Tuesday April 16, 2024 
Letter to the Editor
New York State district attorney’s time and political power would be better served if she got down to the Brookwood juvenile prison in Clavarack to see first- hand why dozens of convicted teen age criminals beat up their staffers and put three of them in the hospital, instead of comforting 12 frightened feckless women who want their boss punished for getting too personal.
Since that September riot when the entire Brookwood staff were removed from their offices for their safety….we befuddled taxpayers who shell out 900,000…nearly a million dollars every year for each one of the Brookwood felons in hopes of rehabilitating them so we, our children and our old and disabled citizens will feel safer, have no answers or explanations for the cause and hopeful remedies for this critical break-down of the most pressing issues in the state juvenile justice system.
Where is the promised transparency? Are the Brookwood staff safer now? Have the assaults of the three staffers been reported to the Columbia County district attorney…and if so..how is this matter progressing? When will the state office of children’s’services…let us know publicly?
Brookwood has a long history of violence, failure, and political cover-ups since it began as the primary state juvenile prison in January, 1976. It’s long past time to either clean it up or close it up.
Stay tuned.
Sylvia Honig. MSW, Wynantskill
PFOA Saga No. 6 – The truth at last
December 28, 2021
The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State
RE: PFOA in Poestenkill; An amateur-hour, bush-league Whitewash attempt is hardly “good” government
Dear Governor Hochul:
Not hearing anything from your office, as if we did not exist, or were not important enough for your Office to pay attention to, we began to wonder why that could be, which wondering came to an abrupt end with the Times Union story “Lobbyists helped Hochul raise $10M. What are they getting back?” – Governor’s fundraising marathon leaned on powerful firms with deep-pocketed clients” by Chris Bragg, Albany, New York Times Union, Dec. 24, 2021, wherein was stated as follows as to why it is we have not heard a word back from your Office, to wit:
ALBANY — At a press conference last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked about a sensitive subject: her heavy reliance on Albany’s top lobbyists to raise campaign funds, even as those firms and individuals seek action from her administration.
When major lobbying firms have sought to have intimate fundraisers, Hochul’s campaign has requested they commit to raising even more — $250,000 — for events where Hochul appears in person, according to people with knowledge of the events.
They are often exclusive to the lobbying firm and those clients, who gain a few minutes interacting with the governor.
There to us is the answer to our wondering – we haven’t heard back from you because we went about it the wrong way by merely writing letters to you.
We haven’t heard a word from you because we failed to raise the necessary $250,000 to buy a few minutes of your time with to present you with our claims.
Clearly from that article, your time has to be purchased because it does not come for free, and thanks to the Times Union, we are now older and wiser.
If we can come up with the $250,000, then you will hear our voices, but not before.
Boss Tweed would be so proud of you on that score.
But not us.
Paul Plante, Poestenkill
A Democracy in Peril
With an increasing number of Republican legislators implementing policies that make it more difficult to vote, as well as place their own electors into positions that make it easier to overturn fair elections, I truly fear for the future of our democracy. It seems as though the only thing the current GOP stands for is winning at any cost. As a lifelong Democrat, I am not naive enough to believe that abusing the power of office hasn’t taken place on both sides of the aisle, but I never could have imagined what is taking place now. Not only are laws being passed that increase voter suppression, but the embracing of politicians like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Paul Gosar, is truly frightening. I know many decent people who are Republicans, and although we disagree on policy, I know they care deeply about our Constitution. I urge them to speak out against those that spew hatred, incite violence and continue the lies about the 2020 election. Otherwise, the party of Lincoln will continue to devolve, and will not support democratic principles. As the saying goes, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.”
Philomena Valente, Averill Park