Speakout: Nov. 10, 2009

November 10, 2009 03:25 am

— Assistance
One question — how is it that a girl who needs public assistance to feed, clothe and house herself and her three children can be at a local bar every Friday or Saturday night? Shouldn't you be home taking care of said children? Better yet, get a job, or two if necessary, start pulling your own weight.

Trails
Thank you to the volunteers who created and now maintain the Champlain Area Trails (CATS). These scenic trails link the towns of Westport, Essex and Willsboro. Having finally hiked all of them, I can attest that they are some of the best in the area. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to future trails.

Hardship
The closing of the Crown Point bridge has created a severe hardship for many. Our local resources should not be adding to this problem. Saturday, I purchased gasoline at $2.65 per gallon. Sunday I noticed the price is now $2.75. Many must use the ferries to cross the lake or drive to Whitehall and then back up the other side of the lake. The price of gasoline should not be jacked up at the expense of those suffering because of this hardship.

Activities
I am so tired of hearing there is nothing to do in this area for kids. There is plenty. First, look in the things-to-do section of the paper and the sport shorts. A lot is offered. City of Plattsburgh, YMCA, Plattsburgh State do a lot for the kids. Pok-O-MacCready has a lot of events all winter long. Titus Mountain and Beartown run specials. And our local schools offer a lot of activities, as well as our local movie theaters, etc. Everything is reasonably priced or free. You just have to look and have some ambition.

Speed
Do the laws apply to everyone? On Friday, Oct. 16, at approximately 8:45 a.m. I witnessed three State Trooper vehicles speeding through work zones on I-87 in the Town of Lewis. They were traveling at least 10 mph over the posted speed limit with no flashing lights and with no apparent emergency. I got two plate numbers, G84 on one of the trooper vans and 1B14 on a trooper car. All speeding vehicles through work zones can injure or kill a highway worker. Slow down!

Parking
I would like to submit this Jeer to local contractors who think they are allowed to park wherever they want, legal or not. There are several local garbage companies (Rinn's and NGC) who think nothing of parking their trucks and trailers on the wrong side of the road while making a pickup. I actually saw a NGC employee pull across two lanes of traffic on South Catherine Street to park facing in the wrong direction, make his pickup and then fight his way back in to the proper travel lane. Contractors do not have the right to break the law.

Sports
It amazes me how many people have no idea how school sports really works. For the unknown, quieter, less-bold students, modified will probably be their first and last chance to play. I've seen varsity coaches scouting at modified games like they are from the majors. These students should be learning and having fun in the sixth through eighth grades without pressure. Why don't we hear more about a student's academic achievements? Doesn't anybody see something wrong with this picture? Thank God all our children will go on to have full lives with or without sports.

Play
Varsity soccer players do earn the right to play, but now other players have moved up. They also deserve to have more than two to three minutes to play. Some average out to that's all they play per game for the whole season. With all the players that leave the sport for graduation or to play other sports, that coach needs to start thinking about what he has for players for next year. So with no playing time his new team won't have the abilities to beat other teams. So speak up or speak out as the case may be.

Bridge
Too bad the Champlain Bridge was neglected for so many years. Maybe we wouldn't be in the situation we are now had repairs been started years ago instead of a few months ago. My husband's once 90-minute trip to and from Burlington every day is now almost four hours long. A lot of a good the ferry does you when you have to be to work for 5 a.m. The ferry doesn't leave the N.Y. side until 6:30. This is a catastrophic situation. Ambulances, farmers, commuters, depend on this bridge. Shame on the suits and ties in charge. Shame.