Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 10-7-21

Bad news when idling cars are the least of our worries

It is so depressing when I see people using an idling car for their personal air conditioner on days that are warm and even on days when opening the windows of the car is as refreshing. 

Americans are so accustomed to taking advantage of the technology of the 20th and 21st centuries that they are immune to the joy of nature. 

Indeed, nature won’t exist as we know it if we are not more cognizant of its beauty and how we are destroying it.

Right now, outside of my home, there are three large Central Hudson trucks waiting for the rain to stop. 

Rain is predicted for the next six hours and the trucks have been there for two hours idling. Lights on, air conditioners probably blasting, and workers not working.

Research suggests that idling from all vehicles wastes about 6 billion gallons of fuel a year, about half of which can be attributed to cars, the federal government says. 

That also translates into the release of about 30 million tons of greenhouse effect-inducing carbon dioxide. 

By comparison, one typical coal-fired power plant emits about 3.5 million tons of CO2 per year, the Union of Concerned Scientists says.

What does all this information mean to the average person? 

Food prices are up; storms leave homes uninsured; western forest are decimated; coral reefs are dying; lakes are drying up; drinking water is at risk.

As the U.S. Department of Energy says, getting people to reduce idling their cars is rather easy to accomplish in the campaign to reduce waste and pollution.

Linda Kolts

Millbrook

Pine Plains BOE needs to hold in-person meetings, open to community

I was writing things down to discuss at our next Pine Plains Board of Education (BOE) meeting when I found out it’s changing the meetings to virtual. Not because of COVID, but because of the “near-altercation” at the previous meeting between two visitors. 

To clear this up, a couple who has never attended meetings decided to come and harass the few parents who show up at every opportunity to address their concerns and be a voice for their children, with topics they feel are important, as is their right. 

This couple was rude and there only to mock us, going so far as indicating our superintendent was “justified” when referring to a parent as a “jackass” and accidentally including that parent in his email, which I would hope, is behavior from a school superintendent EVERYONE considers unacceptable. 

Now the rest of us are being silenced. 

What many don’t understand is that we call and email the BOE and the administration and are often quickly dismissed. 

For us, going to these meetings means we’re being heard in person and recorded for the public to see as well. 

In doing so, it’s not so easy for the BOE to dismiss us. It’s also a chance for us to support each other. 

In today’s crazy world, that support is significant.

I like to attend school board meetings to listen to what’s going on with our schools and to voice my concerns in person. 

As a parent and taxpayer, I think it’s important to be actively present. I also think it’s important to be respectful and understand that my concerns are not going to be the same as others, but the board’s job is to hear and acknowledge them all. 

I wasn’t able to make that last meeting, but thinking about what was said in person and on Facebook — it upsets me. 

As humans, we’re all so different. We have to stop expecting “us” in others. 

Yes, there are going to be extreme opinions, and extreme behavior, on both sides, as frustrating as that can be. We get pretty passionate about our kids, don’t we?! 

Yet I’m left wondering when did the kids stop being the priority? When did politics become more important than our children? When did feelings and opinions become more important than our children? When did money become more important than our children? 

Those are good questions for our education system. When did we stop caring about educating future generations and care more about what has to be done for funding? 

Teachers used to stand up for their students. It’s time we get back to having values. Politics do not belong in the classroom. Critical Race Theory does not belong in the classroom. 

Pronouns and secrets between teacher and student do NOT belong in the classroom. 

Open communication and support can happen without crossing the line. 

We’re failing our children in momentous ways. We have to do better. We MUST do better. Our children, our future, deserve better. 

Cassandra Miller

Stanfordville

Elect Rachel Saunders for Family Court judge

We need Rachel Saunders for Family Court judge. I recommend visiting Rachel’s website, www.rachelforfamilycourt.com, to see for yourself how committed Rachel is to the welfare of families.  

Having grown up in the Hudson Valley, Rachel spent the past 13 years representing vulnerable people here including domestic violence victims, veterans, the elderly and the mentally ill. 

In 2016, Rachel became attorney-in-charge of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, after serving for several years as a staff attorney at the Children’s Law Center and then as a senior associate attorney at Mental Hygiene Legal Services. 

This experience makes her an outstanding candidate for Family Court judge because she has expertise in the types of cases heard in Family Court, and the career choices she has made demonstrate her commitment to justice for those who most are in need of a fair and compassionate judge.

Rachel’s opponent, on the other hand, current Family Court Judge Denise Watson, has been accused by women appearing before her of favoring fathers in custody disputes, favoring lawyers who contributed to her political campaign and disregarding orders of protection.  

A recent Poughkeepsie Journal article (Thursday, Sept. 23) told of Judge Watson granting a father unsupervised visits with his infant despite the mother’s order of protection against him.  

A group of female litigants even formed a Facebook group, “Stop Judge Watson… ”

We need Rachel Saunders to help bring justice to Family Court litigants!

Amy Rothstein

Pine Plains

Amenia benefit rodeo and concert were awesome

My wife Cami and I enjoyed the Rodeo and the Chris Janson concert on Saturday, Oct. 3. It was nice to see many families with their children having fun at the rodeo. 

Many thanks to the Amenia-Wassaic Community Organization, Wassaic Fire Company for parking the hundreds of cars, Amenia Fire Company & Four Brothers for their food booths. 

This was an amazing fundraiser to help make our community a better place to live and work. Met many friends including County Executive Marcus Molinaro, State Sen. Sue Serino (R-41), Chairman of the County Legislature Gregg Pulver (R-19), Amenia Strong Candidates Julie Doran (for town supervisor), Jamie Vitiello and Brad Rebillard (for town councilmen), Tony and Victoria Robustelli, (Amenia Highway Supervisor) Megan Chamberlin and (former Amenia Highway Supervisor) Stan Whitehead.

Since the Amenia-Wassaic Community Organization is an operating foundation providing resources to qualified nonprofit community organizations that promotes community services, arts and education, health and conservative efforts, I find it inexplicable that not one member of our Amenia Town Board or any other candidates for the Town Board were in attendance. 

Then obviously our present Town Board does not make an effort to support this fundraiser for our community. 

This is one of many reasons why we need a change of supervisor and councilmen, so please support Julie Doran, Jamie Vitiello and Brad Rebillard Nov. 2nd. We need community-minded representation for our town.

Wayne Euvrard

Amenia