Speakout: May 6, 2009

May 06, 2009 03:25 am

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TOPICS CUT OFF
The Press-Republican gave readers plenty of opportunity over the past month to comment in Speakout about the tenure issues at Plattsburgh High School and Beekmantown Central School. Now that the votes have been held, we are cutting off comments about those issues.

We also have a large number of Speakouts that we have received about gay marriage. Once the comments we have already received have appeared in the paper, we will no longer publish that topic for a while in Speakout.

We periodically limit topics that we feel have run their course. Readers are still welcome to write signed letters to the editor expressing their viewpoints.

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DELAYS
Haven't seen your Speakout? There are a few possible reasons.

We won't publish Speakouts that are longer than 100 words or that we consider libelous or inappropriate, including personal attacks, merchant complaints that we can't verify and court matters.

Also, once a topic seems to have run its course, we will cut those for a time. The point has been made, and writers are always welcome to send a signed letter to the editor of no more than 300 words for publication on the Editorial page.

Lastly, if you haven't seen your Speakout yet, you might just need a little patience. It has proven hugely popular, and most days, we have hundreds of inches waiting to get in. News articles have priority, but we try to get in a little Speakout each day.

If you have any questions, call News Editor Lois Clermont at 565-4131.

Clean
Thanks to all the young people who cleaned up along Route 22 near the airport on Friday, April 24. You did a great job! It's too bad, though, that all that trash was there in the first place.

Music
There is no way instrumental music at Willsboro School is a budget problem. How much more is it going to cost the district as a whole? $33,000 is a ridiculously small amount from a budget of millions. Nothing had to be cut from the budget at all. Yes, they make themselves look good lowering the tax levy and all, but at what cost? Again, the kids lose out. Do these kids always have to be the ones to suffer? They cut modified baseball? Big deal. Modified baseball is not a credit-bearing class. Bring band back.

Arts
I am seriously considering moving my kids to another school district that puts more importance in the arts. I have two children enrolled at Willsboro School now. Both my kids do not play sports, but they are very interested in playing an instrument. In fact, they have the instrument all picked out that they wanted to play next year. The arts are such an important part of a child's education. I am a taxpayer in Willsboro and do not want instrumental music taken away from my kids.

Cats
Just because someone's cats are outside doesn't give you the rights to kill them. This is an inhuman act and so heartless. I do feed my cats, and when someone lures them with food, that's their fault. I know there's a problem with cats, so please take care of your own and leave the neighbors' cats alone. Quit putting food out.

Report bad
With respect to correction officers, I think most of them are good, hard-working people. However, the fact remains there are many who just don't belong in the job. Maybe the good ones ought to start reporting the bad. Don't think of it as being a rat. You wouldn't hesitate to report an inmate who does something illegal. It's your duty to keep the jails safe. COs who do drugs, abuse the system and steal from the state are no better than lots of the inmates they guard.

Westport zoning
Westport had a piece in the paper complaining about the APA/zoning. The town is very upset with the comprehensive land use program that their Town Board approved in order to get state "free" funding in their area. Problem is, nothing is free. The APA is behind this comprehensive land use. It all comes down to strict zoning, and once your town has this comprehensive land use, the town must be more strict than the APA regarding zoning.

Pine Street
I see once again the locals in the Pine Street area are not important enough to be informed on what is going on in there own front yards or across the street from them. First, it's digging up coal tar, which was toxic enough to put filters in the Middle School but not in my home. Now it's the river trail, which could be a great thing unless it only means more traffic, boat ramps, people I don't know basically walking in my front yard day and night. Let's try to get curbs in and pave Pine Street.