Letters to the Editor - 4-11-24

Looking at North East’s LED sign issue

Thank you for calling attention to the LED sign problem that the Town has been facing for several years now.

The News called the Webutuck sign an “Electronic Messaging Display,” which is not accurate. This sign is an LED sign, just like the sign in front of the Legion post. Both of these signs are capable of, and do, display multiple colors and animated images. The photo of the school sign showing sedate white on black words is not what I saw when the sign first appeared and the only thing keeping the bright colors from reappearing is will power.

While there are some vocal proponents for changing the town’s zoning to permit LED signs, or to rebrand them as EMDs, many in our community find these signs to be distracting and unattractive, causing dangerous glare at night. I’m one of them.

Before the Town’s officials consider allowing LED signs, I hope that they’ll consider why our commercial districts have fared so poorly in recent years. As the Boulevard (Route 44 heading East) has deteriorated over time prospective business owners looked around and decided to set up shop elsewhere. A proliferation of LED signs will make revitalizing these areas an even tougher job.

The News correctly pointed out that it’s impossible to regulate sign content. In today’s politically charged environment, do we really want to encourage signs that can advertise a two-for-one special at one moment, followed by a four-letter diatribe the next?

Bill Kish

North East

Questioning judicial training in abuse cases

Upon reading the article about domestic abuse in The Lakeville Journal, April 4, I began to wonder what, if any, kind of training and education a judge receives before he begins his tenure. I am referring to a domestic violence case from September, 2017.

It is shameful that the judge in this case (Edward McLoughlin) with his level of education and work experience, was so ignorant regarding domestic abuse. Hypothetically speaking, if a daughter of his had been a victim of domestic abuse, I’m sure he would have become very informed on the topic of DV. He would have learned that the most dangerous time for a woman living in a DV situation, is right before she leaves her abuser. Thus, a woman just can’t just up and leave whenever she wants to.

His finding that Nikki Addimando did not meet the requirements of a reduced sentence, is pathetic and laughable. But, Addimando was not laughing.

Those who are in power, police, judges, and politicians, to name a few, must be educated and exposed to the true root of why women stay with their abuser, When the abuser and the victim end up in a courtroom, it is even more imperative that those who are making life altering decisions, be thoroughly appraised of the multiple causes for a woman to stay with her abuser.

Until the denial, naivete and apathy ends, which afflict many court cases involving DV, relief and healing for the victims of DV will be little if any at all.

Laura J. Kisatsky

Cornwall, Conn.