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Press-Republicai
VIEWPOINT
Asking too much of taxpayers
The government is being asked in a
number of instances to buy from home
owners property that is frequently
flooded. This question must be asked:
Why did somebody buy a home in land
that is so prone1 to floods?
There is no getting around the fact
that the people who have been flooded
spring after spring are due some sympathy. To a property owner, that kind of
event is a catastrophe, especially if it
involves evacuation from and damage
to the family home.
And certainly most people would
agree that victims of a surprise catastrophe ought to be helped by government.
However, there is also no getting
around the fact that the taxpayers are
being asked to make amends for what
might have been an imprudent decision
in the first place.
Moving into a flood plain or a floodprone area was a risk that many people
wouldn't have dared take. The potential consequences
are damage and even
q
h
h
destruction of the home.
Is it up to the taxpayers to bear those
consequences r
It's uncomfortable to opine against
an average Joe who has had the extreme misfortune to jiave been battered
by floods, but buying a home is an enormous step that should be done with
enough research and care to avoid such
obvious pitfalls.
Ice-storm damages another matter,
There is no predicting an ice storm.
This year's particularly devastating
one was a freak of nature. Compehsation by the government is expected,
That's why there are s§ many government programs, including the Federal
Emergency Management Agency,
which tries to ease the sun&mg of the
victims.
^ ,
In contrast, certain areas of mis region are flooded year after year 5Those
events are predictable. Taxpayer! have
a legitimate beef if they resent laving
to fund a buyout of such propert;
If the government is going to be
obliged to buy homes that, are looded
repeatedly, it should hencefort l take TotheEdi
steps to make clear to new buye "s that Senior Vol
would like to
the risk is theirs,
helped make
ted
—
Freaks, rarities, the unexpec
a great successthey are one thing. Predictable floods worked so hard
who made
are another and shouldn't be th ofolig- those
ticipating. Our
ation of the taxpayers.
derwriter
By JACK
,
Success
event
Land
!,who
i it and
i by parour unerstore
— and our corpi
ispoi prs Falcon Power,
Uola ottling
Co., and Tri/Home
Equipment, as
as the many
guarantee you it won't stop here." other local bi
Pilots are leaving the Air Force
i who ge
Alba contacted Maj. ^aider's ously donated ih and prizes. *
like fleas jumping off a dead dog.
base and told Col. Robert Gibson
Our congrat] ations and thanks
If this exodus in blue doesn't stop,
that Valder had broken |the Big to the three
there won't be anyone left to fly
le who brought in
Commandment and thai; he not the most
the existing megabuck fleet of
edges — Shirley
only had witnesses, he'd captured Ducharme, m Cassidy, and Eric
aircraft or the trillion-dollar fleet
the sleazoid mess on tape. Gibson O'Connell 4- and to all the other
of space-age new fighters the Air
said he would tell Valder to back bowlersTOOsupported this event.
Force wants for the 21st century.
off.
"Without pilots, it's going to be _
DAVID HACKWORTH
Of course, the Bowl-athon could
even harder to justify all these
Almost two years have passed, not hav» been accomplished withDEFENDING
AMERICA
costly new silver bullets when a
and all Alba has gotten is lies and out thefleadership of our Advisory
T
congressperson or two without
the runaround. Fogleman, not Council, chaired by Art Favero,
bases or flying-machine plants
wanting another Air Force adul- and'tne hard work of many volunb;ack home comes asking, "Who needs these suckers tery case on prime time, double-talked until he teers/A very special thanks goes
when missiles, robots, bugs, germs and 16-year-old dodged the whole issue for good by hanging up his to Shirley O'Connell, co-chair of
hackers will be the weapons of the future?"
flight suit and heading for the safety of his Colorado the /Bowl-athon Committee, who
'The Air Force brass are panicked. They could be ranch.
worked countless hours to make
j?ut out of business. So they're throwing money at
Everywhere Alba has turned for help, he's been this fund-raiser such a success. We
the pilots heading out the front gate.
stonewalled. Records of investigation have disap- jfeel very fortunate to have' such
But money isn't the reason these good folks are peared or been whitewashed, and Freedom of Infor- /wonderful community support for
walking. They want leadership. They want the top mation Law requests have been ignored.
. / our RSVP volunteers.
"
~~
Thank you
s
brass to set the example, do the hard right over the
Alba says, "The Flinn case was a PR nightmare for all!
easy
wrong and stop the spin maneuvers.
the Air Force. If they simultaneously court-marSandy Sexton
1
The Air Force senior brass are as corrupt as Mafia tialed my wife and Kelly Flinn, this would have
Program Director.
bosses. I learned this when I exposed a four-star been a double PR nightmare."
Clinton Couftty Retired
who was flying high with a sweet young thing. The
The Air Force, which is starting to look like an act
and Senior Volunteer Program
general was culpable but walked because a pack of on "The Jerry Springer Show" these days, says
Plattsburgh
colonels lied. None of the liars were punished, and there's been "no fraternization" and that both Air
^,
one even made liar of the year when he was pro- Force officers' "conduct was professional."
W
A
T^ptc
fYlX-Trltf*
moted to general.
The main issue of Conduct Unbecoming 101 was x y y j h " - ' t l J ^ f ^ X
And everyone knows about Kelly Flinn. She did swept under the rug for the same reason Scott O'heavy bombing practice with the husband of an air- Grady was made a phony national hero for allegedwoman and became the most talked about pilot ly screwing up and getting his plane shot down over
To the Editor: Today I took two
since Capt. Scott O'Grady ate Bosnian worms.
Bosnia.
of my grandchildren to the South
Public relations over doing the truth. Spin over in- Acres Park to play on the playThe Air Force brass publicly called her a liar and
an adulterer and wanted to line her up against the tegrity. Deceit over justice.
ground. As all children, do they
wall. But Sheila "Politically Correct" Widnall, then
You can't fool the troops, which is why they are were having themselves a good
secretary of the Air Force, chose to stop the bad ink leaving the Air Force in such unparalleled numbers. time playing on the gym set and in
by letting her zoom away from certain slammer And this mass departure will continue until integri- the sand boy as were other chiltime.
ty returns to the Air Force's top ranks.
dren.
But at about the same time as Flinn sinned, Air
There are plenty of Billy Mitchells wearing the
As they were playing a group of
Force Maj. Annamaria Alba was flying high with Air blue suit. But things will only change when they're children entered the playground
Force Maj. Mitchell Valder — and not in airplanes. put in charge, and the corrupt three- and four-stars area with a dog. .This dog was alHer retired Air Force husband, Capt. Roy Alba, follow Fogleman's swift retreat.
lowed in the sandbox area and
seeking to save his marriage, asked the brass to
Defense Secretary William Cohen better sweep around the playground equipment
weld Valder's zipper shut.
out the hangars before he needs to ask Hertz Air area. While it was in the sandbox
Alba didn't fool around. He went to the main Rental to take over what's left of our Air Force.
area it urinated in the sand.
welder, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ronald FogleAs a grandparent who brought
Http://www.hackworth.com Is the address of David Hackman, who promised to investigate.
worth's home page. Send mall to P.O. Box 430, Whlteflsh, MT my grandchildren there to have a
He also told Brig. Gen. Walter "Buck" Buchannan, 59937.
good time J did not appreciate seeKing Features
who said, "I can't say what will happen, but I'll
ing this dog in the children's play
area. Do these people who allow
their dogs on the playground area
of the park realize how traumatic
it would he for a small child to fall
in a pile of dog poop? I do not think
any one would appreciate having
Sen.
Daniel
P.
Moynihan
518455-2811
In Washington
the child they took to the playRoom SR-464
518-561-2430
ground to enjoy themselves come
Russell
Senate
Office
Building
Assemblyman
Chris
Ortloff
Rep. John McHugh
in contact with any of this.
Washington, D.C. 20510
110th Assembly District
24th Congressional District
.
The majority of the people that
202-224-4451
Room
450
Room 2 4 4 1
take
their animals to the park,
E-mail: Senator@dpm.senate.gov
Legislative Office Building
Rayburn House Office Building
when
they attend the various ballAlbany,
N.Y.
12248
Washington, D.C. 20515
games
in the evenings, show reSen. Alfonse D'Amato
518455-5943
202-225-4611
sponsibility
for their animals and
520
Hart
Senate
Office
Bid.
518-562-1986
518-563-1406
keep
them
with
them, or if they alWashington, D.C. 20510
518483-9930
E-mail:
low
the
children
to walk them,
202-224-6542
http://www.house.gov./writerep/
Assemblywoman
have them do so in the ballfield
E-mail:
Elizabeth O'C. Little
side of the park.
Senator_al@damato.senate.gov
Rep. Gerald Solomon
109th Assembly District
Being that we do have some peo22nd Congressional District
Room 324
ple,
even though they may he few
2265 Rayburn House Office Bid.
Legislative Office Building
In Albany
and far. between, that do allow
: Washington, D.C. 20515
Albany, N.Y. 12248
their animals on the playground
r, 202-225-5614
Sen. Ronald Stafford
518-455-5565
part of the park I feel that these
| 518-477-2703
45th Senatorial District
518-7924546
places should be posted with "No
E-mail:
Room 502, Capitol
E-mail:
animals allowed" sighs. That
http://www.house.gov./writerep/
Albany, N.Y. 12247
littlee.@assembly.state.ny.us
should alleviate any concern for
anyone bringing their children to
Scandals shrinking Air Force faithftil
No pets on ti
playgrounds
Youf voices in government
Press-Republican
170 Margaret St., Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901
(USPS 443-2401
Saturday, May 2,1998
The Republican 18U, The Press 1894, The P^ess-Republican 1942
<•
Brenda J. Tallman, P u b l i s h e r
Daniel B. Swift, General Manager
James D. Dynko, Editor
Robert J. Grady, Managing Editor
Lots M . Clerniont, News Editor
Jack Downs, Design Editor
Robert G. Goetz, Sports Editor
K Bruce Rowland, Business Editor
David Paczak, Photo Editor
Greg Claus, Features Editor
Denise A. Raymo, Assistant News Editor
Susan Seguin, Night Editor
h
The Press-Republican welcomes letters to the editor. All
letters must be signed (except
e-mail) and include the address and telephone number of
the author. Letters must not
contain more than 300 words.
They should be typewritten.
Those letters not meeting the
criteria will not be published
and will be returned.. The
Press-Republican reserves the
right not to publish letters it
judges to"be inappropriate.
By e-mail:
l
Letters<S pressrepublican.com
By fax: N 561-3362 v
By mail: Letters to the Editor
Press-Republican
P.O. Box 459
Plattsburgh, N.Y.12901
the park as to what their children
might get into.
LaVerne R. Hicks
Plattsburgh
Girls want to
To the Editor: I think there
should be a girl's lacrosse team for
Saranac Lake. There is only a
boy's lacrosse team. Maybe they
think we are not "tough enough."
Well I know that there are plenty of girls that would like to play.
Even with football they say, "You
can't play because you're a girl." I
think they should either make a
girl's football and lacrosse team or
join them together in a coed team.
Shannon Reynolds
Bloomingdale
JERUSALE]
^
Pataki
tunn
whose openin;
daa'dly riots a:
tCB^erstand IV
w, r project.
The tunnel :
and Jewish
walled Old C
j government oj
1 tunnel in Sep
' lim clerics cla
mining the s
Building excellence for our fuAqsa Mosque
ture demands a sustained com' T^he claims
mitment from our state leaders.
b'uj; PalestiniE
NEA/NY looks forward to working
pvyest Bank ai
with our state's leaders in fch^e 'to the streets
r
coming years to continue thjs
stones at Isra
year's progress.
,'
pts. soon escal
Gregory S. N ^ J J I
^tte^ between
President
Palestinian p
people, most
isffiMqy
ffiMqy
'ans, were kill<
Albany
At the time,
Palestinian fi
deadlock in p
rael, and man
opening was
that served as
"•Pataki toun
To the Editor: I was so happy
to see your pictures in the PressRepublican today.
•——^—
Mr. Baker, you certainly helped
me with piano and organ and you
got me places to sing when I was
at Plattsburgh High School. 1 ^ Poll: Moyn
1946: I sang at almost eypry
church ia^the city.
' ' POUGHKE:
I was so appreciative when nay
,proval rating
brother and you got me into ItKastatewide pol
ca College School of Music. 1,946%t Public Op
1950.
..
highest in up;
.ban counties
You were an excellent music
his approval i
teacher. Gerri was a friend in the
ers approve oi
Methodist Church and I use 'to
him a positivi
babysit for your two daughters.
of Republican
I made mistakes, but I apprecisenator was E
ated everything you did for me.
proval rating,
God bless both of you.
'.
phone poll of
Charlotte Bolles
a margin of e
Plattsburgh
Appreciated
the support
Science and
morality
To the Editor: In recent ii
of the Press-Republican the
has been promoted as the sohftiob.
for free sex for women of childbearing age who wish to be sexually active.
•
'";
In the Press-Republican of Peb'.
25 several are mentioned, among
whicbuare Ovral and Lo/Ovral.
These pills prevent a fertilized egg
from implanting into the uterus
and prevents him or her from
growing into a embryo. Thife
means that the newly formed hujman living is discarded after hi£
To t h e Editor: Along with or her life has begun.
!
thousands of other New Yorkers,
Research findings show many
the 40,000 members of the Na- potential side effects. Two of. the
tional Education Association of risks is cervical cancer and breasjt
New York welcome the recent cancer. Physicians desk reference
state budget passage. That's be- states that the use of oral contracause it contains good new,s for the ception's is associated with - thmillions of children who fill our creased risks of several seru&is
classrooms every day.
conditions including myocai^d
This year's state budget at last infarction,
thromboembotism,
begins to make up the lost ground stroke, hepatic neoplasis, g^U
of the last decade. New York has bladder disease and hypertension.
finally begun, initiatives to rebuild The risk of myocardial infarction
crumbling schools, retool anti- has been attributed to oral contraquated educational equipment ceptive use. The relative ris&XPf
and restore confidence in our chil- heart attack for current oral condren's future.
traceptive users has been estimatLook at some of these accom- ed to be two to six.
plishments in which we can all It would be a logical conclusion
take pride:
that if that same person who 3s 6n
• $500 million for emergency oral contraceptives were to t?rke|a
flight to another city and knojw
school repairs.
• More funding to help districts that the odds of that plane making
boost tougher statewide academic it safely were two to six percent,
she would in no way board that
standards.
. '
• Increased funding for our plane.
The.
only
100
percent
safe
community colleges.
These are all important steps method is chastity before mairalong the road to a better educa- riage and monogamy after marwith a non-infected partner
tion for young New Yorkers. But
being non-infected. This i s
this election year's commitment
than morality, it's a scientifshouldn't turn into another year of
act.
;
slash-and-burn budget cuts next
year if the. Wall Street boom doesJerry Mahony
n't continue.
Alton^a
Good news
for children
Garry Trudej
DOONESBURY
. I iHAmTO pvrupwm
'N55SFROM HIM AS IT IS
you
MEAN,
(w^i^m
Sean T. McNamara, Marketing—Sales manager
Martha C. Pedulla, Customer Service Manager
George Rock, Advertising Manager
James G. Frenya, Delivery Services Manager
Catherine A. Duquette, Controller.
Virgil L. Cross, Press Foreman
Daniel L. Thayer, Production Manager
Published dally each morning except certain holidays at 170 Margaret Street, Plattsburgh, N.Y. Telephone S61-2300. Periodical postage paid at Plattsburgh, N.Y. 12901. The Press-Republican is published by
the Plattsburgh Publishing Company Division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc.
National Advertising Representative: Paper! Companies, 400 North Street Paul No. 800, Dallas, Texas
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Associate
&
•
M
IM
&
f&T^f.
<mm^.
9
m
Horrific tr«
NASSAU U
into a passen
and injuring
were in a spo
sway west of J
{Jfhe. truck wa
before impaci
aj.: least one I
parts, old tin
and blood we:
hany in Rens
.recover the n
"4Q.'ieet on th<
.John Byrne.l
.said the car \
^ ir'.i
i i
It is the
"ffyoft hav
rioom at 5<
;
She left u
Shetaugh
j
^her gentle
'She gave I
. When we
Me thank
Like a ra
7
warms ot
May GaA
. .and watc