www.northcountryman.com
May 28, 2011
Editorial and Opinion • North Countryman - 7
Publisher’s Viewpoint
Adirondack Park Agency trying to tip the scales of justice
T
his just seems plain wrong to me! From a very young age, we’ve been taught to respect authority. This land of the free we all treasure so dearly was built on the concept of a judicial system that provided equality and fairness and was blind to the rich and powerful and governmental overreach. It’s a simple concept that is known and understood worldwide. Then why is Sandy Lewis being treated so unfairly? After proving in court and through appeal that the Lewis Family Farm in Essex was well within its right to construct housing for its workers, New York State now seeks to have the final chapter of this case removed from the record, as though it never took place. Never took place? That’s right, the state wants to pretend this case never happened. They want no record of their failure of driving the costs much higher than was needed and then removal all record of it’s reimbursement of those legal costs to the Lewis Fam-
ily Farm. one more chance to tip the scales of jusIt’s clear that the tice. Before any reimAdirondack Park Agency doesn’t have bursement is awarded, the record on an appetite for being making this payment told it was wrong. This outrageous move must disappear. No removal, no check. would be like the New Is this fair or right? England Patriots a few years back, after postHow do we teach ing an undefeated seathose in our society to own up to their misson heading into the Dan Alexander Super Bowl, and then takes and learn from Thoughts from after losing to the New them if we allow our Behind the Pressline government agencies York Giants in that final game, declaring the to run rough shot game never took place and remaining over its citizens and get away with it? undefeated. Let’s face it, we paid for the government’s action through our taxes. They The arrogance of this move goes far beyond any definition of fairness or have nothing personally to lose. What’s the down side for them when justice. In a nutshell, the state has now been told by the courts that they must someone has the nerve to challenge reimburse the Lewis Family Farm for one of their rulings? They have the at least a portion of the legal expenspower and finances to bury a private citizen and, by attempting to remove es incurred defending themselves against the actions brought by the or hide any portion of the public record, it send a very clear message … APA. Ah, but wait. The state wants
Letters From page 6 Service, Border Press, Kneucraft Fine Jewelry, Price Chopper, Adirondack Tribal Art, Finney’s Sports, Nephew’s Liquor and Discount Wine, Ace Hardware, Chazy Hardware, Lakeside Coffee, Lakeside Café & Bakery, Burton, Randi Trombley-Pampered Chef, Ellie Huntoon Roberts – Mary Kay, Georgia Pacific, friends of St. Mary’s and St. Mary’s Zumba, and all who advertised the event. Key volunteers included Rebecca Boire-West and family, Melissa Gooley and family, Adrian Coupal, Matt Coupal, Debbie Mesec, Marlene Schenck, Mary Rabideau, Cheryl Mesick, Janet Castine, Jacqueline Beauparlant-Kleinschmidt, Gail Ruther Cavenee, Beth Souiffi, Tom O’Hare, Kristi Moser, Cheryl Oliver, Lisa Delong, and Jennifer Taffner Live percussion was provided by James “Skip” Lee, Ryan Lee, Bryce Lee, and Lauren Gonyea Licensed Zumba Instructors were Rebecca Boire-West, Janet Castine, Cheryl Mesick, Ashley Cousens, Autumn Love, Tracy Posada, Jenny St. Louis, Kathy Koester, June Peoples, Matt Warner, and Ellyn Blaise. The St. Mary’s Zumbathon Committee thanks you all. Rebecca Boire-West West Chazy
‘We’ve Seen Enough’ event May 31
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of gratitude to Sandy and Barbara Lewis for standing up to the APA and the State of New York. Very few among us would have or could have taken the actions they did, and that’s what’s at the root of this issue. The APA knows they can have their way, interpret the rules any way they see fit, and the average citizen has little choice but to cave in to their demands or risk losing everything. It’s time for the APA and the state to admit they were wrong and let effects of their actions remain on the record for all to know that they are not invincible. They must learn to deal with the average citizen in a fair, equitable way and not as the big bully they have proven to be time and time again.
sumption worldwide. According to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, almost half of children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke. Over 40 percent of children have at least one smoking parent. In 2004, children accounted for 28 percent of the deaths attributable to second hand smoke. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes, of which at least 250 are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer. Each year in NYS, over 25,000 adults die due to smoking related diseases. We do not want another generation to suffer the effects of tobacco use. Exposure to in store tobacco marketing is a primary cause of youth smoking. To protect our kids, we must reduce youth exposure to tobacco marketing. In support of World No Tobacco Day, local youth from the NYS Tobacco Control Program’s Reality Check will host a call to action rally at 3:45 p.m. in Trinity Park, Plattsburgh, NY. The focus will be “We’ve Seen Enough.” Come see what the youth have to say about tobacco marketing. Tobacco use is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Join us as our youth stand up against the fight for tobacco on May 31, 2011. Jill Rock Peru Dana Isabella Plattsburgh
Each year, on May 31, World Health Organization (WHO) celebrates World No Tobacco Day to highlight the risk associated with tobacco use and to advocate for policies to reduce tobacco con-
PLUS UP TO
Don’t mess with us! When a child continues to steal and the only punishment is to give the item back to its rightful owner, if the owner can prove it was theirs to begin with, what lesson is learned? So long as you can get away with it, why not take everything you want anytime you want? The lesson learned is simple. Keep doing it until someone puts a stop to it and there is a level of punishment commensurate with the act. Government must be held to the highest standard possible given its unlimited resources and when proven wrong, repeatedly, should face some sort of restrictions or censorship. They have no skin in the contest, and with nothing to lose, it only serves to empower them all the more. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he wants to improve ethics at the state government level. This is the perfect time for the Governor to send a clear message that those of us living in the Adirondack Park have rights, too! As citizens, we all owe a great deal
Champlain (518) 298-2000 Plattsburgh (518) 562-9336 Rouses Point (518) 297-6602