Councilwoman owes household an apology
I write to reply to Niskayuna Councilperson Denise Murphy-McGraw’s false and slanderous claims recited in The Every day Gazette article (“City Board member accused of ethics violation”) on June 3, that members of my household have “spent the final 4 years threatening and harassing” her.
Her allegations are merely not true. I’ve by no means, aside from her reaching out to me on social media as soon as, have had a dialog along with her. That communication was very cordial.
McGraw not too long ago publicly apologized for not abstaining on a decision to rent one in every of her relations as a summer time worker in Niskayuna. Of better concern is that she later requested the city clerk to change the minutes of that assembly. As reported on June 2, McGraw emailed the city clerk she “meant to abstain on 2021-109…” with a request to “Pls listing me as abstaining.” Her try and have these minutes altered is improper at finest, probably unlawful.
If she has any proof of my “threatening or harassing” her, I encourage her to share it publicly. Is McGraw out to get me and my household: My son occurs to be a candidate for city board. She must apologize once more, this time to the Moskowitz household.
Lewis Moskowitz
Niskayuna
Litz has made life higher in Rotterdam
I’ve lived in Rotterdam my complete life. I additionally raised my kids and managed my household’s enterprise, JM Jeweler’s, for a few years in Rotterdam. I’ve by no means written a letter supporting a candidate, however I really feel compelled to take action for a person that I strongly consider is value supporting.
I’ve recognized Decide Kenneth P. Litz for over 30 years. Decide Litz has been our city justice for practically 32 years and a training legal professional for practically 42 years.
I had the distinct pleasure of working with Ken as a co-judge for 20 years and might say, with out hesitation, that he is among the most honorable people
I do know. Whereas working collectively, I admired not solely his authorized data and data of the courtroom system, but in addition how he treats everybody who seems earlier than him pretty, with dignity, respect, and persistence, no matter who they’re.
Decide Litz additionally has a selected concern for victims, ensuring they’re afforded justice as effectively.
Our city is a greater place to dwell, work and lift a household with Decide Litz as our city justice, and I ask that you just vote for him on Major Day.
Kevin J. Mercoglan
Schenectady
Seat belt regulation about security, not tyranny
In regard to Daniel Singer’s June 14 letter to the editor (“Rear seatbelt regulation is a step to tyranny”), the requirement for a rear passenger to be sporting a seat belt has nothing to do with being unconstitutional, tyranny, invasion of privateness, nor unreasonable search. It’s all about your security and well-being.
In a head-on collision at 60 mph and also you sporting your seatbelt, you come to an entire cease in lower than two-tenths of a second. Nevertheless, the rear passenger not sporting a seatbelt will come flying over your seat at 60 mph (or regardless of the pace of the automotive) and certain take your head off.
In the event you don’t care, sadly, it thus raises the price of automotive and medical insurance coverage for the remainder of us.
Harry Darling
Burnt Hills
Elevate restrictions on nursing residence visits
This letter is to convey a lot wanted elevated consciousness to the forgotten nursing residence resident, people who stay remoted from household/buddies and their communities.
As New York state reopens many venues ( bars, eating places, racetracks, sports activities arenas, live shows, and so on.) that enhance commerce and state tax income, we’ve got to query if the rationale nursing residence residents have been deserted by their state lawmakers is as a result of reopening a nursing residence to unrestricted visitations offers no financial features for New York.
Our dad and mom had been admitted to a Schenectady County nursing residence in January 2020. Visitation restrictions started March 2020.
In-person visits resumed in April 2021 however sadly had been restricted as of Could 7.
As New York and the nation look ahead to plans for reopening and holidays, our 95-year-old father and World Conflict II veteran stays remoted and unable to be together with his household.
The newest pointers for visitations have achieved little to reopen visitation as their standards places up extra cease gates than freedom to go to a liked one.
The latest Important Caregivers Act has not confirmed useful in reopening visitations. The nursing residence that our father resides at is telling us that they’re ready for particular steering and permission from the state Division of Well being to carry restrictions earlier than they’ll transfer ahead. Is that this how we reward state residents for a life effectively lived or a veteran who has served his nation? Nursing properties have to reopen for unrestricted visitation.
Kathleen Giminiani
Voorheesville
Gary Dashnaw
Scotia
Christine Wolfe
Scotia
Litz very skilled as Rotterdam choose
Ken Litz is an excellent city choose, and this letter is meant to induce all Rotterdam residents to help his candidacy for re-election within the upcoming main election, and the next common election.
I’m a retired Schenectady County assistant district legal professional who had the privilege of prosecuting instances within the Rotterdam City Courtroom for over 38 years.
For 32 of these years, I personally noticed Decide Litz serve the city citizenry in a good, neutral and dignified method dealing with the a number of legal, car and visitors, small claims, eviction and City Code violation instances that got here earlier than him.
In these proceedings, he at all times handled the events, their attorneys, law enforcement officials and witnesses in a well mannered way and respect. He at all times knew the regulation relevant to every case that got here earlier than him, and his selections had been considerate, well-reasoned and honest.
As somebody who had a singular alternative to view Decide Litz’s efficiency of his duties as a city choose, I can let you know that he’s a consummate skilled who deserves the help of the citizens so he can proceed to serve the Rotterdam neighborhood as their city choose.
Raymond E. DeMatteo, Jr.
Niskayuna
We will’t ignore sins of America’s previous
The conservative bogeymen du jour are vital race idea and the sainted Dr. Anthony Fauci.
As a former social research trainer, I’m extra troubled in regards to the wave of state legal guidelines banning the instructing of American historical past from the angle of vital race idea.
I perceive that conservatives view this nebulous doctrine as a divisive message that pits individuals of colour in opposition to White individuals. However does that imply American historical past academics ought to ignore the Founders’ battle with the contradiction between the perfect of “all males are created equal” and the existence of chattel slavery?
Have they got to gloss over “the Path of Tears,” Wounded Knee and different atrocities dedicated in opposition to First Individuals? Ought to they not educate the shameful penalties of the Dred Scott and Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Courtroom selections? Would they run afoul of the regulation by masking the Jim Crow period, segregation, lynching, the Tulsa Bloodbath and the Civil Rights Motion?
How in regards to the Chinese language Exclusion Act, the voyage of M.S. St. Louis and the internment of Japanese Individuals throughout World Conflict II?
To me, the sins of our previous got here again to hang-out us with the homicide of George Floyd. If legislators suppose we are able to escape historical past by blaming Floyd’s demise on one sick policeman relatively than analyzing the roots of racism, they higher suppose once more — or higher but, take a look at the matter-of-fact expression on Derick Chauvin’s face as he slowly asphyxiated Mr. Floyd. That was the look of culturally ingrained racism.
Fred Como
Burnt Hills
Regulation enforcement in Nisky wants instruments
The research of the Niskayuna Police Division earlier than 1988 indicated that the city of Niskayuna was eight law enforcement officials quick.
As a Niskayuna city justice from 1988-1995 I additionally sat on the Public Security Committee. There have been then 31 officers, together with the brass. At this time, we’ve got dozens if not a whole lot extra homes, and dozens of latest companies, together with new malls.
We’re right down to 23 officers, together with brass, and a detective is retiring quickly. We must always have no less than 40.
It takes practically two years for an officer to take to the streets competently; six months of coaching after which ride-a-longs. Do we’ve got any officers in coaching? Take into account that the police division is a 24/7 operation. How do you stretch 22 officers over that time period? How do detectives get time to analyze if they have to function patrol officers?
It’s no shock that we’ve got misplaced Chief Wall, are dropping a detective, and have misplaced the repute of being a form, environment friendly and efficient police drive.
There is no such thing as a query that legislators and executives are underneath nice stress to maintain taxes down. However at what price? Do we want a serious tragedy to see that our law enforcement officials are unfold too skinny? Burdened?
Unsafe? Would you pay a further $100 so as to add law enforcement officials? $200? I actually would. And property taxes are deductions from earnings taxes, so that quantity is successfully lower than that. Let’s give regulation enforcement the instruments they should hold us secure.
Bruce S. Trachtenberg
Niskayuna
Shared companies might help enhance society
Relating to the June 5 Gazette article (“Companies battle to fill jobs”), as hiring picks up, many job seekers nonetheless on the sidelines talked about a “hole between the economic system and labor market.”
The present cooperation amongst neighbors, particularly throughout our public well being emergency, has improved our neighbors’ well-being and might improve our economic system.
The state Board of Regents’ “social and emotional studying” insurance policies will “Develop self-awareness and self-management expertise important to success at school and in life.” The federal Elementary and Secondary College Emergency Reduction Fund (ARP ESSER) will finance “social and emotional studying” priorities talked about within the state Training Division’s American Rescue Plan.
The division’s Workplace of Assist Companies, by means of the twenty first Century Neighborhood Studying Heart (CCLC) program, will help faculties and community-based organizations acquire assets to additional steering, in-person and distant studying enrichment applications to satisfy essentially the most speedy wants of scholars and their households.
The County Shared Companies Initiative and Plans can broaden cooperation amongst municipal governments, enterprise house owners, nonprofit organizations, and schooling businesses. Coordination of “social and emotional studying” targets with the Profession and Technical Education schemes will enhance federal funding of pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship applications.
And the regional Financial Growth Councils’ Consolidated Funding Software can enhance state monies for pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship applications.
Since our municipalities are responding to a wide range of public well being and public security tragedies, then County Shared Companies Plans might improve coordinated “social and emotional studying” applications for youth and adults bettering their way of life and the economic system inside our democracy.
Michael McGlynn
Watervliet
Article was nothing greater than successful job
Relating to the June 6 article, (“Hyperlink between sheriff, troubled officer had tragic begin”) was nothing greater than a hit-job hiding as a so-called piece of journalism which has no enterprise being printed in a newspaper. Sheriff Dagostino is among the {most professional} people we’ve got in elected workplace and we in Schenectady County are fortunate to have him as our sheriff.
The demise of The Every day Gazette continues because the editors and reporters have now degraded themselves to tabloid journalism the likes of the Nationwide Enquirer.
The Gazette has an anti-police bias and has achieved nothing for our neighborhood however attempt to stoke the flames of hatred and violence for their very own acquire.
Strive sticking to the info and actuality, however that’s clearly an excessive amount of to ask.
Marva Isaacs
Schenectady
Inhabitants of state went up, not down
I hate when individuals make stuff as much as help an argument. On Could 23, your editorial board did simply that.
In an editorial (“Lawmakers should tackle college spending”) about college taxes being partly accountable for an outmigration of residents, you stated, “The general web decline in inhabitants has already price us a congressional seat.” However our inhabitants didn’t decline; it grew.
The 2010 census had our inhabitants at 19.58 million; the 2020 census put us at 20.2 million. We misplaced a seat (perhaps, however that’s one other story) as a result of we apparently didn’t develop as a lot as different states.
Your editorials would possibly carry a bit extra heft in case you didn’t puff them up with made up stuff.
Jerry Jasinski
Niskayuna
Editor’s Word: The error was famous and corrected the identical day on-line.
Decide Litz is trustworthy to the rule of regulation
I discovered about Decide Litz’s publish on Fb and web site concerning restrictions on placing up political indicators in Rotterdam earlier than Sept. 1. I applaud Decide Litz for his determination to not put up any political indicators till allowed by regulation. We’d like judges who will apply the regulation equally to all and can comply with the regulation themselves no matter who it helps or hurts. Say what you could about political indicators however they don’t give a candidate publicity to the voting public.
Decide Litz’s determination reveals his true character and that he’ll comply with and put the regulation above his personal private pursuits. I can’t say the identical about his opponent, who has political indicators up within the city selling his candidacy. All have to comply with the regulation whether or not we agree with the regulation or not. It’s much more essential for our judges and elected officers to do the identical.
We’d like judges like Decide Ken Litz who don’t really feel they’re above the regulation. I’ll vote for Decide Litz on Major Day, June 22, and urge all of you to do the identical to correctly defend and apply our rule of regulation for all.
Frances Lawyer
Schenectady
Sheriff’s story was hateful and unfair
I’d wish to “thank” The Gazette for the story within the June 6 version (“Hyperlink between sheriff, troubled officer had tragic begin”) about Officer Coppola’s dismissal from the Schenectady Sheriff’s Division.
What trash! Not solely did you cross the road reporting how Sheriff Dagostino had probably met his spouse and your blatant try and make it sound as unprofessional and improper as potential. Since when is it anybody else’s enterprise how somebody met their companions? As reported, there have been no improprieties, so why embrace it? Didn’t the sheriff do the suitable factor and fireplace his son? Wasn’t that sufficient to report? No, not The Gazette. You need to throw in your bias and assault the sheriff.
You went means over the road to inform of Officer Coppola’s father’s demise. You suppose it ties in with Coppola’s DWI cost? This anti-police factor you name a narrative is the worst reporting I’ve seen in years.
You introduced up such grotesque and painful recollections to households and buddies (myself included) of the horrible finish of a great man’s life.
You summoned these horrible footage of his demise from the corners of everybody’s thoughts, the place that they had been buried away for years.
My coronary heart goes out to the Coppola and Dagostino households and buddies for having to endure your hateful rhetoric and rotten bias now to should relive the horror story you dredged up. Take your house on the journal shelf proper subsequent to The Nationwide Enquirer and different trash. Your story was a brand new low even for The Gazette.
Jay Affinito
Esperance
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