Niagara Falls Reporter
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AUGUST 12 - AUGUST 20, 2014

Letters to the Editor

August 12, 2014


Courts Exclude Informed Jurors

I read your article on jury nullification. Perhaps you have noticed that across the nation, persons not known to be supportive of the police and local governments are systematically excluded from juries, not even called or considered for jury duty, as those who support them are called repeating times, resulting in "stacked" juries who find police brutality and malicious criminal administration of government to be "justified."

John Richardson Meadows

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If I were Mayor, Maid of the Mist would have been bid!

The Maid of the Mist. A lot had been made about this debacle in this paper regarding the clear favoritism and disregard for the laws of the state that this is definitely going to be a subject of debate for the next election.

As mayor of the city, this kind of thing should not happen.

The state may have negotiated the deal with James Glynn, but at the end of the day, Niagara Falls is our city, not the state's. The Mayor still had the right not to accept deals brokered by the state that does not serve the best interests of the city. The Maid of the Mist is just the latest in a long history of the state hurting our city when they claim to be helping it.

Were I the mayor when this was going on, I would have refused to sign anything that violated the laws of the state. I always felt that honest competition is what makes this country work. If Glynn really wanted to keep running his boat ride, he should have had to compete honestly and win that right. This competition would have meant huge amounts of money coming into the city, money enough to perhaps revitalize the tourism areas of the Falls.

Instead, the state acted solely in the best interests of one man. As a result, unless Hornblower wins their court case (as I feel they rightly should), the city of Niagara Falls will continue to reap the harvest of what the state sows.

So, to wrap this up, what Niagara Falls needs is a mayor who will be willing to tell Albany no. Someone who will act for the people. Someone who will not be bought. I have no desire for higher office, no worries about ruffling any feathers, and no problem saying no when I feel the deal is one-sided. This is my promise to the people of this city.

Robert C. Russell

Announced Mayoral Candidate for Niagara Falls Mayor,

Election 2015

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Reiter left casualties

Your newspaper has printed story after story of the activities of former Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Reiter.

To some, like myself, who knew him it seemed almost unbelievable.

Reiter, a popular politician, defeated incumbent Town Supervisor Fred Newland (2009) and ran unopposed during his next (2011) election.

But surveillance cameras caught him stealing gasoline from taxpayers and investigators began to look at things he had done in the past.

As silent partner in the Bridgewater Apartment project, he attempted to use the power of his office to line his pockets.

It has been nine months since Reiter "lost interest" and walked away from the office of Town of Lewiston Town Supervisor.

After losing the election, he took a "leave of absence" and did not complete the last two months of his term.

But maybe that didn't matter because during his three years and ten months in office, there were no infrastructure upgrades, no tax relief, and no new policies or ideas that made Lewiston a better place to live in.

Even though he tried to spin the numbers during his last campaign, Reiter left the town in a poorer financial condition than it was when he came to office. Joseph Davis Park has become a money pit that offers little of value to the average Lewiston resident.

But Reiter didn't just destroy his own political career. He managed to pull down people closest to him.

Three of four councilman who served with him have left office or made the decision not to run for reelection. Ernie Palmer resigned in February. Mike Marra resigned in July. Council member Ron Winkley said he will not seek re-election.

Not one of these men was under suspicion for anything they had done. By all accounts they were honest public servants.

It cannot be said they are blameless however for what Reiter did.

Whether they trusted him too much, or questioned him too little, they should have been mindful of what was happening and stood up to him when they knew he was wrong. They could have investigated the rumors of his stealing and said no to wasteful schemes and pipe dreams.

Reiter's administration was nothing short of a train wreck. The only unfortunate thing is that once the smoke lifted he wasn't the only casualty.

James Daniel

Lewiston

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Our President, Obama

A right down regular bad'un

Our President has many issues, like the following. Benghazi, Fast &Furious, Obamacare, IRS, Jeremiah Wright, unaccountable czars, VA, food stamps over 15%, credit rating downgraded, NSA, Black Panthers, sued states with voter ID laws, Bill Ayers, ended welfare-to-work, bowing to the King of Saudi Arabia, unemployment 8%, Solyndra, 6 trillion in new debt, Timothy Geithner-tax problems, 800 billion for "shovel ready" jobs that did not exist, skips daily intelligence briefings, sued states that enforced immigration laws, to small business " you didn't build it", acorn, Fort Hood was workplace violence, stopped the "virtual fence" on the Mexican border, Gaza, you can keep your health insurance if you like it, lost e-mails. I see that he is stating that he will bring new laws about immigration, this is not his job. Both parties will not stop him, so I am asking the press to do their job. Whatever happened to investigative journalism. I remember many years ago when Nixon got himself in trouble. He did not approve of the break-in but when he found out he did nothing and tried to cover it up. Look at the list above, if these items were reported with the same vigor as the Washington Post (Nixon era) the Office of the President would be quite different.

Al Michalewicz

Cambria

Rats, I Mean Cats

Regarding your story "Tonawanda Island Cats Find Friend In 'Law-Challenging' Danielle Coogan," all i can say is North Tonawanda is really going to the cats. Unbelievable that city officials can even sound in responses to the only media covering the cats on Tonawanda Island like the city would invest money in dealing with them. They don't have money for the road repairs, can't keep the "gardens" and lawns maintained on City property.

Janet Pierre

North Tonawanda

Your Reporter is an Idiot

Whoever wrote the article, "Sex Offender Epidemic Growing Larger Here With Every Passing Day," is a blooming idiot and should consider a different career path.

First of all, your assumption that all registrants are in imminent danger of reoffense is patently false. You might want to check out Sandler, Freeman, & Socia, "Does a Watched Pot Boil? A Time-Series Analysis of New York State's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law. I hope you can appreciate a study focused specifically on your state.

The fact you used "per capita" rates as a fear tactic shows how little you care for the facts. How about the fact that same study I mentioned shows most sex crimes are of people not on any list?

Also, I assume you are inept at determining which registrant is a rapist and which registrant was a teen who had sex with another teen. But I can't fault you on that, because when the untrained idiot reads the registry, both people are listed as having "raped" someone, implying a violent act, even when no violence was involved.

Registered citizens must live somewhere. If anything, the registry should be abolished, and people should be using better tactics than relying on a corrupt government list to determine who is a danger to kids.

Go here and start getting an education on this subject:

http://www.oncefallen.com/SOMyths.html

Derek W. Logue,

Sex Offenders are People too

I'm writing in response to your recent article "Sex Offender Epidemic...". You call this an epidemic when, even your own words say that 3 out of every 1000 people are registered sex offenders. I'm more curious to find out who the drug dealers, DUI drivers, thieves, and numerous other criminals I am more nervous about being in contact with, as their reoffense rates are considerably much higher 50-70%, whereas those listed with a sex offense has a 3.5% reoffense rate, and that majority of the crimes (93%) are committed by family members or those close to the family, of whom are not listed on the registry before the abuse was reported.

Before writing another article, find out how easy it is to be labeled a sex offender, and try to walk in the shoes of a registrant who wants to rebuild his/her life and provide for their family.

Family members are punished for a crime they never committed - live in our shoes. Or find out how public shaming and being related to your abuser doesn't affect the victim when writers like yourself only makes children like mine get punished even more because they spoke up against their family member, and now society looks down on them for being a child of a sex offender!

Thoughtasweak@yahoo.com

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One Man Cares

The Rev Cal Babcock said I could send his picture into The Niagara Falls Reporter . Someone else might get the idea. Cars come off the Whirlpool Bridge from Canada and the first thing they see is this plot of ground and sign welcoming them into the USA. He hasn't seen anyone else pulling weeds, turning the soil and trimming bushes in his 20 years as a lone volunteer here. He said he always reads The Niagara Falls Reporter and Mayor Dyster put up the welcome sign.

Good Luck and keep on pumping out the stories,

Christopher George

Garbage In, But Not Garbage Out

Why are we receiving garbage from all over America as well as fracking water but own city taxpaying residents can't even have the freedom to get rid of our trash?

Niagara Falls became famous in the 1970s with the chemical pollution of Love Canal killing many children and adults.

I remember in the 1940s seeing frequent, spontaneous fires on the shore of the Little River near what is now the city boat ramp.

As our city politicians cause Niagara Falls to be the toxic waste dump of America are they selling out our city for the love of money and the lack of love and concern for our residents

Anne Williams

Niagara Falls

Santa Dyster thanks for nothing

Dear Santa Dyster and his merry elves at City Hall. Thank you so much for the Christmas in July presents given by you, But I don't recall putting garbage totes on my Christmas wish list. Still it was so nice of you to think of me and a lot of others in the city. I wonder however, was it the soft spot in your heart or your head that lead you take it upon yourself to give us something in exchange for the taxes?

As for the new garbage totes, I love it that you all decided on one site size fits all and shame on you for not taking into consideration that some of us are vertically challenged hence garbage totes taller than we are.

We can exchange clothing, underwear, socks etc. for sizes more compatible to our heights but what can we do with the one-size-fits-all garbage totes?

They certainly can't be exchanged.

Your common sense went by the curbside along with your garbage totes.

Personally I would've preferred a lump of coal.

Jo Forgione LaPage

Niagara Falls

 

 

 

 

OTHER STORIES THIS WEEK
As Plans to Convert Jayne Park Progress, Critically Endangered Plant Found at Park
Dyster, Cuomo Gear Up for Elections With News of New Development Here
Cuomo, City Double-Down on Failed Strategy Will Development Suffer Same Fate as Defunct Mall?
A Fawning Dyster Praises Cuomo To Point of Sloppy Embarrassment
Wonderfalls Name Not New
Fallen Lockport Soldier's Memorial Vandalized
Consolidation of LPD Will Save Town Money Budget Shows Ticket Revenue Nowhere Near Cost
Ticket Revenue Would Still be Generated if LPD Were Consolidated
Lewiston Police Chief Makes Argument for Keeping LPD
Lewiston Police Flap Spills Over Onto Social Media
Jayne Park Development Again A Priority for Dyster, DeSantis
Will Taxpayers Get Socked for New Stadium?
Billionaire Pegula to Own Buffalo Bills? Fracker's Fortune has Sordid History
Jury Nullification: The Jury, Not Government, Won You The Right to Read This Newspaper
Grandinetti To Celebrate Abortion Rights Hosting Rocking Party August 14
Union Head Calls for Investigation Of Niagara County Landfill Safety
Battle Intensifying Between Union and Brochey Over Three Percent Pay Hike
New Book: True Watergate Culprit was Dean
Out of the Past; Lew Fisher's Daughters to Visit NT History Museum Remembers Melody Fair
Good News for Morbidly Obese Dr. Vattipally Joins Memorial Hospital
For Sale: A Real Nice Home Only $60M for Jackson's Neverland Ranch, Hurry!
Extra Wanted for Film in Niagara Falls
An Argument For the Banning of Matches
Letters to the Editor
Around and About: Lance, Cuomo, and a Little Wallenda

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