Move forward with rail and trail
I am glad there are talks between the rail groups and trail groups again. Think how much more progress could be made in expanding a trail and rail together. Making the rail and trail is safe and beginning in time, expense and people. Upkeep never stops. Working together can keep it safe and attractive. With trail and rail, people could walk twice as far, see twice as much, and ride back. People pay to ride on trains; they do not pay to walk on trails. I frequently get pleas from conversation groups for donations. They can’t afford to maintain what they already have even as they acquire more!
It’s a joy to share our beautiful area with people from many different places. Already we are a destination. With a ride to the reservoir — just imagine! Why do we let New York City dictate what we can and can’t do? Do they cooperate with us with water releases that muddy streams and close beaches? Apparently the Washington Avenue cave-in is a result of original work done because of the reservoir. Does New York City take any responsibility for the $7 million reconstruction? Oh, yes. They gave a “generous” donation to trail without rail. Quite a financial bargain for them, wouldn’t you say? As for reservoir safety — isn’t it safer to have tourists under supervision on a train that randomly walking around?
Business prospers from the CMRR. The Lincoln Eagle published a partial list of businesses supporting the railroad. I checked those I patronized for a one-time purchase and continue to support those businesses. [They] could have a container for comments — notes, business cards, cards of support, etc. When other businesses see support is important, perhaps more will join the cause. Hopefully when legislators see how much support there actually is, they will go forward with cooperation between the rail and trail.
We can tell New York City to “take a hike” on our trail with rail. It’s time we stood up for what benefits us.
Martha Pearson, Kingston
Women: Do you feel safe with The Donald?
I’ve always wondered what life would be like with a man taking care of me. Now, I finally have a chance to know, since The Donald said: “I’m going to take care of women.” But since only one of his three wives was born in this country, I’m still not sure I would be included in the women he cares for.
Since The Donald also stated, “I was the ultimate insider,” we can assume that he knows how money works and can manipulate it as much or better than all the bankers that he worked with to get his billions of dollars.
His comment on hedge-fund guys in his speech on Sept. 14 was: “They’re going to do just fine, because we’re going to make the country so successful, they’ll do just fine. They’ll end up doing better. They’ll end up doing better. But we’ve got to lower taxes for a lot of people. Corporations paying far too much, far too much. Middle income people are being decimated. They’re being decimated.”
Hmm. Does that mean he’s going to help the decimated people? Or just admit they’re being decimated and then help the corporation that are paying far too much, to pay less? Well, let’s focus on his heartfelt beliefs. The Donald calls climate change a hoax. He is against wind and solar energy. To quote him from one of his tweets he said: “This very expensive Global Warming bullshit has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps, and our GW scientists are stuck in ice.”
I tried searching for The Donald’s investments in oil and gas. At first it looked like his investments are only in real estate. But then I found his other investments in things like the Keystone Pipeline and BlackRock.
A quote from Investment News says: “Mr. Trump, 69, displays an affinity for hedge funds and other similar alternative investments. His largest stake is in BlackRock Inc.’s Obsidian Fund, an unconstrained fixed-income product, in which he claims a stake of between $25 million and $50 million.”
If you haven’t figured out what BlackRock’s biz is from its name, just understand that anyone that thinks that climate change is a hoax, probably has at least a few million invested in the oil and gas industry.
So, my fellow lovers of the Planet Earth, we are going to have to work very hard on this upcoming election. We can’t just sit back this time, or we might just be looking to cross our border, going the other way.
Jill Paperno, Glenford
Volunteer for the hotline
Twice each year Family of Woodstock’s Hotline offers its amazing training for volunteers. It’s that opportunity time again — with a twist! Family’s Hotline Volunteer training starts in late September and along with the essential listening and crisis intervention training for our phone and walk-in center volunteers we are adding a new piece — and a new service! It’s time to start opening our eyes to the huge number of people who text as their major form of communication.
Text crisis lines are new and have been incredibly busy and effective in the past two years. Family will launch TextMeBack in early 2016, but we need our volunteers trained and working now. If you think about how you might be more useful in our community and don’t know how, become a Family Volunteer. If you want to truly listen to others with your mind and your heart, please call today to sign up for the next Family of Woodstock Volunteer Training!
Join the family! 
