Letters to the Editor — Thursday, March 19

Thanks from Fire Co.

On Sunday, March 15, the Amenia Fire Company sponsored our monthly Pancake Breakfast. We were pleased to have a nice crowd of 202 people in attendance for our monthly meal. We rely on the breakfasts to raise needed money for general operations and we always appreciate the support of the community. We thank everyone who attends our events and hope you will join us at our final breakfast of the year on April 19 at the firehouse.

Andy Murphy,
on behalf of the Breakfast Committee, Amenia Fire Co. & Auxiliary

Don’t weaken climate law in budget talks

At a time when we see more clearly than ever the global dangers of our dependency on fossil fuels for reasons even beyond the existential damages of climate change, we should not support a movement in Albany to weaken Climate Law as part of the budget negotiation.

CLCPA is not causing the energy cost crisis. It is clearer than ever that costs are out of control due to the cost of oil and tariffs, not the Climate Law. Since the start of the Iran war we can see them rise every day. Contrary to the actions of the Trump administration, we should have continued to invest in the research and manufacturing of wind and solar energy and worked to free the U.S. from our dependency on foreign oil and all carbon burning fuels. Our high prices are the result of the high price of oil, having nothing to do with CLCPA. We should all work to protect the Climate Law and the slow but steady progress we have made over many years.

Louise Meryman
Pine Plains

Harlem Valley Rail Trail accident is horrifying

I was horrified to read about the bicycle accident on the Rail Trail, resulting in a fractured vertebra and a long healing process for someone who was enjoying a ride on a path specifically built for that purpose.

I am an active cyclist who rides 150+ miles per week in warm weather. I occasionally ride parts of the Rail Trail, almost always during the week when there is little activity, and only to connect to a road.

The Rail Trail is NOT for serious cyclists. Whenever I approach walkers I call out well in advance and coast my bike past them at a slow speed. If they don’t turn around, I stop. I would never pass another cyclist, especially a casual rider, on any of the elevated wooden walkways. It is infuriating that an accident like this is completely foreseeable, yet happened anyway.

I don’t walk the Rail Trail but if I did I would be very vocal (but friendly) in telling cyclists to slow down and, if on a walkway, to dismount. It is for their safety as well. The woman who was injured could have just as easily turned into the cyclist, which could have put them both in the hospital.

I was strongly tempted to suggest litigation here, but I am sure friends long ago offered that advice. As warm weather approaches you might consider an article about local bike safety, perhaps focused on the Rail Trail. The tiny silver lining here is that the article is not about a small child being hit by cyclist,

Terry Vance
Sharon