Truck
Whoever was responsible for intentionally scratching my truck on Lorraine Street: I hope you feel like a better person now. And if, by chance, you are someone who has a problem with me on a personal level, it is unfortunate that you could not bring yourself to confront me man to man. Rather, you only have enough courage to attack my vehicle. How cowardly. And nothing was resolved. In fact, you have only contributed to the delinquency of the City of Plattsburgh and wasted precious law-enforcement time. I hope you sleep better at night.

Upgrade
When the City of Plattsburgh asks for money for an equipment upgrade — aerial ladder — it becomes big news, with all the taxpayers up in arms. When a volunteer department needs an upgrade, they just go and buy it with out asking the taxpayers if they can spend their budget money on it. As a citizen in Plattsburgh, I want the best equipment coming to help me. If the volunteer community can have it, why can't we?

Handshake
For the germaphobes who are afraid to shake hands at church. The swine flu is not transmitted by a handshake. It is transmitted by air, a cough or sneeze. So the same recommendations apply: Cough or sneeze into a tissue, your shoulder, the inside of your jacket, etc. In other words, cover your mouth. If you have a fever, stay home. For extra protection, the churches could purchase a large bottle of hand sanitizer and put them at the exits for people to use on the way out. No one seems to be afraid to handle money, which is filthy.

Unions
The status of Crown Point bridge is symbolic and a reflection of our New York state government and the corrupt, wasteful entitlement system we live in. Almost everyone you meet works for the state or the powerful tax-sucking unions. Private taxpayers can't sustain it any longer. Our socialist state is dying, and the chickens are coming home to roost. Thanks, unions!

Police
I realize this forum gives people the chance to say things they never would otherwise, but I am really getting tired of reading posts ragging on the State Police. First of all, you have no idea what they are doing or where they are going when you see them going faster than you think they should. They can do nothing right in some people's eyes. You criticize their speed until you need them to be somewhere quick, and then it is "where are they?" Just remember the life they save may be yours.

Baiters
It's quite frustrating as an ethical hunter to drive the homes of local baiters and see their driveways lined with pallets of carrots and other bait. Baiting is illegal, un-ethical and counter-productive. Stop spending your money on bait, and start spending your time on improved scouting practices. A baiter is the same as a cheater. There is a better way, give it a try, it will benefit us all. Hey law/order, I know that we make the arrests, maybe it is about time we ask the judges to hand out some real consequences to prevent baiting in the future.

Vaccine
To all those in the health-care industry crying about having to get the H1N1 vaccine ... give me a break. You work with sick individuals who, if contracting H1N1 from you, with a pre-existing condition, could die. It is for the safety of others, and the field you work. Get another job if you don't want to get the vaccine, otherwise quit your belly-aching. I didn't just get in a car and start driving, no, to drive I was mandated to get a license ... just like you are, to be in health care are mandated to get the vaccine, just do it.

Jail
I am tired of people saying that the Essex County Jail is not "making money" from boarding the federal inmates. I do not remember anyone stating that the Essex County Jail would be "making money." Here is the simple fact that people do not point out. Boarding the federal inmates brings in money, which causes less Essex County tax dollars needed to run the Essex County Jail. It is simple math.

Dress
I have a question that maybe somebody could answer. Why is it that students are not allowed to dress provocatively in schools, but teachers can? This is an ongoing situation at a local elementary school. On the first day of school, my child was scared, taken aback at the way his teacher was dressed. Her outfits are over the top, and somebody needs to address it. In this case, freedom of speech is being abused.