Glory and destiny

I have been following the brutal invasion of Ukraine closely and though defensive support from the U.S. and NATO has been slow walked or denied over the past year, the Ukrainian people and their president Zelenskyy have proven to be fierce patriots fighting overwhelming odds with military might, holding the Russian army at bay. 

They love their country and their freedom so much that thousands are laying down their lives. Women, children, grandparents, first responders and other defenders of their nation have and will continue to pay a heavy price. 

Orphanages, hospitals, pre-schools, nursing homes, bomb shelters and churches have been demolished and deliberately targeted by Russian grim reapers. 

No humane rules of engagement for Putin — just indiscriminate slaughter and carnage of anyone and anything that get in his way. He ran into a problem when a modern day David vs. Goliath arose to confront this aggression named Zelenskyy. An inspiring and capable war leader who united his defenders and citizens in the name of freedom.

Putin and many Russian leaders should face war crimes. But they won’t.  

The Ukrainian people are suffering non-stop attacks. Eighty percent of homes and buildings have been completely destroyed by this scorched earth policy. It’s going to be future Ukrainian PTSD on steroids there. Russian and Ukrainian refugees are flocking to Mexico to easily access the U.S. 

Putin surely could have inserted some of his friends among them. There are too many world leaders, the U.S. included, who have been compromised by Russia and China. 

These green agenda countries, their  leaders and activists are complicit and responsible for the mess we’re in today. Russia heavily funds green activists while banking our money from sales of their own gas and oil. 

Energy produced under zero tolerance policies for carbon and pollution is effectively increasing this planet’s problem. Does it make any sense to go cold turkey with our own clean standards energy production and be dependent upon our enemies for the same, who don’t follow any standards at all while filling their war chests? 

We are using Russia to negotiate a nuclear/oil deal for us with Iran. It’s INSANITY! Check out how much energy and slave labor are involved producing batteries for electric vehicles. It’s a shocker. 

The destiny of Ukraine and the rest of the world weighs heavily on the outcome of this war. 

God bless the brave people of Ukraine and you, patriotic readers, and your families. 

 

Town of North East resident Larry Conklin is a Vietnam War veteran and a member of both the Millerton American Legion Post 178 and the VFW Post 6851 in North Canaan, Conn.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

Latest News

Millerton Police Dept. rebuilds after fire; new cruisers on the way

The borrowed Pine Plains cruiser parked on Main Street in front of the Millerton Inn during the Millerton Street Fair on Saturday, June 28.

Photo by Aly Morrissy

MILLERTON — After receiving substantial state grant funding in July 2024 and beginning to roll out new equipment that fall, the Millerton Police Department suffered a setback when the February fire at the Village Water and Highway Department building destroyed much of its newly acquired gear — including patrol vehicles outfitted with cutting-edge technology.

Thanks to full-value insurance coverage and swift support from the Town of Pine Plains — which loaned the department a vehicle — Millerton officers were able to remain active in the community. Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik said two custom-built, four-wheel-drive Ford Interceptor cruisers are now in production and are expected to arrive by the end of the summer.

Keep ReadingShow less
Uncertainty looms over Millerton community pool timeline

Groundbreaking of the new pool planned for Eddie Collins Park has been delayed after the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation intervened to determine the status of wetlands in the proposed building site.

Archive photo

MILLERTON — The long-awaited groundbreaking for a new community pool at Eddie Collins Memorial Park — once expected this past April — now faces significant delays with no definitive timeline in sight, Mayor Jenn Najdek said.

The primary setback stems from a still-pending permitting process, as the village awaits final approvals from the Dutchess County Board of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regarding septic placement and wetland buffers. A patch of wetlands on the site — roughly five feet by five feet, Najdek said — requires a protective buffer, which could range anywhere from 5 to 100 feet. That determination will dictate whether the current pool design needs to be altered or moved altogether.

Keep ReadingShow less
North East town records brought into the digital age

Chris Virtuoso reorganized parcel records in the North East Town Hall basement by parcel number during the process of scanning and digitizing the documents.

Photo by Grace DeMarco

MILLERTON — Within the walls of the two-story Victorian housing the North East Town Hall lies a room-full of town records dating back to the late 19th century. Stored in labeled cardboard boxes and protected by dehumidifiers, the records are in the process of being dated, organized, and scanned into categorized online programs.

As the Town Hall works to relocate to 5603 Route 22 at the former Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness, the consolidation and digitalization of records, as well as the disposal of those unneeded, is a time-sensitive project. Marcy Wheatley, the Deputy Town Clerk, emphasized their current heavy focus on organizing and scanning. “Now, when we move, we can get rid of a lot,” Wheatley stated.

Keep ReadingShow less
Fun, food and facts bring crowds to downtown Millerton

Nora Garcia, 6, of Millerton, bottom right, gets a face painting treatment from Maddy Rowe, a Webutuck High School senior. Nora’s sister, Juliana, 8, top right, is decorated by Giana Kall, a Webutuck senior. The program was sponsored by the Webutuck PTA.

Photo by John Coston

Locals and visitors packed into downtown Millerton Saturday, June 28, for the first ever Millerton Street Fair hosted by the Millerton News, the Millerton Business Alliance and Townscape. Representatives from local nonprofits, businesses along Main Street, Bee Bee the Clown and face painters from Webutuck High School drew in crowds all afternoon.

Festivities officially opened at 10 a.m., and a steady stream of visitors soon followed. Volunteer firefighters hosted a bouncy castle, a duck pool, a “put out the fire” ring toss game, and the “touch a truck” event at the fire department’s garage.

Keep ReadingShow less