Let Mayor Noble do his job
The public excoriation of Mayor Noble by the Kingston PBA union was stunning. It was stunning in its absolute unwillingness to acknowledge reality. It was written as if the author had no awareness of the horror of police brutality inflicted upon young black men across this nation that gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. It was written as if the City of Kingston has somehow been miraculously spared even the possibility that any of its officers might be capable of behaving as badly as some of their blue counterparts in other cities. Yes, too many innocent, unarmed, young black men continue to have their rights violated, be criminally aggressed upon and even murdered by officers of the law for the public to simply give the benefit of the doubt that the PBA would apparently think is appropriate and warranted and even seem to be demanding of the mayor and the public.
Certainly the vast majority of the officers who serve us are doing their best, giving their all, and deserving of our appreciation. But it only takes a few undisciplined rogues to create a cloud of uncertainty and distrust that envelops all. It only takes a few who, either because they are enamored of their power, inappropriately stretch their discretion, or who, because they have not been sensitized to their own racial bias, needlessly escalate rather then de-escalate an encounter to create moments that result in young black men being dragged to court and charged with resisting arrest though no crime was ever committed or intended. This is particularly troubling when, as in the two cases that have been spotlighted, one began with an action that only merits a citation and the other resulted from a case of mistaken identity.
It is, in fact, the responsibility of the mayor on behalf of the common good to make provision for any citizen to question the behavior of a given officer in a given encounter, to take complaints seriously and process them rigorously. Citizens, unless they live in a police state, have a right and a civic responsibility to register complaints for the same common good. No one is above the law, and no one’s position gives him/her a pass when it comes to public scrutiny. Mayor Noble’s commitment to following these agreed upon protocols means a safer city for both our law enforcement officers and those whom they serve.
The Rev. Frank J. Alagna, Ph.D.
Holy Cross/Santa Cruz Episcopal Church
Kingston
I’m for Delgado
Antonio Delgado brings awareness to current challenges in the Hudson River Valley — issues like economic disparity, lack of access to quality health care and underfunded public education. His passionate and persuasive nature is a refreshing contrast to the backroom, old-boys-network attitude of Congressperson John Faso. He has demonstrated an ability to listen to forgotten and marginalized people in the region, and is committed to protecting them against cruel cuts to our safety net programs. Finally, Antonio embodies the hope of the American Dream, promising that hard work and opportunity is within the reach of all people in America.
Mary Vandezande
Kingston
Opioids … me?
On April 16, 2018 I received knee replacement at Vassar Hospital, the surgery performed through Orthopedics Associates, Poughkeepsie. I was sent directly home the following day, rather than to begin to recover for several days in the Health Facility here at Woodland Pond. But as I had a short list of medications, and instructions to ice my knee, home seemed fine.
I was given three medications: aspirin, an anti-inflammatory meloxicam, and an opioid hydromorphone. The directions on the bottle for this last drug read: “Take one or two every four hours as needed for pain.” Being groggy from medicine received in the hospital, I opted for the full dose and spent much of the first week snoozing and icing. The second week, feeling better, I guess-timated that five pills through the day would be enough. This continued into the third week when, feeling so little pain, I decided to discontinue the medicine. Directions had been given to me describing side effects of hydromorphone and how to get off it: “gradually” being the operative word. But I assumed that as I had already lowered the dose, I would be fine.
Not so. In four days I fell into a black depression, making it imperative to see a psychiatrist who works with drug addiction in New York City during the week to counsel me as to how to get off the drug correctly. It is important to note that her recommended regime will last three weeks, by which time I will be safely off the drug.
When I called Orthopedics Associates to report my depression, the nurse repeated what the written instructions had advised … but was unable to tell me any detailed program as to how to withdraw from this opioid.
I now have experienced what the nation is experiencing concerning opioids and am writing this with great concern for others who, like me, are not experts as to how to substitute for or avoid this terrifying pitfall. And I hold Orthopedics Associates directly responsible for not spelling the withdrawal procedure out. Especially, as I have also learned, older people are more sensitive to drugs.
Katherine Greene
New Paltz
Orthopedic Associates responds:
Due to state and federal laws, we cannot confirm or deny whether Ms. Greene is a patient of this practice. Nonetheless, we do understand the underlying concerns that she has expressed. At Orthopedic Associates, we are very sensitive to the narcotic issues which plague our nation. We have spent a significant amount of time and effort reducing overall narcotic consumption after joint replacement. In the last 10 years, we have dramatically reduced the amount of narcotic pain medication used after surgery through extensive preoperative education, both written and in a classroom format prior to surgery. This preoperative education emphasizes the safe use of narcotic medications. We have also decreased utilization of narcotics by use of alternatives pain medication such as anti-inflammatories, steroids, non-narcotic pain medication, intraoperative injections, and changing our anesthesia protocol.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to eliminate the use of narcotic pain medication after surgery. Joint replacement surgeries have painful recoveries. These recoveries typically do require narcotic pain medication for a short period of time. Some individuals have adverse reactions to narcotic pain medication. We encourage anyone experiencing an adverse reaction to a medication, narcotic or otherwise, to call their physician as soon as possible for further evaluation and assessment.
McLean is trying
On May 8 I read in an Orange County newspaper that a company called Medline, with 340 full-time employees, had their preliminary proposed 1.2 million square foot warehouse rejected at first light, by the local town board. Medline it says is a manufacturer and distributor of medical supply products, presently located in the Middletown area. Their timeline was 2020. Well I immediately emailed the article to Town of Ulster Supervisor Jim Quigley III suggesting it would be an excellent occupant of the IBM site. Aren’t warehouses already there to some extent? It could lead to a Thruway exit at Route 209, jobs and an increased tax base. If not IBM perhaps a retro-fitting to the almost vacant Pyramid Mall would work with an extension of Sottile Drive to Route 209. Contact names were also provided, and I offered my assistance. Whether he does anything or not, I do not know. I do know however his one-word reply to me was “thanks.” It’s not like I proposed more low-income housing requiring tax credits and Pilots. What am I missing?
Bruce McLean
Kingston
I’m for Rhodes
Like very many other Congressional District 19 voters, I fervently hope to have a new representative in Washington, come Nov. 6. Someone who, unlike Mr. Faso, will strongly oppose everything the current White House occupant says he wants to get done. I have not yet firmly chosen a candidate in the June 26 Democratic primary, but I will enthusiastically support whoever wins that race.
I was among the first of the more than 10,000 individual Democratic voters Gareth Rhodes has spoken with, since announcing his candidacy more than a year ago. I remember the conversation for a particular reason. It did not involve politics directly. Earlier that same day I had received the unwelcome news that a system of lighting for my bicycle was going to cost more than $250. After an in-depth discussion about bike safety, Gareth offered to personally rid me of the danger I was posing to myself and everyone in my path on night rides. He would fix me up with bike lighting at very little cost to me by buying the parts at Herzog’s and doing it himself.
Gareth was thereby addressing the needs of possible future constituents by saving me an unnecessary expense, by improving the safety of one rider (me) and that of untold numbers of innocent pedestrians, and by adding two lights (front and back) to Kingston’s notoriously dark nighttime streets. What a guy!
Constance Rudd
Kingston
Wacky heartbeat? Suspect your DECT
Do you struggle with heartbeat issues or know of someone who does? Or of someone who met the misfortune of sudden cardiac death because of it? These troubles are happening more often nowadays. Why?
When my heartbeat also became unstable a few years ago, I sure didn’t want an implanted electrical device! But I was lucky: someone told me that wireless radiation, WiFi, has health effects. I looked into this, and good thing I did! I removed the cordless DECT phone I had adopted three years earlier and reinstalled land phones. Within a few days at most, my heartbeat settled down.
So, how could my cordless setup disrupt my heartbeat? The chaotic hash of pulsed wireless frequencies emitted 24/7 by it had been scrambling the VGCCs of my heart’s pacemaker cells. This term must become a household word. VGCCs are the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in the cell membrane. They are exquisitely frequency-sensitive, and their harmonious activation is what regulates our body systems, hormones and neurotransmitters. Recent “smart” meter research shows that pulsed radiation from them can disrupt heartbeat, too.
And heartbeat isn’t the only thing going wrong because wireless frequencies are interfering. A lot else is going wrong; and we need to know about this, because it’s what’s driving the major epidemics we’re now facing. It’s time to be wise: shut this stuff off whenever possible and don’t do 5G wireless. Everyone can begin to learn about the VGCCs by searching the Web for “Dr. Pall EMF VGCC.” See the 14 minute YouTube talk first. (And maybe take note of the new film on the addictive aspect of digital devices and media that Stop Smart Meters Woodstock NY will be screening on June 9, 7 p.m. at the Woodstock Library.)
Kate Reese Hurd
High Falls
Join the family! 
