afforded by an enemy. In this latter instance, the retrieval allows the alleged deserters the opportunity in open court to either exonerate themselves or face due punishment.

Sincerely,

A Alexander Stella

Susquehanna, PA

Trehab would like to give a special and heartfelt thank you to the US Postal Service for participating in the yearly Postal Food Drive to benefit our food banks. We look forward each spring to receiving the extra food gathered in the drive and we appreciate the extra work and hours that are put in by the postal workers. Without their help this important drive would not happen. We also thank all of the residents in the community who generously gave from their home pantries to help those in need of food. Between our two food banks in Montrose and Susquehanna we received approximately 2700 lbs. of food items.

In addition to the Postal Drive our food banks have been the recipients of the collections from two other yearly events, The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of America “Scouting for Food” and the Ayres Stone Post #5642 VFW and Auxiliary Benefit Raffle for The Susquehanna County Food Bank. We would like to thank the sponsors of those events and all of those who participated in them.

Our community is very generous; we receive assistance both financially and from direct donations of food by so many that it is difficult to list everyone in a space such as this but suffice it to say social & civic organizations, local churches, individuals, families, and businesses all give consistently and generously.

We serve an average of 480 households and 1200 individuals each month and the assistance we receive from our community makes it possible to have full shelves and adequate supplyfor those who need it in Susquehanna County. Our food banks are located on Rt. 29 S, 81 Industrial Park Dr., Montrose, PA. 570.278.9218 and 1226 Main St. Susquehanna, PA. 570.853. 4342.

Sincerely,

Dennis Phelps

Executive Director, Trehab

250 doctors, health professionals and researchers sent a letter asking Gov. Andrew Cuomo to impose a three- to five-year ban on fracking in New York to allow more time for scientific studies on the health risks of gas drilling/fracking.

"I have seen kids in West Virginia with chronic nosebleeds, people who have these hacking coughs that don't go away, who have memory problems," said Gorby, a microbiologist, who has family in West Virginia.

American Academy of Pediatrics, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the medical societies of Otsego and Tompkins counties and 29 doctors and nurses from the Bassett Healthcare system in Cooperstown, Otsego County signed this letter to their Governor Cuomo.

Larysa Dyrszka, founder of the anti-fracking group Concerned Health Professionals of New York, said more science continues to emerge about potential risks to air and water quality from gas drilling/fracking.

I keep hearing of the health impacts and risks to our health in our Shalefields of Susquehanna County, Pa.

Folks report the nosebleeds, stomach ailments, respiratory issues near gas drilling where water and air contamination is present.

Contact the State Health Dept. and tell them your symptoms near the gas drilling; they are keeping a data base of reactions and ailments near gas drilling. Do we have to wait for "cancer clusters" to appear to know that our environment has been polluted?

Gov. Corbett has closed down a bunch of Health Departments in our rural communities, like in Montrose , Pa..

We can't even afford all the health departments we had prior to gas drilling, or it's the Governor's way to hide further the negative impacts and risks near gas drilling.

This is a serious issue and needs to be assessed and revealed to the public. I am glad NY is willing to take a serious look at health impacts and risks due to gas drilling/fracking.

Sincerely,

Vera Scroggins

Brackney, Pa.